Stormalong Bay

[Herewego2013]

We are staying at the BC for the first time. First time on Disney property too.

SAB looks amazing and many people rave about it, but is there anyone that actually doesn't really like it? I read a couple people saying they didn't like the sand at the bottom.

Tell me the negatives aboy SAB, if you have any. Thanks.

 

[poohgirl6]

SAB is amazing! There is something for everyone: shallow sandy area for little ones, awesome water slide for big kids, lazy river or hot tub for parents, and that wonderful sand bottom to soothe tired and sore feet after the theme parks.

However, there are a few cons IMO. Almost always takes a little work to find a few chairs together. (But even if the pool deck area is crowded, once you get in the pool there's room to spread out). Also, it can be a challenge to keep track of small ones if they go on the slide or into the main parts of the pool. To get to the main waterslide, you actually have to leave the pool area and cross a sidewalk. ( It made more sense back in the day before they fenced off the whole pool to control pool hopping )The sandy kiddie area is separate and doesn't access the deeper water, so that isn't an issue.

I bet you'll love SAB. It's a wonderful resort pool area.

 

[mommyrosa2]

We are a family who loves the BC (as you can see by my signature...lol). As the pp said, SAB is an amazing pool and I agree wholeheartedly that the biggest negative for us too is the whole finding chairs together situation. But again, obviously it's not a huge issue for us as we seem to keep returning . Serously, while it might take a "little" work, depending on when you go, we have always managed to find a few chairs and the pool itself is so enormous, that it's never felt crowded to us in the water. Hope you enjoy your stay and SAB!!

 

[Couchy]

I love SAB

The first visit it took sometime learning the layout and how to get from point A to point B, but this was a minor thing.

Some people don't like that you have to leave the pool area to get to the slide but that is no big deal for me.

SAB is so much fun and the sand bottom is amazing.

 

[Mayhem1976]

We loved it. We went with a big group (8 adults, 6 kids under 7) and we could always find 1 or 2 chairs together. But that was all we needed because we were in the pool and not sitting out in August! I liked the sandy bottom, the kids thought it was fun to feel like the ocean, but no seaweed!

THe only negative would be that the kids area is the farthest from the main entrance, but it was also less crowded over there.

The 3 2 year olds were happy as could be playing in the sand while the 3 older ones swam around!

 

[pepe of ohio]

Yup, same negatives for us... We've moved on due to the challenges of finding chairs together, let alone a table and chairs.... Too crowded for my peace of mind....and the people that pop on down in the am and place towel on chair to save for later... plain rude, against the rules but not penalized... Not worth my effort or money... And I'm not paying big money to use the quiet pool !

 

[JenCin78]

We just returned from a week long stay at Yacht Club and while my kids LOVED SAB I had some reservations about it. The first is a personal preference and that is sand-as in I hate it. I am a pool person mainly because I hate sand. It was odd to be in a pool filled with sand. The slide entrance is located separately from the main pool-my DS is almost 8 and wanted to go down the slide of course. While he can swim well I was not comfortable with allowing him to go down the slide unsupervised and have no one waiting for him at the end. This meant that I also had to ride the slide a million times and wait for him at the bottom. This brings me to my next point-my DD 5 is not old enough to ride the slide as she can't swim. DH stayed with her at the kiddie slide and I stayed with DS on the big slide. The pool is beautiful don't get me wrong but it's almost as if it's TOO big. If you have young children that are going to want to go in different directions I wouldn't expect a relaxing time near the pool lol. We did not have any issues finding chairs together and the resort was PACKED at the time we were there. The lifeguards were wonderful and played games with the kids, were very friendly etc. Oh and there is a great kid area in the pool which is shallow and sand filled. My kids really enjoyed playing there when they weren't sliding

 

[Mousemommy1]

We spent 11 days at YC in April and enjoyed SAB many of those days. We liked it but there were some negatives. We didn't really like the sand-bottom, it actually kind of hurt...

We didn't like how chopped up it was, and that you literally might have to go over the river and through the woods to get to Hurricane Hannah's for a snack or drink.

We never had a problem getting a table or chairs though.

 

[AJKMOM]

WAtch out for the "lazy" river. It goes pretty fast, and at some point it's over your heads deep! We love SAB.

 

[dimndgal1]

But the very appealing thing made it also a hassle (as pointed out above) - the sheer size was just hard to navigate. We had 6 adults in our party and only our one DD who was 5, so we could split up and do our own thing, but I can't imagine trying to wrangle multiple kids when one wants to slide, one wants to do the dance party, and one wants to go get a drink!

That said, the Dance Party at the pool was a great way to occupy our little one - DH and I hung out in the water where we could see her but have a nice mental break for awhile - and my in-laws LOVED the hot tubs. We will definitely be going back to YC and SAB down the road... but with a little one on this next trip, we figured it was a bit too much to wrangle a one year old and 7 year old... when they're both older, it will be a different story.

*~* One tip for those with younger kids - I HIGHLY recommend showing them what the 'quicksand' spots feel like together before they discover them on their own. My DD is a VERY proficient swimmer but when she stepped in one unexpectedly, she freaked. Once I showed her what it was, she made it a mission to find each one, but it was emotional for a minute there!!! *~*

 

[thisismyusername]

I pretty much have a love-hate relationship with SAB. It's a way-cool pool. No doubt about it. But as a parent, I really find it to be a very difficult pool to relax at since I have three different swimming-ability children: One who is a solid swimmer, one who is a decent swimmer and one who is a non-swimmer. My non-swimmer hangs out in the sand/shallow area. My moderate swimmer loves hot tubs as much as the pool, so he usually bounces all over the pool and uses everything from the slides to the hot tubs to digging in the sand. And my strong swimmer usually uses the slide. It's impossible as one person to keep an eye on all three of them like I can at the other resort pools. I can't sit and relax. It's impossible to get from the shallow/sandy area to the slide quickly. It's hard to find your kids.

If my kids were of all the same swimming ability and wanted to hang in the same area, or if I trusted they were strong-enough swimmers to not need much supervision, I'd love it. For us, though, we've used the quiet pools just as frequently--if not more--at the YC/BC because it's far easier for me to keep an eye on my kids.

 

[wiigirl]

We love SAB

 

[etail]

Like everything about it except the seams in the slide that pinch your skin.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We are staying at the BC for the first time. First time on Disney property too.

SAB looks amazing and many people rave about it, but is there anyone that actually doesn't really like it? I read a couple people saying they didn't like the sand at the bottom.

Tell me the negatives aboy SAB, if you have any. Thanks.

I'm one of those who do not like SAB. If I'm staying at BCV, I'll go to the Dunes Cove pool by the villas before I'll go to SAB. To me, it's just too busy, like people soup in the pool, no place to find a chair in the shade unless you move the stuff people put out early in the morning and don't return until the afternoon after a morning in the parks.

Plus I hate the 8' depth with the strong current as you get closer to the "lazy river" which is really a strong current loop, not a lazy river at all (I'm a big fan of the lazy rivers at Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon). If you aren't careful, that current can pull you into the deeper area very easily. Especially if you are trying to get to the hot tub area on the rocks. And I hate the sinking sands area.

If you have smaller kids, especially those that are not really strong swimmers, you need to watch them very closely.

 

[mickeynut1]

We are staying at the BC for the first time. First time on Disney property too.

SAB looks amazing and many people rave about it, but is there anyone that actually doesn't really like it? I read a couple people saying they didn't like the sand at the bottom.

Tell me the negatives aboy SAB, if you have any. Thanks.

We have stayed at the BC and while we did enjoy SAB, there are other pools on property that we like better. SAB is large and it can be a hassle, IMO, if you have little ones and/or kids that aren't the best swimmers. It can also get very crowded since it is shared between 2 resorts. It is a nice pool overall, but it's not a big draw for us.

 

[Pakey]

I have owned at BCV since it was built and I think SAB is an excellent pool for a small niche of people.

I do not like it for an adult only/lounge type of day as it's way too crowded and far from relaxing.

I do not like it for a mix of kids who have different swim levels as it's a large crowded complex that makes it hard to keep an eye on multiples.

I think it's a fantastic pool if you have one or more children who are content staying in the kiddie sand area. Or one or more children who are older and excellent swimmers and old enough to access the slide alone.

My husband really hates the sand. I can take it or leave it.

We utilize the quiet pool more when we stay here.

 

[Carriesouthard]

LOVE the sand bottom, hate that the slide was a mile away! Seriously, I have 3 dds of different swimming abilities and dh and I were going in a thousand different directions trying to keep our eyes on them. Not relaxing in any way shape or form. Love the BC and we will definitely return when our girls are say 11, 12 and 13....it's a pre-teens dream

 

[maxiesmom]

What I don't like about SAB:

#1 It is so big you can't see the whole pool from any one spot. Meaning you
can't just sit and watch your kids, you have to either keep them confined to one part of SAB or you have to be on the move with them.

#2. The fact that you have to cross a public sidewalk to get on the large slide.

#3. I don't like that they close the whole thing down at night. Every other resort just shuts down the slide and leaves the rest of the pool open. SAB is totally closed. I understand it is more like a small waterpark, but it is disappointing when you are a family who likes to swim at night, after a long day in the parks. If you want to swim in SAB you have to take time out of your day to do so.

 

[LSchrow]

we've stayed at the BC, YC, and stayed/own at BCV.
SAB is a fantastic pool, and great for many.

however, the crowding bothers us enough to only use the "quiet pools". actual swimming is difficult (too many/wall-to-wall people), and the finding lounge chairs just too frustrating.
my family is comprised of excellent swimmers (ages 8yo & up - all having taking lessons since toddlerhood) and don't care for SAB, but friend's 10yo niece & 4yo nephew (so-so swimmers) loved it.

you never know what you will love until you try for yourselves tho - hope you have a fantastic time!

 

[bowbat]

Like others have said, SAB has its pros and cons.

It's large and spread out so it can be hard to keep track of multiple kids. OTOH, because it's large and spread out, it never felt overly crowded to me (we were there this month). Hate that you have to leave the pool area to get on the slide; I'd prefer it if I could stay in the pool and be able to watch my kid climb up and slide down the slide. The lazy river wasn't relaxing at all -- more like a fast current bumper-tube ride. Loved the sandy bottom and all the different areas to play and swim.

As a whole, we enjoyed it, but weren't quite in love with it as many seem to be.