I think this settles it, we wont be staying at POP anymore...

[goofyintoronto]

We have always stayed at the values just for the affordability factor. We are in Disney to go to the parks, not to spend time in our room. >>>I agree with you! One year during free dining we decided to upgrade and go to AKL with Savannah View. While I loved being able to see the animals from the balcony, the resort did not give me the "disney feel" that I had come to appreciate with the value resorts, mainly POP. I feel like I am a kid again when I am staying at POPt and do not seem to mind the noise or the hustle and bustle of the resort. I have come to look forward to it. I would rather spend my money on other things. I get a place to sleep and shower and LOVE the Disney themed rooms! >>>I feel the same way!!! For me, its between POR and POP (never stayed at a deluxe). I LOOOOVE POR, sooo gorgeous and quiet. But there's something about Pop I like better. Part of it is the vibe, the hustle/bustle and excitement, the other part is the large colorful icons. Also their arcade rocks (important for my son). Lol.
Just wanted to post my two cents, but I don't think I will ever go back to AKL.

I thought I was the only one who felt this way! At POR it was quiet, but it didnt have that disney feel to it like Pop does. Thats what I missed when I was at POR. While I love POR, it would be hard for me to decide between POP & POR on our next trip...although I am leaning more towards Pop. We have more fun there. My son agrees. His choice would be pop. Lol.

I never had issues with the noise, and im a VERY light sleeper. Then again my room is always on the 2nd or 3rd floor, that might be why. Its quieter.

 

[Amy&Dan]

It's really interesting to hear of everyone's various experiences. You can have 5 different people, talking about the same resort, and get 5 completely different experiences.
I've stayed at POP about 5 times now. I own DVC at both BWV and BLT. And, I have stayed at the CR, Polynesian, OKW, BC, S/D, POR, ASMusic, WL, Jambo House/AKL and Kidani.

My noisiest stay? Polynesian. It was a nightmare. Kids running up and down the halls at all hours of the night/day. We had two different families next door to us during our stay. We had a connecting door...and let me tell you..we knew everything that was going on in that room. I finally stood next to that connecting door and loudly told my dd, 'Honey, remember, use your indoor voice..there are people next to us and they don't need to hear about your day!!'....my dd hadn't even spoken, but that sure did quiet the next door neighbors down a bit.

And the whole toilet flushing issue??? I hear 'em at every single resort I stay at. Now, I just close the bathroom door at night. That really helps.
And yes, the food courts do get busy and loud. And Pop, for some reason, is the noisiest!! Must be the way it was constructed. Now, I try to get to the food court very early, before the majority of other guests are up and moving. That helps a lot.

I have seen posts from people telling us about their awful stay at a resort..and they give examples of what bothered them. Then, a few posts later, someone comes along and tells us that, hey, they were at the same resort at the same time, and had a wonderful time...they never had any of those issues.

It's all about expectations. What kind of vacation you want to have. Sometimes Pop will work for you, sometimes, only BW will get it done.

I agree. I think you must have been at the Poly the same time I was! Loved the resort but have never had as much "just outside my door" noise at any WDW resort in my life.

I'll also add that comparing Kindani with Pop is really almost impossible to do.

Many people would love to be Deluxe Junkies but its either value or no trip at all.

I am thrilled the OP has found the resort that works for her/him. Personally I have stayed at all levels and Pop has suited me very well all three times I have stayed there.

I know a lot of people have encountered crowds and problems at some of the values but that has not been our experience (total of 10 value stays over a 7 year period). The food courts can get crowded but then frankly so can the moderate food courts. Just as I don't expect a mall to be uncrowded on Christmas Eve, I don't expect a resort food court to be uncrowded on any morning at WDW.

And at ANY WDW resort (because the vast majority of them use turbo toilets) close the bathroom door at night. It really helps with the toilet noise.

 

[sndral]

have a back-up reservation with POR, which we loved, too (except for not having a balcony and before Pop Warner arrived - UGH). The two things my DH and I want more than anything is extra space (and somewhere to go after the kiddos are asleep, hence balcony), and peace at a reasonable hour. Please tell me the premium I'm paying for the Poly will deliver.......?

Not all Poly rooms have a balcony, so this is one item which the Poly may not deliver.

 

[Minnesota!]

I hated Pop our first time there. It wasn't the noise or the crowds or the icons. It was just that my room felt SO FAR away....and I was accustomed to CBR!!

We gave it another try 2 years later and fell in love.

We have stayed there 3 times so far and will be there in October and Feb, as well.

The only place I have ever noticed crowds and noise is the arcade. The pools are always quiet (at night...we aren't at the hotel during the day...), the people have been polite, the food court no more crowded than a CS at a park. We love getting breakfast and then sitting outside people watching.

While I would love to splurge on a deluxe...I cannot justify it at this point in my life. We are out of the room more than we are in, and when we are in...we enjoy it. No noise (never have heard a toilet?), great CM's, and just a great, fun vibe!

I am glad you are enjoying Kidani! More room for me at Pop

 

[laura428]

Not all Poly rooms have a balcony, so this is one item which the Poly may not deliver.

I'm hoping my request for one is honored, fingers crossed.

 

[TandLMommy28]

I thought I read in the Unofficial Guide that they did an actual study of noise by hotels and the deluxe resorts were found to be much louder than the Values. Something about the doors being more soundproof because they go to outdoors rather than an inside hallway. So it is interesting to hear all the different views on it.

Personally, noise doesn't bother me. I've never stayed at a Value (next year will be my first time!) but I am 99% sure I won't care. Like a previous person said, I think of it as the sounds of other families having as much fun as we are. Attitude is everything. I thought POFQ was super quiet last year, other than the toilet flushing issue. WOW, that was loud. But after the first two days it just became background noise that I learned to block out.

 

[TheTurners]

I think the "Disney feel" everyone says Pop has compares with the busy/crowded/hectic pace that can also be found at the parks. For some reason I found a higher percentage of rude and inconsiderate people at Pop when I stayed there than during any other stay at the many other Disney resorts we've stayed at. This may have been due to the heavier crowds and hectic atmosphere, but we vowed never to step foot there again. The mere thought of that place gives me a headache. But to each his own.

 

[MickeyNicki]

And that is why we do not stay at POP anymore either...sad because this was our go to resort (all of the values) in 2000-05 and we always had such a great time but the rooms are too small, too noisy and can hear your neighbors, the food court is a disaster and the buses are packed liked sardines.

For just a bit more the moderates are so much more relaxing and the deluxe as well

 

[mlittig]

I stayed at Pop for the first time from August 14th to the 24th and was very surprised at how quiet this resort was I had requested lake view, top floor in the 50's section and it was so nice and peaceful I loved Old Key West but on one of our stays we were in a building where the bus had a stop sign at an intersection and I found that nosier It is marvelous that Disney offers different resorts for different people

 

[rcraw45425]

Funny, I nave to agree with others, our previous Poly stay was quite disappointing, hopefully the upcoming one will make up for it. Very loud, screaming children (not little ones either) at all hours of the night while going down the hallway. Next noisiest one was POFQ, very disrespectful hotel guests. Our night at AS Sports was super quiet, go figure.... Other quiet stays have been wing rooms at CR, both WL stays, GF stays and BW and all YC stays.

 

[jlk806]

I think in my comparison one of the reasons POP is so much noiser than Kidani is because the rooms are so small, and there are so many more in a smaller space. At Kidani, the rooms are larger, even the studios are quite a bit larger, and then you have the 1 and 2 bedroom villas, making there many less rooms in the same amount of space as POP. Also, I think people are more likely to be quieter walking to their room in an indoor corridor than outside, just because in general people are louder outside.

All I can say right now is that there is nothing prettier than the view from my balcony of the savanna. It is truly breathtaking! Not sure Ill ever stay anywhere else again!!!

 

[rcraw45425]

I think in my comparison one of the reasons POP is so much noiser than Kidani is because the rooms are so small, and there are so many more in a smaller space. At Kidani, the rooms are larger, even the studios are quite a bit larger, and then you have the 1 and 2 bedroom villas, making there many less rooms in the same amount of space as POP. Also, I think people are more likely to be quieter walking to their room in an indoor corridor than outside, just because in general people are louder outside.

All I can say right now is that there is nothing prettier than the view from my balcony of the savanna. It is truly breathtaking! Not sure Ill ever stay anywhere else again!!!

Yep, you're hooked . We enjoy the deluxe resorts for the reasons you mention. Quiet is important to us, DH works hard in a very stressful profession and when we go on vacation he wants to relax, not hear someone yelling at their child to get out of the bathroom as their other child is banging their head against our connecting door (true story from our POFQ stay).

 

[KatMark]

I think in my comparison one of the reasons POP is so much noiser than Kidani is because the rooms are so small, and there are so many more in a smaller space. At Kidani, the rooms are larger, even the studios are quite a bit larger, and then you have the 1 and 2 bedroom villas, making there many less rooms in the same amount of space as POP. Also, I think people are more likely to be quieter walking to their room in an indoor corridor than outside, just because in general people are louder outside.

All I can say right now is that there is nothing prettier than the view from my balcony of the savanna. It is truly breathtaking! Not sure Ill ever stay anywhere else again!!!

Yes and no. Our loudest experiences at a resort was the Contemporary with the indoor corridors...drove us nuts!

But I'm thrilled to hear you love AKL. We will be there in 21 days in Kidani in a one-bedroom villa with savannah view and cannot wait. You have me so excited.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Yep, you're hooked . We enjoy the deluxe resorts for the reasons you mention. Quiet is important to us, DH works hard in a very stressful profession and when we go on vacation he wants to relax, not hear someone yelling at their child to get out of the bathroom as their other child is banging their head against our connecting door (true story from our POFQ stay).

See its really funny, because honest to goodness, we had a similar experience with a family next door at the Poly. When we weren't hearing those kids banging on our door as they ran up and down the hall we were having to listen to the dad swear, smoke, and yell on his cell phone out on the balcony. Dh booked that resort for me after my mother died as a surprise for me and that family from he** made some of our time there less than pleasant. Thankfully the grounds, lovely room and location made up for quite a bit of that but I guess my point is that this kind of stuff happens at all the resort levels. We just had the luck of the draw with the Poly, with you it was POFQ and with some posters on this thread it was values.

But honestly, this topic is hashed regularly on this board. We all have experiences that are good and bad and in the end, its hard to sell anyone on a resort or resort level once they have had a bad experience. I have been lucky to have multiple stays at each level so even though the Poly was dragged down a bit by our neighbors and a few other issues, my stays at Boardwalk and some other DVC's helped me realize it was isolated and not indicative of anything other than rude people I had the misfortune to be next door to.

 

[jlk806]

Yes and no. Our loudest experiences at a resort was the Contemporary with the indoor corridors...drove us nuts!

But I'm thrilled to hear you love AKL. We will be there in 21 days in Kidani in a one-bedroom villa with savannah view and cannot wait. You have me so excited.

You will want to stay forever! Last year we stayed in the 1 bedroom (because we had my 16 year old sister with us and wanted the separate bedroom and 2 baths) but the villa was so awesome we could have lived there! The master bath was HUGE and beautiful with the glass shower and the full kitchen, washer and dryer, and second bathroom made it even more awesome!

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I've stayed at Pop and AKL (Jambo). I'd pick AKL every time if price were not a factor.

However, I'd have to say that our noisiest rooms have been at deluxe resorts. Maybe we just have bad luck.

In 2010, we stayed at AKL (Jambo) and our room was just off the lobby ... we were right by the "bridge" that runs through the top of the lobby. It was a pretty noisy location every night around 8:00pm when the parade of screaming shouting children with musical instruments came through.

In 2009, our room at BWV was just off the main lobby and near the elevator ... pretty much anyone who wanted to use an elevator in the building used that elevator. People stood around the elevator bank at all hours of the night shouting their plans for the following day. Our room also faced the main pool ... where a "pool party" took place every afternoon with bass so loud I could feel it in my head during our "rest" time.

In 2008, our room at VWL was by the second floor elevators ... everyone who came through those elevators and was in our wing had to walk by our room and people are LOUD at night when coming home from the parks.

April 2011? We were in the 50's section of Pop at the end of a hall facing some foliage ... definately not a high traffic area. We rarely saw any people and it was silent. It was almost creepy it was so quiet.

I think, in the end, it's all about location within a resort.

 

[EpcotBill]

And that is why we do not stay at POP anymore either...sad because this was our go to resort (all of the values) in 2000-05 and we always had such a great time but the rooms are too small, too noisy and can hear your neighbors, the food court is a disaster and the buses are packed liked sardines.

For just a bit more the moderates are so much more relaxing and the deluxe as well

Pop Century opened in December 2003.

 

[rcraw45425]

See its really funny, because honest to goodness, we had a similar experience with a family next door at the Poly. When we weren't hearing those kids banging on our door as they ran up and down the hall we were having to listen to the dad swear, smoke, and yell on his cell phone out on the balcony. Dh booked that resort for me after my mother died as a surprise for me and that family from he** made some of our time there less than pleasant. Thankfully the grounds, lovely room and location made up for quite a bit of that but I guess my point is that this kind of stuff happens at all the resort levels. We just had the luck of the draw with the Poly, with you it was POFQ and with some posters on this thread it was values.

But honestly, this topic is hashed regularly on this board. We all have experiences that are good and bad and in the end, its hard to sell anyone on a resort or resort level once they have had a bad experience. I have been lucky to have multiple stays at each level so even though the Poly was dragged down a bit by our neighbors and a few other issues, my stays at Boardwalk and some other DVC's helped me realize it was isolated and not indicative of anything other than rude people I had the misfortune to be next door to.

You are right, our Poly stay was also less than magical, As much as I loved Samoa (room recommended by Tikiman) we were told to come straight over from WL (Only split stay, DH says never again after this) around 11AM, room is ready. Arrived to find out that it was not. Told to come back at 1PM. Went to DTD as we had MNSSHP tickets for that evening and did not want to use a park ticket for that day as well. Returned at 1, still no room, told to wait a "few minutes". 3PM, no room. Around 4PM the manager came on duty (believe his name was Mark) and he began to inqure why our room was the only one not ready. "Oh, they decided to clean the carpet...." Why not just give us another room? It was after 5PM when our room was released to us. We had 5:30 'Ohana reservations (which Mark was nice enough to comp ). Back then tahnkfully it wasn't as nuts as now. We rushed through dinner then to our room with the soggy carpet to get the girls ready for the party. Room was dark (before the renovation). Balcony had not been cleaned (food on the outdoor table and ants everywhere). The volcano pool remained closed our entire two day stay for biological issues . All of that was forgiveable, but the parents allowing their children to literally race from one end of the hallway to "run off some energy" at all hours was not. Hopefully this trip will find us with courteous neighbors!

 

[Havana]

I have stayed at all levels of the resorts. I find the DVC resorts to be more relaxed. I think this is because there are mostly DVC members staying there. DVC members know they are coming back again and again. We are not in in a hurried state of pressure to do everything. I find people even walk slower around the DVC resorts. Enjoy your stay at Kidani, we absolutely love it there!

 

[RDP]

Have a few friends who have stayed at POP as their first Disney stay and subsequent to this they didn't enjoy 'Disney'. The combination of the noise and the motel like feel coloured their view of the whole 'Disney Experience'. Sounds a bit extreme I know but the accommodation can make or break a vacation IMHO.