Best resort for a pool day

[DLgeeks]

Our cruise plans are shifting and it looks like we are going to be adding a night at one of the WDW resorts before we fly home. Traveling with kids from 2-13 so looking for the best pool experience for the kids. I'm tempted to look at the deluxes since it's only the one night, but really looking for the most fun for the day.

 

[jemtx]

Yacht or Beach Club—storm-a-long bay.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

A lot of kids really like Caribbean Beach too.

 

[JFDIS]

Stormalong Bay is awesome! YC/BC are the perfect resort for a resort only stay. All deluxe and moderate will have a water slide winch always entertains my kids for hours. I don’t know what your dates are but I keep seeing good deals on Priceline for YC in the next few months.

 

[Marthasor]

You may want to consider spending less for a mod or value and then purchasing tickets to Blizzard Beach. The water park will far surpass any of the resort pools, IMHO.

 

[Christina78]

I have 3 boys, ages 8, 9, and 13; and Stormalong Bay at Yacht/Beach has consistently been their favorite part of our Disney vacations since they were old enough to talk. The little ones can play in the sandy area all day long, but the pirate ship slide is cool enough to entertain my oldest, and the lazy river is great for the parents.

 

[Ninja Mom]

Stormalong Bay will meet all of your needs for a resort pool. It will be worth it for sure.
~NM

 

[Nabas]

As others have posted, Stormalong Bay generally is considered the best pool but be warned that it's also the most crowded. It's not unusual for there to be a line to get into the pool:



The Poly's pool is fun, with Dole Whips a very short walk away:



The Boardwalk's pool has the best water slide and is less crowded:

 

[pinkxray]

I love Disney pools. Haven’t really been to one I didn’t like. I thought SAB was a bit overwhelming and we ended up spending most of our time at the Beach Club villa pool when DD was 6 or so.

Saratoga Springs has nice pools. They also have the bonus of having multiple themed pools vs just one main pool and multiple quiet pools.

Poly is probably my favorite but I don’t like seeing MK if I’m not going there at some point.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If your children are little or not great swimmers, Stormalong Bay can be an utter nightmare since it is so spread out with so many entrances to the pool. Yacht Club side has a nice sandy beach with a shallow area for smaller kids. Beach Club side has multiple areas that are deeper, including the "lazy river" area that can be eight feet deep with a swift current. If you need to watch some of the kids while they swim, while the others want to go off by themselves, you'll need to find a convenient spot for everyone to meet up.

 

[jjb1974]

Stay at whichever Hilton at Bonnet Creek has the lazy river, take kids to Blizzard Beach as required.

 

[DisneyFave]

I got advice to avoid Beach Club’s SAB with my 2 and 5 yr olds due to it being overwhelming and not great for kids who can’t swim. I’m saving it for 2-3 yrs from now and sticking to the Poly until the baby can swim without floaties.

 

[mantysk8coach]

If your children are little or not great swimmers, Stormalong Bay can be an utter nightmare since it is so spread out with so many entrances to the pool. Yacht Club side has a nice sandy beach with a shallow area for smaller kids. Beach Club side has multiple areas that are deeper, including the "lazy river" area that can be eight feet deep with a swift current. If you need to watch some of the kids while they swim, while the others want to go off by themselves, you'll need to find a convenient spot for everyone to meet up.

That lazy River is ridiculous! One of my daughters jumped into it when she was probably about 5 and the lifeguard had to go in after her. I was already in a tube, and couldn’t get to her with the current and she had broken away from her dad and jumped right in. Terrifying, but that lifeguard was on the ball. I have no idea why that needs to be that deep!

 

[jemtx]

I agree. I don’t know why it has to be that deep. We have lots of lazy rivers at our local pools, some bigger than others, but an average-height person can stand comfortably in all of them. SAB would be just as fun if the lazy river weren’t so deep.

 

[Dis-Dad]

Never been to Stormalong Bay, but the Volcano pool at Poly is excellent. Good size and the splash pad for the little ones is a lot of fun and large. My 5yo liked it better than the big pool.

Plus Capt Cooks and Pineapple Lanai just steps away!

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

As others have posted, Stormalong Bay generally is considered the best pool but be warned that it's also the most crowded. It's not unusual for there to be a line to get into the pool:

View attachment 598612

The Poly's pool is fun, with Dole Whips a very short walk away:

View attachment 598614

The Boardwalk's pool has the best water slide and is less crowded:

View attachment 598615

The waiting line was only during the height of COVID. We were there a couple weeks ago and never had to wait and it was fairly busy. Also, we have stayed at the BC for years and have never waited in line to get in.
OP - I’m with others. Stormalong Bay is amazing. That’s our main reason we stay at the BC each trip. If you have littles, there is a whole sandy area and shallow walk in area for them. There is also a separate pool with a kiddie slide that you access by the slide entrance.

 

[Sue M]

Love SAB! Poly, GF, and AKL pools. Poly, GF and AKL/Kidani have nice kids splash areas too.

 

[MarkS2112]

Best pool on property is Stormalong Bay hands down no contest. It’s at BC and YC.

 

[cgattis]

I’m going a different way and saying AKL. The Kidani pool has a great splash area, cool pool bar, and pool with water slide all within sight of each other. Plus you can see the animals around property. Super fun day.

 

[brockash]

As others have posted, Stormalong Bay generally is considered the best pool but be warned that it's also the most crowded. It's not unusual for there to be a line to get into the pool:

View attachment 598612

The Poly's pool is fun, with Dole Whips a very short walk away:

View attachment 598614

The Boardwalk's pool has the best water slide and is less crowded:

View attachment 598615

Was the pool open at that time or were they getting ready to open? Or was it during the very busy time of Covid when they had capacity limits?

I feel like we spend a good amount of around that area, even when not staying there or using the pool and we've never seen a line of more than 2 parties - and that's just because they're scanning bands.