Anyone prefer Pop over CBR?

[Meglen]

I just got back from a stay at CBR. My opinion is probably colored by the fact that we were in a (shabby, gross, expensive) pirate room. We Skylinered to POP for breakfast one day because a CM turned us away from taking the Skyliner to Riviera for breakfast, and one of my 5-year-old twins started melting down because she REALLY wanted to take the Skyliner to anywhere. They loved the look and feel of POP, and I wished I had stayed there and saved some money. We also wandered over to AoA, and they loved the playground there. But it depends on what amenities you will use, and what's open when you go. With half the restaurants closed, CBR really doesn't have more food options than POP. And my kids were scared to go to the big pool with the slide (too many rowdy older kids there), so we just went to the quiet pool in Trinidad. I basically felt ripped off by paying such high prices for a run-down and inconveniently located room at CBR. Would definitely choose POP next time (or rent DVC points or something).

What do you mean they turned you away?

 

[JoelB]

Prefer Pop to CBR? Heck, I think I prefer it to everything! I know @WEDWDW will agree: there's no other resort that feels so GROOVY and FAR OUT!

 

[neary]

What do you mean they turned you away?

The CM at the Skyliner entrance said we couldn't take the Skyliner from CBR to Riviera without an ADR (which we had just done the day before for breakfast at Primo Piatto). To the point of this thread: part of the reason I wanted to stay at CBR in the first place was to have access to additional dining options at the Riviera, but it seems like that access can be arbitrarily denied. Even on the day we were allowed to Skyliner to Riviera, it was hard to get into the building, as the doors were locked and apparently could only be unlocked by Riviera guests using their magic bands. We had to sneak in behind another party. They clearly don't want the CBR crowd ruining the Riviera.

 

[DL1WDW2]

The CM at the Skyliner entrance said we couldn't take the Skyliner from CBR to Riviera without an ADR (which we had just done the day before for breakfast at Primo Piatto). To the point of this thread: part of the reason I wanted to stay at CBR in the first place was to have access to additional dining options at the Riviera, but it seems like that access can be arbitrarily denied. Even on the day we were allowed to Skyliner to Riviera, it was hard to get into the building, as the doors were locked and apparently could only be unlocked by Riviera guests using their magic bands. We had to sneak in behind another party. They clearly don't want the CBR crowd ruining the Riviera.

How early in the morning was this? I have only tried once to board the SkyLiner and was questioned by the castmember. The SkyLiner looks like they are running but they are not boarding yet because the theme parks are not ready to allow guests to arrive. If you actually have a breakfast reservation they can allow you to board . It is “different policy” and has only happened to me once so I am kinda thinking this is what you experienced.
I also think the doors for entry to lodging areas of the Riviera are locked but not if you are entering thru the lobby. I know when I park at Riviera even as a Riviera guest I can not enter into the resort rooms door close to elevator , from parking lot , until I have registered or received room is ready with room number text. Those hallways are meant for actual guests needing to get to their rooms and not a shortcut for anybody getting off the SkyLiner.

 

[Moliphino]

I prefer Pop. CBR is just too big and spread out with way too many bus stops. We're also park commandos, so we never use the pool and rarely eat at the resort, so those don't matter to us.

 

[neary]

How early in the morning was this? I have only tried once to board the SkyLiner and was questioned by the castmember. The SkyLiner looks like they are running but they are not boarding yet because the theme parks are not ready to allow guests to arrive. If you actually have a breakfast reservation they can allow you to board . It is “different policy” and has only happened to me once so I am kinda thinking this is what you experienced.
I also think the doors for entry to lodging areas of the Riviera are locked but not if you are entering thru the lobby. I know when I park at Riviera even as a Riviera guest I can not enter into the resort rooms door close to elevator , from parking lot , until I have registered or received room is ready with room number text. Those hallways are meant for actual guests needing to get to their rooms and not a shortcut for anybody getting off the SkyLiner.

It was like 8:00 am or so. I guess I don't really understand the distinction you're making between lodging areas and the elevators or hallways that lead to the restaurants. The day after we were turned away at the Skyliner, we actually did have a reservation at Topolino's and were allowed to take the Skyliner there. We literally followed the signs from Skyliner directing us to Topolino's and ran into locked doors again (we weren't the only ones-- there were several other parties with reservations at Topolino's that got off the Skyliner, and we were all trying to find an unlocked door). I think there was *one* unlocked door in the back of the hotel, coming from the Skyliner. But anyway, the elevator that goes to Topolino's and Primo Piatto also goes to several floors in between that are just lodging areas. That's the way the signs directed us to go. Why would we walk all the way around the building to the lobby entrance? Is there some way to get to Topolino's *without* going through areas "meant for actual guests" as you put it?

Trying to find an unlocked door delayed us so long that the hostess at Topolino's made us wait again when we finally got upstairs because "it's been a while since you checked in." It was 10 minutes at most! Not sure how they expect people to get up there any quicker than we did, with all the locked doors.

 

[Meglen]

It was like 8:00 am or so. I guess I don't really understand the distinction you're making between lodging areas and the elevators or hallways that lead to the restaurants. The day after we were turned away at the Skyliner, we actually did have a reservation at Topolino's and were allowed to take the Skyliner there. We literally followed the signs from Skyliner directing us to Topolino's and ran into locked doors again (we weren't the only ones-- there were several other parties with reservations at Topolino's that got off the Skyliner, and we were all trying to find an unlocked door). I think there was *one* unlocked door in the back of the hotel, coming from the Skyliner. But anyway, the elevator that goes to Topolino's and Primo Piatto also goes to several floors in between that are just lodging areas. That's the way the signs directed us to go. Why would we walk all the way around the building to the lobby entrance? Is there some way to get to Topolino's *without* going through areas "meant for actual guests" as you put it?

Trying to find an unlocked door delayed us so long that the hostess at Topolino's made us wait again when we finally got upstairs because "it's been a while since you checked in." It was 10 minutes at most! Not sure how they expect people to get up there any quicker than we did, with all the locked doors.

odd that the signs would lead you that way. best choice would be to use the front entrance. The side doors would are for guests only.