On the 5/16/16 Dreams Unlimited Travel podcast . . .

[JJZMgailey]

. . . the talk is all about booking Value Resorts at Walt Disney World!

Enjoy!!

 

[SarahDisney]

Lots of great information on this one!
Although I'm a little sad that they don't enjoy the theming at Pop Century. I like the theming at Pop better than the All-Stars ... but of course, nothing compares to Art of Animation (my favorite Disney hotel!)

 

[JJZMgailey]

Lots of great information on this one!
Although I'm a little sad that they don't enjoy the theming at Pop Century. I like the theming at Pop better than the All-Stars ... but of course, nothing compares to Art of Animation (my favorite Disney hotel!)

I like Pop Century too, Sarah! I think it's really fun.

And, The Little Mermaid rooms at AoA are pretty fun too!

 

[SorcererHeidi]

I was right above the bowling pin pool @ Pop both times, and enjoyed it, and thought the theming was cute there, but I can see what they meant about being "flat" compared to say Movies, with the giant icons. I loved that building because it was so close to the main area, which is why I'm pretty sure it's now a preferred bldg;, and they charge more for it.

 

[Accident]

I agree with them on the pop theming but at the same time, I love it's so far away from what disney is like. it's an escape from disney while getting the disney hospitality.

 

[Aerin75]

And, The Little Mermaid rooms at AoA are pretty fun too!

We stayed in one a couple of years ago....we loved it, but I'm embarrassed to say I called mousekeeping before I realized that the damp carpet was because Ariel had visited!

 

[Princess Jes]

Are we taking a tally or placing bets on how many complaints and scolding emails John and Kevin receive over their jokes/facetious remarks about Values?

For me, the double beds and Location of the resorts are the deal breakers for me.
I know it would never happen, but hypothetically, if there was a value (with Queen or King bed/s) in the same location as an EPCOT or MK resort, I'd book it in a heartbeat.

 

[rteetz]

I've only stayed at Pop and All-star Sports and Movies. Pop was by far better. We stayed there just after it opened. My dad is a bowler so we loved the bowling area. I have been to AoA after it opened and I hope to stay there some day. I've stayed at every resort level and love each for their own reasons but value is definitely still a lot of fun.

 

[Aerin75]

Are we taking a tally or placing bets on how many complaints and scolding emails John and Kevin receive over their jokes/facetious remarks about Values?

I definitely cringed! But even though I haven't been listening for a long time (about a year, with a break), I am very comfortable with their senses of humor, so it was only momentary.

For me, the double beds and Location of the resorts are the deal breakers for me.
I know it would never happen, but hypothetically, if there was a value (with Queen or King bed/s) in the same location as an EPCOT or MK resort, I'd book it in a heartbeat.

I've only stayed at Pop and All-star Sports and Movies. Pop was by far better. We stayed there just after it opened. My dad is a bowler so we loved the bowling area. I have been to AoA after it opened and I hope to stay there some day. I've stayed at every resort level and love each for their own reasons but value is definitely still a lot of fun.

We're among those that are hardly ever in the room, and while it's a tight squeeze with my husband and me in a double, there's only three of us and I can bunk with my daughter as needed. We will think twice about values in the future (maybe three times - there seems to be an RV in our future, so it may be the campground at least once or twice going forward), but we stayed in the Little Mermaid room because my daughter is an Ariel nut. Art of Animation is gorgeous! rteetz, it's well worth it even if you are in the Little Mermaid buildings, which do have outdoor "hallways" instead of indoor.

 

[KingLlama]

Stayed at Art of Animation on my last trip.

The room was nice.

The food court was outstanding.

The gift shop was really cool.

Bus service was prompt.

The only issue was having to step over all the collapsed/dead bodies on the long walk back to the Little Mermaid section at the end of each day, but I kind of got used to that after the second night.

 

[pjweaver]

I won't say that I love Pop, but we have stayed there many times. Our justification is 5 nights at Pop is the price of one night at the Poly.

Quick tip, if staying at either Pop or AoA you can easily take the other resorts bus and walk across the lake. We hadone this many times rather than stand waiting for your bus.

As a Disney nerd I took a look at google maps for AoA. Once they complete the expansion of DS they could add a walkway from AoA to the back of the Studios. It would be roughly the same as a walk from the Dolphin to the front of the Studios and add an incentive to stay there.

 

[rteetz]

Stayed at Art of Animation on my last trip.

The room was nice.

The food court was outstanding.

The gift shop was really cool.

Bus service was prompt.

The only issue was having to step over all the collapsed/dead bodies on the long walk back to the Little Mermaid section at the end of each day, but I kind of got used to that after the second night.

Bob Iger stays at Values?

 

[KingLlama]

I stay at all of them. CEO's always have their finger on the pulse of the people. Besides, haven't you ever seen "Undercover Boss"?

 

[rteetz]

I stay at all of them. CEO's always have their finger on the pulse of the people. Besides, haven't you ever seen "Undercover Boss"?

I actually wish Iger would do undercover boss to see what his company is like in different areas.

 

[pjweaver]

Bob Iger stays at Values?

I saw Mr. Iger park his RV at Ft. Wilderness. So much fun watching a guy in a suit spend an hour trying to back in a 54 foot two story RV. Also great watching the team of lackeys following him around All Stars Sports making sure he wasn't touched by any children with their grubby little hands.

 

[Phdmama06]

Thanks for a great podcast, as usual! You know, I've stayed at Pop and it was nice enough, but there was something off about the theming that I couldn't put my finger on. Your discussion about that made me realize what it was that didn't quite click with me. That said, I like jogging around there and between Pop and AoA, and their food court is awesome! And I'm staying there in January, so it's all good. And I will look forward to not having to share buses with other resorts - I did not know that they were on their own!

Another thing about values is that last time I stayed at AS Music they had just updated their Food Court, and it was a LOT better than what they had previously. Though I was underwhelmed with its level of cleanliness - the staff didn't seem to be keeping up with the flow of diners through there.