Disney World - The Online Guide -

Pools of the World

When people are choosing which Disney Resort to stay at, the pool is often one of the factors considered. In most Resorts, the elaborate theming is carried through to the Resort's swimming pool. Here we look at the 'Pools of the World'.

All-Star Sports

At the Home Run Pool, you'll feel as if you're swimming in a cartoon full of oversized, brightly coloured jokes. The pool is a baseball diamond and it's located amid graphics of huge bats, bleachers, stadium lights, and three-story-high glasses of Coca-Cola. And on the mound there's Pitcher Goofy, throwing out blasts of water toward home plate.

"We've tried the main pool at Sports, and the kiddie pool. The kiddie pool is way too small for my kids, but a load of fun if my daughter wants to belly surf. The main pool was just too darn crowded, and since I wear contacts, tough for me to keep water out of my eyes. We head to the Goofy pool, love the fountain, the large 3-foot depth area, and the ledge around the pool." Marion

All-Star Movies

Guests looking for a cinematic swim can "skate" into the hockey rink-themed pool in the Mighty Ducks or join Sorcerer Mickey as he directs a liquid symphony at the Fantasia pool, featuring a kiddie area.

"I've only stayed on site at All Star Movies but of the two pools there I preferred the smaller pool by the Mighty Ducks building. The theming was pretty good, hockey nets and such, but I simply liked the fact that it was less crowded and much quieter than the main Fantasia pool. As much fun as the Mickey fountain may be, if I had small children I'd feel much safer bringing them to this pool where it was much calmer and easier to keep your eye on things. Also the laundry is right next to the pool so slap your laundry in the machine, jump in for a dip then go and retrieve your clean clothes when they're done. There's a changing area at the pool with lockers and showers. This area was always impeccably clean." Dawn

All-Star Music

Families can cool off at one of two themed pools -- one in the shape of a guitar, the other a grand piano.

"The piano pool is less crowded than the bigger pool. It has Ariel beside it." Mrs.Tom-Morrow

Coronado Springs

Between the Ranchos and Cabanas is the 46-foot Mayan pyramid with water rushing down its ceremonial stone steps. On one side, a twisting waterslide provides extra fun for guests as its rushing water pushes them from near the top of the pyramid into the resort's feature pool. The area represents the imaginary discovery of a lost Mayan kingdom during a present-day archaeological dig.

There also are three "quiet" pools, one for each of the resort's guest areas.

"The feature pool at the Coronado Springs is indeed one of the more pictureque pools at Walt Disney World. It was actually one of the major reasons that my family picked the Coronado Springs for our stay in 2001. The pool is quite large but did not seem all that crowded (granted our visit was a few days after labor day so attendance was low). The pool is pretty much a normal large pool, however it is kicked up a notch by the huge pyramid that serves as it's backdrop. If you get there and the water is not running down the pyramid, WAIT. It is worth the wait. When we were there everyone, was waiting around and asking the CMs when will the Pyramid be turned on. As soon as it was, everyone went running to grab their cameras to take pictures of the Pyramid and to take pictures of their families on the steps. But the pyramid is not the only things of note. There is also a waterslide that looks like it is going through some wild vines and foliage. Plus there are also stone-like figures, almost like totem poles that spray water into the pool. My father who was along for the trip loved the massaging feeling from the pressure of these water jets. So to sum it up, I strongly recommend the feature pool at Coronado Springs. There are also a couple of quiet pools, but we opted to skip them just to see the beauty of the feature pool. Enjoy!" Paul C from New York.

"The quiet pools are very quiet and the main pool even though it is quite large never seemed very crowded to us." Val

Caribbean Beach

Old Port Royale is where you'll find the main pool. Here you'll find bridges, fountains, coves, a slide and a waterfall that pours directly into a hot tub.

Individual villages have their own swimming pools, and white-sand beaches.

"The main pool is neat but toward the far back of the resort there is a pool that is quiet and has a beach next to it with hammocks to lay in." Mrs.Tom-Morrow

"Wonderful theming and a fun slide. Right next to food court so the parents can do something while the kids swim. It's not the biggest pool, but it still seems to be fun no matter what." MaryPoppins983

"The quiet pools were so quiet that most times we were the only ones there but the main pool seemed busier than at CSR." Val

Port Orleans Riverside

The focal point of Ol' Man Island is a 3.5-acre recreation complex with pools, spa, fishing hole and playground.

Port Orleans French Quarter

The recreation area is highlighted by a colorful sea serpent statue slide that emerges from the pool -- Doubloon Lagoon -- in a blaze of purple and turquoise. King Neptune sits on the serpents head, and its tongue is the water slide. Frolicking around the pool are comical Mardi Gras characters. Three alligators play jazz on the half-shell while another gator's sax squirts a stream of cool water into the wading pool.

Wilderness Lodge

A bubbling hot spring in the main lobby expands into a geothermal area outside the building. The water flows under a picturesque window wall to become Silver Creek in the upper courtyard. The quiet, contemplative creek widens and is transformed into a roaring waterfall which plummets 15 feet past Overlook Point, another traditional National Park icon, and widens again in the swimming area. At the spot where the waterfall meets the pool, the current is so strong you can actually swim in place.

A kiddie pool and hot and cold spas complete the swimming area which then flows toward Bay Lake. The excitement is capped off by steaming color pools and an Old Faithful-style geyser that erupts at regular intervals.

Animal Kingdom Lodge

The resort features a 9,000-square-foot, zero-entry, themed feature pool -- which offers a poolside view of the savannah -- as well as two bubbling spas.

"HUGE!!!!! Love the zero entry. You can just sit or lay in the water and tan while staying cool in the water. The slide is lots of fun too. Better than most Dinsey pool slides. Because the pool is so big, it never seems crowded even in the middle of the day." MaryPoppins983

Yacht & Beach Club

Stormalong Bay, a 2 ½-acre water recreation area reminiscent of a Nantucket beach with a life-size shipwreck with water slides, snorkeling in a sandy lagoon and a meandering swimming area that seemingly flows into the surrounding lake. Stormalong Bay's three interconnected pools hold over 790,000 gallons of water, resulting in a pool so massive, it's often described as a mini water park.

Guests can splash through three lagoon areas - including one specifically designed for younger water-lovers, with a depth of 2 to 3 feet. One of the pool areas features a sand bottom, which is particularly popular.

A spiral stair on board the life-sized shipwreck ascends to a 150-foot mast, broken and askew to serve as a flume plummeting toward a rocky outcropping where 150 more feet of spins complete a fast-moving thrill slide.

There's a smaller slide for younger kids, buckets on the shore for building sandcastles, and baby ducks from the lagoon often pop in for a quick paddle.

Large inflatable rings can be hired, and are great for floating around on in the sunshine.

Each hotel also features a "quiet pool" in alcoves far removed from Stormalong Bay.

"Huge and wonderful. Lots of different things to do and experience. The sandy bottom is really neat. Be careful in the lazy river section. It is very deep and you have to rent a float if you want to float. I have never seen one that deep!" Mrs.Tom-Morrow

"Very big and lots of fun. The sand bottom make it unique from other pools. There are so many sections of the pool, it's hard to keep track of them." MaryPoppins983

BoardWalk

A roller-coaster-style slide propels youngsters of all ages into Luna Park - a carnival-themed pool with a carousel pool bar. Riders on the Keister Coaster make two quick circles before sliding through a clown's mouth into the pool.

The swimming pool is a gesture to the elegant Luna Parks that were built in a number of cities in the earliest decades of the century.

In a second pool area guests play in fountains spraying from the trunks of a herd of playful elephant statues.

"The clown slide is really neat but is very busy. This pool has a neat kids spray area where the ground is padded and water squirts everywhere." Mrs.Tom-Morrow

Grand Floridian

In July 2001, the zero-entry Beach Pool opened, offering guests a natural springs setting complete with a waterfall flowing from a 27-foot-tall stone mountain.

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