Putting on my Protective Suit-

[shoegirl1020]

Putting on my protective suit-I just viewed some photos of Storm A Long Bay and really don't see what all the hype is about. Am I missing something? It just looks like a pool with a sand beach?

Secondly, I need more information on Ol Man Swimming hole at the Port Orleans.

Pools are pretty important with thre elittle ones.

Thanks!

 

[jwfla422]

What's the matter with you!! Don't you know it's one of the most amazing pools in the world??!!! LOL!! Just kidding....

It is a pretty neat pool as you are right it basically does have sand on the bottom and in areas around it but at the same time it's modeled like a lazy river, it winds around the whole complex and has a pretty cool slide.

It is a very cool pool but I dont' think you're going to lose sleep if you don't go to it. When we stayed at the BC and our room was down by the quiet pool and honestly we spent more time there since it was a little more "quiet" ...and that was a long time ago before they had to gate in the pool.

Honestly if a pool area is swamped with people and every chair is taken I don't care how nice it is, I'll pass. We just got back from a resort in Palm Coast, FL that had a $6 million pool complex complete with beachside pool, lazy river, etc, but it was so swamped we couldn't even get 1 chair!! (and the lazy river was like ice!) So, it wasn't so exciting for us (or fun) and we decided to skip the pool area for the rest of our trip. So, it's all "relative".

We've been to POR's Ole Man Swimming Hole some years ago. We were there with friends and their kids loved it. Granted, it was very busy, but there were chairs to sit in! The kids loved the slide, so I'm sure it'll be just fine with the little ones. Most of the WDW pools really are very adequate and nicely themed so enjoy!

 

[clombardi]

It is funny that you say that you are putting on your protective suit because I have thought of asking this same question myself.

We've stayed at the Poly twice and loved that pool! The slide and the zero-entry feature are fun. We do wish it was bigger, however.

The Old Man Swimming Hole was just an okay pool in our opinion.

The POP pools are huge, but the kids like a slide so it is not their favorite.

During our Feb. trip, my daughter and I drove over to BC to get some icecream at Beaches and Cream. My real reason for going was to scout out the resort and Stormalong Bay to see if I wanted to book there for our next trip. I really was not impressed with the looks of the pool area. It felt very closed in and (dare I say it?) dirty.


With that said, I know that many people love Stormalong Bay who do not love volcano pool at Poly. Just wanted to share my impressions after a brief visit.

 

[madalex]

Putting on my protective suit-I just viewed some photos of Storm A Long Bay and really don't see what all the hype is about. Am I missing something? It just looks like a pool with a sand beach?

You can't really get a sense of all SAB has to offer by viewing photos of it. Yes, there is a part that is "just" a pool with a sand beach, but that is just a small part of the overall pool complex. There are many more parts to it, which make it so nice.

I'm not saying you have to think it is the greatest pool ever (to each his own, as far as that goes), but there is no questions that photos do not do it justice.

 

[rcraw45425]

My girls were just "okay" after swimming there last year. Our previous trip to YC was too cold to swim so they were really looking forward to it. It's not very deep, and was very crowded. They really enjoy the pool at CR and the one at GF, but personally, at their ages, I don't want them walking all the way around to where you go up the slide (ie out of my sight) at SAB. It's a great complex, they just weren't old enough to get everything out of it.

 

[Sammie]

No need to worry about flames, everyone has individual opinions. Mine on SAB is that it is indeed an impressive looking pool visually. I don't think it is the most fun pool or the greatest pool at Disney.

I much prefer a zero entry pool, I detest that they put the entrance to the slide across a very busy walkway, that you have to not only dodge people on but those crazy surry bikes to get to.

I think it is very hard pool to watch multiple small children. It meanders and has many blind spots, also the currents area, is very swift and very deep and I have seen several small children and adults not realize that and get swept away.

I think the Polynesian has one of the best pools on property.

 

[clombardi]

Sammie~ I can't believe the quote you have in your sig! It is the quote that I put in my senior year profile in my high school yearbook 20 years ago. I have never seen it quoted anywhere else! Seeing your sig brought such a smile to my face.

 

[fla4fun]

I would also look at some aerial views of the pool complex (Windows Local Live has some good ones on the birds eye view, and you can look from four different directions). I think it depends on what you use a pool for. If you really like to swim, SAB may not be for you. But if you're just a splash around and cool off kind of pool person, you may enjoy it more. I usually prefer the "quiet" pools, because I like to really swim. The quiet pools are usually better for swimming.

 

[keishashadow]

When I think disney resorts I don't think fantastic pool-scapes (great; but cannot compare to the elaborate ones in Myrtle Beach area @ the resorts ). SAB is the best we've enjoyed thus far.

SAB is the best part of the BC resort IMO; while crowded it thinned out after 3:30 pm each day; nearly had it to ourselves last Oct.

Sand bottom is great, lazy river is the deepest I've seen & swift current too Nice hot tubs too; just needed to pump up the water temp a notch lol.

Can't report on the waterslide, too cold to take the long trek back to entrance...only complaint.

 

[PlainJane]

I know when I've view pictures over the internet of SAB, I've thought to myself that the pictures didn't do it justice. While I do think SAB is the best on property, depending on the ages of your kids I might choose another one, just because it's so huge and very hard to keep track of kids in there.

 

[maxiesmom]

How old are your children? The major negative for us at SAB was that you cannot see the whole pool area from any one lounge chair. Plus, the entrance to the water slide is away from the main pool are, and you children need to cross a sidewalk to get to it. I like to be able to keep an eye on the kids when they are in the pool.

The sand bottom is a love it or hate it kind of thing. 6yr old niece loved it, 11yr old niece hated it. So much so she would prefer we stay at a different resort for our trip next year.

 

[madalex]

I detest that they put the entrance to the slide across a very busy walkway, that you have to not only dodge people on but those crazy surry bikes to get to.

I agree that the slide entrance is in a very inconvenient place, but "busy walkway" has to be put in context. We are not talking "New York City street busy," but rather "vacation resort" busy. In a dozen trips to the YC, I have never seen a child be injured while trying to scamper across the walkway to go down the slide one more time.

 

[tink55]

My 3 boys think SAB is the best pool at WDW because of the slide and the sand beach. And you're surrounded by fabulous views of Crescent Lake.

They rated the Dig Site pool at CSR second and the Volcano pool at the Polynesian a close third.

I liked the Poly pool best, because I could sit in the jetted end of the pool and view the castle at MK while watching my boys come down the slide!

 

[WDWorld2003]

We stayed a few days at BCV last year just for the Storm-along pool and it was so crowded we moved to the quiet pool! The pool is nice but I'm not sure it deserves all the hype it gets.

 

[eliza61]

Putting on my protective suit-I just viewed some photos of Storm A Long Bay and really don't see what all the hype is about. Am I missing something? It just looks like a pool with a sand beach?

Secondly, I need more information on Ol Man Swimming hole at the Port Orleans.

Pools are pretty important with thre elittle ones.

Thanks!

No flames here, I feel the same way about view threads. I never could get excited or pay extra money to look at a view. My kids love stromalong bay, they think it's the best pool around. Different strokes for different folks. Never tried Port Orleans so I can't really compare.

 

[TnTsParty]

In Feb 2006 we were at the YC and it was freezing but I still HAD to try the slide - I only planned on going one time because of how cold it was but after doing it one time I had to run back and do it again. But that was all of SAB that I experienced so I can't judge it. It was beautiful to look at though!!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I have to say I was disappointed with the looks of SAB. We checked it out when we stayed at BWV and were going to Cape May. It looks pretty cool, but to me it didn't look loads better than some of the other DVC's. So far, I love the pool at SSR, I really like the zero entry thing. And I did have to think that if my kids were little (they are 10 and 12 at present) SAB would have made me very nervous. I do hope to try it out someday but I am not as anxious as I was before I saw it for myself.

As for Ol Man Island, we loved that pool area. Its my favorite moderate pool (and I have stayed at all of them). My son and I loved those huge buckets of cascading water! And my kids also really enjoyed the slide. I also like it that the food court is right next to the main pool (the reason I preferred this pool over the one at CSR). It is not in the same league as SAB or the SSR pool but its not a shabby place to swim either!

 

[Mcbruns]

Putting on my protective suit-I just viewed some photos of Storm A Long Bay and really don't see what all the hype is about. Am I missing something? It just looks like a pool with a sand beach?

Secondly, I need more information on Ol Man Swimming hole at the Port Orleans.

Pools are pretty important with thre elittle ones.

Thanks!

A little 'extra' we enjoyed about SAB was the kiddie slide (that we didn't even know about). On our first trip to the pool, we across the sidewalk and discovered the kiddie slide. It was empty. Our girls were 4 & 5 at the time and it was the perfect size.

I know a number of Disney pools have bars or lounges, but I gotta say it was pretty dang cool to have some drinks from Hurricane Hanna's while the kids played in the sand in September. We really enjoyed ourselves.

 

[Sammie]

I agree that the slide entrance is in a very inconvenient place, but "busy walkway" has to be put in context. We are not talking "New York City street busy," but rather "vacation resort" busy. In a dozen trips to the YC, I have never seen a child be injured while trying to scamper across the walkway to go down the slide one more time.

True but one accident makes a lasting impression, my niece got hit by a bike. Had to use a wheel chair the rest of the trip for a badly sprained ankle.

I just think it was very poorly planned, that kids have to go that far from the sight of the rest of the pool to get to the slide.

 

[dixipixi]

Although I love the YC and enjoy SAB, I have to agree with some of the issues brought up by other posters. Our boys were 12 and 16 when we stayed there. They loved SAB and thought the slide was "very cool".

If they had been younger, we wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much. DH and I only went in once, the rest of the time we just sat and enjoyed the atmosphere while the boys swam. They are very strong swimmers and we were comfortable with letting them swim together without us.

As for actual swimming, we also enjoyed the quiet pool area much more. It was deserted most of the time, nice and quiet.

We stayed at POFQ last summer and our boys didn't care for the pool there. They claimed the slide was "for babies". It was ok. Very nice for swimming, but the slide was more suitable for young children. If we stay at Port Orleans again, we will probably choose Riverside because they have quiet pools. We have found that we enjoy the quiet pools much more than the larger "themed" pools at any of the resorts.