Life jacket?

[tinkerbell_1977]

I read somewhere that the water parks have life jackets you can borrow (no charge?) and the ASMu have life jackets to borrow for the pool area. Can anyone confirm this? I am trying to save space so if I don't have to drag a life jacket along for my 5 year old that would be great however saftey first and he really needs to have one in those locations.

Thanks!

 

[Lovin Mickey]

I have heard something along this vein also. You could always call your hotel. I am sure they would be happy to let you know.

 

[all4fun]

All the disney resorts have life vests you can borrow. When we stayed at ASmo's they were right by the pool. When we're at DVC resorts (BWV, SSR) we had to check them out at community hall. I'm not sure why the difference in the way it is managed. Anyway, I do know Disney provides them at their hotel pools so don't feel you have to bring one. We haven't taken ds to a water park yet but I'm pretty sure you can check vests out there too. You could always call the water park and ask if you need to.
hth

 

[mjkacmom]

Maybe sign your child up for swimming lessons?

 

[canadianmom2three]

Maybe sign your child up for swimming lessons?

I have a 5 year old who has taken lessons since he was 3, and I still prefer him in a life jacket in crowded and unfamiliar situations like that as well. We used the lifejackets at the resorts last year and I thought they were great - they are the foam type, and were in excellent condition, and comfy for DS. You sign them out for the duration of your stay, so I imagine you could bring to the waterpark if you wanted, as long as you didn't lose it! With the waterslides, and the depth of the pools changing differently than ours at home, I just think you can't be too safe - plus, it is so crowded, it's hard to keep an eye on 3 kids at once, I can't imagine being the guard who is watching the entire pool! Have a great trip, and enjoy packing one less thing!

DS 5yo in the lifejacket last year -

 

[ChillyWilleys]

We get a life jacket at SSR. We check one to the room and they let us keep the same one for our stay. If its not returned when you check out you get billed but otherwise its free. We called and asked before we went to a waterpark and they told us to bring that same one to the park.

 

[crisi]

Maybe sign your child up for swimming lessons?

Most Disney pools are pretty darn deep - many are not zero entry. Ideally, kids - even young kids - can both swim and have parents that keep all eyes on them - but the reality is not many three year olds can swim well enough to handle a three or four foot deep pool - even after swim lessons, and parents are human and sometimes both parents think a handoff has been done when it hasn't. Many of the toddler pools at Disney aren't great - fine for a fourteen month old to splash in - too small and shallow for a three year old who wants to go down the slide but can't swim to the ladder at the end.

My parents have a lake home. My kids started swim lessons at 18 months and went year round. We had them in lifejackets at Disney until they were about five and could stand at the BW Pool (which is a deep one) near all the edges - I didn't want them jumping in and having it be over their heads and having them panic.

 

[DevilDuckie]

Do people really put children in life jackets in the swimming pool?

 

[stephanie23]

Do people really put children in life jackets in the swimming pool?

I know I do... better safe then sorry.

 

[OurfirsttimetoDisney]

I can confirm that they have life jackets to use at Typoon lagoon. I was able to get one for my 3 and 5 year olds. We didn't use the ones at the pools. Have fun

 

[DevilDuckie]

I know I do... better safe then sorry.

I wonder if it is a regional thing. I've never a kid in a pool with a life jacket.

 

[canadianmom2three]

I wonder if it is a regional thing. I've never a kid in a pool with a life jacket.

Well, arm floaties are what a lot of people use, but imo they don't do anything beyond giving a false sense of security. None of the public pools around here allow them, and our guarded beach doesn't either. They loan out lifejackets. As the mom of a 4 year old who almost drowned in our family pool while I sat at the edge reading the paper, and DH played IN the pool with the bigger kids, I would sooner have my child in a lifejacket and KNOW he is safe, even if it means that a couple people think I am being overprotective and ridiculous. Come to my pool and you will see any kid who can't competently swim the length of it wearing a lifejacket. JMO

 

[jodifla]

I wonder if it is a regional thing. I've never a kid in a pool with a life jacket.

But these aren't those orange things. They are more like boating vests.

 

[DevilDuckie]

Well, arm floaties are what a lot of people use, but imo they don't do anything beyond giving a false sense of security. None of the public pools around here allow them, and our guarded beach doesn't either. They loan out lifejackets. As the mom of a 4 year old who almost drowned in our family pool while I sat at the edge reading the paper, and DH played IN the pool with the bigger kids, I would sooner have my child in a lifejacket and KNOW he is safe, even if it means that a couple people think I am being overprotective and ridiculous. Come to my pool and you will see any kid who can't competently swim the length of it wearing a lifejacket. JMO

Our approach (because it's what my parents and every other family I knew did) was that you HAD to learn to swim to be unattended in the pool and "attended" meant an adult IN the water with eyes on at all times. You were limited to the shallow end until you could swim a length except during a lesson.

 

[DevilDuckie]

But these aren't those orange things. They are more like boating vests.

Yeah, I figured, but that's not a thing I've ever seen in a swimming pool.

 

[crisi]

I suspect the arm floatie thing was when Disney started providing life jackets. Those - and the swimsuits with built in floaties - are both pretty commonly used around here - but like where you live, the public pools don't allow them - too many parents think their kids are safe enough with floaties and don't keep an eye on them.

There is no requirement your kid wear a lifejacket in Disney pools. Disney provides them as a service to parents that want them.

 

[crisi]

Our approach (because it's what my parents and every other family I knew did) was that you HAD to learn to swim to be unattended in the pool and "attended" meant an adult IN the water with eyes on at all times. You were limited to the shallow end until you could swim a length except during a lesson.

The problem with Disney pools is that there isn't always a shallow end that kids can stand in. The BW pool was over both my kids head - unless they played on the stairs - until they were four or five. So you are either in the pool CARRYING your kids, or you are in the pool with your kids on the stairs - which limits pool access for everyone and gets REALLY crowded with small kids and moms.

The newer Disney pools are zero entry - which is great with little kids and I bet there are a lot less lifejackets in sight at akl with their zero entry pool than at the boardwalk

 

[jodifla]

Well, arm floaties are what a lot of people use, but imo they don't do anything beyond giving a false sense of security. None of the public pools around here allow them, and our guarded beach doesn't either. They loan out lifejackets. As the mom of a 4 year old who almost drowned in our family pool while I sat at the edge reading the paper, and DH played IN the pool with the bigger kids, I would sooner have my child in a lifejacket and KNOW he is safe, even if it means that a couple people think I am being overprotective and ridiculous. Come to my pool and you will see any kid who can't competently swim the length of it wearing a lifejacket. JMO

Personally, I keep my son out of life jackets as often as I can (They are required when boating in my state). My fear is that it fools kids into thinking they can swim. DS, 6, has been in swim lessons since he was 15 months, and he has been pretty competent in the water since he was about 22 months old. He's now diving down to the bottom of the pool and all over the place, even if it's more than a dog paddle than true swim strokes.

But if you have more than one kid, or you are going to be distracted in any way, or in your in a mass of people like at a Disney pool, I can see why people want to use life jackets.

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

Speaking as a former pool lifeguard for a condo complex, with 3 boys under the age of 5, it's lifejackets for all. Even for kids that can swim, large public pools can get overwhelming and they're unfamiliar. Plus, given the simple fact that our kids outnumber us (no more one-on-one!), I'm all about the safety.

Personally, I feel that the difference between a small family pool with close supervision is a different animal than a waterpark or resort pool so even families that let kids swim without some sort of flotation help at home may want to reconsider when visiting the larger, more crowded water areas.

 

[tinkerbell_1977]

I didn't mean for a debate to start here over use of life jackets. My son has been in swimming lessons, but in a large crowded pool with children of diffrent ages and swimming abilities playing around with each other even though I will be right there I just would feel safer with him in a jacket. Thanks for the replies. It sounds like life jackets are easy to come by.