Pool Hopping @ the Poly

Thominator'sMom

Lifelong Fan
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May 29, 2007
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I've read a lot of posts about all the pool hopping @ the poly. I'll be staying there in Sept. with DH and DS3. I'm just wondering how busy it really gets at the Volcano pool and when the least crowded times for swimming are.

I haven't spent that much time around the pool in the past but now that we are going with a child I think we will be doing just that!

Thanks!:goodvibes
 
I just posted this on another thread:

There may be a few pool hoppers at the Poly but the biggest problem with the Poly pool is it is just too small a pool for the number guests who stay at the Poly.
There are 853 guest rooms and Suites at the Poly and the Poly pool only holds
110 guests.

PoolRules-1.jpg


There are1,504 guest rooms and Suites at All Star Music. The quiet pool alone at All Star Muic holds 118 guests.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a175/minnie61650/asm_14.jpg

I do not know off hand how many guests the main pool at Music holds but that pool is at least about 3 times the size of the Music quiet pool.

That means that even though Muisc has about 2 times the # of guest rooms ( a little less actually) of the Poly
Music has about 3 times the pool capacity of the Poly.

JMHO
 
The Volcano Pool will be busiest in the afternoon and evening. I don't think I've ever seen anyone in the Volcano Pool at 7:00 a.m (the posted opening hour) on my journey to Captain Cook's for breakfast.

The Volcano Pool does get too crowded to actually swim more than a few strokes. The quiet pool never seems crowded at all. We've actually had the quiet pool all to ourselves at times (in the summer, too!)

Have a great stay at the Polynesian!
 
Thanks for the info! We'll try the quiet pool...my son is too young to go down the slide at the Volcano pool anyway!
 

We just returned from the Poly and yes, the Volcano Pool does get quite busy. I had a lovely view of the pool from my room (and I never once was bothered by the noise as I expected) and I only saw it empty early in the mornings. My DD (13) tried to swim in it once and was not chased away by the crowd but instead by the temperature. It was absolutely freezing! I couldn't believe so many people were able to stand it. One dip with my toe and it was awful!

Our experience was that the quiet pool was usually full of kids too. It was MUCH warmer so many moved over there. Once evening there were a bunch of teens there that finally ended up driving us away. Not quiet at all on that night! :sad2:
 
The real "problem" is that the Volcano pool is much much more popular than the quiet pool. The capacities for both pools are fine for a resort of that size. It's just that most everyone wants to be in the Volcano pool. If you have kids with you, they will most certainly prefer the Volcano pool. The theming is extraordinary, the zero entry is perfect for small children to wade in, the slide is fantastic, beautiful view of the lagoon and castle, etc., etc.. I've never found the crowds to be uncomfortabley excessive but it definitely gets crowded in the afternoons. I think the lay out actually works very well, in that the Volcano pool is loud, fun, and busy, while the quiet pool is just that: quiet, relatively deserted, and peaceful. :cool1:
 
We were there in July (and we're returning this July). We found the pool to be fine even in the peak hours of afternoons and early evenings. Yes, it was crowded in the afternoons, but we were always able to swim if we wanted. My kids had at most a few minute wait for the slide. Now you can't do laps or practice your breaststroke in there, but I would say most pools on Disney are like that. WL's pool is similarly crowded.

We never went to the quiet pool because my kids loved the volcano pool so much with its zero depth entry and the slide. And as someone else has posted, the view is incredible.

I do wish the Poly would do something about pool hoppers, though, as they are sometimes obvious, and even a few extra people makes a difference.
 
Thanks for the info! We'll try the quiet pool...my son is too young to go down the slide at the Volcano pool anyway!
Please, I beg of you, leave the kids at the Kiddie Pool and the adults at the Quiet Pool.

There is a reason the adults who use the Quiet Pool use it. And it isn't because it is bigger, better, or has a better view - that's for sure. We go there to avoid all the children.

Children laugh and play and scream and splash - which they should. They're kids, that's what kids ought to be doing at the pool. :) But the folks who use the Quiet Pool go there to avoid all those happy little voices and the splashing, playing and screaming.

We also enjoy a little dip in the pool, the ability to swim about a bit, which is impossible with children playing in the pool.

So far - either Disney has done it or people have just been very well-mannered - the Quiet Pools have remained pretty quiet.

Please don't bring your kid there because they other pool is too hectic for you. Then we'd just have all Hectic Pools and no Quiet ones.
 
Please, I beg of you, leave the kids at the Kiddie Pool and the adults at the Quiet Pool.

There is a reason the adults who use the Quiet Pool use it. And it isn't because it is bigger, better, or has a better view - that's for sure. We go there to avoid all the children.

Children laugh and play and scream and splash - which they should. They're kids, that's what kids ought to be doing at the pool. :) But the folks who use the Quiet Pool go there to avoid all those happy little voices and the splashing, playing and screaming.

We also enjoy a little dip in the pool, the ability to swim about a bit, which is impossible with children playing in the pool.

So far - either Disney has done it or people have just been very well-mannered - the Quiet Pools have remained pretty quiet.

Please don't bring your kid there because they other pool is too hectic for you. Then we'd just have all Hectic Pools and no Quiet ones.

Well, that's pretty rude. Spoken by someone who has no kids, I suppose.

If you want to avoid kids, here's a suggestion...DON'T go to Disney World! At the very least, don't go to DW expecting to be able to swim laps, but if you do, stay at the Swan/Dolphin...they have a lap pool there.

Begging people to avoid the quiet pools with small children is pretty unreasonable. I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old who are pretty clingy in the pool still (obviously, because they can't swim on their own yet) and if I went to a pool that was shoulder to shoulder with screaming older kids and teens, you can BET YOUR TAIL that I would spend the majority of my time in a pool that is less crowded and more peaceful. And for the record, young kids (toddlers) don't spend a lot of time screaming at the top of their lungs while they are swimming...
 
Quiet pools are named so because they are not themed or have slides etc. They are not adult only pools and should not be treated as such. I think they are ideal for a quip dip and cool off, no matter if you have kids or not. Most people use the quiet pools for quick dips. Main pools seemed to be used for + 1 hours use of the pool as part of an itinery.
 
Well, that's pretty rude. Spoken by someone who has no kids, I suppose.
I don't think that poster was rude, just requesting something and explaining why. Since you wish to be the Miss Manners of the DIS, you should be aware that calling people "rude" is, in and of itself, rude.

I have four kids - youngest is about to turn 13 and I totally agree with the post.
If you want to avoid kids, here's a suggestion...DON'T go to Disney World! At the very least, don't go to DW expecting to be able to swim laps, but if you do, stay at the Swan/Dolphin...they have a lap pool there.

Begging people to avoid the quiet pools with small children is pretty unreasonable. I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old who are pretty clingy in the pool still (obviously, because they can't swim on their own yet) and if I went to a pool that was shoulder to shoulder with screaming older kids and teens, you can BET YOUR TAIL that I would spend the majority of my time in a pool that is less crowded and more peaceful. And for the record, young kids (toddlers) don't spend a lot of time screaming at the top of their lungs while they are swimming...
I don't think it is unreasonable to keep children out of the quiet pool. Most people do it.

I would never have taken my kids to a quiet pool. In fact, I STILL force them to use the big pool, while I'm at the quiet pool. DD-12 can come, but that's because she is now able to use a small, quiet pool in the way it is intended to be used.

Different strokes for different folks.
 
Please, I beg of you, leave the kids at the Kiddie Pool and the adults at the Quiet Pool.

There is a reason the adults who use the Quiet Pool use it. And it isn't because it is bigger, better, or has a better view - that's for sure. We go there to avoid all the children.

Children laugh and play and scream and splash - which they should. They're kids, that's what kids ought to be doing at the pool. :) But the folks who use the Quiet Pool go there to avoid all those happy little voices and the splashing, playing and screaming.

We also enjoy a little dip in the pool, the ability to swim about a bit, which is impossible with children playing in the pool.

So far - either Disney has done it or people have just been very well-mannered - the Quiet Pools have remained pretty quiet.

Please don't bring your kid there because they other pool is too hectic for you. Then we'd just have all Hectic Pools and no Quiet ones.

This is completely uncalled for - there are no adult only rules regarding quite pools -


Well, that's pretty rude. Spoken by someone who has no kids, I suppose.

If you want to avoid kids, here's a suggestion...DON'T go to Disney World! At the very least, don't go to DW expecting to be able to swim laps, but if you do, stay at the Swan/Dolphin...they have a lap pool there.

Begging people to avoid the quiet pools with small children is pretty unreasonable. I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old who are pretty clingy in the pool still (obviously, because they can't swim on their own yet) and if I went to a pool that was shoulder to shoulder with screaming older kids and teens, you can BET YOUR TAIL that I would spend the majority of my time in a pool that is less crowded and more peaceful. And for the record, young kids (toddlers) don't spend a lot of time screaming at the top of their lungs while they are swimming...


This reply is also uncalled for - I would also consider this rude - to assume the poster has no kids...

Can we get this thread back on topic please?


I would suggest that now is a really good time to take a few minutes to review the POSTING GUIDELINES for the disboards.......


3. NO FIGHTING/SARCASM: While we'd like to think that a Disney fan site is always lighthearted, there are times when there are disagreements. Let's face it, there are certain topics that can transform any of us into a raging "Donald Duck." When you sense this is happening, we ask that you step away from the discussion before it escalates into a fight. Just like Mom always said about fighting, we don't care who started the argument and we don't want it on the DIS. (Okay, she didn't say the part about the DIS, but you know what we mean.) No attacking others and no sarcasm please. Either will result in an infraction.
 
So the general consensuses is the Volcano pool is usually not that busy in the mornings? If that's true then my family and I have nothing to worry about for our stay at the Polynesian in December because whenever we go to the pool it's always in the mornings.

If for whatever reasons we can't get chairs there, how does it compare to the quiet pool?
 
So the general consensuses is the Volcano pool is usually not that busy in the mornings? If that's true then my family and I have nothing to worry about for our stay at the Polynesian in December because whenever we go to the pool it's always in the mornings.

If for whatever reasons we can't get chairs there, how does it compare to the quiet pool?

It was very quiet in the mornings when we were there just a few weeks ago. There are quite a few chairs; I think you're very likely to be able to find one or two at most times (except, perhaps, right around 3-4 when it seems to be busiest). It's a beautiful pool!!

Here's a pic of the Volcano pool around 7-8 a.m. (and I apologize for the size of the pic - I tend to take very high res photos!):

21593WDWBarbPolyPool.jpg


So peaceful!!! Almost tempted me to jump in ;)
 
It was very quiet in the mornings when we were there just a few weeks ago. There are quite a few chairs; I think you're very likely to be able to find one or two at most times (except, perhaps, right around 3-4 when it seems to be busiest). It's a beautiful pool!!
Thank you for that information and for posting the picture of the pool. :thumbsup2
 
So the general consensuses is the Volcano pool is usually not that busy in the mornings? If that's true then my family and I have nothing to worry about for our stay at the Polynesian in December because whenever we go to the pool it's always in the mornings.

If for whatever reasons we can't get chairs there, how does it compare to the quiet pool?
Between 5 & 6:30 a.m., I'm usually the only person there...just me and a few ducks. Around 6:30ish, a guy shows up with tube things and does stuff. Between 7 and 9:00, people start showing up, but it isn't crowded. Once lunchtime hits, it starts getting crosded and continues to do so all afternoon.

The quiet pool is usually quiet. You've got a few elderly people, a bunch of women laying (and a few men :) )in the sun, people sitting on the edge of the pool with their feet in, reading a book. Some moms with babies in the shallow end. There are always people in the water, but very few children, if any.

There are no slides, no toys, no nothing for kids. There isn't a "view" like the big pool has, but it is very pretty - palm trees, music piped in (but you can't hear it under the water, like at the big pool), and just very relaxing overall.

It is like a little piece of heaven for me. :)
 
Between 5 & 6:30 a.m., I'm usually the only person there...just me and a few ducks. Around 6:30ish, a guy shows up with tube things and does stuff. Between 7 and 9:00, people start showing up, but it isn't crowded. Once lunchtime hits, it starts getting crosded and continues to do so all afternoon.

The quiet pool is usually quiet. You've got a few elderly people, a bunch of women laying (and a few men :) )in the sun, people sitting on the edge of the pool with their feet in, reading a book. Some moms with babies in the shallow end. There are always people in the water, but very few children, if any.

There are no slides, no toys, no nothing for kids. There isn't a "view" like the big pool has, but it is very pretty - palm trees, music piped in (but you can't hear it under the water, like at the big pool), and just very relaxing overall.

It is like a little piece of heaven for me. :)
We usually go to the pool around 10:30 or 11:00 AM so that should give us a great chance of getting 3 chairs at the Volcano pool.

Also thank you for the information about the quiet pool, because it's nice to know the Polynesian has two pools if one is very busy.
 
Question for the Poly pool experts... How deep is the quiet pool? We walked past it and I saw a depth marker but can't remember what it said. I do remember thinking that I probably wouldn't want to take my kids there simply because it was too deep.
 
Question for the Poly pool experts... How deep is the quiet pool? We walked past it and I saw a depth marker but can't remember what it said. I do remember thinking that I probably wouldn't want to take my kids there simply because it was too deep.

It ranges from shallow to deep. At the shallow end I think it starts at 3.5 feet (or close to it). It gradually deepens to about 4-5 feet before it drops off to around 7 feet. But don't worry - there's a clear marker and a rope that shows where the dropoff is. The vast majority of the pool is shallow.
 
WDWBarb,
Actually, I don't think the pool ever gets much deeper than 5 feet. I'm only 5'7'' and there was never a point where the water was even over my neck. I think the deepest part is near the waterfall but it's still not over 5'. We go to the Poly every Summer and I've been in that pool countless times (in fact I consider it my "happy place"). Can anyone else verify this?
 





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