Pool guests?

[wallawallakids]

I was hoping someone would help me out with this. We are going to visit family in the SO Cal area this July and staying at the GCH. My oldest daughter is part fish and started talking about how great this trip will be because she can finally go swimming with her cousins. (Most of our other trips have been in the winter). I hadn't thought about it until she said it, but now I am wondering what the rule is about pool guests. Are we allowed to bring my SIL and her 3 girls swimming with us if we are hotel guests? OR is that wrong? We have two rooms at the GCH for our family of 6, they are obviously not guests of the hotel as they live nearby. I don't want to break the rules but I also know how much the kids like spending time together. My husband will be in a conference most of the days we are there, so my SIL and kids will be hanging out with us most days. Just trying to balance everyones needs and wants and get a read on what others think. Thank you so much!

 

[GoBears 1980]

So do you want the morally correct answer or the practical answer

Strictly speaking, no, the cousins and SIL can not use the pools because they are not registered hotel guests.

If I were paying $1,000 a night for two rooms at the GCH personally I'd feel entitled to having the cousins along.

I know that sentiment will start a debate with people throwing out the hypotheticals of 'what if everyone brought in 4 guests', but the reality is that most people staying at the GCH will not have family in the area to come see them.

Last time I stay at the GCH you didn't need a wrist band, just a room key to get into the pool area.

 

[junmatno]

I agree with GoBears, you only need a key. They don't know how many people or rooms you have. When we go we only take one room key.
And honestly I'm sure there are other people that do this. And yes we'll probably get yelled at by others, lol...but at the end of the day it's your vacation not theirs. You shouldn't feel bad for wanting to spend time with family.
But remember you can only use that pool, lol no pool hopping!

 

[DharmaLou]

Technically, no. All guests must have a room key. Pools can become overcrowded as it is, bringing in non-registered guests makes the experience less enjoyable for others who HAVE paid $1000 to stay there. I understand the feeling of entitlement because you have paid so much, I really do - but I also understand that everyone has paid that price and is entitled to an enjoyable stay.

 

[Iceman93]

I don't think anyone will "yell" at you, because at least you have the consideration to ask rather than just assuming that entitled attitude and barging into the pool area with guests in tow.

As others have said, technically this is not allowed. It is theoretically possible that they could post a guard at the pool gate and check for everyone's room keys, and if that happened you would have no recourse to get the cousins in.

A more practical answer is that since you booked your rooms for a total party of 6, you'll have six keys and could "justify" having six people total at the pool. If some of your group is at the conference, in the parks, etc. then you could make this work and not feel too guilty at all.

But if you want to bring your whole group of 5 (while hubby is at the conference) plus your sister-in-law plus the cousins... well, opinions will vary but personally I think that's too much.

Does your sister-in-law have a pool at her house? Maybe all the kids could swim together there. Or could you all go to the parks together and get family time that way, then your half-fish daughter could still get swimming time just with your immediate party actually staying at the hotel?

 

[MATTERHORN]

Just put their names on the second room if you are not at occupancy with just your family, and you are good to go! Then, they aren't taking up any more space at the pool than someone who rented that room and had a legit family of five in it! Have fun!

 

[wallawallakids]

Just put their names on the second room if you are not at occupancy with just your family, and you are good to go! Then, they aren't taking up any more space at the pool than someone who rented that room and had a legit family of five in it! Have fun!

This might work actually. Thank you. We are not at occupancy. Otherwise, I guess we will just tell DD no that she can't swim with them.

We are going to the parks together. They have an annual pass. They do not have a pool at their house though, so it won't work for us to go there so the girls can swim.

If we can add their names, maybe we will try it. Honestly, it would only be one day for a few hours tops. We are there for the parks, and will spend the majority of our days in there.

I don't feel entitled to have it my way just because I am spending money. I want to follow the rules, which is why I asked. I also don't want to make my daughter sad when all she wants to do is swim with her cousins. I will inquire about adding them to our room and maybe my SIL can just use my husband's card because he will not be with us.

Thank you again for the help and suggestions! I appreciate it and it is helpful to know that guests are not allowed.

 

[junmatno]

This might work actually. Thank you. We are not at occupancy. Otherwise, I guess we will just tell DD no that she can't swim with them. We are going to the parks together. They have an annual pass. They do not have a pool at their house though, so it won't work for us to go there so the girls can swim. If we can add their names, maybe we will try it. Honestly, it would only be one day for a few hours tops. We are there for the parks, and will spend the majority of our days in there. I don't feel entitled to have it my way just because I am spending money. I want to follow the rules, which is why I asked. I also don't want to make my daughter sad when all she wants to do is swim with her cousins. I will inquire about adding them to our room and maybe my SIL can just use my husband's card because he will not be with us. Thank you again for the help and suggestions! I appreciate it and it is helpful to know that guests are not allowed.

You don't have to take all the room keys down with you....people are misrepresenting...we've salts yes at both PPH and DLH, you just need one To open the gate access. They aren't going to make you go ALL the way back to your room to show the other keys.

Also note that for GCH gate, in mornings you'll only need one room key per family. Although you may be carrying them all, they only checked one when we used it and said, "only need one per family"

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I haven't been to DLR yet or stayed at GCH, so I might be talking out of turn, but don't the GCH rooms accommodate five people each? You will be a group of ten with your SIL and three kids, and I don't think you would incur any extra charges since you only have three adults (not sure if GCH has an extra adult fee past the first two per room like WDW does). I would just add everyone to the reservation for whatever days they might be with you.

 

[Cats2]

Another benefit of them having a room key would be that they could do EMH if they wanted to get to the parks early. We did something like that with our adult niece who lived in town. We added her name to our reservation. But, she did spend the night in our room, so as to avoid morning traffic on the freeway getting to the parks. Luckily she's petite, since we were booked in a bunkbed room (those beds are sized for kids)

 

[mummabear]

We talked to the front desk about this as we wanted to do a similar thing with my aunts who were not staying on site, we thought maybe if we paid to hire a cabana they could join us (but it turns out the cabana hire is also only for hotel guests).
We found much the same thing as others mentioned-one card to get into the pool, no one ever checked us for cards-the pool however was very quiet with only a handful of other people swimming.

 

[Malcon10t]

Be forewarned, we have been there when it was busy enough where they were checking cards for everyone.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

Personally I am a huge fan of cousins playing together and making memories. If I were at any hotel, including onsite, it would not bother me at all if I learned that a few extra kids were there to play with their cousins! Even if it was can't-find-a-lounge busy.

I think putting their names on the reservation is a great idea -- and if they will all actually fit you could have a sleepover! The DLH stay we did with a cousin is the one my kids remember the most!

Get a bunk bed room! There is a trundle so really it could sleep 6 kids plus 2 adults depending on how big everyone is.

Also, if you book 2 rooms of 5 people - that's 10 people who can get EMH which would be fun for your AP cousins!

 

[wallawallakids]

Personally I am a huge fan of cousins playing together and making memories. If I were at any hotel, including onsite, it would not bother me at all if I learned that a few extra kids were there to play with their cousins! Even if it was can't-find-a-lounge busy.

I think putting their names on the reservation is a great idea -- and if they will all actually fit you could have a sleepover! The DLH stay we did with a cousin is the one my kids remember the most!

Get a bunk bed room! There is a trundle so really it could sleep 6 kids plus 2 adults depending on how big everyone is.

Also, if you book 2 rooms of 5 people - that's 10 people who can get EMH which would be fun for your AP cousins!

Thanks! This is what I am going to do. It shouldn't change our costs at all either because we only have one adult in each room now, so adding my SIL to a room and the three girls to the other doesn't change anything. The sleepover idea is awesome, and I didn't think about that at all! Such a great idea and I know my kids would love it if we had them all sleep in one room together. Thank you again for your help. This gets them all into the pool for a few hours too which is perfect.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

Thanks! This is what I am going to do. It shouldn't change our costs at all either because we only have one adult in each room now, so adding my SIL to a room and the three girls to the other doesn't change anything. The sleepover idea is awesome, and I didn't think about that at all! Such a great idea and I know my kids would love it if we had them all sleep in one room together. Thank you again for your help. This gets them all into the pool for a few hours too which is perfect.

You bet!
And haha on "a few hours"...if they're like my kids and nephew they will want to play at the GCH pools all day long. The great thing is that with EMH you can do almost everything you want to do at one park before lunch so you won't feel like you "lost" a park day to the pool.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

You don't have to take all the room keys down with you....people are misrepresenting...we've salts yes at both PPH and DLH, you just need one To open the gate access. They aren't going to make you go ALL the way back to your room to show the other keys. Also note that for GCH gate, in mornings you'll only need one room key per family. Although you may be carrying them all, they only checked one when we used it and said, "only need one per family"

This is truly dependent on the CM and how busy things are. Some mornings, we've been allowed in showing one key for EMH and other mornings (on the same trip), they've wanted to see one for every member of our party. It's always better to be prepared and then only have to show one, than the other way around

 

[Malcon10t]

This is truly dependent on the CM and how busy things are. Some mornings, we've been allowed in showing one key for EMH and other mornings (on the same trip), they've wanted to see one for every member of our party. It's always better to be prepared and then only have to show one, than the other way around

Technically, you are supposed to have 1 key for each person entering. Do some CMs let you go with just one per family? A few may. But we have been asked for keys for each person on the few times we have done EMH.

 

[GoBears 1980]

Technically, no. All guests must have a room key. Pools can become overcrowded as it is, bringing in non-registered guests makes the experience less enjoyable for others who HAVE paid $1000 to stay there. I understand the feeling of entitlement because you have paid so much, I really do - but I also understand that everyone has paid that price and is entitled to an enjoyable stay.

Other guests are paying $500 (or thereabouts) because they have one room. The OP has two rooms and could in theory add the cousin names to the rooms and thereby legitimize them so the next effect is zero.

I have never seen a CM ask everyone for a card. Lots of parents do not give their kids room keys.

 

[Malcon10t]

people are misrepresenting...we've salts yes at both PPH and DLH, you just need one To open the gate access. They aren't going to make you go ALL the way back to your room to show the other keys.

Actually, you are misrepresenting. We have been there during busy times when they have done key checks. It is easier to make sure someone has all your families keys than to have to send people back to the room to get them when they do a check. Just because it didn't happen to you, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Other guests are paying $500 (or thereabouts) because they have one room. The OP has two rooms and could in theory add the cousin names to the rooms and thereby legitimize them so the next effect is zero. I have never seen a CM ask everyone for a card. Lots of parents do not give their kids room keys.

You''re right. I don't give my kids their room keys to carry. I have had to hand all 6 over to the CM at the entrance though, which means I do have to carry them all. As was said a minute ago, the policy is that everybody has to show a room key - whether that's actually requested is dependent on the CM.

To the OP, I agree with just adding your guests to the room reservation since you can do so without exceeding occupancy max. Enjoy your trip!