No Saving Pool Chairs **UPDATE**

[Mickeydad]

I spoke with MS this morning. They have advised me/us to do two things.

1. Send an email, via the DVC Member Site, complaining about this issue and to suggest a sign be displayed at ALL DVC Disney Resort Pools stating that "THE SAVING OF POOL CHAIRS IS NOT ALLOWED, GUESTS MUST BE PRESENT TO OCCUPY POOL CHAIRS."

2. Send a letter to DVC and Walt Disney World at the following addresses;

DVC Member Services
200 Celebration Place; 4th Floor
Celebration, FL 34747

Walt Disney World
Guest Communications
P.O. Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

At the time of writing the thread almost 300 people have viewed my original thread about this problem. If everyone that viewed my original thread sends a letter and/or email, this problem will get addressed!!!

 

[CarolA]

Option three is to start taking the chairs. You may not like this, but if I see a ton of chairs all NEATLY lined up "Saved" with only the generic pool towels I just "assume" those people left and forgot to turn in thier towels.

Option four is to collect all stuff and take it to lost and found. However, you have to watch the stuff a LONG time to make sure the people are not really there.

Disney can post signs all it wants, but I have been to beach resorts with these policies and unless Disney hires the "chair patrols" it won't work, people will still try.

I will send Disney a message however!

 

[lmhall2000]

I'll do my part- handwriting a note now! Thanks for the heads up- maybe by the time we take our trip in September I'll have good news for you!
Tara

 

[PamOKW]

It's worth a shot trying to get them to put in some formal policy.

I think this saving of chairs is a universal resort problem. There was an even an article I read somewhere recently about how people got up at dawn and saved the chairs and then never came to use them. It wasn't talking about Disney but it reminded me of what I've been reading here.

 

[KNWVIKING]

Personally, I'd like to say thank you to the kind people who get up early and go out and set pool towels out on the chairs for me. One, the towels are nice & warm from sitting in the sun. Second, they keep the plastic chairs from being to hot and burning my skin. Funny how these people have never come up to me and asked if I appriciated their effort.

 

[donmil723]

I don't mind people "saving" a lounge chair at the pool if they are really going to use it. They might be swimming, or on the slide, or getting something to eat, or going back to their room to get something and could be gone 30 minutes to an hour. On our pool days, I'm usually up early for a run and then go to the pool and pick out lounge chairs for my family. Then I go back to the room for a quick shower and to change into my swimsuit. We'll spend the rest of the day at the pool with some coming and going to swim, slide, eat, etc. I think a bigger problem is people leaving the pool for the day and not removing their towels. If everyone would remove their towels when they are done, there would be plenty of lounge chairs for those who come to the pool in the afternoon and you wouldn't have to wonder if someone is coming back or not. I do agree it is inconsiderate to "save" lounge chairs and then head off to the theme parks for most of the day with plans to just use the pool for an hour or so later in the afternoon. On our park days, we take our chances of getting a lounge chair or not just like everyone who takes a midday pool break.

Donna

 

[TIdoublegaER]

I have no problem with people saving chairs and going and gettings something to drink/eat, running back to the room, etc. and coming right back. I have sat at the pool for hours and noticed chairs that were "saved" with folded pool towels and no one ever used them.

If you really want to save a chair, put a PERSONAL item on it. Hotel issued towels are not personal items. Leave your shoes, book, pool bag, something that says "I am using this chair." People are less inclined to move your personal belongings than just a pool towel.

I also agree about leaving used towels behind on chairs when you leave. If I see someone do this I will get up and put their towels in the bin for them. Just trying to help out my fellow neighbors and free up some chairs.

Next step, eliminate pool crashers!

 

[ralphd]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
Personally, I'd like to say thank you to the kind people who get up early and go out and set pool towels out on the chairs for me. One, the towels are nice & warm from sitting in the sun. Second, they keep the plastic chairs from being to hot and burning my skin. Funny how these people have never come up to me and asked if I appriciated their effort.

Good one---You got my vote!

ralphd

 

[Uncleromulus]

I suppose a sign would help a little--. But as CarolA said, the enforcement of the "sign" would be the problem. Lots of signs are widely ignored now (such as those posting the swimming hours at the "quiet" pools) so no reason this would be any different.

 

[vernon]

I think there is a difference between, pool towels and "personal stuff" .

I can see times when someone is off playing with kids for more than an hour, maybe two. They needn't be far away from their stuff, just not need to revisit. I don't think that "disallows"them from having a seat to come back to. I do however disagree with those that lay out pool towels and then go off to the parks for several hours because they want an hours dip at the end of the day. IMHO pool towels with nothing else to indicate the seats are in use are "fair game" and after an hour they can be "tidied up". If the owner comes back you can always blame an over zealous CM LOL .

 

[Pa@okw95]

At OKW I have seen so called "personal stuff" left for hours without anyone coming to use the chairs. A close examination of the "personal stuff" is that it is junk, that is left there to look like real personal stuff. The point here is there should be no saving of any chairs unless the person is in the pool swimming, period, this idea that you can go back to your room or get lunch and still save the chair is a no go with me. I have seen the same chairs everyday saved with this personal "junk' on them all day everyday. It has to stop.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

I think when it really comes down to it, we can write all we want and Disney might even put up a sign, but we all know how lax Disney is at enforcing the rules, so I really don't think this problem will ever end.

Pool hoppers are a problem, people who save chairs and go to the theme parks all day is a problem, the occupancy limits, etc, etc. With few exceptions, Disney seems more interested in letting things slide than enforcing any rules lest someone get mad about it. Let's face it - if you know there is no consequence to your action, does a sign really matter?

 

[erikthewise]

I can see you need help wording the actual policy. I'm good at this, so I'll help out.

Sign: "Pool chairs are intended for use by thoughtful, considerate resort guests. Rude, inconsiderate guests who wish to reserve pool chairs in advance of actual use are invited to swim in the canal instead."

 

[jaysue]

Just out of curiousity - is this problem of chair saving more prevelent at some of the DVC resorts as opposed to others?

Thanks
Jason

 

[KNWVIKING]

Yeah, the ones I stay at

I imagine this happens pretty much everywhere. DVC resorts haven't cornered the market on rude people.

 

[DisneyKidds]

As for 'saving' pool chairs.........................

I believe that people should get themselves a chair when they arrive at the pool. If you lay claim to that chair and it goes unused for a period because you are in the pool, on the slide, getting food, doing 'business' , running back to the room to get something, etc. that is fine. Bottom line is that you are still 'using' the pool and the chair even though you may have stepped a away to do something else for a relatively short period of time.

What I have seen at many resort pools (not just Disney), and find rude, is people walking to the pool early in the morning, claiming a chair, knowing that they won't actually be arriving at the pool to make use of the pool or that chair for hours. The idea that someone would 'claim' a chair before going off to the parks is rude to the nth degree .

Get a chair when you and your family actually arrive at the pool to use it, and not before. If everyone practiced these good manners and common courtesy there may not be as many problems. It is a shame that Disney should have to turn decency into a written policy or pool rule .

 

[BarbaraMB]

Has anyone used these chairs that seem to be saved but abandoned? If there really is someone using them then they will come back and tell you that your are using their chairs and you could just say your sorry and move on. Or maybe they will be gone long enough that they might forget or they might feel stupid asking you to get off their chair. I would like to try this but don't have the nerve.

 

[MnParrothead]

When I was at VB last month a Cast Member came by and asked to see ID's and removed towels off of chairs that were not being used. She did this at about 2:00 in the afternoon.

 

[natt]

I may get flames for this, but I have the mind-set that adults should get the chairs (trust me, my dd12 doesn't like it). I don't see the need for my 8 year old to have her own chair when she may come out of the pool for 10 minutes to have a snack. I just share my chair with her until she's done; however, I can understand a teen/preteen who might enjoy sunbathing. My point is, there's no need to "claim" a chair for each member of the family when the kids will be in the pool most of the time!

 

[BarbaraMB]

Nat - This is very true! Good point!