Disappointed Long-Time Member – Major Changes Have Ruined the Vibe
Arrowhead’s pool used to be one of our favorite places. It had a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere, reasonable rules, and genuinely kind staff who made everyone feel welcome. Unfortunately, that’s all changed—and not for the better.
The pool recently introduced a staggering 24 new rules, completely shifting the tone. On top of that, they hired a “pool director” (or as many of us refer to her, the “pool Karen”)—a role that never existed before and honestly seems like an unnecessary waste of money. Her presence has made the pool feel strict and uncomfortable rather than relaxing and fun.
The new rules are overly rigid and make no sense for families with young kids. For example:
• Parents can no longer go down the slide with their toddlers—something we’ve always done safely.
• Children are now not allowed to wear life jackets down the slide. How does that make sense from a safety standpoint?
• Even small, age-appropriate pool floaties for infants and toddlers are banned now, which again seems to prioritize rules over safety and comfort.
The new “pool director” patrols the area like a helicopter mom, micromanaging and correcting even the smallest things, often creating a tense environment. Watching her make the lifeguards scrub the pool with baking soda during their break—then inspect their work—was just plain uncomfortable. Lifeguards need that break time too.
We’ve always paid for our membership at Arrowhead because of the pool. It was fun, stress-free, and something our whole family looked forward to. But now, with all these unnecessary changes and the constant policing of guests, we’re seriously reconsidering whether to renew.
Unless they roll back these rules and reconsider whether this “pool director” position is truly improving the experience, I imagine we won’t be the only family making that decision.
The last time I was here (Oct 2022) was the first time I've been back in probably 7 years. Came for dinner. The wait was actually horrendously long- over an hour. The food was pretty good though. The reason I'm giving this five stars however, is for all the times I went when I was younger. I spent countless days here in the Summer at the pool and the restaurant, over 10 years ago. I could be totally wrong about it currently, but I'm willing to risk it because it made such a big impact on my childhood.
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