What would you have done? Saving pool chairs dilemma.......

[floridafam]

I don't think they can have designated smoking areas by the pool.

We recently stayed at the Sheraton Sand Key and had a terrible time trying to get away from smoke at the pool, snack bar, our balcony, etc.

Finally I said something to the manager and he said that you can smoke anywhere outside and he can't force smokers to all sit in one area. But there isn't any law that says they(meaning hotel pools in Florida) can't have designated non-smoking areas. I would like to see this at the pools in Florida.

I would be happy with the card/towel system and designated non-smoking areas.

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by Dancind
I really thought there was a designated smoking area at SAB. I liked sitting there because it was usually shady, but I stopped because of the smoking area signs. Are the signs gone now, or do they just choose not to enforce it? Diana

 

[YesDear]

I have read this thread with great interest. Let me first say that I agree it is rude to try to scope out chairs etc. hours in advance. I believe the people who came back to the table and wanted their place were completely out of line.

My DS is currently a lifeguard at SAB which is where I believe the OP is talking about. DS says they have no chair policy and that it is first come first served. They, the cms will remove towels that are on chairs etc. if there are no personal items with them. There is no schedule when they will do that, just as they see it.

He indicated he thought guest s are capable of taking care of their own chairs and he would hate to become the chair police! Someone mentioned different colored towels and he laughed. He said they have enough problems keeping up with the white ones no less different colored ones! He thinks his first responsibility is to keep people safe!

He also thought the older people were rude in their approach, but he added that he sees far worse everyday! He is fairly amazed at how some adults will act. But that is another conversation.

 

[GraceDVC]

I am the originator of a thread about the chair-saving dilemma posted here over a year ago, and I must admit that it is still a sore point with me.

My original thread was prompted by a visit to the BWV where a "gentleman" removed two towels from two of his eight reserved chairs for my husband and me after we had circled the pool three times in the 94 degree heat -- and after seeing our DVC bag. The other six loungers remained unused the entire time we were there.

Well, my husband and I did see an improvement when pool-hopping to BWV a year later -- the CMs were routinely removing folded towels from chairs and loungers. Last year, at OKW, our only complaint was with people leaving wet, used towels on the chairs when leaving the pool area. I must admit that I pointed out numerous "unused soil-toweled" chairs to newcomers at the pool; it became almost an obsession with me and, when we left the pool area, I scooped up a bunch of towels using my own used towels and put them all in the bin!

So...
First, I think the CMs should indeed take notice and remove unused folded towels from chairs/tables.
Second, they should routinely remove used towels that remain after people leave.
Third, I think only one or two fresh towels should be available to each guest who comes "in person" (not 8 towels to one guest who says it's for his/her family/friends, or setting out an unattended pile of fresh towels with no supervision).

If we all take notice and help one another, it will become a way of life at our DVC pools to not think only of oneself. Enough said!

 

[JohnNJ]

Originally posted by Sammie
My policy is possession of the space must be reserved with a human body. ... Maybe they need a rent a chair policy like the beach resorts do.

You say that the chairs shouldn't be used to hold your belongings? Where do you propose a family of five put their stuff while they're in the pool? Just dump it on the ground in some out of the way corner?

If you use a little common sense and common courtesy you should be fine. BTW, I would gladly pay a chair rental fee to avoid the nonsense being discussed in this thread.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

My policy is possession of the space must be reserved with a human body.

So if I get too hot sitting in the chair and jump in the pool for 10-15 minutes to cool off I forfeit my chair? The same if I need to use the restroom or get something from the snack bar? I don't think so!

Our family doesn't use any pool chairs unless we are going to be at the pool. We arrive at the pool with our stuff, we get 2 chairs and then we swim, lay out, read, or whatever else around the pool. When we are done, we pick up all of our things and leave - regardless of whether we are planning to come back later. I never leave only a white pool towel on a chair. Our shoes, shorts, coverup, pool bag, etc are right there too. I shouldn't have to leave my bag and clothes sitting in puddles of water on the ground because some think we shouldn't look for a chair until after we get out of the water. Not sure if anyone else has noticed how nasty pool decks can get, but I would rather not leave my stuff laying on the ground. Some of the resorts its dirt and sand. I should be able to put my belongings on a chair while using the pool or perhaps lockers should be installed at all the resorts for this purpose. I guess we could take up the lockers reserved for those using the gym instead.

 

[TDC Nala]

you know, I always thought this debate was about people who were saving the chairs while they were actually using the pool...

but y'all are saying that there are folks who think they're entitled to wander down to Stormalong Bay in the early morning hours, place single pool towels on chairs, and save the chairs for themselves while they go off and eat breakfast, wander around Epcot, and ride freakin' Test Track, and then expect to come back to the resort, change into suits, go down to the pool and have the towel-occupied chairs waiting for them? That's just rotten.

Chair savers, if you're out there, there are a lot of other folks staying at the resort, not just you.

 

[trishy]

And finally, I have to confess. The couple was in the pool when we left and my sis and we did leave them a little party favor on the table in the form of a used swim diaper. Nothing gross, but just a token for them to remember us by. Please dont crucify me for that one....., please....

Very pleased to hear this.

How unfortunate to have had to succumb to these jerks' idiotic behavior. I do feel the cm's need to police the area (Yep, it's work, but it's better to get involved prior to when the shooting and stabbing starts). There is absolutely no excuse for people saving chairs with their "stuff" and then leaving the pool area. I also have a grievance with regard to families taking up entire sections of the pool area (we've seen this every single time we've been to a DVC resort) We are a family of 5 and never use more than 3 chairs - our kids love to swim, usually with at least one of us - we don't require a total of 5 chairs at any one time and we find other families are the same; however, most use up the entire number of chairs per body(usually just turns out to be used for clothes). I agree 100% with the poster who said Towels should not have the right to hold a chair - only a person physically there should (including in the pool at the time). Las Vegas hotels are very strict in making sure towels are not "saving" chairs (and I'm positive they would've intervened with rude jerks like the geezers you ran into). There's no reason the CM's at WDW can't do the same. Come on; common courtesy folks.

This is to cheer up Michelle,

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by JohnNJ
You say that the chairs shouldn't be used to hold your belongings? Where do you propose a family of five put their stuff while they're in the pool? Just dump it on the ground in some out of the way corner?

If you use a little common sense and common courtesy you should be fine. BTW, I would gladly pay a chair rental fee to avoid the nonsense being discussed in this thread.

I don't propose anything. I stated my opinion of the situation. Did not say your opinion was wrong.

This is what our family of 6 does. When we arrive at the pool if anyone is going to sun right then they get a lounge chair. If not we put all our things on a single chair not lounge. There are always single chairs available that are not lounge and not at tables. When we get finished swimming we get a lounge chair.

Works fine for us.

 

[Sammie]

Quote:
So if I get too hot sitting in the chair and jump in the pool for 10-15 minutes to cool off I forfeit my chair? The same if I need to use the restroom or get something from the snack bar? I don't think so!

You had your body in the chair, so your point is?

 

[TIdoublegaER]

My point is previously you stated that you have to actually be possessing the chair with your body. If your body is not in the chair, you don't have any rights to it. (This was my understanding of what you previously stated) Now you are saying as long as I sat in the chair at some point and leave my stuff that is fine. And that if I want to leave my stuff on a chair that is ok. I don't see the difference between a lounge and a chair. I guess I don't understand what your point was?

LOL Trishy!

 

[Corinne]

Hi Michelle:

We just returned Saturday frm the BCV and found the same thing. This issue really does need to be addressed. Whenever we went to Stormalong, there were "taken" lounge chairs & tables everywhere, however, few actually were occuipied by people--most of them remained that way the entire time we were there. It is completely obnoxious! I am glad you did what you did, and those people sounded like jerks!

Corinne

 

[erikthewise]

I have not read the entire thread.
Pool chairs are intended for guests who are currently using the pool.
If there are fewer people in the pool area than the number of chairs, you have every right to use chairs for your belongings. If you actually want to sit in a chair, you have every right to use a chair that does not already have a person in it.
If there is a towel on every chair, move a towel.
If there is a flipflop on every chair, move a flipflop.
If there is a cooler and a complete room-service dinner on every chair, set them down on the ground, and set yourself in the chair.

 

[JohnNJ]

Originally posted by erikthewise
If there is a cooler and a complete room-service dinner on every chair, set them down on the ground, and set yourself in the chair.

I can't believe you actually said that. That's just plain rude.

It's comments like this that are starting to make me rethink my pending contract.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Originally posted by TIdoublegaER
My point is previously you stated that you have to actually be possessing the chair with your body. If your body is not in the chair, you don't have any rights to it. (This was my understanding of what you previously stated) Now you are saying as long as I sat in the chair at some point and leave my stuff that is fine. And that if I want to leave my stuff on a chair that is ok. I don't see the difference between a lounge and a chair. I guess I don't understand what your point was?

LOL Trishy!

I think her point is, if you are in the pool area, you have no problem with stuff being on your chair while you are swimming. It is the people who come down at 7AM, put towels on chairs, and then go off to the parks or go back to their room and come down hours later when the pool is peaked, expecting to have a chair. The "ghost" towels is what this debate is about.

I think an easy solution would be for Disney not to allow anyone on the pool deck before the posted hours of the pool. If the pool does not open until 8AM..then at 7:55Am, a CM should make a sweep around and pick up any items left on chairs, and yes, in this case I mean personal items.

As for my opinion on actual items being on the chairs, and not human bodies, well, yes, I say they do not belong there. I know there are many people who go to the pool JUST TO SWIM. They do not lounge on the chair. For people like that to use a chair for their beach bag, towels, ect that is just plain rude for the person looking to lounge in the sun. Yes, I think those items belong on the ground. A little corner somewhere. JMHO

 

[JohnNJ]

Originally posted by Disney1fan2002
For people like that to use a chair for their beach bag, towels, ect that is just plain rude for the person looking to lounge in the sun. Yes, I think those items belong on the ground. A little corner somewhere. JMHO

Marie:

I'm a pretty easy going guy at Disney World but I'd have to say that many of my neighbors in the New York/New Jersey area are not. If you were unlucky enough to choose their personal items to move, you might find yourself stuffed in to a little corner somewhere. Why would you want to go a ruin a perfectly good Disney day over something as silly as a chair?

 

[childsplay]

Originally posted by YesDear

"My DS is currently a lifeguard at SAB... DS says they have no chair policy and that it is first come first served."

It seems we have located the source of the problem.

Without a policy of some sort, enforcement will be arbitrary and sporadic at best.
I would much prefer controlled and consistant.

I seems that the problem begins before the pool opens, so without taking away time from lifegaurding duties, one CM could patrol the pool area and politely explain and you can't save chairs for use later in the day. I would suspect that this simple action would eliminate a large portion of the problem.

 

[mtdewhead]

I was at Stormalong all last week and found the same problem. We asked the people in the adjoining chairs if anyone was using them, and then waited a minute , (hovering over someone's chair usually makes them surface if they are actually nearby), if there were no personal items, no sign of anyone, we just moved the towels. No one ever came up and said "hey you, these were my seats". But, most times, we were able to find a lounge or two, and twice a table near the baby pool without moving anyone's towel.

A note to those that are actually using the pool and don't want their seat taken: we took our own beach towels, only took two chairs for the parents (kids never get out of the pool unless to play in the sand). We had a beach tote and small cooler that we put next to the chairs. Also, even if we went down the slide, which can take a while to get back, we would come back to our chairs after 20 minutes or so. I think having something other than "the dreaded white pool towel" helped that no one took our seats. We never saved chairs and left the pool area.

We had a great time! Stormalong has spoiled us for all the other resort pools...it was great!

 

[Scoootch]

I think no matter how many replys to this post come about, it all comes down to common courtesy and common sense

I completely agree with what the OP'r did and how she went about things BTW.

The pool chair saving is an issue at many of the WDW resort pools and an even bigger problem at SAB than most of the pools it seems. Should people be saving chairs hours in advance of even being at the pool area? IMO, ABSOLUTELY NOT!! Should people be saving chairs with just a resort towel and nothing else to indicate that the chair is in use and hasn't been left behind by someone too lazy to drop it back off in the towel return?Again, a big NO!! But should you be able to put your personnal belongings on a lounge chair to use while you are in the pool and/or pool area ?? Common sense would say YES, but don't be hogging chairs for hours on end that you aren't using or most likely won't need to use (ie. 6 chairs for 2 or 3 people actually at the pool awaiting on others or only 2 or 3 people using them at a time even though you have 6 in your party actually present). And when you leave, put your used towels in the towel return - it's on your way out of the pool area for goodness sake. How else will people know the chair ACTUALLY is NO LONGER IN USE??

If people would just use a little of that Common Sense and Common Courtesy, we wouldn't need to come up with all these new suggestions on how to police the pool. I personnally find it very sad that so many people seem to just have no manners or reguard for anyone else

 

[twinmomplus2]

I would have done the same thing you had done and stood my ground. However I am a bit surprised they stuck themselves in your craw with all those little ones. Geez I guess maybe 18 month old twin girls are easier than 18 month old twin boys. I am afraid Mine would have given them pause. However as to the morning sickness thing.....The second they had litten up I would have lost that am's breakfast. As for leaving the diaper, I would not have done that. why seek to that level? I would have told them we had a interesting day with them that they provided the children with examples of how not to treat others. and we hope they had a lovely trip. Sling the remark with a golden glove at the end, Sometimes being nice to an ***hole is better, as they just don't know how to process that. Thier look of befuddlement is worth the effort.