How would you rank POP and the All Star Resorts?

[bookgirl2632]

I've never stayed in an of the Value resorts, so I've been doing a bunch of research. I'm pretty set on staying at POP when we go next year. However, I'm still wavering a bit. All Star Movies seems really great as well.

Now, I know that every resort has its loyal fans. However, I still want to ask how you would rank POP and the All Star Resorts from top to bottom. I'm not including AoA simply because I'm not interested in staying in a suite.

 

[Alexander]

All Star Sports (because I have two boys)
All Star Movies
All Star Music (only third because it is the most spread out)
Pop (we did not like Pop at all, hated the theming, food court was horrible)

 

[bookgirl]

I've never stayed in an of the Value resorts, so I've been doing a bunch of research. I'm pretty set on staying at POP when we go next year. However, I'm still wavering a bit. All Star Movies seems really great as well.

Now, I know that every resort has its loyal fans. However, I still want to ask how you would rank POP and the All Star Resorts from top to bottom. I'm not including AoA simply because I'm not interested in staying in a suite.

AoA has standard rooms in the Little Mermaid Section.

That being said, I preferred AllStar Music to AoA. Not a fan of POP either.

I'm not a fan of over the top huge icon as theming. ASMu is the least themed of the values and that's where I prefer (have a budget trip planned for January and staying there).

For me:

Music smaller and buses are very manageable because of small resort size.
Sports (because it's first on the rare occasion that you share buses)
Movies (get the Mighty Duck section and you're actually right across from Music's food court and buses closer than Movies main building)
AoAGiant Ursula skeeved me out, but I did like the food court
POPHUGE layout and just shy of twice the rooms of the Allstars,only one bus stop for the entire resort (has shared with AoA but that is rare) and just over the top on the decorations.

 

[lovelydis]

AOA has standard rooms in the little mermaid section. Personally i loved AOA they had really good lunch/dinner food. The area itself is cool to walk around, and the pools are so cool. Out of the ones you were wondering about i perfer POP it is nice the rooms are pretty good. From POP you can also take the bridge from POP to AOA if you want to get the AOA experience without staying there.

 

[MolonLabe]

Our first time on property was at POP.

Great bus service and the rooms, while nice, were small. Then again, ever WDW room is small, so while our room at CR last November was huge in comparison, for the price it was pretty small IMO.

We don't do food courts so that's never been an issue for us.

What POP did have was the best bus service. Ever.

If we were going to back to a value, we'd hit POP without reservations. Room is acceptable, the pools were fine (as far as regular motel pools go) and we don't use any of the other things in the resort.

Basically it was a place to crash every night. When we don't have a full week in the world we hit the parks from open to close every day.

We're back at CR in a couple months and we have a split resort/MVMCP day in the mix to try and enjoy CR and we also have a couple of early nights to watch Wishes off the balcony.

Again, we don't do food courts but having two amazing places to eat (Wave and Cali Grill) an elevator ride away is a huge plus.

 

[HopperFan]

1) POP - The landscaping and overall resort feels a step up and the food court is much better. Now add that you can cross the bridge and eat at AoA food court with a new menu a plus. The walk around the lake, and all the decor makes a resort day enjoyable here. Standard rooms are available with lake views (finally no charge for water view) and they are only a few minute walk to the main hub. Good bus service.

2) ALL STAR MOVIES - Personally like the theme better than the other All Stars and enjoyed walking around the resort. The main pool is themed well and food court works well. We would consider returning here.

3) ALL STAR SPORT - Actually the smallest footprint so that is a plus for those not wanting to walk. Sporting theme is fun but it also attracts sports teams participating at WWOS. Be sure to check for food court closure during your time frame.

4) ALL STAR MUSIC - While the overall footprint may not be as big as POP, the walks to the main hub from the back rooms is much farther. For whatever reason, of all the values they designed this with the main hub at the end of an oblong resort. All the others are centrally located. I have only stayed at the back of the resort. It's a long walk after a long day from buses and we ended up just driving to parks. At night it is a very dark resort, and the only resort I have been uncomfortable walking late at night. The last trip the food court was a disaster - 20 minutes for a hamburger for DS so I ended up not eating because I didn't want to spend another 20 minutes in another line. I don't care for the theme.

It really doesn't matter how many bus stops there are, the buses are scheduled based on people and our experience is that it is not unusual to see a bus to a park pull in right as one is leaving. I have only once not gotten on a bus at a resort and it was because of a student tour group that the guides had them all come to the bus at the same time.

 

[MichelleVW]

All Star Sports (because I have two boys)
All Star Movies
All Star Music (only third because it is the most spread out)
Pop (we did not like Pop at all, hated the theming, food court was horrible)

We just got back from All Star Sports and I will never stay there again. It was cute and our room was nice, but we didn't get any sleep because of the 1000's of South American Teenagers that would run rampant every night until about 3 in the morning.
The food court was ok, but so crowded that we walked over to All Star Music to eat one night.

Personally If I ever stay at a value again, (doubtful since we now own DVC) I will only stay at Pop. We've stayed there 4 or 5 times and have never had any issues. In my opinion it's the best value. We liked the Food Court and although I've heard that Pop is huge it "feels" smaller to me. It's really pretty on the lake and the walk over to AoA is nice.

 

[akayek31]

I love Pop. It has been the only value resort that we stay at. Food court is awesome and so are the cast members that remember you the next visit. We like that they don't share buses. In Oct 12 and Feb 13 they never shared a bus with AoA while we were there and in Feb it was 90% full. I am a heavy sleeper so all the South American teenagers didn't bother me at the resort (only on the safari when they wouldn't stay seated and be quiet). But next year I want to try the AoA and see if they are the same.

 

[danaw11]

Thanks for asking this question and all the helpful advice. As a family we have stayed at POP three times and are booked to stay there in Sept. We are thinking we might have to move resorts if we decide to move our trip to Nov. I have always been a little concerned with the shared bus option that the All-Star resorts have. How often would say the All - Stars share buses in November or other "off-season" times? Is it generally just during "non-rush" hours. Thanks!

 

[dansdad]

Thanks for asking this question and all the helpful advice. As a family we have stayed at POP three times and are booked to stay there in Sept. We are thinking we might have to move resorts if we decide to move our trip to Nov. I have always been a little concerned with the shared bus option that the All-Star resorts have. How often would say the All - Stars share buses in November or other "off-season" times? Is it generally just during "non-rush" hours. Thanks!

We have had three 8-night stays at the All Starts. Two of them during the busy summer months and 1 during October. We were on a shared bus a total of 3 times during those stays. Twice during one summer trip, once during the other summer trip and zero times during the October trip. All 3 of those times were in the middle of the afternoon and there were less than 10 people on the bus total, including us, each time.

 

[tinkerbella16]

Having stayed at all of them, we liked Pop the best. To each his own really though. I haven't stayed in a value in quite some time since POFQ/POR is my home away from home.

Pop- own buses, best food court and a little more spread out which is nice!
All Star Movies
All Star Music
All Star Sports

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We've stayed in All of the Value resorts - here are my thoughts

AS Movies - liked it but have only stayed there once - mainly because it gets a lower Room Only discount (AP and GP) than the other All Stars.

POP - after Movies we found it to be too big - the All Stars are each smaller than POP and thus (to us) have a nicer feel. I am interested in going there this trip to visit the food court as I've read it has a new menu.

AoA - Stayed there in the Little Mermaid rooms when they first opened and loved it. Really liked the unique food court menu, loved the theming. Would stay there again if they ever start offering discounts.

For AoA (and I believe POP) we really didn't like one of the DSAs it was right outside the food court area so if you walked in that door you had to go through a smoky area and you could sometimes smell the smoke if you were sitting in the Little Mermaid section of the food court

AS Sports - our stay there was fine until the cheerleaders and band members arrived - thankfully that was our last night. We had been upgraded to a "preferred" poolside room (3rd floor). I'm not sure if they ever went to bed. We thought the food court was smaller and less friendly then AS Music

AS Music - obviously our favorite resort. It's right in the middle of the All Stars - so you can easily food court and pool hop (All Stars are sister resorts so you can pool hop it's allowed and expected). We've always had great luck with rooms, CMs, the food court - almost everything. It's our 'home resort'.

Good luck!

 

[danaw11]

We have had three 8-night stays at the All Starts. Two of them during the busy summer months and 1 during October. We were on a shared bus a total of 3 times during those stays. Twice during one summer trip, once during the other summer trip and zero times during the October trip. All 3 of those times were in the middle of the afternoon and there were less than 10 people on the bus total, including us, each time.

Thanks! This is very helpful.

 

[spiceycat]

I have always been a little concerned with the shared bus option that the All-Star resorts have. How often would say the All - Stars share buses in November or other "off-season" times? Is it generally just during "non-rush" hours. Thanks!

yes - from 10 am to say 4 pm they would probably share. or it just might be the hours around lunch 11 am to 2pm.

now for the good news sharing is common - Pop and Aoa are the exceptions.

the CR/BLT, Polyn and GF share to Studios and DD (think AK too) - and boy with them being so far apart - it takes time - especially to the GF.

the BC & YC share, BW, D&S share - at times here too - all 5 resorts share - again doing slow hours.

OKW, SSR, POR/POFQ, CBR, CSR - all have multiple stops at their resorts (now at times POFQ does not share with POR)

AKV/AKL share

wl/vwl & fw share

so if you get a bus that shares - it is pretty normal for Disney.

 

[Alexander]

We just got back from All Star Sports and I will never stay there again. It was cute and our room was nice, but we didn't get any sleep because of the 1000's of South American Teenagers that would run rampant every night until about 3 in the morning.
The food court was ok, but so crowded that we walked over to All Star Music to eat one night.

Personally If I ever stay at a value again, (doubtful since we now own DVC) I will only stay at Pop. We've stayed there 4 or 5 times and have never had any issues. In my opinion it's the best value. We liked the Food Court and although I've heard that Pop is huge it "feels" smaller to me. It's really pretty on the lake and the walk over to AoA is nice.

Ooh, good point! I forgot about the school groups that stay at the value resorts! Cheerleaders, athletes, bands, foreign groups! We haven't stayed in a value or moderate resort in years and when we did it was only for a night or two and during holiday time when the school groups weren't there. Love my DVC, no school groups!

 

[goofy4tink]

I've stayed at Music twice, but not at the other two allstars. At AoA twice and at Pop about 5 times. What does that tell you, right there??
For me, it would be...
1. Pop
2. AoA
at the bottom, all the allstars.
Why? My first stay at Music was way back in early Dec '03. The PopWarner cheerleaders were there as well. But they didn't impact me other than having some pretty loud bus rides!! We were in Jazz, towards the back of the bldg. I had a great time there, so had no hesitation about booking it for a budget trip in late May '13. Well, I couldn't wait to get out of Music this time. We were put in Country Fair, so it was a long walk to the food court and buses. Long enough that I stopped going by myself to get coffee and quick breakfast for my dd and myself while she slept in!! I know some people have compared the allstars to a motel 6. I always argued with that. Well...not so much anymore.
And here's why. Since I've stayed at Pop and AoA, the Allstars have paled in comparison. They just, to me, feel ho hum. Nothing special at all. The main building lacks any kind of brightness or fun!! The gift shop is tiny and feels claustrophobic.
I got to talking to a CM there and found that she, along with a lot of other AllStars CMs, were hoping to get placed over at either Pop or AoA!!! They really weren't happy at the AllStars. Go figure. Now, she probably shouldn't have shared that with me in the first place!!

What do I love about AoA and Pop? I love the feel of them. I enjoy just walking around each resort. The theming is incredible...especially at AoA!! The food courts are great, although I tend to prefer the one at Pop for variety, but at AoA for the layout and theme.

I doubt I'll book an Allstar resort again. Both my dd and I were really unhappy there. But, with AoA-LM rooms being so much more than the AllStars rooms, it means not going as often on a cash reservation for us.

 

[Jenny1975]

We have only stayed at POP on all of our trips and we loved it there!!!Loved the decor,the food court & gift shop are great,the pool is nice,it was clean and it is perfect for us because we don't spend a lot of time at the resort(just to sleep and shower)

We are trying All Star Movies for our upcoming trip though just to change things up and because my son loves Toy Story!!!

 

[SPOERLX3]

1) POP - The landscaping and overall resort feels a step up and the food court is much better. Now add that you can cross the bridge and eat at AoA food court with a new menu a plus. The walk around the lake, and all the decor makes a resort day enjoyable here. Standard rooms are available with lake views (finally no charge for water view) and they are only a few minute walk to the main hub. Good bus service.

2) ALL STAR MOVIES - Personally like the theme better than the other All Stars and enjoyed walking around the resort. The main pool is themed well and food court works well. We would consider returning here.

3) ALL STAR SPORT - Actually the smallest footprint so that is a plus for those not wanting to walk. Sporting theme is fun but it also attracts sports teams participating at WWOS. Be sure to check for food court closure during your time frame.

4) ALL STAR MUSIC - While the overall footprint may not be as big as POP, the walks to the main hub from the back rooms is much farther. For whatever reason, of all the values they designed this with the main hub at the end of an oblong resort. All the others are centrally located. I have only stayed at the back of the resort. It's a long walk after a long day from buses and we ended up just driving to parks. At night it is a very dark resort, and the only resort I have been uncomfortable walking late at night. The last trip the food court was a disaster - 20 minutes for a hamburger for DS so I ended up not eating because I didn't want to spend another 20 minutes in another line. I don't care for the theme.

It really doesn't matter how many bus stops there are, the buses are scheduled based on people and our experience is that it is not unusual to see a bus to a park pull in right as one is leaving. I have only once not gotten on a bus at a resort and it was because of a student tour group that the guides had them all come to the bus at the same time.

I am 100% in agreement with this entire post!
Great Job HopperFan!