ASMovies vs ASMusic

[dizneefan13]

We are thinking of going to WDW a second time next year and need to keep the cost down a bit.
Thinking of staying at a value. This would be our first time.
Between Movies and Music which do you like better?
Does one have nicer rooms than the other?
How about the pool(s)? I know Hippy Dippy will be having renovation next year, but not sure if it will still be closed later next year.
Transportation. Do they share with any other resort? I think I read one of them (or both) have the farthest bus stops at one or more of the parks.
Food court, gift shop? About the same?
Any building to request that may be somewhat quieter than others?
We are two adults, no kids.
Thank for any info you can give me. You guys are the best!

 

[sharadoc]

HI. We've stayed at both.

Music is a long U shape, so if you stay in the back of the resort, there's not as much traffic, like Country, Broadway or Rock. Movies has a more cluster-y feel to it. Generally you will have quiet if you face away from the pool but then you face a parking lot or road which could have more noise from cars and golf carts.

Food courts and stores generally the same set-up, but different items.

No difference between pools. There's a main one with some sort of fountain/sprinkler kind of thing and a quiet pool at each.

They only share buses during quiet times of the day, like mid-afternoon. Otherwise they all have their own buses.

All of the All-Stars are within walking distance of each other so you can use any of the buses.

 

[siren0119]

By next year, both Movies and Music will have fully renovated rooms (same renovation that the POP rooms have now). So at that point there will be no difference in rooms between the two.

RE: the pools, you mentioned Hippy Dippy but that is at POP not the All Stars. If you stay at any of the All Stars, they are sister resorts and you are able to use the pools at all 3. I think Music has the biggest main pool (close to the lobby building), but there are 6 pools between the 3 resorts so you'd have lots of options for swimming at any of them.

Contrary to popular belief, the All stars do NOT share buses during busy times. They never share with other resorts (non-All Star), and ONLY share buses between the 3 resorts during slower parts of the day. Busing at Disney is dynamic (changes based on demand) so the pickup/dropoff at the parks can change, but whenever we've been there the values are usually further away from the park entrances than some of the other buses. The nice thing about the All Stars is that you can take ANY All Star bus back to the resorts, they are all within walking distance of each other. If you miss your bus for Music, just hop on the bus for Sports or Movies and you can still get back to your resort pretty quick. I like having multiple options to get back after a long day

Building requests - that really depends on whether you're paying for a preferred room (close to the main halls) or not, and what time of year you are going. Generally, rooms away from the pool and on upper floors will be somewhat quieter than rooms close to the pools/at ground level. If you make a room request, limit how many requests you make and prioritize (I.e. 1st - 3rd floor, 2nd choice - broadway building, 3rd choice - corner room). They do their best to fill at least one of your requests but nothing is guaranteed, so if they know what's most important to you they can at least try and meet that request.

 

[Miffy]

@dizneefan13--Since you've never stayed at a Value before, I will warn you that the only time I stayed at one--All Star Music, to be specific--the walls were so paper-thin that the room-to-room noise kept me awake all night, and I am not a light sleeper nor am I unused to having neighbors, since I live in an apartment building.

This absolutely killed my interest in ever staying at an All Stars again. I'm not sure if the other Values have the same thin walls.

If this is all you can afford, I highly suggest that you request a room that has no connecting door (I think that was one of the problems with the room I was in) and that isn't at the end of a corridor near the stairs or elevators, since there's a tremendous amount of foot and rolling-luggage traffic in those locations. And you can hear everything in the room.

Someone correct me on this if things have changed, but I think the All Stars have two double beds, not queens. Just in case that would be a problem for you.

For me, I'd rather cut one night out of the trip and stay at a non-All Star resort.

 

[Lindsey17]

I haven't stayed at Movies, but just stayed at Music in August and stayed at POP last year.
I would say that Music was just ok. Rooms are in need of an upgrade, which I know they're up next, but don't actually know when that refurb is starting. I was a little disappointed with the bus situation because I had read that they share buses and then saw that it's only during slow periods, but we shared pretty frequently and the buses were filling quickly that they should have had their own. I would also say that although POP bus stops always seemed more crowded, the buses also seemed to come more frequently. Whether it was just luck of the draw from when we showed up or whatever the reason the Music buses seemed to take a while. Movies rooms are now refurbed and more like the modern ones at POP, however Movies always seems to be left out of the discounts when Disney releases them. I personally wouldn't stay at Music again until the refurb and even then I would probably choose POP over Movies since the buses seemed to run more smoothly, the rooms are refurbed, and it's typically included in discounts.

 

[Mal6586]

To be safe, I would go Movies over Music, just because of the chance that the refurb won't be finished. They took an unexpected long break during the Movies refurb, and that left us with a pretty pitiful experience at Movies last June after refurbs were originally set to be completed by February. We ended up in the middle of construction, and it was less than magical. Since Movies is already done, I'd go Movies for sure.

 

[dizneefan13]

Thanks all of you! I have lots to think about. I would definitely have a problem with paper thin walls. I am a bit of a light sleeper, especially away from home.
And yeah, thanks Siren. Yeah, Hippy Dippy is at POP. duh. lol
Another think I appreciate having in a room is a comfortable chair to sit in. We liked the Coronado with their comfy upholstered chair and the great desk chair at that very long counter. We like the Disney Springs hotels, but wanted to try something new for our second trip next year.
Thanks again! all of you.

 

[Flagge]

I would stay at Movies as that resort has been fully renovated and Music is slated to be renovated. While Music may be finished by the time your trip takes place I know I was bitting my nails as Movies was delayed for 6+ months at one point with half the buildings completed.

 

[siren0119]

@dizneefan13-

Someone correct me on this if things have changed, but I think the All Stars have two double beds, not queens. Just in case that would be a problem for you.

The non-refurbished rooms have full size beds, but the refurbished rooms have two queens - one is a pull down murphy bed. The reviews from the POP renovation have been overall very positive about the comfort level of the murphy bed!

Rooms are in need of an upgrade, which I know they're up next, but don't actually know when that refurb is starting.

Refurb started last month (of course right after we were there at the end of August!) so they should be complete by the time OP is traveling

Another think I appreciate having in a room is a comfortable chair to sit in. We liked the Coronado with their comfy upholstered chair and the great desk chair at that very long counter. We like the Disney Springs hotels, but wanted to try something new for our second trip next year.
Thanks again! all of you.

So the refurbished rooms have a couch, since the new murphy bed folds up into the wall behind it! I definitely appreciate having a place to sit, and up until the refurb you couldn't get that at a value. With just two adults traveling you could really just leave the murphy bed up and have all that extra space in the room! Bonus, the regular bed is further from the door/outside so that may assist with your noise issues

 

[Miffy]

Bonus, the regular bed is further from the door/outside so that may assist with your noise issues

Just FYI--we were using the bed farthest from the door, so I don't really know if that would help.

 

[dizneefan13]

[QUOTE="siren0119, post: 61203713,



So the refurbished rooms have a couch, since the new murphy bed folds up into the wall behind it! I definitely appreciate having a place to sit, and up until the refurb you couldn't get that at a value. With just two adults traveling you could really just leave the murphy bed up and have all that extra space in the room! Bonus, the regular bed is further from the door/outside so that may assist with your noise issues
[/QUOTE]

They have a couch?? I haven't seen any pictures of that. I'll have to go look!

 

[Flagge]

The murphy beds at Movies become a table and there are two chairs in the room. When both beds are down there is just enough room to walk around them without issue.

 

[Disneypro1]

Music. It has the most to me, Moderate feel to the grounds vs the other all stars and even POP. We always stay at Music if we go All Stars.

 

[HeiHei2018]

[QUOTE="siren0119, post: 61203713, member: 631667
So the refurbished rooms have a couch, since the new murphy bed folds up into the wall behind it!
[/QUOTE]

The refurbished rooms do not have a couch. They have a table with two chairs.

If the price is the same, pick movies over music because there is no guarantee that the music refurb will finish for your trip. We have stayed at Movies the last three years. There is noise from the walkways like at many hotel/motels. It was only a problem when cheerleaders were practicing outside at 10:30 pm. We still went back.

 

[MrsDuck]

Music has the better food court but the rooms at Movies have been renovated.

 

[Lindsey17]

Refurb started last month (of course right after we were there at the end of August!) so they should be complete by the time OP is traveling



Of course they would start right after we went too. Well I still would be wary just because they had a long pause in the middle of the reno at Movies so who really knows when it will be done.

 

[dizneefan13]

Music has the better food court but the rooms at Movies have been renovated.

Why do you like the Music food court more than Movies? selection? quality?

 

[MrsDuck]

Why do you like the Music food court more than Movies? selection? quality?

Ambiance!

 

[Micharlotte]

We stayed at AKL in August and had a miserable few nights because of loud neighbours, so that can happen anywhere. The new rooms at movies convinced me that I could do a weeks stay at a value and am hoping to book at music for September.

 

[samsteele]

loud neighbours, so that can happen anywhere.

Agree. I've stayed at values to deluxe and found the walls don't provide much of a sound barrier at any WDW resort. A few keys point to keep in mind: avoid adjoining rooms if you don't need them. The door - even when closed - allows more sound to seep through. Mods and Values suffer from the same outside motel type corridors. Many international guests are up at midnight to catch the magical express to the airport. Loud voices and noise of wheeled luggage is a reality at night in both Mods and Values. I bring ear plugs and use them.