How Clean are the Values?

[skater]

I know this isn't always the case, but in my experience, the values and moderates are about equal in cleanliness and AKL (the deluxe I have experience with) was extremely clean. The carpet was steam cleaned right before we entered our room which was probably why it was so much cleaner. On the other hand, ASMo and POR was only somewhat clean - just not as spotless as AKL.

 

[BearcatsFan]

We stayed at POP this past September in a ground floor King-bed room. I am very finicky about cleanliness and POP did not disappoint. I even climbed on the bed and wiped my finger on the top of the framed poster - clean. Bathroom and vanity area were very clean - not a speck of mildew anywhere.

This was our first time staying in a WDW resort and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend POP to anyone - for everything, not just the housekeeping!

 

[sleeperclan]

theming. POP has larger than life statues and the Hippy Dippy pool is a GREAT pool for kids with it's large sprinkling flowers. Knowing your background in the hotel industry, I would think YOU would like a moderate, but if you see the two hotels through a child's eyes, I think POP would be an excellent choice for your 4 year old.

THIS!! I'd do it for the children...they will love it!!

 

[Mom2KaiaandKali]

Just booked POP and added a 4th night Thank you everyone for the honest opinions!

 

[smitch425]

Just booked POP and added a 4th night Thank you everyone for the honest opinions!

Congrats and have a fabulous trip!

 

[simba_fan]

Just booked POP and added a 4th night Thank you everyone for the honest opinions!

You will love it! My DH, DS and I have done Pop twice and have had great experiences each time. In fact, if we hadn't set our sights on CBR Pirate Room for this next trip, Pop would have been our resort of choice. Have a great time!

 

[Disney Kid 3]

Pop is okay we went in 2011 and we stayed in the 60's we left mousekeeping tips but they didnt give us towel animals even with the tips and we had bugs on our ceiling in the bathroon!but it was still good.
Me Mom Brother:(doesn't know if he likes disney or not) dad rather got to Alaska or on a cruise

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We stayed at All Star Music and were so pleased with the level of cleanliness. The mousekeepers were excellent, there was never trash/litter on the grounds, the pool area was always clean, food court was nice. Can't say enough great things. Definitely agree that resort category doesn't necessarily mean cleaner; just a different level of amenities, dining and recreational offerings and bigger rooms. When I first saw this post it reminded me of way back when we were in the process of planning a grand gathering WDW trip that fell through. At the time my MIL told us, "I don't know if I want to stay at a value resort, it seems like those are cheap and dirty"

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Well, I do wipe down the remote and phone and such at all level of resorts. I do the same thing no matter where I'm staying...it's not just a case with value resorts at WDW. I do the same thing at BWV!!

I think that you will really like Pop. But please...go in with an open mind. Do not go in with the thought that you are settling for a lesser resort, and that it just isn't going to measure up to a deluxe or even a moderate..but it's cheap so you'll make do. If you go in thinking that, you are not going to be able to see Pop for what it is...a fun, bright, cheerful resort, with a great atmosphere. I have never had bad housekeeping there. In fact, I have had some of the best housekeeping there. The food court gets crowded and noisy at busy times, but if you can avoid those times, you'll be good to go. The buses are really good....they come often and are plentiful. But, there will be waits for the buses at park closing..so be prepared for that.
Have fun at Pop. Wish I was going back there soon!!!

This is excellent advice! I do the same lysol cleaning at every Disney resort or regular hotel anywhere in the world - everything gets wiped and/or sprayed.

Wanted to add that our first stay at a value was when POP was open just about a month. I was very hesitant and at check-in asked if we could switch resorts! I was nervous about a value, having stayed mostly at monorail resorts with a few moderates stays for almost 30 years.

The CM was very nice and asked if we would give it a try for a night and if we were not happy they would help us move to another resort...so we said okay...and she mentioned enjoying all the extra money we'd save.

On the way to our room in the 50's bldg 2 we could not help but get into the spirit of the resort...walking by Lady & Tramp and listening to 50's music. I was very surprised by the room - it was understated and not at all over the top (like the All Star room we'd been show some years before). It was new so very clean...all the CM's were fabulous and we truly enjoyed our stay - so much that over the next few years we stayed at POP 4 more times.

In those 4 stays I saw the same wear and tear happen at POP as at the Polynesian...and the bathroom was cleaner at POP than the bathroom in our room at the Grand Floridian.

So, go with an open mind and enjoy the spirit of POP - it will be fun and the extra savings will be put to good use!

Enjoy and have a great trip!!

 

[Lumiere Lover]

I have stayed at values and mods, and we had a mod for a week once that we were never happy with mousekeeping. We didn't complain, but we should have. I don't think the room was vacuumed more than twice in a week.

We have stayed at Pop and Movies, and both were nice and clean. The rooms are smaller than mod rooms.

 

[Hoosier37]

Last March at POP I was amazed by how clean our room was. We walked around barefoot or in socks and the bottoms of our feet stayed clean. The grout was spotless in the bathrooms, even in the corners. Value just refers to size and a few amenities, you still get the amazing Disney service - and the CMs in the Everything Pop gift shop were super nice. One of them, seeing our first visit pins, pulled out maps and showed us her favorite things in each park. If it was not for her, we may have not gone to FotLK, and it was our favorite part of AK.

We toyed with the idea of going to POR next time, but honestly we loved POP and next time we'll either go to ASMo, POP, or maybe AoA.

 

[minniebride]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the level of housekeeping doesn't change based on your level of accommodations....

I have to agree here. We have stayed at Pop Century and found them to be immaculate and the room was in great condition overall. My parents stayed at CBR a few years back and the room was dirty with broken things upon arrival & they continued to have alot of mousekeeping issues throughout their trip. Though my DH & I stayed at CBR that same trip, but in a different section, and our room was spotless. We did a split stay last month of Poly & WL-our Poly room was so clean & in great condition. Our WL room was really outdated and mousekeeping did a less than average job.

Mousekeeping is universal throughout WDW & some individuals are likely better than others, but they are not linked to any specific resort.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Many who have never stayed at a value seem to think they're on par with a motel 6 or days inn. Not even close! Just because they have outside rooms doesn't mean low quality. I find the values very nice, great landscaping, and fun decor. With decent food courts, shops, pool bars etc. these are no 1 star hotels.

I agree and it kind of irks me when they are referred to as a "Disney motel 6" Yes the rooms face outside and may be smaller in square footage, but the value resorts are definitely not like a Red Roof Inn or Motel 6 in quality; and the guests at value resorts aren't necessarily guests who have to be on a "budget" or can't "afford" to stay at a moderate or deluxe resort.

 

[TimeLady]

I agree with the rest of you about value resort cleanliness. I was at All-Star Sports last year and found the room to be spotless. Bathrooms in hotels are something I can get a little skeeved out by, but I found nothing at all to complain about.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

The few times I've stayed at the POP I found it to be just as clean as any of the deluxes. Great resort!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

All resorts are run by the same upper level management team, and there is no difference in cleanliness stardards. Disney is very strict about that. The only difference is in the level/quality of amenities in the room (shampoos and such)

 

[WEDWDW]

I have always maintained that the main reason that the Value resorts are perceived negatively by many Guests before they ever see tham is simply because of the term Disney uses:"Value".

For the Candelight Processional,Disney has used a Tier system in the past describing the Epcot restaurants as Tier 1,Tier 2,and Tier 3.

Describing Biergarten as a "Tier 1 restaurant" as opposed to a "Value restaurant" sounds a lot better to Guests and I think the same thing would hold true if Disney used Tier 1 instaed of Value,Tier 2 instead of Moderate and Tier 2 instead of Deluxe.

 

[Patience]

I was a bit apprehensive about staying at Pop because I am very picky about hotel room cleanliness. Our only other previous stay at a Disney Resort was at Coronado Springs when it was brand new (and I liked it) so I was concerned how a value would compare. Our room at Pop ended up being very clean and our mousekeeper was fantastic- she redecorated our room each day with my daughter's stuffed animals and towel animals she made each day. It was fun to come back to the hotel after the parks to see what she did to the room. When we go back in a few years, I think we will probably stay moderate but only for the double sinks, double beds and the bit of extra room. We had two adults, a teenager and a 4 year old staying in the room at Pop and it was a bit cramped. We had a fantastic time at Pop though.

 

[2ofUs]

For families needing a bit more room, the new Art of Animation family suites should fit that bill well. Rather than the solution provided at All Star when the took existing connecting rooms and 'made' them into a suite, these are build with the intent of providing more family space.

Of course they'll have the theming and isn't that what Disney is about? But also 2 bathroom areas which will ease the morning 'getting ready' crunch. They are still about the same pricing as 2 rooms but with the benefit of 2 adults with 3 children over age 3 actually being allowed to stay 'together' in a Disney value resort.

As for POP, we have stayed in nearly every deluxe and most of the villas, and I still enjoy staying at POP - seriously. We have never had a housekeeping problem nor anything else to complain about there.