Just got back from my WDW trip a couple of weeks ago. I was at Pop for 16 nights total. Some random thoughts:
1. I requested 60s (preferred room) and got 70s. That's never happened before, and I've been staying at Pop for like 8 years. Went to the front desk, waiting 20 minutes in a huge line, and received a 60s room on the ground floor, just what I wanted. This year, the front desk is combined into one huge line. They used to have 2 different lines for "check in" and "concierge service."
2. We also stayed at AKL and POR (royal room) on this trip. Their TVs were about a quarter the size of the TV at Pop! And the TV at AKL had the wrong aspect ratio (people look stretched wide), and I couldn't fix it. And they had almost no usb ports or even just regular plugins. It made us appreciate Pop's numerous usb ports and power plugins.
3. We also stayed at Boardwalk Inn. Gorgeous hotel, loved it except for one thing: no food court. So we sat outside at noon on these really weird chairs and table in the shade to eat pizza bought from this window next to Boardwalk Bakery. The pizza was good, but the day was hot. I think it got up to 95 that day. By the end of the 15 minute lunch, I was panting like a dog and rushing back to the hotel lobby to cool off. It made me appreciate deeply Pop's food court!
4. We also stayed at CBR preferred room in Martinique. From my room I walked quickly to the Skyliner station to time myself (it wasn't open yet.) It took me 11 minutes. Walking from Pop 60s to the Skyliner station takes 3 minutes or less. Gondola to CBR is another 3 minutes, and the line appears to be less than a minute long. So, Pop is still better for taking the Skyliner! There are rooms in CBR that are close to the Skyliner, but those rooms are very far from the food court and pool. When it comes to the Skyliner, Pop/AofA still beats out CBR!
However, I have read reports where people going from Epcot back to Pop, get to CBR and then found that the Pop/CBR line was closed for no reason (and this wasn't posted at Epcot station either), and they had to take a bus. In that case, Pop isn't beating CBR anymore. But if everything works, then Pop is ahead!
Personally, I won't be taking the gondola except for rare occasions of going from Pop to CBR, my two most favorite hotels. I don't have a fear of heights, but the gondola does look creepy going over highways at 60 feet up. The recent Skyliner accident doesn't bother me because it will be a year from now when I go again, so everything will be worked out by then.
5. We also stayed at the Contemporary, theme park view. I didn't book it that way, I booked the outer building but got upgraded by "pixie dust", said the manager. I didn't have the heart to refuse the upgrade, but I knew the elevators will be a problem. Pop has 4 stories and 2 elevators. Contemporary main building has 14 stories and 5 elevators, one of which wasn't working. I timed myself once: it took me 6 minutes to go from my room on the 9th floor to the ground floor. Several elevators were full and I couldn't get in. When I finally got in one by folding my stroller, it stopped at every floor. So yeah, I missed Pop's elevator and stairs, where my kids enjoy running up and down. Contemporary doesn't have stairs.
6. I am not happy with the Skyliner. The recent accident merely confirmed my fears -- I knew that one can be stuck on there for hours. (Though I did not know that one gondola can smash into another). I don't wish to take the gondola, and at the same time, I feel that bus frequency will be reduced for Epcot and HS, if not now, in the near future. And whenever the Skyliner is down, there will be a surge of people taking the bus and crowding it. Also, Pop's prices are definitely climbing up fast compared to All Stars. For me, this is paying more for less.
