Pool Hopping?

[travelgirl06]

I agree that it would be neat if you could visit other pools for a fee. Or, if the pool wasn't crowded if they would maybe allow guests from other hotels of the same catergory to visit, as long as there was plenty of room for the guests of that hotel at the pool...

What I find specially interesting, is that I've read that at DL you can pool hop as long as you are going to pools at the less expensive hotels. For example, if you stay at the Grand Californian you also can use the pools at the DL hotel or Paradise Pier; if you stay at DL hotel you can also go to Paradise Pier (but not Grand Californian, because it is a more expensive hotel). It amuses me that Disney is willing to allow pool hopping at one complex (albeit a much smaller resort area) but not at another.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Sometimes if the pool is shut at one resort they may allow you to use another resort pool.

Here are 2 examples of when my family & I were staying at the Wilderness Lodge when the pool was closed. The 1st time was in August of 1998 or 1999 when a baby had an accident in the pool so it had to be completely drained and no one could use it for at least 24 hours until it was 100% clean and safe to use. So they said anyone who wanted to swim there was a boat taking guests to use the pool at the Contemporary.

The other time was in January of 1999 when the Wilderness Lodge pool was being renovated, so once again they had a boat going to the Contemporary for anyone who wanted to swim.

Both those times were before the DVC building opened so there was no second pool around there for the guests to use & that is why they were told they could swim at the Contemporary.

 

[decerbod]

Do all the Key to the World Cards look the same with the same castle and blue background? If the delux resorts had diffent keys (a tiki design at poly, an evergreen at WL for example) pool enforcemt would be easier.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Do all the Key to the World Cards look the same with the same castle and blue background? If the delux resorts had diffent keys (a tiki design at poly, an evergreen at WL for example) pool enforcemt would be easier.

I have asked the same question you have & I was told that lifeguards can tell by the numbers at the bottom of the KEY TO THE WORLD cards which Resort a guest was staying at. I know it sounds crazy however that is how they know.

Also I have always thought using a specific design for each card from the Resort you are staying at would be a good idea.

 

[crazy_for_the_dis]

Castillo Mom, this is one reason I don't think I would ever stay at the Poly again. Granted, since I was reading the DIS boards prior to the trip, it made me more aware of the pool hopping issue (I don't think I would have even looked or noticed if it wasn't for the fact that I saw so much clamor about it here). But, boat loads of people came over from magic kingdom and went straight to the pool, change of clothes in hand. IMHO, having showers and changing facilities at the Poly pool also encourages it (although it also helps guests waiting for their rooms upon check-in or after checking out). In fact, one family was outwardly telling the bartender that they were not staying there, and he did not say a thing. They left telling him "see you later again this week" (maybe they were tipping well, or they just did not realize they were doing something wrong, since they did not attempt to hide it at all). I felt like I spent more time being the pool gestapo (not that I brought it to anyone's attention though, but I wanted to) than enjoying my vacation.

On the flip side, my last stay to WL I did not see any of this, although it is frequently reported on these boards. The difference might have been we used the pool at the Poly trip during the day, and during the WL trip usually at night (and the pool was always empty).

 

[heatherlynn444]

yes the cards are different. my Grand floridian card had a gold background.

 

[Pooh Bear Hugs]

I love to swim in the middle of the night looking up at the stars. As I've said a million times pool hoppers don't bother me, for others it upsets them.
Advice is unless it's sister resorts, your pools closed or you're a DVC member don't do it (the water parks are much better than the pools anyway).

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

yes the cards are different. my Grand floridian card had a gold background.

Actually the cards with the gold backround are for all the Deluxe Resorts with Concierge floors. My family & I have had them when we stayed on the Atrium Club Concierge floor at the Contemporary, so the Grand Floridian is not the only place you can get them at.

 

[heatherlynn444]

Actually the cards with the gold backround are for all the Deluxe Resorts with Concierge floors. My family & I have had them when we stayed on the Atrium Club Concierge floor at the Contemporary, so the Grand Floridian is not the only place you can get them at.

thanks, i know its not I was just giving my personal example.

 

[mandy200587]

I wish there was some sort of enforcment at Poly. I can never find a place to sit so I always end up at the quiet pool.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I wish there was some sort of enforcment at Poly. I can never find a place to sit so I always end up at the quiet pool.

My family & I are staying at the Polynesian for the very 1st time in December from the 15-25. Assuming the weather is great to sit by the pool & to go swimming will it be hard to get 3 pool chairs for my Mom, Dad & myself?

 

[mandy200587]

I always go in the summer and somehow I either get lucky and get a slow time or get a busy time. Just look around, I got lucky the one time I went swimming this summer and got a table by the kiddie area.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I always go in the summer and somehow I either get lucky and get a slow time or get a busy time. Just look around, I got lucky the one time I went swimming this summer and got a table by the kiddie area.

Thanks for the info & hopefully if my family & decide to sit in the sun or go in the pool it won't be as busy since we usually do that early in the mornings when at WDW.

 

[Mo-Yo]

At least you were trying to go to a hotel that was in the same category, when we stay at WL we often see ppl from ft wilderness coming over to use the pool and slide and it just seems a bit unfair that we're paying 300+ to stay there yet they stay at the campground and take up our chairs at the pool Perhaps esp. at WL they need some sort of gated system to get into the pool area but I know it is looked down to pool hop. I guess their thinking is if you want to go to another pool then go to the waterparks! lol

Just for the record...the cabins at Fort Wilderness are $300+ a night.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Thanks for the support - lesson learned. I feel like I came off like some crazy redneck who doesn't want to pay for the nice pool, ha!! I'm glad I thought to ask first - lord knows what kind of chaos could have broken out at the resorts - can you imagine??

Hey, now! As a "carzy redneck" myself, I take offense to that comment! Are you saying that we crazy rednecks are cheap? Huh?















Just kidding! Welcome to the boards.

 

[goofy4tink]

Way back when, when there were only several WDW resorts, they allowed pool hopping. My DH's aunt used to go, with her family, every few years. They would pack up their tote bags with swim suits, dry clothes etc. Then, after a hot day in the parks, they would head over to the Polynesian and have a swim before heading back to MK for the evening. So....fast forward to several years ago. DH and I were discussing WDW with his aunt. Talking about all the things we loved to do and generally comparing notes. When she told us about the whole 'tote bag' thing, I asked her why. That's when she told us about hopping in the pool and then heading back to MK. I tried telling her that you could no longer do that. Now, she hadn't been to WDW in about 15 or so years, so obviously a lot had changed. But, she said they were still going to pack that tote bag and swim at the Polynesian mid-day at MK! I told her they might get booted and she told me she would believe it when she saw it!!
So, there are some out there who are working with very old info. THey refuse to realize that WDW has grown. When the pools are built they are build for a certain capacity. If the Volcano Pool, for instance, has a capacity of 200 (just a figure,,,I don't remember what the number is), and it's a hot day, so the Polynesian guests have decided to sit poolside rather than hit a park, there could be 175 people there already. Now, you add in those folks who are staying off-site but sure would like to check out the amenities at the Polynesian and try the pool to see if they would like to stay there on a future visit, or those staying on-site but not close to MK so take the boat from MK to the Polynesian for a quick dip. Well....now you have reached capacity, making a not so terrific experience for those Polynesian guests who have paid for the privilege of swimming in that pool.
Yes, that would be a stretch, but it shows the point. The deluxe resorts, being so close to a park, and having some terrific pool areas, makes them a target for pool abuse. You don't see people heading over to pool hop to the pools at the AllStars or to Ole Man Island at POR very often. It's only to the deluxes.

 

[newholidayx2]

DS & I enjoyed pool hopping to the Poly from the VWL last Aug and we're planning on doing it again this Aug (yes we're DVCers)

 

[minnie61650]

....... If the Volcano Pool, for instance, has a capacity of 200 (just a figure,,,I don't remember what the number is), and it's a hot day, so the Polynesian guests have decided to sit poolside rather than hit a park, there could be 175 people there already. Now, you add in those folks who are staying off-site but sure would like to check out the amenities at the Polynesian and try the pool to see if they would like to stay there on a future visit, or those staying on-site but not close to MK so take the boat from MK to the Polynesian for a quick dip. Well....now you have reached capacity, making a not so terrific experience for those Polynesian guests who have paid for the privilege of swimming in that pool.
Yes, that would be a stretch, but it shows the point. The deluxe resorts, being so close to a park, and having some terrific pool areas, makes them a target for pool abuse. You don't see people heading over to pool hop to the pools at the AllStars or to Ole Man Island at POR very often. It's only to the deluxes.

Yes the Poly pool is very small.
Actually it only holds 110.
in contrast the quiet pool alone at All Star Music holds 118 persons!

 

[goofy4tink]

Yes the Poly pool is very small.
Actually it only holds 110.
in contrast the quiet pool alone at All Star Music holds 118 persons!

THanks...I knew my estimation was waaaaay off!!! It is really pretty small and gets filled with people quite quickly.

Yes, we are DVCers also...but there is no way I want to drag all my stuff around WDW, looking for a 'better' pool to swim in. I just don't get the appeal. We mostly stay at BWV....we love the pool there. That's where we swim. Now, perhaps, this August my dd may want to go back to the Polynesian and swim in the Volcano Pool again. Perhaps we will if it's a day we don't have much planned. BUt, that's a very big 'if'!!!! It's just a lot of hassle to swim. I would rather head over to the S/D to swim...now, that's a nice pool area.

 

[mikesmom]

Way back when, when there were only several WDW resorts, they allowed pool hopping. My DH's aunt used to go, with her family, every few years. They would pack up their tote bags with swim suits, dry clothes etc. Then, after a hot day in the parks, they would head over to the Polynesian and have a swim before heading back to MK for the evening. So....fast forward to several years ago. DH and I were discussing WDW with his aunt. Talking about all the things we loved to do and generally comparing notes. When she told us about the whole 'tote bag' thing, I asked her why. That's when she told us about hopping in the pool and then heading back to MK. I tried telling her that you could no longer do that. Now, she hadn't been to WDW in about 15 or so years, so obviously a lot had changed. But, she said they were still going to pack that tote bag and swim at the Polynesian mid-day at MK! I told her they might get booted and she told me she would believe it when she saw it!!
So, there are some out there who are working with very old info. THey refuse to realize that WDW has grown. When the pools are built they are build for a certain capacity. If the Volcano Pool, for instance, has a capacity of 200 (just a figure,,,I don't remember what the number is), and it's a hot day, so the Polynesian guests have decided to sit poolside rather than hit a park, there could be 175 people there already. Now, you add in those folks who are staying off-site but sure would like to check out the amenities at the Polynesian and try the pool to see if they would like to stay there on a future visit, or those staying on-site but not close to MK so take the boat from MK to the Polynesian for a quick dip. Well....now you have reached capacity, making a not so terrific experience for those Polynesian guests who have paid for the privilege of swimming in that pool.
Yes, that would be a stretch, but it shows the point. The deluxe resorts, being so close to a park, and having some terrific pool areas, makes them a target for pool abuse. You don't see people heading over to pool hop to the pools at the AllStars or to Ole Man Island at POR very often. It's only to the deluxes.

Yeah, I remember way back when that you could do that. I didn't actually ever do it (not enough money to stay onsite then) but I do recall the guidebooks saying it was a perk. Remember though, when WDW was first built, Disney thought their business was theme parks, not hotel-keeping. I believe they only had Contemporary, Poly and Grand Floridian as options. Those 3 hotels were roughly comparable in price. In addition to having less people to pack the pools, the folks from the other hotels were generally paying about the same price for the same level of hotel, perks, etc. Now there are several levels of accomodations with differing levels of perks, space, amenities and pools. Not quite so comparable to share!