Why don't cast members know about pool hopping?

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Pool hopping has been a DVC membership perk for as long as we've been members. I'm not sure how long it existed before that. Why is it, then, that Disney cast members still don't seem to know anything about it.

Thank goodness for the portable perks they give you at check-in. We were staying in BLT last week, and did a monorail pool hop one day. If I hadn't thought to put the portable perks in our bag that morning, we wouldn't have had success. None of the front desks knew anything about it.

The next day, I was having a discussion with another member at the BLT pool about having done the pool hopping the day before, and describing some of the other pools. We were within earshot of the lifeguard stand as we were having this discussion. The lifeguard interjected a "tisk, tisk, tisk" regarding us pool hopping. He was being light-hearted about it, but I was still a little miffed that he thought we'd done something wrong.

When he was relieved from the stand, I showed him the portable perks document on pool hopping. He said he'd never heard of it, and had been trained that pool hopping is never allowed under any circumstances.

He said he'd pass the word, but it still makes me wonder why this perk is unheard of whenever we try to use it.

 

[Nancy]

Lifeguard at BLT might not be aware of it because there is no pool hopping allowed at BLT.

That may be why he said none is allowed ever because it is not allowed ever into BLT pool.

 

[spiceycat]

hey be very happy you had your portable perks with you.

others have been told to leave.

don't know why the CM are not being told. Disney has a training problems.

the next time at BLT bring it up with the manager - at least he would know who needs to be told in the training area.

 

[Donut23]

Pool hopping has been a DVC membership perk for as long as we've been members. I'm not sure how long it existed before that. Why is it, then, that Disney cast members still don't seem to know anything about it.

Thank goodness for the portable perks they give you at check-in. We were staying in BLT last week, and did a monorail pool hop one day. If I hadn't thought to put the portable perks in our bag that morning, we wouldn't have had success. None of the front desks knew anything about it.

The next day, I was having a discussion with another member at the BLT pool about having done the pool hopping the day before, and describing some of the other pools. We were within earshot of the lifeguard stand as we were having this discussion. The lifeguard interjected a "tisk, tisk, tisk" regarding us pool hopping. He was being light-hearted about it, but I was still a little miffed that he thought we'd done something wrong.

When he was relieved from the stand, I showed him the portable perks document on pool hopping. He said he'd never heard of it, and had been trained that pool hopping is never allowed under any circumstances.

He said he'd pass the word, but it still makes me wonder why this perk is unheard of whenever we try to use it.

The reason CM's do not know the answers is..because they probably have never been told. Training has been reduced and Management cannot keep up with it.

Sad...but the answer is easy...they did not receive the training. You cannot expect them to know on their own.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Lifeguard at BLT might not be aware of it because there is no pool hopping allowed at BLT.

That may be why he said none is allowed ever because it is not allowed ever into BLT pool.

I thought the same thing. But in another discussion with a lifeguard at BLT, I found out they have a rotation between Contemporary, BLT, Fort Wilderness, and Wilderness Lodge. Even though BLT pool is excluded from hopping, the other pools on their rotation are not.

 

[YourEveryDayAdam]

It's probably just something they don't know about because it probably never happens very often.

I've thought about doing it once in a while, but i've never found the time to travel to another resort just to use it's pool. The only time I can see it being semi-convenient is if you're staying at BLT and you go to one of the other monorail resorts for their pool. Otherwise, for a quick dip, the pool that's within walking distance is just as good. I really doubt most members make use of the perk.

On top of that, if someone just comes up and starts to use the pool like they own the place, then unless there is a reasonable suspicion that a pool-hopper doesn't belong, then I doubt that anyone even bothers to check or ask... (unless you're going to SAB).

It's probably just something that rarely comes up.

 

[MarvelousMadamMimm]

I'd also suspect they don't spend much time on the mechanics of the things. (Which isn't near as important as the whole "life-saving" aspect, after all).

We came out to Saratoga Springs on the bus for a DVC tour (after the van failed to pick us up for our appt). It was raining, we were trying to figure out where the front desk was - rather lost in that large complex, and asked the lifeguards hanging around the pool where the Carriage House was.

... and they had no idea.

It was, as it turned out, directly behind them. Not sure if they just had no reason to know where the facilities of the resort were located or were simply unaware of what it was called. But, Oh My.

 

[Brian Noble]

M3 has a point. There are approximately 87 million things they *could* know. DVC pool hopping is probably a rare enough event that even if they were told about it once six months ago, it's easy to forget by the time you ask them about it---especially given the "generic" pool hopping policy forbidding it for everyone else.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but I wish they would do away with ALL POOL HOPPING!!! Swim where you stay, or go to the waterparks. One of my biggest pet peeves at VWL is vacationers at FW coming over and sneaking in to the pools at VWL. And I know they aren't supposed to do that, but nobody checks. If everyone just stayed where they were staying, pools wouldn't get over packed in the heat of the day, and don't get me into chair saving!! You always see that family of six taking six chaises front row and then never using all but two chairs because the kids are having a ball in the pool!

 

[dairyqueenmom]

We love pool hopping, hit 5 different pools during our vacation last week. It was a major component of our August trips. We take a break at the nearest pool and have lunch and a drink there. We have never been asked to leave, but I always have my DVC member card with me. Also we never pool hop to the pools that don't allow it.

 

[dzorn]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but I wish they would do away with ALL POOL HOPPING!!! Swim where you stay, or go to the waterparks. One of my biggest pet peeves at VWL is vacationers at FW coming over and sneaking in to the pools at VWL. And I know they aren't supposed to do that, but nobody checks. If everyone just stayed where they were staying, pools wouldn't get over packed in the heat of the day, and don't get me into chair saving!! You always see that family of six taking six chaises front row and then never using all but two chairs because the kids are having a ball in the pool!

Those people are already breaking the rules a change to no pool hopping for everyone would not change those that are going to break the rule anyway.

Denise in MI

 

[FCCA]

I'm curious as to what's the attraction to pool hopping? Is it because other resorts have larger pools or slides? I would think it would be much more convenient to swim in your own pool.

 

[Swayhoover90]

I'm curious as to what's the attraction to pool hopping? Is it because other resorts have larger pools or slides? I would think it would be much more convenient to swim in your own pool.

For us the attraction is the theme of the pool and the fact that you can enjoy the other resort for a few hour . Disney does such a wonderful job with the themes of the pools. It is more convenient to use the pool at your resort but if we are staying at BLT it is not a great hassle to head over and enjoy being at the Poly or GF for the day.

 

[Sammie]

No appeal to me and considering how crowded some pools such as the Polynesian gets it would not hurt my feelings at all if they did away with it.

I don't think it is is fair anyway. Members staying at BCV can hop anywhere except AK and yet no one can go to SAB.

I think with more and more members, it is a time to phase it out.

 

[Swayhoover90]

Don't get me wrong, it wouldn't ruin my vacation if it were phased out but our family does enjoy it. I don't think that this perk is widely used and when it is, my guess is that those using it are not concentrated at any one pool enough to actually lead to overcrowding at anwy one pool. This ould not be the case if SAB were open to pool hopping because everyone would go there and it would be even more packed than it already is.

 

[BeesKnees]

I don't think they would ever do away with it because it serves a purpose. It gets you further away from your room. If you are further away from your the likelihood of you spending money on food and drinks increases.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

Thanks for posting this as I always wondered if people ever had an issue while doing allowed pool hopping. I don't expect to do it while we are staying at BWV, but on our next trip to VWL a hop over to the Poly for a dole whip and a swim will probably be a possibility.

 

[nolanboys]

We are new members and are excited about pool hopping. Going to 1 or 2 different pools would placate our kids and then we wouldn't have to pay for the water parks. Going to a park and then relaxing with lunch at a pool for a couple of hours would be heaven! We would love to do the water parks, but when we can only go for a week at a time, you hate to give up multiple park days for the water parks. And if I'm going to spend the $ on the water parks, we're going to use them for the day. We are planning on going the last week in March and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it won't be blocked out since Easter is later this year. I wish the member site would start listing the block out dates dates for 2011.

 

[ttepsich]

No appeal to me and considering how crowded some pools such as the Polynesian gets it would not hurt my feelings at all if they did away with it.

I don't think it is is fair anyway. Members staying at BCV can hop anywhere except AK and yet no one can go to SAB.

I think with more and more members, it is a time to phase it out.

We did a split stay in June BWV/BCV. Weather was REALLY hot when were at BWV and the quiet pool wasn't even refreshing. We longed to go over to SAB but knew there was no pool hopping. This was the first time we didn't stay at BCV our whole trip so this was driving us crazy. We also had someone with us that was in Disney for the first time and he really couldnt wait till we moved over to BCV to try the pool.Our last night staying at BWV we ate at the Yachtsmans over on the BC/YC side. Noticed that the life guards weren't giving out wrist bands for SAB. I asked him about it and he said they didn't give them out after 5pm So I guess we could have done a little evening pool hoppingWhen we moved over to BCV we had extended periods of time each day when SAB was closed due to storms in the area.but we were still able to enjoy the pool

 

[icouldlivethere]

Other than SAB does anyone ever even check to see if you are pool hopping or staying there? Last time we were at the BWV pool the lady on the lounge chair next to ours got a cell phone call and when she picked it up she told the person on the other end, oh we're at the BW using the pool. She proceeded to tell the person she was talking to that whenever her and her husband go to Epcot they always bring their kids swimsuits along in a backpack and then they sneak out through the International Gateway in the afternoon and let their kids swim in the pool while her and her husband rest on the lounge chairs. She said that way the parents get a break while the kids swim.