Pool at Beach Club..arm bands..pool hopping

[DMRick]

I'll post my review of our second stay at POR-R a little later (corner room, king bed..yeah!)..but for now, I wanted to mention, before I forgot, that they are now giving out wristbands for the Stormalong pool. A CM told us they couldn't spend all their time checking and rechecking room keys, so they went this way. Needless to say, there were a lot less people in the pool , than usual. As an aside, we were sitting next to people at a quiet pool in POR, that were actually staying in the campground..but were out pool hopping. (and had no problem announcing that's what they were doing). We also talked to a family coming into AKL to swim (small talk as we passed in the parking lot and noticed they already had their suits on..just commenting on how hot it was, and how good the pool will feel)..after they passed us, I glanced at their car pass (it's a big white pass that sits in the corner of your dash), and they were from All Stars.
We "resort" hopped, and had no problem getting in anywhere. No three hour limits at Poly or Contemp, as we usually have. If we were of such a mind, we could have swam anywhere but Stormalong. Years ago, when it was allowed, we often went from the campground to the Poly to swim..and miss doing that...but I understand the reasoning behind it no longer being allowed.

 

[wdwguide]

Most people are unaware that they are not permitted to use the pools at the other resorts.

 

[Keeplaughing]

I just got back from the Beach Club, and I overheard a lifeguard tell a woman that wristbands are not given out after 5:00p.m.

 

[DMRick]

I just got back from the Beach Club, and I overheard a lifeguard tell a woman that wristbands are not given out after 5:00p.m.

Hmm..we were eating at Beaches & Cream yesterday at 1:30 pm..and most everyone was wearing them then. While we were waiting for our table, I asked why, and was given the answer I posted. So it must be the problems are just during the day?.

 

[BlueFairy]

I don't get it. We just returned from POFQ. We dined at the Poly and AKL. Both places gave us the inquiry about who are you/what is your business here. We were given parking passes and explained the 3 hour limit. How did those AKL swimmers get in? This makes me so mad. I'd like to swim there too, but we respect that everyone there PAID extra to have the nice pool. Why don't people understand this? I think Disney should explain this policy better to their guests since this seems to be such a common thing. Or start doing the armband thing everywhere. Bravo to Disney for helping their YC/BC guests enjoy SAB better with less crowding. I just wish people wouldn't advertise the loopholes to help get around the system. Are we trying to make things more crowded for ourselves, or what?

 

[DMRick]

I just wish people wouldn't advertise the loopholes to help get around the system.

I wasn't advertising any loopholes..I was just stating what I saw. A person breaking the rules will always find a way..they don't need to have someone tell them how to get in. It's also not my job to play "pool cop" when on vacation, so when people tell me they aren't staying at a hotel where they are swimming..I assume they either didn't read the signs, or they don't care...and nothing I would say would make a difference. Who knows....some of these people may have visited Disney a long time ago, when that was one of the perks of staying anywhere on site..the ability to use all the pools.

We got back yesterday, and not once (and we hit all the resorts except CBR, since we only did the parks for one day, and 's our 4th trip in a year, so we were resort hopping) were we questioned upon entering the resorts. We had our resort parking permit on our dash..and they all just glanced at it, and sent us through.

 

[KFISCHER]

Don't the signs with all the rules on them at the pools(which, I grant you, nobody reads) say that the pools are for resort guests only ?????

I'm not suggesting that this is the best and only enforcement tool Disney has, but doesn't this at least inform everyone what the policy is?

 

[tnkrbell]

Im really happy about the armbands at Yacht and beach!!!

 

[threeboysmom]

Maybe people read the pool signs "resort guests only" and misinterpret that as to mean staying at any Disney resort?? Or then again, maybe people really know the rules but could care less.. Rules apparently mean nothing today in our society.... They should check for room keys at every resort pool or go with wristbands.

 

[DMRick]

Don't the signs with all the rules on them at the pools(which, I grant you, nobody reads) say that the pools are for resort guests only ?????

I think of all the resorts we visited this week..I only noticed the sign at one..and it did say that the swimming area was for that resort guests only. Oh, I'm sure they are there on the rules, but most don't stop to read signs. I believe I read it in the literature they gave us at one time, and that was how I found out..

 

[trip]

Maybe it would help the confusion if each pool had a sign that states the specific name of the resort example "registered Contemporary Resort guests only".

 

[invalid_char]

I am SO glad that they've finally done something about SAB. It was so frustrating to pay $400+ per night and then NOT be able to find a chair near the pool. How fair is that when there are people who are not staying at the resort and they have plenty of space for their entire family?

 

[anniet]

Just a little FYI-

I believe that pool hopping to any of the pools on Disney property is a privilege for DVC members, HOWEVER, they have eliminated SAB from the list since BCV opened up. I believe SAB is the only Pool that members cannot hop to.

 

[Keeplaughing]

In response to BlueFairy....I have to be honest.....I thought twice about posting that armbands are not given out after 5:00p.m.. The only reason I did offer this info. is I felt that I have received a lot of useful info. in the past from this site, and I owe it to others upon return from my trips, to provide accurate information. Keep in mind, I too paid full price for my room plus one for my mother and mother-in-law. This was not something I would have offerred up if it was not already a topic of conversation. I do remember reading in Disney info. that this was the one pool that could only be used by guests of BC/YC. I took this to mean that guests could use all other pools.

DMRick, I have to laugh!! Maybe one day, (my kids are 5 and 6), I too can visit Disney and just pool hop all day. Sounds like a lot of fun. It actually took effort to visit SAB more than once. Though I must say, my 5 year old ONLY wanted to swim. She could care less about the Magic of Disney....yes this did cause for a very unpleasant week. Hey, maybe we could arrange for us to vacation together and my daughter could hop with you.

 

[Lowe6]

Just for the record when I called & made my reservation the cm specifically told me that as long as we were staying onsite we were allowed to hop to any pool. We really don't have time to hardly do any swimming but I thought that if we found time it might be nice to try something different. BTW I made my reservations 4 months ago.

 

[Deb & Bill]

DVC members cannot hop to the AKL either. Or Swan/Dolphin since they are not Disney pools. And many times during the course of the year (most specifically holiday times) they cannot hop to any pool other than their own. DVC members must be staying on points to pool hop. Just being a member does not give them the right to pool hop.

Lowe6: I believe your CM made an error or you misunderstood. You can pool hop to sister pools at your resort - POR and POFQ. All Stars Movies/All Stars Sports/ All Stars Music. BWI and BWV. That's it. If you didn't pay to stay at a resort, you can't swim there.

Otherwise, I'm comin over to your house next week. If you're not home, just leave the key under the mat.

 

[DMRick]

I too can visit Disney and just pool hop all day.

We didn't pool hop..at least not in years..not since they stopped allowing it. We resort hopped..big difference. We did look at the pools at all of the resorts..last I knew that wasn't against the rules LOL. We could have gone in any number of pools..and I have no doubt several people were visting from other resorts (or in the case in May..may be from the outside). Just no point, since unlike the mugs (just had to throw that in hehehe..oh, and by the way, the sign in the foodcourt saying length of stay in POR for mugs in May..was gone last week..the only sign was over the soda machines, and didn't mention good for length of stay..just the price!), no cm would have given us permission to pool hop..that seems to be one thing they all know about...that you swim only in your resort pools, or your sister resort pools.

Out of the several trips we took this year, we have had our share of grands with us (one 7 year old, two 9 year olds), so I understand that the freedom we experienced with no kids was a very free experience..free to do and go anywhere, without a little voice objecting. So while I'd be willing to give you a break while you enjoyed a meal out with you spouse...you'd get the kids back as soon as you finished.

 

[BlueFairy]

DMRick - I think you misunderstood. I was referring to Keeplaughing's comment that you can skip the armband thing at SAB after 5pm. I just don't feel that people have any need to know that.
You seem very insistent that the security last week was never checking for PS at the resorts. I was there at the same time, and we too had a white parking pass from POFQ. So obviously there is inconsistency on their part. Glad you got to see all the resorts. Maybe one day we can too.