opinions please - All Star vs. Pop

[disneyholic family]

ok....so it's like this....all of a sudden (as of yesterday), it looks as if my daughter and I are going to be at WDW in about 9 days from now....
so i've got to make those reservations ASAP...
since it's just the two of us, it makes sense for us to go to a value resort this time..

the last time we did that was something like 8 or 9 years ago (we stayed at the ASMusic and the ASSports - movies hadn't been built yet)....

Anyone who has more recent experience, which resort do you recommend?
Pop Century or All Star Movies, or Music or Sports?

if you have a preference, please also say why....

by the way, we'll have a rental car, so it doesn't matter if the buses are good or not.

On that thought, which building do you suggest that would be close to the parking lot? (or are they all close?)

 

[grinningghost]

I've only been to Movies and Music, but out of the two, I'd pick Movies. Just seemed a bit nicer - probably because it's newer. I loved the food court.

 

[pennylynn]

I prefer the All Stars simply because the food courts are smaller and seem to be much quieter. I stayed at Pop Century last year and it was just way to noisy at the food court. At All Stars go with Music because it doesn't seem to have as many children because they like the movies and sports better . And if you don't like the food court at the All Star your staying at it's not that long a walk to go to one of the other All Stars.

 

[CanadianPaco]

We stayed at Movies last August and POP last week! Renting a car is the way to go - buses were far superior in the slower last week of August last year than the busier July of this year at POP. We didn't rent one last year but did this year!

So with that in mind, I can honestly say that I liked POP better - the food court offered more variety, I think. We stayed in preferred - 60s - room 4124. Ground level. DH and I sat our outside by the door in the evenings - away from the pool noise but still at ground level. I'd probably go 50s next time, myself.

BUt if you go All Stars, I would have to agree with the other post - go Music. Quieter for sure!!
Good luck and have FUN!

 

[minnie61650]

Here is a site with a map of All Star Sports and All Star Music.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmap.htm
Scroll down.All Star Music is at the bottom of the page.
The Calypso buildings at All Star Music are #1 and #10 are nearest to the food court and bus stop.
They are the preferred buildings and cost about $12 extra per night.
The Calypso pool at ASMU has Donald Duck.

Here is the map of All Movies.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmovie.JPG
The Fantasia Buildings are the preferred buildings.
The All Star Movie Fantasia pool has Mickey.
Bus rides are shorter from ALL Stars than POP according to PassPorter.com

bus ride times :
All Stars Buses ---------Pop buses---------WL buses------Contemorary
20 min MK ----------- 25 min MK -----------8 min (boat)MK-----20 min (monorail)
10 min Epcot --------20 min Epcot--------10 min Epcot-------15 min (monorail)
10 min MGM -------- 15 min MGM--------15 min MGM--------20 min
10 min AK ------------15 min AK-----------15 min AK------------20 min
15 min DTD --------- - 20 min DTD---------25 min DTD---------35 min

The buses are wonderful. It takes about 20 min.to get to MK but, Epcot,MGM,and AK are only 10 min.away which is one the of the reasons I love the All Star Resorts --they can't be beat. I have visited WDW more than a dozen times with the 1st time in Oct. 1971.It was brand new. I've stayed at FW, Disney Inn, a few the of Hotels on hotel Blvd., CBR and the towers at the Contemporary. I got to see the MK from my balcony at the Contemporary and I'm happy I got to experience it once. I just prefer the All Star Resorts.
The theaming is pure Disney.
My last 4 visits have been at The All Stars and this fall when we take dd,dsil, and our grandson age 3 we are staying at the All Stars Music. I thought about AKL and even though we can well afford AKL I just wanted Alex to experience the Disney Magic at the All Stars on his first visit. I can hardly wait.
When we pull in and I see those huge icons I know I'm at Disney
Linda

 

[disneyholic family]

thanks for all the replies...
i'm going to go look at those maps and make a decision....probably Music or Pop......maybe Pop just to try something new.....

i think i won't ask for anything in particular, just let them give me whatever....that always seems to work out for us...(except i always do specify no-smoking....that's the only must have)..

i hope there aren't any huge groups of wild and crazy teens when we're there.....

thanks again everyone!!

 

[ahappydisneymommy]

We have never been to ASM but we went to POP. We really liked it. The hotel was cute and the pools were great. The food court was really good too. The buses ran well when we were there but we also had a car. We were in the 50's building which wasn't far from the parking lot. Have fun!

 

[the kabuki]

Have stayed at both Music and POP, truthfully they were about the same.
At POP, the 50's and 70's buildings (most rooms) were close to the parking lots.

 

[bubba73]

I have stayed at Pop and loved every thing about it. We stayed in the 50's section with a lakeside view. It was quite and peaceful. Plus, I had a great view of Illuminations (fireworks only) at night. We were in the building with the bowling pins, if that is helpful.

 

[DizGeek]

We've stayed at all the All Stars and Pop....we like Pop better basically because its newer.

Keep in mind that because All Stars is in a different county, they have higher taxes...I think a percent or 2.

 

[addicted2disney]

If your daughter is young, then Id pick Movies over Music. The theme there is so cute and we love the icons. We have stayed at Movies, Sports and POP. Im going back to POP at Thanksgiving, and either POP or Movies for Jan. 06. POP is newer.. bigger... and it has its own bus. So that is a plus for us. You have a car.. so hmmmm... Its a toss up between Movies and POP if buses werent a factor. We loved the Toy Story Building in January.. Id probably go for Movies.

 

[winday4]

I would stay at Pop!
I have stayed at both Music and Pop and although Music was great, Pop was better IMO. The food court was busy, but we never had a problem finding a table. It is very big. We stayed in the 50's with a view of the lake. Very quiet. The pools were great too.

Music was okay, but I was bothered by the large tour groups that seem to stay there. They were mostly teens and it seemed they were everywhere.

You are going to Disney...it will be great no matter what you decide. Have a wonderful time!

 

[disneyholic family]

thanks for the replies...
pop it is....
and my daughter is 20 years old by the way (but even more disneyholic than i am)...
actually this is sort of a business trip......