Resort day suggestion with non-resort friends

We were at the Poly in March and, like @vcka said, nobody monitors the gate. You need to tap to open it but nobody is checking all members of the party. Different resort but at AKL a few years ago we had a few guests spend the day at the pool with us and it was no problem. The only place I think you’d have problems with this is Beach Club/Yacht Club, that pool is a lot more monitored.

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I did a little research on this question, and found conflicting responses from the Parks Panel. :joy:

This post says guests can come with you to your pool:

Only Walt Disney World Resorts Guests will have access to their OWN resort pool via their Disney MagicBand, Keys to the World Card, or mobile phone. But Hakuna Matata, your friends will just need to be with you to gain access to the gated pool area. For them to visit, I recommend they take Walt Disney World Resort transportation or if they are driving or utilize rideshare will need to have one of you in the car to gain access through the front gate of the resort as the only permit in registered Guests for that specific Walt Disney World Resort or Guests who have reserved dining or activities which take place at the resort.

But this post says only registered guests at a particular resort can use the pool:

The pools at each resort are reserved exclusively for the Guests staying at that particular resort.

And lastly, here is the response from Touring Plans:

I’m having Orlando-area friends visit me at my hotel. Can they use my resort’s pool? What about members of my extended traveling party who are staying at another resort? Can they swim with me?

This one is tricky.

First of all, you’re always welcome to have visitors at your Disney resort. If they’re using Disney transportation to get to your hotel, then you don’t need to inform anyone of your plans to have guests. However, if your visitors are driving to your hotel, you may want to alert the front desk so that there are no issues with parking.

As for guests using your resort’s pool, it really depends on where you’re staying. At most hotels, there’s no problem with this. For example, at the All-Stars, there’s no one checking IDs at the pool. You should obviously be cognisant of not allowing your friends to disrupt the enjoyment of paying guests, but if grandma wants to splash in the pool with your daughter for an hour, I say “Go For It.”

At resorts with cast attendants at the pool gates, you may have trouble with having guests join you for a swim. Often cast at these resorts will ask to scan MagicBands for every member of your party, even children. In order to have a guest join you here, you’ll need to get permission from the front desk of the hotel. They may issue your guest a temporary ID card or some other form of pass. Please beware that this may not always be possible, so don’t promise grandma a swim in Stormalong Bay before double checking.

Personally, I would be ok having 1-2 guests join me in my resort pool. But I would feel guilty having a whole family with kids because it could be disruptive to other paying guests and would reduce availability of chairs, towels, water slides, etc. Especially at a resort like Polynesian where the pool is relatively small.

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do you have vehicles?

Gatorland.

My kids revere their times to Gatorland more than any theme park in FL.
Gatorland


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Thank you for the amazing research!! I am such a rule-follower. Maybe I will go the route of asking at the front desk to see what they say.

If we were renting directly through Disney, I would just add the two boys onto my in-laws reservation. But since we rented dvc points, it’s more complicated and I don’t want to bother the owner.
And if we end up just going to dinner and getting dole whips together, we will be perfectly happy, too.

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That looks amazing lol. We have a car, but our friends will do Uber. I’ll mention this as an option.

If you pursue it, Undercover Tourist has discount tickets. They also have a spray park on grounds. And they have alligators that do tricks and “jump” out of the water. It really is the best kind of fun. If not this trip, another one! We have the best memories of our times there. Like belly laughs.

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Don’t forget that kids that age also just like to ride the monorail, ride boats, and explore.

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Pool hopping is against the rules. Doesn’t mean people don’t do it of course. And sometimes the CMs do check magic bands and will ask people to leave.

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I thought pool hopping was a perk of DVC?
More Options

[

Complimentary Alternative Pool Use

Disney Vacation Club Members can enjoy pool-hopping benefits at select Disney Vacation Club Resorts in Florida.
](https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/discounts-perks-offers)

Disney Vacation Club Search Results (go.com)

ETA: Complimentary Alternative Pool Use | Disney Vacation Club (go.com)

it looks like the perk is temporarily suspended during the reopening

What I have seen is that they would be allowed IF you add them as a “day guest” - BUT you cannot go over your room capacity AND any adults over 2 would incur the charge for extra adults.

Exactly. If it’s a DVC perk ( and it’s still suspended) then it therefore is not allowed for other resort guests.

I’m this case I would simply ask the CMs at the pool. It isn’t hopping as such, it’s resort guests inviting friends to swim at the pool. If the pool isn’t busy, the chances are reasonable that the lifeguard CMs will say yes.

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Saw this linked in lines chat today and posting here if it’s helpful to you and others! @limegreenmonorail has compiled an incredible list of resort activities and has pictures of the monthly calendars for the resorts that aren’t always referenced elsewhere online as they are just physically posted in the resorts:

https://www.magicalresortguide.com/activities

Some things change monthly but some are recurring. May find some other fun activities like tie dye etc. as ideas. :blush:

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