The Poly Pool Gate Debate

[GeorgiaHoo]

It's every bit the same as if those non-resort guests wanted to take a nap in your room -- what's the big deal? You're going to be in the parks anyway, right?

That's your analogy? We aren't talking about someone sleeping in another guest's room - if someone is in my room I KNOW they aren't supposed to be there and that they didn't pay the $450+ a night to stay. The pool is for ALL guests, not like a room. This discussion is about whether some busybody is going to report some other guest to a lifeguard because there's a possibility the other guest MIGHT be at a resort pool without having pool "privileges." Who appointed the busybody pool police? Mickey didn't. If Disney thought there was a problem, they would have lifeguards checking IDs like they do at SAB. How about we let Disney determine who should be at the pool and who shouldn't be? Anyway, if someone wants to spend their vacation monitoring other guests to ensure pool rules are followed, or rudely slamming gates in the faces of other guests, that's their choice. I didn't spend thousands of dollars to make sure someone is following the rules -- I'm going to go to the parks and ride the rides and enjoy the resort pool.

 

[larryz]

...if someone is in my room I KNOW they aren't supposed to be there and that they didn't pay the $450+ a night to stay.

If someone's in the pool who isn't supposed to be there, who didn't pay $450 a night for the privilege, who doesn't have MBs, or who is talking about the hotel they're actually staying at, you also KNOW they aren't supposed to be there.

This discussion is about whether some busybody is going to report some other guest to a lifeguard because there's a possibility the other guest MIGHT be at a resort pool without having pool "privileges." Who appointed the busybody pool police?

One man's "busybody" is another man who's trying to protect the value of what he paid big $$$ to enjoy.

Mickey didn't. If Disney thought there was a problem, they would have lifeguards checking IDs like they do at SAB. How about we let Disney determine who should be at the pool and who shouldn't be?

Mickey did. He put a MB-activated gate at the pool.

I'm going to go to the parks and ride the rides and enjoy the resort pool.

If that pool is full of interlopers who aren't supposed to be there, how are you going to enjoy it?

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

If someone's in the pool who isn't supposed to be there, who didn't pay $450 a night for the privilege, who doesn't have MBs, or who is talking about the hotel they're actually staying at, you also KNOW they aren't supposed to be there.



One man's "busybody" is another man who's trying to protect the value of what he paid big $$$ to enjoy.



Mickey did. He put a MB-activated gate at the pool.



If that pool is full of interlopers who aren't supposed to be there, how are you going to enjoy it?

Look, I understand the concept that folks who didn't pay to stay at a resort shouldn't be there. But instead of worrying about whether someone should be at a pool how about you just enjoy your vacation? If someone reported me because they thought I shouldn't be at a pool when in fact I was staying at that resort (and I would never go to a resort pool if I wasn't supposed to) then I would want to confront THAT busybody/tattletale. If you don't think I should be at a pool then be an adult and tell me, don't run off to tell someone else.

 

[Marionnette]

Look, I understand the concept that folks who didn't pay to stay at a resort shouldn't be there. But instead of worrying about whether someone should be at a pool how about you just enjoy your vacation? If someone reported me because they thought I shouldn't be at a pool when in fact I was staying at that resort (and I would never go to a resort pool if I wasn't supposed to) then I would want to confront THAT busybody/tattletale. If you don't think I should be at a pool then be an adult and tell me, don't run off to tell someone else.

Wow! Now who's allowing the actions of another person to have a negative impact on their enjoyment?

If I see someone shoplifting at Walmart, I'm going to tell security and not confront the thief. If I knew someone was stealing pool privileges at the resort I'm staying at, I'm going to tell management instead of confronting the guilty party. Unlike the lifeguards or resort managers, I have no authority to make them leave. And as a guest of the resort, I have no problem whatsoever with proving that I belong at the pool whenever I am asked to show my MB or room key.

 

[spiceycat]

or room key.

does WDW resort still have room keys??? though that was what MB was for - to get rid of all the keys? if you arrive w/o your MB though front desk would just give you one?

 

[Marionnette]

does WDW resort still have room keys??? though that was what MB was for - to get rid of all the keys? if you arrive w/o your MB though front desk would just give you one?

They will issue a room key if you don't want a MB. Some people don't like MBs or don't care to wear them.

 

[spiceycat]

They will issue a room key if you don't want a MB. Some people don't like MBs or don't care to wear them.

how do they do the fast passes w/o a MB?

 

[freediverdude]

The keys have a wireless chip in them now so they can tap the same turn styles or door locks as the magicbands.

 

[Marionnette]

how do they do the fast passes w/o a MB?

They could do it the same way offsite guests w/o a MB would do it...tap the RFID ticket that's attached to your MDE account instead of tapping a MB. Or if they purchased a package, the tickets are on their room key, just like they were prior to MBs. Well, technically they aren't "on" the room key. They're in the MDE account and the room key acts just like a MB to access the ticket information.

 

[tinkerpea]

Just out of curiosity....how would you KNOW that people at GF were pool crashers?

Because they did not have I'm staying at gf and I can afford it,written across them
In all seriousness though, I've actually had people say,that we wasn't staying at the GF because we was a very young family ( I was 23, hubby 26 all though I looked about 18 haha )we had 3 small kids.
And did I know it was against the rules to pool hop!
When I asked why they didn't think we was staying there,I was told clearly because we would not be able to afford it!!!! Lol

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

Wow! Now who's allowing the actions of another person to have a negative impact on their enjoyment?

If I see someone shoplifting at Walmart, I'm going to tell security and not confront the thief. If I knew someone was stealing pool privileges at the resort I'm staying at, I'm going to tell management instead of confronting the guilty party. Unlike the lifeguards or resort managers, I have no authority to make them leave. And as a guest of the resort, I have no problem whatsoever with proving that I belong at the pool whenever I am asked to show my MB or room key.

Not clear if you are replying to me(hard to tell on my phone) but my basic point was people usually don't KNOW if someone is "stealing" pool privileges. Sort of like reporting someone that looks shady to mall security. How about we trust mall security instead?

 

[spiceycat]

Not clear if you are replying to me(hard to tell on my phone) but my basic point was people usually don't KNOW if someone is "stealing" pool privileges. Sort of like reporting someone that looks shady to mall security. How about we trust mall security instead?

well when you ask where they are staying - I do that alot. they say they are not staying at any WDW resorts but in a hotel offsite. this happens more at OKW than the Polyn.

also if at the quiet pool - they come with a bunch of stuff - picnic basket - plus some even have their clothes. they put sunscreen on the kids when they arrive - I do it 20 minutes before hand - during it last minute it does not work for 20 minutes.

little things. but mostly they will tell you that they are not staying there.

ask where other guests are staying - because always interested in WDW or DVC resorts and noisy enough to ask if they like where they are staying. It starts a bunch of conversations.

 

[gdrj]

They have staff walking around (quiet pool too) and checking name with their reservation list.

I have NEVER seen this, they are not walking around with a list with names and room numbers...so many issues with that, from privacy and safety issues to just not practical to have a list of 100's if not 1000's of guests at a resort.

Prior to MB's CM's would ask for room keycard they could tell from it what resort you are staying. They would give you a wrist band. They have done this at multiple resorts but usually only during peak or holiday's.

 

[gdrj]

I'm not going to police the pool. As long as I can find a seat I'm good. If I can't find a seat I would ask mgr to get a cm out there and check bands so I can enjoy what I paid for, my anger or annoyance would be with the hotel. I have a bigger issue with the "wonderful paying guests" who take a table park their %#! Stuff there and than grab 8 lounge chairs, even for the kids who won't use them at all. To top it off they drop their stuff and than disappear for a couple hours for breakfast, lunch,naps etc.

Also if I was walking to the pool and you closed the gate on me I might thank you for your wonderful politeness. All the proclaimed I follow the rules, next time your on the bus can you please move all the way back so that those in line can get on too, instead of looking down and ignoring everyone's stares.

 

[goofy4tink]

That's your analogy? We aren't talking about someone sleeping in another guest's room - if someone is in my room I KNOW they aren't supposed to be there and that they didn't pay the $450+ a night to stay. The pool is for ALL guests, not like a room. This discussion is about whether some busybody is going to report some other guest to a lifeguard because there's a possibility the other guest MIGHT be at a resort pool without having pool "privileges." Who appointed the busybody pool police? Mickey didn't. If Disney thought there was a problem, they would have lifeguards checking IDs like they do at SAB. How about we let Disney determine who should be at the pool and who shouldn't be? Anyway, if someone wants to spend their vacation monitoring other guests to ensure pool rules are followed, or rudely slamming gates in the faces of other guests, that's their choice. I didn't spend thousands of dollars to make sure someone is following the rules -- I'm going to go to the parks and ride the rides and enjoy the resort pool.

I'm pretty much a live and let live type person. BUT....when I have paid to stay at the Polynesian and I can't find a seat close to the pool so I can watch my child swimming, but I have overheard a very large group of people chatting about how great this pool is and that they love coming here to swim...and maybe someday they will actually stay here? Yeah, I'm pretty sure they aren't resort guests. When that group took up a ton of chaise lounges, as well as three umbrella'd tables
and chairs? While I had to sit behind a clump of trees? Yep, I'm going to be a 'busybody tattletale'!! However, as I approached the lifeguard, another guest had beaten me to the punch.....the lifeguard walked over to that group and asked to see their room keys. They said 'Oh, we left them in the room.'...he responded that someone needed to go back to the room and get one...which they couldn't do. They packed up and left, quite rudely...making comments about people who couldn't mind their own business.

And the back of the bus comment? I have boarded a bus, that had all seats taken, with people standing in the far back of the bus, but with a huge empty space in the middle, with a crowd standing in the front half of the bus...they didn't care at all that the bus driver told them to move to the rear of the bus...just stood there. One man said he wasn't moving away from his family. I merely said 'excuse me, excuse me...trying to move to the rear of the bus..excuse me' and moved to the rear of the bus. Man, the people I had to move through were not happy with me. I am a rule follower..so I have little regard for those that aren't or those that want to tweak the rules for their convenience. I will close the gate behind me. As I said earlier, if I see a group of people standing next to the gate, obviously waiting for someone to open it, I wait. But I refuse to let someone in behind me...and I have had people actually thank me for doing that!!!

I own DVC, at two resorts. And I have to tell you....I have never, ever pool hopped. It's way too much trouble. Even when BWV's pool was down for maintenance, and we could use SAB, I didn't. Just don't want to have to pack up all my stuff and ride over to a distant resort.

 

[jhaig]

It's true that you shouldn't waste time on your vacation acting as the pool police - we all have better things to do. However, if you are not staying at the Poly and are using the facilities that I am paying to use, and infringing on my ability to use them, you better believe I will narc on you. I work too long and hard to be able to afford to stay at a nice resort. So if you're hovering by the gate waiting to sponge off of people who are paying to use their resort's pool, keep waiting because you're not getting any help from me. I'll close the gate behind me and not lose a minute of sleep about it.

I still don't know why they just can't monitor the Poly pool like they do at SAB. It seems to limit hopping over there.

 

[ThistleMae]

I'm going to the Poly in November. I wonder how busy the pool will be and whether this will be an issue this time of year. Anyone know whether the pool is crowded in November?

 

[joedplumber]

Wow! You make it seem very stressful to enjoy the pool at the Poly! We stayed at POFQ in July and we took a pool break from 2pm-4pm at the main pool "slide pool" and there were only 12-15 people in the pool and we had our pick of chairs. We go to the pool to relax and decompress. I think I would leave the Poly pool more stressed then when I arrived lol. It seems like its a different ball game at the Deluxe resorts. Hope the issue is resolved for you though.

 

[jerseygal]

"You wanna play, you gotta pay"! Would like to see all WDW pools monitored; on site pools becoming too desirable and in demand.

 

[Bree]

It is the proximity to MK which makes pool hopping at GF, Poly & CR an issue. I think the fencing has helped, but if a family is determined to get in they will find a way.

I did tattle once during my stay. It was very busy at the pool when a family of 7 took up seven loungers right next to me. They decided to go swimming at the Poly before their Ohana reservation. The family was saying that it was crazy what people paid to say here and they could vacation in real Fiji for so much less. The grandfather then said this pool was so much nicer than their pool at Pop. I only tattled after he started grumbling about how I was taking up an entire shaded table to myself. Yes, I was alone at that table while my daughter played in the pool. I paid for the privilege. I got up to refill my mug and informed a life guard on my way out. They were gone when I came back.

*** Disclaimer: I did not leave my almost 10yo DD alone swimming in the pool. She was out of the water doing pool games. I told her I was refilling my mug and told her to stay out of the water until I came back. ***