# Aruba Surf Club - Lazy River



## CashEddie (Nov 5, 2013)

We will be heading down to Aruba in a few weeks for Thanksgiving and will be staying at the Surf Club and Ocean Club.  My question is what is the situation with floating devices for the lazy river at the Surf Club.  I have seen posts here that recommend you bring your own floating devices.  Does the resort not provide float devices for the Lazy River?  We are not trying to back extra stuff to add to weight of our bags but on the other hand we want to make sure we will be able to use the lazy river without a hassle.


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## jaym (Nov 5, 2013)

CashEddie said:


> We will be heading down to Aruba in a few weeks for Thanksgiving and will be staying at the Surf Club and Ocean Club.  My question is what is the situation with floating devices for the lazy river at the Surf Club.  I have seen posts here that recommend you bring your own floating devices.  Does the resort not provide float devices for the Lazy River?  We are not trying to back extra stuff to add to weight of our bags but on the other hand we want to make sure we will be able to use the lazy river without a hassle.



 I believe you may be able to purchase floats/tubes at the Surf Club Marketplace, located in the main lobby, near the registration desk. But expect to pay a few dollars more for each than you could acquire them at a local Walmart or other store. 
Although, depending on where you live, you may be unable to buy in the U.S. this time of year, because they are a seasonal item for warmer temps, most retailers have replaced them with snowmelt, shovels, and holiday stuff....


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## CashEddie (Nov 5, 2013)

Thanks.  We will be looking online now to order before we go.


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## m61376 (Nov 5, 2013)

We bring these There isn't one trip where people don't ask where we got them, and have even offered to purchase them from us


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## IngridN (Nov 5, 2013)

Definitely bring some with you. The Marketplace only sells the 36" 'tire-type' floats. None of the grocery or other stores in town sell them. We always bring down our Swimways personal floats...they work great in the Lazy River as well as the Caribbean. http://www.swimways.com/spring-float-c-42.aspx. There are other brands available. Have fun!

Ingrid


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## IngridN (Nov 5, 2013)

m61376 said:


> We bring these There isn't one trip where people don't ask where we got them, and have even offered to purchase them from us



Yep...we have these also and get the same comments from others.

Ingrid


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## GregT (Nov 5, 2013)

That looks terrific -- do you blow it up?  It says it folds into a mesh bag so I assume it's 100% plastic?

That's a good suggestion.....thanks!


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## CashEddie (Nov 5, 2013)

Thanks for the great suggestions!  We will be placing orders for the whole family.  I see they have baby floats as well.  My one year old will love it.


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## dioxide45 (Nov 5, 2013)

GregT said:


> That looks terrific -- do you blow it up?  It says it folds into a mesh bag so I assume it's 100% plastic?
> 
> That's a good suggestion.....thanks!



There is a steel spring metal strip in them to make them fold up in to a circle easily. Then that same spring makes them unfold even more easily. They are made of more a nylon material that makes up the outer ring and pillow and a mesh piece that is in the center.

We bought inflatable tubes and doodles on Amazon for our trip last May


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## IngridN (Nov 5, 2013)

GregT said:


> That looks terrific -- do you blow it up?  It says it folds into a mesh bag so I assume it's 100% plastic?
> 
> That's a good suggestion.....thanks!



They fold up to approx 18" dia x 2" and have a mesh bag with shoulder strap. We also bought a mesh dive bag at our local dive shop and put the floats as well as damp swimsuits, flip flops, snorkel gear, etc. into the dive bag for lugging it back home. It has served us well for 6+ years' yearly treks to Aruba! Our first set of floats lasted 3 and 4 years before springing slow leaks, but that was because we overfilled them. The 2nd set is going strong.

Ingrid


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## myoakley (Nov 5, 2013)

There is a pump at the pool you can use to inflate any tubes or floats.  Also, some people leave their floats behind for newcomers to use - usually by the elevators on the different floors of the towers.


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## LUVourMarriotts (Nov 5, 2013)

Question for all the float owners.  Since they are not allowed in the Lazy River, what do you do?  Do you just ignore the security guard asking you to remove the float from the Lazy River?  Or do you sneak around them?

We bought tubes that fit into the rules that are posted at the Lazy River, to bring with us.


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## Fredward (Nov 5, 2013)

We generally try to check into the Surf Club right after Thanksgiving.  The resort is really crowded Thanksgiving week and the guards will ask people with the larger floats not to use them in the lazy river- it becomes too crowded quickly and we are all on vacation to get away from gridlock.  The posted signs do have an allowable size listed but when there isn't too much traffic, they won't "pull you over."  We bought our old fashioned inflatable tires 10 years ago and they're still the first thing that gets packed into the suitcases.


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## suzannesimon (Nov 5, 2013)

m61376 said:


> We bring these There isn't one trip where people don't ask where we got them, and have even offered to purchase them from us


Those look great.  We're going back to the Surf Club with friends in April. Someone gave us their tubes as they were leaving last time, but I really wished they had a headrest.  I love the lazy river.  Do you have to worry about them requiring a "regulation" size tube or are most reasonably -sized floats allowed?


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## suzannesimon (Nov 5, 2013)

suzannesimon said:


> Those look great.  We're going back to the Surf Club with friends in April. Someone gave us their tubes as they were leaving last time, but I really wished they had a headrest.  I love the lazy river.  Do you have to worry about them requiring a "regulation" size tube or are most reasonably -sized floats allowed?


Sorry, just saw Fred's post.


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## dioxide45 (Nov 6, 2013)

LUVourMarriotts said:


> Question for all the float owners.  Since they are not allowed in the Lazy River, what do you do?  Do you just ignore the security guard asking you to remove the float from the Lazy River?  Or do you sneak around them?
> 
> We bought tubes that fit into the rules that are posted at the Lazy River, to bring with us.



Are you talking about floats that are much larger than the size indicated? We had 36" tubes, and nothing was said to us. Probably because the size wasn't noticable. For the most part I noticed that security doesn't say anything to people at all. I did see them saying something one time on our visit last May to someone with one of those huge inflatable rafts. But any other floats and the spring floats, no mention at all from the security guards.


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## Smooth Air (Nov 6, 2013)

You said you were staying @ SC & OC. Can people staying @ OC use SC lazy river?


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## Fasttr (Nov 6, 2013)

Smooth Air said:


> You said you were staying @ SC & OC. Can people staying @ OC use SC lazy river?



They use a wristband system at SC to keep the riffraff from the OC away.


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## SpikeMauler (Nov 6, 2013)

Smooth Air said:


> You said you were staying @ SC & OC. Can people staying @ OC use SC lazy river?



We own at the Ocean Club and use the lazy river once every trip. When we check in at the OC we ask for a day pass to the Surf Club. They tell us they will see what they can do and a couple days later we get a call letting us know the passes are at the front desk. We've done this in Gold and Platinum seasons and have never been denied.


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## CashEddie (Nov 7, 2013)

Smooth Air said:


> You said you were staying @ SC & OC. Can people staying @ OC use SC lazy river?



I have rooms in both resorts so will have wristbands for both.


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## Fasttr (Nov 7, 2013)

CashEddie said:


> I have rooms in both resorts so will have wristbands for both.



The OC doesn't use wristbands (unless its something very new that they instituted), so you can swim unbanded at the OC.  I'm sure because of the crowding factor at the SC lazy river, they likely police the bands there, but I would be surprised if they would kick you out of the OC pool area if you had a SC band on.  I'm sure they reserve the right to, but I can't say I have ever experienced that at the OC.


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## CashEddie (Nov 7, 2013)

Fasttr said:


> The OC doesn't use wristbands (unless its something very new that they instituted), so you can swim unbanded at the OC.  I'm sure because of the crowding factor at the SC lazy river, they likely police the bands there, but I would be surprised if they would kick you out of the OC pool area if you had a SC band on.  I'm sure they reserve the right to, but I can't say I have ever experienced that at the OC.



Ok. I will be officially checked into both resorts so whatever systems they have I will be compliant in any case.  This will be my first time staying at either one (did a tour of both years ago) so not versed on all the rules.


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## Fasttr (Nov 7, 2013)

CashEddie said:


> Ok. I will be officially checked into both resorts so whatever systems they have I will be compliant in any case.  This will be my first time staying at either one (did a tour of both years ago) so not versed on all the rules.



You'll enjoy it.  They are both great resorts....and its hard not to have a good time on One Happy Island !!!!


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## LUVourMarriotts (Nov 7, 2013)

dioxide45 said:


> Are you talking about floats that are much larger than the size indicated? We had 36" tubes, and nothing was said to us. Probably because the size wasn't noticable. For the most part I noticed that security doesn't say anything to people at all. I did see them saying something one time on our visit last May to someone with one of those huge inflatable rafts. But any other floats and the spring floats, no mention at all from the security guards.



Yes, I am talking about the floats that people have suggested to the OP here.  The type that you lay down on top of, and are pretty much full body floats (called flat beds below).  Those are explicitly not allowed.  The sign outside the Lazy River reads:

*Lazy River*

Only noodles of regular size and tubes with a maximum diameter of 36" are allowed in the Lazy River
Flat beds are NOT allowed
*Serenity Pool*

Only noodles are allowed
No tubes or rafts are permitted
*Other pools*

Noodles, larger tubes and rafts are allowed

I get that people think, hey, I own a timeshare here, I pay to be here, so I can do whatever I want to do.  People go on vacation to relax, and doing it the way that they want to do it is best for them.  But, maybe not best for others.

Here's an example of why I do not like the use of rafts in the Lazy River, and why I will not use one, and why I tell people that they should read the sign.  When you are in a raft, you are taking up pretty close to the entire width of the Lazy River, when sideways.  The rafts go much slower than people that are just floating, or even in tubes.  A little kid that is floating along will be going much faster than the raft.  A little kid going much faster than the raft has a much greater chance of getting stuck under the raft and being held under by the raft because most of the time, there is some portion of the raft that is lifted off the water a little, so they sneak under.  They are not the best swimmers.  Unfortunately, lots of parents at the Surf Club send their kids off into the Lazy River and think that its their "me time".  So nobody is there to protect that kid.

Yes, Surf Club doesn't provide tubes, but they do provide rules.  I tend to teach my daughter to follow rules, by following them myself, and requiring her to follow them.  I do not find ways to skirt around rules for better enjoyment.

I'm not trying to be the police or anything here.  People will continue to do what they want.  I really don't want Surf Club to add more security around the pool, because it will just cost us more in MF's.


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## suzannesimon (Nov 7, 2013)

How about an inflatable pool chair with back rest - same dimension as a tube?


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## m61376 (Nov 7, 2013)

I agree that the flat rafts are kinda big, but the recliner chair is much shorter. It's going to sound funny, but a huge advantage of that recliner chair is that there is a leg opening between the seat and the footrest. Makes it very easy to get in and out of the float, both in the lazy river and in the ocean. My 87 year old Mom comes with us, and being able to put your legs in the middle stabilizes the float and allows you to sit and stand much more easily. So it's something to keep in mind if anyone has physical limitations.  Besides personal experience, I have professional expertise in this area, and the ergonomic advantages are readily apparent once you try to get in or out of the pool using that space.


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## suzannesimon (Nov 7, 2013)

Sounds good. I'll put a handicap sticker on mine and hopefully they'll leave me alone.


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## CashEddie (Nov 7, 2013)

Thanks for posting the rules.  Again, this will be our first time staying at either resort and I don't want to break any rules. We just ordered the swimways but now will have to return them if floaters larger than 36" are not allowed.  

We will just order the 36" tubes so that we are compliant.


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## NJDave (Nov 7, 2013)

Fasttr said:


> The OC doesn't use wristbands (unless its something very new that they instituted), so you can swim unbanded at the OC.  I'm sure because of the crowding factor at the SC lazy river, they likely police the bands there, but I would be surprised if they would kick you out of the OC pool area if you had a SC band on.  I'm sure they reserve the right to, but I can't say I have ever experienced that at the OC.



Just don't show up at OC with the blue SC towels.  They don't like to see those towels over at OC.


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## SpikeMauler (Nov 7, 2013)

CashEddie said:


> Thanks for posting the rules.  Again, this will be our first time staying at either resort and I don't want to break any rules. We just ordered the swimways but now will have to return them if floaters larger than 36" are not allowed.
> 
> We will just order the 36" tubes so that we are compliant.



We use the swimways in Aruba to float in the calm Caribbean Sea. We don't use them for the lazy river.


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## CashEddie (Nov 7, 2013)

SpikeMauler said:


> We use the swimways in Aruba to float in the calm Caribbean Sea. We don't use them for the lazy river.



Yea, my original question was around what is allowed in the lazy river and people started suggesting the swimways and I was under the impression they were allowed in the lazy river.  However, that is not the case according to the rules and I don't want any drama while there so I will make the adjustment.  

Thanks to all for the great suggestions and posting what is allowed. It would have been a rude awakening having to be told we couldn't  use the swimways in the lazy river and would be barred from enjoying a key component of the resort.


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## Smooth Air (Nov 8, 2013)

Cash Eddie:
I just want to clarify that I was not challenging your use of SC lazy river.
I know that you will follow the rules whatever they are. 

I was asking for clarification of the rules, in general. We stay @ OC and wld love to be able to use the lazy river @ SC. I did not even know about the day pass! So, thanks for that info, Spike.

Eddie,
Have fun and enjoy Aruba! Our favorite place!  

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Smooth Air


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## skyequeen (Nov 10, 2013)

Back to tubes for the lazy river, we spend several weeks a year at Surf Club, some in February/March high season and some in the fall.  Our favorite float for both ocean and lazy river is the chair float.  We bought one on our last trip, then found more floats in the trash room and took another chair float!  People often leave them there inflated at the end of their week.  We just washed it.  Then we carefully deflated them and took them home.  Not too heavy.  We bought the first float at the market in Ocean Club.  The Surf Club market only had the tubes, which are not comfortable for anyone over 10.  I have spine injuries and it is so comfortable to be sitting, and good for drinking, and it is so much easier to get in and out of the pool or ocean with your fleet and legs free.  I spend a lot more time in the water now.


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## CashEddie (Nov 14, 2013)

We are just over a week until we depart for Palm Beach, Aruba.  I can't wait since it seems Old Man Winter has started to blow his cold air earlier this year.  I just got back from Atlanta on business and it was in the 20s!  

The swimways arrived last week.  They are nice so we are going to keep them. If the adult size ones can't be used in the lazy river, so be it.  We will just use them in the sea and other pools that allow them.


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## suzannesimon (Nov 14, 2013)

I'm guessing it it isn't crowded that you won't have a problem.


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## m61376 (Nov 14, 2013)

CashEddie said:


> We are just over a week until we depart for Palm Beach, Aruba.  I can't wait since it seems Old Man Winter has started to blow his cold air earlier this year.  I just got back from Atlanta on business and it was in the 20s!
> 
> The swimways arrived last week.  They are nice so we are going to keep them. If the adult size ones can't be used in the lazy river, so be it.  We will just use them in the sea and other pools that allow them.


I've never had a problem with the recliners. Although they are a bit big, plenty of people also use the floats.

Have a great trip! Make sure to have dinner at at least one of the restaurants on the beach.


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