Pop Century

[jodifaye]

So many people say that Pop is the best Value. I know that in the am the bus will pick up at more than 1 All Star but not always. I have been picked up at Sports and then maybe made one more stop but sometimes we go right to the park. This was in October when it was not too busy. Coming home at park closing we always had our own line for Sports and the other 2 All Star had their own bus. When we have stayed in Pop it always seemed like it had a longer line and took us longer to get back. We would have to wait a bus or 2. Is it different in the middle of the day where they share going back to the resort. I just feel that POP is so large that the wait for a bus to get on is longer. Everyone says All Stars share and they do a little but I don't think it is extreme. Opinions. We have be sticking to Sports because it is first for Magical Express drop off and is first in the am but it just seems the time it takes to go to the other resorts is faster than say a trip around the CBR with all its bus stops.

 

[toonaspie]

I dont think it really matters which resort you stay at. The buses are unpredictable and some will be crowded at different times than others.

 

[willowsnn3]

We just got back from 3 nights at Music (never again!!). Only took bus once & that was to AK for early EMH. Had heard that Music was the second stop so we drove over to Sports for the bus. There was just the 4 of us & one other family on the bus & it went straight from Sports to AK, no other stops. Didn't have to wait long coming back either. Much, much, much prefer POP but then we really haven't taken the bus from there, we usually always drive.

 

[jpmandan]

Pop has its own bus. Where Allstars share buses. Thats one reason why we like Pop more. We like walking around the resort more too.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Ok I have to jump in this one. It's posted over and over again...'POP has it's own bus while the All Stars share'. I've stayed at both resorts more than once. The truth is pretty simple.

1. Yes, POP has it's own bus but it also has nearly 3000 rooms with only 1 stop for that bus. Often, you have to wait for a second bus to arrive before you can get on.
2.All Stars on occasion share buses but during the peak times they are all dedicated buses. The only time, generally, that you will make more than 1 stop is in the middle of the day. The time of year makes very little difference.
3. The mod resorts have multiple stops at each resort and no one remarks on that the way people do about the All Stars.

 

[jodifaye]

This is what I always say about the sharing! We have pretty much decided Sports is great for us and our 5 year old son. For Magical Express we are the first off. The rest of the time it doesn't matter. We have never waited long at park closing for a sports bus but used to wait a long time for a POP bus with room! In the am it is really fast to go to one of the other resorts. Faster than all the internal stops of the mods and even the multiple stops at some Deluxe. Can't imagine paying that much and having slow bus service.

 

[dancin Disney style]

This is what I always say about the sharing! We have pretty much decided Sports is great for us and our 5 year old son. For Magical Express we are the first off. The rest of the time it doesn't matter. We have never waited long at park closing for a sports bus but used to wait a long time for a POP bus with room! In the am it is really fast to go to one of the other resorts. Faster than all the internal stops of the mods and even the multiple stops at some Deluxe. Can't imagine paying that much and having slow bus service.

I totally forgot about the Deluxe bus sharing.....last trip we took a bus from AK to the BC. Holy cow was I shocked to find that the bus was making multiple stops. If I remember correctly it was BW, Swan, Dolphin and then BC....or something like that but either way it was several stops and the bus was packed. For sure I would not be happy about paying $400-$500 per night and then dealing with a bus like that. Having to do that everyday for a week would make me nuts.

 

[karizma05]

I guess it really doesn't matter where we stay then, I am in the middle of deciding where to stay, have narrowed it down to the All Star Sports or Pop. Our travel dates are Feb 13-17th. One of my concerns was the buses because this is our first trip and I really did not want to drive to the parks. I have been reading this thread looking for some advice about how it is at Pop, looking for a thread about All Star Sports to find out about it. Really leaning toward Pop but still haven't decided yet. My travel agent gets back in the morning to book my room, so I better make up my mind fast.

 

[FireDancer]

POP is my favorite resort but it has nothing to do with the buses. I like it for the layout and theme and because it is the newest of the values (not including referbs).

 

[VLee]

We like POP too and did not find the bus situation bad at all during the days after Thanksgiving. Of course, we usually shop around in the stores when a park closes for a while before heading to the bus and the lines going back are always short.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I guess it really doesn't matter where we stay then, I am in the middle of deciding where to stay, have narrowed it down to the All Star Sports or Pop. Our travel dates are Feb 13-17th. One of my concerns was the buses because this is our first trip and I really did not want to drive to the parks. I have been reading this thread looking for some advice about how it is at Pop, looking for a thread about All Star Sports to find out about it. Really leaning toward Pop but still haven't decided yet. My travel agent gets back in the morning to book my room, so I better make up my mind fast.

Other than theme there really is not a huge difference between the value resorts. The one thing that I did notice about POP was that it felt much larger and everything was always very crowded and busy. That said I was there in June and July. I prefer the smaller size resorts....POFQ is our #1.

My advice is to go with the theme that appeals the most. Be aware that POP has not completed the rehab of the rooms and nothing has been done at ASMo. Music and Sports have been completed. If that is of issue.

 

[goofy4prez]

I totally forgot about the Deluxe bus sharing.....last trip we took a bus from AK to the BC. Holy cow was I shocked to find that the bus was making multiple stops. If I remember correctly it was BW, Swan, Dolphin and then BC....or something like that but either way it was several stops and the bus was packed. For sure I would not be happy about paying $400-$500 per night and then dealing with a bus like that. Having to do that everyday for a week would make me nuts.

Opps. Don't forget the YC in that as well. We stayed at the YC in January 09 and loved it, except it shared stops with 5 resorts.... To this day, it still remains my biggest complaint ( I have very few) from all my stays at WDW.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Opps. Don't forget the YC in that as well. We stayed at the YC in January 09 and loved it, except it shared stops with 5 resorts.... To this day, it still remains my biggest complaint ( I have very few) from all my stays at WDW.

Ya.....for the price of deluxe it should include good or better bus service. I also have no real complaints about any of my stays on property. Generally I'm just so happy to be on vacation that it would take a whole lot to make me complain. I tend to just chalk things up to experience anyway rather than make a fuss.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Too many people have said it, so that narrows it for me. AsMo hasn't been refurbed yet and really needs it! So...I'll either choose All Star Sports or Pop Century and we'll walk over...or drive if Pop Century is too far so son can see the All Star Movies theme. I know we won't be in room much, but too many people have said Movies really needs help in certain areas.

 

[williamson_ja]

We stayed at ASMU in Sept and absolutely LOVED it! I can't imagine spending lots of money on a deluxe room any more. We stayed at SSR last year and liked this one so much more. We were in the suites, so that does make a bit of a difference. I thought everything was so convenient here! At SSR (and POP when we stayed there in Jan.) it seemed like everything was so far away. At SSR we would get lost on our way trying to find something.
ASMU has wonderful (new) rooms.
It's a smaller resort, so you are close to the bus stop, store, food court, etc.
There is still room on the bus because it's not the last stop (only 1 stop after too)
SSR had WAY too many stops before we got to go anywhere
The theming is great
Movies by the pool (no other value does it)
Games by the pool for kids (mine did games almost every day!)
Great customer service....

It's my new favorite.. Give it a try!

 

[2LittlePrincessGirls]

Too many people have said it, so that narrows it for me. AsMo hasn't been refurbed yet and really needs it! So...I'll either choose All Star Sports or Pop Century and we'll walk over...or drive if Pop Century is too far so son can see the All Star Movies theme. I know we won't be in room much, but too many people have said Movies really needs help in certain areas.

We were at Movies the second week of December and loved it. We had a bright, clean, comfortable room in the Mighty Ducks section. I was very leery about staying there b/c of the horrible reviews. I was pleasantly surprised. They were repainting the icons while we were there. So maybe a refurb is coming. We enjoyed it very much and will stay there again without hesitation.