Oh My God, It CAN Get WORSE!

[d-r]

I remember that when I first heard rumors of the pop century and they first announced it, my thinking was that they were trying to find a way to expand all star movies. Think about it - of the three all stars, movies is most popular. Sports and movies are often used to house school groups of bands or teams or cheerleaders, wherease movies has been cut off the list of resorts with available discounts (while sports and music were discounted).

What I thought they were going to do was use the "decades" theming to drop in movie references from those decades - like the Roger Rabbit and Mowgli and Baloo in the pictures. I thought it was pretty smart too, because it sort of avoids the "problem" that have at all star movies of people preferring a given movie (such as toy story or dalmations).

I think that sort of thing would have been sort of cool, but that they went a little too far with it with pop century. There are some cute ideas at pop century - I am starting to like the giant monopoly board - but, like so many others, the stupid giant catch phrases kill me. I remember seeing "Do the Funky Chicken" in January and thinking how awful it was. The catch phrases just seem really, really dumb.

DR

 

[ellyn2000]

I don't think it's any worse than any of the All Stars.

 

[LoriZH]

that is EXACTLY what I was going to say, lol

 

[Testtrack321]

It seems like I finaly saw the PC structure, and lucily the vegitation is growing back. The bad part is that it still looks awfull in person!

 

[MikePezz]

Hopefully Uncle Mikey won't like the signage when he sees it. Maybe his micromanaging leanings will bring the removal of the stupid things.

 

[kenjean]

I thought the unpainted buildings looked better than the finished ones.

 

[Yay2001]

I feel a bit disloyal for mentioning this, but:

The similarities between this resort and the "Dr. Suess World" at Universal/IOA are immediately apparent. Anyone else notice this?

It seems like they are deliberately attempting to incorporate some of the themes from that park -- yet made over with Disney charecters, etc. But what is playful and approachable at IOA is jarring and off-putting here. Sad, really.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Actually looking at the pictures I can't wait to wander around/walk through this resort...but I have as much desire to stay there as I would to have a room next to a casino floor.

And as for the paint...all you have to do is look at the red parts of boardwalk to know that this resort will fade in a flash.

 

[cindyfan]

doubletrouble_vb.....
"...can't wait to wander around/....." Kinda like watching a bad accident...can't help but look at it!!!
There's red parts to the boardwalk??????

 

[April76]

The giant toy and games icons and the "stuff" scattered all over the face of the buildings makes me think of my kids rooms when they need to be cleaned ........it's just a bunch of ugly clutter!

They could do away with all the junk and landscape it nicely and keep the character icons and make it a nice Disney family resort where you can see some of your favorite Disney movie characters...........

 

[I Luv Disney Cruise]

there are some positive remarks out there.

I think the resort looks fine. The idea was to have a theme after the last century right? Well all of the last century wasn't pretty roses, sayings and colors. There were outgoing colors and sayings that went around. All Disney did was go with a theme and stuck with it.

I plan on staying at the resort.

Of course there will always be resorts from some and not others.

Not trying to step on any toes, but, I agree with some previous posts. If you don't like the resort then why are you wasting your time looking at the pictures and complaining? Just move on...

 

[jrgutknecht]

Well, to quote someone I once heard "They have made a terrible choice, but executed it flawlessly"

I think it's amazing how they can build this kind of stuff and the detail that goes into it. You really have to give credit to the construction crews for fleshing out (in such great detail) a really bad idea.

How this ever got off the drawing board, I'll just never understand.

 

[dove643]

If you dont like it, quit looking and talking about it. Maybe it's not your style but for someone who can't afford $200 a night it's going to be a great place to stay. It's going to be a heck of alot better then a Motel 6.. or maybe thats your style!

 

[roymccoy]

I think your missing our point. Disney's plan is to "lower the bar" with Pop Century. It's not just another value resort on par with the AllStars, it's a whole new direction for the company...that direction is DOWN. Pop Century will be considered the new "value" resort. All-stars will be the new "moderate" tier of resort and PO/FQ, POR, CBR,etc. will kick up to a "deluxe" resort status. This all comes down to money and greed. They could have built Pop Century up to (I can't believe I'm saying this) the AllStars standards and called them all "value" resorts, but Disney needs to thin the herd a little. This is all a well orchestrated plan to seperate the traveller from even more of their money.

Right now, you can get a room at AllStars for about $69-89. Moderates are $109-169. Pop Century will obviously be priced in the $49-69 range right?... because it's not as good as All-Stars?? WRONG! Pop Century will become the new value resort at the $69-89 price range. All-Stars wiil go to $89-139 and be called moderate and the moderate resorts will go to a quasi-deluxe status at $149-up. Just when you think Disney has ran out of room at the bottom end of their plan, they go and build a basement...and you know how stupid it is to build a basement in Florida!

Roy

 

[raidermatt]

If you dont like it, quit looking and talking about it. Maybe it's not your style but for someone who can't afford $200 a night it's going to be a great place to stay. It's going to be a heck of alot better then a Motel 6.. or maybe thats your style!

Think of all of the wonderful things Disney has created. Now, honestly, can you really say you think this was the best, most creative thing they could come up with for a value resort? When you think of Disney Magic, do you really think of the Funky Chicken?

The problem isn't that there are value resorts. I have no problem with the All-Stars.

Better than Motel 6? Is THAT your standard for Disney now? As long as the parks are better than Six Flags, the hotels better than Motel 6, and the service better than Wal-Mart, its ok? All most of us are saying is that Pop Century could have been better, without raising the price.

As for not looking at it, that seems to be a little difficult, unless they are going to surround it with pine trees or a dome.

 

[space42]

I honestly believe that the buildings looked better without the "decorations".
I like the idea that Disney is building a lower cost alternative for people that cannot afford to pay $200+ on a hotel room (like me). Why does inexpensive have to come along with "tacky"? It would be nice if Disney could build a lower cost hotel room that is not decorated with "catch phrases" and huge bowling pins.

Something else to ponder. The cheapest place to stay on WDW property is Ft. Wilderness (~$30 per night). Granted you would be staying in a tent or camper. However, there is NOTHING tacky or cheap about Ft. Wilderness. The theeming of the buildings is on par with Frontierland in the MK. No oversized icons or bright primary colors here. 1st Class all the way. Even boat transportation to the MK!

I don't believe current Disney will build like this again though

 

[All Aboard]

roymcoy, I don't think that's the strategy at all. Initially when PC was booking, it was priced exactly the same as the All Stars. It was classified on the website in the same value category. I don't think there is any reason for that to change. It will have the same room size and layout and the same level of amenities (which are few) as the All Stars. I doubt it will be priced any differently.

Besides, WDW has had to offer significant discounts to keep the All Stars filled the last three years (same has been true for the rest of the property.) What would cause you to think that the prices for the All Stars could rise once another 5,760 value rooms come into inventory?

I'd bet that there is no pricing differential between PC and All Stars.

 

[I Luv Disney Cruise]

There isn't going to be any modifications on the classifications of value, moderate, etc. Everything is going to stay the same and Pop Century is added to the value.

 

[DC7800]

I've heard several people say that Pop Century would be priced below All-Stars, but I believe this was nothing more than speculation on their part. Certainly rooms booked there previously were at All-Star rates.

Of course, should annual price increases continue as in years past, in perhaps 5-10 years the All-Star Resorts really would be priced where standard rooms at the moderate resorts are today.

 

[roymccoy]

I guess I should have said that this is what's coming next, not that it is a plan that they are implementing right now. I think that this is part of a long range plan to knock all of the resorts down a notch. I think that EVENTUALLY Pop Century and resorts like it will be considered "value" and All-Stars will be the new "moderate" classification. The moderates that exist now, ie POR, POFQ, CBR,CS,etc,
will be moved up to a "lower priced deluxe". I remember when Wilderness Lodge was considered a moderate but now it is classified as a deluxe. They can also "upsell" to Wilderness Lodge from a moderate even though it used to be a moderate! My point was that I believe that Disney is trying to add a couple of price points and unfortunately, they're at the bottom. You mark my words, in a couple of years Port Orleans will be a deluxe, All-Stars will be a moderate and Pop Century will be a value. Why else would they build a hotel that is inferior to All-stars when it's supposed to be in the same classification? Get ready to be hood-winked again!

Roy