Pop and AoA?

[Chumpson]

I did a search and couldn't find a thread with people's opinions on where they would go. I recently asked for a quote for the two resorts. I have three choices, please help me decide on positives and negatives of each. I have heard food is better at AoA, transportation is better at Pop. Anyone been to both? Here are my options, seems like a trivial amount, so just want the better experience I guess.

This is for six nights next summer...

Pop Century Standard Room
Pop Century Preferred Room (add on $100)
Art of Animation Standard (add on another $70)

 

[PHLtoMCO]

I have not stayed at AoA but I've been to the lobby/pool/food court areas And have seen the rooms on line. That said, I would choose AoA. I've stayed at POP a few times and it was always my favorite value but I am confident that once I stay at AoA it will become my favorite due to the decor, newness, and the fact that it offers family suites whereas POP doesn't.

 

[irajedi]

Hmm lets see. Art of Animation is our newest resort so the amenities are all updated and the standard rooms, while a little small, are really great for kids. The food court is amaaazing! They have lots of great options. The pools are also a lot of fun. The downside, as of right now Little Mermaid rooms are excluded from most offers. I'm a cm and work in the reservations center and I haven't heard of that changing anytime soon.

As far as Pop Century goes, its a fun resort, newer than the All Stars which is a plus, and is always included in the special offers in my experience. The two resorts share a bus system so transporation is the same. It's a tough call and I'm not sure how old your children are...I think I would stick with AoA unless something like free dining comes out, then you can always upgrade to a moderate or switch over to Pop. Plus, the standard rooms book up extremely fast.

Hope that helps!

 

[kar0066]

I always stay at POP and was looking into staying at AOA for our next stay. The only downside I came across with AOA is the standard rooms are really far from the transportation.

 

[Eeyore's Wife]

I would get the standard room at POP and ask for a lake view in the 50's.

The standard rooms at AoA are so far from the front desk, food court, and buses.

 

[jpessa]

I feel your pain! Which is why I'm doing a split POP-AoA stay next month

If you go to the POP boards on here I swear they are the most active group on the Dis, people LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that resort and will get you excited to stay there. One thing I learned is that it's not worth getting preferred as there are great standard rooms too, just read the thread to find out what to request.

I think AoA has the upper hand on theme, pool and food court but since no discounts, that's a bummer. And from what I read, the advantage is slight.

If you go during a discount time it may be hard to resist POP. Which is why I'm doing a split-stay (starting at POP with free dining, hopefully I eat my fill in my first 5 days before my second 5 days at AoA!). There is also a bridge that connects POP to AoA so if staying at POP you can still walk over to AoA and eat at the foodcourt and look around.

 

[librarymouse]

AOA is beautiful! The pools are amazing and the food court has lots of delicious choices! The LM rooms are a bit far from the main building, but they actually arent too far from the bus stops becuase you can go around the outside sidewalk instead of walking through the other sections of the restort like you would to go in the food court. We stayed there in May and loved it!! The theming is so well done and everything is so new and nice.Whichever section you stay in it is still fun to walk through the others and see the decorations and try out the pools. Have fun wherever you choose to stay!

 

[Chumpson]

Just what I thought people on one side and people on the other. My kids are 16, 14 and 11, I am thinking they won't get much out of the Pop stuff as they won't recognize a lot of it.

HMMMMMM........

 

[jpessa]

Just what I thought people on one side and people on the other. My kids are 16, 14 and 11, I am thinking they won't get much out of the Pop stuff as they won't recognize a lot of it.

HMMMMMM........

You may be a bit squished in a standard room at either resort with kids those ages.

But again, at those ages I would go POP ONLY if it's a free dining time (it would save you a bundle with 3 teens!). If it's not a free dining time, I say go AoA even if POP has a room discount. The walk to the busses and food court won't bother your kids at all!

Either way you will love it.

 

[JennyDrake]

Here is my review of AoA-
I was there in October 2012. The theming is INCREDIBLE. You really MUST visit if for no other reason. But my overall review was not positive.

This resort is big and it is a hike to the food court and bus stops. I just completed a half marathon, so I *don't* mind walking, but this was a hike. We had a senior with mobility issues, so it it was more pronounced in our situation.

There seemed to be more "room noise" at this resort than AS--and I am a heavy sleeper. Very aware of babies crying in rooms and doors opening and closing all around. We were on the second floor. In the future, I will ask for a top floor room.

Bus service was good to/from parks. We did not go to DTD. All the CMs were super nice.

The REAL negative is the food court. It has a terrible layout and it is just BEDLAM. The queuing lines are not nearly as long as they need to be. Service was sluggish and I can't tell you why. It seemed a bit understaffed, but not terribly so. It took 10-15 minutes (one time 20 min) to get through the lines and get food, then stand in line again to pay. By the time you are seated, the food is tepid. Then you have to get silverware, drinks, find a table, etc. The noise level is HORRENDOUS even at non-peak times. And the traffic flow design (WHAT traffic flow design??) is very poor. There is no real flow pattern.

Seating is ample, which is nice. You get real plates and silverware which is good news/bad news. I found that I bristled at having to so bus my own table. You have to try to get the trash and remnants into a trash receptacle with a too small door that is spring loaded to close. Then you sort of recycling and the dishes in one bin and flatware in another. It reminded me WAY too much of bussing tables in a restaurant.

Food quality was OK but not remarkably better than AS, which is what I had hoped for... The food "looks" better than it tastes. Naan bread is VERY good and I really enjoyed the build your own fruit bowls and yogurt/granola bowls for breakfast.

Mousekeeping was fine.

I was booked there again in December, but I switched to Pop and just walk over with a friend to show it all to her. The food court & noise levels put a damper on the overall experience for me.

In case you are wondering, I am NOT a deluxe snob. I have only stayed deluxe 4 out of 30+ visits. The vast majority of my visits by far are at the values.

 

[blackmamba10000]

We actually just got done with a Pop/Poly split stay. It was the first time either of us had been to Pop and I have to say that I was impressed! The rooms are on the smaller side (there was just 2 of us and I felt we had ample space). But, everything was clean, the food court had more options than I thought it would, the front desk was always helpful and there never was a wait. I have nothing negative to say about the resort. We stayed in the 50's section on the top floor and would gladly stay there again!

 

[wallfan329]

My family has stayed at AoA twice in the last year.
We always stay in the LM area because there is just 3 of us. The walking is a walk but it is not that bad, there is theming around you so it kind of distracts you.
I love the food, all of it is so good. I love the Pesto Cheesy bread ( I would go to the Food Court like three times a day to get it).
I can not comment on transportation (we rent a car when we are down there.). Lastly, the Cast Memebers are all very nice and will go out of their way to make something a little extra magical.

 

[GadgetTheInventor]

I've stayed at the POP in a standard room during the past two Decembers, one of which AoA was fully operating. I'm pretty frugal when it comes to Disney.

1. No need to pay extra for a closer room. You can always take a family vote...pay more for a shorter walk or take that money and use it for a fancy meal or more souvenirs?

2. Two POP rooms are cheaper than one AoA, and you get four real beds.

3. AoA has some pretty neat landscaping and theming going on, but we just walked over twice (once in the daytime and once at night) to soak it all in for free. A couple of times we walked over for breakfast and then got the bus from there or took the bus back to AoA and ate dinner before heading back to our POP room.

4. Can't comment on the pools because I am allergic to the chemicals and try to stay as far away as possible. Every pool looks amazing to me.

5. Dining was satisfactory. Nothing special...nothing terrible. IMO much better selection than the more expensive resorts. I hate cooking on vacation so this has been a plus.

6. POP room windows are decorated during the holidays and even non-holidays by people like me. It is kinda fun to see everyone's creativity. I even put some of the snowflake window clings together to form hidden mickeys. AoA has internal room entrances which prevent this.

7. The landscaping at the POP is a lot more mature and offers a mental break from man-made stuff like the more expensive resorts. Just a personal preference of mine.

 

[MinnieTink]

I have stayed at both and my take is this... If you are staying in a suite at AoA then it would get my vote. If you are planning standard LM rooms, then Pop gets my vote. My DH and I were in a LM room in May and it was a pain in the neck to walk to the bus stop and to the main building/lobby/food court. As far as transportation, they both did a good job. I did find at AoA there were many more times when buses were standing room only. I would go for Pop preferred.