All-Star movies vs Pop Century

[neverenoughtime]

I am hoping somebody can give me some advice. This is the first time we will be going to WDW with our 4 year old daughter. We will be going in September and had already made reservations for All star movies. Then the free dining plan came out and I was able to also get a reservation at Pop Century. We have a preferred room booked for both(I know ASM you are in the Woody or Buzz building). I have the middle dining on both so the savings is almost $800.00 for a week at Pop(Lots of character dining planned) I am trying to decide which one to cancel. How are the buses compared? Also, does anyone know where the preferred rooms are in POP? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[kmv]

I prefer Pop over ASMovies. Pop has a better food court and their own bus system where the All Stars many times go to all three resorts.

 

[iloveftwilderness]

Pop- for the reasons mentioned above! We stayed preferred and we were in the 50's.

 

[HopperFan]

POP

- Your DD will still get the big Disney icons PLUS the amazing imagineering you can see at AoA
- While POP is laid out with "decades" the Disney decor is everywhere
- POP has Mickey, Lady, Tramp, Roger Rabbit, Baloo, Mowgli, Mr & Mrs Potato Head and lots of fun toy stuff
- AoA hit it out of the park, and totally worth it to get photos with all the awesome decor
- POP food court good like AllStars and then add the AoA food court which is better than most
- TWO secondary pools with plenty of lounges etc never feeling crowded
- You may luck out with a newly renovated room
- POP has more greenery and feels more lush than AllStars
- Beautiful lake
- Bus works well, as with many resorts crowded at end of night if you leave at park closing
- When AllStar shares buses you would be last to board and last to get off bus ...

Here's map that will show you Preferred -

 

[buzznina]

First; The All-Stars do not always share buses. Our DDs prefer ASMO theme sooooo much more then POP, they really could care less about the 50's 60's etc.
The only thing we liked better at POP was being able to walk over to AOA to look around and try their FC. Buses are hit and miss at any WDW resort, from value to deluxe and we do not even take them into consideration anymore. I would just look at the resorts and pick the one you think your family would like the best.

 

[neverenoughtime]

Thank you for all of the responses. So I am guessing it is just random if the All-Stars share buses. Pop only shares with Art of Animation right? It has been about 8 years since me and my wife went to Disney world and we stayed at Animal Kingdom. The buses at Animal Kingdom seemed like it took forever to get anywhere. I have also stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort and the buses at that time were great. So, the preferred room is at the 50's?

 

[bochnikm]

Pop does not share buses with Art of Animation. A trick is that if you just miss a Pop Century Bus, you could hop on an Art of Animation bus then cross over the lake to Pop, a longer walk but could save some time.

Pop Century resort is next to the Caribbean so travel time to the parks by bus will be about the same. Travel times will be shorter to the parks than All-Stars, except for Animal Kingdom.

 

[bochnikm]

I have a web page of views from the 4th floors at Pop Century. Its a bit old, it includes a picture of the unfinished resort across the lake , which eventually was developed into the Art on Animation. Its at http://www.bochnik.com/disney2010/pop4floor/poppics.htm

 

[brockash]

I am hoping somebody can give me some advice. This is the first time we will be going to WDW with our 4 year old daughter. We will be going in September and had already made reservations for All star movies. Then the free dining plan came out and I was able to also get a reservation at Pop Century. We have a preferred room booked for both(I know ASM you are in the Woody or Buzz building). I have the middle dining on both so the savings is almost $800.00 for a week at Pop(Lots of character dining planned) I am trying to decide which one to cancel. How are the buses compared? Also, does anyone know where the preferred rooms are in POP? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

We prefer ASMo, but not enough to not get free dining out of it. For whatever reason Movies hasn't offered free dining the last few years, so I'd just go with Pop. Honestly, it's not that big of a difference, and really the buses are better at Pop (no sharing at all). We just preferred the food court (not a huge difference), the theming, and smaller size of ASMovies.

 

[brockash]

Thank you for all of the responses. So I am guessing it is just random if the All-Stars share buses. Pop only shares with Art of Animation right? It has been about 8 years since me and my wife went to Disney world and we stayed at Animal Kingdom. The buses at Animal Kingdom seemed like it took forever to get anywhere. I have also stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort and the buses at that time were great. So, the preferred room is at the 50's?

The preferred rooms are everywhere in yellow on the map that was posted. They have preferred rooms in 50's, 60's and 70's. Just for reference, at ASMovies Toy Story and 101 Dalmations are preferred.

 

[disneybree]

All-Stars. We chose All-Star Sports over Pop because of the price. I've heard and seen a lot of threads that prove that the All-Stars don't share buses a lot. Crowded = They don't share. Not crowded = Share, but it's a matter of 5 minutes tops. Also, apparently Pop is getting renovations this summer. I'd pick ASMO.

 

[neverenoughtime]

Again, thank you for all the responses. One last question, on my Pop Century preferred room reservation it states :
"Close to Classic Hall, Dining, Shopping and Transportation 2 Double Beds or 1 King Bed". It never gives me the option to pick the 2 Double bed. How do I make sure I get the 2 double beds instead of the King? Do I have to call?

 

[mickeymom22]

I don't know the price difference for preferred rooms vs. standard rooms at Pop, but we stayed in the 80's building (standard) and it was an extremely short walk across the parking lot to Century Hall (the food court, buses, etc.). Every little bit helps!

My favorite Disney trips were when my kiddos were four! I have three kids and took each of them when they were four! The Disney magic is extra-special for them at that time! What a special trip you have planned! I know you are going to make great memories! Happy Planning!

 

[elaine amj]

I would choose Pop for the better food court. And access to AoA for their food court (also really good) which is nice for a change of pace. All other things are not much difference. The All Stars don't share buses that often. Oh...a PP pointed out that Pop is a wee bit closer to more parks than Movies is.

 

[HopperFan]

Thank you for all of the responses. So I am guessing it is just random if the All-Stars share buses. Pop only shares with Art of Animation right? It has been about 8 years since me and my wife went to Disney world and we stayed at Animal Kingdom. The buses at Animal Kingdom seemed like it took forever to get anywhere. I have also stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort and the buses at that time were great. So, the preferred room is at the 50's?

POP does NOT share with anyone.

AllStars sharing will depend on time of day but sometimes at night .... like right now at AK it has been a permanent sign that they share going back to hotel. New depot may change that, don't know. AllStars are next to AKL lodge so you can base your timing as similar, minus a couple minutes.

Look at map. Preferred are in 50's, 60's and 70's. All based on proximity to food court/buses.

 

[goofyintoronto]

All stars dont always share buses. I stayed at Sports last time and only once did it share buses for my entire trip. And it was during the day when its quieter. I can honestly say that even though pop has its own dedicated buses, its not any quicker than the all star buses. In fact, it seemed as though the buses were more frequent for sports than they were at pop.

As for the food court...not much of a difference between movies and pop. Pop use to be good (back when they offered things like low mein noodles with beef). But honestly, both are very similar. One perk to staying at pop is that you get to try out the food court at AoA. Love their food!

Both resorts are great....pop has a gorgeous lake. If your lucky to get a lakeview room, its very serene. Movies is smaller than pop, which i like. Easier/quicker to get around. However, if youre able to get free dining at pop but not at movies, i'd go for pop for sure.

 

[neverenoughtime]

I don't know the price difference for preferred rooms vs. standard rooms at Pop, but we stayed in the 80's building (standard) and it was an extremely short walk across the parking lot to Century Hall (the food court, buses, etc.). Every little bit helps!

My favorite Disney trips were when my kiddos were four! I have three kids and took each of them when they were four! The Disney magic is extra-special for them at that time! What a special trip you have planned! I know you are going to make great memories! Happy Planning!

Lol, I am trying. We wanted to make sure she was potty trained and tall enough to do a lot of the rides. We are staying over a week going late September into early October. Already have our reservations for Be our guest Dinner, Cinderella Royal Table, Chef Mickey, Crystal Palace, Disney Junior breakfast, and Minnie Fantasmic dinner package. She loved trick or treating last year and she will be in for a surprise with Mickeys not so scary Halloween party(2 nights planned). We are all excited for this trip. I am trying to plan to go to the parks in the mornings with a rest in the afternoon back at the resort, then hit it again in the early evening.

 

[Catvondita]

POP for just a little more $ you get a much nicer and newer hotel

 

[mickeymom22]

Lol, I am trying. We wanted to make sure she was potty trained and tall enough to do a lot of the rides. We are staying over a week going late September into early October. Already have our reservations for Be our guest Dinner, Cinderella Royal Table, Chef Mickey, Crystal Palace, Disney Junior breakfast, and Minnie Fantasmic dinner package. She loved trick or treating last year and she will be in for a surprise with Mickeys not so scary Halloween party(2 nights planned). We are all excited for this trip. I am trying to plan to go to the parks in the mornings with a rest in the afternoon back at the resort, then hit it again in the early evening.

That sounds great! I am glad you are planning for breaks! We always planned breaks and then our third child mixed it up on us. If we went back to the room, she was wanting to run around the room and we were wanting to take a nap, but if we stayed at the parks, she would sleep in the stroller for her nap! So we would just find a QS and have a snack while she napped and we all soaked up the AC!

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I'm an All-Stars veteran, and it seems to me that the buses share more on the return trips to the hotel from the parks. They're always really crowded then, I mean packed. Going to the parks in the morning it's not nearly as crowded.