Stormalong Bay to be shared by BC Villas?

[jbuchen]

Is Stormalong Bay going to be shared by the Beach Club Villas? Does this mean that other DVC visitors can pool hop to it?

I was REALLY disappointed when we were last at BC during July 1997 because even with them checking resort IDs it was impossible to get a chair? It doesn't make alot of sense to pay extra to get to stay there and not be able to use the pool!!! Any one have this experience lately or has the problem been resolved?

We are making our plans for summer 2003 and I have to think about the Contemporary again or maybe trying the Poly?

Julia

 

[DownNeckBoy]

If you go over to the DVC board, you will see that there has been MUCH speculation as to what will happen with SAB once BCV sells out, as it threatens to do, at a very quick rate. The "veterans" on the boards seem resigned to pool hopping closed to SAB by DVC members not staying there. There is no "official" word yet from Disney or DVC.

I don't know if this makes you feel better, but I doubt that it should make you alter your plans for WDW. It seems to me that the pool is the least important attraction in planning a trip to WDW.

 

[josierac]

The last that I heard is that yes the BC Villas will be sharing the SAB pool but that other DVC member will no longer be able to pool hop there.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

You know... I really never thought about it, but I bet SAB will be really crowded once BCV's opens. Maybe they will expand???

 

[zulaya]

I just bought at BCV and we were told that we have SAB privileges, as well as the quiet pools at BCV. The pool thing is nice but it wasn't a factor in our decision to buy BCV. We liked the location (walking distance to Epcot) and got great incentives to buy there first instead of going resale with OKW, which was my personal first choice.

 

[mirlow]

I do factor in the pool along with other amenities when deciding on my resort. In fact the pool is big for us. We always stay at the Polynesian and I love that pool. The only problem is that the slide is a bit to scary for my 3 yr old. He really wants to go down a slide so I was looking to try a different resort and I thought that the BC would be a good choice with SAB. We were going to stay at the BC this July, but I cancelled once I found out the BVC were opening earlier. I have only read about how busy it is now, so I can't imagine what it would be like in July. I figured I would wait to hear what it is like once the BCV actually do open. I have 3 young kids and I want to be able to see where they are. It looks great, but just a bit too big with too many people. Now I'm sure the Polynesian will get busier

 

[chris1gill]

Just a tip here, but I don't think your 3 year old is going to be allowed to go down the SAB slide... Unless he's a very strong swimmer of course... As for seeing the kids, SAB is huge, it's very easy to lose them... Even without BCV's there are times when SAB is very very busy... The childrens area has rarely ever been busy when we've been there however... don't know if that helps...

 

[mirlow]

Thanks for the tip Chris, I guess I should have given a little more info I was looking at the very small kiddie slide for my son. The children's area would be great for my 3yr old and 1yr old. The problem is my 7yr old likes to go down big slides and she can swim. My dh and I could take turns watching them in the different areas, but I just get a little worried when there are too many people and you turn away for a second and they are gone and it's hard to find them. I just don't want that moment of panic to happen

 

[cindala]

We will be at the YC this summer just when the BCV's open, so hopefully they won't be filled to capacity, and SAB won't be even more crowded. Those of you who visit later in the summer will have to keep us posted.

However, something to consider: the walk from the BCV's might deter some people from trying SAB, at least every day. They might just stay at the BCV quiet pool! Wishful thinking, I know!!

 

[Michelemouse]

One thing to keep in mind...the speculation is that once BCVs open (or possibly when they are sold out) pool hopping to SAB will not be an option when staying at other DVC resorts. This should make the crowd level at SAB no worse than it is now. Sure, you'll have the BCV guests sharing it, but there won't be the pool-hoppers there.

Michele

 

[JillU-DVC]

DVC pool hoppers may not be the problem with crowding at SAB. At busy times of the year, DVC members (staying on site) are not allowed to pool hop, including in and around 4th of July (and other holidays).

Unless they are checking people before they come into the pool area, there are a LOT of locals and people staying at other resorts (non-DVC members) that go to SAB to swim for a while. This has been discussed a lot on the DVC board, along with several interesting polls that show, at least among the members of these boards, that most DVC members DON'T pool hop at all, or only once or twice a trip.

So it MAY be DVC members helping cause crowding at the pools, but please don't ASSUME it's all DVC members.

Thanks!

 

[JonHM]

I concur, Storm Along Bay will definitely be shared by the BC Villas, and I am pretty positive that Disney is going to suspend all pool hopping to SAB as soon as the Villas open. I wouldn't worry too much about it, with no pool hopping and checking IDs as they do there, it should be OK.

 

[Tinkerbelle'sMOM]

We didn't stay at BC, but we were at WL and noticed a huge difference in how crowded the main pool was...if you didn't go out and stake out a chair at sunup, you were on the rocks or grass. Ick!

 

[StevieD]

Just to end the speculation, DVC has confirmed that pool hopping privileges to Stormalong Bay are terminated as of July 1, 2002. Beach Club Villas guests definitely have rights to use SAB. I suspect that CM's will become much more vigilant regarding checking ID's once this policy takes affect - which should help to minimize unauthorized use of SAB and free up space for registered guests!!

 

[chris1gill]

I don't think there are any indications that CM's will be checking ID's (they rarely have before)... DVC'ers won't poolhop, but you'll still have the locals & other vacationers to deal with until Disney implements a real policy regarding the checking of ID's...

 

[littlestar]

Hi.

While staying at the Wilderness Lodge last fall, we saw Disney check I.D.'s at the main pool. Several gate crashers were asked to leave. It sure freed up some chairs for paying guests and DVC members who had the right to use the pool.

 

[chris1gill]

Littlestar, that's interesting! What was your vacation timeframe? We were there in early to mid-December!

 

[littlestar]

We were there Labor Day weekend when they asked several people to leave that were gate crashing.

 

[cindala]

Maybe it's the time of the year that we visit (July 4th week), but there are always CM's at all the entrances to SAB asking to see ID. There have even been times that they have come up to us on a lounge chair, and asked to see our ID's again.

I'm certain that during slower times of the year, when the hotel is not at peak capacity, they don't always check ID's or even have a CM at the entrances.