all star music versus pop century-let the opinions begin

[goofyme]

october trip...always stayed in moderates..need two room this time..i like the look of both resorts..food, transportation, theming, landscaping, swimming, walking, waiting, and lalalalala....hep me please! soooo...

in this mickey corner, weighing in at 1,920 rooms..All Star Music

and fighting in the goofy corner, weighing in at 2,880 rooms..Pop Century

convince me of your favorite and why and thank you in advance

 

[minnie61650]

All Star Music is my favorite resort. It tends to be the quietest of all the values.


All Star Music is undergoing a refurbishment of all of the rooms and the rooms were just completed June 2007. They even have a privacy curtain by the vanity just like the Mods!

Dh and I stayed in a reburbished room in September 2006.
We love the new look!

Here is a website with photos of the newly refurbished rooms at All Star Music.

Look at the Jazz Inn section with new posted:

http://allearsnet.com/acc/g_asmu.htm

Please see my info thread For the reasons why I enjoy All Star Music so much.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18641909#post18641909

Have fun at Disney!

 

[winterman]

I would also like to hear some comparisions between the two resorts. We have stayed at POP twice but are considering ASMu, just to try someplace different. It is DH and myself, both in our 50's. One specific question - how is the ASMu food court? We would expect to have several breakfasts there.

Linda, I know you love it. Your opinion is what made me start considering it.

 

[kim]

We have stayed at All Star Movies and Pop. My family prefers the All Stars. We didn't like the food court/gift shop at Pop.

We felt that the atmosphere was louder and wilder at Pop than at ASmovies.

kim

 

[Mom loves Disney]

My vote would go to All Star Music although I have not stayed at Pop yet. We stayed here our first visit, it is right in the middle of the other All Star Resorts. We caught a bus to one of the other resorts a time or two when the music bus was full, then walked to our resort. Music has a great food court and pool! Also this last visit we had a refurbished room every thing was nice and new. Don't forget Music has the suites.

 

[cfknight]

I vote POP just because we're staying their in DEC.

 

[salmoneous]

Just keep in mind the resorts are 98% the same. While it can be fun trying to decide based on that last 2%, it's not something to worry about or agonize over.

 

[maggs]

I have stayed in both and I have to say I just did not like Pop. It was far too large and the fact that the shop amd food court were together made the whole place a bottleneck. Unfortunately we had major issues with mousekeeping and smoke coming through the air con. There were other problems too so Im afraid once bitten, twice shy. As for Music, it is my favourite value resort. Although there arent as many food choices we just found it much more pleasant overall.

Maggs

 

[Jedi_Galvatron]

I suppose it comes down to personal experience, time of year, etc really as we all seem to have somewhat different opinions. As far as value resorts I've stayed in All-Star Movies, Music, and POP Century.

The year I stayed in Music (August 2005) I found it to be very noisy, filled with people far more annoying then even the Brazillian tour groups (they were foreign but not sure from where) and found the food court was rarely cleaned. Also had a few rude or generally indifferent cms while there.

I stayed in Movies later that year/early 2006 and really enjoyed my stay and found it to be much more quiet (despite being Christmas time) very clean and really enjoyed the theme here much more then at music. The food court also was cleaned much more regularly and the cm staff in general seemed much more friendly.

In August of 2006 we stayed at POP and were impressed with the theme and the cleanliness of the resort and food court despite it's size. Busses here seemed overfull however probabbly based on it's size and it still only having one bus stop. CM staff was mostly "earning their ears" while we were there so they weren't always the most helpfull but that wasn't really their fault.

All in all I'd suggest movies hands down to be honest. We were huge fans of the theme, liked the way the cms treated us, and found that overall it was the best of the value resorts. That said when we go in October of this year we're staying at Port Orleans Riverside as we feel we've done the whole "value" thing and are out to try something new.

 

[MEK]

I'm glad to see that so many people like ASMu. I am staying there in August and pciked it because of its size, recent room renovations, and landscaping. I also like to try new places and I have never seen the All Stars, except in pictures.

I stayed at POP last August during free dining. It is really a cute, fun resort. But I suspect it is the most popular value resort and it's occupancy rates must always be high. The pools, buses, and common areas were crowded.

My room was facing the lake in the 50's building. It was an awesome location and far away from the crowds yet close to everything. If you pick POP, I would recommend a room facing away from the pools and towards the lake. It's the difference between night and day.

 

[Patsfans621]

I have stayed at both the Pop and ASMu and did not find much difference between the two. However, the Pop buses only stop at Pop. If you were to stay at any of the AS, the bus stops at each of the three before heading to a park.

 

[Doc CW]

All-Star Music by far the rooms are nicer in my opinion and the pools are better too, the only complaint is the buses.

 

[LeahA]

I never stayed at Music but I would stay at Music over Sport and Movies.

I have stayed at POP and really enjoyed it. The bus system was very good and we didn't have to share.

 

[HM]

I preferred ASMu.
I felt that PopC was too "busy" and the grounds feel too crowded. I also didn't like the set up of the food court and gift shop being right together...that also made things seem too harried and crowded.

 

[minnie61650]

I have stayed at both the Pop and ASMu and did not find much difference between the two. However, the Pop buses only stop at Pop. If you were to stay at any of the AS, the bus stops at each of the three before heading to a park.

Last September 2006 our Music bus only continued on to pick up guests from All Star Movies 1 time (the bus was than half full since a full bus had just left) on the way to a park (Epcot). Coming back from the parks the MK bus was dedicated to each All Star but from most of the other parks we did share buses. No big deal as the buses leavibg the parks came every 5 minutes or so.

------------------------------------------------------------------------


A WORD ABOUT BUS SHARING

To me Bus Sharing at the All Stars is really a non issue.

In the mornings during Park opening hours each All Star usually has a dedicated bus.
During mid day it is usually just our stop and maybe one more on the way to the parks. On the way back sometimes it is all 3 but often Sports and Music share and Movies has it's own bus back. Each of the All Stars usually has it's own dedicated bus back from the MK.
That is a big plus. It seems like the Music bus stop usually has the shortest of the three All Star bus lines.

I guess some people who stay at POP see all 3 All Star names on the return sign of our bus stop when they head to the POP bus stop and think All Stars also has 3 stops on the way to the park.
(Even when we stop at another AS resort to load up it has not taken more than 5 minutes and we are on our way!)

Have fun at Disney!

 

[spiceycat]

both resorts are fine - either would work.

although I love Pop - some people hate it. You have to decide for yourself.

Pop to me is like going down memory lane. all the stuff from the 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90's. It is a fun place.

Music was nice and quiet - but the only music I like is Rock n Roll - and disney didn't do a good job showing it. they did excellent on Jazz.

here are some pictures of both - decide for yourself - based on your knowledge from the pictures and reviews. not what someone else thinks would be the best for you.

here is music - I know it says Sports - but trust me it is Music
http://www.wdwinfo.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/536

here is Pop
http://www.wdwinfo.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/537

your choice your decision.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

I'm totally a POP person - love the resort, the food court & more specifically the bus system. Have stayed at all the AS resorts at one time or another and just wouldn't do it again. The food court didn't seem to have as good a selection as POP & the bus situation was horrible - I don't think in any of my stays at the AS resorts did my family get a seat on a bus & we stayed at different times of the year & never in the summer so we can't blame it on summer vacation crowds. Guess if I had small kids again I'd choose one of the AS resorts just because it would be special to them, but now that it's just DH & I - it's POP all the way!!

 

[LBelle]

We have stayed at POP for the past 2 years during free dining. This year we chose to stay at ASMu. I'm really looking forward to it...especially since they've just renovated the entire resort!! I think the new rooms look GREAT in the pics I've seen!!! Even nicer than POP's!!! LOVE the idea of having the privacy curtain this time too!!!

Pop was okay. No real complaints BUT I HATED the huge words plastered all over the buildings!!! That really drove me insane!!! I think I'll like the 'look' of ASMu quite a bit better!!

As for the busses..I'll have to wait and see..but while we stood in HORRENDOUS lineups for the POP busses, we'd see 2,3 or more busses loading up the AS resorts so often!!! Quite a few people commented on this that we were able to hear. POP moved people efficiently enough considering the volume, but I'm just saying that, at this point, the bus situation at AS is NOT worrying me.....yet!!!

You'll have fun wherever you stay!!!! It's WDW!!!!!

 

[LisaY]

We stayed at Pop Century 2 times and liked it alot. However, in June we stayed at ASMu and liked it better. The food court was very busy, but overall the resort didn't seem as hectic. We loved the renovated rooms and it was so quiet when we were there. Bus sharing was not an issue to us because we remembered waiting in bus lines at Pop that were 3 times as long. So it took the same amount of time basically to get where you were going.

 

[LBelle]

We stayed at Pop Century 2 times and liked it alot. However, in June we stayed at ASMu and liked it better. The food court was very busy, but overall the resort didn't seem as hectic. We loved the renovated rooms and it was so quiet when we were there. Bus sharing was not an issue to us because we remembered waiting in bus lines at Pop that were 3 times as long. So it took the same amount of time basically to get where you were going.

Ahhh...this is EXACTLY what I am hoping to find next month!!!!!

Thanks!!!