Pools in Disney Resorts

[AngiTN]

I'll second (or third) that it really depends on the age of your child.
What is great and fun for a 4 yo is going to be very different from what is great and fun for a 14 yo.
If you have one small enough, there are some great play/splash areas at the resorts. WL, GF, CBR, FQ, all come to mind with some great areas.
CBR is great with the zero entry too.
But if the child is too tall for those, then it's likely to be of no consequence.
A lot like SAB but we are not in the category that does. It was simply not special to us. Too much of it is wasted/too shallow. I'd rather have a less sprawling/winding pool.
WL is one of my favorite, with POR/FQ being second.
AoA is fun with the music underwater in the Nemo pool but I'm not a fan of the resort, unless you NEED the suite

The POR main pool is nice and has a great slide.

And you can go to both POR and FQ pools

 

[DIS_MIKE]

The Four Seasons' pools are like their own waterpark, there are so many, including a huge lazy river, giant water slides, and an adults-only pool, along with 3-4 other pools, plus hot tubs. If BC/YC is in your budget, the FS is as well, the three hotels are comparably priced.

This has been on my radar. The photos look incredible. I've enjoyed the JW Marriott which provides a shuttle to Disney via coach bus and has a great pool area including a lazy river but no slides.

 

[rotlex]

I may be the odd one out, but I love the Wilderness Lodge main pool. Secluded feeling, awesome waterfall feature, and really makes you feel like your somewhere else. I really like it now that Geyser point is close by too, lol.

 

[snappy]

I may be the odd one out, but I love the Wilderness Lodge main pool. Secluded feeling, awesome waterfall feature, and really makes you feel like your somewhere else. I really like it now that Geyser point is close by too, lol.

We took the resort boat from MK to WL Sunday to check out Geyser point. Excellent food and libations. We went after 1 pm and waited a little while but the breeze off the water and the service was well worth it. My husband loved the dark beer the bar tender recommended. Only place on property that serves it so a return visit is in our future.[/QUOTE]

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

Stormalong Bay, hands down! Our absolute favorite pool!

 

[EEEEE]

I'll put a vote in for the pool at the Swan & Dolphin. It's HUGE so it's never crowded and has an amazing slide! When we stayed at the Swan we ended up re-arranging several park day plans so we could make sure to have pool time.

 

[keishashadow]

I have stayed at almost every resort. Pool wise, Stormalong Bay takes the cake. It is the most amazing pool.

I am a fan, consider it a fluke to grab a studio there at 7 months. Only complaint is that it’s difficult to keep an eye on kiddos when sitting at main pool area due to sight lines being obstructed

I’ve seen more than a few people ‘amazed’ when they realize the lazy river suddenly gets deep. This despite the signage have seen more than a few kids sans parents need assistance from lifeguard

 

[DLgal]

I am a fan, consider it a fluke to grab a studio there at 7 months. Only complaint is that it’s difficult to keep an eye on kiddos when sitting at main pool area due to sight lines being obstructed

I’ve seen more than a few people ‘amazed’ when they realize the lazy river suddenly gets deep. This despite the signage have seen more than a few kids sans parents need assistance from lifeguard

I see this complaint all the time, but I just don't get it. Why aren't people IN the pool with their young kids? I always was. It's a FUN pool! Get in there with your kids and PLAY!

I only sit by the pool and watch my kids now that they are teens and sometimes I just want to relax with an adult drink, but I still always get in eventually. That slide is super fun! We basically use the chairs as a spot to drop all our stuff, not actually sit in them. There are other pools (the quiet pool at BC, for example) that are more conducive to sitting idly by and watching kids in the pool.

 

[keishashadow]

I see this complaint all the time, but I just don't get it. Why aren't people IN the pool with their young kids? I always was. It's a FUN pool! Get in there with your kids and PLAY!

I only sit by the pool and watch my kids now that they are teens and sometimes I just want to relax with an adult drink, but I still always get in eventually. That slide is super fun! We basically use the chairs as a spot to drop all our stuff, not actually sit in them. There are other pools (the quiet pool at BC, for example) that are more conducive to sitting idly by and watching kids in the pool.

Oh, trust me, I’ve played plenty lol with my sons. Now, Grandma & Pap find themselves taking a very active GD to the parks, often without her parents.

Come back after you hit 60 & have done a good 10 miles each day for a week. You likely will find yourself looking at a lounge chair a bit more longingly after a 20 minute swim, as in a need, not a want.

She is a competitive swimmer and responsible as a kid can get. However, we have a pool at home, our house rule =nobody goes in it alone, period. A swim buddy or adult on deck is mandatory. Not going to bend it when on vacation.

Our compromise, in that situation when we don’t have a full site line of the water, is that one of us gets to flop at a time, while the other accompanies the tween, tag team if you will.

 

[I Miss Disney]

 

[AngiTN]

I see this complaint all the time, but I just don't get it. Why aren't people IN the pool with their young kids? I always was. It's a FUN pool! Get in there with your kids and PLAY!

I only sit by the pool and watch my kids now that they are teens and sometimes I just want to relax with an adult drink, but I still always get in eventually. That slide is super fun! We basically use the chairs as a spot to drop all our stuff, not actually sit in them. There are other pools (the quiet pool at BC, for example) that are more conducive to sitting idly by and watching kids in the pool.

Because kids have a way higher tolerance for water than the avg adult does. Playing actively in the pool is the opposite of relaxing. A lot of us want to relax by the pool, to recharge. If you are in the water, that's not the case.
Kids can play in there till they are prunes through and through.
A typical adult prefers to get in, play and cool off and then relax in a lounge chair.
And some of us despise going down slides.
Hopefully too, you leave your stuff laying around near by and not taking up a chair you have no intention to use. Especially when chairs are in short supply.

 

[DLgal]

Because kids have a way higher tolerance for water than the avg adult does. Playing actively in the pool is the opposite of relaxing. A lot of us want to relax by the pool, to recharge. If you are in the water, that's not the case.
Kids can play in there till they are prunes through and through.
A typical adult prefers to get in, play and cool off and then relax in a lounge chair.
And some of us despise going down slides.
Hopefully too, you leave your stuff laying around near by and not taking up a chair you have no intention to use. Especially when chairs are in short supply.

Not my kids. They are ready to get our after an hour or so, always been that way.

And we use one chair for our entire family of 4. Hardly an inconvenience for everyone else.

 

[Yarbogash]

The Four Seasons' pools are like their own waterpark, there are so many, including a huge lazy river, giant water slides, and an adults-only pool, along with 3-4 other pools, plus hot tubs. If BC/YC is in your budget, the FS is as well, the three hotels are comparably priced.

Definitely worth considering. Best pool complex I’ve ever been to anywhere and imho best hotel in Florida. But man, the prices have skyrocketed since they opened. First couple years you could get rooms as low as $300 a night. Now $700 seems to be the minimum.

 

[Yarbogash]

I see this complaint all the time, but I just don't get it. Why aren't people IN the pool with their young kids? I always was. It's a FUN pool! Get in there with your kids and PLAY!

I only sit by the pool and watch my kids now that they are teens and sometimes I just want to relax with an adult drink, but I still always get in eventually. That slide is super fun! We basically use the chairs as a spot to drop all our stuff, not actually sit in them. There are other pools (the quiet pool at BC, for example) that are more conducive to sitting idly by and watching kids in the pool.

Agree 100%.
We just did a week in Cancun. Kids wanted to be in the pool all day and I had a blast playing with them in the water. But obviously a lot of parents just don’t.

Regarding the Disney resort pools, some good suggestions above. SAB is hard to top for resort pools but the Disney waterparks are the ultimate. They are just awesome.

And it gets little love in discussions about best Disney pools but SSR is really good. Individually the pools are just ok but fact that you can spend the day pool hopping around the resort and the added attraction of the town hall activity Center makes it a viable choice.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

I see this complaint all the time, but I just don't get it. Why aren't people IN the pool with their young kids? I always was. It's a FUN pool! Get in there with your kids and PLAY!

I only sit by the pool and watch my kids now that they are teens and sometimes I just want to relax with an adult drink, but I still always get in eventually. That slide is super fun! We basically use the chairs as a spot to drop all our stuff, not actually sit in them. There are other pools (the quiet pool at BC, for example) that are more conducive to sitting idly by and watching kids in the pool.

It's not as easy as it seems, maybe if you have one or two, but already if you have 3 or 4 children of different age groups things become a bit more complicated. One wants to play with you, one wants to go down the slide one wants to eat one needs the toilet etc etc. And there are only two parents. I would NEVER leave my children unsupervised in the water (drawing is the n2 cause of death in kids under 14) but I prefer pools that have more or less everything in line of sight so everyone is happy.

 

[Nancyg56]

Oh, trust me, I’ve played plenty lol with my sons. Now, Grandma & Pap find themselves taking a very active GD to the parks, often without her parents.

Come back after you hit 60 & have done a good 10 miles each day for a week. You likely will find yourself looking at a lounge chair a bit more longingly after a 20 minute swim, as in a need, not a want.

She is a competitive swimmer and responsible as a kid can get. However, we have a pool at home, our house rule =nobody goes in it alone, period. A swim buddy or adult on deck is mandatory. Not going to bend it when on vacation.

Our compromise, in that situation when we don’t have a full site line of the water, is that one of us gets to flop at a time, while the other accompanies the tween, tag team if you will.

Im right with you there! My DGD was 11 when we stayed at BC and that pool was stressful. SHe was part of a swim team and very strong in the water, much better than me, I can say. My DH and I both took her to swim, and honestly, using the slide was pretty darn difficult. We did nto let her go alone across the "street" so we had to station one of us in the pool, and one to go with er to the slide. Once in the pool the line of site is not clear so it was difficult to keep eyes on her at all times.

The lifeguards are vigilent, and no one is allowed to block their line of site, so if you are watching your child you need to move it you are in the way, (I totally agree with this BTW) but that adds another level of difficulty for a parent, or a Nana.

This pool took two of us, and we only had one young strong swimmer with us. If I was alone and had more than one child I would not have been able to manage.This is the only pool that I would refuse to take kids to if I was alone with them, so if I was choosing a resort and had a youngster with me who loved to swim, unless I knew the parents would be responsible for the swim part of the day, I would choose any other resort.

 

[DemoBri1]

If $$ is not an issue then definitely book Beach or Yacht for access to SAB. This is a mini-waterpark and best pool on property.