Hotel recommendation - pools that don't have a ton of ball throwing going on

[MrsBooch]

After getting no response by complaining to parents, catch the ball and deflate it if it is an inflatable ball. Otherwise, catch it and toss it in the weeds.

is this a joke?

 

[Sue M]

I can’t say I‘ve encountered a problem at any resort with balls. SAB does have a volleyball area.
At WL as mentioned the pool is a horse shoe so you’re able to move to the other side. And Boulder-ridge has a few different swim areas.
I am surprised that if people are getting hit, the lifeguards aren’t stepping in to do something. People have a right to have fun at the pool, but not when their fun is infringing on others enjoyment.

 

[tguz]

My son and I tossed a ball at the POP last Summer but we are very respectful and actually quit when the pool started to fill up. Ours looked like a baseball but it was a "nerf" ball, essentially a sponge. The lifeguard asked us if it was a real baseball as we approached, which was totally cool, and I said no it is a nerf ball and he just said ok, just checking. I can see where there would be concern with throwing a real football.

 

[lovethesun12]

This probably just depends on who happens to be visiting at the time. I've stayed at a bunch of the resorts mentioned to have "ball throwing" but I've never witnessed it a single time that I can recall.

 

[oceanmarina]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/poll-ball-play-in-pools-how-do-you-feel.3770734/post-61095342
You might take a look at a poll I posted last summer. I have terrible pool/beach luck. Someone always plays frisbee,
touch football, wherever I put my blanket on the beach.
At WDW pools, I could go into a quiet pool at 3 a.m. and some ball tossers would magically appear. Most Dis folks
were in favor of the ball play in the poll. I get it. If I could catch a ball, I'd probably think it was fun, too. I wish a section of the pools could be designated for ball play and sections for quiet swim/contemplation.
I've had the best luck at Contemporary, Swan and Dolphin and Boardwalk quiet pool. I've learned to just get out and wait out the ball players. I don't go to WDW to get into confrontations with other guests. Best to just let it go and move on.
YMMV!

I have the same luck too LOL. By the way I saw your poll and it looks like the majority 58.8% voted against ball throwing in the "stop throwing that ball" response.

I liked the poster that said that ball throwing is a "land sport" and not a pool one.

 

[MomOTwins]

I’d vote stormalong bay at BC/YC. It is so big and meandering that you can easily avoid the ball throwing by moving to another area of the pool.

 

[Deb & Bill]

is this a joke?

Nope. If I keep getting hit with a ball and they don't understand English to stop, they lose the ball.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I’d vote stormalong bay at BC/YC. It is so big and meandering that you can easily avoid the ball throwing by moving to another area of the pool.

But it has two large hotels, plus a DVC resort using that pool, so that tends to make it crowded.

 

[MomOTwins]

Nope. If I keep getting hit with a ball and they don't understand English to stop, they lose the ball.

Because everyone knows two wrongs make a right.

 

[Boopuff]

I swear the ball throwing dads NEVER play ball/catch with their kids outside of a pool! Drives me nuts. Why? why? throw a ball in a crowded pool. Just rude and obnoxious.

 

[cobright]

Is there any Disney hotel that anyone can recommend where this is not as common? We love, love WL but I want to stay at a hotel where I can enjoy the pool more. I wish Disney would have a policy where you can't throw balls in the pool or at the very least only throw inflatable beach balls that don't hurt as much if you get hit with them...sigh! Thanks for any feedback, Marina

This is the sort of goings-on that soured me on value resorts. I certainly would not tolerate it for the sort of $$ plunking down at a deluxe.

The problem with moving to a 'quiet' pool is that there is usually little to no supervision.

So where can you go that there won't roughhousing in the pool area? It's possible anywhere, but ... at risk of sounding terribly elitist, I think it happens less at the more expensive resorts. There. I've said it. Keep in mind, I almost always stay at POR, it is my go-to resort and I rarely have any problems in the pool area.

The lower priced deluxe resorts in particular appeal to longer stay vacationers. It's not uncommon for foreign tourists to hit WDW for 2-3 weeks and that means a larger contingent of guests taking 'resort days' instead of hitting the parks. Shorter staying guests tend to pack more time into the parks and Disney Springs.

Your mileage may vary of course. In any event, I would stick to a pool area with lifeguards on patrol and if the crowd gets rowdy let the LG know you aren't happy with it. LGs are not hotel management and if they don't find the behavior dangerous they may not act on it, in which case take it to hotel management. They really will handle it.

 

[lotsohugginbear]

I swear the ball throwing dads NEVER play ball/catch with their kids outside of a pool! Drives me nuts. Why? why? throw a ball in a crowded pool. Just rude and obnoxious.

I have to agree with this. It also seems to be a guy thing. I've never seen a group of women hucking a ball to each other in a crowded pool.

 

[ninafeliz]

We saw this a lot at the Oasis pool at the Poly. What drove us nuts was when they would choose to throw it half way or all the way across the pool. I mean, I think it's great to throw the ball in the pool, but stand 10 feet apart, don't span the entire pool! Particularly if it's busy, but even if it isn't unless you are all pretty darned good you're going to have a lot of balls misthrown, and hit other people. We particularly loved it when they were using an actual football, and not a beach ball or soft rubber ball. Luckily it isn't every time, but we've seen it quite a bit over the years at lots of pools.

We did have lifeguard tell us once that the only balls they allow were ones that had a way to blow them up by mouth (in other words, beach balls) but I'm not sure if that was actually a rule or if that particular life guard made that "rule" up for that day, because we've never had that any other times. Ironically, that time it was my mother playing with my 1 or 2 yr old with a very small, light rubber ball (the ones you often win in claw machines that always give a prize, with the little knobs all over it) and she was told she couldn't have it in the pool, but the footballs we see being winged elsewhere are perfectly ok .

 

[ninafeliz]

I have to agree with this. It also seems to be a guy thing. I've never seen a group of women hucking a ball to each other in a crowded pool.

I don't know why, but this really struck a chord with me, every time I read it I can't stop chuckling. I guess I'm picturing either 3 middle aged moms or 3 perfect body young women with a hard football winging it around the entire Oasis pool, and you're right, it just seems so unlikely and absurd to me (not to say girls can't play ball, don't get all over me for that, just a funny thought for me!!).

 

[MikeNamez]

 

[leahgoogle]

We stayed at POR last summer and visited the pool a few times and never noticed anybody tossing a ball around. I'm sure it does happen though because it's a pretty popular pool. It's really sad that the parents don't step in. If my kids were playing ball and the pool got too crowded or if they were bothering someone, I would have them stop playing.

 

[ZJ5/9D47]

This is the sort of goings-on that soured me on value resorts. I certainly would not tolerate it for the sort of $$ plunking down at a deluxe.

The problem with moving to a 'quiet' pool is that there is usually little to no supervision.

So where can you go that there won't roughhousing in the pool area? It's possible anywhere, but ... at risk of sounding terribly elitist, I think it happens less at the more expensive resorts. There. I've said it. Keep in mind, I almost always stay at POR, it is my go-to resort and I rarely have any problems in the pool area.

The lower priced deluxe resorts in particular appeal to longer stay vacationers. It's not uncommon for foreign tourists to hit WDW for 2-3 weeks and that means a larger contingent of guests taking 'resort days' instead of hitting the parks. Shorter staying guests tend to pack more time into the parks and Disney Springs.

Your mileage may vary of course. In any event, I would stick to a pool area with lifeguards on patrol and if the crowd gets rowdy let the LG know you aren't happy with it. LGs are not hotel management and if they don't find the behavior dangerous they may not act on it, in which case take it to hotel management. They really will handle it.

I have found the complete opposite to be true, at least outside of the pool areas since I don't spend much time there. A couple months ago while walking to the Beach Club lobby via the main path coming from the boat dock I was hit in the bony part of my shoulder by a baseball thrown by a father practicing with his teenage son who seemed to play at a club level. Not only was that baseball inches from my skull which would have sent me to the hospital at least and potentially killed me, but I get around using a wheelchair or crutches and injuring my arm caused me to be in pain the rest of my trip and caused me to cut back on distance I could travel and the attractions I could do. There was nobody in the lobby I could report this to without waiting in line but on the way back through the lobby around half an hour later the father had switched to tossing a football on the porch with another of his kids...right in front of the main doors! This time one of the captains wasn't busy and he went out to talk with them and asked if I needed medical attention. I did ask at the front desk later and management's idea of handling it is that guests can throw whatever hard objects they want anywhere they want, even along the main pathways and in front of the main doors and if a guest gets injured they will speak to the guests throwing objects but if a guest gets injured oh well, it is not Disney's fault or responsibility. They will call medical for you though, I'm guessing at your own expense.

 

[cedricandsophie]

My husband and I enjoy throwing a ball in the pool. We bring a couple of the soft squishy cloth balls. When you squeeze the Wster out they weigh nothing, We try to find places where there are as few people as possiblee. I can’t say we haven’t hit anyone but we certainly try not to. And move around as the pool gets more crowded And it is soft anyway. Throwing a ball makes the pool enjoyable for us. I have seen people throwing harder balls and I agree that is unacceptable. Our fav pool is OKW and the lifeguards have asked People to stop throwing if the ball is hard. I really don’t understand how it makes anyone else time in the pool not enjoyable because we choose to enjoy our time together and throw a soft ball around. The only pool that doesn’t allow ball throwing is aulanI.

 

[wilbret]

We’ve had lifeguards provide balls to throw. Definitely soft balls, but obviously endorsed.
Keep in mind that some people do like to toss a ball in the pool, it’s a very common thing. Now, it should be done with respect to others, of course. Because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean others shouldn’t be able to have a simple game of toss.

I have seen rambunctious kids, typically in town for a baseball tournament, doing this. For the most part, I think perhaps this is overstated.

That being said, I wonder if a resort aimed at adults (maybe non-WDW) might be more up your alley? Serious question, I wonder which ones have great, calm pool scenes?

Final note - What about the bulls eye pool at the contemporary?

 

[ninafeliz]

We stayed at POR last summer and visited the pool a few times and never noticed anybody tossing a ball around. I'm sure it does happen though because it's a pretty popular pool. It's really sad that the parents don't step in. If my kids were playing ball and the pool got too crowded or if they were bothering someone, I would have them stop playing.

IME it's often adults, either only adults or adults playing with their children. Again, many do it without causing any problems. It's the ones that throw hard balls, or throw across the entire pool length that annoyed us. Although I will say that I have to kind of watch myself to not get hypocritical - because when I see others throwing a ball even politely I will inwardly roll my eyes and try to avoid them, but if my kids want to throw a ball (beachball is what we have, for politeness and ease or transport, or we have used those small squishy water balls once or twice) I let them. My DH will throw a ball around with the kids, but they stand close to each other and stop if the pool gets busy. I just don't want to be "those people." Makes me wonder what else we might inadvertently do that someone is starting a thread about somewhere right now!!