Pools!

[Elephantay]

We are a family who really enjoys the pools, and a good pool slide adds fun for us. In thinking of adding on points we are considering the pool experience as we love to do parks at night and enjoy the resort most days.
Several times we have seen and heard people who are not resort guests at the pools. This has specifically happened at AKL, BLT, and GF.
This has us wondering why isn't something in place to allow only resort guests access to the pools??

It's so annoying and when we spend the money to stay at a more expensive resort (for the slides and park convenience) to have others just walk in and add more people who shouldn't be there. We have put this feedback on surveys for years but it's clearly not enforced that pools are for resort guests only.

 

[Add-On-Itis]

My guess is cost?

Cost money to have a CM at every entrance to a pool all day long while the pool is open. Poly Lava pool for example have at least 3-4 entrances. Opens for 14-15 hours a day. 4 CM X 15 hours = 60 hours a day, 1800 hours a month. I don't know how much they make, but say $30 an hour, that's 650k a year.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Take a peek at this thread and get an idea of which resorts do check.

Thread 'New Pool Entry Requirement? Share Wristband Experiences by Resort!'

May 29, 2025

I've seen a few reports in various resort threads here about how more resorts are now implementing a wristband policy at their pools. To help fellow members stay informed, I thought it would be helpful to start a thread tracking where and when this is happening.

We all know this has long been the policy at BCV. @MyDogTink reported that they experienced this at AKV on their recent visit. Anywhere else?

If you’ve personally stayed at a DVC resort recently and experienced a newly implemented wristband policy, please share!

Lets keep this thread focused on firsthand experiences...

• kgou
• Replies: 211
• Forum: DVC Resorts

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[Sandisw]

They have begun monitoring the near park resorts that don’t have the MB lock to access.

People have reported seeing guests being asked to leave who were not staying at the resort.

 

[eticketplease]

My guess is cost?

Cost money to have a CM at every entrance to a pool all day long while the pool is open. Poly Lava pool for example have at least 3-4 entrances. Opens for 14-15 hours a day. 4 CM X 15 hours = 60 hours a day, 1800 hours a month. I don't know how much they make, but say $30 an hour, that's 650k a year.

Poly is one I have never seen them check but I know for sure the gates work to keep people out including resort guests.

I have had to go into the GCH many times to get my magic band reactivated for the pool while it works just fine to get into our room and to park at the resort.

 

[Mle8308]

Even with the locks, people still get in. They walk in behind someone who does have a wristband or room key. In another thread I wrote about how a woman and her kids followed another guest in and then proceeded to have a birthday party for her son at the BRV pool. I heard her talking on her phone telling someone to "tell the guard you are coming in to eat lunch at Geyser Point and then call me when you park". She then proceeded to let 3 different groups of people in. She was not staying at the WL because she did not have a wristband or room key, she went out of the gate to get some food and had to be let back in. More than once. I almost said something, in hindsight, I should have. I overheard her say she brings her kids to the pool a lot, she just waits and then follows someone in. It was not the main pool, so no one ever checked.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Frustrating. Just keep mentioning it in the surveys. When I was unhappy with a VGC stay, I was very specific about what went wrong and what I expect from a resort with that price. They need to know that people are paying for a deluxe experience and part of that high price includes being able to use the pools without a bunch of non paying guests taking up space, chairs, etc.

I haven't used the pools, myself, but if this was a constant issue, I'd 100% be at the front desk asking for an explanation of why this is allowed.

 

[Smugpugmug]

It's not just DVC resorts that has this issue. I'm currently at Coronado and I've overhead at least 2 groups mention that they're at the pool despite not staying at the resort. One group was from Wilderness Lodge but their kids wanted to swim at the "better pool". Uh, then book a room here if you want to swim here. Aggravating especially since chairs are so hard to find midday.

 

[muppets3d]

Over holidays and at other times of the year randomly they do have cast members at each pool gate making sure only resort guests use the pools. Until they do that daily at every resort like they do at Stormalong Bay and Aulani, it will continue to be an issue.

 

[Mle8308]

Frustrating. Just keep mentioning it in the surveys. When I was unhappy with a VGC stay, I was very specific about what went wrong and what I expect from a resort with that price. They need to know that people are paying for a deluxe experience and part of that high price includes being able to use the pools without a bunch of non paying guests taking up space, chairs, etc.

I haven't used the pools, myself, but if this was a constant issue, I'd 100% be at the front desk asking for an explanation of why this is allowed.

I think it happens a lot more than we know. This past September, again at the WL, there was a girl laying out by herself and I noticed she followed a person in, she was loitering outside the gate of the same BRV pool. I thought she might be waiting for someone and she did follow a group of people in. I assumed she was with them but she then sat all by herself. No MB, but those are becoming less common now, so not really a red flag. She went out and came back with a soda, not in a resort mug (she again waited and followed a person back in through the gate), kind of peaked my attention. I left the pool soon after. Later that evening we went over to the CR and I bought something in the gift shop and guess who the cashier was? Yep, the girl at the pool - sunburned face and all!

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

Also, irritating are the amount of guests that are let in. Recently at BCV you have a family staying and then they invite friends from other resorts and family from the area. 17 people. I usually don't pay attention to others but this was such a loud large group talking about doing this all week, also taking up a lot of chairs at a small pool. We had a similar situation in October just not as big, but the same loud discussion on how this was going to work for the week. The concierge say they are not responsible because it's a DVC pool.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Also, irritating are the amount of guests that are let in. Recently at BCV you have a family staying and then they invite friends from other resorts and family from the area. 17 people. I usually don't pay attention to others but this was such a loud large group talking about doing this all week, also taking up a lot of chairs at a small pool. We had a similar situation in October just not as big, but the same loud discussion on how this was going to work for the week. The concierge say they are not responsible because it's a DVC pool.

At Stormalong Bay pool, all guests must be on a BC/YC/BCV reservation to enter. But they really don't monitor the smaller 'quiet' pools at the resorts. So I could see that happening - and being annoying. It would take some creativity, however, to get those people onto BCV property - they couldn't drive/park without a room reservation, so they'd either need to take a bus from somewhere, or perhaps get picked up by the BCV guest.

 

[J-Dog]

Another reason I like RIV. Maybe not the most exciting pool, but it's nice, has good slide, and is never crazy-busy. And the full fence and gate only allows MB access.

 

[Mle8308]

Another reason I like RIV. Maybe not the most exciting pool, but it's nice, has good slide, and is never crazy-busy. And the full fence and gate only allows MB access.

The gates won't stop people, it might make it more challenging, but they will still get in, non guests follow real guests in and most are too nice to not hold open the gate. See my posts #6 and #10.

 

[Elephantay]

Over holidays and at other times of the year randomly they do have cast members at each pool gate making sure only resort guests use the pools. Until they do that daily at every resort like they do at Stormalong Bay and Aulani, it will continue to be an issue.

My point exactly!

 

[Elephantay]

My guess is cost?

Cost money to have a CM at every entrance to a pool all day long while the pool is open. Poly Lava pool for example have at least 3-4 entrances. Opens for 14-15 hours a day. 4 CM X 15 hours = 60 hours a day, 1800 hours a month. I don't know how much they make, but say $30 an hour, that's 650k a year.

I get that but what other hotels allows non guests to use the pool?? It's a consistent problem that affects the paying guests. Seems simple to put in a lock box to scan your band and put your room pin in? Sure there would still be people who hold the doors for others but right now it's anything goes.

Ridiculous to be (heading to our BLT stay) on the monorail from MK and hear the whole car of two parties talking about which monorail resort they want to swim at for their "midday break". Then another group behind us heard that, asked about it, and were told by the first group that they do it all the time- it's easy!

 

[Mle8308]

I get that but what other hotels allows non guests to use the pool?? It's a consistent problem that affects the paying guests. Seems simple to put in a lock box to scan your band and put your room pin in? Sure there would still be people who hold the doors for others but right now it's anything goes.

Ridiculous to be (heading to our BLT stay) on the monorail from MK and hear the whole car of two parties talking about which monorail resort they want to swim at for their "midday break". Then another group behind us heard that, asked about it, and were told by the first group that they do it all the time- it's easy!

Agree! Or at least pay one CM to walk to each pool every hour to scan MB's or room keys to verify the people are actual resort guests. I'm usually at the pool for a few hours and would have no problem showing proof each time a CM came around. I'd prefer it! Then if they are not staying there, they are told to leave. At the deluxe resorts, one CM would be enough. At SAB, there is only one entrance so it's easy to control. Maybe only have one entrance at other main pools, "turn off" access at the other gates?

 

[thanxfornoticin]

At SAB, there is only one entrance so it's easy to control. Maybe only have one entrance at other main pools, "turn off" access at the other gates?

There are actually 3 entrances to SAB, and they are all monitored by CM.

 

[Elephantay]

There are actually 3 entrances to SAB, and they are all monitored by CM.

Feels unfair to me! Literally birthday parties are happening at other pools!

 

[muppets3d]

When I was at Kidani over labor day this past year they had the pool entrance by the gym locked. Only the one by the maji pool bar was open, and activities cast members were stationed there either checking for wristbands or handing out wristbands.

I get that they would probably have to hire more cast, but there's really no other good reason why this shouldn't be the default at every resort every day, or at least at the hotspot pools like the monorail loop and AKV.