Help in Florida

I don't know about swimming at Disney, but the International Drive YMCA is a very nice facility. There are three pools there - a competition pool (25 yds by 50 meters), a diving well, and a training pool, which is kept warm for water aerobics and such. You get off I-4 at the Sand Lake Blvd. exit (don't remember the number), drive on Sand Lake for a very short distance, then turn right on International Drive (be sure you stay in the right lane on Sand Lake). Turn right at Jamaica Court. It's either the first or second traffic light on I Drive. You will see signs to the International Drive YMCA. Enjoy. I have swum meets there - in fact there is a meet there the last Saturday in July.

Paul, There is a lap pool at either the Swan or Dolphin at Disney. I'm not sure how strict they are about letting you swim there if you're staying at one of the other Disney hotels. Swan/Dolphin are actually owned by someone other than Disney. But it wouldn't hurt to ask. I've been to Disney many times, and stayed at various of their hotels. My memory is that they're chock full of screaming kids jumping around at random, and cluttered with water sprays, slides, etc. In other words, lap swimming is out of the question. Last time I stayed at the All-Star Movies resort, and their main pool was a kiddie theme pool, but in the vicinity of the "Might Ducks" area they actually had a relatively little-used square pool that you could swim laps in. It wasn't 25 yards, but at least it was a real pool. Meg

There is an Enterprise rent-a-car agency right on the Disney property and you can rent a car for part of the day or a whole day if you need one. They pick you up at your hotel. I've used it to go off the property to church or visit friends. My suggestion is to call the hotel where you are staying and ask guest relations to help you find a place to swim. You never know until you ask.

I will be in miami, florida the week of the 16th thru the 21. Is there a masters workout in that area? I will be staying in the coral gables area. I have tried looking on line but was a bit confused by the websites. Thanz for help

Thanks for the input. Unfortunately Jean, we will be taking a shuttle to Disney from the airport. Then later we will be getting a ride from in-laws to Sarasota. We won't have a car with us in Orlando - just taking the shuttles. Meg, I kind of figured the pools would be like that - kids, etc. In fact, I will be spending some time in those "play pools" with my kids while we are there. Not so good for laps though.:( I will ask when I get there about the Swan or Dolphin.

Does anyone live in the miami, coral gables area and if so where do you swim in masters workout. I will be there for a week after nationals and am looking for a spot to workout. Please help me find a pool I can workout in with some of the great Florida masters swimmers. Any help is greatly appreciated Thanz

Originally posted by MegSmath Paul, There is a lap pool at either the Swan or Dolphin at Disney. I'm not sure how strict they are about letting you swim there if you're staying at one of the other Disney hotels. Swan/Dolphin are actually owned by someone other than Disney. But it wouldn't hurt to ask. I've been to Disney many times, and stayed at various of their hotels. My memory is that they're chock full of screaming kids jumping around at random, and cluttered with water sprays, slides, etc. In other words, lap swimming is out of the question. Last time I stayed at the All-Star Movies resort, and their main pool was a kiddie theme pool, but in the vicinity of the "Might Ducks" area they actually had a relatively little-used square pool that you could swim laps in. It wasn't 25 yards, but at least it was a real pool. Meg Meg -- About 8 years ago I stayed at Disney on a family vacation. If you stay at any on-campus Disney facility, you can use the pools at any of the others. (At least it was that way when I was there.) If I recall correctly, both the Swan and the Dolphin have lap pools, and each are 33 1/3 yards long. (Kind of weird to swim in that distance, but perfectly doable.) And if I recall correctly, they were the only pools in the Disney complex that were designed to accommodate lap swimming. (All the rest are lagoon-style odd-shaped things that are great for recreational splashing. etc.) When we were there, we went early each AM to the lap pools. Swam in each. Not another swimmer in sight for most of the workouts, so if Joy picks her times well, she should get in some good workouts. (The kids aren't interested in a boring square pool when there is one at the next hotel with slides and waterfalls, etc. And mom and dad are happy to accommodate the kids because they can get poolside pina colada service at the lagoon but not at the lap pool!) :)

Joy, the University of Miami has a master program, they have a 6AM workout, not sure of other times. Coral Gables is only a 45 minute drive from the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center which has many open hours for swimming, and nice chilled water. UM will be warm. If you want to go to the Keys, the pool in Founders Park, home of the Race Club, also has public swimming. I don't swim at UM, but know that they are receptive to people just showing up to swim in the workouts.

thank you Cathy. I will look into each one. The chilled water sounds nice. aaaaaaahhhhhhh

40 yards is a good, if unusual length - too bad about the atairs at one end. The Y on Potter is the Y I was thinking of - it's very nice. Glad you found it.