pool hopping, something I remembered

[LakeAriel]

The reason someone was hopping from the Country Inn? to WL is that they didn't ask for a key! Anyone can say "Oh yeah, I'm in room blah, blah in the Villa's.This went on in Animal Kingdom Lodge too this past Easter and we, the paying guests, couldn't get a seat.. These pools have an occupancy limit, these deluxe resorts need to correct this ASAP. As for legal hopping as a DVC member (some resorts are excluded) the rude CM definately should have been reported! I heard that a couple of the DVC resorts use bracelets to quickly identify their guests. True?

 

[SSRex]

We were at BCV last week and went to SAB several times during the week. There was not once that there was someone guarding the entrances checking room cards. Once I asked a CM and they said that they do not bother with the braclets in the evening. I even sent my kids looking for someone to get braclets from once.

I was there several times and was never asked for my room key. I admit that I was disappointed with the lack of any CM restriction.
I chose to stay at BCV for the pool and lack of pool hopping to it from other resorts, but I doubt they stopped any pool crashers.

We also did pool hop over to the BW pool and SSR and again we were never asked anything by anyone. I got the impression that the DVC pool hopping privledge is a lot like WDW transportation being just for valid ticket holders and WDW resort guests, if they never check if you have a ticket or a resort ID, anyone can & does ride the monorail, boats, buses, etc. I felt it was a non-benefit.

 

[megrod74]

I'm sure this is only fanning the fire, but can the pool shower facilities be used when pool hopping? If so, which resorts have these?

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by Cris
I get so sick of DVC members think they are entitled to everything because they paid 15,000 dollars. Well all I expect is a couple weeks at Disney in a clean spacious villa. This comment has nothing to do with pool hopping, but some of the members I have seen making fools out of themselves screaming at CM over them being DVC members and they should get this, that, and the other or they are selling their membership.

ok done with my rant now.

I think you should have asked for a recreation manager, but unlike others I don't think the cm should have been fired over that.

Well, sorry, but IMO your rant is way, way off base in this thread. This thread is about a DVC member priviledge that a member was entitled to but denied by a CM and in a rude manner. Currently, until there is a change in policy regarding pool hopping, it is part of what they are "entitled to .... because they paid 15,000 dollars."

If members feel thier priviledges they purchased are dwindling to an unacceptable level or that exchange points for things like cruises are escalating to an unacceptable level, they have every right to voice those concerns to fellow members. Fact is, some of our priviledges are dwindling. Point exchanges for non-DVC activities and resorts are escalating. What we purchased was sold to us as more than just the use of a DVC villa for the alloted time, like it or not, agree with it or not. Personally, I'm still very happy with my purchase and have never threatened to sell. I also foresee pool hopping being eliminated. Disney service should not be eliminated, although I do agree that it should also not be taken advantage of when not appropriate.

 

[Desperado]

Any guess as to when pool hopping will probably be elliminated all together? My prediction is that we will see the announcement in the member newsletter that comes out directly after the completion of the OKW slide.

 

[KNWVIKING]

.... so this may have already been stated.

CM's at the pools may have an issue with DVC members pool hopping, maybe want to treat us like "poor cousins" or 2nd class guests..............

BUT the CM's that take my money in the resort gift shops & restaurants sure don't.

 

[thatdarncat]

Good point. How funny would it be if someone wore a shirt that said "I'm a pool hopper and proud of it".

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
.... so this may have already been stated.

CM's at the pools may have an issue with DVC members pool hopping, maybe want to treat us like "poor cousins" or 2nd class guests..............

BUT the CM's that take my money in the resort gift shops & restaurants sure don't.

 

[CVW]

Barreras Family actually made the most salient point of all. If there is a real problem with pool crashing, why not just secure the pools?

It AMAZES me that I need my room key to get into the Motel 6 swimming pool in Tulsa, but not at a Disney Resort.

Put yourself in the mind of a Disney Resort executive. Pools are becoming increasingly crowded, and guests are complaining. There are at least three reasons for the overcrowding:

1. Not enough pool space for true resort guests.

2. Pool crashers not being caught.

3. DVC'ers legally pool-hopping.

By far the cheapest way to fix the problem is to eliminate #3. Fixing #1 would mean building costly resort-quality swimming pools. Why bother?

Stopping pool crashers would require fences, a cardkey entry system, and increased security checks.

But if they tell DVC'ers to stop pool-hopping WE'LL STOP! Most of us tend to play by the rules and wouldn't want to risk getting caught anyway.

If pool-hopping is taken away, it will be because Disney wants the cheap quick fix.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by CVW
Barreras Family actually made the most salient point of all. If there is a real problem with pool crashing, why not just secure the pools?

It AMAZES me that I need my room key to get into the Motel 6 swimming pool in Tulsa, but not at a Disney Resort.

Put yourself in the mind of a Disney Resort executive. Pools are becoming increasingly crowded, and guests are complaining. There are at least three reasons for the overcrowding:

1. Not enough pool space for true resort guests.

2. Pool crashers not being caught.

3. DVC'ers legally pool-hopping.

By far the cheapest way to fix the problem is to eliminate #3. Fixing #1 would mean building costly resort-quality swimming pools. Why bother?

Stopping pool crashers would require fences, a cardkey entry system, and increased security checks.

But if they tell DVC'ers to stop pool-hopping WE'LL STOP! Most of us tend to play by the rules and wouldn't want to risk getting caught anyway.

If pool-hopping is taken away, it will be because Disney wants the cheap quick fix.

I think you are correct.

 

[KNWVIKING]

..... but it stinks.

DL Hotel has a massive,gated pool area. It's a PITA to get in and out of,depending on where your room is and where you want to be once you're inside gate.

Next, picture our existing resorts........ now picture them with an iron fence around them. It's one thing to design a resort from the ground up with the intention of having a secure pool area, it's an entirely different problem when you have to retrofit something to protect against determined parasites.

VB has a gated pool area that requires room keys to open. Show of hands from everybody whose been there........ how many saw people linger near the gate, "looking" in their bag for a key, and as soon as a real guest opened the gate......they just followed them right in. Or even more brazen, they simply stood and waited till the gate was open, not even pretenting to be guests.

Gates aren't the answer. I prefer arresting trespassers.

 

[crisi]

Or issuing a pool bracelet. Stop by the bar (that is at any pool) or one of the lifeguard chairs, show your room key or DVC member card, get a braclet. That's what they do at SAB. SAB would be a pain to gate - it pretty much straddles the beach. But bracelets are easy.

Now gating the BW pool would be easy.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
..... but it stinks.

DL Hotel has a massive,gated pool area. It's a PITA to get in and out of,depending on where your room is and where you want to be once you're inside gate.

Next, picture our existing resorts........ now picture them with an iron fence around them. It's one thing to design a resort from the ground up with the intention of having a secure pool area, it's an entirely different problem when you have to retrofit something to protect against determined parasites.

VB has a gated pool area that requires room keys to open. Show of hands from everybody whose been there........ how many saw people linger near the gate, "looking" in their bag for a key, and as soon as a real guest opened the gate......they just followed them right in. Or even more brazen, they simply stood and waited till the gate was open, not even pretenting to be guests.

Gates aren't the answer. I prefer arresting trespassers.

You think we could have a Most Wanted Pool Hoppers board at checkin.

Kinda like the photos in the Post Office. Sure would make it easier for the Pool Police,

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
..... VB has a gated pool area that requires room keys to open. Show of hands from everybody whose been there........ how many saw people linger near the gate, "looking" in their bag for a key, and as soon as a real guest opened the gate......they just followed them right in. Or even more brazen, they simply stood and waited till the gate was open, not even pretenting to be guests.

Gates aren't the answer. I prefer arresting trespassers.

 

[fac]

Originally posted by Desperado
Call a manager and get names all along the way. This CM needs to no longer be employed by Disney and to go be successful somewhere else. No excuse for rudeness.

I had similar experience with CR in the beginning of this month (after July 4th). We stayed on BWV on points, went to CR for boating. I decided to check with the front desk about using the pool, as DH planned to do some sailing after renting the pontoon boat and DDs are too young for the sail boat.

Two CMs in the front desk told me that they never heard about the policy. I explained to them about DVC, they told me they knew about DVC but "we are not those DVC hotels" as one of them said. At this time, the second CM returned and told me she checked with her manager and there was no such policy and pool hoping is not allowed.

"Fortunately" the weather was bad, DH could not rent the sail boat.

(forgot whether he said hotel or resort, but the "we are not those DVC" comment made me sick)

 

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by fac
Two CMs in the front desk told me that they never heard about the policy. I explained to them about DVC, they told me they knew about DVC but "we are not those DVC hotels" as one of them said. At this time, the second CM returned and told me she checked with her manager and there was no such policy and pool hoping is not allowed.

I sometimes wonder if they train all CM's in the same way. This sounds similiar to calling CRO and getting one answer from one CM and a different answer from another.

It bothers me that not all CM's give the same answers, or know all the policies. This is something that should really be addressed by Disney, IMO.

 

[RLevy29]

[

Put yourself in the mind of a Disney Resort executive. Pools are becoming increasingly crowded, and guests are complaining. There are at least three reasons for the overcrowding:
1. Not enough pool space for true resort guests.

2. Pool crashers not being caught.

3. DVC'ers legally pool-hopping.

I would add 2 more reasons:
4. People saving chairs and towels and not showing up until hours later.
5. People not putting their towels in the bin when they leave so it looks like the chair is still occupied.

We were faced with this at our recent stay at the Westin in Saint John's. We came to the pool at 4:00 in the afternoon and there were no towels left. There was not a chair to be found.The pool service did not close until 6:00. It is doubtful that any pool crashers were to blame because of the location of the resort.

 

[Desperado]

When DVC pool hopping was started, there was one resort, there are now 5 onsite, DVC membership is growing. The clearest sign that pool hopping is coming to an end is the investment in a pool slide at OKW IMO. When we stay onsite, we usually sttay at BCV, with two onderful pools, so it's not too much a bother. I just hate to miss out on the priviledge of taking a break from MK and being able to swim within a short monorail ride. I've never done it, but I'd like to in the future.

 

[Dean]

Actually to me the biggest indication of it ending in the near future is the facst the SSR pool is so small comparatively. I doubt the pool at OKW has any direct or possibly even direct inflence related to the PH issue. Still, it should decrease it a little bit, only time will tell. While I'm not convinced there is a cause and affect relationship related to SSR or the new OKW pool, I just can't see the perk lasting much longer due to sheer numbers and volume. It's got to be a PIA to keep up with, worry about, take the phone calls, judge the usage that day, etc. Just too much agravation to deal with. Easier to just stop it and deal with the problem. There will be a few vocal people jumping up and down for a few months but I'm sure that's less than they deal with now the way things are going.

 

[DukeStreetKing]

I might be in the minority but I don't understand the attraction with pool hopping. If the pool is such a big deal, why not just book your vacation at the resort that has the pool that you like? Pool water is pool water no matter where you swim. I understand some pools are themed better than others but are they such a big deal?