non-heated pool at hotel: usable if cold outside?

[Amanda999]

Can anyone tell me if their kids have swum in an unheated pool when its cold in Orlando (and enjoyed it)? It seems like it wouldn't be possible.

I'm narrowing down offsite hotels. My kids have no problem swimming in onsite Disney hotels' heated pools - even when it was cold when we went in December. (We're from Boston.)

I have found a perfect hotel for us, except I just called to ask and the pool (with slide!) is not heated.

We are going 3rd week of February. Last year it was around 90 that week, but I want to be prepared for cold temps too (the swimming is important to us).

TIA

 

[7165red]

Can anyone tell me if their kids have swum in an unheated pool when its cold in Orlando (and enjoyed it)? It seems like it wouldn't be possible.

I'm narrowing down offsite hotels. My kids have no problem swimming in onsite Disney hotels' heated pools - even when it was cold when we went in December. (We're from Boston.)

I have found a perfect hotel for us, except I just called to ask and the pool (with slide!) is not heated.

We are going 3rd week of February. Last year it was around 90 that week, but I want to be prepared for cold temps too (the swimming is important to us).

TIA

 

[7165red]

I would look for a hotel with a heated pool. I don't think your children will enjoy swimming in a cold pool.

 

[tobikaye]

It really depends on how cold it is outside. If the temps are at least in the 70s outside and sunny, then getting in the pool for a bit might not be that bad. I know that some summer days when the weather was only about 72 at 9 am, I was already in my grandparents pool.

Now, if the weather outside is in the 50s or 60s, that unheated poll may not be so fun.

 

[chicagoshannon]

I wouldn't risk an unheated pool in February. That would be no fun at all! Last time we went in Feb. (2010) it was cold, wet, and windy.

 

[Amanda999]

Thanks so much all PPs for your advice! VERY helpful!

I don't want to risk cold temps - will go with another hotel that has a heated pool.

 

[Upatnoon]

Very odd to find a pool that isn't heated around Disney. Perhaps it is a smaller resort. I would double check what you were told.

Anyway, the water could very likely be freezing -- nothing like a Disney pool.

 

[kathy884]

Our kids usually swim a great deal in Orlando even in December when temperatures are cooler. We usually stay in resorts with nice heated pools. One year, though, we stayed in a beautiful house with a private pool with no pool heat in December. The pool was freezing. Only one of our four children ever ventured in, and he just went in two times. We found even in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico one Christmas where temperature were quite warm (up to 80/81 during the day) that our kids who usually hit the pool daily at two different resorts that we stayed at didn't swim much there with the non heated pools. No heat makes swimming much less appealing for our gang. And I personally will only swim in warm water too. Unlike Orlando where most resorts have heated pools, these are more difficult to find in Puerto Vallarta.

Now we always make sure to stay at resorts with heated pools for Orlando trips and if a resort is known for especially warm pools that is a plus when all other things are pretty equal. If swimming is important to you which it sounds like it is, I would pick a resort with a heated pool. On our last Orlando trip this past December, we stayed in a two bedroom pool at Cypress Point and the pool was really warm there. They had a hot tub too, which our kids -- now ages 19+ always enjoy.

 

[Amanda999]

Thanks kathy884 for all the detail. I'm definitely going to leave the unheated pool hotel for our next August visit.

Thankfully there are so many hotels in the area to choose from, so have found some other options already with a heated pool.

Love the disboards - this was very helpful.