Swimming at other Resorts

[grumpy-duck]

As a member of DVC can you swim at other resort pools (the Y&B Club in particular)? If yes, what do you need to bring to show you are a member of DVC?

 

[ohioMickey]

If you are a member staying on points your room key will say "DVC Member." Just have that with you.

We also made a habit of calling the pool where we wanted to pool hop. We explained we were DVC Members and wanted to check to make sure their pool was not to capacity. Everytime we were told "You're more than welcome to come on over!" We did not have a problem with anyone checking ID's or asking us to leave.

ohiominnie

 

[ohiominnie]

oops, just posted under dh's name...that's what happens when you are on the laptop!

ohiominnie (for real)

 

[Emily921]

We were at OKW from May 12 through the 22nd. We were not allowed to pool hop to Boardwalk's pool or Storm along Bay at Yacht and Beach Club. I was disappointed but understand given that it was at least 90 degrees each day we were there.

 

[Caskbill]

We were at OKW last week. They now have a statement on the Special Member Privileges sheet they give you at checkin. It reads as follows:

Use of Other WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort Hotel Pools.

Disney Vacation Club Members and their guests staying with them at Disney's Old Key West Resort, Disney's BoardWalk Villas, and The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge are permitted to use other WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort Hotel pools (other than the hotel at which you are staying) if these pools are not at capacity on any given day. A WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort ID card identifying you as a "DVC Member" is required to use the other pools. This offer not available at DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM Lodge. Other WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort hotel pools (including those at Disney Vacation Club Resorts) may be unavailable form time to time based on capacity. Please check with the front desk of the destination resort hotel regarding pool availability.

So there you have the official policy.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Excellent. According to Caskbill's post above, DVC is now communicating the pool hopping benefit through a well worded, reasonable statement.

And ohioMickey reports that front desks at other resorts are responding to pool hopping inquiries from DVC members with "You're more than welcome to come on over!"

This sounds like a happy ending to the confusion about pool hopping in April. Those DVC members who want to pool hop can continue to enjoy this feature that was promised when they purchased. DVC Guides can continue to describe pool hopping as an exclusive benefit of DVC membership.

The only thing that's changed about pool hopping since we purchased in 1994 is that pool hopping at any given resort now "may be unavailable from time to time based on capacity." There was no such restriction until a few years ago. But I don't mind checking the front desk of the destination resort hotel regarding pool availability (although I would prefer a simpler, "one stop shopping" approach where I could just call a single number for that day's pool hopping status at all WDW resorts). I wouldn't want to go to a seriously crowded pool anyway. This should work well as long as this policy is properly implemented -- meaning that the destination front desks know what's going on, and that pools are only restricted when there's a reasonable expectation that the pool really will be at capacity that day (based on resort occupancy, current trends, and historic trends).

 

[grumpy-duck]

Thanks for everyone's input on this! This will make our trip that much more enjoyable to know what the precise rule is regarding pool hopping.