Just Back Pop Century

[RussH]

Hello everyone:

Just back from a week at Pop Century. Checked in on the rainy opening day the 14th. Checked out on the 20th.

These are my thoughts on the stay.

I got there around 8am and since there was no line decided to walk around the resort for a while and find a room I wanted. The closest room to the pool bar is 4112 which was already taken the next is 4111 which I got. Room to bar 75 feet this is a smoking room but since I was one of the 1st staying it was smoke free.

I have stayed at ASMu 7 times before and PC is a very compact resort for the number of rooms. As everyone said no more than a 5 minute walk from farthest room to busses and everything else.

Rooms
Size- exactly the same as other values with a few very few detail changes.

TV- 25" with front RCA jacks unfortunately not programmed into the menu at arrival. The Default channel is 17, which I think is WDW info. This channel comes on every time the TV does and it is loud. Something to remember when you get in at 3am. By 9 PM Monday the tech had reprogrammed my TV so the jacks worked and my DVD player would now let me watch anything else beside the awful WDW cable. Hey I am already there don’t need 9 Disney channels.
The TV DOES NOT swivel it is bolted down and since it is mounted in a cabinet you cannot see it from the table. I moved the table between the beds.

Bedding- All new and crunchy. The bedspread is very inflexible and finding a way to fold it was tough. No fitted sheets in my room.

Bathroom- Separate bar soap and shampoo.

Toilet- this has got to be the world’s loudest and scariest toilet. Really did not hear other rooms but this thing will scare little kids and it spits. Only way to say it is if you are standing really close when you flush is feels like water but might be air is forced out the front.

Safe- New safe measures 18" high by 12" wide by 3" deep. A newer laptop will fit in easily.

Thermostat- Unfortunately it was on the colder side during my visit so cant say how quick it will cool. The room was always at set point night or day. Problem is the minimum setting is 78 degrees which to me is not low enough I like 76. Thinking since it was cold out just turn it off.....cant turn the system off it is always on quiet but on.

Parking - lots of room when I checked in but when I checked out the 50's 60's lot had cars parked everywhere. Row ends baggage unload only and everywhere someone could fit a vehicle had one.

Food Court- Everything I had there was good from the PC waffles to the Pizza. When I ordered my Pizza with light sauce the chef sought me out to find out if I had an allergy or something. No just don’t like a lot of sauce. Like everyone else there now I caught a cold or something and just wanted the Chicken Noodle soup to take back to my room. No lids fit the bowls but the lunch lady went back to prep and found plastic wrap for my bowl. There are 3 condiment islands with plenty of space. 4 of those conveyor belt toasters. At least 3 microwaves, had popcorn a couple nights.

Busses- this was the best bus service I have ever had at WDW. They have cattle chutes now that preload everyone so having all the lines go straight back toward the building like the other AS is gone. One afternoon I was going to AK and for fun started the timer on my watch. Once I got off the buss and was halfway to the entrance realized I had forgotten my straw for Dawa. back to the buss stop back on a bus back on a buss my room another buss and when I got off again at AK my timer was at 50 minutes. With three 11-minute buss rides and my walking that is very fast.

Important stuff-

Petals pool bar- much nicer then any of the AS. No screens like a dairy whip- open on three sides 2 25" TVs .Close to the Hippy Dippy pool and room 4111.

Classic Concoctions- Indoor adjacent to the food court. That’s right a value with a indoor bar. There are some 3-4 foot walls that help isolate it from the noise. There is a terminal for table service but I think it will be awhile before table service is offered.
Hint - when you get your food from the food court take another 15 seconds and sit in the bar area . Padded seats and quieter.


Some might read this like I did not like the resort very much. Well that is not true it is my new resort of choice. I just wanted for everyone to know there are a few small quirks but I never sweat the small stuff.

If you were planning on going to this resort please go you will be happy.

I have a bunch of pictures to post someday but now stuck in Holiday crunch.

RussH

 

[Poohbear123]

Thanks a bunch for your review!

 

[girlsx2]

How great to get some actual facts about this resort. That's cool that you walked around to find a room you wanted and actually got!! I am still waiting until Feb till I can go!!


Cya There!!

 

[Michelina]

Thanks for the review, I'll be there soon and am loving all of this good information!

 

[bobcat]

I appreciate your detail and your honesty about your stay. I can't wait to saty here this summer.

 

[phorsenuf]

Originally posted by RussH
but the lunch lady

That just cracked me up!

 

[drp4video]

THanks for the review. I will be there in 9 days.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by RussH
I have stayed at ASMu 7 times before and PC is a very compact resort for the number of rooms. As everyone said no more than a 5 minute walk from farthest room to busses and everything else.

We got more rooms in by adding 4 rooms per wing, and then a 4th floor. We made it easier access by wrapping the rooms around the main building. Makes things much easier for our guests.

Originally posted by RussH
TV- 25" with front RCA jacks unfortunately not programmed into the menu at arrival.

They should be in there now. I was part of the team that had to go to EVERY room and re-program those things. Thankfully, we had these nifty yellow remotes that did it for us. But it was time consuming and tedious.

Originally posted by RussH
Bedding- All new and crunchy. The bedspread is very inflexible and finding a way to fold it was tough. No fitted sheets in my room.

I don't believe the sheets are fitted, however the bedspread is. As for the flexibility, I'm sure as they get washed and broken in, they'll soften up

Originally posted by RussH
Thermostat- Unfortunately it was on the colder side during my visit so cant say how quick it will cool. The room was always at set point night or day. Problem is the minimum setting is 78 degrees which to me is not low enough I like 76. Thinking since it was cold out just turn it off.....cant turn the system off it is always on quiet but on.

Hmm... something may have been wrong with that particular unit. Most every room that I've been in, the thermostat is set at 68 degrees, and can be changed.



Thanks for the trip report, glad you enjoyed your stay

 

[CBRorBust]

the thermostat is set at 68 degrees, and can be changed

UGH! The one and only complaint I had about Pop was the rooms never seemed like they cooled down! On the first day, we left our room early that morning and had set the temp at 68 thinking it would be nice and cold when we got back...

nope! HOT! Still hot! I had to call twice before someone came out. He had said they had a lot of calls about the air so he was making the rounds. He told us they had wired the A/C wrong some weird way and there was air blowing on the back of the thermostat making it feel like it was 68 but it was actually like 76 in our room when he pulled out this little tool thingy he had. I'm sure tool thingy isn't the technical name, but you get it..

He put some thick tape thing on the back of it, and it was freezing the rest of the time! I loved it!

 

[Pryncess'mom]

You did a great job of giving information. We will be there in 23 days!!

Can't wait!!

Deb

 

[LisaRay]

AHH bummer!!, no fitted sheets!! I had read somewhere i think it was the FAQ that there were fitted sheets. I was really looking forward to that!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by LisaRay
AHH bummer!!, no fitted sheets!! I had read somewhere i think it was the FAQ that there were fitted sheets. I was really looking forward to that!

Sadly, it's just a fitted comforter. When I stayed at Pop Century, I didn't have any problems with my sheets though. In fact, I usually pull off my own fitted sheets at home, but they stayed tight on my bed at Pop. It was surprising too... I'm 6'2" and they were so tight on the end of the bed, they never came loose!

 

[Kay1]

We're going tomorrow for 6 nights so we really appreciate the info. Just one question, please - what are PC waffles?

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by Kay1
We're going tomorrow for 6 nights so we really appreciate the info. Just one question, please - what are PC waffles?

They are waffles, with the Pop Century star logo embedded on them... very cool

 

[Kay1]

Thanks for the answer - I'll sure we'll be eating them shortly.

 

[jann1033]

thanks for the details, hoping my camera lens will fit in the safe (it'll be close!)

very dumb question: what are the toasters for? can you bring your own pop tarts or what ever? same with popcorn/microwave?

critical question : how was the coffee?

 

[lailah]

Surprise for us when we checked in! Our family checked in on the 17th around 1:00 coming from AKL. Of course our rooms were ready, until we went down there with our luggage. SURPRISE! One of the rooms was totally unmade from the previous family and the connecting room still had their latch on (someone still in there) So I trudged back down to the check in desk and explained what had just happened and they were truly sorry (it happens, I know) and we would have 2 new rooms for us immediately. Fine and dandy. We take our carryon luggage with us (the others coming later from AKL) and go to the two new rooms, looks ok, drop our stuff off and head to EPCOT. Come back around 10:30, daughter goes to wash up and OPPS!! carpet soaked under the sink and closet all the way to the bathroom door. So I go and check my room out...yep the same thing. Of course we had put our luggage down on that spot not knowing this. Sooooo... I call the front desk and 2 maintenance men come down around midnight and say "yep the bathroom upstairs is leaking down to the first floor". But 'don't worry, we'll have new rooms for you in the a.m. (because I refused to move at midnight). So at 7:00 a.m I am once again trekking down to the front desk. "We're so sorry this happened and we will definately have new rooms for you. Please pack up your luggage and go on to the parks, we will move everything for you in the meantime and you can just come back and pick up your room keys". Fine and dandy again. I walk back to the room and my husband says the front desk called and did we have any plans for tonite (yeah like he'd know!) and that they will call back. Phone rings and then here's were the magic begins.....Mrs. ... do you and your family have any plans for tonite? I said no ...to which the kind CM said "we would like your family to be guest of ours at the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. We have also relocated you to the preferred building and you may pick up your room keys and complimentary tickets this afternoon". (the preferred rooms on the third floor just opened up that a.m. so no one else had been in it.) So what do you think about that???? We went through quite a hassel those 24 hours, but I got great prices on the rooms and I understand that the hotel is just newly opened from being closed up for so long, so it really didn't bother us all that much. Sure is nice to know that they really take care of their guests. We loved the hotel and will definately stay again! Other than the weather not being cooperative and my daughter and grandaughter caught a little bug, it still was a magical trip!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

I'm sorry for the challenges that your family experienced... but I'm glad that we were able to sprinkle a little pixie dust to make things a bit better

 

[plutojudy]

I hope everything works in our room.
We hate to waste a minute of precious vacation time.
Hope we can find Tyler when we are there in three weeks. We really would like to thank Tyler for all his help.

 

[off2disney]

I just returned from 6 nights at PC and notice that 68 degrees was the lowest setting you could set the thermostat - a couple of times it seemed like it was warmer than that, but then the weather turned colder and that was no longer a problem. I didn't have any complaints about my room or the maid service. (Of course, I too noticed how stiff the fitted comforters were, but I'm sure that was just the newness of them) I'll take new-and-stiff over old, dirty-and-stiff any time. And although the sheets weren't fitted, I am a very restless and constantly turning from side-to-side sleeper, and never once pulled the sheets loose.

I was very impressed with the buss service. I went to the early entry parks three times while there and never had to wait long at all, either at the resort, or at the park bus stops. I think 10 minutes was the longest I ever waited, and never had a full bus. Of course, I was there the week before Christmas, and for the first four or five days the parks were practically empty. I could tell the difference that Friday and Saturday, that the crowd were beginning to pick up.

The parking for the 50's and 60's buildings became very crowded towards the end of the week and I could see that when the resort was at full capacity, that might be a problem.

The food court was very well stocked (very expensive, but you could get just about anything you wanted) even if you wanted to take breakfast stuff back to the room. There were chips and dip, milk, chocolate milk, sodas, fresh fruit, danish, bagels, etc., plus the various food stations. but $2.50 for a 20 oz diet coke or bottled water was pretty stiff (made that grocery stop well worth it).

For the value, I would not hesitate to stay at Pop Century again.
And of course, wouldn't you know it -- when I got home, I had received a post card with a rate of $49 a night. Isn't that the way it goes!