Pool ?

[tjmw2727]

After reading some comments about the "mickey pool" and the overcrowding I have been trying to do some research. So, comments and or links are appreciated.

My girls will be 9 and 11 when we cruise on the wonder and now I am thinking about the pools as they both love to swim and love a slide.

I have heard that the Mickey Pool is wall to wall kids - is this your experience? Is this the pool that has a slide? and... is this the only pool where children are allowed?

I have been trying to find info on the pools and a site with pictures but so far no luck. I read about a family pool and even without a slide is this a good alternative for the 9-11 set with parents?

The adult pool is an obvious no, no with our kids but if possible we would like a chance to lay out and swim some without the "kiddie chaos". To put things in perspective at the WDW resorts we usually do the main pool in the early moring or late evening for a few runs on the slide but mainly prefer what they refer to a the "quiet pool" for afternoons at the pool.

Man this is difficult for me as I am usually the one answering questions on the theme park or family boards so please bear with me.

TJ

 

[suesings]

Hi,
I've heard the Mickey Pool is for little ones (the ear for toddlers). I've heard this one is crowded. There is also a Goofy pool for a bit older kids but I've heard that some parents don't watch their children and although there are signs that say "No Jumping" there are still kids who do and make it dangerous in the pool. Some people have reported kids jumping on their kids heads and also some kids holding other kids under water (which is just unbelievable to me???)

 

[jordgubben]

I haven't been on a cruise yet but from what I've read there is also the Goofy pool.

 

[soccercruiser87]

theres the goofy pool where everyone is invited to go in. the slide doesnt empty into the pool at all and the slide is very fun according to my 11 year old cousin lol...but there is CC to spend the whole day swimming.

heres the goofy pool....

theres also 2 whirlpools at the goofy pool area.

 

[tjmw2727]

Thanks everyone now I am even more confused (dosen't take much).

Mickey Pool - toddler set - wading pool?

Goofy Pool - 4+ set with a slide but sometimes unsupervised kids esp jumpers? (This would put my dh into a tizzy fwiw)

Adult Pool - obviously not an option with the dear ones.

No quiet family pool? - ok but a bit dissapointing.

Any more info on pools even links is greatly appreciated.
TIA
TJ

 

[kidsmom]

We have done two cruises with our kids, one 3 night and one 4 night. They were 6 & 10 on the first and 7 & 11 the second. I have to say they were extremely disappointed in the pools. They are both love to swim and play around in the pool, but the pools on the DCL didn't really allow for that. The Mickey pool is usually packed wall to wall with kids AND adults. The Goofy pool, although less crowded is a very small pool. It was often closed as they tend to cover it to make room for deck parties and such. On the second cruise the kids didn't swim at all on the ship. That being said, we love DCL and find that the pools are one of the very few things that aren't "magical". We are planning a 7 night for 2006, but know that swimming will not be a big part of the cruise. The adult pool IS rather nice and DH and I spent many a relaxing moment by it, sipping on those yummy cruise adult beverages.

I wouldn't let the pools keep you from your Disney Cuise! All in all DCL is a wonderful expereince and the kids can always swim at Castaway Cay or many of the shore excusions that are offered.

 

[banderson]

Mickey Pool: Kids 4-12, but you won't see many older kids. My boys aged 7 and 9 refused to go because, in their words, "it's for little kids". They did not go on the slide once. The Mickey pool has one ear reserved for little ones who are not yet potty trained.

Goofy Pool: Families, but I did not see any teenagers in this pool...ever. It's primarily 8-12 year olds with the odd parent now and then horsing around with their kids and any other kids who want to play with a grown-up for a few minutes. My husband went in from time to time to play with our boys. Did I see kids jumping? Yes, occasionally but never in a dangerous/disrespectful way. And the jumpers were quickly told not to jump by cruise staff. I can only remember one day when there wasn't a cruise staff member on patrol and that was the day of boarding. I had no qualms having my boys swim while I sat on a lounger 7-8 feet away.

Adult Pool: Only adults at all times.

 

[tjmw2727]

Which pool has the slide - mickey or goofy?

TJ

 

[aprilgail2]

Thanks everyone now I am even more confused (dosen't take much).

Mickey Pool - toddler set - wading pool?

Goofy Pool - 4+ set with a slide but sometimes unsupervised kids esp jumpers? (This would put my dh into a tizzy fwiw)

Adult Pool - obviously not an option with the dear ones.

No quiet family pool? - ok but a bit dissapointing.

Any more info on pools even links is greatly appreciated.
TIA
TJ

Mickey EAR-unpotty trained kids
Mickey Pool-little kids that are trained
Goofy Pool- about 4 feet deep so little ones that don't swim will need a parent with them, and honestly even if my daughter could swim on her own I would not let her in there alone wit hthe big kids jumping in, playing tag etc in there...its very small...one day you were lucky to find a place to STAND in there.
Adult Pool-HEAVEN LOL...kids in the kids club and relxing by the pool!
I make sure not to build up the pools to my daughter since that is not something we like doing unless we are tehre around 7am before it gets packed.

 

[kidsmom]

Mickey pool has the slide.

 

[lbgraves]

The Mickey pool is only 18 inches deep so I wouldn't think that the bigger kids would be happy there. The only slide is at the Mickey Pool. There are min & max height restrictions but I do not know what they are.

 

[umber]

The Mickey pool really is for smaller kids. Left ear is for babies with swimming diapers. Right ear is about 10 inches deep. And Mickey's head is only 2 feet deep. My DD2 had a great time in it in Feb. We had great weather and I wouldn't say it was horribly crowded. 5pm is a great time to swim since folks are often getting ready for dinner or evening activities. My daughter had the pool to herself for some time.
Next to the Micky Pool is the slide. It doesn't empty into a pool.
Can't comment on any of the other pools... never went near them.

 

[logan1_2000]

DW, the kindergarten teacher, took it upon herself to sit at the edge of the goofy pool when DS, 8, was swimming in there in January on the Wonder. At least one pair of brothers was jumping, pushing each other under, and they were older. DW asked how old they were, the older, rougher one said he was in 5th grade--so DWasked him if he could read and pointed out the no jumping sign. They still didn't get it. Luckily their mother started to chew them out and pulled them out of the pool.

And in the hot tubs near the goofy pool, i was climbed on by children that were not mine. no thanks--did my hot tubbing at quiet cove for the rest of the cruise.

Still, all cruise ship pools are small, thats the nature of the beast.

 

[scrapperjill]

The mickey pool...is shallow (not even 2 feet deep)...My daughter 11 didn't spend much time there at all...but my dd6 loved it. To me it didn't seem too crowded...she always had a good time and never complained that there were to many kids...they all had "their" space. The slide is part of the Mickey pool...but the landing of the slide has it's own area...so kids are not shot into the pool where other younge kids may wonder. The slide is always supervised...and when it's not...it's not open. None of the pools have lifeguards...but the slide is watched so kids are safe...and not running into one another. The mickey pool has an area (one of the ears) for toddlers that even more shallow...

The goofy pool on the other hand...did seem VERY crowded...with kids jumping off the edges into the pool. We also didn't spend much time at all here...just because it was SOOOO crowded...you CAN'T swim in it when theres many people in it...it's rather small to start with...but then again..it is a ship...so I wouldn't expect a HUGE pool. This is the pool that there are many kids unsupervised...I'm sure there are parts of the day when it's less crowded than others...like EARLY morning...or around dinner time....it really clears out around 5:30ish. (people doing main dinning are getting ready for dinner...and those that are doing late dinning are getting ready for the shows.)

 

[mmouse37]

Here is another view of the Goofy Pool

http://community.webshots.com/photo/61027011/61028100YLhOoA

The Mickey Pool.....

http://community.webshots.com/photo/47984596/47992343HxlqsW

The Adult Pool (Quiet Cove).....

http://community.webshots.com/photo/92712226/93389857dJxwHX

 

[Hanover]

We were on the Wonder Feb 13-17 and the pools were extremely crowded. The Goofy pool had nearly 50 kids (I counted 48 at one time) and barely enough room for the kids (my 7 year old was in it) to move about. The Mickey ear with toddlers and slightly older kids was so crowded our last day at sea that I stayed near the rim to make sure my 3 year old didnt get stuck under anyone. He had arms and legs all over him Of course neither of my boys minded the crowd. The slide had only a 5 minute wait at times.

 

[Suzanne74]

is it me because from those picture the goofy pool looks smaller than the adult only pool? that seems odd to me

 

[mmouse37]

They are similar in size...the adult pool has edges that only have a few inches of water in it, but the main part of the adult pool is about the same size as the goofy pool.

 

[Hanover]

I agree. The adult pool has ankle deep water around the edges, just like the Mickey pool does around Mickey's face and in between the ears.

 

[rifgirlsmom]

Yes the pools are buzy, especially so on sea days. But in the evening hardly anyone. We were on the 2-12 sailing on thurs night (a sea day) @ 8pm my kids & df kids were the only ones in the goofy pool. Try the off time. Be prepared to sit a bit away as cleaning around the pools is taking place.