What Deluxe resort has best resort pool area for kids

[Minnesota!]

We loved Kidani when the kids were young (hell, as pre-teens, as well). I personally love standing under the "water fall" in the kids area...zen moment!

 

[gulliesmom]

What about staying at another offsite hotel like Wynham Bonnet Creek? There is an entire thread dedicated to this resort and people love it. I would not stay in an onsite Disney hotel unless I needed the perks that come along with it like FP, access to parks, etc. If you are really planning on just enjoying the pools the second half, save your money and stay offsite.

 

[Dawn68PA]

I have a vote for Poly

 

[Deb & Bill]

The YC side of the pool has a nice sandy play area with easy access to the pool for the little ones. Not as exciting for the adults, but it should be easy to play with the kids on the YC side of Stormalong Bay.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

The YC side of the pool has a nice sandy play area with easy access to the pool for the little ones. Not as exciting for the adults, but it should be easy to play with the kids on the YC side of Stormalong Bay.

The sandy play area / pool was plenty exciting for us adults a few weeks ago as we sat and watched our children (admittedly older than OPs) play for hours and hours from this spot.



With great pool service too!

 

[Ensusieasm]

The water play area at the Poly. My kids were too old to play there but there are seats around it.

I wouldn’t do SAB until my kids could swim. Too big for my worrisome heart.

I agree with your thoughts on SAB. I saw a 5 year old having trouble hanging on to her tube while her mother with baby sister together in another tube floated with the current around the corner and out of sight. She was struggling and complaining to mom, but mom with baby couldn’t figure out how to stop and help, before she sailed ahead around a corner. With mom out of sight, I watched a few more seconds as the 5 year old was having trouble holding on, saying her arms were hurting. So I told the lifeguard, who hadn’t noticed the trouble brewing, that the little girl needed some help and that I did not know the child. She blew her whistle and jumped in, and helped the child. Now you have a crying child who is alone and a lifeguard who is not a babysitter. It took a few minutes, but the mom heard the whistle, managed to get out of her tube with baby, (not easy) and walk back. I was glad to see that mom then decided to leave the lazy river with her children. You really need one adult with one young child in the lazy river. You cannot manage two. Not safe for littles.

 

[monorailsilver]

I agree with your thoughts on SAB. I saw a 5 year old having trouble hanging on to her tube while her mother with baby sister together in another tube floated with the current around the corner and out of sight. She was struggling and complaining to mom, but mom with baby couldn’t figure out how to stop and help, before she sailed ahead around a corner. With mom out of sight, I watched a few more seconds as the 5 year old was having trouble holding on, saying her arms were hurting. So I told the lifeguard, who hadn’t noticed the trouble brewing, that the little girl needed some help and that I did not know the child. She blew her whistle and jumped in, and helped the child. Now you have a crying child who is alone and a lifeguard who is not a babysitter. It took a few minutes, but the mom heard the whistle, managed to get out of her tube with baby, (not easy) and walk back. I was glad to see that mom then decided to leave the lazy river with her children. You really need one adult with one young child in the lazy river. You cannot manage two. Not safe for littles.

Exactly, especially if you have multiple kids. I convinced my dh to do a split stay this past August since we only stay at the Poly and he agreed. We could of done it when we went 5 years ago since all my kids could swim then (they were 7, 9 and 12 then) but he didn't want to do a split and actually I am glad we didn't because I would still be nervous with the 7 yo (even though she dives and could go down to the deep end of pools) swimming all over SAB. Over this past summer they were 12, 14 and 17 so I was OK with letting them swim on their own, I mean I liked my freedom but one always found me...sigh...kids! But at the Poly when we went in 2013, we sat outside the pool (or in the pool) in a spot where we can pretty much see the entire pool length except for the tiny part of the zero entry part where they were playing pool games but we always had an eye on them.

Even the water park, wouldn't go until they could swim.

 

[skyblue17]

I know you said deluxe but if that's not a must, the pool area at POFQ is definitely geared toward younger kids. They have a splash pad area and the actual pool itself is pretty calm. Even the water slide is tiny and a toddler miiiiight be allowed on it with an adult/life jacket (didn't travel with toddlers, so unaware if there were height restrictions or not).

 

[vinotinto]

We took our kids to SAB when they were 2 and 4. It was tough! The slide is such a draw, but it was so much work for us. One of us accompanying kids across the public walkway and one of us waiting to catch the kid when coming off the slide. After that, we chose for a few years fun pools that were less deep and more manageable. AKL Kidani is awesome and if you stay at either Kidani or Jamb, you can use both pools. Your kids are at perfect age for AKL!