Pool hopping when staying at non dvc resort

[tss2]

This may be a silly question, but I was just thinking about this.........we are staying at pop century before a Vero beach trip. We are paying cash for pop century obviously....but can we pool hop elsewhere? when pool hopping do we show our DVC card or room card? can we pool hop when we are staying in a cash room even though we are Dvc members? I'm probably over thinking this whole thing, but I was hoping to go to another resort to swim since I thought the pop century pool didn't look real exciting. Last time we pool hopped we were staying at BWV on points.......

Thanks for the help!

 

[Sherri]

I was wondering the same thing. I hope some Disney experts can weigh in on this.

 

[RobDoc]

Pool hopping requires that you are staying at a DVC resort using points. You would need your room id stating "DVC Member" at least and may also be asked for your blue DVC membership card.

If you are staying at Pop Century, you will not be allowed to pool hop. You will not be allowed to pool hop even if staying at non-DVC resort using points (moderate and deluxe) since the resort id will not mention "DVC Member". The blue DVC membership card alone is not enough for pool hopping, although it is accepted for most of the other member perks.

 

[MCazer]

Don't flame me, but if it is off season, no one will be checking DVC ID. We have pool hopped when using points for the Polynesian during off season. No one was using the pools at all.

I would not however try it during peak times, and definately not at Stormalong Bay.

 

[DebbieB]

Pool hopping requires that you are staying at a DVC resort using points. You would need your room id stating "DVC Member" at least and may also be asked for your blue DVC membership card.

If you are staying at Pop Century, you will not be allowed to pool hop. You will not be allowed to pool hop even if staying at non-DVC resort using points (moderate and deluxe) since the resort id will not mention "DVC Member". The blue DVC membership card alone is not enough for pool hopping, although it is accepted for most of the other member perks.

At one of the annual meetings I attended a few years ago, they mentioned that they were going to put "DVC member" on points stays at non-DVC WDW resorts (example - Grand Floridian). I wonder if they are doing that? Anyone recently stay at a non-DVC WDW resort on points?

 

[tss2]

I was worried that my resort card was needed and that it wouldn't say DVC member since my reservations are not DVC related. We have pool hopped before and never showed anything, but were legally staying at a DVC resort and had a card saying so if asked. Do you think they would check for July 7,8,9 or 10th? We have never gone in the summer before so we were thinking swimming would be something we would do often to bear the heat and humidity of summer.

Thanks for all your help.........I do follow the rules so my conscience will probably keep me from pool hopping..........plus I try to teach my kids to be honest and want to set a good example.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Now, wait a minute--if I am staying at a DVC resort on a combination of points and cash, I can only pool-hop on the nights when I am using my points, but not on the nights when I am paying cash??? That's dumb! What's wrong with money?? Since when has DVC gotten something better than cash customers???

 

[thelobstershanty]

Do you think they would check for July 7,8,9 or 10th? We have never gone in the summer before so we were thinking swimming would be something we would do often to bear the heat and humidity of summer.

Which pools are you thinking about pool hopping to? That will be the 4th of July week so WDW will be crowded. A lot of times they close the pools to pool hopping for DVC members when it is a holiday or it's especially crowded.
Disney's new promotions are getting a lot of bookings. Friends of ours just came back from a trip the first week of June and they said it was very busy, and they are WDW vets. We are starting to get worried about the crowds since we are booked for 7/2-7/11. We have been to WDW over the 4th before and it is crowded but I think this year it will be more crowded.
If you are planning to pool hop to the deluxe and DVC resorts you may have a problem. You could most likely pool hop to the moderate resorts but the pools will be crowded.
The DVC pool hopping guidelines are that you are supposed to be staying in a DVC resort using pts. I agree staying at a non DVC resort and using pts should also allow pool hopping but technically it does not.

 

[RobDoc]

... That's dumb! What's wrong with money?? Since when has DVC gotten something better than cash customers???

Cash guests have never been able to pool hop - it is now and has always been a perk for DVC members only. Regarding pool hopping, DVC has always "gotten something better than cash customers".

If you have a combination points/cash reservation made thru MS and linked together as one reservation, your room id will state "DVC Member" and you will be able to pool hop. If you booked a point stay and then added nights thru CRO, you will not have "DVC Member" on the card for the cash nights (and may even have to change rooms for that portion of the stay).

The DVC Member site states:
You and any Guests staying with you at Disney's Old Key West Resort, Disney's BoardWalk Villas, The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Disney's Beach Club Villas or Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa are permitted to use other Disney Vacation Club and Walt Disney World Resort hotel pools (in addition to the pool at the resort hotel at which you're staying) if they are not at capacity.

The You in the first sentence refers to members. It would suggest that guests NOT staying with the member (or renters) might not have access to pool hopping- especially in light of the recent DVC comments about needing to show the blue membership card for DVC perks - this would be in addition to the "DVC Member" room id.

As always, consistent enforcement of the policy may vary depending on the CM involved at the time. IMO, everyone should be aware of the policy and be prepared with any needed identification to get the benefit.

 

[lovwdwalot]

This is why I think pool hopping should be stopped.To many people just not paying attention to the rules that are clearly stated in the handbook and just doing what they think is right when it could be wrong.

 

[Mazz519]

At one of the annual meetings I attended a few years ago, they mentioned that they were going to put "DVC member" on points stays at non-DVC WDW resorts (example - Grand Floridian). I wonder if they are doing that? Anyone recently stay at a non-DVC WDW resort on points?

Last year we stayed at the Polynesian on points in July and all of our room ID cards had DVC member on them. We had no problem pool hopping from resort to resort.

 

[Scoootch]

Do you think they would check for July 7,8,9 or 10th? We have never gone in the summer before so we were thinking swimming would be something we would do often to bear the heat and humidity of summer.

I cut and pasted the following directly from the DVC members sight :

Water Activities


Pool Hopping Information for 2005

You and any Guests staying with you at Disney's Old Key West Resort, Disney's BoardWalk Villas, The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Disney's Beach Club Villas or Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa are permitted to use other Disney Vacation Club and Walt Disney World Resort hotel pools (in addition to the pool at the resort hotel at which you're staying) if they are not at capacity. If the pool you are visiting reaches capacity, you may be asked to leave in order to accommodate Guests of that resort hotel. Please check with a Host/Hostess at the Front Desk of the resort hotel you wish to visit to find out about pool-access availability. You must present your "Key to the World" card with your "Disney Vacation Club Member" designation on it to use other resort hotel pools. Pool hopping is not available at Uzima Pool at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and Stormalong Bay at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts. In addition, this restriction includes the leisure pools at these two resort hotels. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Resort hotel pools may become unavailable from time to time because of capacity limitations. Due to expected high occupancy, Disney Vacation Club Members may not "pool hop" during the following dates*:


February 20 - 26, 2005

March 19 - 27, 2005

May 27 - 30, 2005

June 27 - July 4, 2005

September 2 - 5, 2005

November 21 - 27, 2005

December 17, 2005 - January2, 2006

*Other restricted dates may be added based on projected pool capacity.

Being that just a few days before you're asking about is restricted from pool hopping at all, there's probably a pretty good chance they will check i.d.'s just because it will still be pretty busy. As for the rest ....there's what is "official" according to The DVC member websight.

HTH's