Shades of Green or POP?

[annnewjerz]

Hi everyone.

My Husband and I are looking to get away in September for 4-5 nights for a "babymoon" (I hate that word) before we go from a family of 2 to a family of 3. Right now I'm planning to rent DVC points, but if that falls through --- the two resort options that are within our budget are:

POP
Shades of Green

We've stayed at POP before and actually liked it for what it is. We've never been to SOG but have seen pictures and it looks nice. The plan is to spend the morning/evening in the parks with most of the daytime at the hotel pool enjoying some sun, swimming and napping.

We've stayed at POP before for a long weekend and it was nice, for what we paid. But for the same price, would SOG be a better choice? I know it's more "deluxe" but without the Disney feel. Plus we like that's it's close to the monorail and TTC, but I'm not sure how much extra walking I'll be interested in by the time we get there anyway.

So --- what do you think we should do? If we can't do DVC after all, if the price was equal, POP or SOG?

Ann

 

[pieface]

Shades of green is designated for military personnel and I'm glad Disney designed it for that purpose which they deserve. I stayed there when it was the Disney Inn and it was a wonderful resort. It is a quiet resort and it is beautiful. You can't compare pop to this resort S.O.G. is far better than pop. If you can stay there do it. You will not regret it have fun.

 

[shburks]

Hi everyone.

My Husband and I are looking to get away in September for 4-5 nights for a "babymoon" (I hate that word) before we go from a family of 2 to a family of 3. Right now I'm planning to rent DVC points, but if that falls through --- the two resort options that are within our budget are:

POP
Shades of Green

We've stayed at POP before and actually liked it for what it is. We've never been to SOG but have seen pictures and it looks nice. The plan is to spend the morning/evening in the parks with most of the daytime at the hotel pool enjoying some sun, swimming and napping.


We've stayed at POP before for a long weekend and it was nice, for what we paid. But for the same price, would SOG be a better choice? I know it's more "deluxe" but without the Disney feel. Plus we like that's it's close to the monorail and TTC, but I'm not sure how much extra walking I'll be interested in by the time we get there anyway.

So --- what do you think we should do? If we can't do DVC after all, if the price was equal, POP or SOG?

Ann

I think it depends on what is most important to you. For location, Shades of Green is great. Close to the Poly so you can get on the monorail. Pop has more fun theming. If you're a military family (which I assume so since you're asking about SOG), you can likely book Pop for considerably less than SOG with the current military discount.

 

[swimfly]

The most miserable part of POP for me is the awful double beds. We stayed 1 night the beginning of this month. Wanted something cheap before checking into our main resort. Comfortable sleep becomes challenging during pregnancy and I just can't imagine POP working well. My DD is now 18 mths but if I was pregnant I truly would've been miserable.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

It can be a tough call.

Pop has more Disney atmosphere, DME, free dining for certain dates.

SOG has larger bathroom areas, a larger room, a larger table, a larger fridge, and larger beds.

We have been staying at Pop recently because of all the great discounts.

If the prices were pretty close we would choose SOG.

You really can't go wrong either way, it just depends on your personal preferences.

 

[annnewjerz]

Shades of green is designated for military personnel and I'm glad Disney designed it for that purpose which they deserve. I stayed there when it was the Disney Inn and it was a wonderful resort. It is a quiet resort and it is beautiful. You can't compare pop to this resort S.O.G. is far better than pop. If you can stay there do it. You will not regret it have fun.

Thanks for the input. I was more concerned with going and not feeling like I was at Disney. We've always stayed at a Disney hotel and even though I'm sure the hotel itself is much much nicer than POP, I just wondered if we would feel like we're at Disney at all (since we plan to spend so much time there).

I think it depends on what is most important to you. For location, Shades of Green is great. Close to the Poly so you can get on the monorail. Pop has more fun theming. If you're a military family (which I assume so since you're asking about SOG), you can likely book Pop for considerably less than SOG with the current military discount.

How close of a walk do you think Poly is? I know I'd be up for it at least one way, but my concern was walking in September sun and heat for an extra XXX number of miles/minutes on the way back from the park and whether I'd find it intolerable. If it's an easy or shaded walk though, I can only imagine it'd be a plus.

POP is actually coming out to be almost the exact same price as SOG, with SOG being cheaper. Right now SOG is $285 for 4 nights during our trip dates and POP is $295 with the 30% off discount. Must be a special they're running.

The most miserable part of POP for me is the awful double beds. We stayed 1 night the beginning of this month. Wanted something cheap before checking into our main resort. Comfortable sleep becomes challenging during pregnancy and I just can't imagine POP working well. My DD is now 18 mths but if I was pregnant I truly would've been miserable.

Thanks for the pregnant feedback. Since this is my first I have no idea what to expect as far as how I'll look and feel in almost 2 months. I'll only be 27ish weeks, so hopefully not too massive and exhausted by then. We have a queen bed at home, I figured if we each slept in a double that would be fine? But yes, it was definitely a thought of mine when even considering POP.

 

[wdwrich]

How close of a walk do you think Poly is? I know I'd be up for it at least one way, but my concern was walking in September sun and heat for an extra XXX number of miles/minutes on the way back from the park and whether I'd find it intolerable. If it's an easy or shaded walk though, I can only imagine it'd be a plus.

First, it depends on where at SOG your room is located. If it's near the back of SOG, that will add several minutes of walking when you go to the Poly. From the SOG lobby, it's between a 5 and 8 minute walk. Note that SOG frequently runs a golf cart shuttle that will take you between the SOG lobby and the end of the property where you cross the street to the Poly, but you can't always count on the shuttle running when you're making the trek between the two resorts.

Personally, I think SOG is a nicer resort than any of the Disney values. The rooms are much larger and you get queen beds.

 

[Momoftwins+1]

I think I'm the only one on the planet that didn't enjoy SOG. The lobby is pretty but the rooms remind me too much of the temp. lodging on our military posts ( to include the same furniture ) which are drab and old. I found that it wasn't well kept up either in the area we stayed in,. Elevator was broken, there was flooding on the carpet in the hallway that nothing was done about other than a sign, slider door wouldn't shut properly (and it was a tropical storm outside so shutting tightly was important. Oh and the Italian restaurant was horrid! I've stayed at a bunch of Disney resorts of all levels and I've found things wrong but never that many in a small amount of time.

I'd choose POP but again you will have a great time no matter where you stay in the end, its Disney!

 

[wdwrich]

I think I'm the only one on the planet that didn't enjoy SOG. The lobby is pretty but the rooms remind me too much of the temp. lodging on our military posts ( to include the same furniture ) which are drab and old. I found that it wasn't well kept up either in the area we stayed in,. Elevator was broken, there was flooding on the carpet in the hallway that nothing was done about other than a sign, slider door wouldn't shut properly (and it was a tropical storm outside so shutting tightly was important.

Were you in the newer wing, or the old original section? We stayed in the new wing and had no such issues. But even in Disney-owned places, one can encounter less-than-favorable rooms. I know we did during one of our stays at POR.

 

[Dotsie]

Shades of Green, hands down. It's is SO pretty and quiet - if I was going sans kids that is what I would want. POP is LOUD!!
Also, Shades of Green is 25% off in September and is always tax free. Depending on rank, that's a substantial savings. They also have a stars and stripes ticket that is completely different than Disney's. It's not as affordable but still pretty darned good. For 6 days, park hopper, water parks and more for an adult was $298. Can't beat it.

 

[sweetcreams]

Definitely Shades of Green. You can take the Shady Shuttle to the end of the driveway and a quick walk gets you on the monorail. There's a bus that leaves from the TTC every 20 minutes if you're too tired to walk back from the Poly at night. The old rooms were renovated in (I think) 2011. Besides the rooms being less expensive, the food and souvenirs are also. Plus, there's a spa right in the hotel! Make sure to set aside a little extra money for a pedicure and/or pregnancy massage. Soooo worth the money mid-trip!

 

[Momoftwins+1]

Were you in the newer wing, or the old original section? We stayed in the new wing and had no such issues. But even in Disney-owned places, one can encounter less-than-favorable rooms. I know we did during one of our stays at POR.

I'm unsure which section it was in. It had a slider door that opened to the pool area courtyard. This was in 2012 so it was after renovation of the entire building/rooms from what I'm told. I did state that issues can stem from any hotel, to include Disney owned, however there were far too many issues that one stay to ignore for us. Again, to each their own, no matter where the original poster stays they I'm sure will have a great babymoon.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

We didn't love SOG when we stayed there either. I know it doesn't matter to everyone, but the lack of Disney feel mattered to me. I felt like we could have been in any hotel anywhere in the country. We were in the older section of the hotel before it was renovated and our room was very shabby. It definitely colored our perception of the hotel and just made it feel less than well-kept. The walk to Poly wasn't too bad, it was probably 15 minutes from the front door of the hotel to Poly, but no, it was not shady.

We've stayed at Pop a couple of times and while I wouldn't characterize it as my favorite resort, it was adequate for the times we were there. However, we tend to spend most of our time at the parks, so lack of amenities wasn't a factor. So I don't know if I'd want to spend a whole lot of time there every day as you're planning to do.

So I guess I wasn't a lot of help! We don't love SOG, but we don't love Pop either.

Congratulations on your new addition!

 

[annnewjerz]

They also have a stars and stripes ticket that is completely different than Disney's. It's not as affordable but still pretty darned good. For 6 days, park hopper, water parks and more for an adult was $298. Can't beat it.

This is good to know! It won't really come in handy much for this trip because we aren't going to be down there for 6 days, but when we go in the future --- knowing there is a 6-day pass option instead of the 4-day pass will be a great savings.

Definitely Shades of Green. You can take the Shady Shuttle to the end of the driveway and a quick walk gets you on the monorail. There's a bus that leaves from the TTC every 20 minutes if you're too tired to walk back from the Poly at night. The old rooms were renovated in (I think) 2011. Besides the rooms being less expensive, the food and souvenirs are also. Plus, there's a spa right in the hotel! Make sure to set aside a little extra money for a pedicure and/or pregnancy massage. Soooo worth the money mid-trip!

Ahhhh, the spa. That sounds great actually. I get a pedicure every two weeks at home, but a pregnancy massage? Haven't had one of those yet and I bet it would be a little slice of heaven.

Again, to each their own, no matter where the original poster stays they I'm sure will have a great babymoon.

You're right, we will! How could you not have a great time in Disney? We ended up finding a member to rent us points, so we stuck with OKW --- but thanks for the thoughts on each resort anyway.

So I guess I wasn't a lot of help! We don't love SOG, but we don't love Pop either.

Congratulations on your new addition!

LOL, great response and thank you! You're right --- not a lot of help, but I appreciate the attempt. A for effort! I'm the same way, I have a feeling we wouldn't have loved either, we've been to POP and appreciate it for what it is. On busier trips when we are going to be mostly touring and using the room to crash --- it's a great value. But because we'll have more down time this trip because I'll probably get tired more easily than normal, the resort was more of a concern than usual. We ended up finding a DVC member to rent us points, so in the end, OKW it is!

 

[misca]

I am right there with you. I had most of our trip planned while Hubby was deployed. I had to practically tie him to the couch so he would watch the vacation DVD, just so he gets sort of a refresher of what to expect. He immediately liked the themes and asked if Shades of Green was the same way. I told him no, and he wanted me to find out quickly what a split hotel stay would cost.

I reserved the rooms at SOG a few months ago when they were offering a 30% discount on rooms, and we got a great deal. Looked at the Pop resort and it is just about the same, but you have to remember you have to pay for the tax at Pop, and you have to add at least $5 per day for parking at SoG.

This is our first Family trip, and the last time I went there we stayed off site. I think staying at SOG will be good because we don't really have anything to compare to and the price makes up for not getting a themed room(more money for souveniers. Plus the option of hopping on the monorail so close to SOG will be beneficial.

I'm sure whatever decision you make will be amazing, and I love the idea of a "babymoon"!

 

[shburks]

I am right there with you. I had most of our trip planned while Hubby was deployed. I had to practically tie him to the couch so he would watch the vacation DVD, just so he gets sort of a refresher of what to expect. He immediately liked the themes and asked if Shades of Green was the same way. I told him no, and he wanted me to find out quickly what a split hotel stay would cost.

I reserved the rooms at SOG a few months ago when they were offering a 30% discount on rooms, and we got a great deal. Looked at the Pop resort and it is just about the same, but you have to remember you have to pay for the tax at Pop, and you have to add at least $5 per day for parking at SoG.

This is our first Family trip, and the last time I went there we stayed off site. I think staying at SOG will be good because we don't really have anything to compare to and the price makes up for not getting a themed room(more money for souveniers. Plus the option of hopping on the monorail so close to SOG will be beneficial.

I'm sure whatever decision you make will be amazing, and I love the idea of a "babymoon"!

Don't forget that you have to pay to park at the parks, too, if you stay at SOG and transportation is available but more scheduled (buses run on the hour at the half hour, etc)

 

[4kids4karen]

You never know if you will like it or not until you try it. I would recommend trying SOG now before kids. Then you will know your feelings for when yo return with kids. We have stayed at SOG at least 4 times when my kids were little. With 4 kids, it was one of the few hotels in our price range that slept 5. We loved it when I was a JNCO, however, as a SNCO I get better rates off site.

 

[mickeypedia]

I have stayed at both resorts.....SOG is a very beautiful resort but transportation did it in for me. If you are going to stay at the resort most of the time, then I would pick SOG. Transportation was 20 minutes for TTC but every hour for everything else. I would walk over to Poly all the time to get to Downtown Disney and everything else. It's a good 10 - 15 minute walk, but I didn't mind it. On the other hand, I love POP. The food court is open from 6am to midnight, where SOG there restaurants close at regular times. POP has more of a Disney feel. Buses for everything run every 15 to 20 minutes. The downfall is that it can be very busy and loud, but September should be a good month for not as many kids because school starts. SOG is a very quiet hotel, the rooms are bigger than at POP. You do have a parking fee if you are driving at SOG. If you are flying, staying at POP, you have free transportation to and from the airport. I don't know if SOG has done this as of yet but it wasn't available when I was there, we rented a vehicle. I hope this helps with your decision. Have a great trip

 

[jcjen519]

I think I'm the only one on the planet that didn't enjoy SOG. The lobby is pretty but the rooms remind me too much of the temp. lodging on our military posts ( to include the same furniture ) which are drab and old. I found that it wasn't well kept up either in the area we stayed in,. Elevator was broken, there was flooding on the carpet in the hallway that nothing was done about other than a sign, slider door wouldn't shut properly (and it was a tropical storm outside so shutting tightly was important. Oh and the Italian restaurant was horrid! I've stayed at a bunch of Disney resorts of all levels and I've found things wrong but never that many in a small amount of time.

I'd choose POP but again you will have a great time no matter where you stay in the end, its Disney!

we have never stayed at a value but did stay once at sog. my grandfather is retired from the navy.

i agree with this opinion. we hated it and would never go back. we left early. the pool was disgusting. the food was awful. we found an open bag of chips in one of the rooms. it was dirty. the buses were unbelievably scarce. we now refer to it as `the shades` and torture each other by saying things like...oh..changed the reservation at Disney and we will be at `the shades` now.

i would stay at any value or off site hotel over sog.

note though that we stayed once 10 years ago. so take it from where it comes.

 

[hannah'sdaddy]

Hi everyone.

My Husband and I are looking to get away in September for 4-5 nights for a "babymoon" (I hate that word) before we go from a family of 2 to a family of 3. Right now I'm planning to rent DVC points, but if that falls through --- the two resort options that are within our budget are:

POP
Shades of Green

We've stayed at POP before and actually liked it for what it is. We've never been to SOG but have seen pictures and it looks nice. The plan is to spend the morning/evening in the parks with most of the daytime at the hotel pool enjoying some sun, swimming and napping.

We've stayed at POP before for a long weekend and it was nice, for what we paid. But for the same price, would SOG be a better choice? I know it's more "deluxe" but without the Disney feel. Plus we like that's it's close to the monorail and TTC, but I'm not sure how much extra walking I'll be interested in by the time we get there anyway.

So --- what do you think we should do? If we can't do DVC after all, if the price was equal, POP or SOG?

Ann

I have stayed at SOG numerous times usually 7-10 days at a time and it is an unbelievable deal. You are not completely surround by Disney theme like at the other hotels and thought I would miss that, but it turns out no matter how much I love Disney sometimes good to getaway from the Disney overload.