WL - pool crashing problem

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by ducklite
The more I think about it, the better the idea of issuing the wristbands at the front desk at check-in makes such sense as far as time management for CM's and less hassle for guests.

Sounds good - I have seen soft plastic/rubber ones that you can snap on & off. Issue them at check in for each member of your party & they could be used for pool usage & also EE.

This would also alleviate the issue of guests having more people than their should be per room. (ie. 5 people in a room that accommodates 4) I would think this would be very beneficial to Disney in the long run.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

I was thinking of using our room keys to get the wristbands. The thoughts in my head just didn't make it out! There is no reason we couldn't check at the front desk or with a CM at the pool to get a band. Or if the bands are colored coded by resort, the CM would know what the color of the other DVC resorts are. I have to agree that gating off the pool area or using a code isn't really the best solution. Until Disney sees this a problem at other resorts besides YC/BC, I don't think anything will be done about it.

 

[ducklite]

The problem with issuing "red" to say VWL guests, is that not all are "members". People staying cash at DVC properties don't get pool hopping privileges. Also, members can stay on points at other non-DVC properties as well. So there has to be a way of delineating DVC members from non-members, and doing it once at the beginning of the trip-- like a dual wristband system, say one is colored and the second b&w striped or something.

The reason I like the idea of doing it once at the beginning of the trip rather than getting one anytime you present your room card is simple--it keeps people from having 15 people in a studio, or inviting their extended family from the area to swim with them by just repeatedly presenting the key and asking for a wristband. One wristband per registered guest, issued at check-in. Keeps it simple. If the wristband is lost the guest is charged a $5 for a replacement. If it comes off or is damaged but is presented at the desk, a new replacement is issued for free.

Anne

 

[primax]

I am not a pool hopper, I did not know this actually goes on at DResorts.

Come on everyone, you are debating about pools! Can someone tell me why they spend premium dollar to visit Disney and then worry about the pools? I am lucky if I get a chance to touch a pools water, there are so many things to do in Disney that the least of my worries is going swimming. I can sit by a pool and swim at home(I don't have a pool in my backyard).

A pool is a big puddle of water, they are all over the US. Enjoy Disney. Go in a pool at Blizzard Beach, etc ... Some of the pools in the resorts have awesome visual design, but it is still a pool with water. If the water talked to me that would be cool but it doesn't, Disney has figured this one out yet. So I will continue to admire the design of pools but I doubt I want to waste time swimming in water.


...gotta run .... here comes 626

 

[patsal]

I found this to be a huge problem in July last year.In addition to the people from the MK there were many families who would get off the bus with their beach bags for the day from the campground. They would stay all day and then "head back to the campground to cook dinner". I wish they would at least do random carding to give these people a little wake up call!

When people talk about it on the bus and then you see them when you head out to the pool in the late afternoon, and then they say they have to head back to make dinner I guess that is what they are doing. As far as caring, I guess it is only becasue some people pay a premiun to stay deluxe and it really isn't right to use amenities you have not paid for. Extra people=extra towels and staff=higher cost to the people staying deluxe. Doesn't seem fair for them to absorb the cost of freeloaders.

 

[ducklite]

Primax-

We take 3-4 trips a year to WDW. We consider it a resort that has theme parks, not theme parks with hotels. I know a lot of others feel the same way.

We don't spend every hour at parks, in fact in a nine day trip we'll probably have three, maybe even four days that we never enter a theme park. On those days we enjoy the amenities provided at our resort, including swimming at the pool.

When the pool gets overcrowded , it affects your enjoyment of the facilities. The major reason for overcrowding is "crashing" by people who aren't guests of taht resort. That is why it's such a big deal. When you're spending thousands of dollars to enjoy a certain resort, you don't want your enjoyment taken away by people who are not guests of that resort.

Anne

 

[wtg2000]

What about signs that pools are for resort guests only, or even a notice at the MK boat dock to the resorts to the same effect. It's possible that some people don't even realize it. They think that WDW is WDW and they can go wherever they like.

 

[primax]

Originally posted by ducklite
Primax-

We take 3-4 trips a year to WDW. We consider it a resort that has theme parks, not theme parks with hotels. I know a lot of others feel the same way..............................................................
Anne

Thanks for the response Anne. I just don't understand. When I read your post and you talked about how much you spend, it makes me cringe. I just do not understand how people spend money to do things they can do at home. I am a person who counts all his pennies and dimes, who over analyzes everything, and must recieve a return on money that I feel is equal or better than my upfront cost. Maybe I take pools for granted considering I was a Diver and lived in a pool the majority of my life.


I can hear his voice approaching, so I must now run from 626.

 

[peachgirl]

In addition to the people from the MK there were many families who would get off the bus with their beach bags for the day from the campground. They would stay all day and then "head back to the campground to cook dinner".

I've said this before, but I just don't get this. How do you know "they" got off the bus or that "they" came from the campgrounds or that "they" headed back to cook dinner?
If you're at the pool, you can't see the busses or even the boats for that matter. Perhaps you might overhear someone say something that would lead you to believe they aren't staying at that resort, but an anecdotal incident doesn't translate into a horrific problem of overcrowded pools due to pool hoppers.

In none of our trips to WDW have I ever noticed someone at our pool area that was obviously a pool hopper. Then again, I don't pay any attention to what other people do. It goes without saying that one shouldn't pool hop without permission. However, I think it's a huge overstatement to say it's the main reason for overcrowded pools and it's impossible for any of us to know that. There would have to be an awful lot of pool hoppers at a pool at one time in order for it to make a significant difference. The pools are crowded because there are thousands of people staying at the resorts and naturally the pools are crowded during certain times. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I just don't think it's really a big problem.

Honestly, I think this has a whole lot more to do with people not liking the idea that someone may have gotten something they didn't pay for than the fact that the pools are just over run with pool hoppers. I just don't worry about that sort of thing.

If it were truly the huge problem that this thread would make it seem to be, WDW would do something to curtail it. It's too simple to fix, unless of course it's such a minor problem that it just isn't worth messing with. For now, it would seem that WDW thinks the cure is worse than the illness and I agree.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by wtg2000
What about signs that pools are for resort guests only, or even a notice at the MK boat dock to the resorts to the same effect. It's possible that some people don't even realize it. They think that WDW is WDW and they can go wherever they like.

There are signs at most if not all of the pools, people either don't read them or don't care.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by primax
Thanks for the response Anne. I just don't understand. When I read your post and you talked about how much you spend, it makes me cringe. I just do not understand how people spend money to do things they can do at home. I am a person who counts all his pennies and dimes, who over analyzes everything, and must recieve a return on money that I feel is equal or better than my upfront cost. Maybe I take pools for granted considering I was a Diver and lived in a pool the majority of my life.


I can hear his voice approaching, so I must now run from 626.

I can't lay in the warm sunshine at a pool in November at home. I live in NJ. It's a bit cold for that. I don't like the Jersey shore. I do'nt like to swim in most indoor pools. And the way that I like to vacation or spend my money is frankly no business of yours, as long as it isn't impacting you directly in a negative way.

Anne

 

[wtg2000]

However, I think it's a huge overstatement to say it's the main reason for overcrowded pools and it's impossible for any of us to know that.

This came to me from a CM and a security guard who were checking IDs one afternoon last week around the WL pool. She said it is a problem, especially at WL. The pool there is not very big in the first place and can't handle the extra traffic. Again, she said it's the worst pool on property for this, and they did catch people that day.

By contrast, the AKL pool is huge and has many more deck chairs.

You could be right, the large groups of people we saw coming from the boat with backpacks and heading into the poolside washrooms could just be people who have already checked out. There were a couple large groups of young adults. Funny, I never saw them anywhere else around the resort.

It took Disney years to figure out how to beat ticket re-selling, and only through technology did they get some handle on that (tickets that don't show the number of days left). Maybe it will be the same thing with pools.

Did you know that resort IDs, even though they all look the same, have numbers indicating which resort you are staying at? I didn't know this.

 

[wtg2000]

Maybe I take pools for granted considering I was a Diver and lived in a pool the majority of my life.

Was that a one-bedroom or a two-bedroom pool? Sorry, I couldn't pass that up.

For me, there's no place where I live to swim in pools like that, except for the local aquatic centre which is usually filled with lessons and competitions. For a northener like me, to be floating in a warm pool surrounded by leafy trees and warm breezes in the middle of winter is money well spent.

 

[lizzie64]

Originally posted by wtg2000
Was that a one-bedroom or a two-bedroom pool? Sorry, I couldn't pass that up.

For me, there's no place where I live to swim in pools like that, except for the local aquatic centre which is usually filled with lessons and competitions. For a northener like me, to be floating in a warm pool surrounded by leafy trees and warm breezes in the middle of winter is money well spent.

Amen to that wtg200!!!

Another cold New Jerseyan here.

 

[ducklite]

Peachgirl-

Actually it is and has long been a problem. Why doesn't WDW fix it? Because they are so terribly worried about offending or inconveniencing people. The problem is that the people most inconvenienced and offended by some of the policies are those who are so because of Disney's lack of action. They did finally fix it at SAB, after years and years of complaints. Perhaps that's what it will take, a continuous letter writing campaign by upset guests of the various resorts with "attractively located" pools.

I'll bet that guests of a resort with a habitually overcrowded pool are more upset and likely to not stay at that resort again than pool hopppers who are asked to leave or not allowed in to begin with...

They cut off their nose to spite their face. The problem is that they don't have the foresight to realize that eventually they'll have no nose left. It's not just with the pools, it's an overwhelming and pervasive systematic problem with the company who is so worried about upsetting any guest for any reason. They have become unable to look at the big picture.

Anne

 

[primax]

Originally posted by ducklite
And the way that I like to vacation or my money is frankly no business of yours, as long as it isn't impacting you directly in a negative way.

Anne

I started my last post with a friendly thank you for the response Anne. I was looking for an opinion like yours to help me understand the reasoning.

I am from NJ also, I do not like the Jersey Shore either, you don't like indoor pools - fine.

If you don't want me to talk about money than don't post a message with your hole arguement that you spends thousands of dollars! You just pulled out your Jersey attitude against another New Jersey resident - so expect attitude in return.

 

[primax]

Originally posted by wtg2000
Was that a one-bedroom or a two-bedroom pool? Sorry, I couldn't pass that up.

HAHA!!!! It was a one bedroom studio! LOL

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by primax
I started my last post with a friendly thank you for the response Anne. I was looking for an opinion like yours to help me understand the reasoning.

I am from NJ also, I do not like the Jersey Shore either, you don't like indoor pools - fine.

If you don't want me to talk about money than don't post a message with your hole arguement that you spends thousands of dollars! You just pulled out your Jersey attitude against another New Jersey resident - so expect attitude in return.

And I gave you valid reasons, but I certainly don't need you or anyone else questioning or criticizing the way I spend my money. you want to over analyze, over analyze your own finances and vaction styles, but leave mine out of it. It's absolutely none of your business.

Anne

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by primax
Thanks for the response Anne. I just don't understand. When I read your post and you talked about how much you spend, it makes me cringe. I just do not understand how people spend money to do things they can do at home. I am a person who counts all his pennies and dimes, who over analyzes everything, and must recieve a return on money that I feel is equal or better than my upfront cost. Maybe I take pools for granted considering I was a Diver and lived in a pool the majority of my life.


I can hear his voice approaching, so I must now run from 626.

I do have a pool at home but still feel WDW resort pools are different. I don't have a giant slide or a spewing volcano coming out of my pool nor the view of the MK. I also lack a great pool bar that makes the most delicious Lava Flows! We also spend thousands each trip and have been going 3 times a year and the we receive the value of all of it. It is worth every penny to us. It is a vacation like no other. I can't do any of this at home. At my house I can sit by our pool and birdwatch or admire my handiwork in the gardens. Of course that is between cleaning, cooking, shopping, and so on. At WDW I can just relax at the pool drinking my Lava Flows.

 

[Tea Please]

Originally posted by peachgirl
In none of our trips to WDW have I ever noticed someone at our pool area that was obviously a pool hopper. Then again, I don't pay any attention to what other people do.

I totally agree peachgirl. For the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would spend so much time worrying and discussing pool hopping. People are even going as far to help Disney implement a pool hopping deterrent. Even down to the color and price it would cost. How funny is that! Get a life!!!

We have been going to WDW at least 2 times a year since 1992, and have never noticed a "POOL HOPPER". Perhaps it is because I just don't care, but I think it is more because I am having too much fun to worry what someone else is doing.