Pop Century is Far Out!

[girlsx2]

Thanks Tyler!!

I was going to stay off property for the first night to save a little money as we are booked at the WL for our Feb trip. We drive down and spend Sat night off property then go onto Disney on Sunday afternoon. However, with such a great review, I am going to call today and see if I can get a room for that first night!!


Thanks for the info and post some pictures if you can!!


Sherri

 

[NancyIL]

Thanks for the great info, Tyler! I loved All Star Movies...so I'm sure I'd enjoy Pop Century, too.

 

[jaguar9748]

To Beezle - the $49 rate is for AP passholders or FL residents. You have to check in by 12/26. All of the rates return to holiday rates (like the one you have from 12/27 through NYE.

One thought - the rates typically go back down 1/1. If you're staying past 1/1 you might want to see what the rate is. If it drops, then you have the option of making 2 ressies - one for the holiday rate and one for the non-holiday rate. Might save you some money.

 

[Patio]

Thanks so much for your excellent review, Tyler.
I remember the first time I ever saw Pop Century, I thought, tacky, tacky, tacky. But, then my next trip, I thought it might not be so bad after all. Now, I'd stay there and try it out. It looks really fun.

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

Wow Tyler, Thanks for all the great info! We just booked plane tickets for an unexpected trip for this Dec. (I was having major WDW withdrawals because we haven't been in almost 2 years LOL) I was very seriously thinking of booking the PC or 1 of the All Stars to keep our costs as low as possible but after reading your review I definitely decided on PC.

Cheryl

 

[minniemmom]

WOW Tyler! Thanks for the great review! Wasn't sure I would try this resort, but it sounds better than the AS resorts! Where exactly is this resort located? Ariel photos shows it is on water. Will there be any watercraft rentals?

Thanks again for the great heads up!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by minniemmom
WOW Tyler! Thanks for the great review! Wasn't sure I would try this resort, but it sounds better than the AS resorts! Where exactly is this resort located? Ariel photos shows it is on water. Will there be any watercraft rentals?

Thanks again for the great heads up!

Just like Movies took Sports & Music's design and improved upon it, Pop Century took it another step in making it better. It's located next to Caribbean Beach, near the Studios. There will be a lake called Hourglass Lake separating the Legendary and the Classic sections. I do not believe there will be a marina.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by Patio
Thanks so much for your excellent review, Tyler.
I remember the first time I ever saw Pop Century, I thought, tacky, tacky, tacky. But, then my next trip, I thought it might not be so bad after all. Now, I'd stay there and try it out. It looks really fun.

I really need to be on commission...

 

[minniemmom]

Quote:

"I really need to be on commission..."

You really do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the reply!

 

[Madi100]

I just switched my reservation today to Pop Century. I'm so excited!!! I think Pop Century sounds really neat.

 

[cinmell]

Thanks Tyler!

 

[Andrew_Lubow]

Tyler, how long are the projected bus driving times to the parks & DTD from the PC? Can you give us an idea of how long it'll take given an average bus load to each?

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by Andrew_Lubow
Tyler, how long are the projected bus driving times to the parks & DTD from the PC? Can you give us an idea of how long it'll take given an average bus load to each?

There will be only one stop, so all buses will be direct. Pop Century is in a great central location, so travel times will be great.

MK - 12 minutes
EC - 8 minutes
ST - 5 minutes
AK - 6 minutes
DTD - 10 minutes
BB - 6 minutes

The one open variable will be Blizzard Beach. Not quite sure how that will be handled at this point. As it stands right now, the current sign package has the same signs as the All-Stars, which means Epcot and Blizzard Beach share the same load zone. They will not be the same bus, however. This means that it won't be an AK/BB bus... and Blizzard will be it's own separate bus. It will probably run as a Figure-8 just like how the All-Stars run.

 

[Cindy B]

Wow.. love those projected times..

So there will only be one bus stop? How about for the Legendary Years section?

Will there be one stop in Legendary and one in classic?


Call me crazy, but I hated Wilderness Lodge transportation.. We were former All Star people, and we thought the busses ran much better from the All Stars than the deluxe Wilderness Lodge..

We love MGM and Epcot, so it looks like Pop Century will be our new home!


Now will there be provisions if the busses are full, to dispatch another one right away? If if they dispatch another bus, will it be coming from the Tran/Tkt center or just another run?
Just wondering how long it will take if another bus will be dispatched.

We had horrible transportation at Wilderness Lodge. (We take public tranportation daily for job commutes, so we are used to the concept!)

 

[Madi100]

When I spoke with a CM yesterday he told me that Legendary and Classic would be like two separate resorts. They'd each have their own bus stops, check in areas, food courts, pools etc. They will share buses, though. I'm sure in the busy times like the morning and night, that each will have their own buses. They do that now at the All Stars.

 

[Janet2k]

Since this is now the Pop Century FAQ, I thought I would post some links to information that I found regarding the resort:

Official WDW Pop Century webpage

The DIS’ Pop Century webpage

Dreams Unlimited Travel’s Pop Century webpage

Disney Pix’s Pop Century photos (these are the best Pop Century photos that I have come across so far)

FamilyFun article regarding Pop Century

Someone’s webpage that has photos of Pop Century’s exterior

Someone else’s webpage that has photos of Pop Century’s exterior

Official Disney Pop Century website in español (Spanish)

Some construction photos by one of the companies hired to build the Pop Century

A Southeast Construction article regarding the Pop Century Resort

In the Southeast Construction article I found the following tidbits (by the way, one of the resort's construction companies won the 2002 Best Hospitality/Commercial Project award):

“The installation of the roughly 70 icons was a major focus of construction. The uniqueness and magnitude of these structures presented the contractor with numerous challenges. From their unconventional shapes and special constructability requirements, to the design logistics and engineering, these items required a great deal of coordination and attention to detail.”

”For example, nine bowling pins, each 65 ft. tall, were fabricated of aluminum alloy tubing. A group of six yo-yos stand more than 37 ft. tall, and are made of composite fiberglass materials. As Centex Rooney's entry read: "All of these icons posed challenges which were truly unique. How often in this industry does someone get to build a really big Big Wheel or an enormous Rubik's Cube?"”

”The fabricators of these icons were as varied as the themes themselves. Materials and completed designs came from all over the country, including California, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. The logistics of long-distance coordination and transport were challenges in and of themselves.”

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by Cindy B
Now will there be provisions if the busses are full, to dispatch another one right away? If if they dispatch another bus, will it be coming from the Tran/Tkt center or just another run?
Just wondering how long it will take if another bus will be dispatched.

Buses only come from the TTC when they are the first bus of the morning, since that's where they're parked overnight. After that, buses are dispatched from various staging locations throughout property. (ie: Zone 6 is dispatched from a parking lot between Sports and Music)

Pop Century will be a MOD resort. I'm guessing it will be part of Zone 4, which means the buses will be staged out of the Studios. All of that might change, however.

 

[wiskband]

I too will be there openig day....... And I am worried about walking far to bus stops main lobby etc. so you say all buildings are close? thats good to hear.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by wiskband
I too will be there openig day....... And I am worried about walking far to bus stops main lobby etc. so you say all buildings are close? thats good to hear.

http://www.disneypix.com/2000ft/Roll2/Roll02_010.htm

This is an aerial shot of Pop Century. As you can see, even the furthest building cluster on the left (80's and 90's) are still quite close to the main building and bus stops.

 

[Crazy4mandms]

I mean, really, really good, close up..show me the inside of everything pics? I haven't seen any yet...just simple outside faraway shots.....I'm hoping to book there for April.....btw, anyone have any idea how crowded the SECOND week after Easter is crowdwise?