New pool heat policy? ***update see post 549 ****

[jodifla]

I thought the OKW pool was pretty comfortable when we were there in February....but I agree that they should keep the pools heated to a comfortable temperature! Heck, they don't have to heat them THAT much of the year.

 

[goldilocks_63]

I know what you mean... I always go during high season XMAS/NYE and Easter, for the warm pools....

Otherwise, if their is no heat or low temps, I might as well do discount September....

If anyone has suggestions, please let DVC know.

I suggested that although this was a WDW policy, that perhaps the DVC quiet pools could be heated to a warmer temp, and since they were smaller, it wouldn't be as expensive.

Goldi

 

[murcor]

We were at SSR from Jan 1st to Jan 12. Upon arriving the first few days the pools were nice and warm. Towards the end of the vacation we noticed a definate cooldown and we would be shivering when we left the pool. At the time we just thought they heated the pools more for the christmas/new yaers crowds and as the crowds died down the pools went down...after reading this thread maybe the new policy took effect sometime during the first two weeks of Jan.

 

[LisaS]

I just sent an email to both of the email addresses goldilocks listed to express concern over this. As someone who just added on more points so we could go to WDW for a week in January every year to escape the New England winters, this is a big issue for me! A HUGE part of what makes a January trip so enjoyable is the chance to go swimming.

 

[Jen D]

This has come up on the resort boards and theme park attractions board too.

It really bugs me also if it is true. When we went in early February it was so cold I didn't swim at all, but my dd did. We were planning on going Presidents Week next year but have been hesitant because of the weather we experienced this year. If we can't count on warm pools, I don't think we can do it.

I'll be writing.

 

[sssteele]

The pools seem overly warm to me in the summer, not very refreshing. It'll certainly be a shame if they're too cold in winter.

 

[bicker]

It really bugs me also if it is true.

I think it would bug me more if it wasn't true, with so many folks getting upset for nothing. YMMV.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

There may be a strong correlation between a high temperature of the water in the pool and the fostering of various pathogens. If it makes the pools safer, then I'm all in favor of making the pools cooler.

The small degree of cooling would have little effect on bacterial growth, but a great effect on the DVCers vacation enjoyment.

If they want to suspend bacterial growth, they should let the pools freeze over and rent ice skates.

 

[lisareniff]

I was swiming with my girls at the Poly before Pres. Weekend and I was . I was suprise because I had heard the pools were heated to 82 deg. and I thought I would be fine. It was hard to stand in one place and watch my little one while in the water. When I was able to swim around it was OK. If it was warmer I would have enjoyed my pool time, now I just remember the cold.

 

[bicker]

I just checked. The danger zone begins at 82 degrees, for pathogens such as Naegleria fowleri. So lowering the temperature of the pools further below 82 degrees is almost surely a matter of safety, given that the effect of the sun could warm the pool beyond what the heaters achieve.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Just called OKW, and spoke with staff there (not naming people, because I don't want to get anyone in trouble).....

They told me that upper management has made an initiative to turn all the pools down to 80 degrees for feature pools, 78 degrees for quiet pools, from a previous 84 - 86 degrees, as a cost savings measure.

I was also told, that a study was run, where it was shown how this effected negatively the resort guests, and they are doing it anyway....

The person said that the study was started when they lowered the pool temps, about 2 months ago, around January....

I tried to talk to the OKW manager, and the front desk didn't allow me to.... THey insisted that I talk to DVC member services about this issue.

So please everyone call MS, speak to management, and email your concerns to:

Disney Vacation Club <members@disneyvacationclub.com>

I'm madder than you know what right now... I am taking my parents to OKW, and they dislike Disney... they are only going there for the pool and sun, and now that will be a bust too!!!!

Goldi

Thanks so much for your call. What leaves me speechless is that they admit they did a study that showed how this negatively affects resort guests but they're doing it anyways!!??!! Boy, that really angers me! It makes me think twice about Disney's concern with guests-we don't care, we're doing it anyways. And they're lowering the temperature in the quiet pools to 78 degrees? OK, if safety were the reason, lower it to 80 or 81, not 78. And did someone say that the temperature in the jacuzzis was lowered too? Or is that one just my infuriated mind at work?

 

[bicker]

I would chalk it up to a little mob mentality. Many folks are getting very upset about something which most every other resort in the world could change without most guests even noticing.

 

[smjj]

I just checked. The danger zone begins at 82 degrees, for pathogens such as Naegleria fowleri. So lowering the temperature of the pools further below 82 degrees is almost surely a matter of safety, given that the effect of the sun could warm the pool beyond what the heaters achieve.

I am sure this had nothing to do with why they decided to lower the temperature of the pools at all. If it did they would have done so long ago. They did it just as others have stated. To save a buck at our expense..smjj

 

[bicker]

Or in response to some recent lawsuit settlements.

Regardless, I'm not sure I understand the allure of always thinking the worst of other people.

 

[toesmom]

One of the main reasons we bought into DVC versus going on all inclusive holidays to Mexico was because pools were heated and we could swim in january in warm water in florida.

So first trip to BWV in january (I reported about my trip somewhere on the boards) and I remember mentioning that it wasn't much of a holiday when I was shivering in the pool!!!

So now I know for sure I wasn't crazy!!! I have to say, it really changed my holiday, I went from enjoying the pool the year before to dreading entering the water with my 7 year old.

NOW WHAT IS THE CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS - IF THEY GET A WHOLE BUNCH OF COMPLAINTS MAYBE THIS POLICY CAN BE CHANGED!!!!

 

[Blue&Gold]

This strikes me as the kind of thing that gets some green eye-shade type fired. The energy costs associated with heating all the pools at WDW combined is probably barely a blip on the overall energy demand of the complex. Anyone care to guess how many kilowatts the lights at Boardwalk burn through in a year? Attempts like these don't cut costs, they cut revenue by annoying customers.

 

[Mumbler]

I just had to agree with the fact that safety couldn't possibly be the issue for turning down pool temps. The pools are somewhere around 88 to 90degrees in the summer, they would have to add something to cool the water to get it any cooler (they do that at my Y, I live in FL). They just super-chlorinate in order to kill the pathogens.
My guess is they only have to use the heater from mid-October to mid-April anyway, so why skimp?
BTW, when we were there once the water was a little chilly and the lifeguard at that time told us the air temp has to consistently (certain # of days) get below 70 degrees at night before they turn the heaters on.

 

[Katya]

I just checked. The danger zone begins at 82 degrees, for pathogens such as Naegleria fowleri. So lowering the temperature of the pools further below 82 degrees is almost surely a matter of safety, given that the effect of the sun could warm the pool beyond what the heaters achieve.

The problem with this hypothesis is the fact that, if you are speaking of Naegleria fowleri or other microorganisms, is that we are not speaking of heated lakes and streams. We are speaking of swimming pools, which, unless they are woefully and neglegently maintained, tend to be chlorinated. Extra chlorinated, I'm sure, if you are an organization the size and breadth of Disney.

I would chalk it up to a little mob mentality. Many folks are getting very upset about something which most every other resort in the world could change without most guests even noticing.

The difference, however, is that the people complaining at least on this board are 'part-owners' of these resorts. At least they are for 40-50 years, and they were neither consulted or alerted to this change? Many of these owners might have seen the allure of heated pools in off-season months to be an influential selling point. Recently, I went ahead and decided to put down a deposit and am now waiting on the paperwork to come in for me to finalize the deal.

I live in Washington, DC, which tends to have cold winters. On top of that, I'm someone who tends to travel off-season due to annual commitments which occur on-season. So, the whole "heated pools during winter" thing was a major selling point. Will it kill the deal? Probably not, but it has definitely given me pause if it is a harbinger of things to come. When my paperwork does arrive, I may very well talk to my guide or someone else to get the 411 of what's going on.

And as someone else said, when you consider how much money Disney spends each day and night on energy costs (Spectromagic, anyone?), it is impossible to see how they are really saving much money at all. Actually, I'd like to see the numbers on that, seeing that I am not sure exactly how much energy it takes to heat those pools (is it an exponential thing as bodies of water get larger? etc).

I think what upsets a lot of people is more that it was done 'on the sly.' No body likes that, whoever they are. If you are going to do something, be honest and open about it. Don't try to get away with it, especially with people who are the ones who you are sharing the costs of upkeep with.

My personal guess is that it could be one of those things where the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. Look at most large organizations. It happens all the time. Department A does one thing, not realizing how it could affect Department B. Who knows. It may just be an honest mistake couched in the surface of trying to save money. As 'part-owners,' it can be argued, that DVC members are the checks and balances to ensure that Disney keeps efficiency from interfering with quality, etc etc.

Or my name is Pollyanna. I dunno.

P.S. I just spent like... an hour and a half getting this post to post due to some weird "can't post URLs" error. And, as you can see, no URLs! The problem seemed to come from one sentence which wouldn't parse through the bbs. ARGH! I am blaming this problem on the lack of heated pools also.

 

[bicker]

The difference, however, is that the people complaining at least on this board are 'part-owners' of these resorts.

So what you're saying is that it is actually MY money that they're saving, by turning the heater down three degrees. Okay, thanks for clearing that up.

Many of these owners might have seen the allure of heated pools in off-season months to be an influential selling point.

Good thing the pools are STILL heated.

 

[trstno1]

The problem with this hypothesis is the fact that, if you are speaking of Naegleria fowleri or other microorganisms, is that we are not speaking of heated lakes and streams. We are speaking of swimming pools, which, unless they are woefully and neglegently maintained, tend to be chlorinated. Extra chlorinated, I'm sure, if you are an organization the size and breadth of Disney.

Yeah - there is no way that pool heating is a public health issue. It's money, pure and simple.