VWL guests, which pool will you be using?

[JasonDVC]

With the main pool at WL scheduled to be closed for a couple months, Disney offered use of the Contemporary pool and Fort Wilderness pool to guests of WL & VWL. Will you be taking advantage if this or will you just use the quiet pool at WL?

 

[cbnsoul]

We're going in October and are pretty disappointed the main pool will be closed - pools are the highlight of the trip for my son. We will try the quit pool but I'm sure it will be packed. We have a split-stay with BLT so will look forward to using that pool the second half of the trip. Not sure why they aren't offering Blizzard Beach passes as they are at the Poly. I guess Disney wants to compensate folks staying at the Poly due to all the construction but those guests chose to stay there knowing there was a lot of work being done.

 

[Dean]

We're going in October and are pretty disappointed the main pool will be closed - pools are the highlight of the trip for my son. We will try the quit pool but I'm sure it will be packed. We have a split-stay with BLT so will look forward to using that pool the second half of the trip. Not sure why they aren't offering Blizzard Beach passes as they are at the Poly. I guess Disney wants to compensate folks staying at the Poly due to all the construction but those guests chose to stay there knowing there was a lot of work being done.

two differences, all paying guests and it's just the pool at WL. Disney also looks at the Poly as higher up the ladder than WL/AKL even though they are all technically deluxe.

 

[castle1]

Does anyone know when the pool construction is supposed to be complete?

 

[readytogotodisney]

If we do swim, we'll probably head to CR. I like the look of their splash pad.

 

[readytogotodisney]

Does anyone know when the pool construction is supposed to be complete?

End of Nov I believe. That's the last I heard anyway.

 

[JasonDVC]

Does anyone know when the pool construction is supposed to be complete?

"Main Pool closed 9/3/2014- 11/27/2014. Guests may use the pool at Fort Wilderness or the Contemporary. Transportation will be provided. Trout Pass Pool Bar closed 9/3/2014- 11/27/2014"

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/rehab.htm

I'll be staying there in October and we may simply use the quiet pool

 

[DougEMG]

two differences, all paying guests and it's just the pool at WL. Disney also looks at the Poly as higher up the ladder than WL/AKL even though they are all technically deluxe.

What's funny is that a lot of poly guest are complaining that wl guest are getting a better deal being able to go to two feature pools while they have to trek all the way over to the water park.

 

[stlrod]

The one at the Ritz Carlton where I'll be staying after cancelling my reservation. (Sorry, still burning here.)

 

[Dean]

The one at the Ritz Carlton where I'll be staying after cancelling my reservation. (Sorry, still burning here.)

Then you should cancel and stay at the Ritz. Given that this is almost certainly not going to be the last similar situation, those who are unwilling to accept such risk should reconsider their membership. This is the nature of Disney, DVC, timeshares in general and to a degree, all hotels and resorts whether one feels it should be or not. This was not a DVC move and not something DVC had control over. Given the AKV issues a few years ago along with other experiences, it's likely DVC left this up to WL management even if they were aware (they may not have been but it doesn't change things). I understand the frustration to a degree though not to this degree. Anytime you stay anywhere there's always a risk of such issues whether it's planned or not and that's especially true if you go at the lower times of the year for any resort or hotel. Anyone who buys a timeshare is specifically saying they are OK with a certain amount of compromise and loss of control whether they think of it in those terms or not. Did you ever hear back from Member Satisfaction?

 

[stlrod]

Dean, I don't want to hijack this thread as my note was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. I have already cancelled the VWL reservation (wanted to make it available to other members) and made a reservation at the Ritz. I have been working with Member Satisfaction to piece together a stay at VGF for part of the trip; however, so far, everything that has been found so far, has been found by me stalking the website. They have been very friendly and have been nice enough to hold back a couple of nights in a GV without deducting the points yet while we try to find a 2BR and studio (will likely split the stay at the Ritz followed by the 2 nights in the GV.)

I understand timeshares (I've owned Marriott as well) and that DVC is a distinct corporation from the other Disney properties (lawyer here which is what to most will probably explain my level of dissatisfaction.) None of that can excuse how poorly the Disney corporations handled this. We see accommodations being made for cash paying customers over on the Resorts board by switching resorts, resort credit, but little, if not anything, being done for DVC members who had made plans to stay at VWL before the announcement was made when availability during both MNSSHP and the F&W Festival period were more plentiful. I will credit DVC for handling the Aulani fiasco properly, you and I will probably just have to agree to disagree on whether it was acceptable for DVC to inform members halfway through the year about an event they knew about much earlier (just not exactly when is what I have been told.)

 

[Dean]

Dean, I don't want to hijack this thread as my note was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. I have already cancelled the VWL reservation (wanted to make it available to other members) and made a reservation at the Ritz. I have been working with Member Satisfaction to piece together a stay at VGF for part of the trip; however, so far, everything that has been found so far, has been found by me stalking the website. They have been very friendly and have been nice enough to hold back a couple of nights in a GV without deducting the points yet while we try to find a 2BR and studio (will likely split the stay at the Ritz followed by the 2 nights in the GV.)

I understand timeshares (I've owned Marriott as well) and that DVC is a distinct corporation from the other Disney properties (lawyer here which is what to most will probably explain my level of dissatisfaction.) None of that can excuse how poorly the Disney corporations handled this. We see accommodations being made for cash paying customers over on the Resorts board by switching resorts, resort credit, but little, if not anything, being done for DVC members who had made plans to stay at VWL before the announcement was made when availability during both MNSSHP and the F&W Festival period were more plentiful. I will credit DVC for handling the Aulani fiasco properly, you and I will probably just have to agree to disagree on whether it was acceptable for DVC to inform members halfway through the year about an event they knew about much earlier (just not exactly when is what I have been told.)

I guess that's just it, your level of dissatisfaction is far beyond the level of damages IMO. It's simply lack of availability of a pool at a single DVC resort, something that happens every year at Disney, usually more than once. While I don't disagree they could, and maybe should, have given earlier notice, I would suggest that 11 months and maybe even 7 months as an expectation is unreasonable. YMMV.