SSR complaint - anybody else feel the same?

[wingkng]

We are staying at SSR right now, wrapping up a 8 day summer vacation. We spent 4 wonderful days at AKV Kidani Village. It was our first stay there with the two kids and DW. We loved the time at the pool. We spent the morning at the pool before the water slide opened. We were always able to get life jackets for the kids since our kids can't swim yet. Also, we would look forward to playing at the water play area, which promptly opened at 10 am.

When we moved over to SSR, we were surprised with the difference. We are staying right next to the Paddock pool, and when we get there at 10 am, the water at the water play area was not turned on. It was not on until 10:20 am, after we asked them twice to do it. Then when we wanted to get life jackets, we were told that we had to walk over to High Rock pool to get them. My DW and I just didn't like wasting our time going over there. By noon, I didn't see any kids there that had a life jacket. We feel like it is a safety concern that the resort doesn't make it convenient for guests to have life jackets for their kids.

Anybody had similar experience?

 

[dawne98]

as for the life jackets I live in Miami FL and never at the pools do they have life jackets for the kids... I have a 5 year old and b4 last year she had a swim thing I got from Target that I would bring with us to WDW let me see if I have a photo of it...
BTW we loved AKV when we went but I was looking into a stay at SSR next summer b/c of the pool....
this is what I got her and she loved it!

 

[wingkng]

I usually fly so I've never thought about packing my own floatie, especially since in my previous years of visit to BLT and VWL the life jackets were always within easy access. At VWL I had to use my room key to check one out, but again it was right there at the pool. I just expected SSR to have the same setup.

 

[spruce]

Could this difference be because akl and akv share the main pool and ssr is a stand alone dvc property?

 

[hakepb]

I thought any Disney lifeguard freaked out if a kid attempted to wear a ring or floatie instead of a life jacket on even a little kiddie slide ?

Yes, there should be life jackets by any pool with a slide

 

[disneynutz]

We are staying at SSR right now, wrapping up a 8 day summer vacation. We spent 4 wonderful days at AKV Kidani Village. It was our first stay there with the two kids and DW. We loved the time at the pool. We spent the morning at the pool before the water slide opened. We were always able to get life jackets for the kids since our kids can't swim yet. Also, we would look forward to playing at the water play area, which promptly opened at 10 am.

When we moved over to SSR, we were surprised with the difference. We are staying right next to the Paddock pool, and when we get there at 10 am, the water at the water play area was not turned on. It was not on until 10:20 am, after we asked them twice to do it. Then when we wanted to get life jackets, we were told that we had to walk over to High Rock pool to get them. My DW and I just didn't like wasting our time going over there. By noon, I didn't see any kids there that had a life jacket. We feel like it is a safety concern that the resort doesn't make it convenient for guests to have life jackets for their kids.

Anybody had similar experience?

Send an email to Member Satisfaction:

dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com

Bill

 

[dawne98]

I thought any Disney lifeguard freaked out if a kid attempted to wear a ring or floatie instead of a life jacket on even a little kiddie slide ?

Yes, there should be life jackets by any pool with a slide

I just have to say I DID and DO NOT let my DD go in the pool with out me or another family member that is of age to deal with anything that might happen in the pool with a little one.... NO matter what she has on.... a lifeguard would never have to "freak out" b/c I don't relay on them to look after my kids.

 

[dawne98]

I usually fly so I've never thought about packing my own floatie, especially since in my previous years of visit to BLT and VWL the life jackets were always within easy access. At VWL I had to use my room key to check one out, but again it was right there at the pool. I just expected SSR to have the same setup.

B4 she knew how to swim good (now she is 5 years old and is like a fish in the water) I would bring one with me all the time.... we went on the Disney Dream a few years ago and I had it with me and I have to say many other mom's ask me where I got it and wish they had one with them.... just to be able to be in the pool and not have to hold on to the kids and let them "swim" makes everyone much happier so I understand not having the life jackets....

 

[momof3poohlovers]

I just wanted to say that we stayed in a THV last August and when we went to the Paddock pool we got the life vests at the community center next to the pool. I am not too sure if it's too late for your trip but I hope it helps. Hopefully they didn't change this.

 

[momof3poohlovers]

as for the life jackets I live in Miami FL and never at the pools do they have life jackets for the kids... I have a 5 year old and b4 last year she had a swim thing I got from Target that I would bring with us to WDW let me see if I have a photo of it...
BTW we loved AKV when we went but I was looking into a stay at SSR next summer b/c of the pool....
this is what I got her and she loved it!

My 3 year old has one of those that we use for our own pool and they are great! He loves it too, so much more than a life vest. We had no problems using typical floaties though at BLT because we also fly and didn't want to pack it.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Voice your concerns to member services, it's the only way they have of knowing about and fixing if at all possible, things that aren't right!

 

[Lauriejl2]

My little ones wear the same floaties in Disney pools and I even packed them when we flew. They won't have a problem with those specific floaties cause they are approved coast guard just like life jackets are.

 

[hakepb]

I just have to say I DID and DO NOT let my DD go in the pool with out me or another family member that is of age to deal with anything that might happen in the pool with a little one.... NO matter what she has on.... a lifeguard would never have to "freak out" b/c I don't relay on them to look after my kids.

From what I've seen, Disney does not like a child using a flotation device that is not a life savings device...even if a child is being closely watched and followed by a parent that was a Red Cross certified lifeguard.

 

[Dean]

We are staying at SSR right now, wrapping up a 8 day summer vacation. We spent 4 wonderful days at AKV Kidani Village. It was our first stay there with the two kids and DW. We loved the time at the pool. We spent the morning at the pool before the water slide opened. We were always able to get life jackets for the kids since our kids can't swim yet. Also, we would look forward to playing at the water play area, which promptly opened at 10 am.

When we moved over to SSR, we were surprised with the difference. We are staying right next to the Paddock pool, and when we get there at 10 am, the water at the water play area was not turned on. It was not on until 10:20 am, after we asked them twice to do it. Then when we wanted to get life jackets, we were told that we had to walk over to High Rock pool to get them. My DW and I just didn't like wasting our time going over there. By noon, I didn't see any kids there that had a life jacket. We feel like it is a safety concern that the resort doesn't make it convenient for guests to have life jackets for their kids.

Anybody had similar experience?

There is no requirement they provide the vests, they do so out of courtesy. It doesn't seem to be something to get worked up about to me. If you're concerned about safety, I wouldn't think a 3-400 yd round trip walk would not be that big of a deal. That said, I thought they had them in a box at the end of the building, I wonder if the person you asked simply didn't know.

 

[Sammie]

I am sorry have to agree with Dean, 20 minutes difference to turn on the water feature would not bother me. Was this every day it was after 10 or just one?

Did you speak to someone at the Front Desk about your concerns.

 

[dawne98]

From what I've seen, Disney does not like a child using a flotation device that is not a life savings device...even if a child is being closely watched and followed by a parent that was a Red Cross certified lifeguard.

I have never been told for her to get out of the pool and that she needs a life jacket on....

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I have never been told for her to get out of the pool and that she needs a life jacket on....

As a personal observation, I know they offer life vests but I've rarely seen children with them on! More often they have their own floaties!

 

[OneMoreTry]

I am sorry have to agree with Dean, 20 minutes difference to turn on the water feature would not bother me.

I can see why it would be a problem for lots of people given that many if not most are on tight schedules at WDW. For heavens sake you have to book dining reservations months in advance. Would a WDW restaurant hold a reservation if a guest was 20 minutes late?

It seems like a very simple thing to open a pool as scheduled.

 

[delmar411]

If you had asked about the vests at check in or even on here, you would have found out that you check out the vests from the community hall for the length of your stay.

And ppl ask them to turn off the water features in the play area all the time so likely someone was playing in there in the morning and asked that they not turn it on and then they just forgot. It's not a big deal.

 

[Dean]

I can see why it would be a problem for lots of people given that many if not most are on tight schedules at WDW. For heavens sake you have to book dining reservations months in advance. Would a WDW restaurant hold a reservation if a guest was 20 minutes late?

It seems like a very simple thing to open a pool as scheduled.

IN general they will seat you if you arrive 20 minutes late but it's a little variable with the restaurant and this is about the limit of indulgence. However, it's not a reasonable comparison.