New restrictions coming for pool use?

[Reddog1134]

In my personal OPINION, I do think if Disney is putting up fences, it's a liability initiative.

I would agree if they were putting up fences at all the pools.

 

[DPCummerbund]

I would agree if they were putting up fences at all the pools.

The way it's worded, it's a "clarification" as to when lifeguards are on duty. Considering that lawsuits always hinge on legal clarifications, that does make sense. It's no longer a matter of time, it's just the pool itself - some have lifeguards, some are "swim at your own risk". Nobody needs to check whether a lifeguard is on duty or not, or whether a lifeguard WAS on duty, but now has left for the day, etc.

On the other hand, I really do think they've killed two birds with one stone. They're preventing incidents/lawsuits AND pool hoppers.

Yes, determined pool hoppers will probably be able to sneak in with pool guests. However, there's probably a large "preventative" measure here - many off-property visitors probably won't bother trying to pool hop if they hear that the pools are now gated and guarded.

It's like shoplifting. They say that 10% of the people will NEVER shoplift, no matter what. 10% will always shoplift. The 80% in the middle will shoplift if the opportunity presents itself, or with the right motivations, or if they think nobody is watching, etc.

Pool hopping is the same way. There's a group of people who will try to sneak in behind other guests, and other stuff like that. There's another, but probably larger group that will only try it if they really think they can get away with it easily. I think the ultimate success of this initiative will be in the first few months - if Disney gets a reputation for guarding its pools, people will probably give up trying to sneak in. If it becomes widely known that you can sneak in behind other guests, then it was all for naught.

 

[stitchlovestink]

There's an article in today's Orlando Sentinel that confirms the change:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-disney-locking-swimming-pools-20130926,0,2545736.story

I'd hate to be in a room near a "quiet" pool after 11:00 PM. I have a feeling that they're not going to be quiet anymore!
If Disney is doing this becasue of liability issues, why would they not close down all of the pools?

bolding is mine...

I've stayed poolside at POP near the quiet pools and they are excellent about keeping them quiet after hours IMO. When they are technically closed, if people are too noisy and other guests complain, they WILL make the nighttime swimmers get out!! I don't expect that to change.

 

[Imhere]

Wilderness Lodge is going to present an entirely different problem.

They could do it like on a cruise ship. At the end of the night they cover the pool with a net.

It's quick and easy, no fencing required.

 

[Planogirl]

bolding is mine...

I've stayed poolside at POP near the quiet pools and they are excellent about keeping them quiet after hours IMO. When they are technically closed, if people are too noisy and other guests complain, they WILL make the nighttime swimmers get out!! I don't expect that to change.

We did have a problem once at PORS with a loud group coming to the pool well after midnight but the Allstars were fine. I now make it a point to ask the resort to put us as far away from pools as possible!

 

[zorro77]

I wrote a note to WDW customer service about the pool fencing and understanding about quite pools being closed for guest later in evening. She informed me major pools will be fenced in and if they had life guards pool and area will be closed according to scheduled time. Also, the smaller pools will be open for guest to use after pool hours are done. She said there is nothing about not allowing guest to sit out in pool area after the pool is closed.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I wrote a note to WDW customer service about the pool fencing and understanding about quite pools being closed for guest later in evening. She informed me major pools will be fenced in and if they had life guards pool and area will be closed according to scheduled time. Also, the smaller pools will be open for guest to use after pool hours are done. She said there is nothing about not allowing guest to sit out in pool area after the pool is closed.

That is good to know.....not sure about the mods but POP (and I would assume the other values) does have quiet hours!! they apply no matter what you are doing. IIRC, they are 11pm to 7am. So they would clearly apply to people in the pool after hours!

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

I wrote a note to WDW customer service about the pool fencing and understanding about quite pools being closed for guest later in evening. She informed me major pools will be fenced in and if they had life guards pool and area will be closed according to scheduled time. Also, the smaller pools will be open for guest to use after pool hours are done. She said there is nothing about not allowing guest to sit out in pool area after the pool is closed.

~Thanks for the update -- the last sentence is somewhat confusing. Why would Disney fence in all the main pools but still allow guests to "sit in the pool area?" If the fences are left unlock and the pools are not monitored, people will swim. Maybe just having the fences up with proper signage is enough to alleviate Disney from being held accountable should another accident occur. We'll see.

 

[willowsnn3]

What about "quiet" pools? They never have lifeguards present. Are they closing them all? I would have to doubt it.

I don't know about all the quiet pools, but the ones at POP Century have always had lifeguards present during pool hours.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I don't know about all the quiet pools, but the ones at POP Century have always had lifeguards present during pool hours.

Mmmmm......
I beg to differ with you on that one....
I have stayed at POP 119 nights. I stay in the 50's or 60's section only, my preference being the 50's. I have seen many times in the past where the bowling pin pool was not guarded during the day. Policy may be different now, but in the past it was not ALWAYS guarded, even during operating hours. The signs were up, No guard on duty swim at your own risk. Have seen it MULTIPLE times!

Come to think of it, even this past spring, the guards went off duty at the quiet pools prior to their official closing time, so they weren't 'guarded' the whole time. The guards went off duty at like 8pm and the pool didn't close until 10 or 11pm. So it was definitely not guarded the whole time. I had a pool side room for a week earlier this year. Actually 26 of my 38 nights that I spent at POP just this year were in the 50's section. The first 12 were in bldg 5 in the 60's section. I only stay in Bldgs 1, 3 or 5. (I have connections! )

 

[PuppyJonathan]

119 nights? But aren't all the pools in the Value resorts main unlike the rest with one main and the rest quiet?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

119 nights? But aren't all the pools in the Value resorts main unlike the rest with one main and the rest quiet?

Absolutely not...

It's pretty simple actually... The big
Pool nearest the food is the main pool...those farther away are the "quiet" pools.

At pop it's the hippy dippy pool... At movies it's the fantasia pool, etc

The Only exceptions are at Saratoga... Where they had to scramble and build more due to size and lack of demand (my theory but the most likely to be true one as well) and kinda at grand Floridian...which was an add on.

Simple...plant your feet at the entrance to any restaurant... And march in a straight line to the closest pool. That is the feature pool.

They just don't dress them up at the values because they don't include those $75 a night price amenities... A 14 ft slide and a 6 person hot tub... Like the moderates. You can't give away luxury like That for free.

 

[delmar411]

Does it definitely have to be a fence close to and around the pool? Or does it just have to be a method of restricting access to the pool?

I'd hate to see a fence around WL or AKL pools. However, maybe if it just needs to be a method of restricting access, then access control on the doors (more viable now with magic bands?) and gates near boat dock etc?

I have seen ropes up around the AKL pool and that's how you restrict access for those resorts. A simple rope up across the entrance is enough deterrent with a sign saying pool closed.

At the values, the pools are different so they will have to use a different method. A fence would be weird since isn't the POP pool right up against the rooms? It would be a tight walkway if there was a fence.

 

[mukorasirish]

I am all for fencing and limiting access - even if it's strictly to stop pool hopping. We were at the Poly at the end of June and pool hopping was terrible. There really aren't too many tables or even chairs around the volcano pool - especially ones that enable you to watch the pool and keep an eye on the kids. We saw three large groups taking up multiple tables and chairs and all three had those large rolling coolers with them. (Pretty obvious they weren't staying at the Poly.) When a thunderstorm rolled in we could hear them saying it was time to head back to the campground. They were back the next day. We did complain and were told that there would be changes coming to hopefully alleviate the problem but no one came out to ask them to leave. It was infuriating to see paying Poly guests walking around with their little ones while this big group of freeloaders are taking up numerous table and chairs.

I don't expect the lifeguards to patrol the pool looking for hoppers but they could have some type of non - lifeguard CM walking about. A fence with key access would be a big help in enabling paying guests better access to the pools.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

I am all for fencing and limiting access - even if it's strictly to stop pool hopping. We were at the Poly at the end of June and pool hopping was terrible. There really aren't too many tables or even chairs around the volcano pool - especially ones that enable you to watch the pool and keep an eye on the kids. We saw three large groups taking up multiple tables and chairs and all three had those large rolling coolers with them. (Pretty obvious they weren't staying at the Poly.) When a thunderstorm rolled in we could hear them saying it was time to head back to the campground. They were back the next day. We did complain and were told that there would be changes coming to hopefully alleviate the problem but no one came out to ask them to leave. It was infuriating to see paying Poly guests walking around with their little ones while this big group of freeloaders are taking up numerous table and chairs.

I don't expect the lifeguards to patrol the pool looking for hoppers but they could have some type of non - lifeguard CM walking about. A fence with key access would be a big help in enabling paying guests better access to the pools.

Absolutely agree!

It sounds like they were an eyesore at that beautiful pool, as well...with all three groups having their own "large rolling coolers". It's absolutely infuriating when you consider how much you pay to stay at the Poly and there is no effort to make you feel like the resort is "exclusive".

 

[stitchlovestink]

I am all for fencing and limiting access - even if it's strictly to stop pool hopping. We were at the Poly at the end of June and pool hopping was terrible. There really aren't too many tables or even chairs around the volcano pool - especially ones that enable you to watch the pool and keep an eye on the kids. We saw three large groups taking up multiple tables and chairs and all three had those large rolling coolers with them. (Pretty obvious they weren't staying at the Poly.) When a thunderstorm rolled in we could hear them saying it was time to head back to the campground. They were back the next day. We did complain and were told that there would be changes coming to hopefully alleviate the problem but no one came out to ask them to leave. It was infuriating to see paying Poly guests walking around with their little ones while this big group of freeloaders are taking up numerous table and chairs.

I don't expect the lifeguards to patrol the pool looking for hoppers but they could have some type of non - lifeguard CM walking about. A fence with key access would be a big help in enabling paying guests better access to the pools.

I don't know if you can use points to stay at Fort Wilderness, but BE CAREFUL about ASSUMING that every pool hopper is there ILLEGALLY. That is a Big Perk of owning DVC!! There are only a few pools that are excluded from hopping for DVC members. So they may be there totally legal unless you are at one of those few pools that doesn't allow it. So I think people need to kind of mind their own business since that person/people could be there on totally legit terms! Until Disney discontinues this for DVC members (which may be coming if they are going to this extent...who knows??) It is totally permitted and acceptable whether other guests like it or not.
BTW, I am not a DVC owner but am familiar with the rules/perks.

 

[beer dave]

I don't know if you can use points to stay at Fort Wilderness, but BE CAREFUL about ASSUMING that every pool hopper is there ILLEGALLY. That is a Big Perk of owning DVC!! There are only a few pools that are excluded from hopping for DVC members. So they may be there totally legal unless you are at one of those few pools that doesn't allow it. So I think people need to kind of mind their own business since that person/people could be there on totally legit terms! Until Disney discontinues this for DVC members (which may be coming if they are going to this extent...who knows??) It is totally permitted and acceptable whether other guests like it or not.
BTW, I am not a DVC owner but am familiar with the rules/perks.

Must be staying on points at a DVC resort. The campgrounds does not qualify. Villas at wilderness lodge does.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

~I have to wonder if "pool hopping" is really an issue. We always stay at the Poly and AK and I have never noticed any "pool hoppers." How do you really know??? I guess it just happens during a certain time a year, which is why I will stick with late August!

 

[DPCummerbund]

~I have to wonder if "pool hopping" is really an issue. We always stay at the Poly and AK and I have never noticed any "pool hoppers." How do you really know???

You're correct in that many times you don't know. However, many posters have mentioned that they've heard people bragging about how "savvy" they are by paying for an offsite or Value resort & still getting to use the Deluxe pools.

We love BCV, and I've seen a LOT of people turned away from SAB who didn't have wrist bands. I've never seen anybody complain that they're actually hotel guests who should be let in.

There are other ways too. I've noticed an increase in the number of people leaving the pool area in soaking wet swimsuits & heading straight for the parking lot or the buses. It's possible that these are hotel guests heading to the park who decided not to change (for one reason or the other), but doubtful. Similarly, if they're there with bags full of a change of clothing, they're probably not hotel guests, who would just change in the room.

The main way I can tell is watching what happens when they leave. The parents almost always have to convince their kids that it's time to get out of the pool. I've heard lots of parents tell the kids "Come on, it's time to go back to our hotel." That's solid proof right there.

And just for fun, here's a story of people sneaking into SAB by bringing their own wristbands: http://www.darksideofdisney.com/?p=240 Fortunately, Magic Bands won't be so easy to fake.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

You're correct in that many times you don't know. However, many posters have mentioned that they've heard people bragging about how "savvy" they are by paying for an offsite or Value resort & still getting to use the Deluxe pools.

We love BCV, and I've seen a LOT of people turned away from SAB who didn't have wrist bands. I've never seen anybody complain that they're actually hotel guests who should be let in.

There are other ways too. I've noticed an increase in the number of people leaving the pool area in soaking wet swimsuits & heading straight for the parking lot or the buses. It's possible that these are hotel guests heading to the park who decided not to change (for one reason or the other), but doubtful. Similarly, if they're there with bags full of a change of clothing, they're probably not hotel guests, who would just change in the room.

The main way I can tell is watching what happens when they leave. The parents almost always have to convince their kids that it's time to get out of the pool. I've heard lots of parents tell the kids "Come on, it's time to go back to our hotel." That's solid proof right there.

And just for fun, here's a story of people sneaking into SAB by bringing their own wristbands: http://www.darksideofdisney.com/?p=240 Fortunately, Magic Bands won't be so easy to fake.

~Great post & thanks for the link! LOL @ "The Dark Side of Disney." Where in the world did you find this? Anyway, I'll have to read this later on and I'll let you know what I think. But, your post is a real eye opener! That is just sad -- all around.