How about ranking the Value Resorts?

[Soupermom]

Saw a similar thread regarding ranking all of the resorts, but we're a "value" kind of family and I'm not sure which to choose for next year. So, if you've been to several of the Value Resorts, please rank them from best to worst and feel free to offer comments and/or building/room suggestion s!

 

[*Fantasia*]

#1- POP!! This resort has more to offer. You can rent a surrey bike. You can get your Mickey soap/shampoo and lotions. Particular bldgs/area will give you the Spaceship Earth view and fireworks at night. You can ask for lakeview (nothing too special cause the Legendary section is not done yet, so you are also looking at..kind of nothing except the just the lake). If you care to watch the CMs do their "Hustle" at the food court everyday at 6:30pm, you can see them. They have PoP Jets for the kids and another kiddie pool which have fountains are really cool (It's right behind the "Hippy Dippy pool). The bus transportation here is better cause it doesn't share with other resorts. Baloo/Mowgli and Mr/Mrs Potato is here ...And it is the newest...freshest resort!

#2- ASMovies! I love the larger than life icons here. Buzz/Woody..Perdita/Pongo and also there's Donald Duck/Daisy right by the hammock..Mickey as the Sorcerer at the main pool and Goofy at the Mighty Ducks pool. Our very first stay on site. Hold special memories.

#2- ASSports! I like this resort as well as ASMovies! The first one off..first one off as far as bus transportation.

#3- ASMusic. I don't particularly care for the themeing.

Building suggestions... well it depends... We like to be in the middle of actions and don't mind whatever little noise we hear from the room which is.. we don't hear that much noise. In other words... we like prefered bldgs.

POP~ the 60s bldg.~Mowgli/Baloo or the Playdough
ASMovies~Fantasia or Buzz/Woody (very popular) or 101 Dalmations.
ASSports~Surf's UP or Football

We always ask for 3rd floor at ASR or 4th at PoP. And we always ask to face the larger than life icons near the elevator.

 

[Soupermom]

Thanks for your wonderful info. Fantasia!!

 

[Pea Picker]

Fantasia,

Could you let me know which building at POP gives you the view of Spaceship Earth?

Thanks

 

[spiceycat]

some of the 50's and 70's

1 - Pop Century - I just love it. the lake is very nice for morning and evening walks. the food court is pretty nice. the lounge is nice. I even like the gift shop...

2. All star movie
3. all star music
4. all star sports

 

[Lewisc]

You don't see many posts ranking the values because there isn't a lot of debate.

POP is new and has some amenities, already posted in this thread, the Allstars don't.

The three Allstars are virtually the same. More people favor the movies theming but discounts seem to be harder to get.

 

[DisneyWisher]

We've stayed at all the Values and love them all. Good points were brought up about Pop but there are also some bad points. Parking is still an issue. There is no close parking for the 60's building, 70's lot is tiny, or you have to park a good distance from your room. Pop has more rooms than the other values (Pop has 2,880 while each All-Star has 1,920). Sometimes more people will result in longer lines for the buses. Pres day '04 we had to wait 4 buses before we were able to get on.
Sounds like I don't like Pop, wrong I do we've stayed there 4 times since it opened. I do suggest either the 50's buildings or the 70's. I like that 50's has its own pool. Our room at 70's was closer than a lot of the rooms in the preferred section. Which cost $12 a night more.

One thing I still like about All-Stars (last time we stayed was ASMo Nov'04, ASMu Nov'04 different trips, ASsp April'04) is they haven't changed over the theromstats. You can make the A/C colder and it not kick off like Pop. Pop's has motion detectors so it shuts off if no one is moving around. Plus we like the food court there more. DD11 loves their Mickey Waffles sundaes.

rating them I would say
Movies and Pop are tied (they are the newest)
Sports and Music
love them because unless cheerleaders or a sports tournament is there they have the lowest crowds because everyone wants the newer ones.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Fantasia,

Could you let me know which building at POP gives you the view of Spaceship Earth?

Thanks

I have stayed at the 60s bldg twice on the 4th floor, but I have to walk around near the lakeview and from there if you face to your right, you can see Spaceship Earth and the fireworks. And from what I have read from this board, you can also see Ecpot from the 50s bldg. You want to be on the 4th floor to get a better view.

 

[becka]

We have only stayed at Pop and ASMo but we liked ASMo better. I know Pop is newer but we had problems with parking and longer lines, etc.. at Pop and the CM's just didn't seem as nice to us. Could just be a coincidence but if we stay value again we will probably go back to ASMo.

 

[Cookie Princess]

We have only stayed at Pop and ASMo but we liked ASMo better. I know Pop is newer but we had problems with parking and longer lines, etc.. at Pop and the CM's just didn't seem as nice to us. Could just be a coincidence but if we stay value again we will probably go back to ASMo.

Our thoughts exactly.

1. ASMo
2. ASMu
3. ASSp
4. POP

 

[binkyj826]

I stayed at ASMusic and ASSports and plan on trying POP next year.

I can tell you I like Sports better than Music for the simple thing of the bus service. Sports has the first pick up and the first drop off. Off season and Off hours - usually mid-afternoon - result in the All Stars sharing a bus.

But then again I am lazy that way

 

[pigby]

We have only stayed at 2 - POP and Movies. We liked Movies very much (stayed there 3 times) but on the last occasion, had a big problem with buses. At POP last year we had no such problems and will be staying there again this July.

I believe that POP don't accept group bookings which is a plus to me, especially in tour group seaon (you know what I mean!) It's a great place - our room overlooked the lake which you don't get at the All Stars.

Haven't stayed at the other 2 All Stars but walked round both and Music seemed much quieter and would have no problem booking there - the theming of Sports holds no appeal for our family.

Hope this helps a little - if you have any more specific questions, I would be pleased to try to answer them.

 

[Soupermom]

Thanks for all of your replies everyone. We stayed at ASMo last June, but I thought maybe we'd try Pop for our trip next March. Seems like these are the top two between everyone else as well. The view at Pop sounds intriging, but I don't plan on hanging out there all that much. Bus service/location and food court would be the bigger considerations for us. We stayed in Woody's building last year and it was just great. I keep hearing conflicting reports on the buses though....


BTW, which section of 50's do you need to be in to see Epcot? Facing the lake?

 

[*Fantasia*]

BTW, which section of 50's do you need to be in to see Epcot? Facing the lake?

You want to face towards Epcot, so that would be if you're facing the lake, you would want to face to the right of the lake. I hope I am making some sense. I don't know if you'll be able to see the fireworks from your room. We were standing outside by the rail.

Just let the CM at the front desk you want to face the Epcot, and they should should know which area you should be at.

 

[webray]

We have stayed at all the values.

Pop is very nice..the grounds are wonderful, nicer views than at the all stars. Food court food is good, although they have made recent changes to food court food at all stars, not sure if they have done this at pop as well. We like that there is an inside and outside bar area. Parking at pop has been a nightmare, hopefully that is fixed now. They were working fast and furiously to open new lots when we were there. The preferred buildings are the furthest away from the parking.

At all starts, we usually try to stay at sports, because it is the first one in the complex. Also sports is laid out so well, no matter what room they put you in, you are no more than a few minute walk from everything. Movies is the nicest decor wise. The food courts used to be fantastic..they are still better than any of the moderate food courts, but they have taken away a lot of the great things, like the made to order pastas and some of the carved items in the evenings.

Pools and laundry rooms are great at both.