POP Century~Unofficially the Grooviest FAQ Thread #9~November 2013

[AuroraRora]

I feel like everyone is jumping from the "Poptanic"

Love this!!

If it were me, I likely wouldn't switch due to having an AP that works for FP-, but without that I might consider switching. We're going back in February (thank you, work conference that is FINALLY somewhere decent!!) and I imagine by then FP- as a whole might be a thing of the past. But just in case, I told my coworker friends that while they've been admiring the Pop links I sent, we might be moving to ASM.

I just wish I was there in general though, FP or not! Pop is home!

 

[jimgpayne]

Anybody else sticking with their Mid-December reservation knowing that you will only have access to your 3 FP+s? I feel like everyone is jumping from the "Poptanic" but me! I have never been to WDW at this time and I have no idea what kind of crowds to expect.....

My wife and I will be staying from Nov 29 until Dec 8 at Pop Century, this will be our 7th stay there (I believe).

We always go this time of year (week after Thanksgiving) and we have never encountered crowds in the park (it may be the slowest time of the year). Because of that we have found we rarely needed to use FastPasses. So limiting us to 3 isn't really an issue.

Not only that, but being able to plan the actual times so far in advance (when coupled with lunch and dinner ADRs) really allows you to pretty much plan your entire day.

In any event, I don't think we could ever stay at any of the All Stars again after staying at Pop Century. For us, there's just no comparison between them.

Now Art of Animation?????? That may be another story.... lol

 

[CaptainEIEIO]

My wife and I will be staying from Nov 29 until Dec 8 at Pop Century, this will be our 7th stay there (I believe).

We always go this time of year (week after Thanksgiving) and we have never encountered crowds in the park (it may be the slowest time of the year). Because of that we have found we rarely needed to use FastPasses. So limiting us to 3 isn't really an issue.

Not only that, but being able to plan the actual times so far in advance (when coupled with lunch and dinner ADRs) really allows you to pretty much plan your entire day.

In any event, I don't think we could ever stay at any of the All Stars again after staying at Pop Century. For us, there's just no comparison between them.

Now Art of Animation?????? That may be another story.... lol

Were there at the same time. Look for the guy with the brown backpack on with a lime green Mickey on the back that say "Do You DIS" that will be me.

 

[Lady Jane]

We were planning to book AoA for our April trip but have switched over to Pop! Just wondering if anyone can recommend the best area to request - if it any help it's for two adults and we're going to be using a car.

 

[jcarwash]

We were planning to book AoA for our April trip but have switched over to Pop! Just wondering if anyone can recommend the best area to request - if it any help it's for two adults and we're going to be using a car.

My favorite general recommendation is the 50's section (and within there, buildings 1 or 3) and with a car that section is convenient to parking as well (buildings 1 and 2 more so than 3).

 

[kandim]

We were planning to book AoA for our April trip but have switched over to Pop! Just wondering if anyone can recommend the best area to request - if it any help it's for two adults and we're going to be using a car.

We were there early Oct for the food & wine, and stayed at POP, we also had a car. We were in preferred room, 50s section building 1, it is close to the parking lot and the main building. Going back in Feb & have requested the same location!!

 

[Lady Jane]

Thanks for the help

 

[tracydeech]

Back home now!!!! Having the Disney blues!


Great vacation for my family!

Magic bands worked awesome- no problems! One suggestion I would make- if you do photopass + make sure to get your receipt after your ride shots! Some of ours were missing- so we sent an email to photo pass and they found our missing ride photos and put them right in our account! Easy!

POP was clean! Pools were clean- lots of lifeguards ! The movies were so nice at night by the pool!

I did enjoy AOA's food court more than POPs. Neither resort has a good "flow" to it though. The "make your own pasta" was surprisingly good at AOA. My daughter had meatball sub that she really liked.

My whole family agreed our fav place to eat was Wolfgang pucks in downtown dis.

Great 9 day trip!

 

[cajunbaby1]

10 sleeps and a wake up and I'm on my way to Disney!!! I wish could go today. Silly question....do they have the luggage carts that u can toss all your stuff on and haul to ur room? Silly ? I know, but I can't remember.

 

[tracydeech]

10 sleeps and a wake up and I'm on my way to Disney!!! I wish could go today. Silly question....do they have the luggage carts that u can toss all your stuff on and haul to ur room? Silly ? I know, but I can't remember.

Yes but I think you have to ask at the desk and then a cast member will haul it for you

 

[SDTeaGirl]

10 sleeps and a wake up and I'm on my way to Disney!!! I wish could go today. Silly question....do they have the luggage carts that u can toss all your stuff on and haul to ur room? Silly ? I know, but I can't remember.

I Have 12 sleeps to go before I am there!

 

[jpessa]

Just arrived. I did online check in and requested 1st floor and close to transportation. Got 70s, building 6 right close by the front lobby! I'm so happily surprised!

Last time we were in 50s and loved that too.

So happy to be back! Just a quick weekend trip but loving that I'm here. DD3 is napping right now, then we hit DTD!

 

[EpcotBill]

Silly question....do they have the luggage carts that u can toss all your stuff on and haul to ur room? Silly ? I know, but I can't remember.

I don't know why that's a silly question. I've seen hundreds of silly questions on DISboards but this isn't one of them.

In many trips to Pop and all 3 All-Stars I have borrowed a luggage cart to unload my stuff. Now, I haven't stayed at a Value Resort in over 5 months so who knows. The way things are changing this year at WDW unless you are there now you really don't know. Moderates and Deluxes don't let you do that in my experience. Last month I needed a cart at CSR and they wouldn't let me take one, I had to wait for one of their people to do it for me.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Yes but I think you have to ask at the desk and then a cast member will haul it for you

Not exactly true....they have certain luggage racks that only the CMs are allowed/supposed to use. But if you go to Luggage Assistance, they have ones that guests may borrow to use on their own. Be sure to take your driver's license though...many times they ask to see it as they only want guests over 18 borrowing them. And occasionally, a CM will ask to hold your license until you return it. I have not had that happen, but have heard reports of guests being asked to do so. And lastly, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do NOT let you kids sit on, ride, or honestly even push the carts. Disney did (temporarily) not allow guests to borrow them without a CM (and CMs at busier times can be in short supply!) because guests were using the carts as ride-ons for their kids!!! Disney does NOT want that extra liability! They aren't toys and besides I would hate to see a kid get hurt and it has happened! HTH!

 

[Disneylover99]

Just arrived. I did online check in and requested 1st floor and close to transportation. Got 70s, building 6 right close by the front lobby! I'm so happily surprised!

Last time we were in 50s and loved that too.

So happy to be back! Just a quick weekend trip but loving that I'm here. DD3 is napping right now, then we hit DTD!

Have fun! I remember you just planned your trip a couple of weeks ago right?

 

[stitchlovestink]

I don't know why that's a silly question. I've seen hundreds of silly questions on DISboards but this isn't one of them.

In many trips to Pop and all 3 All-Stars I have borrowed a luggage cart to unload my stuff. Now, I haven't stayed at a Value Resort in over 5 months so who knows. The way things are changing this year at WDW unless you are there now you really don't know. Moderates and Deluxes don't let you do that in my experience. Last month I needed a cart at CSR and they wouldn't let me take one, I had to wait for one of their people to do it for me.

But I think the difference between the values and the moderates/deluxes is that the values have a serivce which is called Luggage Assistance. The Moderates/Deluxes have a Full Bell Services dept. There really is a substanial difference. The CMs working in luggage assistance are paid an hourly wage (like mousekeeping and aren't working for tips) where the CMs who work Bell Services are counting on those tips as a part of their income (like servers at a table service restaurant). Does that make sense?

 

[EpcotBill]

But I think the difference between the values and the moderates/deluxes is that the values have a serivce which is called Luggage Assistance. The Moderates/Deluxes have a Full Bell Services dept. There really is a substanial difference. The CMs working in luggage assistance are paid an hourly wage (like mousekeeping and aren't working for tips) where the CMs who work Bell Services are counting on those tips as a part of their income (like servers at a table service restaurant). Does that make sense?

Yes I know that. I just mentioned the situation at CSR for illustration purposes.

I waited over 10 minutes for a Bellman to help me and just for the heck of it I asked if I could just do it myself. I knew the answer would be no but figured it was worth a shot. After about 15 minutes I left and just carried everything myself. I really didn't have all day to hang around Bell Services.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Yes I know that. I just mentioned the situation at CSR for illustration purposes.

I waited over 10 minutes for a Bellman to help me and just for the heck of it I asked if I could just do it myself. I knew the answer would be no but figured it was worth a shot. After about 15 minutes I left and just carried everything myself. I really didn't have all day to hang around Bell Services.

I would've spoken w/ a mgr about that. If they can't assist you in afew minutes (and 15min is not a few in my book) then they should loan you one. Being short handed should not inconvenience the guest!

OH and I posted this because many on this thread seem to think the values have Bell Services (and advise others of this) when in fact, they don't.

 

[jimgpayne]

Were there at the same time. Look for the guy with the brown backpack on with a lime green Mickey on the back that say "Do You DIS" that will be me.

I will definitely keep an eye open!

 

[KNovacovschi]

So we leave today. We have a breakfast ADR at Chef Mickeys & then are heading over to the Grand Floridian to see the gingerbread house.

All in all this has been a great trip. I was worried at first regarding the 3 FP+ limit (POP does not give KTTW anymore) but it ended up being perfectly fine. At MK, both Monday & Wed, the longest wait time we seen was 20 mins and even then it wasn't even a 20 min ride. AK all had like a 10 min wait on Tues, including the headliners. HS for the most part had 10 min wait times except TSM. When we used or FP (at 9:10am, the standby line was 20 mins, when we got done we were going to ride again so we went into standby, we decided after a min or so not to wait & when we looked up it was up to 30 mins & then 5 mins later it was at 45 mins. I think the longest it was at though was 60 mins. Epcot was the same as HS yesterday, the longest waiting one was Soarin & the last time I checked that was at a 30 min wait. We were even able to ride multiple rides multiple times with no problem.

Our dinning experience has been good. We did 'Ohanas on Monday, Raglan Rd on Tues, Crystal Palace breakfast on Wed, Sci Fi on Thurs & Coral Reef yesterday. All in all the meals were good. Wasn't really a fan of 'Ohanas or the shepards pie at Raglan Rd. Crystal Palace was amazing as usual & Samy our waitress was so entertaining. My DH ended up eating lots of food this week, everything my DD or I didn't eat he did. Lol My absolute favorite counter service this week though is actually a tie, the holiday sandwich at Earl of Sandwich & BOG. The braised pork was just so tender & melt in your mouth & the masters cupcake was delicious.

POP has been great all week. We received my requests, 50's building 1, ground floor. Our room was right behind the laundry room & at first I thought it would loud but it wasn't at all. The room has been cleaned thoroughly on a daily basis. We had a fridge but not new bedding, but that's ok. We only ate dinner here once & it was ok but I'm glad we didn't the rest of the week. The menu is so much smaller & limited then last year however their POP waffle was great every morning. The bus transportation has been good as well. We never had to wait more then 5-10 mins for a bus, either going to the parks or coming back. We did do an experiment once though. We took the AOA bus back & walked to our room, it was a 10 min walk(DH timed it, lol). We thought it wasn't worth it when we all had sore feet & were tired. The Christmas tree is up & it's so pretty.

I'm sad to be leaving soon & even sadder that we don't get to come back next year as this has been such a great trip. Even my DH doesn't want to leave & that's just not normal for him. lol

Anyone arriving this weekend or soon I hope you have a great trip!!!!