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

[keys2kingdom]

If Disney really wanted to save money and energy why don't they install solar heaters for their pools? I heated my home pool to 88 degrees from April to October for free in Ohio. Also in the winter they could use solar covers at night to save money also.

Now THERE is an excellent idea!!

 

[GDUL]

Proof that the temperatures have been lowered - SAB freezing over!

Just kidding (obviously) - just trying to keep the mood light!

 

[rantnnravin]

Here's the letter I sent.
I hope it brings some rationality to the argument.

To Whom it May Concern,

I think it is important to address a situation that we experienced on our last visit to Walt Disney World Resort.
On 2/18-2/20/06, we were guests at the Contermporary Resort. We had a room with a pool view and were excited to be so close to this amenity. My 6 year old daughter was very excited to enjoy the pool-slide. We waited until 2/20, as it was to be 80 degrees that day. However, when we tried to enjoy the pool, it was so cold, it was painful. We spent less than 20 minutes in the main pool, alternating playing on the slide with warming up in the hot-tub.
At 5am on 2/21/06, our first day at the Villas at Wilderness Lodge, our 6-year old woke-up with the croup. I can't imagine that the cold swim she endured the day before could have helped very much.
On 2/22/06, it was 85 degrees and our child was feeling better, so we thought we'd try out the pools at the Wilderness Lodge. Once again, we were greeted with a main pool that was too cold to enjoy for more than 15 minutes (our daughter slid down the slide 3 times and we left) and the DVC pool was _*so*_ cold that we headed directly for the jacuzzi, which was, by the way, broken (no jets). We chatted with a family from Maine for about 10 minutes and returned to our room.
On 2/23 we spent 5 hours at Centra Care due to the cold, cough and fever my daughter developed. I can't imagine that the cold pools were any help.
On 2/24/06, we moved to the Boardwalk Villas. Since finding out in December '05 that we'd be staying at the Boardwalk, my daughter had been looking forward to spending time in the feature pool. We waited a few days and on an 86 degree day, we took her to the main pool at the Boardwalk. Do I need to repeat what we experienced? In a nutshell, a COLD pool and another very UNCOMFORTABLE twenty minutes.
We have been to Disney World and stayed on Disney property 5 times since 2003 (February 2005 being one) and I can honestly say that I have never encountered such uncomfortable temperatures in any of the pools until this stay. I can only assume, since we stayed at three different resorts and encountered this same ecperiences at all three, that Disney has lowered pool tempartures throughout the resort.
This has greatly diminished our guest experience at your resort and we are rather perturbed that we, as New Yorkers, will not be able to enjoy the swimming and sun that we look forward to when visiting Central Florida.

Unhappily yours,

 

[DisneyBill]

Well put Rant'N. Please share any responses you receive from WDW properties.

 

[DisFlan]

rantnnravin - I'm not disagreeing with your pool temp problem (not many people enjoy a too-cold pool), but a question comes to mind. Why did you allow your daughter back in a cold pool after you knew she was ill?


DisFlan

 

[rantnnravin]

executive decision.

the pools were cold. we sent an email voicing our displeasure.

 

[LisaS]

Well stated, rantnnravin. I'm sorry to hear the pools were so cold during your stay. I'm just baffled over Disney's decision to lower the pool temperature to the point where the pools are unusable and I hope your letter gets somebody's attention.

 

[tmt martins]

Maybe too many people were useing the pools and not SPENDING enough money in the parks .

Disney has done other things to entice you ,free tickets ,dining and other discounts.This may be the same tactic just in their favor.Save money and get them out of the pools and into other area's

 

[Stitch1404]

I wrote a letter last week after experiencing cold pools. I got a phone call today. The woman I spoke with was very patient with me, but I didn't get an answer I liked! I got the same answer that Disney pools are heated to American Red Cross standards which is 78-80 degrees for leisure swimming. Well, Red Cross standards or not, that is way too cold for me to enjoy a pool! This is really a major disappointment.

 

[BuckRodgers1999]

...I got the same answer that Disney pools are heated to American Red Cross standards which is 78-80 degrees for leisure swimming. Well, Red Cross standards or not, that is way too cold for me to enjoy a pool! This is really a major disappointment.

But that is not true. Red Cross Standards are 78 for fitness swimming and 82 for recreational swimming.

Does anyone know how many fitness swimming lanes are in the Disney pools? Seems like tha majority of them are recreational.

A search on the redcross website will show the red cross pool recommended temperatures to you,
Red Cross lists 82 for recreational swimming.

Why quote erroneous stats to defend the lowered pool temperatures.

 

[BuckRodgers1999]

So, if I understand what I've been hearing from member services, at first this change was to comply with Red Cross guidelines of 78-82.

Now they are writing me telling me there are no Red Cross Guidelines for pools, so they are going to go with 78-80.

But when I search the redcross web site, it is very easy to find thier recommendation of 78 for fitness pools and 82 for recreational pools.

I've always had the impression that Disney was a more forthright company promoting integrity. These conflicting statements about the pool temperatures do not support an integrity approach to this issue.

I'm increasingly surprised as I witness how this change is being handled by Disney.

 

[tmt martins]

So, if I understand what I've been hearing from member services, at first this change was to comply with Red Cross guidelines of 78-82.

Now they are writing me telling me there are no Red Cross Guidelines for pools, so they are going to go with 78-80.

But when I search the redcross web site, it is very easy to find thier recommendation of 78 for fitness pools and 82 for recreational pools.

I've always had the impression that Disney was a more forthright company promoting integrity. These conflicting statements about the pool temperatures do not support an integrity approach to this issue.

I'm increasingly surprised as I witness how this change is being handled by Disney.

I also think the problem here is WHAT IS THE OFFICIAL Statement .

CM's are known to expand on things that are factual or just heard ( e.i. it's ok to bring your mug back and fill it on another trip or If your child is just 10 then it's ok to let them be on the childs ticket ).

Now that they are getting more inquiries they tend to give more different answers and this is with every thing from the heated pools to ADR's to what resorts are available.

The only way this will get changed is what we are doing right here by talking and then bringing our disatisfaction to their attention.They have made other changes for this very reason.They will always test the water and see what they can get away with .But we all know the squeeky wheel gets the grease.

 

[Markstudy]

Here's how Disney handeled the cold pools with staff...... He said they complained and Disney issued them wet suits

It's true because I spoke to him while he was in the pool and commented how rediculous he looked in his wet suit.

If Disney is buying wetsuits for the pool staff..... we are in trouble for the long-term

 

[Markstudy]

The topic of pools being colder was closed on the Resort board.

Is it common for Disboard to shut down topics?

 

[MrsToad]

For what it's worth, Friday I asked the life guard at the local YMCA about the temperatures in their two pools. The "Fitness" pool (the lap pool) is 78-80 while the "recreational" pool is 84-86 degrees. They also do the aquasize classes in the recreational pool as the warmer water is supposed to be better for that.

 

[goldilocks_63]

I would like to pool temps to be 84-86.

JMO, Goldi

 

[jade1]

Maybe too many people were useing the pools and not SPENDING enough money in the parks .

Disney has done other things to entice you ,free tickets ,dining and other discounts.This may be the same tactic just in their favor.Save money and get them out of the pools and into other area's

Maybe they could filter in a bad aroma into the rooms each morning to get you going, or turn the room heat up to 80 during they day, they could start a high pich squeel or turn off cable during the day. All similar results as cold pools-DISCOMFORT.

 

[freediverdude]

They really are issuing wetsuits to the lifeguards??? Un-effing-believable. (Sorry for the almost cuss word, but that's just over the top.)

 

[cobbler]

The best thing to do is let Disney know how you feel. It worked with the Garden Grill. People wrote emails and also talked with their wallets. It only took a couple of months and they changed it back for the better.

 

[jarestel]

First we had the air conditioners that didn't cool the rooms adequately enough for some, and now the ice water pools... Whatever happened to those first class resorts we all used to brag about?

Personally, I don't give a hoot whether someone else is comfortable swimming in 78 degree water or sleeping in 72 degree rooms. If I'm not comfortable, that's my main concern because with all due respect, I'm the one paying the freight for my Disney vacations. If Disney has decided that a guest's comfort needs to be sacrificed in order to please the bean counters, will it be long before they are cutting back on amenities that matter to guests in other areas as well? I hope not because I'd hate to see DVC/Disney become "just another timeshare".