SAB waterslide

[panfan]

Hi all. Just a quick question...the last two trips we stayed at BWV and my son was able to wear his swim vest on the slide ( at POLY too). Does anyone know if he can do the SAB slide with his vest on ??

Thanks!

 

[gracelrm]

Hi all. Just a quick question...the last two trips we stayed at BWV and my son was able to wear his swim vest on the slide ( at POLY too). Does anyone know if he can do the SAB slide with his vest on ??

Thanks!

My son used his floaties on the slide at SAB in June and I'm pretty sure there were kids wearing the vests that they have available at SAB. I would think it would be fine.

 

[Bibbidi]

Yes you can! My two girls went down the "pirate slide" as they call it, just this May. Both had to wear life vests. It was NO problem. Have fun!

 

[dis-happy]

You can borrow the lifevests for free at the YC Marina. When your son goes down the slide at SAB he'll have to be able to swim/propel himself away from the slide exit to the rope area on his own though. The lifeguards will not allow people to wait at the bottom of the slide (safety issues). HTH!

 

[Bibbidi]

You can borrow the lifevests for free at the YC Marina. When your son goes down the slide at SAB he'll have to be able to swim/propel himself away from the slide exit to the rope area on his own though. The lifeguards will not allow people to wait at the bottom of the slide (safety issues). HTH!

Actually, they let my husband stand near the bottom of the slide to catch both our daughters who were 5 and 3 at the time. They also let him catch them at the Contemporary on that same trip. Perhaps if it's really busy they don't, but we never had a problem.

 

[lisareniff]

When I read the question my first impulse was that vests were not allowed. Then I read the responses. Maybe they have loosened up the rules since I have been to SAB (that was 3 years ago and the slide was down for rehab, so make that 4 years ago!)

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Our kids were not allowed to wear vests on any of the resort slides that are enclosed. You can wear a vest at the clown slide at BWV because it is not enclosed.

 

[JimMIA]

I sure would not advise letting a kid wear floaties down the SAB slide. That slide is FAST, and just a little bit of awkward movement could pop a floatie in a blink of an eye. If they'll allow vests, that would be a much safer choice, IMHO.

With regard to waiting at the bottom, I think parents are supposed to wait behind the rope. We had lifeguards let us do it both ways (we were WELL away from the slide), but I think the rule is behind the rope.

We have a pool at home and our DD5 swims like a fish, but I'm not sure I would let a non-swimmer do the BCV slide.

 

[Bibbidi]

My girls are both non swimmers and both were wearing the BC/YC yellow swim vests. The slide is fast and my younger daughter got rolled onto her belly a couple times. My husband stood about 2 feet away and slightly off to the side of the dropoff of the slide. This was just our experience. It may be different at busier times or with different lifeguards. The only rule that seemed to be enforced was that you couldn't go down the slide holding your child, it had to be "single rider" every time.

 

[RayJay]

Actually, they let my husband stand near the bottom of the slide to catch both our daughters who were 5 and 3 at the time. They also let him catch them at the Contemporary on that same trip. Perhaps if it's really busy they don't, but we never had a problem.

Agreed, I have been able to be at the end of the slide (for the kids) for all my stays at all the different resorts.

RayJay

 

[RayJay]

I sure would not advise letting a kid wear floaties down the SAB slide. That slide is FAST, and just a little bit of awkward movement could pop a floatie in a blink of an eye. If they'll allow vests, that would be a much safer choice, IMHO.

With regard to waiting at the bottom, I think parents are supposed to wait behind the rope. We had lifeguards let us do it both ways (we were WELL away from the slide), but I think the rule is behind the rope.

We have a pool at home and our DD5 swims like a fish, but I'm not sure I would let a non-swimmer do the BCV slide.

Also agree here, my kids are still struggling with swimming, definately not ready for the pirate slide.

Again, I also never had a problem with being near the bottom of a slide, (it's not like I'm right on top of it either).

RayJay

 

[crisi]

We also weren't permitted to have life vests down the big SAB slide, but we were also there a few years ago. Nor wait at the bottom. SAB has a toddler slide though that is a lot of fun for smaller kids. The SAB slide is pretty dramatic - its enclosed and dark for a good portion of the trip.

 

[mbhoxsie]

DS6 wore his life vest on the slide last month... The current at the bottom is quite strong.. (Quite a bit stronger than at other resort pools...) Plus the water was over his head...

He did quite well on the slide, but the guards were really watching that area to make sure that swimmers got away from the exit of the slide ASAP...

As a parent though I did have a concern about the slide... With the entrance on one side of the "path" around the lagoon, and the exit of the side being in the pool, I couldn't always keep an eye on DS like I usually do when he's near a pool area... I could either watch him go across the street and up the stairs, or be there when he got out, but not both.. DW and I would try and position ourselves so that either one of us could see him at any given time, but then we had to sit in seperate locations and couldn't sit as a family.. I know this could seem "goofy" but you would think the imagineers would have thought of this when they designed the slide.. At the other DVC resorts, I can usually sit in one spot, watch the kids go up, and then see them come off the side.. The kids don't have to leave the "resort proper" or my line of sight to get on the slide..

 

[lisareniff]

I know this could seem "goofy" but you would think the imagineers would have thought of this when they designed the slide..

Somehow I don't think those imagineers had young children. Those sight line for SAB are terrible, no wonder they need 8 lifeguards to watch the pool. Not only is the issue with the slide entrance and exit but the put the sand bar area where all the little kids are next to the deep lazy river. I was there alone (never again) with my then 2 yo and 7 yo. The 7 yo was a great swimmer but being 7 need to be watched however she need to stay with me and the little one in the sand because the lazy river was between us and the other section of the pool. I also had the same concerns with the slide but more so because I was alone with a 2 yo to carry along.

 

[mbhoxsie]

Somehow I don't think those imagineers had young children. Those sight line for SAB are terrible, no wonder they need 8 lifeguards to watch the pool. Not only is the issue with the slide entrance and exit but the put the sand bar area where all the little kids are next to the deep lazy river. I was there alone (never again) with my then 2 yo and 7 yo. The 7 yo was a great swimmer but being 7 need to be watched however she need to stay with me and the little one in the sand because the lazy river was between us and the other section of the pool. I also had the same concerns with the slide but more so because I was alone with a 2 yo to carry along.

Exactly... DW usually couldn't tag team with me to keep an eye on DS6 in the slide because DD4 was always in the sand bar...

 

[Bibbidi]

We always had "slide time" at the pool, which was about 10 trips down the slide, and then we played in the other parts of the pool, then would have "slide time" again. With our kids being young we weren't comfortable with them crossing the boardwalk to get to the slide.