Stormalong Bay Questions?

[Mean Queen]

I've checked the archives, but haven't seen some of my questions answered (and boy does that search go back far!)

When and where do they check your ID? We don't let our DD (8 this weekend!) carry her KTTW card at the pool but I don't want her to get stopped without it.

Can you see the big slide from the kiddie area?

Where can you use your own inflatables (if anywhere)?

This is our first time staying at BCV and we're really looking forward to enjoying the pool (and the Kitchen Sink at B&C!) So any pool tips for someone with an 8 year old and/or a 1 year old would be very appreciated.

 

[ducklite]

I've checked the archives, but haven't seen some of my questions answered (and boy does that search go back far!)

When and where do they check your ID? We don't let our DD (8 this weekend!) carry her KTTW card at the pool but I don't want her to get stopped without it.

She will need her ID. Everyone over the age of three in the party will need an ID to enter the pool area. Once she's in the area and has a wristband, you can hold her card.

Can you see the big slide from the kiddie area?

No, and you have to actually leave the gated area to get to the steps for the slide.

Where can you use your own inflatables (if anywhere)?

It depends on how crowded the pool is. If it's crowded you won't be able to use them. If it's not crowded and they are clear, you should be able to use them in most of the pool, except the area by where the slides lands.

This is our first time staying at BCV and we're really looking forward to enjoying the pool (and the Kitchen Sink at B&C!) So any pool tips for someone with an 8 year old and/or a 1 year old would be very appreciated.

From the kiddie pool area there is no way to see the older child in the pool area. The 5-8 foor deep lazy river is between the two to make matters worse. Plan on splitting up so one person can watch your older child while the other can watch the younger.

You can't use life jackets or go down the slide with your daughter or catch her at the bottom, she's got to be a strong enough swimmer to slide down, land in six feet of water, and swim off on her own.

Anne

 

[40-Something Kid]

I have stayed at YC/BC at least 10 times, always with at least one child.

Sometimes CMs are there to check for KTTW room cards, and sometimes they are not. Usually, the checking is done near the towel dispensing area near Beaches and Cream restaurant in the Beach Club. A couple of times, we have gotten wrist bands from them. It's hard to imagine a CM not believing an 8 year-old or giving her a hard time, though. Maybe if she knows her room number and check-in date, that would be enough.

Also, the slide and kiddie area are on opposite ends of the pool. It would be impossible for one parent to keep an eye on both kids at once. The end of the slide is on the far YC side, and the sandy shallow end is on the BC side. It is easy to lose track of the older kids in this very big pool playground, because there is so much for them to do, and it's all spread out. I say this from experience--we have plenty of practice looking for our kids in SAB.

As for inflatables, I don't remember. I know there are rental inflatables for their mini-river section. Don't recall seeing them in the other areas.

SAB is the kids' hotel pool choice for mine and my sister's families. I hope you enjoy it!

FSK

 

[Wendy1953]

I have stayed at YC/BC at least 10 times, always with at least one child.

Sometimes CMs are there to check for KTTW room cards, and sometimes they are not. Usually, the checking is done near the towel dispensing area near Beaches and Cream restaurant in the Beach Club. A couple of times, we have gotten wrist bands from them. It's hard to imagine a CM not believing an 8 year-old or giving her a hard time, though. Maybe if she knows her room number and check-in date, that would be enough.

Also, the slide and kiddie area are on opposite ends of the pool. It would be impossible for one parent to keep an eye on both kids at once. The end of the slide is on the far YC side, and the sandy shallow end is on the BC side. It is easy to lose track of the older kids in this very big pool playground, because there is so much for them to do, and it's all spread out. I say this from experience--we have plenty of practice looking for our kids in SAB.

As for inflatables, I don't remember. I know there are rental inflatables for their mini-river section. Don't recall seeing them in the other areas.

SAB is the kids' hotel pool choice for mine and my sister's families. I hope you enjoy it!

FSK

I wouldn't allow an eight year old to go to the pool by herself (and I'm not sure Disney will either), but she will need her room key to access the pool especially during a busy time. I've been to BCV many times, and some times they check and others they don't, but I don't think they will allow her into the pool area without an adult. Once you walk her in and he/she gets their bracelets, they probably won't ask where a parent is, but I advise not to leave anyone,even if they are excellent swimmers, under the age of 12 in a pool area by themselves.

The end of the slide is in the far end of the BC, not the YC. To access the slide one must walk out of the pool area, cross the main walkway and climb the stairs -from the beach area- to the top of the slide....the slide comes down into a 5 to 6 foot deep area of SAB. You can not see it from the kiddie area, which is nearer to YC then BC. In between the slide drop off point to the kiddie area, there is lots of high depth pool area, walkways around and above the lazy river....I wouldn't advise being the only adult supervision for these two age groups, unless you and the other child are willing to wait while the other aged child does his/her own thing. For photos of the area, go to Allearsnet.com and go to resorts, then to Deluxe hotels, then to Beach Club, then to photos...you'll see how huge the pool area is. Also if you look at the map on that site, you'll see three areas of water within the YC/BC map....the area where you see a sketch of a ship is the slide area.....the kiddie pool area is the area farthest from that.

As for the personal inflatables, I've never seen one used there. They do rent clear round tubes for the lazy river area, but I don't think you can use them in the other areas of the pool.

 

[Mean Queen]

She will need her ID. Everyone over the age of three in the party will need an ID to enter the pool area. Once she's in the area and has a wristband, you can hold her card.



No, and you have to actually leave the gated area to get to the steps for the slide.




From the kiddie pool area there is no way to see the older child in the pool area. The 5-8 foor deep lazy river is between the two to make matters worse. Plan on splitting up so one person can watch your older child while the other can watch the younger.

That helps. I guess we all check in when we get there then I can keep her card safe with me. I just didn't like the idea of her swimming with her card in one of those boxes around her neck.

And it looks like DH and I will be splitting up.

One more question, we have friends who are staying at another resort. How do I nicely tell them they can't swim with us? Even though I can park hop to their pool at Saratoga, I don't want to miss SAB and I know they can't come to ours. Any ideas how to say, sorry, it's out of my hands?

 

[40-Something Kid]

Have to confirm I did indeed switch slide and baby pool locations--BC for slide, YC for babies. Picturing it from hotels and switched it around.

 

[2forMe]

I do not think that you can go to yours.. thought it was no pool hopping at all?? Anyhoo.. I would just tell them that only YC/BC can swim at SAB.. simple as that.. no biggie it is not like you made up the rules

 

[Quinn222]

I do not think that you can go to yours.. thought it was no pool hopping at all?? Anyhoo.. I would just tell them that only YC/BC can swim at SAB.. simple as that.. no biggie it is not like you made up the rules

She's DVC, she can hop to SSR.

 

[ducklite]

One more question, we have friends who are staying at another resort. How do I nicely tell them they can't swim with us? Even though I can park hop to their pool at Saratoga, I don't want to miss SAB and I know they can't come to ours. Any ideas how to say, sorry, it's out of my hands?

Just like you just did. Tell them that only BC/BCV/YC registered guests are allowed to swim at SAB and that they check ID's, so you do'nt want them to waste their time and be turned away. Could you all go to a water park instead?

Anne

 

[mtemm]

if you need, to tell them that you spoke to someone at the front desk or at the pool and begged them to let you bring a guest but they said it wasn't possible, only for resort guests.

sometimes shifting the blame is easier, depending on how persistent the friends are.

 

[luvmyboys]

When we were there last year, the CM at the towel station checked only my ID, then gave wrist bands to DH and our 2 DSs.

Also, we brought our own "noodles," which the lifeguard said was fine, and we saw several people with their own inflatables. Didn't see rafts--- only tubes.

And we DEFINITELY had to split up. Youngest DS was 2, and was only interested in the sand, and oldest DS was 8, and was all about the slide.

However, it made me nervous that he had to basically leave the pool area and cross the crowded walking path to get to the slide entrance, so DH parked his behind in a pool chair w/ a line of sight to the slide stairs.

That's just my 2 cents... Have a great time!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

One thing - the last two years we were there the lifeguards did let the kids go down the slide with life vests or swimmies. I was really surprised. I waited until my kids could swim well enough to go down the slide without them to try YC because I always heard that they weren't allowed.

You cannot see the big slide area from the kiddie section.

Another new thing is that SAB was doing kids activities when we were there in July - bingo, hula hoop, pool parties. Kids had a ball. They were also doing movies on the beach each night. Have a great time.

 

[DVCtinkerbell]

We have never been able to use clear inflatables while we were at SAB.

Then another time my children were asked for their KTTW at the top of the slide. CM's were not checking for ID's at the towel station so my kids could not get a bracelet yet the lifeguard at the top of the slide wanted to see their ID. Figure that one. I guess he thought I would climb to the top of the slide with thier ID's. I like the fact that they are usually good about checking ID's so the crowds are managed at this popular and crowded pool but come on.

 

[mgilmer]

We bought these for our family to carry id around. It is particularly good at SAB:

http://www.witzprod.com/product_info.php?cPath=27&products_id=28

We have also had no problem with clear pool rings but have only used them in the lazy river. Here is what we got:

http://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/SEV/SEVDSC42.html

 

[DisneyDK]

I believe that they also sell "noodles" at the gift shop outside.