Silly question on pools About This Page:

[ilovemymac]

I was looking at the different pools for all the resorts. I was wondering why the contemporary has like no theme pool it looks like any hotel really? And some deluxe pools people say are small. My sister was just there at the cr and said the pool was big and they had lots for Ida to do at the pirate pool plus like 7 or so other pools on top of it.

Now I know nothing compares to storm along bay but curious why some resorts go all out even some moderates others are like no one cared about the pool. Even the poly has no hot tub and people say the pool is small especially for a deluxe. I read it not a big theme just ok. Of course I guess any would be compared to storm along bay but not sure what they were comparing it to.

Thanks

[Dave Marx]

Disney doesn't explain any of this, so what I'm going to say is just my "read."

First, "standards" have changed over the years. When the Contemporary and Poly were built, theme pools were rare in the lodging industry. Disney didn't add a theme pool to the Poly until about 5 years ago (working off the top of my head). We were all surprised when they didn't add a hot tub at that time - apparently, Disney thought that the various other features of the theme pool would satisfy folks. The Poly is finally scheduled to get a hot tub. The GF, which certainly was built in the Age of Theme Pools, got its theme pool even later than the Poly. I think in that case, they originally thought that its sedate, "Victorian" clientele wouldn't care about such things. And...the historic Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, which is the model for the GF, doesn't have a theme pool. I guess they changed their minds about all that.

Years ago, the Contemporary's main pool was noteworthy because it had a tall slide! I suspect they haven't put in a theme pool because they have no problem filling the place without it. Still, considering the hotel's theme, they couldn't put in the style of stuff that's usually put into theme pools (volcanos, rockworks of various sorts, etc). A Stormalong Bay-type setup would probably work, though. Maybe someday.

Pool size is very much related to the resort's capacity. With the exception of AKL/AKV, the Deluxes have far fewer guests than the Moderates or Values. Disney is inconsistent with just how many square feet of theme pool are devoted each guest at the various resorts - the number of quiet pools is also a factor, as well as the competitive situation in the industry when each was built, and the expectations for the clientele (there may be a difference between resorts with convention centers, and those without, based on the behavior of convention guests). Still, overall, the rule is "smaller theme pools at the Deluxes, because the Deluxes are smaller."

[CinderAbby]

Plus you throw in the fact that there is Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach too. IMO, I'm willing to bet that those who have the money for the Deluxes are adding those onto their tickets whereas those staying Value may not have the money to add the water parks and will stay at the hotel for the pool.

[ilovemymac]

I never realized that the deluxe people would likely add the waterparks to thier package. I never really thought about them I guess because we always go in December and it's cooler out or last time was rainy and chilly a few days.
It might be fun to try a waterpark sometime but we are usually to tired.

I guess overall Disney just has different ideas then I would. I would make every pool rockin so that everyone would have a great pool.
Thanks for the answers its just interesting to know why Disney does or does not do things.

[ferrazalves]

I've always stayed at Deluxe and never added water park We usually enjoy the pool in midday and we've never seen it crowded. I guess fewer rooms in Deluxe might be the key. The Vulcano pool at Poly has a decent slide. DD liked it a lot!!! We've also enjoyed both WL and AKL pools - slide and hot tub! And the best pool goes to SAB! It is great and just "perfect"!!!

[ilovemymac]

SAB looks awesome and I love lazy rivers. That's my fav thing to just relax and float down the lazy river at our local pool and SAB has a much bigger one plus the sand bottom.
I can fully understand why they have to have guards to keep away pool hopping. We may have to stay at BC or YC sometime just to try SAB

[Nova]

We stayed at CB before they redid the main pool area and we enjoyed it back then so now it is even better. There are so many area's at CB so that is why they have each section have its own quiet pool which was great. There are quite a few at CS as well. I like that they have pools away from the main one. The quiet pool at Poly is a lot deeper than any of the other pools , or maybe CB quiet pools are deeper it has been awhile. When we were at CB the hot tub was small. Nice they are putting in a hot tub at Poly. And maybe we will get back there one day. I dont think I really looked up a picture of the pool at Cont. Interesting topic though.

[Thomhazel]

We have not yet stayed at BLT we are booked in february but we were there in july for a members breakfast in the top of the world lounge and both my boys spotted the pool and asked to stay there based on the look of the BLT pool. they are 14 and 9 and thought it looked fab.

[Sue M.]

Loved the Volcano pool at Poly. We really enjoyed the AKL pool this August, it is quite large, guess to make up for not having a quiet pool Just wish it was deeper. Only one small area was sorta deep.
Love the option of quiet pools at the mods. Since our kids are now young adults, we don't always want to go to the main pool if we just want a quick dip. Although even us adults enjoy a themed pool. The Mods are more spread out, so guess that's why they have multiple quiet pools.

[LLaffinPlace]

Just a comment from a another perspective, which is I have never used a pool at Disney. Yes, you read that correctly. Not a single time in all the trips listed below. (I have sat by them, though.) I've stayed at all the deluxes except GF and at many of the moderates, and the pool is just not a factor for me. Other than buses I have been on stopping at the water parks, I haven't been to either of those, though I will say I have considered going. I don't travel with children, which I think makes a big difference. I'd rather spend the time in the parks or in the resort.

[Teresa]

We're not pool people, so a pool, the presence of one, or the theming mean nothing to us. Yes, we enjoy a swim every now and again. However, we have always stayed at Deluxes because they can accommodate our family better (we have 3-5 kids, depending on how you count, but usually only the 3 younger girls have gone with us), plus they have more room for DD Samantha's wheelchair and other equipment.
DD Samantha also has no ability to regulate her body temp, so if the pool is 89°, so is she. IF the pool is 104°, so is Samantha. We stay away from the pools!!
I think in the last 5 visits, DD Lauren and I have ventured to a pool once.

Just a perspective - some of us don't care about the pool.

Plus, add in that quite a few guests at some of the resorts, especially to the Boardwalk area are business travelers, and you have a reason for the Deluxes to have smaller pools.

[sk8mom6]

I also think that when the Contemporary opened, there was also an area of Bay Lake that was roped off for swimming. I was 14 or 15 at the time, and we went with a friend who had worked there who showed us a lot of things that day visitors don't usually get to see. River Country was aso available then, too. Water parks were a really new idea then.

[ilovemymac]

What is river country?

[CRCrazy]

River Country was Disney's original water park. It was located near Fort Wilderness on Bay Lake, and used the lake water for some of its attractions.

Because of bacteria concerns, the lakes have been closed to swimming, and so River Country was shut down.

[WillCAD]

If they ever do build a theme pool at Contemporary, what would the theme be?

Personally, I'm hoping for a multi-level Tron theme, with slides, waterfalls, bridges, transparent wall sections, and lots of glowing lines all over the sides, bottoms, and decks. Think of a combination of the light cycle grid and the multi-level disk games of the sequel, but with water.

The lifeguard tower could be modeled on the End of Line club.

A slide could look like CLU's command carrier.

Pool-side showers could look like Recognizers.

Deck chairs could look like Light Runners and Light Cycles.

Pool-side tables and their umbrellas can look like Solar Sailer Transports and a couple of them can look like I/O Towers (complete with colored spotlights coming out the top to simulate the beams, and vapor generators to make the beams visible).

The pool-side bar or snack shack could be Flynn's Arcade.

Lifeguard uniforms... well, you can imagine.

And between the pool area and the a-frame building, there would be a rock wall, with Flynn's hideout built into it (a miniature, built in forced perspective to make it look far away).

Greetings, Programs!