PLease, Can kids wear swim vests on the slide at SAB?

[DisOrBust]

I vaguely remember this being an issue. If it is it's the deal breaker for us staying here. Do they have the "yellow" swim vest as they do at the other WDW resorts? Are children "allowed' down the slide wearing them?? My 6yo is a "fairly decent swimmer the vest is more so for her paranoid Mom's fear of drowning,lol!

 

[jel0511]

Unforunately, no flotation devices of any kind, even swim vests, are allowed on the slide at SAB. I don't know if they have vests here, since I always bring my own from home. I can understand about being paranoid, I am as well!!! My DD 5 would have LOVED the slide at SAB, but I won't let her down any of the WDW slides without wearing a vest. The next best WDW resort slide IMO is the one at the BW. My DD LOVED it and they will allow vests, swimmies to be worn down that one.

 

[DisOrBust]

I was afraid of that! . We also bring our own from home and she has used it every year. When she was 3yo she went hundreds of times down the leopard slide at CSR wearing it w/o any problems. I also believe they are allowed at the water parks slides. It just would amake the trip so much more enjoyable.

 

[zulaya]

I am certain they aren't allowing the vest, or at least they weren't when we went in June.

If it's only your paranoia...she's going to have to swim on her own someday. The lifeguards at SAB are top notch. When we were there, there was one lifeguard in the chair at the bottom and one on the pool edge itself.

My DD is 6 and she could touch the bottom when she came off the slide. I think it's like 3.5 feet or something like that.That doesn't really matter for us since she's a fish and swims whenever she can.

Have her try it without the vest. Be at the bottom when she comes out. *IF* she has a problem, I bet the lifeguards beat you to her - that's how on top of things they are.

Seriously, don't let a vest "make or break" your stay there. If you are so concerned with her swimming ability, enroll her in a swimming class or have someone test her in a pool with the same depths.

Truthfully, I am surprised your DD would tolerate it at age 6. Maybe mine is independent-minded, but there is no way she would wear one. Well, I would never let her wear one either. I fully believe in swimming unaided down any big slide. Which is why my kids had to pass swimming lessons before they were allowed on big slides, whether at home or SAB.

 

[>>^..^<<]

There is a sign at the slide saying children have to be able to swim unaided. You are not even allowed to wait at the bottom for them the area is roped off ~ this sort of concerned me as my DD is a fairly new swimmer.. but she did fine.

Sorry this is a problem for your little girl Where else are you thinking of staying?

>>^..^<<

 

[DisOrBust]

She would probably be ok however it would tire her out since I doubt she can touch bottom and keep her head above water. She is only 42". Maybe I will see if I can get her in a swim class to be on the safe side. My problem is her big sister will be able to go and it would be a big heart breaker if she can;'t so I really need to be sure its doable. We are splitting our stay, at least at this point lol, with AKL. YBC would be a surpise for the DDs, I just want to make sure Emily isn't miserable.

 

[claudia]

Swimming lessons would be the best thing you could do for Emily....classes are an excellent way to build her skill and stamina. I am sure she will do well....especially with the incentive of being able to enjoy it with her sister. Sign her up ASAP, it will be the best gift you can give her!!!

 

[amee]

We are heading to BC next month.....i didn't know about the no-flotation policy.........my DS7 can swim, but not super well........how deep is the pool at the end of the slide? Thank you much!

Amee

 

[jel0511]

I believe the bottom of the pool at the end of the slide is between 4 and 4 1/2 feet deep. That's why they enforce the MUST swim rule.

 

[DisOrBust]

Just discussed this with my DH. We decided the YBC is out. It,s not worth the risk of having a very dissapointed DD. How about the poly? I am assuming there flotation devices are ok?

 

[jel0511]

You can use floatation devices on the slide at the Poly. Just a word of caution with that one, it's VERY fast (faster than SAB IMO) and completely enclosed (inside the volcano). There also is a part of the slide that is PITCH BLACK for about 2 - 3 seconds. DD 5 thought the slide was o.k. but the darkness did scare her and she didn't go down it more than 2 or 3 times.

 

[DisOrBust]

Thanks Lori!
T he poly slide sounds like PFB's slide. DD didn't have a problem with the darkness, at least when she was 4yo,lol! I think we will split with the Poly but with 4 months to go you never know.....

Sue

 

[prince of thieves]

The depth at the bottom of the slide is at 4ft. The reason why floatation devices are not allowed for the slide is b/c children wearing them will tend to float right infront of the slide and not move b/c they think that the current will do that for them. The biggest problem that we have with guests at the slide is not moving out of the way once they get at the bottom. A lot of parents will want to wait at the bottom and catch their child. The problem with this is that us lifeguards cannot see who is going down the slide at all times so we do not know who is next to come down. Think about it, what if you were to go down the slide before your child and want to catch them and then before you know it, the next person that comes down is an adult and they smack you in the face. This could happen b/c the child might get scared at the last minute and decide not to go down. Another reason not to wait down at the bottom is b/c the lifeguards need to be able to see through the water at all times, particularly at the slide. If for some reason there is a little booger eater that doesn't make it back to the surface fast enough after they come down the slide it is our duty to make sure we get there ASAP, which means that we need to have a clear pathway in the water. So please understand that if we ask you to move out of the way it is only b/c of safety reasons that us lifeguards need to make sure are in effect and in our control. Oh and one last thing, come visit me at the pool if you're planning a trip soon. I'm a CP and will be lifegaurding at SAB until early Jan.

 

[ducklite]

::::::::::booger eater:::::::::::::::::



That's hilarious!!

Thanks for a good explanation!

Anne

 

[JESW]

A great slide for kids (according to mine who are 4 & 8) is the one at the Boardwalk Inn! Looks like a roller coaster on the ouside and it twists and turns and dumps you out of a clowns mouth! DD was 4 last trip (in June) and she wore a flotation bathing suit - she probably could have swum out ok on her own but I wanted her to have that. What we liked about this pool was the size - we could sit almost anywhere and still see the kids. Stormalong Bay is a GREAT pool but very spread out - kids can disappear from view very quickly.

The problem at the YBC is that the end of the slide is rough water and you have to be able to get out of the way quickly. When DS was 7 he tried it but he didn't like the feeling of being pushed so strongly into the water. Don't know if he'll try it in November..

Jill

 

[StrwLady]

In May we stayed at the Contemporary. My son was 5 and about 45 inches tall. The life guards would not let my son or other kids his size go down the slide unless there was someone there to catch them as they came out. Then would not let the next person go until those at the bottom were clear of the slide. It was kind of cute to see a line of parents/adults waiting to catch their child. One would catch a child and the next would move in place

I tell the current of the water coming off the slide and a 48lb kid rushing down the slide almost knocked me over


To the OP I hope you find a solution/resort that works for your child. My son has a blast on the water slide and im sure your child will to