POP Century~Unofficially the Grooviest FAQ Thread #8~July 2013

[bluezy]

What time do you try to leave the resort by for a 9:00 rope drop?

When we stay at Pop, we used to leave the room at least an hour before rope drop (so 8:00 for a 9:00 opening), but most of the parks are opening prior to the published opening time now so we try to get there earlier now. When we were there in June, AK opened at about 8:50 and while they said they would be holding us at the bridge until 9:00, that didn't happen. My kids were on and off EE by 9:06. DHS opened at 8:38 -- we were on and off TSMM by 8:57. And Epcot opened at about 8:45. MK opened a few minutes early (8:55ish) but we were held at an internal rope drop until 9:00. So personally, I would plan on arriving at each of the parks by 8:30 for a published 9:00 opening...in which case I'd be heading to the bus stop by 7:30 or 7:45 at the very latest.

 

[bluezy]

I have probably a very silly question.. Don't ask why but every time I hear "lake view" I picture far toward the backs of the buildings lol... Are there lake view rooms that are close enough to the main hall???

On one of our visits to Pop we had a lakeview room in Bldg. 4. When I mapped out the distance from our room to the center of the Main Building it was 200 yards. I think the maps can be misleading and make things look like a much longer walk than they really are. That was my favorite room location at Pop...and the one closest to the Main Building.

 

[Kat016]

When we stay at Pop, we used to leave the room at least an hour before rope drop (so 8:00 for a 9:00 opening), but most of the parks are opening prior to the published opening time now so we try to get there earlier now. When we were there in June, AK opened at about 8:50 and while they said they would be holding us at the bridge until 9:00, that didn't happen. My kids were on and off EE by 9:06. DHS opened at 8:38 -- we were on and off TSMM by 8:57. And Epcot opened at about 8:45. MK opened a few minutes early (8:55ish) but we were held at an internal rope drop until 9:00. So personally, I would plan on arriving at each of the parks by 8:30 for a published 9:00 opening...in which case I'd be heading to the bus stop by 7:30 or 7:45 at the very latest.

Good advice....thank you!

 

[Sandi]

My son is insisting on staying in the 80's/90's building. He loves the Rubic's Cubes. I am booking standard pool view. I prefer first floor (he tends to fall asleep on the bus and 80lbs dead weight is no fun to carry). Would building 7 be the best due to convenience to laundry. I know, I know, laundry on vacation but with being there 12 days, I have no choice. The walk to the buses doesn't bother us. My husband usually gets coffee in the am so the walk will be nice for him. Thanks for any input.

Sorry you got overlooked! I think either of building 7 or 9 would be okay for your standard pool view. The laundry is maybe a little closer to building 7, but not signficantly so. Both have Rubic's Cube stairs.

 

[OThopeful35]

OMG!! After a year of planning we will finally return to DisneyWorld. Early flight in the A.M!

 

[colachdec]

Yay! Have a great time!!

 

[ChrisParker]

I would get to the bus stop by 8am at the latest. We got there at 8am last year and were late to our PL appointments for 9:10am. A bus didn't come until 8:40, but that was very unusual. That is the only time we have ever waited more than 20 minutes for a bus in all of our years at POP.

What about for the emh at Epcot starting at 8:00? What time do the busses start running for that opening time?

 

[smidgy]

Hey there everyone, I am a newbie on this thread. We are heading to WDW from Australia for our first ever visit and will be staying at POP from Dec 12 - Dec 19. There will be myself, DH, DD(14), DS(12) and my Mum(83). Mum will have an ECV, which I have booked from Apple Scooters. We want to make sure we are close to transport, as mum will be coming back to the resort a lot earlier than us, and I want to ensure she won't have far to go. What are your suggestions for which era we should request. At the moment we have Standard rooms, but are happy to go to preferred if need be. Suggestions please.......

I edited myoriginal post. I was going to say to be SURE of being close to transportation book preferred. then I saw this:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=28076922&postcount=3567[/url]

darn. it won't let me clip on the "bowing" smilie!!! aargh! good work, simba.

Here's an example of where a non-preferred room in the 50s (black dot) is closer to Classic Hall and the buses than a preferred room in the 60s (red dot). There are a lot of examples of this.

My recommendation is to choose "closest to transportation" if you do online check-in, or call the resort or travel agent in advance and tell them to add that request to your reservation.

we had a standard room just to the right of the black dot. it was great! not far at all to either the bowling pin pool or the hippie dippy pool. not far to the food court or the bridge to AOA.

 

[Tikitoi]

Glad to have found this thread, as I am looking forward to making memories at POP in April 2014.

 

[Kat016]

OMG!! After a year of planning we will finally return to DisneyWorld. Early flight in the A.M!

Have fun!! We still have 87 days. We started planning last October for this October so I feel your pain!

 

[zuzu310]

I seriously can't remember. Can anyone tell me whether or not they have microwaves in the food court?

 

[KELLY]

I seriously can't remember. Can anyone tell me whether or not they have microwaves in the food court?

Yes they do.

 

[ChrisParker]

Who has recently done laundry at POP? I'm thinking I might be able to get away with just carryon luggage for a week with DH if I do a bit of laundry once. How long are the cycles? Are they very busy?

 

[declansdad]

Who has recently done laundry at POP? I'm thinking I might be able to get away with just carryon luggage for a week with DH if I do a bit of laundry once. How long are the cycles? Are they very busy?

I think they were 30 minutes.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I seriously can't remember. Can anyone tell me whether or not they have microwaves in the food court?

There are two...if you are facing the food kiosks, they are all the way to the right, past all the soda dispensers.... between the last soda dispenser and that far seating area. They are kind of hidden if you aren't paying attention.

 

[Simba77]

I edited myoriginal post. I was going to say to be SURE of being close to transportation book preferred. then I saw this:


darn. it won't let me clip on the "bowing" smilie!!! aargh! good work, simba.

Thanks!

we had a standard room just to the right of the black dot. it was great! not far at all to either the bowling pin pool or the hippie dippy pool. not far to the food court or the bridge to AOA.

Yup, this is exactly my point. There's really no "perfect" way to guarantee you get a short walk to Classic Hall. Even booking a preferred room isn't always going to give you the absolute best location. In the end, I don't think that any non-preferred room is really that bad. The longest walk at POP is from the farthest building in the 50s section... I stayed there twice - last time was a gorgeous pool view (standard room). And both times I didn't find the walk to be unbearable. Down the stairs/elevator, past the bowling pin pool, and you're basically there.

So even the "worst" locations are only a couple hundred feet more than an average or good location. It's an insignificant amount compared to the amount of walking you'll do all day.

I booked the 50s again because I just like that area. If my walk ends up being 100 or 200 feet more, it's really not that bad. Walking 900ft vs. walking 800ft, or 1000ft vs. 900ft... Not really a difference maker. You could have a preferred room and still get stuck walking close to 1,000 ft.

My suggestion is just to book "close to transportation" in the online check-in (or ask to have it added to your room requests), even if you're requesting a specific decade. Then when you get there, the key is to scope out the quickest way to get to Classic Hall, taking advantage of any potential shortcuts (look at the map). I think we get caught up too much in saying which decade is the closest to the buses, but it's a far more complicated issue than that, due to the various shortcuts and different paths you have to take, depending on where you are.

 

[ChrisParker]

I think they were 30 minutes.

Thanks!!

 

[Kat016]

Ok I need advice....I'm about a month away of online check in. I asked for the 80's section when I changed to POP. Ill put it again when I do online check in. Any other suggestions?

 

[Simba77]

Ok I need advice....I'm about a month away of online check in. I asked for the 80's section when I changed to POP. Ill put it again when I do online check in. Any other suggestions?

It depends on what you like! The online check in only allows 2 requests. So 80s would be one. You can request "closest to transportation" which is what I did. Some people like to request 4th floor in order to ensure that there's nobody above them, which can be noisy if there's an active family above you.

 

[Kat016]

It depends on what you like! The online check in only allows 2 requests. So 80s would be one. You can request "closest to transportation" which is what I did. Some people like to request 4th floor in order to ensure that there's nobody above them, which can be noisy if there's an active family above you.

We really aren't picky. We won't be there much...sleep, shower & breakfast. 4th floor sounds good.....I read on here that if we cut through the parking lot, that'll cut down our distance to the buses.