Help! Pop or All Star Movies???

[WaltsMartini]

My Disney hating husband (so DHDH, lol!) has agreed for a short trip for our 4 year old this September - woo hoo! Trip dates will be 9/11- 9/15.

Our budget allows for a value resort. I am torn between Pop and All Star movies. Based on the below factors, what do you think is the best fit? I LOVE Disney, my husband does not and also hates crowds.

Most important things for us:

1. Short wait for buses/ short as possible travel time to MK, HS, AK - especially MK and AK

2. Theming/pool/playground for our 4 year old son. Would request Lady and the Tramp or Jungle Book at Pop or Dalmatians or Toy Story at ASM.

3. Food court - not having to wait forever in line.

Give us your advice!

 

[trishadono]

I feel like All stars is more disney themed but POP is more centrally located. My kids stayed at both from ages 1-10 and really liked both areas. I slightly prefer POP due to the lake , it looks prettier but that is only important f you spend time strolling the grounds.

Transport: you can take any allstar bus and walk if desperate say late at night etc. Same with POP, use AoA and walk across the bridge. There were times our bus pulled away as we approached so we just took another vs waiting.

4 is a fun age, enjoy!

 

[MooseBucks]

1) I would suggest POP simply for the busses being dedicated to that resort... I think the all 3 of the All Star resorts share busses. POP is located more in the middle of MK and AK where as the ASM is closer to AK

2) Theming is awesome at both - you can't go wrong there

3) Food court can be hit or miss anywhere with lines depending on time of day or if there are large groups at the resort etc

Good luck! we've done both and prefer POP because of the dedicated busses

 

[MooseBucks]

...with POP, use AoA and walk across the bridge. There were times our bus pulled away as we approached so we just took another vs waiting.

This too! you can take the AOA bus and walk to POP easy and handy in a pinch

 

[siren0119]

Travel times from the Value resorts are all pretty equitable, so that's not really a factor. As someone mentioned, you can use any bus for an All Star resort to get back and just walk to your room, some walks may be longer than others so it would help to strategize which one is closest to the resort you're actually staying at. POP and AoA both have dedicated buses but when we stayed at POP we probably used the AoA bus as often just because of timing. It's not a long walk over the bridge to POP.

All Star resorts only share buses during the day - in the morning and at park closings they have dedicated buses just due to the sheer number of people they need to move between the resorts and the parks. If you're planning a midday break at the hotel, POP might be a better option.

Food courts are a bit crazy in either place. An alternative would be to have a small grocery delivery to the room so that you'd have something on hand if the food courts were too busy.

 

[tex1989]

We are PoP devotees. Have not stayed All Star since PoP opened so I am not a great source. For us we like the rooms, like the location, can get frustrated by busses at times but as others have mentioned AoA bus is always an option. Also AoA food court is right there to use and you can use the Nemo themed pool at AoA in addition to the PoP pools. PoP location is better for Studios and Epcot, All Stars is better for AK. Mk is far from both. I think PoP wins for us because of the options.

 

[dansdad]

You can use the Nemo themed pool at AoA in addition to the PoP pools.

No you can't. The pools at AoA are for registered AoA guests only.

 

[BrianL]

1) I would suggest POP simply for the busses being dedicated to that resort... I think the all 3 of the All Star resorts share busses. POP is located more in the middle of MK and AK where as the ASM is closer to AK

2) Theming is awesome at both - you can't go wrong there

3) Food court can be hit or miss anywhere with lines depending on time of day or if there are large groups at the resort etc

Good luck! we've done both and prefer POP because of the dedicated busses

The All-Stars don't always share buses, but sometimes they do. The last time I stayed at Music, the buses were dedicated, but it depends on how busy they are I guess.

I still recommend Pop for it's central location and the fact that it never shares buses. It's one of the most convenient properties around! The theming is about the same from All-Star to Pop anyway, so I'd go with Pop.

 

[tex1989]

No you can't. The pools at AoA are for registered AoA guests only.

I am aware of the pool hopping rules and don't want to go down that road, just personal experience. We stayed at PoP in December and when walking through AoA jokingly tried our Magic Band on a locked gate to the pool area and it opened it. This lead for me to assume there were reciprocal priviledges similar to those at POR Riverside and POR French Quarter. If I am incorrect I apoligize.

 

[dansdad]

I am aware of the pool hopping rules and don't want to go down that road, just personal experience. We stayed at PoP in December and when walking through AoA jokingly tried our Magic Band on a locked gate to the pool area and it opened it. This lead for me to assume there were reciprocal priviledges similar to those at POR Riverside and POR French Quarter. If I am incorrect I apoligize.

Pop and AoA are not sister resorts. Those gates are not operated by Magic Bands.

 

[SG131]

Between the two right now, I’d pick movies because the theming is amazing. HOWEVER, by September the skyway should be open and you will have gondola transportation to both Epcot and HS which is enough for me to change my mind to pop.

 

[Pmlocke]

I am neither a POP or Movies lover but I do have some facts for you to review. Oh, by the way, I have stayed at POP and I also stay every year at MUsic which means I have walked through Movies often.
POP has 2880 rooms. Movies has 1920. If each room is full and each room had 3 occupants, that means POP will have 2880 more people in the food court, around the pools, waiting for the bus, etc. Notice, I have said nothing about the esthetics of each resort. Just citing numbers.
My brother goes every year as well and he is a POP junkie. Stays there every year. His biggest complaint is the buses. He usually takes the AoA bus and then walks to his room from there. Says it is faster, that the line for POP is always "crazy". His comments, not mine.
As for the theming, yes I do agree that Movies is more Disney themed. I love the Fantasia section. Also, you can walk from one resort to the other two and use their pools, food courts, and what we have done is moved around for the movies. If I don't like the pool side movie that Music is playing, I have already checked out what Sports or Movies is showing and my wife and I go there instead.
As for bus sharing, only during the middle of the day when there are few, if any travelers. Adds maybe a few minutes to the ride. Good luck.

 

[jade'nsuch]

Our last trip was in September and we stayed at POP and we vowed never again. POP is beautiful but there was never not s time we weren't waiting for a bus. We are early to the parks people and even then sometimes we'd have to wait for the second or even the third bus for MK. I'm pretty sure there was some sort of giant high school football team there, as well as some sort of singing group with well over 70 people in it, and it just wasn't a good experience.

We went to the flower pool once while we were there and it was so crowded we just stuck to our bowling pin pool. It was relatively quiet but more importantly we weren't stacked like sardines.

As for the food court, it was always packed. Never not full. We just did not care for it. It felt like we had to fight the crowds in the park and when we finally got "home" after fighting for a bus, we'd have to fight for our dinner. My friend actually got drink spilled all over her by members the aforementioned football team.

Honestly I'd vote All Star Movies. I think your 4 year old would prefer the decor more and your DHDH will appreciate the lower crowds. Whatever you choose, i hope y'all have a blast!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

POP no matter what lol.

At the end of the night bus lines are long for POP but overall its a better resort IMO.

Its farther away from MK but it also has one of the most direct routes to MK.

 

[kaytieeldr]

POP no matter what lol.

At the end of the night bus lines are long for POP but overall its a better resort IMO.

Its farther away from MK but it also has one of the most direct routes to MK.

And no Value resort is convenient to MK. More accurately, MK is close/convenient to nothing except the MK-area resorts.

 

[aballerina]

I think you would be happy with either.
Is money an issue? Movies is a little cheaper.
Any way you can leave the hubby home? I'm only half joking. I can't imagine going to Disney with a hater.

 

[pooh2001]

Can you hear your neighbors though the walls at Pop ?
Toilets flushing in the adjacent rooms ?
We like the nice price of Pop, but would like a quiet room.

 

[dansdad]

Can you hear your neighbors though the walls at Pop ?

If they're normal/courteous, no. If they're not, yes. Just like at any other WDW resort.

Toilets flushing in the adjacent rooms ?

When in your bathroom or with the bathroom door open, yes.

We like the nice price of Pop, but would like a quiet room.

Unless you have a Pool View, that is completely dependent on your neighbors.

 

[Collette]

Can you hear your neighbors though the walls at Pop ?
Toilets flushing in the adjacent rooms ?
We like the nice price of Pop, but would like a quiet room.

Requesting a non-connecting room really helps at any resort. I also requested top floor.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would say Movies as it is a much smaller resort that Pop. Less people everywhere fighting you for space.

I also think the food court set up is nicer, with the gift shop away from the food area. At Pop they are together.

As for short travel time, that doesn't happen at any value. They are all a bit away from the Magic Kingdom.