Bad News re Pop

[John Dobbertin]

Just back from 4 nights at WL & 2 at Pop Century. WL is grand. Pop is excellent -- except for one thing: Somewhere I read Pop was "not designed for larger groups." Well, they're there. Pop Warner footballers, cheerleaders & dance -- just a few dozen, but enough to show where Pop is going. It is the "overflow" for All Stars.

 

[TDC Nala]

Interesting, since news from Pop Warner families themselves appeared to indicate that they were booked into the All-Stars and Port Orleans Riverside, not Pop Century.

 

[John Dobbertin]

We are literally just back from Pop. Left there this AM. Pop Warner is at Pop Century -- no doubt about it. Also, cheerleaders and dancers (small groups)! It surprised us also as we had been reading that Pop Century was not going to be for groups as it was not designed to handle them. This is going to be interesting. We liked Pop Century a lot. We also talked with many Dinseyphiles there who are very high on Pop Century. Room was very comfortable. Only item we noticed not included now in most hotel rooms: hairdryer. Bring your own! If Pop Century "goes to groups" it will be a loss of a value resort for families. And it has begun.

 

[TDC Nala]

Well, I'm not a family and it doesn't really bother me. I'm not going to stop staying there because some youth groups have been booked there. But I did hear that Pop Century wasn't going to be used for the groups (not that it wasn't designed for them but that they would be booked into the All-Stars and other resorts). Sounds like it will be anyway, which sort of makes sense when you note how close it is to the Wide World of Sports, where the kids go to compete.

You can call housekeeping on your room phone and request a hairdryer. They'll bring one that you can keep for the duration of your stay, just leave it in the room when you check out.

 

[John Dobbertin]

Well, I'm not a family and it doesn't really bother me. I'm not going to stop staying there because some youth groups have been booked there. But I did hear that Pop Century wasn't going to be used for the groups (not that it wasn't designed for them but that they would be booked into the All-Stars and other resorts). Sounds like it will be anyway, which sort of makes sense when you note how close it is to the Wide World of Sports, where the kids go to compete.

You can call housekeeping on your room phone and request a hairdryer. They'll bring one that you can keep for the duration of your stay, just leave it in the room when you check out.

Thanks for the tip on the hairdryer. We were at All-Stars Sports once with 7,000 cheerleaders. Not fun. Hope it doesn't come to this at Pop Century.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Sorry to hear this about POP - we check-in on Thursday! Were they in a particular section of the resort?

By the way,we stayed in 50's building last Feb had had a wall mounted hairdryer. I have heard not all the buildings have them, so hope I get 50's again!

Thanks for the warning!

 

[John Dobbertin]

Sorry to hear this about POP - we check-in on Thursday! Were they in a particular section of the resort?

By the way,we stayed in 50's building last Feb had had a wall mounted hairdryer. I have heard not all the buildings have them, so hope I get 50's again!

Thanks for the warning!

We stayed in the 50s -- poolside. With any luck the footballers will be gone by the time you arrive. Not so sure about the cheerleaders/dancers. For our next stay we will request any room other than poolside as that seems to be where the groups concentrated. Everything else about Pop was excellent. Transportation was very good. Room seemed to us to be larger than All-Stars. And it doesn't hurt that everything is new!

 

[kaabost]

The thing about groups.............is there a more logical place for youth groups, cheerleaders, etc. to stay on Disney property? Home away from home resorts maybe, but I would bet that the price skyrockets and these sorts of groups usually try to go as cheap as possible. Perhaps it might be a good idea for Disney to next build a hotel with these groups in mind (I know that most of the family-style vacationers at the All Stars and Pop would greatly appreciate it!!!!).

 

[Minnie&Nana]

I just spoke with customer service about concerns POP Warner being at POP - they said that groups are welcome at all Disney Resorts. POP Warner is mostly at AllStars, overflow to POP and a some in Martinque at CBR. They will be there as a group until the 11th (Saturday) and then some families might be staying on to extend their trip.

She was quite nice, called POP and had them block a room in Tramp, 4th fl overlooking Lake - she said they blocked an end room. Have no idea if this will help with possible noise from POP Warner, but it was very nice of her to call (I did not ask her to call, simply wanted to know how many were at POP). She told POP not to change the blocked room no matter what!

So I know generally where we have a room and that's nice.

 

[John Dobbertin]

I just spoke with customer service about concerns POP Warner being at POP - they said that groups are welcome at all Disney Resorts. POP Warner is mostly at AllStars, overflow to POP and a some in Martinque at CBR. They will be there as a group until the 11th (Saturday) and then some families might be staying on to extend their trip.

She was quite nice, called POP and had them block a room in Tramp, 4th fl overlooking Lake - she said they blocked an end room. Have no idea if this will help with possible noise from POP Warner, but it was very nice of her to call (I did not ask her to call, simply wanted to know how many were at POP). She told POP not to change the blocked room no matter what!

So I know generally where we have a room and that's nice.

Good that you received first-rate response from POP. I guess my concern is that we personally recommend places to stay to friends. The great hope was that POP was not going to be another All-Stars with huge groups. In fact it has been stated that POP was not set up for large groups. Well, they're there. And I believe we can expect from now on the groups will be there in ever-increasing numbers. So we have just-another-All-Stars in the making. Not what we had hoped POP would be.

 

[kimber79]

Sorry to hear this about POP - we check-in on Thursday! Were they in a particular section of the resort?

By the way,we stayed in 50's building last Feb had had a wall mounted hairdryer. I have heard not all the buildings have them, so hope I get 50's again!

Thanks for the warning!

I was just at the POP last month Nov in the 80's building, and we did not have a hairdryer. I fortunately had mine with me, but it is good to know now that you can call housekeeping for one!

Have a great time while you are there!!!!

 

[Winnie Pooh Fan]

They were also at POFQ, we saw them on the day we were checking out thank goodness.

 

[John Dobbertin]

They were also at POFQ, we saw them on the day we were checking out thank goodness.

You should check out the other threads re. PopWarner. Best to plan around such major youth groups at WDW.