Pool Hopping and Gated Pools

[waymickey]

I recently heard that some pools at Disney now have gates that require your room key to gain access to discourage pool hopping. While I never pool hopped ,I was tempted once or twice. this got me thinking what pools are gated? I would think it would take away from the theming. The only one I could think of would be The Contemporary.
Does anyone know which pools have gates or is this just a rumor?

I have never been asked for my room key at any resort. We do often go to visit other resorts, eat and walk around and have not seen any gates around pools.

[buzznwoodysmom]

The pool at Beach Club and Yacht Club is gated. When we stayed there we had to show our room key upon entering. You get a bracelet when you show the room key and must have the bracelet to enter the slide area and get into the pool area.

The pool at CBR is also gated. There isn't a "pool guard" on standby at CBR like at BC/YC, but there is a gate.

While the Poly pool isn't gated I have heard reports of having to show a room key to get a bracelet much like at BC/YC. I didn't experience that during my stay, but I've read a few accounts of it recently.

At the end of the day I think guests should just do what's right and follow the rules that are set. If a certain pool is really that important to a guest they should save up and pay to stay at that resort.

[paymerich]

We stayed at Poly in Aug 2011 and they came around checking room keys and handing out bracelets 2 different days during our 6 day stay .

[Basket Mommy]

The pool at Bay Lake Tower is gated. You have to use your card like a room key to open the gate.

[DizneyRox]

Kidani Village pool is gated, however last time I was there, they had removed the key swipe. It was there when it first opened.

[madhatterrules]

you are not suppossed to pool hop, if you want to use a certain pool you need to be a guest at that resort. If I am paying more to stay somewhere than I expect that that resort's guests will be the only ones at the pool. Hopefully people will follow the rules so others aren't hassled at their own resort's pool.

[disneynarula]

I don't think there was one at SSR. It seems like it would be a huge hassle to implement. I can see why they might have to do it at resorts that were easily accessible to the general public. It would be fairly easy for someone staying off property to walk to the Beach Club or Boardwalk and hop in the pool.

I think WDW does a pretty good job with the pools at all the resorts, even the values. I can't imagine wanting to deal with the hassle.

[mom2morgan]

first time i saw a gated pool was at disneyLAND last summer. i was briefly annoyed at the inconvenience since i didnt have my room key with me and had to trek all the way back to get it, then realized that all the "off site "hotels are very close, and largely have ****** pools. i can just imagine the crowds that could develop! same principle, but at least at WDW all the resorts have pretty nice pools. i think the only ones tempted would be those who are visiting friends staying in a different resort. As much as ive heard that bc has a great pool, i cant imagine anyone going all the way across property to try to sneak into it!

[brownie]

you are not suppossed to pool hop, if you want to use a certain pool you need to be a guest at that resort. If I am paying more to stay somewhere than I expect that that resort's guests will be the only ones at the pool. Hopefully people will follow the rules so others aren't hassled at their own resort's pool.

You're allowed to use the pools at sister resorts, so guests at the All-Star resorts can use any of the All-Star pools and guests at Port Orleans can use the pools at either of the Port Orleans resorts.

DVC members staying at a DVC resort can pool hop to any of the resort pools with the exception of Stormalong Bay and the Animal Kingdom Lodge pool, unless they are staying at those particular resorts (there may be some other exceptions to this.)

[ThanxForNoticin]

You're allowed to use the pools at sister resorts, so guests at the All-Star resorts can use any of the All-Star pools and guests at Port Orleans can use the pools at either of the Port Orleans resorts.

DVC members staying at a DVC resort can pool hop to any of the resort pools with the exception of Stormalong Bay and the Animal Kingdom Lodge pool, unless they are staying at those particular resorts (there may be some other exceptions to this.)

You are correct about DVC members being able to pool-hop, but Bay Lake Towers is also on the list no one can hop to - that's one of the gated pools that requires a valid key card to get in. There are also black-out dates for pool-hopping - it's not allowed during busier times. Non-DVC members have no pool-hopping privileges away from their home resort (except for the sister resort pools).

[waymickey]

I am not a DVC member, but can non DVC members use the the pools at A DVC resort? For example can AKL guests swim at Kidani?

I have been to most of the resorts usually to eat or to just walk around. We Went to AKL last year to view the animals at night. We walked around and I never noticed a gate at either pool. The theming must be good because we did not notice it.

[BrerGnat]

I am not a DVC member, but can non DVC members use the the pools at A DVC resort? For example can AKL guests swim at Kidani?

I have been to most of the resorts usually to eat or to just walk around. We Went to AKL last year to view the animals at night. We walked around and I never noticed a gate at either pool. The theming must be good because we did not notice it.

No, you cannot, if the pool is separate. For example, at AKL Kidani and BLT, guests at the AKL Jambo House and Contemporary, for example, can NOT use the pools on the DVC side. Guests of the DVC side CAN use the pools at the resort side, though.

This restriction is not in place at the Beach Club, though. Guests at the resort CAN use the Beach Club Villas "quiet pool" if they wish.

So, it is resort specific as to the rules.

[DizneyRox]

Really? When did that change? We were there a few years back and they did say Jambo guests could use the pool. It wasn't all that busy, I figured the walk kept people away.

[Mickey'sGirl]

Really? When did that change? We were there a few years back and they did say Jambo guests could use the pool. It wasn't all that busy, I figured the walk kept people away.We were able to use the Kidani pool when staying (non DVC) at Jambo House last August. We did not require any special access.

[BrerGnat]

Huh...that's odd. Isn't Kidani one of the restricted pools in the DVC pool hopping allowance?

I know there are some DVC units at Jambo House, but I thought the Kidani pool, specifically, was only for DVC guests at Jambo. No?

[DizneyRox]

The way I read it was AKL is a no hopping resort, meaning you can't hop to AKL (Kidani or Jambo) from another resort. But they were "sister" resorts and it was allowed to be used by guests staying at either. We had no trouble using the Jambo House pool staying Kidani either.

[buzznwoodysmom]

We also used the Kadani pool last March when we were staying on DVC points. We asked at the front desk at Jambo when checking in and were told it was fine to use the pool at both resorts.

[epceddie]

We're DVC members and we love to pool hop to the quiet pools at various resorts, especially the one at Congress Park at SSR. Great views across the water to Downtown Disney and it's never very crowded.

[wendybird]

you are not suppossed to pool hop, if you want to use a certain pool you need to be a guest at that resort. If I am paying more to stay somewhere than I expect that that resort's guests will be the only ones at the pool. Hopefully people will follow the rules so others aren't hassled at their own resort's pool.

:ditto: I realize some people think other pools are better, but what a hassle and inconvenient (not to mention against the rules) it is to go all the way to another resort to swim. Changing clothes, sneaking around, or being wet and coming back to your resort. I would just rather be near my own room and enjoy the pool I PAID to use.

[Belle of the Ball 051411]

:ditto: I realize some people think other pools are better, but what a hassle and inconvenient (not to mention against the rules) it is to go all the way to another resort to swim. Changing clothes, sneaking around, or being wet and coming back to your resort. I would just rather be near my own room and enjoy the pool I PAID to use.

My thoughts exactly. :)