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

[k_k_100]

If they are keeping the pools for our own good - safety - per Red Cross guidelines shouldn't they be trying to cool them during the summer? Are they saying during the winter months you can safely swim - during the summer when the pools warm up significantly you can all just swelter in a vat of bacteria? This has me very irritated...

 

[LisaS]

The response doesn't address what the temps used to be, just parrotting the recommendations from the Red Cross, a fine resplonse but it doesn't answer whether the have actually decreased the temps.

Good post Toxman except that they are taking the Red Cross' comments out of context! The Red Cross states that 78-80 degrees is fine if you're swimming laps, otherwise you need the pool to be several degrees warmer than that. So, they are actually NOT following the Red Cross' recommendations unless they want us to believe that the feature pools at WDW are really supposed to be used as lap pools.

 

[Blue&Gold]

Of course, the most "environmentally conscious" thing to do would be to close WDW entirely. Ridiculous excuse.

They should be touting the fact that the pools are toasty warm as a way to get more folks to the World during the off-peak seasons.

Penny-wise and pound-foolish, IMO.

 

[jade1]

If they are keeping the pools for our own good - safety - per Red Cross guidelines shouldn't they be trying to cool them during the summer? Are they saying during the winter months you can safely swim - during the summer when the pools warm up significantly you can all just swelter in a vat of bacteria? This has me very irritated...

Exactly right. So you cant swim in the winter because its too cold, and not in the summer because its unsafe. Why not fill the pools with cement and paint shuffle boards on them.

 

[Pluto4Pres]

This is the official response I received from my email to DVC:

Thank you for your e-mail.

We appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns regarding the temperature of our resort
pools. Based on American Red Cross recommendations, we are heating our resort swimming pools at
78-80 degrees during the winter months. Please note that water temperature is monitored throughout
the day so that we may maintain this recommended temperature. Since the average air temperature can be cool in Florida during the winter months, you may wish to be mindful of the current temperature
when using the pools. In addition, The Walt Disney Company is focused on continually finding ways
to be environmentally conscious and participative. By maintaining our resort swimming pools at 80
degrees during the winter months, we contribute greatly toward conserving valuable energy sources.

Thank you again for contacting us. We are glad you are a Member of our Disney Vacation Club family, and we look forward to entertaining you for many years to come.

What a load a crap this answer is. Don't insult my intelligence. This is as bad as putting up a billboard to announce another billboard or telling me that Olivia's food is no longer available from Good's to Go so that they can "better serve me."

I was determined to get to the bottom of this so I convened a "Code Red" inquiry to find out who ordered this change in pool temp policy. Here is the transcript of the testimony from Henry Jessep, Director of Customer Satisfaction for WDW Resorts:

Jessep: You want answers?
Me : I think I'm entitled to them.
Jessep: You want answers!?
Me: I want the truth!
Jessep: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has pools. And those pools have to be heated by men with liquid propane. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Daitcher? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for warm water and you curse the Mouse. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that warm water, while nice, risks lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives...You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that thermostat. You need me on that thermostat.
We use words like cast member, guide and imagineer...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who swims under the cold water blanket of the protection I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up an oval nametag and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a d**n what you think you're entitled to!
Me: Did you order the pools cold?
Jessep: (quietly) I did the job you sent me to do.
Me: Did you order the pools cold?
Jessep: You're g*****n right I did!!

So now...We know

 

[tmt martins]

Exactly right. So you cant swim in the winter because its too cold, and not in the summer because its unsafe. Why not fill the pools with cement and paint shuffle boards on them.

Or put a playground on them like 20,000 in MK.

I don't generally swim But DD love to and this is just another shame of them taking our money and not letting us know when and why they are doing it until after the fact.

Funny I don't remember seeing that in our mailings.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Pluto, I love that!!! Thanks for the laugh, I sure needed it, but I am still PO'd!! Heck Disney needs a Few Good Men and Women that will stand up for its guests!

I am ready to call my guide and cancel our last add-on and December ressie at BCV. I know someone will be happy to have it, but SAB is useless to my family if it is cold.

$101 a point my ****!! I wouldnt pay it, and I won't recommend DVC to another soul if these are the games they want to play! Im not a jockey, but I know horse poo when I see it!

Let's start a list of Resorts that heat their pools to 84F or greater in the winter months. If there are none, then we will happily stay at home in Texas!!

 

[manning]

They can run gas guzzling busses every 15 minutes but now they are concerned about the environment!! I am totally peeved!

Watch everyone come out of the wood work if it goes to 16 minutes!!

What's that, that William (shakespeare) said "A big to do about nothing". Or as my grandmother use to say "when you spend all your time complaining you don't have time enjoying". And "you don't get everything you want. Never did, never will, so make the best of it."

I'm not saying you should not voice your concern to management. Just realize you may not always be successful and be prepared to move on.

Hold on for a few minutes. Give me a chance to get my hard hat on.

 

[LIFERBABE]

No need for a hard hat Manning, I wont hit you over the head!

And we will adjust. To a warmer climate with warmer pools in December!

And for the record, I am prepared to move on also. Owning DVC is a big deal to us. Im normally very supportive of their management of the resorts. But I am willing to downsize our points considerably and spend our 2 week Christmas break elsewhere because it is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. It hurts my feeling to even say that, but we will.

So for our family, it is much ado about something!

 

[smjj]

Watch everyone come out of the wood work if it goes to 16 minutes!!

What's that, that William (shakespeare) said "A big to do about nothing". Or as my grandmother use to say "when you spend all your time complaining you don't have time enjoying". And "you don't get everything you want. Never did, never will, so make the best of it."

I'm not saying you should not voice your concern to management. Just realize you may not always be successful and be prepared to move on.

Hold on for a few minutes. Give me a chance to get my hard hat on.

You know, the problem is that I feel and many others feel that they really tried to pull one over on us and got caught. If no one ever complained or voiced a concern, then where would be be on many subjects. Disney did not handle this one very well. I think a better approach would have been to post a notice at the pools to this affect or something like it in the lobbies explaining why. Instead they just did it with little or no concern to how us members would feel about it. I have always been a big fan of WDW and still am, its just that I feel like sometimes they try and take advantage of that loyalty..smjj

 

[CarnotaurDad]

Ya know, I guess I am just not understanding. The difference between 78 - 80 and 82 - 84, isn't really worth complaining about IMHO.

This will probably be my last point on this (as I'm sure many will cheer) but it's not like they went from 86 degrees to 66 degrees.

Oh, well. Maybe it's because I am from Ohio and ANYTHING above 70 degrees feels warm.

In the immortal words of Monty Python, "Carry on".......

 

[kaw1106]

Everything is relative, however, but the pool was much colder this January than last January or so it seemed. But, what matters to me is my kids, not me. Their little bodies do notice the difference between 78/80 and 84 degrees. I would be curious as to what the Other theme parks in Floriday keep their pool temps at. Mostly Universal? Does anyone know?

 

[LisaS]

Ya know, I guess I am just not understanding. The difference between 78 - 80 and 82 - 84, isn't really worth complaining about IMHO.

This will probably be my last point on this (as I'm sure many will cheer) but it's not like they went from 86 degrees to 66 degrees.

Oh, well. Maybe it's because I am from Ohio and ANYTHING above 70 degrees feels warm.

In the immortal words of Monty Python, "Carry on".......

It does sound like a small difference in temperature but it can make a large difference in one's comfort and enjoyment. I didn't fully appreciate this either until I started searching for info on recommended pool temperatures. I read that 78 degrees is the recommended temperature for a pool being used for a swim meet. 82 degrees is recommended when people are working out in the pool swimming laps. 86 degrees is recommended for things like water therapy (where you are not exercising vigorously in the pool). So it appears that a few degrees can make a big difference! The typical Disney guest is not swimming laps so the pool needs to be closer to 84 degrees to feel comfortable to most people, particularly when the air temperature is in the low 70s.

But as you say, different people have different cold tolerances. I went to college in a cold climate. One of my college friends was from Florida and even with several layers of clothing (t-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, sweater and a well-insulated parka), he was always shivering in the cold. Another friend was from Minnesota and he would wear a t-shirt and a long-sleeved flannel shirt and throw on his parka but not bother to zip it. It was about a 1/2-mile walk from the dorm and unless the temperature went below 20 degrees, he never zipped the parka. He would probably be fine with a 78-degree pool, too but I think many of us are not that hardy!

So for me and others like me, 78 degrees vs the previous 84-degree pool temperature means the difference between using the pool or not using the pool in the winter. Since DH and I had been planning to make a trip to WDW every January with the expectation of using the pools, we're now rethinking our plans. I would prefer to go to WDW but I want to be able to go swimming, too. Unless they rethink their new policy, I'll be forced to choose. DH has already asked me to start looking into other options for next January.

 

[Markstudy]

I read that 78 degrees is the recommended temperature for a pool being used for a swim meet.

Unless they rethink their new policy, I'll be forced to choose. DH has already asked me to start looking into other options for next January.

Unless something changes.... my new plans to go every January, have just ended.

I use to go every Jan as a kid, loved to swim in the evening.

Now that I'm an Adult with income to afford it. I was panning on starting that trend again.

Sorry, but the pool was so cold this year, that I'd need a thicker wet-suit to enjoy it.

 

[boatboatboat]

86 vs 78 is a 10% reduction, IMO a 10% reduction in temps is a REAL comfort issue.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Maybe I missed it, but has there been any official word from Disney yet?

MG

 

[tmt martins]

Maybe I missed it, but has there been any official word from Disney yet?

MG

Hey MG

Top of page 16 is an e-mail recieved from DVC concerning RED Cross guidelines.

 

[LisaS]

Maybe I missed it, but has there been any official word from Disney yet?

MG

See post #226 on page 16. Bottom line is that by setting the pool temperature to the 78-80 degree range, Disney "contribute greatly toward conserving valuable energy sources." I guess that matters more to them than pleasing their guests.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Thanx, tmt martins and LisaS.
Next time please tell me to wear boots!

MG

 

[AMcaptured]

Unless something changes.... my new plans to go every January, have just ended.

I use to go every Jan as a kid, loved to swim in the evening.

Now that I'm an Adult with income to afford it. I was panning on starting that trend again.

Sorry, but the pool was so cold this year, that I'd need a thicker wet-suit to enjoy it.

We will also be taking our money and spending it else where if this is a permanent policy change.

I sent a snail mail letter and am waiting to here from Sam Pensula's office, that is who I sent the letter too....

With our 500 points and over $2K a year in maintanance fees, I can take my money and go anywhere for many many years if Disney doesn't appreciate our business. Not to mention all the other money we spend on Annual Passes and countless meals on property.

This lame response from Disney that others have posted only reinforces my belief that they think very little of us as guests and have disregarded our loyal patronage throughout the years.

Also, DVC is a HUGE money maker for the company, obviously they feel they need to bite the hand that feeds them!!!

Honestly, I am SO disappointed in Disney at this point.


AM