Buckeye Gal
Beach Girl Deep in the Land
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2007
Welcome to the NEWEST GROOVIER Pop Century Resorts FAQ thread!
Hi, everyone!
The following information compiled in Posts #1 & #2 has been gathered from the multitude of DISer postings from previous threads that include the following:
Here's Chapter 4 that follows this thread.
Due to constraints around the number of characters permitted in a single posting, the heart of this FAQ thread has been split into Post #1 and Post #2. If at any point in time you find information in these posts is outdated or links to photos are no longer valid, please PM me, and I'll make the revision. I hope you find it helpful to have so much of it in one place, yet moreover, I hope it enhances your vacation experience from planning to the tears of goodbye from the parks!
Kimberly (aka Buckeye Gal)
The following information compiled in Posts #1 & #2 has been gathered from the multitude of DISer postings from previous threads that include the following:
- "The Groovy New Pop Century FAQ Thread!"
- "The GROOVIER New Pop Century FAQ Thread Chapter 1"
- "The GROOVIER New Pop Century FAQ Thread Chapter 2"
Here's Chapter 4 that follows this thread.
Due to constraints around the number of characters permitted in a single posting, the heart of this FAQ thread has been split into Post #1 and Post #2. If at any point in time you find information in these posts is outdated or links to photos are no longer valid, please PM me, and I'll make the revision. I hope you find it helpful to have so much of it in one place, yet moreover, I hope it enhances your vacation experience from planning to the tears of goodbye from the parks!
Kimberly (aka Buckeye Gal)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SUBSCRIBING: Did you know you do not have to reply to this thread to subscribe to it? On any thread on the DISboards, near the top of the page and just under the advertisement banner and "Page # of #", there's a drop-down option named "Thread Tools". After clicking on this, select "Subscribe to this Thread". Please do this instead of posting a "Subbing" type of post so we can cut down on the number of unnecessary posts that makes it more time consuming to read through.
What is this thread's purpose?
This thread is intended to be a single point of reference for FAQs directly associated to the Pop Century Resorts. Let's try to keep this thread clean for people to post information on Pop or to easily get answers to their inquiries about the resort.
Please feel free to post information about the resort and everything it offers so this becomes a special place where others within the DIS family can learn about Pop and all the wonderful things it has to offer. If you have a picture to post or want to see things for yourself, please go to the well established Pop Century Picture Thread #1 or Pop Century Picture Thread #2. I've also tried to incorporate photo links to topics noted below so you can more easily get a visual as you read along.
In the spirit of keeping the thread full of only great information, questions, and reviews, if you want to meet new and old friends while staying at the Pop, if you want have friendly chit-chat unrelated to a stay at Pop, or if you want to share your great vacation news, by all means start up a a new thread so we can hear about it!!
WHAT IS POP CENTURY RESORT?
THE BASICS
Classic Hall is the name of the main building. Classic Hall houses the front desk area, the arcade, and the merchandise/food court area named "Everything POP." You walk into this area, and it starts off as the merchandise store. Walk further, and it becomes the Food Court. The Food Court itself is HUGE. There are many tables, lots of soda fountains, and a very eclectic selection of food.
Everything on property is VERY close to Classic Hall. The furthest building might be a 6 minute walk to the main building, if that. In fact, the Classic Years Resort is only 1,500 feet from one corner to the diagonally-opposite furthest corner.
Pop Century Resorts was originally planned to be broken into two separate resort areas. They were to be named the Legendary Years and Classic Years. The lands of Legendary and Classic Years would have been connected via the Generation Gap Bridge over Hourglass Lake. However, in May 2010, it was announced that the area that would have been the Legendary Years will become a new budget suite resort named Disney's Art of Animation.
Address
Pop Century Resorts, Classic Years
1050 Century Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Via Satellite (for your GPS use)
Latitude: 28°20'59.72"N
Longitude: 81°32'36.78"W
Phone Numbers
Main Phone: 407.938.4000
Fax: 407.938.4039 (tried, true, and tested)
TTY Reservations: 407.939.7670
Reservations: 407.934.7639 (407-WDISNEY)
Special Needs/Disabilities Reservations: 407.939.7807
Check-in Time: 3:00 pm
Check-out Time: 11:00 am
Pop Century Picture Thread #1: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1424996 Pop Century Picture Thread #2: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2302772
DIS Pop Picture Posting: http://www.wdwinfo.com/Photos/Pop_Century/index.htm#31
Pop Century Property Map:http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/PopCenturyMap.pdf
LEGENDARY YEARS (1910s 1940s) - It was not meant to be
On May 11, 2010, the "Orlando Sentinel" announced that the original plan to have the Legendary Years at Pop Century will not become reality. Construction on a new value resort with suites, Disney's Art of Animation, on the land where the Legendary Years would have been located is scheduled to begin Summer of 2010 with a completion date scheduled for an unknown date in 2012.
You may still find some history behind the original plans interesting, so they're noted below.
- For a long time, Generation Gap Bridge from Classic Years' property lead to a ghost town that was to have been the Legendary Years, just like you may have seen in the early 1900s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSc1fG0ETeY). You can walk across the bridge. Once you are off the bridge, it dead-ends with landscaping, which becomes a natural barrier to walking on the land that would have been the Legendary Years, prohibiting you from walking further.
- Construction of the Legendary Years was abandoned after 9.11.2001 due to uncertainly of tourism demands.
CLASSIC YEARS ROOMS (1950s 1990s)
- Resort's Grand Opening Day was December 14, 2003
- 10 T-shaped themed lodges; 4 floors each
- 1950s: Buildings #1 (Lady), #2 (Jukebox), #3 (Tramp); bowling pin stairs
- 1960s: Buildings #4 (Play-Doh), #5 (Mowgli & Baloo); Duncan Yo-Yo stairs
- 1970s: Buildings #6 (Mickey Phone), #10 (Big Wheel); 8-track tape stairs
- 1980s: Buildings #7 (Roger Rabbit), #9 (Sony Walkman); Rubik's Cube stairs
- 1990s: Building #8 (Lap Top Computer); cell phone stairs
- Total of 2880 air-conditioned rooms
- rooms are 260 sq feet each
- room allocations
- King Bed, Standard: 81
- King Bed, Handicap Accessible*: 63
- Dbl/Dbl Beds, Standard: 2621
- Dbl/Dbl Beds, Handicap Accessible*: 115
(*) indicates rooms have roll-in showers in bathroom (no bathtub)
- King Room Capacity: no more than two people plus one portable crib for an infant (an infant is defined as a child UNDER age 3)
- Double Room Capacity: accommodates up to 4 adults/children plus one portable crib for an infant
- Pack 'n Play available upon request at no charge
- Roll-away beds are not available
- the only exception that has been reported was in May 2009 where three adults in one room requested a roll-away, and they were able to rent it for $15 per day
- Unless refurbished, all rooms are identical in decoration with the exception of framed artwork and a wallpaper border depicting the decade of the room
- Beds are on permanent pedestals, so they cannot be moved nor will items get lost under the bed. There is one exception to the permanent pedestals. The disABILITY/accessible rooms have beds that do in fact move.
- The space between the two double beds is not wide enough for a twin-sized mattress.
- If you need to bring a twin air mattress, you will have enough (barely) floor space to use it; however, you will have to move the table and chairs away from the entertainment center/dresser wall. An inflatable sleeping bag bed would work even better because its less wide. Remember that you still cannot exceed the capacity of 4 people + 1 infant.
- Floor Plans
- Like all other WDW resorts, only non-smoking rooms are available
- Connecting Rooms
- There is a total of 720 connecting rooms which equates to 25% of the resort's rooms
- 170 of these have a handicap accessible room in the connecting room pair
- All connecting room pairs with King beds or handicap accessible rooms are connected with the other room being a standard room with two double beds
- There are also Dbl/Dbl & Dbl/Dbl connecting rooms
- There is a total of 720 connecting rooms which equates to 25% of the resort's rooms
- DISer ChairborneRangr has created a wonderful map showing locations of connecting, handicap accessible, and king bed rooms
- http://disneyworldlinks.com/tools/PopCenturyRoomLayoutLarge.jpg
- Mattresses were last being mass-replaced in 3rd and 4th quarter of 2008.
- Standard vs. Preferred
- Preferred Rooms
- "Preferred" refer to the location of the room on the property and nothing more; they do not refer to views, size, or amenities
- these are rooms in buildings closest to Classic Hall (500 ft or less)
- preferred rooms are not necessarily THAT much closer the bus stop; see "Property Info" section in this post and/or a wonderful posting from DISer Simba77 that maps out the distance from the center of the bus stop area to the center of each era
- '60s = 840 feet
- '80s = 945 feet
- '90s = 945 feet
- '70s = 950 feet
- '50s = 980 feet
- typically $10-$15/night more than a standard room
- these room numbers are considered preferred rooms (note the first number denotes the Building Number, the second number (or x shown below) defines the Floor, and the last two numbers defines the Room Number)
- Building 1: 1x01 1x36
- Building 3: 3x61 3x72
- Building 4: 4x01 4x36 & 4x61 4x72
- Building 5: 5x01 5x12 & 5x37 5x72
- Building 6: 6x01 6x12
- Building 10: 0x37 0x72
- preferred room maps: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=17643531&postcount=2 & from the links immediately above associated to the buildings
- Standard Rooms
- worse case, rooms furthest from Classic Hall will take 6-7 minutes to walk to the building
- Preferred Rooms
- Best Hourglass Lake views: Buildings #3, #4, #5, #6
- Quieter rooms: As a rule of thumb, lakeside views and 3rd and 4th floors of any building are quieter
- There are still reports from a small number of guests that their individual room climate control is by default motion sensor activated. The majority, however, no longer has this kind of thermostat.
- to "trick" the motion sensor so the temp stays as you left it, get a helium balloon to bounce around in your room near the thermostat unit (you may want to tie it to the chair)
- generally speaking, there is no known way to override the thermostat's motion sensor yourself; they are different than other units in other WDW resorts
- if by chance your thermostat unit has a "Power" button (realize reports say most guests do not see this kind at Pop any longer), the following instructions should work to turn off the sensor
- push the power button and the down arrow (button that adjusts the temp) at the exact same time. If you do this correctly, you will see the letters "bp" where the temp normally shows. You are now bypassing the sensors in the room.
- set the temp to whatever you want and it keeps the room that cold whether you are in it or not.
- note that you might have to do this once a day as the thermostat tends to go back to sensor mode after 24 hours.
- if by chance your thermostat unit has a "Power" button (realize reports say most guests do not see this kind at Pop any longer), the following instructions should work to turn off the sensor
- you can call maintenance to turn off the motion sensor, however, whatever they do to it only lasts 24 hours
- Air conditioning/heat vents are at ceiling level
- The cold air return is in the wall at the floor level at the space suggested to fit a twin air mattress. So if you need to place an air mattress here, know it's going to be cold! Get an extra blanket and put on the socks!
- There are no ceiling fans in any guest room
- Safes
- a small safe is built inside the wall in your room near the vanity
- approximately 4" deep x 12" wide x 14" tall, which fits most 15" laptops
- safe opens/locks with a traditional key
- if larger space is need, go to Registration Guest Services in the Lobby of Classic Hall, and theyll likely be able to lock it up for you
- in-room safes are free of charge
- Small table with 2 chairs are in the room
- An entertainment center/dresser with 6 drawers (3 large/3 small) and 3 small shelves is in non-refurbished rooms; refurbished rooms have less storage space with their entertainment center/dresser
- Rooms with a king bed have 2 nightstands
- Full/double bed rooms have 1 nightstand between the two beds; space between two beds is approximately 30"
- Refurbishments
- In 2010, Pop started to refurb the guest rooms, including some minor adjustments in the bathrooms like installing curved shower curtain rods.
- It's been reported that all of the '70s has been completed, and the '80s has been started.
- During Summer of 2010, they will temporarily cease the continuation of the refurbishments due to the demand of occupancy during peak season.
- There is a Pop Refurbished Rooms thread here on the DIS.
- Here are some posts that include pictures of newly refurbished rooms
MAKING RESERVATIONS
Reservations: 407.934.7639 (407-WDISNEY), TTY Reservations at 407.939.7670, or Special Needs Reservations at 407.939.7807
When making your reservation, you may have the need to include the following to your reservation request:
- Special requests
- its suggested to have your requests (no guarantee given) added as notations to your reservation ASAP (call 407-WDISNEY)
- in addition to having your special request(s) on your reservation, many guests have also faxed their requests directly to Pop Century 4-6 days prior to arrival; it's rumored that room assignments are made 3 days prior to arrival
- on the fax cover letter, make it simple and concise; "I'm requesting the following:" followed by bullet points of what you desire
- include your name, reservation number, date of arrival, and length of stay
- DISer jenseib has an example of her fax letter here
- common special requests WDW will try to accommodate at no extra charge unless otherwise noted:
- rooms accessible to wheelchairs
- equipment for guests with hearing impairments
- hearing-impaired TDD telephones
- bed shaker accessory for hearing-impaired guests as an alternative to an alarm clock
- bed boards
- Graco Pack 'n Play (this will just fit between the two full-sized beds with about 1.5" to spare)
- bed rails
- connecting rooms (these are rooms that have a connecting door within the room to another room; note that "adjacent rooms" have a different meaning, which is the rooms are side by side or directly across from each other)
- preferred decade themed building
- small refrigerators (fee applies unless it's for medical needs)
- a Sharps container for used syringes
- quieter rooms (lake-side view & 4th floor, which is the top floor so you have no guests above your head)
- ground level floors (for those with fear of little munchkins getting hurt on higher levels, prefer to not use stairs/elevators)
- room with view to see Illuminations and Spaceship Earth from Epcot (note that many say you can see only the highest fireworks from Pop)
- the best viewing rooms are reported to primarily be found on the lakeside view of 50s building #2 (Rooms #2450-2460) and 60s buildings #3 and #4; check out Simba77's post that diagrams the best rooms with a view, which you may want to pair with the room number map
- floors 3 and 4 will obviously offer best views in these buildings
- VIP Cleaning Service
- this is a service you may need if someone with household allergies is staying in your room
- for those with very sensitive skin, linens will be washed in special free detergent
- room is cleaned without chemicals; make sure you ask for specifics around what this means exactly
- Note that prior to your arrival you have to call Special Needs Reservations at 407.939.7807 after you make your room reservation in order to get this service
- Package deals
- if needed, make sure you include your park tickets and/or dining plan with your room reservation
- If applicable to your plans, ensure you reserve your complimentary Magical Express ground transportation to/from the Orlando airport and Pop while reserving your room. WDW Reservations will need your flight info, so if you don't have that at the time of making your resort reservation, don't forget to call them back once the flights are secured.
AMENITIES
- Pools
- It seems that the new normal has changed to the pools being open 24 hours. Make sure you check out the sign on the lifeguard chair by the pool you are using, which is updated daily, to avoid embarrassment of being asked to get out should it really be closed.
- lifeguards are typically on duty from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
- Three main pools include Hippy Dippy Flower, Computer, and Bowling Pin pools
- all are heated and maintained at 82 degrees Fahrenheit/28 degrees Celsius
- edges of each pool are shallow and become deeper as you get to the center, getting no deeper than 4'9", however they are not zero-entry
- at the Hippy Dippy pool, starting externally, there are gradual steps going into the pool with a rail to help some with special needs to get into the pool
- no diving in any pool is permitted
- Goofy Pop Jets (70s area between Buildings #5 and #6) with a padded foam ground
- Hippy Dippy Flower Pool is the featured pool located in the 60s courtyard and closest to Class Hall
- there are four flower shower spray fountains facing into the Hippy Dippy Pool
- Kids' Wading Pool is right by the Hippy Dippy Flower Pool located near the 60s courtyard; this is a zero-entry wading pool
- Computer Pool is located in the 80s and 90s courtyard; this pool is more known to be considered the "quiet pool"
- Bowling Pin Pool is located in the 50s courtyard
- there are no slides or Jacuzzis/hot tubs
- bring towels from your guest room to the pool; before you leave the room, call Mousekeeping for replacement towels to be delivered while youre soaking in the sun
- life vests are located in a bin near all pools and available for use at no cost
- feel free to bring your own inflatables and noodles for the pools; Everything Pop does have a few pool toys available for purchase such as goggles, noodles, and small blow-ups for toddlers
- there are typically beach balls floating around in the pools for guests to use
- All diaper-age children are required to wear plastic pants or swim diapers for the safety of other guests. These can be purchased at any of the gift shops on property.
- Children under 12 must have adult supervision at the pools
- Note that there are not movies shown poolside at Pop
- Coin-operated lockers are in the restroom/shower area of the pool-size laundry facility.
- Coin-operated laundry machines are available
- $2 each for the washer and an approximate 20 minute dryer cycle
- locations are in poolside bathroom buildings in courtyards of 50s, 60s, and 90s decades
- buildings are open 24 hours, but after about 9:00 pm, you have to use your KTTWC to get in
- a change machine and laundry product vending machine are in the service building; detergent and dryer sheets can be purchased here or in Everything Pop
- no seating available in service building
- while you're waiting, look for the hidden Mickey in the laundry room
- 25 remote TV in rooms with front A/V jacks for video games and camcorders; note that most do not have S-video inputs
- No coffee maker in room nor available for renting
- check the Trip Planning Budget Board as there may still be a Pop coffee maker swap in progress; for starters, try http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1366280
- Small refrigerator for rent $12/night; free for those with medical needs
- check Trip Planning Budget Board for Pop fridge swaps in progress; for starters, look at the "Refigerator Swaps! Everything You'll Ever Want to Know" Sticky that has an index of swap threads
- for more flexibility in where you have the refrigerator located in the room, consider packing a heavy duty extension cord
- H20 brand shampoo/conditioner combo as well as facial and bath soap bars with a Mickey head on it will be provided; there is no lotion or shower gel
- Hairdryers are on the wall in your room, but understand that they are weak
- Iron and ironing board are in your room
- Although there is a radio alarm clock in the room, dont forget you can have Mickey and his friends give you your morning wake-up call on the phone. Answer the phone by pressing the speaker phone button so everyone can hear! (Note that in Sept 2008, there were some wake-up calls with Mickey and friends' voice and some with music from Hanna Montana.)
- The alarm clock/radio has a white noise function; the options are seen on this photo; these sounds have been reported as less than natural and very electronic sounding
- The alarm clock/radio has an MP3 player hookup (speaker use only; it does not charge up your MP3 player)
- Voicemail is on your room's phone line; you can customize your outgoing message
- Internet Access
- wired ethernet (high speed) internet is available in your room at the fee of $10 for 24 hour period; the speed has been reported very good
- no wireless access available anywhere on WDW property
- dial-up internet connection is an option; look for the Orlando (not Kissimmee) local number provided by your ISP
- there are no courtesy computers to use or pay for use on the resort's property
- if you do not have a computer but need internet access, you can rent computer time at the rate of $10.00 for 15 minutes only at the conventions centers located at the Boardwalk Inn, Yacht Club, Dolphin, Contemporary, Coronado Springs, and Grand Floridian resorts; they are available for use by anyone staying at any WDW resort
- ATMs are found in Classic Hall Lobby behind the Disney Vacation Club counter
- Currency exchange service available in Classic Hall Lobby
- Babysitting/childcare services can be arranged for a fee
- Valet service cleaning
- Express check-out
- Television channel line-up is noted here
FOOD/DINING
- The Food Court providing B/L/D/Snacks is in Everything POP located in Classic Hall
- open 6:00 am Midnight
- note that from 11:00 pm to Midnight, there are mostly just snacks available
- breakfast served 6:00 am 11:00 am
- DISboards have a dining menu posted at http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=361
- Deb from AllEarsNet has menus and prices posted at the following links:
- breakfast: http://allearsnet.com/menu/menu_popb.htm
- lunch, dinner, and snacks: http://allearsnet.com/menu/menu_popct.htm
- condiments in the Food Court include jelly, peanut butter, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, sugar, artificial sweetener (Splenda and Equal), and more
- pizza (and a little more) delivery is available from 4:00 pm Midnight
- Deb from AllEarsNet has the Pizza Delivery menu posted at http://allearsnet.com/menu/menu_poppiz.htm
- DISboards have a Pop Pizza Delivery menu as well at http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/popcentury_room_menu.htm
- note that an 18% service fee plus a $1 delivery fee will be applied to your room charges
- don't miss out on the tie-dye cheesecake! BTW, after eating your cheesecake, don't look back! What goes in, must, ahem...go out!
- Celebration Cakes
- frozen cakes are available for purchase on-property for approximately $15
- fresh vanilla cake with vanilla frosting (topped with a Mickey picture) is available in the Food Court for approximately $13
- fresh chocolate cake with chocolate frosting is available but requires some pre-planning
- call the Food Court Head Chef in advance of your arrival and place an order with a credit card
- the order is fulfilled at the Grand Floridian bakery and delivered to Pop Century Resorts for you to pick up at the Pop bakery
- cake can be personalized with a name
- cost is approximately $13
- it's suggested that you ask for the Pop's Head Chef when you check in to ensure your order is going to be ready for you
- the direct number to the POP Cake Hotline is 407-938-3070; the 6 inch cakes are only decorated with flowers and personalization, but you can get Disney decorations on the larger cakes
- whenever you pick the cake up at the food court, they will have it packaged and in a bag with plates, napkins and forks
- check out the DISboards' Birthday/Anniversary Cake Thread for some other suggestions and details
- if you prefer to go back to your room to eat, many foods from the Food Court can be put in containers with lids
- if you desire a sundae as your dessert, go eat your meal and come back. They let you come back to get your sundae by taking your receipt up to 1 hour after you got your meal.
- refillable lidded 16 oz. souvenir travel mugs can be purchased for $12.99 (plus tax) at the Food Court for use during your stay
- this unlimited refill purchase is only valid for one continuous stay and not to be reused during future visits
- the mugs can only be used at the resort you purchased it from; they cannot be used anywhere else at WDW
- the mugs are located in the Food Court; once you reach the cashier, they'll remove the security tab on the handle, which lets them know that you haven't yet paid for the mug
- includes unlimited refills on the following: basic coffee, soda (Coke products: Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Fanta Orange, Sprite, Sprite Zero), Fruit Punch Powerade, Minute Maid Light lemonade (there is no lemonade available that doesn't contain artificial sweetener), cold Gold Peak tea (black (aka regular) sweetened, black unsweetened, green sweetened, and white citrus), hot tea, and hot cocoa
- note that in March 2009, it was reported that apple juice was no longer available from the soda fountain, however, it can be purchased in bottles
- note that in April 2009, CMs reported that the Frozen Coke machines have been permanently removed and would not be replaced with new ones; if you still want your Frozen Coke fix, know it is available at various locations in the theme parks as well as Goofy's Candy Co. at Downtown Disney
- here is a picture of the soda fountain from March 8, 2009
- Caffeine-free Diet Coke has been found to be inconsistently available from the soda fountain
- excludes milk
- the 2009 mugs started unveiling themselves at the resorts on February 11; there's a choice of yellow, red, and black handles with the same colored lid, making it easier to color code them for your family
- cappuccino and espresso can be purchased on-site
- soy milk (vanilla and chocolate flavors) is available for purchase in the Food Court
- half gallons of cow's milk are available for purchase in the Food Court in fat free, 1%, and whole milk varieties; as of June 2010, the price was $2.99
- small cartons (8 oz) of regular cow's milk and chocolate milk are available for purchase
- coffee creamer dispenser is near the soda fountains; have been reports of plastic cream pods on ice have been seen as well
- hot water dispenser is in the Food Court
- an industrial toaster is available in the Food Court (the type that the food moves through the appliance)
- microwave oven is available in Food Court
- Petals Poolside Bar is located outside in 60s era courtyard; drink menu
- countertop-like appliances in guest rooms are against hotel safety policies
- mixed/specialty alcoholic beverages have been reported as not very good, low on alcohol, and cost too much
- ice buckets and disposable plastic cups are in your guest room
- ice machine available on each floor behind the buildings elevators
- soda and snack vending machines are located near the ice machines on the first floor only of each building
- soda and snack vending machines are located in the service buildings by each pool
- if you need to make Advanced Dinner Reservations (ADR) for your favorite restaurants throughout the World, to determine the 90 day mark that makes you eligible to do so, try this great calendar calculator
- Alcohol: Available for purchase in one of the Food Court's cooler are bottles of chilled wine and beer. Some bottled hard liquor can be bought in the Everything Pop gift shop. (Plus you can buy beverages at Petals Bar.)
RESORT ENTERTAINMENT
- Do "The Twist in the Food Court at 8:00 am
- Around 3:00 beside the huge Big Wheel, Cast Members get out several Big Wheels for the kids to ride
- A free sand art activity for the kids starts sometime around 3:00 pm near the Hippy Dippy Flower Pool
- Near Petals, the lifeguards get out the hula hoops around 4:15 pm.
- Do The Hustle in Classic Hall and Food Court at 6:00 pm
- A parade in Classic Hall is held every day anywhere from 5:30-7:00 pm for the kids
- Outdoor Twister can be played in the 70s courtyard on the end closest to Classic Hall
- Near the entrance of Classic Hall, there are sidewalk chalk and hula hoops available to use
- Fast Forward Arcade is in the Classic Hall (here's another picture)
- typical arcade reward prizes can be earned
- all game machines are cashless; you will purchase an arcade card and load a balance onto it via your KTTW card, credit card, or feed cash into the machine that gives you your arcade card
- $1 = 50 points
- $5 = 250 pts + 25 bonus pts
- $10 = 500 pts + 100 pts
- $20 = 1000 pts + 250 pts
- $25 = 1250 pts + 750 pts
- your money converts to points; games require a varied amount of points
- as you insert your arcade card in a game machine, a balance of remaining points will display
- a Pop Century pressed penny machine is located in the arcade as well as Everything Pop
- Theres a playground (more pics here) in the 70s era behind Building #10 on side of Classic Hall
- Childrens video "theater" area is off to the right-hand side as you enter through the pick-up/drop-off entrance near the Luggage Assistance area. A few toys are available there, too. Note that this is just a small sitting area, not a traditional theater.
- Fishing is permitted around Hourglass Lake but not on Generation Gap Bridge
- fishing equipment is not available for rent on property; pack your own
- a Florida fishing license is not required because this is private property
- Caution: grounds leading to lakes edge are steep and the drop-off in the lake is pretty immediate
- Surrey bikes and bicycles are not available at Pop Century Resorts
- Ping Pong table is located near the Hippy Dippy Pool and the Food Court entrance. You'll find a candy machine-like dispenser at Petals Bar where you get your ping pong ball for $0.50. Tip: You might want to pick up a pack of ping pong balls at Walmart and pack for your trip as it's cheaper.
- Take a step back in time by checking out the shadow boxes in the lobby of Classic Hall
- Walk outside along Memory Lane and read the highlights of each year from 1950-1999
- Bunnies, ducks, and squirrels, OH MY! They're all over the place and willing to eat for a picture opp!!
- Create a spelling game and let the kids burn off some energy at the keyboard in the Computer Pool courtyard
- At Halloween, the kids can go Trick-or-Treating at this resort
- Swimming is prohibited in Hourglass Lake
- Giant Lego blocks are on the sidewalk by the luggage pickup station
- MelanieC has made up a Pop Scavenger Hunt that can be a lot of fun with the family!
- Note that there are not movies shown poolside at Pop
SERVICES
- Credit or debit cards can be linked to your KTTW card; there is not a hold put on debit cards
- Make purchase at the parks and many stores at Downtown Disney with your KTTW card so you don't have to carry a credit card or cash
- Assuming you have had either pre-authorization or put cash down, you can charge up to an accumulative total of $500 to your room account on your KTTWC. Once your account balance reaches $500, you will need to go to Guest Services to settle that payment and get authorization for another $500 (or less if you desire).
- Luggage
- Hours of Luggage Station are 24 x 7
- luggage can be stowed away at the beginning and end of your visit at Classic Hall; go to the Luggage Pick-up/Drop-off station outside of the main entrance
- there are no traditional bell hop services, however, you can leave your luggage at check in, and it will be delivered to your room likely within an hour
- luggage carts are available you to use
- you can transfer luggage to/from another WDW resort if you're switching mid-stay; the service is free, but don't forget to tip those helping you
- when checking out, you can leave luggage behind in room and call for pickup without waiting for them to come and get it
- if you choose to use the Magical Express transportation service where Disney gets your luggage from the airport, know that it may take 3-4 hours for your luggage to arrive at the resort
- remember you have the choice to not put the ME luggage tag on your luggage and take it with you to the ground transportation bus instead of having them handle it
- On-site pizza delivery (pizza made at the Food Court) is the only type of food room service available
- Ship packages to/from Pop Century Resort and home
- use the street address noted at the top of this post
- for packages arriving to the resort, on the labels first line, include your name preceded by the word Guest and date of arrival (like "Guest Kimberly Smith 09.25.2010")
- its up to you if you want to also include your reservation number, but name and arrival date are essential
- your package will be held up to 2 weeks prior to your arrival
- pick up your package from home or ship to home from the Concierge Desk
- if you shipped anything to the resort, save the box and ship items back home to save on precious luggage space
- The parks' gift shop package delivery to Pop Century is convenient so you dont have to carry around your purchases while playing at the parks
- make sure you give your package 24-36 hours to arrive at the resort
- the package pick-up area is just inside the bus stop entrance into Classic Hall's gift shop near the candy selection
- Tipping to Mousekeeping
- this one is certainly a controversial topic!
- it would be the Disney-like thing to do, but not necessarily expected as these are not tipped positions...yet it does help to brighten someone's day
- your assigned Mousekeeper can change from day-to-day, so leave a clearly marked envelope for him/her on a daily basis
- go to http://themouseforless.com/downloads/trip/mousekeeping.shtml for some cute graphics all ready for your envelope to go through your home printer
- scrapbookers, use your Disney papers, embellishments, and rubber stamps to decorate an ordinary envelope
- a guideline some use is to tip $1 per day per person in the room + $1; so a room of 4 people would be $5 each day for the Mousekeeper who is taking care of you and your family
- as always, tip based on service provided
- Coin change machines are available in each of the laundry rooms
- Most American-based airlines offer check-in at the resort, which allows you to drop off your luggage and not see it until you return to your home airport. Check resort (or DISboards) for list of participating airlines and their guidelines to use this service.
- in June 2009, Southwest Airlines started a pilot only for Pop Century guests to participate
- since this is a pilot test, know that it's possible that it may not be available at all times or aspects regarding this test are subject to change at any moment as they tweak the process
- hours of operation are 5:00 am to 1:00 am
- in June 2009, Southwest Airlines started a pilot only for Pop Century guests to participate
- No business center is on property
- Hair wrapping (a small strand of hair wrapped in colored thread) is a service you'll find at a cart between the Hippy Dippy Pool and the Food Court entrance. Cost is $2 an inch plus they have some beads that can be purchased.
- Temporary Disney tattoos can be purchased at the Tattoo Station located by Petals Pool Bar and beside the Hair Wrapping Station
- Caricatures are drawn outside the Arcade for a fee
- Concierge Desk hours are 7:00 am - 10:00 pm
PROPERTY INFO
- Retail gift shop in Everything Pop located in Classic Hall; open 6:00 am - Midnight
- End-cap stairways and 2 elevators are available for each building
- elevators are located behind the decades large pop icon
- A stroller, walking, and running path is alongside half of Hourglass Lake on Memory Lane
- Outside designated smoking areas are around the lake on Memory Lane. Note that as of Spring 2009, smoking in front of Petals Pool bar is no longer permitted. Smoking is not permitted outside guest room doors either.
- The entire Pop Century Resorts campus is more compact and easier to get around than the moderate resorts. At any point, it will take from 5-8 minutes to walk to the communal building, Classic Hall, from your rooms building. So dont sweat concerns about lengthy walks to the bus station at Classic Hall.
- Check out this great posting with a property distance map from Simba77. It shows the distance from the focal point of each decade's building to the bus stop.
- If youre in the 90s or 80s section, consider a shortcut by crossing through the parking lot to get to Classic Hall and the bus stop as its a much shorter distance
- Google Earth was the source of the following stats. It was used by a DISer to unveil the WORST case distances from the farthest room from the elevators in each building to the center of the bus stop. Below are worst case scenarios for walking back to your room from the bus stop after a long day at the parks.
- Building 2 - 0.28 miles
- Building 6 - 0.23 miles
- Building 7 - 0.22 miles
- Building 4 or 5 - 0.20 miles
- The closest you can get to the bus stops is to have a ground floor room at the end of one of the 60's buildings closest to Classic Hall. This requires a walk of only 0.13 miles. With this in mind, that makes for an 800 foot difference (less than the length of a football field) between the worst and the best case.
- You cannot walk to any other WDW property from Pop Century
- The closest resort to Pop Century is Caribbean Beach Resort, however, it is not in walking distance
- Resort property is non-smoking; there are designated locations around Hourglass Lake where smoking is permitted
- Pool-side dressing rooms, showers, and restrooms are in a stand-alone building by each of the 3 big pools. This is perfect if you want to officially check in on day one and you desire to relax yet your room is not yet available. Note there is no hair dryer available for use in this facility.
- If you forgot or have a need for personal care and sundry items like Advil, Pepto Bismol, diapers, sunscreen, band-aids, deodorant, or detergent, Everything Pop has a selection available for purchase.
{Due to character limitations, the content to this post is carried through into Post #2 below.}
With that said, you may want to consider bringing disinfectant wipes to clean it out before unpacking, especially if you use the drawers to put snacks in!!!!!
Oh I know that! HELLO back at ya! 
