River Country

[kedec]

Thank you for starting this post. We're staying at FW when we go in September 2006 and I've wondered if we could use the WL pool. I saw a map the other day they showed how the 2 resorts are connected by a path for bikes and such, which caused me to wonder about the pools. Pool hopping is such a hot topic around here, I've been afraid to ask. I know there is no clear answer (I'll probably ask when I get there), but atleast this is an honest and open discussion about River Country and the pool situation at FW without the name calling you see on other threads.

Thanks!

 

[DVCDAVE]

KEDEC, I assure you without a shadow of a doubt........there is NO pool hopping from FW to WL and any CM will confirm this during your check in. The resorts may be connected by a walkway, but that walkway is not there for poolhoping, it is there for walking, jogging, and bikes.

There has been a crowding problem since the DVC Villas were built at WL and opened in November 2000, so they now check resort passes.

Now, I must admit that I do only visit at peak times. They may not check resort passes during the slower seasons.

 

[kedec]

Thank you. I never said I would do it if it wasn't allowed, I was only wondering if it was allowed. So much for being able to ask a question without people getting snippy wth you. I guess my 10th post will be my last. I thought I could come to these boards for information, but I guess unless you are a Disney expert, you should expect to have people chew you out for looking for information.

 

[wtpclc]

kedec - I don't think anything was intended against you. It was just pointing out that this is not a grey area, it's not allowed. People still do it, though (again, not implying that you would).

I see you haven't posted much, don't let that keep you from posting. In genreal, most people here want to help. That's just a bad topic, as you already seem to know. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[FrozenTundra]

.... Relax, DAVE was not getting snippy with you,( Snippy doesn't post on this board very often anymore).

We stay at VWL every Dec. We have never seen a crowded pool or any CM's checking ID's. But similar to what Dave said, he's never visited off-season, I've never visited in-season.

I will say that it was a fairly common site to see guests getting on & off the Bay Lake Resort loop boat. Someone was definitely swimming somewhere they weren't staying.

My opinion is that a resort guest should in no way be inconvienced by a guest from another resort, but I see nothing wrong with FW guests using my pool if it's basically empty anyway. However, I'd also expect that FW guest to be courtious enough to leave if it started getting crowded.

 

[DVCDAVE]

Ahm....Excuse me if I sounded Snippy. I re-read my post, and I still can't see where it sounded Snippy. I was just stating the facts as I know them, or experienced them.

Ironically, many years ago the CMs used to tell you that by staying on site you were welcome to pool hop to any Disney resort. I don't know when they ended that perk, maybe someone can add.

 

[WDWHound]

Ahm....Excuse me if I sounded Snippy. I re-read my post, and I still can't see where it sounded Snippy. I was just stating the facts as I know them, or experienced them.

Ironically, many years ago the CMs used to tell you that by staying on site you were welcome to pool hop to any Disney resort. I don't know when they ended that perk, maybe someone can add.

I don't know when, but I do know why. When Stormalong Bay was built, it became a huge hit and many people pool hopped to it. It became so crowded that the guests of the Beach and Yaught clubs had a hard time getting to use it. It was soon after this that the new policy came into being.

 

[SandrA9810]

If anyone wants to get a birdseye view of how River Country is rundown and unusable, rent a speedboat at Bay Lake and you can pull right up to it on the Lake. Its really surreal..like an abandoned ghost park

That's one of the things I want to do. But we just haven't had that much money to do things like that. Although if we didn't spend money on two tickets for TL (only to get rained out) we could've done it.
Maybe next time... I know have a "bling bling" job according to Kari. So we can afford it.

I want to rent a boat to go around everything, including one to go see the tree houses and stuff.

 

[SandrA9810]

BTW, can you pull up to Discovery Island??
And how long before they yell at you to get away from it??

I think we might take a walk over to RC to see it, since we'll be staying at Fort Wilderness again.

 

[FrozenTundra]

You can get as close to DI as your propeller will let you, but you definitely can't beach it and walk around.

 

[Swazie]

I don't know what the reason was for the closing, but I can tell you that the one time we went to RC was in Oct. The kids had a great time. My son loved the activities (rope, rings, etc). Within 36 hrs I was in the emergency room unable to walk . . . I had at UT infection. I haven't had one of those since I was pregnant. Diagnoisis? Bacteria from the lake. I asked my DH 25 times why there were signs all over saying to stay out of the lagoon but it appeared the water in RC was right out of the lagoon. He told me this was "Disney Magic" and it must filtered somehow. We're still married . . . but I don't always believe him now.

I am a DVC member and have stayed at WL twice. Both times during off season. My one complaint? The pool is too small. I couldn't figure out where all the people came from, I didn't even consider they were pool hopping. If the construction rumors are true about CR being renovated for DVC . . . how about putting in a Storm Along Bay pool too? It would be the busiest DVC ever being by MK.

 

[lauran cameron]

It's so eerie to see it in such dispair *chills* I'm going to have to make an adventure out of this one in going to see it in real life.

Treehouse Villas would be an interesting adventure too.

...but only if these adventure are allowed of course

 

[A M&Asmom]

Can I ask....what is Treehouse Villas???

 

[DVCDAVE]

They are room units that were available for booking, mounted up in Disney made trees, like tree houses. They are, or were located at the now defunct Disney Institute. They are actually still there, but no longer available for booking, and falling in to disrepair.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

They are room units that were available for booking, mounted up in Disney made trees, like tree houses. They are, or were located at the now defunct Disney Institute. They are actually still there, but no longer available for booking, and falling in to disrepair.

They aren't really "mounted up in Disney made trees," but they are elevated, and they are amongst trees.

For pictures, see Treehouse Villas at MousePlanet.

 

[lauran cameron]

those are some of my favourite pictures of the treehousvillas; from that site ^^^

 

[dallastxcpa]

I have to say that I don't understand why Disney couldn't control the bacteria level in the water? I live in Texas and there is a water park called Schlitterbahn (awesome place) and most of their water slides feed right from the river (I believe the Guadalupe). So if they can do it for over 30 years and make a profit then why couldn't Disney keep River Country going?

 

[wtpclc]

It may just be that the river is clean on its own. You would not be able to chlorinate water that discharges to a lake, as that would effect the natural water life.

 

[mochabean]

I have to say that I don't understand why Disney couldn't control the bacteria level in the water? I live in Texas and there is a water park called Schlitterbahn (awesome place) and most of their water slides feed right from the river (I believe the Guadalupe). So if they can do it for over 30 years and make a profit then why couldn't Disney keep River Country going?

The lakes are stagnant (for the most part) water, whereas a river is always running. The lakes have high levels of bacteria from bird droppings.
The profit from River Country plunged (no pun intended) when Typhoon Lagoon opened in 1989.