Didn't care for POP

[floridagirrl2]

Originally posted by ctrabada
I can understand why some people do not like Pop... let's face it, if it was outside Disney property, it would be considered a cheap motel and you would not pay more than $30/night.

Trust me, there is no $30 hotel in Orlando with bright clean new rooms, a multitude of pools, and the kind of access to food service, a lounge, and arcade that Pop has. Plus, I felt very safe with the gated access and security. Not to mention decent bustransportation.

I forget what we paid with our discount code, but it was around $55/night. which I thought was a tremendous bargain considering all the amenities compared to offsite hotels in the same price range.

 

[lynn71092]

I'm sure glad you guys came back with some positive remarks.
We're staying at Pop for the first time Dec.3-7 and was starting to get worried. I have never had a bad experience at a Disney reosrt so I'm sure that Pop will be fine.

 

[chobie]

Pop is the only Disney Resort we have stayed at. We went there as a last minute trip when Hurricane Francis shut down school for the week and we loved it. Thre are four of us and we had enough room for all of our stuff and managed to keep the room livable for the 5 days we stayed. The kids loved the pool, the adults loved the poolside bar and we met so many nice people.
As for the toliet issue-yeah you can hear them at night, but we have stayed twice now and people talking or running late at night was never a problem. We have spent many hours hanging by the pool and did not get bored. We have AP's and are not commando-style park people. We can only take about 5 or 6 hours at a park before calling it a day.

 

[femail]

i am really surprised to see so many people dissing pop; in 1998 i came to orlando and stayed off property, it cost about 35 a nite; it was dirty, the beds were horrible, the grout and tile were missing/cracked, i was afraid to come home or go wash my clothes by myself; (and this is close to the big ol mcdonalds in town!!)
my bf and i spent our 1st year anniv at wdw this year; we were biting our nails all the month before; we stayed there the 27-3 of oct so the last two hurricaines were keeping us glued to the tv watching the outcomes; they shut down disney the sunday before we flew(monday) and shut down the airlines..
and the only thing that i did not like was that it was a bit noisy; but i was so amazed; at 10:30 at night there was a lifeguard on duty, and he was singing and laughing with the kids, and they were just as wound up as tops, but you know?? this is disney we are talking about; there were unrulies but there were kids and adults that always behave well everywhere; they will look back at that time at disney as magical and so cool that they could make noise at that time of night with happy people.... it was ok to me to have to lose a little sleep (by the way the beds were awesome!!)
i felt so comfortable with all the security too.. taking my grandbrats in 4 weeks for their christmas present for 5 days to disney; i made ressies at the pop music and i am just holding my breath that it is half as nice as century... if anyone has any thing to tell me about music, tell me now!! kathyk "femail:

 

[Metallicat]

Originally posted by gigi1313


to the OP... if you know you liked other values and were so miserable at pop, why did you not ask to switch after a day or two or three? [/B]

I never said I "liked" the other value resorts.
I had read good things about POP so thats why I chose it. plus the rate was too good to refuse. money was a big issue since it was time to renew our AP's plus Universals AP's also plus all the halloween tickets, car rental etc.. sure, I could have packed up and moved and put myself through loading up our stuff, losing time in the parks, checking into another motel, unpacking it, blah, blah, blah it would have been silly to move to another value which I knew (from experience) would have been no better than where we moved from.
I also wonder if the majority of those who don't notice all the noise, have children themselves and are just "used to it" and don't really notice like those of us who are child free? and I'm not just blaming all the noise on the kids, I witnessed several screaming matches between full grown adults in the corridors late at night and pushing and shoving their way around in the food courts. (hello, only one grabbing a muffin at a time ok?) another thing that bothered me was a CM cleaning tables at the food court came up to me and DD and said we should "smile" what he wasn't aware of is that we were discussing my FIL who was in the hospital recovering from open heart surgery and I suppose we looked sad. regardless, it was none of his buisness whether we were smiling or not. sometimes a person just doesn't feel like smiling all the time. anyways, I learned my lesson and will only stay at the hotel which I can rest and get a good nights sleep at and thats the Contemporary. wing room only.

 

[ctrabada]

floridagirrl2, I am also a Floridian and know what hotel rates are out there... but you took my comment out of context... the rest of the post had nothing but good things to say about Pop... we absolutely love it! But I HAVE stayed offsite in a clean room for $30/night... but it wasn't Disney and that's why I love Pop... the theming and atmosphere and transportation and just plain Disney magic that no one else can provide.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by Disney Spaz
I was only there for 3 days but I think my biggest problem was we stayed in the 90's building on the fourth floor and every morning we woke up to start our day in Magical WDW we stepped out of our room door to see a major highway with major traffic and noise. I don't understand why Disney would put it that close to the highway. It took away from the magic of our visit. This is one of the many reasons my family and I will be staying at either a mod or ASMo from now on.

Just an FYI, Movies is just as close to two major roadways (World Drive interchange with I4/192).

 

[stemikger]

We drove around POP, and can tell by looking at it, that we will never stay there.
Originally posted by Got Quattro

I can't take all the negative things being said about my baby so I feel I need to write a poem on how beautiful this place is.

MY BEAUTIFUL POP CENTURY

Oh how surprised I was when I first stepped into your huge lobby
The food court and the gift shop how pretty you are. The frozen coke machine - I loved you from afar.

My new resort of choice how I long to hear your voice.
Sing to me in a chorus of different decades, the music of my youth. Petals tasty cold cocktail will make me reminisce.

Oh Hippie Dippie Pool show me your refershing flowers that squirt upon me in the hot August Sun.

I think about all I have acomplished as I walk through decades before I was born. Oh through Classic Hall I find my old Paul Stanley picture and that damn Rubics Cube that made me insane.

A Pet Rock, a Betty Crocker my old Flintstones Lunch Box. All the things of my youth before I was a jaded old man. But alas, I found a place where I feel a little bit of that again and I shall visit your fountain of youth before I get grumpy. Oh how I love my beautiful Pop Century.

 

[CheshireVal]

I can't believe so many people have so many negative things to say about Pop. I LOVE this resort!

I've stayed *almost* everywhere on Disney property, and Pop is definitely one of the best. In my opinion.

 

[rockin_rep]

Hey stemikger, thx for sharing!

You ROCK! Can't wait to see POP for myself; i know i'm gonna LOOOOOVE it!!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Originally posted by Pats Dragon
sorry you had such a bad time at POP. Truthfully though I have stayed in luxury hotels and never found one that you could request an exact time to be cleaned. .

Just a little note about housekeeping requests. At GF you can request your room to be cleaned by a certain time and it is done by that time. I've stayed at other deluxes, moderates and the POP but have never had to request a housekeeping time.

 

[CheshireVal]

Originally posted by BaciBecky
Just a little note about housekeeping requests. At GF you can request your room to be cleaned by a certain time and it is done by that time. I've stayed at other deluxes, moderates and the POP but have never had to request a housekeeping time.

You can request, I think, to have it cleaned BY a certain time. But not AT a certain time. There's a difference!



The Op was upset that the room was cleaned late, but then was upset that the room was cleaned too early. Maid service can be inconveniently scheduled sometimes, but in a thousand-room resort it would be impossible to make "appointments" for cleaning.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Originally posted by CheshireVal
The Op was upset that the room was cleaned late, but then was upset that the room was cleaned too early. Maid service can be inconveniently scheduled sometimes, but in a thousand-room resort it would be impossible to make "appointments" for cleaning.

Oh, yes, I agree...and that's what I meant when I said "by a certain time". I think it is a little unreasonable to expect a room to be cleaned at a designated time every day. We needed it once while at GF - then they kept cleaning it by that time everyday. I called to let them know it was not necessary and clarified it was a one time request -which we much appreciated.

I've walked by rooms while they were being cleaned and was stunned by the mess some folks leave for housekeeping! It's not always as simple as changing the sheets (I know sheets are changed everyday at POP, but this can be requested), vacuming and cleaning the bathroom

I am very appreciate of housekeeping as I do not think it is an easy job - and probably one without much thanks from guests.

 

[missyc]

I haven't stayed on site before and was thiking about doing it soon as we got a post card with the $49 or $59 (can't remember) rate for the value resorts. We have season passes so I think it's a special discount?
How much more does a moderate usually run (with discounts)?
TIA

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Originally posted by missyc
I haven't stayed on site before and was thiking about doing it soon as we got a post card with the $49 or $59 (can't remember) rate for the value resorts. We have season passes so I think it's a special discount?
How much more does a moderate usually run (with discounts)?
TIA

Depending on the discount code, time of yr etc...with a discount code of $49 for a value, a moderate would probably be $79 (both are without the 11.5 tx). Thease are standard view rates, not preferred location (or Lake view/or king at a moderate) That is the same kind of code rate I've received 3 times since June and I am not an annual pass holder, but the code rates have been as good or better than some ap rates.

Figure $30 more a night for a moderate, the deluxes have a wide range depending on the Resort - anywhere from a possible $109 at AKL to $255 at GF for standard view rooms.

Hope this helps.

 

[robinb]

I'm sorry that some of you are disappointed with POP . I have stayed in 3 out of the 4 Value resorts (plus 2 Moderates and almost all the Deluxes). POP is my favorite of the Values.

I think that all the Values share the same problems: thin walls, turbo toilets, big food courts and outside hallways. The Values are not the only resorts with loud families in the hallway (interior or exterior), poor maid service and crappy parking. Ask someone who stays at the GF where they have to park .

Why so I like POP better than the All Stars? I like the food court better. It's big, but it also has some nice hidey-holes. It's not just one huge room. I like that it has a bar in the corner, with a real bar area and a another bar near the pool. I like the decorations in the room better, they are less "annoying". The rooms have more drawer space that at the All Stars, so there is actually more room for stuff. I like the bigger TVs. I like the feature pool better. I like the bus service better. I like that all the rooms are close to Everything Pop! and the busses.

Of course, if you don't want to stay at POP that'll leave more room for me . Anyone want to cancel their AP rate for 12/17?

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Hey, Robin,

I agree with you about the POP and other resorts. As for the turbo toilets GF had the same ones in September and I think I've read other renovated Resorts have them now as well. So no getting away from those any longer ! LOL


Sometimes I think when those who have not stayed at a Resort, read the posts of those who really enjoyed a Resort the expectation goes up and it's easy to be disappointed, no matter which resort.

After all, every one has it's plus and minuses - location, decor, cost!!

I could not get an email code at the POP ($49) until yesterday - although it shows availability on WDW site at rack rate (which I've been told my CRO is not the same availability they show).

With several codes and only so many rooms set aside it's tough sometimes to snag one!!

I have POP for 6 nights and will be dropping 3 as I have to cut my trip short..sorry it will not include the 17. Dec 12-15 only

Keep calling!! I got mine yesterday with a great cm who was willing to check single nights and put them together for me!

Good luck to you!

 

[Disney Spaz]

My disappointment with the closeness to the highway had more to do with the fact that I saw it every morning we were there when we stepped out of our room. I have never had that view from any of the All Stars. I am glad we tried it and most of the CM's were great I just found it to be not for us and a little disappointing. That should not stop someone else from trying it and I just think that for my family and I the resort did not live up to the hype I read here on the boards. That being said I love POR and am sure that there are others out there who hate POR and have very valid reasons for feeling that way I just wanted the other original posters to know that they were not alone in their disappointment.

 

[djm99]

I enjoyed my stay last summer at Pop. It was small, and I can't imagine staying more than 5 or 6 nights there, it was okay!! What I loved was the food court!! My husband is a vegetarian and enjoyed many choices here. Although I'm staying a Coronado Springs this year we will return to Pop's food court.

But in truth it was small!!!!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Originally posted by Disney Spaz
My disappointment with the closeness to the highway had more to do with the fact that I saw it every morning we were there when we stepped out of our room.

I would not like that either..and when we were first stayed at POP I was surprised when we pulled off and it was so close to the hi-way. I am glad we did not have a room facing that as it definitely would have taken away the magic!

Would you consider staying there again if you knew you would not get that view? The view of the lake, pools or courtyards are quite nice. We could even see Illuminations and fireworks - no streets!