The Poly Pool Gate Debate

[sndral]

Tikiman posted on his FB page yesterday...'Reports are that with the gate locks working the pool seems less crowded.'

I was wondering whether this would be the result. Conjecture about the number of people who used the Poly pool in the past such as MK day trippers will be answered this summer when Poly lovers report back regarding whether the Poly pool is less crowded. The gates requiring MBs plus the weekend pool sweeps/issuance of bracelets will get the word out to local weekenders who will most likely just switch over to the nearest ungated/non patrolled pool (I'm looking at you GF.)
As for me, I don't hold room key access controlled pool gates open. I let myself in and close the gate behind me. I also don't let people follow me into key access controlled doors (eg into hallways in hotels with doors that are locked at a certain hour.) At work I know who should be in areas w/ Proxy card access and will hold doors, but @ hotels I don't so I wait till other parties clear or let myself in and close behind me.

 

[gogo]

If I was a guest at a resort and someone closed the gate and I was directly behind them, I would probably glare at them and think how rude. I understand that if I didn't have a band on they may not know if I wast a pool, unless you enjoy that sort of thing. Pool crashers are ignorant but I wouldn't confront or correct them.

 

[wdw4rfam]

I don't get the whole pool hopping thing. Seems too much work to take a chance at being caught anyways. We are moderate people now, and sometimes it seems like too much work to walk all the way to the feature pool with all our stuff, and just usually end up at the quiet pools. I can't imagine hopping on a bus and then monorail with all our swim stuff. Too much work and I can't imagine you can fly under the radar like that.

 

[gogo]

Yes, I'm sure it is aggravating to not find a seat at the pool when we pay so much for the amenities to stay at a Deluxe or even a moderate resort. But, no way would I confront or close a gate on someone directly behind me waiting to enter a pool area and telling a lifeguard would make me feel like I'm back in grade school. This is a problem Disney needs to address but apparently Disney doesn't feel the need to strictly enforce the issue except at SAB. IMO, only an individual can decide if a Deluxe resort is worth the money. And, if using the pool is important but you can't use it due to pool crashers taking all the chairs, etc., then don't stay there. It's really not the guests problem to fix.

 

[jhaig]

One father kept "coaching" his kids on what to say if anyone asked them where they were staying

Then there's people like this. Way to be an example Dad. Now show your offspring how to steal cable and Internet from your neighbors.

 

[ThistleMae]

I never thought someone from MK with a day pass would try to use a pool at a resort. I agree with folks who said it seems like that would be way too much work. But I guess people who live nearby may do that. I don't know. How many people do you think actually do this? Maybe it's really just a small number. No way to really tell. It's like looking at people who decorate their MB in here. It seems like everyone is doing it...yet people report seeing very few decorated bands their entire trip. So....it is hard to get any real numbers. It may be much smaller than people realize.

 

[RS Applecore]

I would note that even with the restrictions at SAB it can sometimes be difficult to find a seat, and we go in the offseason when less crowded

I would also note that previously, we have stayed at CBR three times and CSR once, always in the off-season, and we've always had an issue finding seats at both the feature pools and even the quiet village pools. I've never considered that pool-hoppers were there; I just assume that the resorts (all of them) have thousands of people staying, and on any particular day, xx percentage of them are not going to the parks but instead staying poolside. And many of them probably go early (earlier than us, anyway, LOL!) and stake out their chairs/tables for the day. I think it's really just a numbers game.

So maybe Disney should build more cool pools at each resort

 

[jhaig]

[QUOTE="gogo, post: 53789400, member: 160655]And, if using the pool is important but you can't use it due to pool crashers taking all the chairs, etc., then don't stay there.[/QUOTE]

Really? So I should change my plans and spend my money based on the inconsideration of others? Wrong. The Poly should just have CM's scanning bands and be done with it.

 

[wdwrich]

Yes, I'm sure it is aggravating to not find a seat at the pool when we pay so much for the amenities to stay at a Deluxe or even a moderate resort. But, no way would I confront or close a gate on someone directly behind me waiting to enter a pool area and telling a lifeguard would make me feel like I'm back in grade school. This is a problem Disney needs to address but apparently Disney doesn't feel the need to strictly enforce the issue except at SAB. IMO, only an individual can decide if a Deluxe resort is worth the money. And, if using the pool is important but you can't use it due to pool crashers taking all the chairs, etc., then don't stay there. It's really not the guests problem to fix.

Really???

 

[joedplumber]

I have a question on the bands? If you get past the gate do the CM's randomly go around the pool scanning magic bands or do they visually check for the bands. I would hope they are scanning as a guest from any resort would have a band.

 

[robinb]

Just because there is a fence doesn't mean there were a ton of pool hoppers.

I'll say it again: the fence is not there to keep out pool hoppers. It's there because Disney refurbished the pool and it needed a fence by law.

 

[ThistleMae]

Disney is a big, crowded place. Is it possible....would you consider....that the pools are just not built to capacity? I just keep thinking that the pool hoppers are few and far between. I don't think the majority of people are pool hopping. We have no real way of looking at numbers. Call me an optimist, but I feel most people....I say again....most people are considerate of others and follow the rules and guidelines Disney sets forth.

 

[SirDuff]

Just because there is a fence doesn't mean there were a ton of pool hoppers.

I'll say it again: the fence is not there to keep out pool hoppers. It's there because Disney refurbished the pool and it needed a fence by law.

But did the fence, by law, have to be such that you need a magic band from staying that the resort to get through the gate?

 

[wdwrich]

Disney is a big, crowded place. Is it possible....would you consider....that the pools are just not built to capacity? I just keep thinking that the pool hoppers are few and far between. I don't think the majority of people are pool hopping. We have no real way of looking at numbers. Call me an optimist, but I feel most people....I say again....most people are considerate of others and follow the rules and guidelines Disney sets forth.

I can understand your optimistic viewpoint as I like to look on the bright side too. But if what you say is true, why does Disney find it necessary to tightly control access to SAB?
The cold hard fact is there are enough pool crashers breaking the rules that it does become a significant problem for those of us staying at deluxe resorts with attractive feature pools.

 

[midnightlouise]

I'm definitely a rule follower, but don't think I have it in me to close the gate in someone's face. I'd probably be passive aggressive and drag my feet until there was no one else waiting to go in lol. To be honest, it wouldn't bother me if they had a gate or CM's scanning MB at all of the resort pools. Only those who paid for that amenity should be able to use it. You'd think people would rather spend the money to stay at a resort with a really sweet pool than to put all of that time and effort into pool hopping, but there are always the ones who try to cheat the system.

 

[Networth]

Their should be a CM at every deluxe. I have written this in every survey I have ever taken and expressed it to people I know who work for the mouse . Problem with Disney the last decade is they don't "fix" something untill they absolutely (safety hazard) have too.

Just last week we were at the GF monorail station (our resort) and their was a family in swim gear and resort pool towels getting on the monorail... If they weren't pool hopping I would like to know what they were doing. It's not just a Poly problem.

Last December we had people on the RPC elevator with us. I thought nothing of it till my better half pointed out we were not moving as the other group had not hit a button. "Can you hit 4 please" I stated. To which their response was "oh we forgot our bands". Really?! How did they intend to get in their room once on the floor. More like they wanted to get on a CL floor.

 

[mefordis]

I would probably say "after you".....

Then they will close the gate after they enter, because you could be trying to sneak in for all they know.

 

[LvsTnk]

I have talked to pool crashers at more than a few resorts including SAB. Locals are pretty good at it not to say that those are the only people doing it it's just who I have talked to at the pools. It's pretty interesting to hear their strategies.

 

[EmilyS90]

My inability to bed rude would probably make me hold the gate for them lol. Or at the very least, I wouldn't make a point of closing the gate behind me.

Even if I'm spending a fortune to be there, I just don't know that I care enough to be Disney's unpaid Keeper of the Pool Gate.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I tend to trust others, so would hold open the gate for them. Even if I overheard someone saying that they were pool crashing, I wouldn't give it another thought. I really don't care, as it is not impacting me.

I am fine with crowded pools and expect them at Disney. I am also fine spreading my towel on the concrete if I don't get a chair or chaise - though I'll grab a few extra for padding. These things wouldn't impact my fun in the slightest.

The Poly pool is tiny and has been crowded every time we have stayed there. I almost never get a chair/chaise at the Poly and I don't think that this gate will change that.