Pop/AoA

[Loftus]

Excuse the new thread but it sort of falls between two existing ones...

I'm curious about the effects of the opening of the new resort.

Pop and AoA are big resorts, numbering nearly 4900 rooms between them I believe. There is going to be a lot of interest in AoA, it's theming looks fantastic and it's food court offers some interesting menu items. I realise that Pop and AoA are not sister resorts so the pools are off limits, but I can see a lot of Pop guests crossing the bridge to take in the sights, to use the food court and even using AoA buses on occasion.
I'll be interested to see if this has any impact as I know, at busy times, resort food courts can be hectic and crowded places with just the guests from that resort present. I realise that the All Stars, in total, are bigger but I don't think you get the guest drift that we might see between Pop and AoA.
The phased opening of AoA means that these effects could be mitigated to a certain extent but I wonder if Disney will be keeping an eye on the situation.
Or, more likely, I am just speculating about something that won't be an issue at all!

 

[DisneyGal24]

Well we aren't staying at either resort (staying at ASp) but we are planning on checking out AoA when we arrive next week. I think it looks awesome! We may stay there on our next trip. I am sure lots of others will be curious too!

 

[bdoyledimou]

The phased opening is't going to mitigate it -- its just going to make it worse..

People that are "visiting" AoA today will come back next year to check out Cars and LK -- it could go on for a few years..

it could be a constant stream of looky-loos and pool crashers (cause ya know there will be people trying to get into Big Blue hanging at the gate and trying to slip in...

 

[RalphinSC]

I walked from PoP over to AoA this morning and it certainly didn't appear to me that the resort was being overrun with looky-loos and pool crashers. I went during the lunch rush time (about 11:30) and the food court and pool both were very lightly attended. There were lots of cameras out feom resort guests getting their first look at the place. The bridge itself was open and I noticed one other family walk across during our trip over there either way. It doesn't appear to be a big epidemic yet (remember, your average diser is a Disney fanatic and regular Bob from Illinois isn't going to really think of walking a half mile round trip to eat lunch in another food court or swim in another pool.) And as for riding the buses, I just don't see the appeal in making that extra walk across the lake when both resorts are basically in the same bus priority order and in most parks are even picking up and dropping off right next to each other. More power to anyone that thinks they can get a quicker bus to AoA and then walk on over to PoP. It just isn't worth the trade-off in walking and the wait doesn't look like it would be any better.

 

[*Fantasia*]

There will be many "lookers", but it's not going to impact the crowd, because the resort is not full.. "full" meaning not even half of the resort buildings are open yet. Once all the sections of the buildings are open to be occupied, then there will probably be some traffic at the food court and around the pool-- not in the pool, unless the "lookers" are trying to sneak in.

 

[raven69david]

I've been here since Thursday and there haven't been too many lookers the few times I've bothered to notice. Others can't use the pool as they use RFID for room/pool keys. You simply tap to open a door or pool gate.

 

[theduck619]

We will be at Pop in Sept. and we plan on checking it out a little. Is that any different than when people check out the deluxe's?

 

[cavepig]

We visited lots of other resorts on our trip even though we stayed at POP, like Contemporarty, Poly, Coronado, Riverside, etc. and sometimes ate at them too. So, checking out resorts is nothing new, people have been doing it for years, I doubt it will overcrowd AOA and become a spectacle as the World is huge.

I don't think it would be beneficial catching an AOA bus when your destination is POP as you would need to walk more after getting there.

 

[disnut8]

Pop Century is our preferred resort and while I would walk across the bridge to see Art of Animation, I'd do it once, take a few pictures, and then return to Pop Century. The whole pool thing isn't a big deal to me - Pop Century has three perfectly good pools to use. And if I wanted a snack from the food court, I wouldn't walk all the way across the bridge for it. And I wouldn't ever think of using the Art of Animation buses.

The novelty of a new place will wear off by the end of the year.

 

[trekker93]

THe AoA is really designed for families and now that it is just my wife and I going down we wouldn't use it. Pop satsifeis our needs when we stay 2 weeks of more although in July 4th week we will also stay at ASM. We'll definitely look at AoA when we visit but I'm not wasting alot of park time to do it!

 

[bdoyledimou]

my looky loo comment was meant to be sarcastic --poorly communicated --
i do think there will be a lot of viewer traffic as time goes on though ...
My son is really happy that the bridge is open between the two resorts, as he LOVES the tye-died cheesecake -- even though its the same as all the other cheesecake in the park its the only one he will eat

I don't think people will use the AoA bus though -- just doesn't make much sense.