Something is happening near the pool!!!

[bama_ed]

Hasn't been a post here in a while. Have all the construction fences been taken down and things back to normal now? Is it time to officially close down this thread?

Bama ED

 

[DaveInTN]

Hasn't been a post here in a while. Have all the construction fences been taken down and things back to normal now? Is it time to officially close down this thread?

Bama ED

I won't consider this thread closed until I see a pic of TCD going down the little slide in the splash zone. Then, and only then, can it be closed.

 

[nikkipowell1]

I will put this in my tr that i'll write later, but just a quick note about the splash zone. We were there 5/27 - 6/3 and it is opened. The fences were not taken down from the area yet and there were still sand bags laying around on the grass. The splash zone did not have age/height requirements so I enjoyed it as much as all the kids because the water was nice and cool, not cold, but not hot like the pool water. I did get a nice scrape on my elbow because as you get to the bottom of the slide, the top of it has a nice sandpaper layer on it, ouch, and it did get my kids a little to. Other than that, I will post pics on my tr soon of the splash zone, pool, slide, ect. It was funny, one day at the pool it was so packed you couldn't find a single chair free and the next day there were like 20 people there. Go figure. Look for my tr in the next few days.

Nikki

 

[iradi8]

were all getting along nicely, when the life guard came and threw them out. There is no rule posted saying that the splash zone is for children 5 or younger. TCD

We were there last month. I was irked a bit by the lifeguards because different lifeguards have different rules. The inconsistency is difficult for my young kids to understand. For instance, one day my kids (7 & 9y.o.) were using snorkels in the pool. One of the lifeguards started screaming to us that no snorkels are allowed. The previous day my kids used the snorkels with no problems. The pool rules say nothing about snorkels. When I asked why no snorkels in an effort to understand, I was told that extremely young children don't use them properly and swallow water! Well, some young children can't swim either -- does that mean they can't get into the pool?

The water slide rules don't say anything about not wearing a mask/goggles. We were there for 8 days and some days my kids could wear the mask, some days they couldn't. It all depended on the lifeguard. No consistency.

My kids would love the splash zone. I don't think they should keep it to the under 5yo. I hope they don't.

 

[nikkipowell1]

We were there last month. I was irked a bit by the lifeguards because different lifeguards have different rules. The inconsistency is difficult for my young kids to understand. For instance, one day my kids (7 & 9y.o.) were using snorkels in the pool. One of the lifeguards started screaming to us that no snorkels are allowed. The previous day my kids used the snorkels with no problems. The pool rules say nothing about snorkels. When I asked why no snorkels in an effort to understand, I was told that extremely young children don't use them properly and swallow water! Well, some young children can't swim either -- does that mean they can't get into the pool?

The water slide rules don't say anything about not wearing a mask/goggles. We were there for 8 days and some days my kids could wear the mask, some days they couldn't. It all depended on the lifeguard. No consistency.

My kids would love the splash zone. I don't think they should keep it to the under 5yo. I hope they don't.

They didn't have any lifeguards in the splash zone area at all. I can't tell you how many times I went down the slide in the splash zone and no one said anything. I don't think the rules stated an age, but not sure.

Were we had a problem was with the big slide and the lifequards there. Most of the time there wasn't a lifeguard at the top and some of the guards didn't care if you went down head first, and some did. But I do agree there is no consistency with the guards at all.

 

[iradi8]

Were we had a problem was with the big slide and the lifequards there. Most of the time there wasn't a lifeguard at the top and some of the guards didn't care if you went down head first, and some did. But I do agree there is no consistency with the guards at all.

Oh, that reminds me. While some lifeguards didn't say anything to the kids going headfirst, I did see one lifeguard ban a kid from using the slide again. He said that he told the kid 3 times not to go down headfirst. So, when the kid approached the stairs the lifeguard stopped him and told him he could no longer use the slide at all.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

We were there from 5/23 thru 5/30- our 8yr old used the splash zone the entire time and thoroughly enjoyed it- no one ever ran her off and I'm not sure if they mean adult supervision RIGHT THERE with her or what- but we never were. we were there at the pool- but not up in the splash zone area just watching her (and our other two in the pool) from lounge chairs. Yanno?
We were told we couldn't go head first down the slide- when we asked. (we didn't attempt to do it- we asked if we could and were told no)

That's all we know- but I agree to limit the splash zone to 5 and under is kinda ridiculous. I could MAYBE see a lifeguard being particular about the ages if there were a ton of toddlers in there and they were concerned bigger kids might end up injuring the toddlers in some way- but clearly from those photos this was not the case and I can't for the life of me figure out why that lifeguard would want to run them out..... especially with what the sign says about needing adult supervision up to age 12! That makes it pretty obvious that it's not only for kids 5 and under!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

The pool project still is not done. I stopped by for an inspection on 6/5/09, and here is what I saw:

As you can see, the construction fences are still up. The footbridge from the 1500 loop is still closed. I imagine all of the rain is slowing them down from whatever there is left to do until this project is finished.

They are coming up on the 6 month mark on this project. It should have been done before now.

TCD

 

[ynottony99]

As you can see, the construction fences are still up. The footbridge from the 1500 loop is still closed. I imagine all of the rain is slowing them down from whatever there is left to do until this project is finished.

They are coming up on the 6 month mark on this project. It should have been done before now.

TCD

I bet you're right about the rain. It is very soggy over there. I can't imagine Disney is happy to have the fence up clunking everything up like that.
Thanks for the continued updates. I had hoped to swing by myself, but we spent the day at AK and MK. One last blowout before the seasonal passes were blocked out for summer.

 

[NLPRacing]

Are the fences still up?

 

[proudmomof4]

We left yesterday afternoon and it looked like the fences had just come down after sod was laid where all the construction traffic had killed the grass.

Sorry, no pictures, I was driving.

 

[GOBA Mom Lynn]

Come on people!

It's been over a week--does NO ONE have pictures of the newly landscaped pool area?

Surely someone has been there and taken photos, or do we have to wait until TCD makes another official inspection trip?

Let us see what's been going on!!!

 

[Donna]

We just returned but had family there so we didn't spend alot of fort time as i had wanted. My son did go exploring over at River Country behind the gate, he couldn't help himself, lol. Here are the pics i took of the pool area and RC.

They were filming an animal special about a possum:

 

[DaveInTN]

Great pics! I can't believe when they closed RC, they just left the pool furniture there to rot?? Looks kind of creepy.

 

[Donna]

it was creepy. we both walked thru spider webs and he stepped on a snake that took off really fast! he went on his own and walked along the old wooden bridge in RC but he said he thinks a boat saw him so he left.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Donna-

Your son is my hero!!!

And, I owe him a TCD Junior Deputy badge!

I have always wanted to sneak into River Country, but have yet to do so.

Those photos are amazing (and sad).

What was going on there by the lake? Were they filming something?

TCD

 

[Donna]

omg, he will be so honored! i told him all about you and he said he wanted to venture as far as he could, and he did! the webs were huge, you had to catch them in the sun to avoid them. he kept saying this would have been a great place and tell him about it. i had to admit, i had TCD on my mind as we snuck in! lol

the filming was going on near the bike barn. an animal special and a possum was the star, lol. i couldn't get any closer or i would have.

as for the pool area, there is absolutely no evidence of any prior construction. no muddy areas, sod is all in place, fences down. had i not known, i would have said this was always like this. i was horrified at the kids in the hot tub though. not with parents either. teens also which is fine except their conversation was a little advanced for their age and i didn't want my son to overhear, lol. also, the pool was closed on the hottest day of the year til about noon. i talked to the mtce. mgr of the pool and was told that the sand was pumping IN to the pool, not out and the lifeguards said they could not see the bottom well enough to see swimmers. it was opened up again around noon, albeit cloudy and hot water! not refreshing at all.

i was too hot and lazy to take more pics, sorry, lol. i have to go tell my son about his jr. deputy badge!

 

[auntie]

Great pics Donna!

I feel so bad looking at those River Country photos.

It's actually the only water park in Disney that I've gone too. Sad to see what's become of it.

 

[Donna]

jake is sad that his brother got to go there when it was open but he can't since it's now closed. he's the adventurous type so he would have loved it. he banged up his knees at typhoon lagoon on the cement wave pool bottom. disney has a gold mine back there if they'd get their imagineers heads together and fix it up.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

I won't consider this thread closed until I see a pic of TCD going down the little slide in the splash zone. Then, and only then, can it be closed.

Dave- I have made my final inspection of this project, and I have issued the C.O. Unfortunately, as you will see in the photos posted below, I was not able to slide down the little slide. On this visit. That will have to wait for another time.

. . .just a quick note about the splash zone. We were there 5/27 - 6/3 and it is opened. The fences were not taken down from the area yet and there were still sand bags laying around on the grass. The splash zone did not have age/height requirements so I enjoyed it as much as all the kids because the water was nice and cool, not cold, but not hot like the pool water. I did get a nice scrape on my elbow because as you get to the bottom of the slide, the top of it has a nice sandpaper layer on it, ouch, and it did get my kids a little to. . .

Nikki

They didn't have any lifeguards in the splash zone area at all. I can't tell you how many times I went down the slide in the splash zone and no one said anything. I don't think the rules stated an age, but not sure.

Nikki- Unless you are under 48" tall, your slide riding days in the splash zone are now over! Check out the new photos below.

Come on people!

It's been over a week--does NO ONE have pictures of the newly landscaped pool area?

Surely someone has been there and taken photos, or do we have to wait until TCD makes another official inspection trip?

Let us see what's been going on!!!

Lynn- I, like you, and perhaps a few more folks, have been waiting to see some photos of the completely finished project.

Donna did post a couple, but I wanted to see it all. With the fences down and everything.

So, I made an official inspection on July 18, and this is what I saw:

As luck would have it, a big storm was approaching as I arrived at the pool. Literally at the same time I walked onto the pool deck, the lifeguards blew their whistles and ordered everyone out of the pool. They even made everyone leave the pool deck. It was OK to hang out in the porch area next to the snack bar, or under the little pavilion by the tennis courts.

At first I was bummed, but then I realized I had the perfect opportunity to get shots of all of the improvements without people cluttering up the photos. So, here you go:

Here are several shots taken around the entrance to the pool area. These Crape Myrtle trees are bare all winter, and some of you snowbirds may not recognize the front with these beautiful flowering trees:

There are a lot of new barriers and signs out here in front of the pool which prohibit golf carts from parking close to the pool. Golf cart parking is now restricted to the new lot by the campfire area. I don't like this, but it does make the entrance area less crazy and congested.

There is are new signs in the splash zone that will disappoint those of you taller than 48":

Well, there it is. I guess the splash zone is officially called the Aquatic Play Area, and its use is restricted to those under 48". But, there is no life guard present . If you are so inclined, you would be able to get in there and down the slide before anyone could stop you. I will save that for another day.

Stay tuned for a few more photos . . .

TCD