Storm Along Bay Closing January

[d-r]

I guess it was last year (?) we had reservations at the polly, and it was during the time that the polly pool was rehabbed. They mailed us a letter before our departure to let us know about the rehab. Also, the entire pool at the polly (and I think the quiet pool as well, but Melissa and I can't quite remember about that one) was closed for a period of several weeks, I think about 3 months. It certainly isn't unheard of for the entire pool to be closed, and at least during the time that we will be there (MLK weekend, 17-20) the CM specifically told us that the entire SAB would be closed (I asked specifically if it was just a slide or certain area).

YMMV of course, I just wanted to give a heads up.

DR

 

[Jollymon]

Boy did I luck out; we are going for a BCV pre-christmas stop on Dec 19-22 and our next visit to Orlando is the first week of February, but we are staying at VWL.

Boy would my son be sad if SAB was closed when we showed up.

I feel bad for all the people gong in Jan-March.

Andrew

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by MaryAnnDVC
...(snip)....BTW, it was cool at times last week at WDW, and when I went past SAB on a couple of occasions, there was hardly anyone there. I was VERY tempted to try to take the kids there, but I'm too honest. ....(snip)....

LOL, MaryAnn. We were at BWV last week, too. Walked through the SAB pool area to get to Beaches 'N Cream on a day that IMHO, was way too cold to swim and I'm from Minnesota! The lifeguards were in sweat pants and jackets and one was wrapped in a blanket. There were a total of two people in the pool (both kids, of course ).

Anyway, My DH & I were still asked for our Resort IDs! We were both in street clothes (and jackets). I just said we were on our way back to the BWV (after eating at Beaches 'N Cream) and wanted to cut through the pool and was that OK? It was. I was surprised that anyone was checking, though. Maybe we looked like security risks - we were bundled up a bit!

 

[colleen costello]

I called Member Sevices this morning and the woman who helped me said only the slide will be closed (I assume the main one and not the tiny kiddie one around back). Now I don't know who to believe! We are going for a week in March and staying at BCV then OKW. If Stormalong Bay isn't available for the kids, I'd just as soon stay the whole week at OKW. I am not sure what to do. Anyone?

 

[d-r]

March is two months later than January, and they will be almost done by then so if they told you it is only the slide when you will be there then there you have it-

DR

 

[tc]

I hope it's just the slide. We will be there 01/01 to 01/07 with my college age girls. I have been really talking up SAB. They were so excited to swim there. Stephen and I were there in September and spent a lot of time in SAB, only late at night in the quiet pool. I guess I'll find out for sure when I get there.

 

[anniet]

I've got to say, that in all the years that we've visited in January (this January will make number 12) there have only been a handful of days when we were able to swim, since the temperature while warm enough for shorts and a t-shirt in the afternoon, isn't really great for swimming. I know, because I have FIVE auxiliary parks passes accumulated because it just has NOT been warm enough to go to the water parks, or even swim, and we usually stay for 2 weeks.

Now, that's not to say that you NEVER get a good swimming day, sure you do, but swimming days in January can't be counted on.

Also Blizzard Beach along with a number of attractions within the parks are usually closed in January. Disney definitely takes advantage of the low attendance in January for refurbishment, but hey they gotta do it sometime!

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

We really wanted an answer to this so DW made some calls.

DW called the BC resort and got this response:

The magical CM checked the "rehab list" and low and behold...it's not on there. He said if maintenance were scheduled for SAB, it would have been on his maintenance list 3 months in advance...so...for a Jan rehab, he would have seen it on his list in October. He sounded a bit terse...(all the info in one sentence) makes me think he's been getting alot of inquiries. BUT...he was careful to qualify it every time with ...AS FAR AS I KNOW...there is no maintenance scheduled for SAB. AS FAR AS I KNOW...is Disney CM speak for admit nothing. The CMs must have been instructed not to say anything specific.

DW then called MS and got this response:

MS has a different story. SAB would be down for maintenance from Jan 3 to April 3rd. DW said, is it the whole pool? and MS said no...it's just the slides. DW said well, that's OK then. DW told MS that she had just called the BC and they told her there was nothing scheduled. MS said that's a surprise, as the BC was the one that informed MS. MS sent out letters to all the members with reservations on Friday.

There is definitely some cat and mouse going on. DO they NOT want to tell us that the pool will be closed TOO so that they will not have a mass cancellation??? I suspect that may be a possibility???

DW really made a pest and called MS again:

DW just said that she had called and knew there was a letter mailed out on Friday to DVCers and wanted to know if the pool area would be accessable to guests AT ALL...and the CM said OH YES...that only the shipwreck slides would be closed...and...that the pool would be accessable. DW said OK..as long as the kids could get into the water, etc...and the CM said oh yes. SO....looks like it's only the slides......PER THE INFO THAT was funneled to MS.

I hope that the BC is not deliberately misleading MS so that they tell members to come down and then upon arrivial we discover the pool is closed "for a few days/weeks" in addition to the slides.

I suspect that the pool may need to be closed for days here and there, but, they won't know now and don't want to say it will be completely closed at all.

Clear as mud......Johnnie

 

[colleen costello]

Well.. since we all communicate, we shall wait and see and... REPORT BACK. Everyone who goes, remember to post the results of the "Was Stormalong Bay Really Closed?" poll once home!

No one can put anything by us...

 

[JudithM]

I just heard from a reliable (management- type) DVC CM who told me, "SAB is NOT closing, but the slide at SAB is under going rehab from January 3-April 4, 2003. SAB will still be open during that time." I have known this CM for a long time. She is one who always wants to be sure that DVC Members have the correct information about their membership and about what is going on.

 

[ncligs]

Johnnie Fedora and JudithM,
Thanks for the most recent updates on the SAB. I find it hard to believe to shut down the SAB for 3 months to update it. You can build a whole new pool in less time than that.

 

[twinglefam]

halle and colleen:

you are asking so I'm telling you my opinion........I wouldn't stay at BCV without that pool open. I'd rather get a larger room at OKW or the choice of two great pools at VWL....even with stormalong...oops, did I say that?

 

[Peterd]

"I wouldn't stay at BCV without that pool open."

We'll be there in Feb, called for our Nov resv. today and asked after about the BC pool and was told it it's just the slide, not the whole pool.
We just added on at the BCV and really wanted our 6 yr old to try the slide this time, she loves the BW slide. We were going to do the water parks more this trip anyway. The slide IS great but without it, it's still the best pool in Disney. I think we'll survive.

 

[colleen costello]

We were only going to be at BCV a night or two anyway, then off to OKW. This was specifically to give the family access to Stormalong Bay. I don't think the whole pool will be closed (at least not by 3/16 when we arrive) but all this talk convinced me that the swimming just isn't that important in the Spring. I am going to move us over to OKW for the whole trip.

I love BCV, and we will stay there for our summer trip, when it's blazing hot and we swim A LOT. When we travel with my parents this Spring, OKW is our best bet because it is SO accessible -- we can park right outside our room and that's good for the grandparents.

 

[disnefile]

I agree. We stay at SAB in the summer when it is too hot to stay in the parks. In the spring the weather is beautiful but a little cool so we don't use the pool as much. We stay at OKW in spring.
It is beautiful there with all the flowers and shrubs in bloom.

 

[Halle]

I read on one of the boards that BB will be closed Jan and Feb.

 

[anniet]

Blizzard Beach is pretty much ALWAYS closed in January. I can't remember it ever being opened when we've visited in January.

 

[Firefighter Mickey]

I don't know if this helps or not - we'll be at BCV during the time period discussed. We just got a letter from DVC today stating that the main slide (and only the main slide) will be closed for refurb.

They pointed out all of the other swimming options available, and also said that if we desired a slide, that the BWV slide would be open to "pool hopping" for guests that wanted a slide.

 

[PKS44]

So Luna Park can handle BWI, BWV, any DVC poolhoppers from OKW and VWL and BCV and now add in YC and BC hoppers...but SAB had to close to all poolhopping because they added so many more potential swimmers just with BCV??? Further evidence that the blanket SAB no poolhopping policy was a sales tactic not a traffic control/pool overpopulation issue.

Paul

 

[CRobin]

Originally posted by PKS44
So Luna Park can handle BWI, BWV, any DVC poolhoppers from OKW and VWL and BCV and now add in YC and BC hoppers...but SAB had to close to all poolhopping because they added so many more potential swimmers just with BCV???

Paul

LOL, Paul!

I was thinking the same thing; this cracks me up.

I just hope someone explains to all of the BCV folks that our slide is scary and there is no sand in the pool!

Chris