Disney pools and their disappearing deep ends!

[surfsupdon]

Over the years, Disney has built new Resorts with new pools. Back in the day, the pools had "deep ends," typically up to about 6'4". This was great b/c as a tall guy, it's fun to swim and tread water.

The newer Resort's pools do not have deep ends, maximum deaths are at about 4 or 5 feet. I hate it.

Recent pool refurbishments have lead to the removal of the deep ends. Caribbean Beach's feature pool was filled in and no longer has a deep end, so was Ol Man Island's pool and several quiet pools around property now are only shallow.

Anybody else notice this? And anyone have any information if the current Stormalong Bay refurb is being used to eliminate the deep end. I hope not; Stormalong Bay has a deep end of about 12 foot in the lazy river area and I am hoping it stays in tact. I think it just may be the only WDW pool left with a depth of more than 5 ft.

Anybody have any news about the Stormalong Bay refurb? General refurb or eliminate deep end???

 

[Tom]

I'm in the travel industry, and have read some articles on this very subject.

Indeed, hotels across the country are building new pools - and remodeling old ones - to be essentially flat, thus eliminating the deep ends.

And yes, it's because of our favorite scumbag lawyers seen on TV commercials - out to "get you the money YOU deserve". Too many people diving into semi-deep water, ending up with little or no injuries (or perhaps the occasional real injury) and suing the hotel.

You will continue to see more signage go up around unguarded pools disclaiming and waiving all liability for injuries sustained at or around the pool. You'll see flat-bottomed pools that DETER literate people from trying to dive. I predict that, someday soon, all guests will be forced to sign a waiver at check-in stating that they waive all their rights to sue if they get hurt at the pool. It's a sad society we live in, so we all have to cover our butts.

On a more customer-friendly note, one benefit to the flat pools is that it allows more guests to lounge in the pool at one time. When you have a deep end, it restricts the non-deep-enders to the shallow end, making it cramped. By being flat, guests can spread out and relax more, without being in a sardine can.

If you want big waterslides, diving boards and deep ends - go to a water park. Don't expect these types of amenities at your favorite hotel pool for much longer

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I was thinking that myself.

No offense to people of certain body sizes or age, but it is not easy to rescue swim with a person.

I had noticed that some WDW lifeguards are not exactly "Baywatch" extras. I was wondering what sort of swimming requirements they have. Then it hit me one day, they don't even need to know how to swim, an average adult can WALK anywhere in most pools.

-dave

The Disney Lifeguards are trained and certified by an outside agency, not by Disney. Disney uses Ellis, which trains the lifeguards at most water parks. Other popular agencies include the American Red Cross (which does a lot of pools, especially YMCA's) and the Boy Scouts of America. Open water lifeguards are certified through the United States Lifesaving Association by their municipality. That's the agency I work with.

Rest assured, any Disney lifeguard has been certified and able to pass the swim test. In fact, any candidate for lifeguarding is given a pretest, to ensure they have the necessary prerequisite skills to complete the course. They're then given both a written and practical exam at the end of the course and have to pass a number of tests as the class goes on.

I haven't seen those bubble jets on since at least 2002. And they do a lot of pool refurbs, so wonder whats wrong with them. Maybe moves sand away too much.

I suspect that between the bubbles and the sand, it was getting difficult to see the bottom, which makes for unsafe conditions.

 

[One Lil Spark]

I blame pool hopping.

:ROFLOL:

 

[KnK]

The WL pool is probably over 6 feet. I know my husband, when touching the bottom, is under water.

 

[bgraham34]

Yeah I think you can blame the pool hopping lawyers.

 

[surfsupdon]

Indeed, hotels across the country are building new pools - and remodeling old ones - to be essentially flat, thus eliminating the deep ends.

Thanks for your post edward. I knew it was law related.

I do really like the zero depth entry pool openings, similar to walking into the ocean at the beach. It's prety cool, and I am sure helps many with mobility issues.

Which Resorts have zero depth entry? I know these do for a fact:

Animal Kingdom Lodge
Polynesian
Caribbean Beach

Any other pools??

 

[Polyman]

Grand Floridian (near the beach, not the main pool)

 

[sbkline]

Since this topic was brought up, I thought this would be a great time to ask this question.

Probably ten years ago in Stormalong Bay, two of the three pools use to have air bubbles in them but over the past 5 years these bubbles have been turned off. Does anyone know why? I use to love to swim in the bubbles, especially in the 8ft section of the lazy river!

If you really miss the bubbles, then next time we go to WDW, I'll let you know so that you can swim in the same pool with me. I'm pretty good at producing my own bubbles in the pool.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

Thanks for your post edward. I knew it was law related.

I do really like the zero depth entry pool openings, similar to walking into the ocean at the beach. It's prety cool, and I am sure helps many with mobility issues.

Which Resorts have zero depth entry? I know these do for a fact:

Animal Kingdom Lodge
Polynesian
Caribbean Beach

Any other pools??

Saratoga Springs has a zero entry pool also.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Probably ten years ago in Stormalong Bay, two of the three pools use to have air bubbles in them but over the past 5 years these bubbles have been turned off. Does anyone know why?

That made it hard to spot pool farters and throw them out.

 

[yankspy]

I blame pool hopping.

:ROFLOL:

What's wrong with pool hopping? We do it all the time. We will usually park at the Beach Club and walk over to Epcot and grab fast passes for SSE then head back to the pool with our refillable mugs that we filled up at the Beach Club and hang out for a few hours. After that we go and use the fast passes even though it is past our time window. However, we did skip Epcot last time since they took my favorite wand down.:lookaroun

 

[TinkerBelle8878]

I'm with the OP on the height issue. I'm 5'9 and I would like the water to come up to higher than my waist.

If its for legal reasons, then make a tall pool complete with height restrictions Change one of the Quiet pools at the resorts to this.

It also would probably keep the bulk of the little kids out.

'This is our OOL notice there's no P in it'