Value Resort versus Deluxe Resort: Pop v. Yacht

[jegsnakkernorsk]

The Good, The Bad, and the Hairy - just the facts and photos from one night at Pop Century and one night at Yacht Club Resorts, April 2013.

DSis, 32, and I, 35, had to travel to Central Florida for work and decided that it was too close to WDW not to stay at a WDW resort and use our Florida Annual Passholder discounts. I have always thought that the deals at the Value Resorts sounded like such a great price and have wondered whether the Deluxes are really worth the additional price. I convinced DSis to make reservations at a Value Resort for the two nights we needed to be in the area.

We checked-in to Pop Century around 10pm. This was our first time staying at a Value Resort. The check-in staff were as friendly as anywhere we have stayed at WDW and the process took the same amount of time as we've experienced.

We reserved a standard room and were given a room with a lake view in the 1960s section, under the Jungle Book characters.

Here's a photo of our room:

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

We found our room to be very clean, and even smelled clean.



It is sparsely decorated but has two chairs and a small table along with a minifridge in the dresser under the tv.



There is a safe and iron board and iron, as well as two spare pillows and privacy curtain to divide the sink area from the bedroom.



The hair dryer is attached to the wall and is next to the sink and in front of the door to the shower (where the full length mirror is as well).



We thought the room was fine, but did worry about the both of us being able to dress in a hurry for our work event the next day.

 

[ready4mouse]

Great start...excited to hear about the YC portion of the trip!

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

In the bathroom we found the toiletries


Here are the towels - to me these seemed thinner than the Deluxe towels


I also noticed this sign which was the first time I remember being told to bring a hotel room towel to a Disney resort pool.



This poster was the only thing I could tell that was themed for the 1960's or Pop century inside our room.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

This Lake View was very nice, but we never enjoyed it because there is no balcony and no place to sit outside your room.





Because the hotel is set up like a motel (only you don't drive up to your room - just like most WDW resorts the parking is pretty far from the rooms) it is very loud with the uncarpeted hallway outside your window and door. We heard wheelie bags and running children/teens all through the night and early morning.
It is also brighter in the rooms with the hotel hall lights outside your window and door.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

So our little experiment in staying at a Value Resort went well until DSis hit her bed. SQUEAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK! squeak. squeak.
squeak.

squeak.
squeak.

This bed - squeak - has seen better - squeak - days - squeak.

A little past midnight I wake up to DSis hunched over the glow of her cell phone as she searches for availability in a Deluxe Resort. She calls the front desk of Pop Century to request another room - no, not another room at Pop Century - another room at another resort.

At 6:00am, DSis calls the front desk again. Here's what I heard of the conversation:
"I need another room."
"No. Not here."
"Anywhere Deluxe."
"Yes, Deluxe."
"One of the ones around Epcot."
"Yes, Deluxe."
"Yes, I'm okay with the price difference."
"Yes for tonight."
"Yes, right now."
"Yes, the price difference is okay."
"No, I don't need another room at Pop Century."
"Yes, that's fine, charge my card."
"Yes, I'm aware of the price difference."
"Yes, I'm ready to check out."
"Sure, no problem. Thank you."

 

[Tony NY]

wow I love your post ... what a difference form Value to Deluxe. after reading your post I don't think I want to stay at a value.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

So the Disney fairies do their magic and get us a room that will be ready at 8am at Yacht Club.



We were the only ones checking in at 7:30am and our cast member, Renee, did a great job finding us a quiet room - we said we didn't sleep at all last night and had a big day today and would love a quiet room to get some rest. The first room we were assigned was on the first floor next to an ice machine and Renee noticed that in the computer and switched the room. Unfortunately the key card wasn't switched so we did have to return to get the room key fixed.



We were in room 3030.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Some things are the same as the Value resort - the towel mouse ears and there are beds and a window and a door and...



I liked the little night stands on either side of either bed.



Same as at Pop Century, the minifridge is in the dresser under the tv. same minifridge, not the same dresser.

Instead of a table and two chairs there is a desk, desk chair, ottoman and reading chair. The desk had extra electrical sockets; at Pop Century we didn't find extra plugs.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

There's an additional dresser and full closet with iron board, iron and safe.

Our view was of the trees that block the view of the Swolphin next door.



There's a little man-made creek that went by the room as well. It was a very quiet room and I would stay in this room again gladly.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

If you've been paying attention, you've noticed I've already covered the good and the bad. Now here's what you've been waiting for.

So on to the bathroom

There are two sinks and a portable hair dryer that will make our getting ready this evening much easier.



See, don't these towels seem thicker to you?



Not sure what type of animal stayed in this room before us and had a make-over in the bathroom, but this was behind the bathroom door, behind the toilet, and pretty much everywhere.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Aside from the hair, which I didn't miss at Pop, there were a few things that I did miss -

Like a ceiling fan

this is from our room at Yacht Club.

And the water in the lobby.


And the theming touches


And the location


And the atmosphere


And the quiet, comfy, queen size bed -sshhh

 

[buzznina]

All this over a squeaky bed? Really?? It sounds more like your Dsis did not want to stay value from the get go and any little thing would have made her change.

 

[cvjw]

Love your review - very informative and funny! Oh, and we agree with you totally. We spent one night at POP years ago, and quickly figured out that the values weren't for us. I know some people love them, but we couldn't check out quick enough and move to the Wilderness Lodge.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

#1. Pop is the sound your car door makes when it hits the car next to it in the tiny tiny square shaped parking spaces.

#2. Pop is the noise your knees make as you carry your suitcases up three flights of stairs.

#3. Pop is what your back does when you get out of bed in the morning.

#4. Pop is what you need to drink to get over the night sleep you just experienced.

#5. Pop is what you want to do to the screaming kids running down the hall all night.

#6. Pop is the sound of your credit card falling out of your wallet as you book an upgrade in the middle of the night.

#7. Pop is your neck cracking back into shape after laying on the bed.

#8. Pop is your elbow to your roommate's gut as you fight over space at the sink.

#9. Pop is the sound of wheelie bags and suitcases dragged against the concrete halls.

#10. Pop is...
now your turn

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Great start...excited to hear about the YC portion of the trip!

Thanks! Are you staying there soon? If so, I'm jealous! It was great - but hopefully you get a cleaner room!

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

wow I love your post ... what a difference form Value to Deluxe. after reading your post I don't think I want to stay at a value.

Thanks! I've always been curious about the difference between Value and Deluxe. I realize some people love the Values including Pop, but I wanted to share my photos and observations.

 

[starousse]

That's hysterical. I'm not digging the hairy bathroom though. Yuck!

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

I told DSis that I didn't understand why she had a problem with her bed. Mine was adjustable. She asked, "Really. They're adjustable?". I said "yeah, one side is firm and the other side is soft. I just roll between the two." And she still believed me until she asked which side of my bed was soft and turns out it was the opposite of her bed!. Nope just too much use on the bed-stand sides of the beds.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

All this over a squeaky bed? Really?? It sounds more like your Dsis did not want to stay value from the get go and any little thing would have made her change.

Thanks for your comment. Please keep in mind it was a business trip and not a vacation so a good night's sleep was really paramount. I have to hand it to Pop Century though - it was definitely cleaner - and that means a lot too.