A "Deluxer" goes POP!

[CindyBella]

Just back last night from Pop Century. Would I do it again? No, here is why:

First of all, are these rooms smaller than the All Stars? I imagine they are the same size but we were only a family of 3 whenwe stayed in 2000. Now, as a family of 4, the room was too small for us. My kids are only 6 and 2 but with the stroller, shopping bags, luggage etc. the room was packed!

With the fab AP rate I thought how could we lose. I was also thrilled to be staying at the newest Disney Resort but, to be honest, It didn't seem that new. The TV wasn't working properly, PopTV and other channels were not avilable. Our a/c would not go below 68 degrees. Oh, and if you are planning a stay here, bring your own hair dryer! They are "available upon request". On our arrival day, we bathed the kids before heading out to the parks and realized there was no hair dryer in our room. 45 minutes later, we got one. The mousekeeping was not great either. The parking was horrible!

I did think the lobby and food court areas were great! Lots of fun! The bus service was pretty good too.

We visited alot of the Deluxe resorts to view the Christmas decorations and Gingerbread creations and I regrettted not booking a deluxe resort for our stay. There is just so much more magic. This is just my opinion but , after visiting the beautiful GF and AKL, I was so sad going back to Pop it seemed so "Cheesy".

This is just my experience and I have learned from it. I cannot do value resorts anymore. We like to enjoy all our hotel has to offer. It is worth it to me to pay more. I know this now. I don't want to make any POPers out there mad this is just my opinion. I know there are alot of people who enjoy the Deluxe Resorts and are wondering if they should try out Disney's newest resort and I hope this very honest review helps you out either way to plan a great vacation!

 

[bunnyfoo]

Thanks for the honest review I'm am considering a stay at Pop this year, but I'm afraid that my boyfriend will have some of the same concerns that you did. We may end up splitting a stay between Pop and a deluxe ... I'm not sure yet, I guess a lot of it will depend on the rates.

 

[klh999]

Thank you for your honest opinion. I think it is so good to hear both sides, and the truth. I think do one should attach you, you are not attacking POP. It is just your opinion. I am happy that I decided to upgrade to POR, because i had the same concerns.

Thanks Kristy

 

[Divamomto3]

Dude, you're scaring me!



How many times can I change my reservations without blowing up the computers at CRO??

 

[mom2boys]

Oops! Wrong thread. (ignore my original reply)



We stayed at all levels of Disney resorts. Our kids like the AllStars best. This trip is POP. We know that we have to keep the room super organized or we will go crazy. (This is a challange for us.) I am concerned that since our boys are larger now, it might be a more cramped situation. We love the deluxe resorts but can't justify the $ since this is a last minute trip. As for the moderates. I like the theming of the 2 we've stayed at but I feel that if we are going to spend extra on lodging, it might as well be deluxe. They have a corner on the best locations.

We were spoiled with a BW studio on our first visit - last minute trip, only thing available. We loved having the microwave & fridge.

 

[CheshireVal]

We also experienced a few minor problems when we stayed there (December 19-21), though I don't think they're really "value v. deluxe" problems as much as brand new resort glitches.

Our TV worked fine except that I did notice the Pop Channel (whatever that was!) was dead.

The message light on our phone blinked for 4 days straight. Every time we tried to retrieve a voice message, a voice told us: "you don't have voice mail, but other mail. Press [whatever] to retrieve it." So we pressed the button and got "invalid extension." We called the front desk and they didn't know what it was either. We had to cover up the blinking light every night so we could sleep!

The thermostat was set to 68º which SEEMS cool, but obviously something was wrong with it because it was pretty warm and stuffy all the time. I've read in other threads this is a known issue that's being addressed.

I also called to request a hair dryer when we checked in (at about 1pm). The Housekeeping extension was broken, so I had to call the front desk. The lady who answered asked when I needed it, and I told them before the next morning. Then she said "well hopefully it will get to you today."
That was a bit un-Disneylike, but thankfully someone came and delivered the thing 15 minutes later!

Anyway, in spite of those few negatives, I LOVED Pop Century (much better than the All Stars) and would definitely stay there again if I couldn't afford a deluxe.

 

[CindyBella]

Oh no! I'm Sorry DivaMom! I have heard so many things about it so I gave it a try forgetting that you do get what you pay for.

It hit me when we were waiting for the elevator. I looked around and the building reminded me of an inexpensive motel you see all over the sides of the highway. Basically it is the same floor plan of one of those motels. Only Disney dresses their's better.

Remember I am just giving my honest opinion.

 

[nigel-bigel]

One reason I've always disregarded the Value "Resorts" (How can a place called a "Resort" and not even have one full service restaurant?) is because I've expected tham to be crowded and noisy. I expect them to feel like army barracks. Did they?

I've always stuck to the Deluxes, but I am getting interested in Port Orleans Riverside and Coronado Springs. Maybe you DON'T have to spend ridiculous amounts of money to have that total Disney experience. (I know, I know, people here have been saying that for years, but it takes a little while to sink in!)

It sure sounds like the Moderates are a good deal, though. It's much less of a splurge to upgrade from a Value to a Mod than it is to upgrade from a Mod to a Deluxe.

Nicole

 

[CheshireVal]

Originally posted by nigel-bigel
One reason I've always disregarded the Value "Resorts" (How can a place called a "Resort" and not even have one full service restaurant?) is because I've expected tham to be crowded and noisy. I expect them to feel like army barracks. Did they?

Pop Century definitely wasn't crowded or noisy when I was there, though I don't know if the resort was full at that time or not. The few times I've stayed at the All-Stars, the noise level was much worse. I think PC is probably designed to handle crowd levels better than All Stars anyway.

That being said, I think the moderates are much more relaxing and better themed if you have the extra $$.

 

[terribm]

Thanks for your review. I leave in 4 days for the PC. I have stayed at both moderate and deluxe resorts. We decided to give PC a try b/c it is a quick trip without the kids and our itinerary is full. We don't expect to be in the room too much. What era did you stay in and what would you suggest for proximity to the Classic Hall and bus stops?

Thanks,
Terri

 

[CheshireVal]

The 60s building is considered the "preferred" area since it's the closest to Classic Hall. 50s and 70s are off to the sides and are pretty close too (we stayed in 50s and had a 2-3 minute walk, if that). 80s and 90s are farthest away but I still don't think the walk would be that bad.

 

[chamonix]

When we stayed in the newly rehabbed Hawaii building at the Poly, the thermostats would not go below 68 degrees--meaning, it would not let you set it any lower. I think these are probably the same type of thermostat they put in the Pop. I agree it didn't seem as cold as I expected 68 to feel, however, in our case that was OK since usually dh freezes me out of hotel rooms, and I always have to request extra blankets.
Also, the thermostat actually didn't work at all the first two days--it never kicked on. When I called about it they mentioned that they worked with motion sensors, just like the bathroom fans, and only work when you are in the room. I wonder how it "knows" you are in the room when you are sleeping though? Our room was always warm when we returned from the parks since we had not been there to trip the sensor all day, and I never froze at night either. I agree it is frustrating when "new" things don't work. I wasn't in the room when maintainance came in to fix ours, so didn't get to ask them if this was common with the new thermostats.

 

[hannahryan]

We didn't have one problem with Pop Century. It was a very smooth stay. The kids (ages 7 & 9) loved the resort so much. They both don't want to stay anywhere else now. That being said, I don't think I would ever stay there again. It feels & looks like a motel. When I'm on vacation, I want to feel a little pampered.

 

[dandave]

CindyBella, Thank you so much for your honest opinion of PC. The size of the rooms at the values has always been my main complaint. This trip I booked 3 rooms for our party of six ( 4 adults and 2 kids). Hopefully we'll be able to spread out enough to lose that claustrophobic (sp?) feeling. Even booking three rooms was a good deal less expensive than booking two standard view rooms at WL or AKL. The savings will come in handy, and I honestly don't think I'd be satisfied to stay at either of those resorts with a standard view.
I am really looking forward to our stay at PC, because it really looks like a fun resort to myself and my family. I do enjoy different experiences, as well. (Can't know if you like it, unless you try it for yourself..)
I appreciate all the pro and con info I can get, however. I'm not much for surprises. Thank you again, so much, for your honest review!

 

[rrunnels]

I think it's very much a personal thing. I have stayed at value, moderate and deluxe. Personally, I like them all. But for me, it depends on the purpose of the trip. When I go solo or with one niece, the value resorts are great. There's plenty of room for one or two, and I don't really need the extras. As a matter of fact, I kind of like staying at a value or a moderate, because I can tend to get anxious and worry about "if I'm doing the right thing" at a fancier place. Also, and I hope this doesn't come out the wrong way, but I feel more like I "fit in" at a value or a moderate. In addition, less money spent on the room means more money saved for a future trip. Finally, for me, the hotel part of the experience is not a big deal. I like the parks, and just use the room to relax and sleep. However, when I travel with my sister and her kids, the hotel is very important. They like to spend time at the resort and in the room. The nicer it is, the happier they will be. I guess all I'm saying is "different strokes for different folks."

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

If a person goes to PC knowing it's a value resort, and knowing what to expect, then you won't be disappointed. There is no valet parking, no turndown service, no sit down restaurants, no morning paper, no frills, it's just the basics and I think it's a great resort for the money. I probably won't stay there again, but I really don't have anything bad to say. The food court was clean with many choices... the icons were neat for the kids... yes the parking was crowded, but it's a new resort and I'm sure they'll iron that out.

 

[LvsTnk]

I think Tyler said they were already looking at how to add more parking. The resort was designed pre-9-11 when most people flew in instead of driving. Also, he felt like alot of people took advantage of the Fl. res. rates during the holiday.

**Thanks for the honest opinion, I always appreciate a candid review!!