No Swimmie Diapers in the Pool!

[shellgoodman]

After reading IluvDVC's trip report (which was terrific), I learned something which is not sitting well with me. Disney is not permitting swimmie diapers in the pool. The reason behind (no pun intended) this is so they can visibly see the floaters (am I being too graphic) to clean up. As a mother of a 2 yr old, I wouldn't consider not putting my child in a diaper in the pool. My kids always put water in their mouth in pools even when I tell them over and over again not to. If Disney is definitely doing this, I am thinking that we will not be spending any time at the pool. I don't want my kids getting sick. Swimmie diapers do work and they are better than nothing at all. Can you tell that I feel pretty strongly about this?

 

[taswira]

Okay, I am <I>not</I> a mother so everyone can ignore my post if they please, but here is JMHO:

"Swimmie diapers" prevent the "substance" from escaping and becoming visible. They do <I>not</I> prevent the bacteria from that substance from getting into the pool. After all, those diapers are not glued to the child gap-free. That is probably <I>why</I> DCL made this "rule." It is for <I>health reasons</I>. Just because you can't see something doesn't mean it isn't there - and potentially in another child's mouth! If there is an accident, DCL must drain and clean the pool. I think they are doing the right thing!

 

[mcnuss]

Taswira - I am thinking maybe you misunderstood. DCL is NOT requiring swimmie diapers, but the opposite - they are saying NO to swimmies. Every other public pool I have ever been to requires a swimmie diaper because a) at least a fair amount of the urine is absorbed by the gel in the diaper, and b) solid waste is contained. I, for one, prefer not to see floaties in a pool, and I suspect I am in the majority here. Germs "escape" from all of us when we swim, this is why we chlorinate our pools. If a baby's waste is at minimum contained, as opposed to being allowed to float free, then the chlorine will do its job which is to sanitize the water. If the waste is allowed to escape, we must rely on the vigilence (and I mean serious vigilence here) of the lifeguards to catch every last little piece of poop. Imagine your horror if you saw one of those floating by you. YECH.

We are lucky that all of our friends kids are out of diapers, but I would require a swimmie in my pool.

 

[taswira]

No, I didn't misundersatnd. What I am saying is that swimmie diapers just give the <I>impression</I> of being "safe." They do NOT contain the bacteria, only the SUBSTANCE. The bacteria escapes (far more than what escapes from older kids or people who don't need diapers). So DCL wants to make sure that when there is an "accident" they know about it and clean (replace) the water. When it comes right down to it, the only really "safe" thing would be to never have an accident, but if you have infants in the water, that isn't possible. It's a tough call, but I am afraid I still have to side with DCL on this. It's too bad, though. I don't see how they are going to handle it, because they might be having to clean the pool and change the water 50 times a day!

 

[mcnuss]

Taswira - I beg to differ. It is much, much, much more sanitary to have those accidents contained at least somewhat than floating in the pool. You are right that bacteria escapes from the swimmies, no getting around that, like I said, there are germs everywhere and no solution is going to be perfectly safe! But I can almost guarantee you that DCL does not change the pool water after every accident; the pool would be closed an awful lot! They likely super-chlorinate (shock) it every night and test for bacteria. I would much rather see babies in swmmies than floaties from babies.

 

[DisnyMik]

Okay, I need to share our funny experience with floaters at Disney!
2 Summers ago my DH and I, along with our best friends, flew to Disney (no kids!!) for a long weekend. We stayed at Coronado Springs. We were in the big pool and my friend and I were getting out. By the steps, she looks down and says something like " ooh! gross there's a floater!" and I say, " that's not a floater that's just a pinecone or something from the trees that just got in the pool, see." At the same time I say that, I take my toe and touch it!!! When I did that, it kind of did something that made us know it wasn't from a tree! We both screamed at the same time and ran out of the pool! Our husbands have no idea what just happened, we run back to our chairs about this time the life guards are looking and the people in the pool are looking. This was Sept. so the pool was not too full, thank goodness. Finally, our husbands go to the lifeguard and explain, laughing hysterically and of course we are too. They call the management and close the pool. Here they come, with all the gear to clean the pool! They closed the pool for about an hour! Mgment came and talked to us and apologized but thanked us for being so calm about it and not flipping out on them (so to speak). We of course joked about it and they all got a good laugh (and still do) about me touching it w/my toe! They of course did not drain the pool, just cleaned it. My DH likes to joke that they called HAZMAT and they came w/all the gear on to clean the pool. We will never forget that! That is my friends favorite story to tell about our weekend at Disney!
I agree with the original poster that swimmie diapers should be required. Everyone knows that happens (that's the reason for the chlorination, etc.) it at least keeps it contained. I've had 3 children and it's not a pretty site to have to clean up after them. Thank goodness they are out of that now!

 

[prymsu]

ok, i don't have to worry about this because my kids are past the age for swimmie diapers but i think it is ridiculous to not allow them. For heaven sakes, are they trying to ban the little kids from the pool? I guess i don't get it...

 

[Kristaia]

As a mom of a previous swimmie diaperer, here's my two-cents.
Love the diapers, but poop in the pool doesn't stay formed. It becomes dissipated in little ones, and can "escape".
When we went to indoor pool lessons, they required a swim diaper, but not the great disposable kinds. I was a little miffed, UNTIL I tried them. They are basically a little kiddie speedo, and they actually DO keep the poop in. No, there is no gel to soak up the urine, but come on folks, the gel is soaking up the pool water, not the peepee.

Try and find these at swim shops anywhere. They are cute, washable, fit easily into luggage, and best of all don't end up in a landfill.
Krista

 

[taswira]

I guess I just assumed they drain and clean the pool after an "accident" because I saw them close the Mickey pool one afternoon and do that on one of my cruises. Gee - I guess it must have been pretty bad then! I am glad that, not having kids, I don't have to worry about those things . .

 

[GoofyDisney]

I am confused.

When we cruised last, DCL required that little ones be in disposable swim diapers.

Is this still the case? WHat exactly does "swimmie diapers" mean? DIsposable ones or not? Rubber swim panties or not?

They do indeed close the pool, drain and scrub it each time there is an accident (takes about two hours) according to a CM I was talking with when she made sure DD was wearing a disposable swim diaper, which she was.

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by prymsu
ok, i don't have to worry about this because my kids are past the age for swimmie diapers but i think it is ridiculous to not allow them. For heaven sakes, are they trying to ban the little kids from the pool? I guess i don't get it...

We are looking into Norwegian Cruise Line for a family cruise next year. In their brochure they state that children must be potty trained in order to go in the pools. Maybe that is what cruise lines are trying to get to. After we get back from our trip next week, we are starting Potty Training 101 with DS.

 

[taswira]

Originally posted by GoofyDisney
They do indeed close the pool, drain and scrub it each time there is an accident (takes about two hours) according to a CM I was talking with when she made sure DD was wearing a disposable swim diaper, which she was.

Ah-ha! Then I am not losing my mind. I was SURE that was what the CM said when I saw them draining the Mickey pool that afternoon.

 

[Jobro2]

PA law requires when a poop is found in our public pool that the pool be closed for 24 hours....interesting!

 

[atigeg]

Yes, you are correct...I too can confirm the fact that they DO drain the pool when it switches over from being named for Mickey and becomes the "Winnie the Poo"- L.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[taswira]

Then if they no longer allow swim diapers, and they DO close and drain the pool after each "accident," the Mickey pool is likely to be closed <I>a lot</I> unless they go the NCL route and insist all users be "potty trained." Hmmmm . . .

 

[TnRobin]

They do close and drain and clean the pool after each "oops". One day last cruise, it seemed that as soon as the re-opened the pool, they had to close it again.

 

[DisnyMik]

They must only do it on DCL then because they don't at the WDW resorts and water parks.

 

[mlshields]

I too can verify that DCL closes the pool ~ and out come the guys from Monsters Inc. to clean it!!!!!!!!!

Full Hazmat gear!

Adults ~ if you are grossed out, use the adult pool ~ Kids keep your mouths SHUT!!!!!!! LOL

 

[thatmom]

Hi,
Do children have to be potty trained to swim in the pools? Is there an age restriction to use the pools?
thanks,
thatmom

 

[Mjasp]

If someone should ingest a piece of solid waste, DCL is opening themselves up to a large lawsuit here.

A couple of years ago a kid get e-coli from a public pool here in I think it was NY, after ingesting solid waste from a pool accident so to speak.