Stormalong Bay

[korbbec]

Can someone please tell me what is special about Stormalong Bay? I hear it mentioned alot and it is not open to pool hopping from what I've read. I saw a few pictures- it looks like people in tubes floating around. Is it so popular because you can use tubes there? Or is there more to it?

 

[korbbec]

Ok- now this is twice that I have asked this question and twice that no one will answer me. Is this some type of top secret pool?? Can someone at least point me in the right direction to get info? Please?

 

[crisi]

Its best described as a mini waterpark.

Its bigger and more spread out than most of the pools.

It has a sand bottom - and a sandbar loved by toddlers. That part of the pool is zero entry.

It has a lazy river that you can use tubes on

It has a very long slide that teenagers like.

It has two smaller kiddie slides

Its very well landscaped (although its size and layout make it hard to watch kids at - I don't think its a great pool for the say "five to ten" set).

Its next to Beaches and Cream and Hurricane Hannahs. B&C is a favorite of a lot of people, and Hurricane Hannahs is a good pool bar.

Try these photos:

http://www.tagrel.com/Tours/Flash/sab.shtml

 

[korbbec]

crisi- thank you soo much for replying- that does sound pretty cool. Everywhere I tried to view pics of it, it just looked like people on tubes in a weird shaped pool. It is all coming together now . I'm still waiting for the link you gave me to load- this work computer is so slow. Thank you.

 

[Tagrel]

If the flash version of the slideshow doesn't download quickly enough, there is a more 'dialup friendly' version of the slideshow with most if not all the same pictures that can be found here: Stormalong Bay Slideshow

Our family LOVES SAB. We find it like a 'mini waterpark' and always plan at least a couple pool days when staying at BCV.

 

[jade1]

That is a good link, pics are kind of dull but very thourough. At night it is really neat as well. Also the tube / swim area is 8 feet deep which is rare to have in a WDW pool.

 

[Sammie]

Ok- now this is twice that I have asked this question and twice that no one will answer me. Is this some type of top secret pool?? Can someone at least point me in the right direction to get info? Please?

Did you really expect an instant answer, you posted your question waited 45 mins and then got upset. Most everyone has jobs and we post when we have time.

SAB is a very large free form pool. It has water falls and a small fast current area, that is very deep, that you can float in on tubes. In my opinion it is over rated ,once you have experienced it, and I prefer the more traditional pools that are less crowded.

 

[DVCAmy]

My son and nephews (ages 2 and 3) loved Stormalong Bay when we stayed there a few years ago. 2 years later we stayed at SSR and they loved the pool there too. Now they are 7 and 8 and I'd be nervous with them this year at SB. They are good swimmers but not experts and the place is very spread out so it would be harder to watch them all. But in another 2-3 years I think it'll be great for them again, or just better for me. LOL!

But it is really a fun pool. As little ones they especially loved the zero entry and sandy bottom.

Amy

 

[korbbec]

Did you really expect an instant answer, you posted your question waited 45 mins and then got upset. Most everyone has jobs and we post when we have time.

SAB is a very large free form pool. It has water falls and a small fast current area, that is very deep, that you can float in on tubes. In my opinion it is over rated ,once you have experienced it, and I prefer the more traditional pools that are less crowded.

Noooo... I did not expect an instant answer. As I said- this was the second time I had asked the question. No one answered after several days the first time. In the 47 minutes I waited after posting the question a second time, several people had read the question, but no one answered. I thought maybe if I sounded a little sadder about it, someone would answer, and they did. I knew some smarty pants was going to say exactly what you said. Your answer would have been very nice if you had left the snideness at home. Thanks though.

 

[daisyduck123]

subscribing

 

[aes74]

SB is cool, but some of us are not as in love with it. I get nervous like an above poster, about watching my two kids. It is too easy for them to take off in different directions. It also is frequently closed in the evenings. And sometimes, you feel a bit like a fish bowl, there are lots of people walking by, and it can be a little odd to get out of the pool, run outside of the pool perimeters, go down the sidewalk, and then finally get to the slide entry to drop my daughter off. Then I have to run all the way back just to get to the bottom of the slide to make sure she comes out okay. And I just loooooove everyone on the sidewalk watching me run in my bathing suit.

I'm really not complaining, it's a fun place to try, but just another viewpoint you might want to consider.

 

[Doctor P]

Noooo... I did not expect an instant answer. As I said- this was the second time I had asked the question. No one answered after several days the first time. In the 47 minutes I waited after posting the question a second time, several people had read the question, but no one answered. I thought maybe if I sounded a little sadder about it, someone would answer, and they did. I knew some smarty pants was going to say exactly what you said. Your answer would have been very nice if you had left the snideness at home. Thanks though.

And I believe in self-help and doing a little digging on my own. You will find that if you click on the resorts link up at the top of the page and then drill down to photos you could find a LOT of photos of Stormalong Bay in the Beach Club Resort link. You can actually see what people are talking about and judge for yourself. There are lots of excellent pictures there.

 

[MinnesotaChill]

Thank you for asking this question. I've wondered myself many times... I've also noticed it seems to be closed often at night. Maybe because it is so large? Since we don't own there, I've never been around the pool area when it is full of people, so haven't seen it in action.

I am sorry that someone felt that had to get nasty. Some people aren't happy unless they are constantly being negative.

We have three kids, 8, 8, & 7 and we all love the BW pool. We don't have a weird thing about clowns, and the pool is really quite easy to keep an eye on your kids. In a few years, I'm sure they'll be bored with it, but right now they love the independence of being able to go just about anywhere in the pool they want without us. It is also open very late in our experience. They thought that swimming after dark was the most decadent, dangerous and exciting thing they've done in their entire lives (they were 5 & 6 at the time)!

I've also wondered about the pool at AK, it seems very ordinary in the few times we've been there to walk around. Any insights?

 

[lisareniff]

 

[shovan]

And I just loooooove everyone on the sidewalk watching me run in my bathing suit.
I'm really not complaining, it's a fun place to try, but just another viewpoint you might want to consider.

Sorry, I hope we weren't the one watching you run in your bathing suit! We did walk around the pool a few times trying to get the "lay of the land". It is a very large pool!

I know this is not an issue for the OP, just a personal rant. I'm peeved that the pool is not handicap accessible. Only the sand play could be considered zero entry. The other areas have concrete transfer steps that only work for a few people with disabilities. We wrote several letters with no responses. Ok rant over.

 

[crisi]

Thank you for asking this question. I've wondered myself many times... I've also noticed it seems to be closed often at night. Maybe because it is so large? Since we don't own there, I've never been around the pool area when it is full of people, so haven't seen it in action.

I think it is expensive to staff - there are a LOT of lifeguards at SAB and because there are so many twists and turns, and the water is so deep, you can't make due with a few lifeguards - the whole pool get staffed.

I think it is definately the most innovative and interesting pool at Disney, but I don't like it because of the kid watching issue - and because the two areas that interest me - the slide and the sandbar - are at opposite ends of the lazy river. If I were to redesign the pool, I'd put the lazy river on the other side of the slide from the sandbar - that would solve some of the siteline problems. The lazy river, with its current and depth, scares me.

 

[lisareniff]

I think it is definately the most innovative and interesting pool at Disney, but I don't like it because of the kid watching issue - and because the two areas that interest me - the slide and the sandbar - are at opposite ends of the lazy river. If I were to redesign the pool, I'd put the lazy river on the other side of the slide from the sandbar - that would solve some of the siteline problems. The lazy river, with its current and depth, scares me.

I've thought that a few times myself! That lazy river is in the wrong place.

 

[Beca]

SAB is actually a registered water park with the state of FL. It is a truly amazing place!!! When my dd5 was little, it was the only pool anywhere where she would swim....all others terrified her, but this one (I think with the sand bottom) seemed really accessible to her.

lisareniff....what a great pic!! Thanks for posting that!!!

 

[rigsby25]

LISARENIFF - that is one awesome view! We are going to BCV for the first time January 21. I am crossing everything I have that it is warm enough to go in the pool! OP - I feel bad for the nasty reply also. Pay no mind.

 

[Sammie]

Noooo... I did not expect an instant answer. As I said- this was the second time I had asked the question. No one answered after several days the first time. In the 47 minutes I waited after posting the question a second time, several people had read the question, but no one answered. I thought maybe if I sounded a little sadder about it, someone would answer, and they did. I knew some smarty pants was going to say exactly what you said. Your answer would have been very nice if you had left the snideness at home. Thanks though.

No sideness intended, I guess you read sideness into my comments and I read impatience into yours, guess that can happen. I did not see the previous post, just this one.

As to people reading but not commenting that is usually due to the fact that they don't have an opinion.

As Beca said the pool is classified as a water park and therefore requires water park certified lifeguards. At various times of the year due to lack of staff, etc and darkness the pool will close earlier than other pools.

While a fabulous pool to look at, it can be a parents nightmare if you have small children of different ages. The swift current, I do not consider anything 8 feet deep with that swift a current a lazy river; can be particularly dangerous. I have seen several people step off the steps into it, go under and be swept away by the current. I had to assist a man with a small child one day when this happened.