DVC Pools, Pool Hopping, Etc.

[goofy4tink]

I don't think it's all that big of an issue. Most DVCers, or at least the ones I've talked to, can't be bothered packing up and heading to a different pool for the day. Most of us are pretty happy with the pool at our resort. Just too much hassle to take our stuff over to, say the Polynesian, for a dip.
It's pretty much a non-issue for us. But, again, WDW makes the rules, they offer those of us that go quite often some perks for being such good customers.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Why would WDW allow pool -hopping for DVC?

.

Maybe the perk is to let DVC members look around for warmer pools.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Let's say for example & this is a totally hypothectical situation, some DVC guests who are staying on points at Old Key West, want to go for a swim at the Polynesian. They have a Cast Member call & are told the pool has plenty of chairs, so they won't be taking anyaway from Polynesian guests. In that time when they get ready & go from Old Key West, to the Polynesian all of the sudden the pool at the Polynesian fills up & there are no more chairs left. Could the people who stay at Old Key West complain that they came all that way & were also told before leaving that the pool was dead with no people around & demand they get swim there, as they would be allowed to do as DVC members staying on points. Or would the Polynesain not care, because they want to make sure their guests get the pool chairs as they should, despite the fuss the DVC members may put up. Also in the end would it have mattered because if they were at the pool before it got busy & started to get filled up, wouldn't they have been asked to leave to make room for the Polynesian guests?

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I would think they could enter regardless, and would not be asked to leave later in the day if the pool gets busy. The CM's working in the pool area would be the only ones that knew they were DVC members and not guests of the resort. Is this really an issue, because it seems to me that there are probably a lot more people from other CRO resorts pool hopping than DVC members.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would think they could enter regardless, and would not be asked to leave later in the day if the pool gets busy. The CM's working in the pool area would be the only ones that knew they were DVC members and not guests of the resort. Is this really an issue, because it seems to me that there are probably a lot more people from other CRO resorts pool hopping than DVC members.

Then how do you explain this quote?

Besides that, DVC members are supposed to check with the resort before hopping to see if it is too busy. They can also asked to leave if the pool becomes too busy with guests staying at that resort.

There were times when my family & I were at the pool at the Contemporary, when a Cast Member lifeguard would check our Resort ID cards to prove we were guests of the Contemporary. They would also sometimes check our Resort ID when we went to get towels. Anyway based on Sue's comment, I think DVC guests would be asked leave if the pool got filled up & there were no more chairs for guests of that particular resort. Yes I do know WDW has the rule where DVC guests can pool hop, but in my opinion I don't think the resort where the pool is full would want to disappoint their guests who choose to stay there & tell them, sorry there are some DVC guests who came from another resort & they are using the last remaining chairs, because they are allowed to pool hop.

 

[starbox]

Yes I do know WDW has the rule where DVC guests can pool hop, but in my opinion I don't think the resort where the pool is full would want to disappoint their guests who choose to stay there & tell them, sorry there are some DVC guests who came from another resort & they are using the last remaining chairs, because they are allowed to pool hop.

I don't think it is as big of an issue as you are making it out to be. The DVC resorts have the best, most elaborately themed pools on property. Honestly, very few, if any, families will be pool-hopping to the Contemporary, GF, or Polynesian pool - and why would people hop to a value-resort's pool? CSR and POR/FQ have good pools - so that is a maybe - but they are all really out of the way. Almost all pool-hopping that takes place will be within the DVC resorts. There just is not that much appeal to go elsewhere when the best pools are at home.

 

[Dean]

Let's say for example & this is a totally hypothectical situation, some DVC guests who are staying on points at Old Key West, want to go for a swim at the Polynesian. They have a Cast Member call & are told the pool has plenty of chairs, so they won't be taking anyaway from Polynesian guests. In that time when they get ready & go from Old Key West, to the Polynesian all of the sudden the pool at the Polynesian fills up & there are no more chairs left. Could the people who stay at Old Key West complain that they came all that way & were also told before leaving that the pool was dead with no people around & demand they get swim there, as they would be allowed to do as DVC members staying on points. Or would the Polynesain not care, because they want to make sure their guests get the pool chairs as they should, despite the fuss the DVC members may put up. Also in the end would it have mattered because if they were at the pool before it got busy & started to get filled up, wouldn't they have been asked to leave to make room for the Polynesian guests?

Based on the rules you could be turned away even if you called and were told OK. You can also be asked to leave if the pool gets too full, based on the rules. The bigger problem is that when you call, the front desk doesn't have a clue. They may tell you that PH is not allowed, or they may tell you it's OK when it's not or that it's full when there is plenty of capacity.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

They may tell you that PH is not allowed, or they may tell you it's OK whn it's not or that it's full when there is plenty of capacity.

Maybe all Walt Disney World Resort Hotel swimming pools should add to the list of rules, that only DVC guests are allowed to pool hop. I know it would look weird considering they say the pool is reserved for the guests staying at that particular resort, however as of right now this is a rule WDW has in place for DVC members. This way there would be no confusion, as it would be in writting at each resort.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Maybe all Walt Disney World Resort Hotel swimming pools should add to the list of rules, that only DVC guests are allowed to pool hop. I know it would look weird considering they say the pool is reserved for the guests staying at that particular resort, however as of right now this is a rule WDW has in place for DVC members. This way there would be no confusion, as it would be in writting at each resort.

Because it is not that simple. Poolhopping is only available at some pools. You cannot poolhop during holiday periods. And a DVC member must be staying on points at a DVC resort to pool hop. A DVC member who is staying elsewhere and not on points may not pool hop. A DVC member who lives locally cannot pool hop.

CRO reservations at DVC resorts do not include pool hopping. Non-members renting a reservation from a member are not entitled to pool hop.

 

[littlestar]

Grand Floridian, Poly, or especially the Contemporary pool (pretty basic plain pool - hopefully it gets improved if they ever add a DVC component to it) would be the last places I would ever want to pool hop.

The theming is so good at the DVC resort pools/slides that we don't ever pool hop. We've never pool hopped in 5 years of membership. I don't think there are that many members that hop. I think there is more of a problem with pool crashers than DVC pool hopping crowding up one particular resort.

I definitely don't think you'd have to worry about DVC members hopping much to the Contemporary - the moderates have better theming at their pools than the Contemporary does.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Because it is not that simple. Poolhopping is only available at some pools. You cannot poolhop during holiday periods. And a DVC member must be staying on points at a DVC resort to pool hop. A DVC member who is staying elsewhere and not on points may not pool hop. A DVC member who lives locally cannot pool hop.

CRO reservations at DVC resorts do not include pool hopping. Non-members renting a reservation from a member are not entitled to pool hop.

I had no idea it was more complicated then that.

 

[Sammie]

Maybe all Walt Disney World Resort Hotel swimming pools should add to the list of rules, that only DVC guests are allowed to pool hop. I know it would look weird considering they say the pool is reserved for the guests staying at that particular resort, however as of right now this is a rule WDW has in place for DVC members. This way there would be no confusion, as it would be in writting at each resort.

There is no confusion, hence no reason to add that to the list of rules. Members know the restrictions, therefore that is enough.

Members are allowed to pool hop because the pools belong to Disney and that is what they decided to do. Just as they decided to allow resort guests to participate in extra major hours.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I definitely don't think you'd have to worry about DVC members hopping to the Contemporary - the moderates have better theming at their pools than the Contemporary does.

I was never worried about DVC members wanting to pool hop to the Contemporary. Whenever my family & I go down to the pool, it's usually around 10:00 AM on days we don't go to the parks. So around then it's usually dead with just some other guests around, so it's never any problems getting 3 pool chairs for my family & I. Plus there would be a lot more guests at the parks during that time, so it's one reason why there are a lot of pool chairs.

 

[jade1]

I think its been explained very well by members on this thread. We hop occasionally but not to grab a bunch of chairs and sit there all day-more like a dip on the way to a park, or break from a park, or simply to check out another pool. I guess in a nutshell $25,000 down and $1500 a year til the day you die gets a few perks.

 

[JerJan]

Why would I want to go the the pool at the Contemporary when I can go to the one at let's say Saratoga Springs Resort?? If you posted a survey I would "guesstimate" that maybe 15% - 20% of DVC owners pool hop on a regular basis. If it bothers you so much, perhaps you might consider staying off-site and then it won't ever be a problem??

 

[Boston5602]

My family and I bought DVC this year . We have 200 points and we know we would like to add on anywhere between 50 and 100 points .

Right now we didn't want to spend the money for another 100 points , but in the meantime we come here to the DIS and find out about owning at more than 1 resort and why , and we have discussed spending a few hours pool hopping to other DVC pools at future trips so we can check out the whole resort and see where we may want to purchase in the next year or two.

This is why we are thinking of pool hopping.

 

[CarolA]

I have never pool hopped. I guess if we could do SAB then MAYBE it would be worth it. However, it just seems like a lot of work.

 

[starbox]

I have never pool hopped. I guess if we could do SAB then MAYBE it would be worth it. However, it just seems like a lot of work.

We swam at the Polynesian in the afternoon once, before ADRs to eat at O'hana. We had to pack a change of clothes. It was fun for the kids, but I was unimpressed by the pool/slide. Maybe it would be more impressive in the evening, after dark with all the torches lit - but I doubt the slide is open then. I would not do it again.

I could see potentially pool-hopping to SSR if I were taking a day off of the parks to visit DTD. I could also see using the pool-hopping at GF or CBR in conjunction with one of the kid's pirate cruises.

I can't imagine a situation where I'd want to pool-hop to the contemporary or to the wilderness lodge. Wait, I take that back. I could see planning an afternoon where we ate at WCC, then swam at WL, then took a boat to FW for the Chip and Dale campfire.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Why would I want to go the the pool at the Contemporary when I can go to the one at let's say Saratoga Springs Resort?? If you posted a survey I would "guesstimate" that maybe 15% - 20% of DVC owners pool hop on a regular basis. If it bothers you so much, perhaps you might consider staying off-site and then it won't ever be a problem??

Please tell me where I said it bothered me? I have already said on this thread that my family & I have had no problems getting chairs at the Contemporary pool, so please tell me where I said this bothers me? If DVC members don't wish to pool hop to the Contemporary, great more chairs for my family & other Contemporary guests. Also we don't plan to ever stay off site again & the only reason I posted this question is because I wanted to know why DVC members who stay on points can pool hop & why regular guests could not? Based on some of the replies, I got my answer.

 

[Gymbomom]

We have pool hopped before. Not every trip, but we stay at our DVC resot for sometimes 3 weeks. We are never tempted by looking for something to do outside WDW, but we do like to make an afternoon of going to a different resort, eating lunch and letting the kids swim for awhile. We usually drive so it really is no trouble.