Planning for pool day (crowds Q)

[Jess.stw]

We have a longer split stay coming up in September (Beach/AKL/wilderness for 12 days).

Like many want to build in rest/pool day(s) and maybe even get a cabana at Beach Club.

Are there any days of the week that you might imagine are traditionally less crowded at the pools? Like maybe people tend to travel Friday so Saturday they are all in the parks? (Or heck Monday because they travel Sunday?)

I'm also debating between a pool day with a cabana being good on a change resorts day (have somewhere to hang) and bad (we should just make it an all day park day till our new room is ready). We won't have a car, relying on Disney transport.

Thoughts? Our legs are in the order above (Beach/AKL/Wilderness) and we have club level on the middle leg so maybe want to take advantage of that on the split day too.

 

[Anthony1971]

I can only speak for AKL and wilderness just not a fan of BC but have stayed at BW. We go mid late August years ago in September. I can say I have never seen the pools crowded durning those times. The busiest time is usually mid day and clears out around 5. AKL pool is huge you can easily find a big area of empty water . Try both pools at AKL kidani has a good slide but the pool is on the smaller side compared to Jambo.

 

[Jess.stw]

Thanks! Good to know! When we went decades ago that was the case but I know things are different now!

 

[Smugpugmug]

I stayed at AKL early-mid May and I used the Kidani pool at various times and days of the week. Mid day (12-4 pm) was when the pool was packed. It was very difficult to find a chair around 12-1 pm regardless of what day it was. I assume other people were taking pool breaks like I was. The pool bar (Maji I believe is the name?) gets long lines at lunch time since you can order food there as well so I would try to get on line early (like 11:30-ish) if you want to order food or drinks. At night, absolutely no one was at the pool and it made for a nice, relaxing evening.

The last time I stayed at Wilderness Lodge was September 2021 and while the Copper Creek pool was packed during the afternoon, the Boulder Ridge pool was not that bad. That's mostly because Copper Creek has a slide/splash area for kids and that is where the pool activities happen.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We had a split stay (BWV and Poly) during our 14 day trip at the end of may and we did a full park day on our resort change day and it worked out well. Then you don’t really feel like you’re without a room, you just go to the new resort at the end of the day. As for the pools, we’ve stayed at almost every deluxe/DVC and all the pools are much less crowded in the mornings and evenings and I can’t think of any specific day that’s any less crowded.

 

[Jess.stw]

Got it, avoid mid day so sounds like in many ways doing it on a switch day is NOT ideal! Plan on being in the parks till new room is ready.

If I am staying hotel side (Jambo, WL) can I use the other pools?

 

[disneydreamer1980]

You can use all pools at the resort you’re registered at

 

[Smugpugmug]

Got it, avoid mid day so sounds like in many ways doing it on a switch day is NOT ideal! Plan on being in the parks till new room is ready.

If I am staying hotel side (Jambo, WL) can I use the other pools?

Yes you can. At AKL there is a shuttle that goes between the resorts and it comes around every 10 minutes or so. We stayed at Kidani and saw people getting on the shuttle to use the Jambo pool and vice versa.

 

[pregnantw4thprincess]

If it were me, I would utilize CL on both your checking and checkout day and hang by the AKL pool!

 

[RoseGold]

I went a few weeks ago and I've never seen the pools more crowded, even mid week. I thought maybe it was a summer thing, but now I think it's actually tied to the APs. DVC members who can't get APs are spacing out their days or just doing resort stays. This is causing more demand for the pools IMO. I would not expect this issue to be resolved by September.

You can hang out at the CL from breakfast of your check-in day. Maybe I'd get an Uber over there with my luggage and get breakfast!

 

[_19disnA]

My guess is time of day matters more then what day of the week it is. Seems likely that most people go to Disney to do the parks rather then sit at a pool. Likely if they do a park in the morning, by the time they get tired of walking or it gets too hot or kids need a nap, they return to the hotel and then use the pool. Probably that is why pools are more crowded mid-day then other times. Later in the day they get ready for dinner or maybe park hop so that would also tend to make pools less crowded.

Length of stay probably is all over the map. Everyone doesn't go to Disney for an entire week, arriving on Sunday and departing Saturday, so I don't really expect specific days of the week to show much difference in pool usage.