When it’s time to vacation, Disney is the first place many travelers want to go. The theme parks are endlessly fun but the resort hotels have a lot that keeps people coming back too. With so many themed resorts, there are lots of options to set the tone for your stay. Disney Vacation Club members know how great the deluxe resorts are. Lobbies with rich storytelling, excellent restaurants and exciting pools are precisely some of the things that cause the Disney blues as soon as you leave. Am I right? DVC resort pool hopping is a perk offered to Disney Vacation Club members. Below we have everything you need to know about this offering including which resorts may and may not be included. If you’re considering buying a Disney Vacation Club membership, you can count DVC pool hopping as a bonus no matter how you buy your contract.
DVC Pool Hopping also known as Complimentary Alternative Pool Use
Disney also refers to DVC pool hopping as Complimentary Alternative Pool Use on their website. There may be blockout dates for this depending on actual or projected pool capacity, maintenance needs or planned refurbishments. Disney also states alternative pool use may have the rules changed or be discontinued at any time. DVC pool hopping is said to be for you and your overnight guests, meaning those listed on your reservation. Complimentary Alternative Pool Use includes select pools at Disney Vacation Club Resorts and other Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
Disney says the DVC pool hopping perk is not available at the following pools:
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort (Bay Cove Pool)
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (pools)
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas (leisure pool)
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (pools)
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (The Lava Pool and leisure pool)
- Disney’s Riviera Resort (Riviera Pool and Beau Soleil Pool)
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (Boulder Ridge Cove Pool and The Copper Creek Springs Pool)
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort (Stormalong Bay)
Where can DVC members pool hop?
So which resorts does that leave for DVC pool hopping? At this time, Disney doesn’t share a definitive list of pools included in this perk. There may only be some worth visiting depending on your preferences. Disney pools at all of the resorts are unique and themed. However, you might not necessarily be eager to visit the value resort pools if you’re staying at a DVC resort. These pools usually don’t have water slides and the theming is more color blocking and character inspired than detailed and atmospheric. An exception might be if you have a little one who loves bright colors and films featured at some of those pools.
The moderate resorts, on the other hand, can be a bit more themed. For example, the pool at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort has a 50 foot pyramid with a stories high water feature and winding water slide that almost feels like an attraction. Over at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort the pool deck is fun and “a pirate’s paradise, themed like a colonial Spanish fortress.”
DVC Pool Hopping Resorts
Disney advises guests to, “Check with the Resort you wish to visit prior to your travels to find out about their pool blockout dates.” This isn’t the easiest as direct numbers to resorts aren’t really found online and the in room hotels don’t directly connect you to the front desk at your, or any other, hotel. Here are some hotels that might be included based on which resorts are not included. Again, check before or on your stay to be sure.
- Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
- Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
- Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
- Disney’s Pop Century Resort
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas
- Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
- Disney’s Old Key West Resort
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
DVC Pool Hopping is Currently Suspended
The most important thing for you to know about DVC pool hopping right now is that it’s suspended. Disney guests have gotten very familiar with the term ‘temporarily unavailable’ over the last few years. There are many shops, restaurants, shows, offerings and perks that haven’t returned since Walt Disney World Resort closed and reopened in 2020. We cover all of those things in depth in our monthly Disney World news updates. The DVC website says this about pool hopping: “During the phased reopening of our Resorts, pool hopping is currently suspended.” What’s tricky about this is, Disney seems to be very behind when it comes to bringing everything back.
On the planDisney website, more was said about the DVC pool hopping suspension. This is an official branch of Disney that has selected individuals to assist guests with vacation questions online. In a post from January of 2023, a DVC member asked if DVC pool hopping would be back in time for their upcoming March 2023 stay. The answer unfortunately stated that DVC Member Services “did not know when this policy might change.”
Pool hopping for DVC members isn’t guaranteed
As much as we love DVC perks like DVC pool hopping, we have to remember these things aren’t guaranteed with ownership. Disney says many benefits are subject to change or cancellation. Will DVC pool hopping come back? We hope so! It’s been years and this is a special little thing for members as regular resort guests can only use their resort pool or pools.
Can DVC resale members enjoy alternative pool use?
This is actually a perk for all Disney Vacation Club members when it’s available! It’s usually a game of give and take with DVC resale. Membership extras are not included but they are also not guaranteed to those who do have access to them. However, resale prices are so good, they’re hard to ignore. Even if you have to pass on some extras. Surprisingly, Disney says the following about DVC pool hopping:
“Complimentary alternative pool use (pool hopping) is not considered a Membership Extra. This benefit is offered to all Disney Vacation Club Members, regardless of how they purchased.”
That’s great news for current and potential DVC resale owners who are interested in pool hopping! The membership extras section of Disney Vacation Club’s terms says this: “To receive any Membership Extras, purchasers must present a valid digital Disney Vacation Club Membership Card along with a corresponding valid photo ID. Effective June 3, 2021, to obtain a Disney Vacation Club Membership Card, Members must accumulate a total of at least 150 Vacation Points purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc.” We know that if you purchase resale alone, you do not have access to membership extras. Because Disney Vacation Club considers DVC pool hopping a perk, it’s available to all members.
DVC Perks Are Not Permanent
Disney Vacation Club membership extras can be great! Discounts and access to exclusive member spaces are a highlight for some. It’s good to remember, though, that these are not officially part of Disney Vacation Club and can be removed or become suspended at any time. It took quite a long time for the Top of the World Lounge to return, a space DVC members love to visit.
What is always guaranteed is how much money you can save with DVC resale. The memberships on the DVC resale market can cost up to 50% less than buying from Disney Vacation Club directly from what we’ve seen. It’s possible to save thousands of dollars when you buy DVC resale and you can have fun deciding what you’ll do with that savings. With the money you save you can buy additional points or apply it to special events, like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, on future trips. You at least know up front exactly how much money you’ll save and can choose to spend that in a way that suits you. With resale, you may not have access to membership extras but you do get the best possible price on deluxe Disney resort hotel stays. That’s really what DVC is best at providing guests with.
Make sure your DVC resort pool is open before booking
If pool days are an important part of your trip, you’ll also want to consider this. If you’re interested in DVC pool hopping when it becomes available, or you just love a good pool day in general, take a look at our DVC resort refurbishment schedule. There are a lot of moving parts at Disney World with ongoing maintenance, planned and pop up refurbishments and, sometimes, surprise additions that cause certain things to be closed or unavailable. We do our best to keep track of the things we think you’ll want to know about for your next trip. That includes pool closures and refurbishments which happen annually at different resorts.
DVC Resale Experts Makes Magic
DVC Resale Experts is a licensed real estate broker with a team specializing in resale DVC. It’s possible to save thousands buying resale. You might be totally surprised when you compare resale DVC prices to buying directly from Disney Vacation Club. Whether you’re just becoming a Member, adding on points or selling DVC, the Experts will be happy to help you. Our licensed real estate agents are former Disney Vacation Club Guides who have decades of experience selling DVC. You can expect pixie dusted service and helpful insight from our team throughout the process.
Take a look at our resale DVC listings for current pricing and availability. If you don’t see the right contract for you, join the DVC Resale Experts Buyer Wish List to be contacted when it magically appears on the market.
