Pools that are adequate for resort size

[Frugal Fairy Tales]

Which Disney World resort pool has the best capacity-to-people ratio? I’m wondering which pool can actually handle the number of guests at the resort. Looking for a pool that is relaxing yet fun.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

That really depends. Most of the quiet pools are often very quiet at the WDW hotels. Not exciting, but you often have the whole pool to yourself. On a cold winter day, all the pools are pretty empty. On summer days, they can all be relatively crowded. Some like the BC/YC pool is both crowded (in some areas) but also has quieter/less crowded areas.

One that is consistently pretty quiet is the quiet pool at the Contemporary. It is within sight of main pool, but always relaxing with a view of the lake.

I have not been there in some time, but the Boardwalk quiet pool has a hot tub, and has gardens, and was very nice.

A mina pool that often has plenty of space is the one at Swan/Dolphin. You can easily move between the quiet/main pool if you want more room.

WL has one of the most crowded/cramped main pools. AKL and Poly are pretty crowded at the main pools.

Many offsite pools are pretty quiet, but many are not all that exciting. A large pool complex just off WDW with lots of slides/features is the Marriott World Center.

Oh, one more option - if you are going that way - are the onsite Universal pools. Portofino has multiple pools, and plenty of room to spread out. HRH has live music. Sapphire Falls also has a great pool that is both fun and has some quieter nooks/plenty of room.

 

[nw6675]

SSR since it has two "main" pools. Even with one pool closed for maintenance, the one open didn't feel too terribly over the top busy.

We like pretty much all the quiet pools at Poly, BC, CR, etc. But, boring from a theme perspective.

 

[Nabas]

We've been to all the pools, except the Campgrounds at Fort Wilderness.

To us, a pool is crowded if we cannot get a seat at it.

Pretty much all the main pools are tough to get on a hot summer day, even some of the "quiet" pools.

Some pools are terrible. Stormalong Bay at Yacht & Beach Club and Bay Lake Tower come to mind. The Beach Pool at the Grand Floridian and the Lava Pool at the Poly also are tough to get. The main pools at Caribbean Beach Resort and Coronado Springs are tough.

Some of the better pools are the quiet pools. For example, the quiet pools at All Star Sports, Beach Club, and Boardwalk aren't too bad. The quiet pools at Saratoga Springs and Old Key West are better than most.

 

[DLgal]

Contemporary and Beach Cub/Yacht Club are the best, ratio wise. We have stayed at these resorts in the middle of July and had plenty of space in the pools (we don't like a crowded pool).

WL is painfully too small.

Boardwalk is also way too small, given the size of the villas side.

Grand Floridian is also a good one because of the 2 large pools that are separated. Neither gets overwhelmed.

Poly is way too small.

The Moderates all seem okay because there are numerous pools at all of them, except FQ.

The Value resort pools are also a good ratio. Plenty of space.

 

[jen7233]

The Beach/Yacht Club. Chairs on the other hand may be another thing.

 

[gottalovepluto]

If hot tubs or pool slides matter, do realize value hotels don’t have those features.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Wilderness Lodge (Copper Creek specifically) and the Lava Pool at Polynesian feel the most "people soup-y". French Quarter felt quite small too.

I really like Saratoga's main pool. It never felt super crowded compared to other resorts.

 

[loves to dive]

Define "relaxing yet fun". All the deluxe resorts have "quiet pools" that also have hot tubs. They do not have a bar or a slide, just a pool-chairs-towels-hot tubs and bathrooms. The moderate resorts (except POFQ) all have "quiet pools" as well as the big pools but they don't have hot tubs, just at the main pool. The values all have more than one pool, the big one and a smaller one, none have hot tubs or slides. All the main pools have a bar either in the pool area or pretty darn close. Pretty sure the deluxe main pools have pool side service.

The Swan has a smallish lap pool, no slides. It also has a bar and hot tub. The Dolphin has a large pool with a waterfall and slide, another smallish pool with no slide and a hot tub. There is a big bar/food location. None of the Swan/Dolphin pools have lifeguards. They do have pool side service.

 

[maxiesmom]

Which Disney World resort pool has the best capacity-to-people ratio? I’m wondering which pool can actually handle the number of guests at the resort. Looking for a pool that is relaxing yet fun.

I've found Coronado Springs a good resort for the above. They have a large main pool area with a nice size slide, and a very large hot tub. And each section has its own leisure pool which typically are not very busy.

 

[Disneylover99]

Generally, I find all main pools busy, and most of the quiet pools, quiet.
lit also depends on the time of year and weather though.

 

[kiford]

A lot of it depends on the time of day and year. We've actually found AKL pool (Jambo House) to be nearly deserted at times during the middle of the day.

Even though Stormalong Bay can be busy, we've been able to find quiet pocket in the shade where we can actually have a quiet conversation plus the lazy river is very relaxing even if busy.

We've found WL main pool to be not too bad but again it depends on time of day.

When we stay at BWI, we usually go to the quiet pool and sometimes we're the only ones there every single time.

The quiet pool at the Contemporary was completely deserted but there's absolutely no shade or cover unless you book a cabana. So it was nice to go out to either pool near dusk but so hot and uncomfortable during the day. One thing that is nice is that you can see the fireworks at MK from the main pool after dark.

 

[_19disnA]

I believe at most Disney resorts you can only use the pool if you are staying there. We have never chosen where to stay based on the pool since that isn't our main reason to go to Disney. As someone else mentioned, if you want to use a pool early to mid-day, it will probably be less crowded since most people go to Disney to spend the majority of their day at a park. Later in the day when people are tired of walking, they return to their resort and might decide to use the pool. Time of year and where you mostly spend your time while at Disney would make a difference in how crowded any pool happens to be.

 

[Mle8308]

Y&B (Stormalong Bay) is a madhouse, people soup. During busy seasons, most of the feature pools are busy.

 

[DLgal]

Y&B (Stormalong Bay) is a madhouse, people soup. During busy seasons, most of the feature pools are busy.

I've never found this to be the case. Last trip July 2018, I was swimming laps in Stormalong Bay because it was so empty.

We have stayed at BC 4 times, twice in the middle of summer, once during spring break, and once in December.

 

[Mle8308]

I've never found this to be the case. Last trip July 2018, I was swimming laps in Stormalong Bay because it was so empty.

We have stayed at BC 4 times, twice in the middle of summer, once during spring break, and once in December.

You got lucky! We stayed the last week in August in 2019 and couldn’t even find 2 chairs together, we were there for 10 days and the pool was always packed. Won’t stay there ever again. There were people everywhere, even the quiet pools were busy. And then the people in wet bathing suits sitting on lobby furniture…yuck. I’m definitely in the minority with my opinion, I do know that!

 

[Jwaire]

It's easier to ask which resorts have small pools.

Boardwalk and Bay Lake Tower are probably the worst offenders. Almost all of the others have multiple large pools (some themed, some quiet, some more lackluster than others).

People love to complain about the popular Lava Pool at the Poly, but the quiet pool sits there empty most of the day. You have to be flexible.

Here's a link to pictures of most of them:

https://allears.net/2023/03/05/every-disney-world-pool-ranked-from-worst-to-best/

 

[DLgal]

You got lucky! We stayed the last week in August in 2019 and couldn’t even find 2 chairs together, we were there for 10 days and the pool was always packed. Won’t stay there ever again. There were people everywhere, even the quiet pools were busy. And then the people in wet bathing suits sitting on lobby furniture…yuck. I’m definitely in the minority with my opinion, I do know that!

It's hard to find chairs but the actual pool has never been people soup level for us.

 

[redboat45]

I would say most of the moderates would be good. All (except FQ) have multiple quiet pools so it's easy to find a place to relax. Of the delux the worst would be WL and AKL as they don't have quiet pools to spread out the crowds. Beach Club is really great. Sometimes hard to find a chair but the pool is massive so if you're IN the pool it doesn't feel too bad. Plus it has quiet pools.

 

[Nabas]

You got lucky! We stayed the last week in August in 2019 and couldn’t even find 2 chairs together, we were there for 10 days and the pool was always packed. Won’t stay there ever again. There were people everywhere, even the quiet pools were busy. And then the people in wet bathing suits sitting on lobby furniture…yuck. I’m definitely in the minority with my opinion, I do know that!

That’s our experience with Stormalong Bay.

Nearly impossible to find a seat during the hottest part of the day.

Our only success has been when the weather is dicey, first thing in the morning, or around 6 pm when people leave for dinner.

Most of the time, we end up at either the Beach Club or Yacht Club quiet pools.