The bigger the better! Having been a Disney Vacation Club member since the late 90s, our family has had the chance to try a number of the best pools at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. This was before the days when pool hopping was disallowed at the most popular spots like the Disney Beach Club. We loved to search out and try the larger pools with waterslides and other fun activities. We found the larger pools also allow people to spread out so you don’t feel like you are sitting or swimming on top of someone else. So where are the largest pools at WDW and Disneyland? Let’s have a look.
#13 – Disneyland Grand Californian Hotel – 50,000 gallons*
The pools at Disneyland are considerably smaller than the best pools at WDW. The Grand Californian Hotel has a nice three pool layout. These are three medium sized pools. The largest pool, the Redwood pool, is about 50,000 gallons. The Redwood Pool includes a 90-foot-long waterslide that curves around the giant stump of a Redwood tree.
#12 – Disneyland Hotel – 80,000 gallons*
The pool at the Disneyland Hotel is probably the best pool among the Disney hotels at Disneyland. Go for a dip at the E-Ticket pool that pays tribute to the park’s early days with decorative signs resembling the theme park tickets of yesteryear. Located at the north end of the courtyard plaza, the pool measures 4,800-square-foot. The pool has 2 winding waterslides that feature replicas of the original Mark 1 Monorail trains. Make a big splash from the approximate 25-foot-high, 180-foot-long Red Monorail slide or enjoy a more relaxing splashdown atop the 13-foot-high, 80-foot-long Yellow Monorail slide. The hotel also has a smaller D-Ticket pool which is an ideal place for guests looking to swim laps.
#11 of Largest Pools at WDW and Disneyland – Polynesian Village Resort, Lava Pool – 110,000 gallons*
Though the Polynesian Resort Lava Pool is one of the smaller pools at Disney World, it is one of my favourites. The location is fantastic, with great views into the Seven Seas Lagoon, and the Polynesian theme really makes it seem like you are in a Pacific Ocean paradise. Disney did a great job on the 2015 overhaul, transforming the Nanea Volcano Pool to the Lava Pool. You’ve got a wonderful Kiki Tiki’s Splash Play Area, walking bridge, waterfalls, and 142-foot water slide.
#10 – Animal Kingdom at Kidani Village, Samawati Springs Pool – 118,000 gallons
The Animal Kingdom Resort at Walt Disney World features two main pools at two different villages. The first is the Samawati Springs pool at Kidani Village. Kid’s love Uwanja Camp, a water playground with three zones that include water guns, climbing crates, games, geysers, and other fun stuff. The pool also features a 128-foot water slide. This is the best pool for kids, but it is roughly half the size of the Uzima pool at the Animal Kingdom Jamba House.
#9 – of Largest Pools at WDW and Disneyland Wilderness Lodge Silver Creek Springs – 125,000 gallons*
Not in the top five largest pools at Walt Disney World, but Disney has done a fantastic job of creating a great atmosphere at the Silver Creek Springs pool. The pool is “fed” by a natural spring which starts in the lobby of the hotel, and trickles outside into the pool, giving the pool area a nice “in the woods” tranquil feel. There’s also a 67-foot waterslide built into the rocks, hot and cold whirlpool spas, and a new water play area for kids. My kids thought this was one of the best pools, but at times the pool seemed too small and overcrowded for the number of guests at the Wilderness Lodge.
#8 – Caribbean Beach Resort, Fuentes del Morro Pool – 170,000 gallons*
The Caribbean Beach Resort was where we stayed the first time we decided to stay at a Disney resort. The resort is a little cheaper than the other big name resorts like the Boardwalk, Beach Resort and Wilderness Lodge. The colonial Spanish fortress themed Fuentes del Morro pool is a pirate’s paradise, but we often found it to be over crowded. The pool’s features include the Shipwreck Play Area and two water slides. For adults, there’s a pool bar plus two somewhat secluded hot tubs.
#7 – Boardwalk Resort – Lunar Park Pool – 190,000 gallons.
Built to resemble a 1920’s amusement park, Lunar Pool has a roller coaster looking waterslide, brave little elephants, and creepy clowns. Kids love the 200-foot-long Keister Coaster waterslide. Guests seeking a tranquil swimming experience can choose from the two other leisure pools at the Boardwalk. Both pools feature whirlpool spas for added relaxation.
#6 – Port Orleans Resort Doubloon Lagoon – 225,000 gallons
Doubloon Lagoon at the Port Orleans Resort features a band of musically-inclined alligators, and a 51-foot long slide themed as a SerpentDragonSnake. I’ve never been to this pool so can’t provide any personal insight. The pool features a kiddie pool, whirlpool spa, and the Mardi Grogs pool bar. The Port Orleans resort also has a second pool in the Riverside area called Ol Man Island which is is roughly the same size, perhaps a little smaller. It features rushing waterfalls and a rustic 95-foot waterslide fashioned after an old mill.
#5 – of Largest Pools at WDW and Disneyland Grand Floridian Courtyard Pool – 225,000 gallons*
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa has two main pools, with the larger one, the Courtyard Pool ranking #5 on our list of the largest pools at Walt Disney World. The pool areas at the Grand Floridian are fairly large so you have more of a tranquil environment. The Courtyard pool has more of an adult pool feel (it has no waterslide) so you have less kids running around. We think this is one of the best pools at WDW, so we use to “pool hop” to this pool when we wanted to get away from some of the other overcrowded pools like the one at the Wilderness Lodge. The other pool at the Grand Floridian is the Beach Pool. It is a 111,000 gallon pool that features a 181-foot-long waterslide, waterfalls, walking bridge, poolside bar, and zero-depth beach entry. There’s also an Alice in Wonderland water play area adjacent to the Beach Pool, providing balance for kids to what is otherwise an adult pool area.
#4 – Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House Uzima Pool – 234,980 gallons
Built around a Savanna theme Uzima Springs Pool is a 11,000-square-foot tropical oasis. The large canopy trees and Floridian palms give the pool area a real African feel. The pool has animal viewing areas—including the flamingos—just a hop, skip and a jump away. Uzima pool offers zero entry and a 67-foot-long waterslide. This was also one of our favourite pools, and comes in at #4 in the Largest Pools at Walt Disney World.
#3 – Coronado Springs Resort Dig Site Pools – 272,000 gallons
I’ve never been to this pool, but am looking forward to visiting, The Lost City of Cibola Pool, built based on a Mayan theme, is one of the largest pools in the Walt Disney World resort area. The centerpiece of the pool is a 50-foot pyramid where you can cool off in the waters streaming down its stone steps. A 123-foot-long waterslide featuring a spitting Jaguar spirit animal makes for a fierce ride. For adults, the pool also has the largest hot tub at Walt Disney World (capacity for 22 people).themed like a colonial Spanish fortress.
#2 – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Big Blue Pool – 308,500 gallons
Inspired by the Disney Pixar hit Finding Nemo, this huge zero-entry pool is the largest single hotel pool in all of the Walt Disney World Resort and is ranked #2 on our list of the largest pools at DisneyWorld. The pool provides a truly immersive experience—listening to your favorite Disney songs via underwater speakers. I’ve never been to this pool, but heard that it is over rated and over crowded. The pool area also features the Schoolyard Sprayground, which has pop-up jets, gushing water and more characters from Finding Nemo.
#1 Best Pool at Disney World – Beach Club Resort, StormAlong Bay – 795,000 gallons
Though StormAlong Bay is not a single pool, but rather a 3 acre beach and pool complex, I have awarded it the #1 largest pool at WDW and Disneyland ranking based on it’s total of 795,000 gallons. By the book, the Big Blue Pool at Art of Animation is the single largest pool, but it has no where near the total water of StormAlong Bay. Shared by Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, StormAlong has a sand-bottomed pool and a relaxing lazy river. From atop the mast of a life-sized shipwreck replica, you can speed down a 230-foot-long waterslide, one of the highest hotel slides at Walt Disney World. Our family loved StormAlong Bay, and it’s easy to spend the whole day enjoying all the different features available! If you’d like to try multiple pools on your next stay read about pool hopping at Walt Disney World. Heading to Disneyland instead of DisneyWorld? See this One Week Itinerary for Southern California
*We have estimated the size of a few of the pools marked with an asterisk because Disney does not provide the size of these pools. Size was estimated based on dimensions of the pool.