POP or ASMu?

[Mom24Princesses]

We have stayed at ASMu 3 times for 8 nights each time. July 96, Aug 98, & July 03.

We stayed at POP for 4 nights in 04 in Feb.

We plan to stay 8 or 9 nights next June in POP or ASMu. I dislike the crowded buses at the Values BUT we can't swing the extra $$ for 2 rooms at a Mod while saving for another 2 cabin - 7 nighter on the Magic.

My girls want to stay at ASMu??!! I'd like to give POP another go. (They say they feel that ASMu has a greater Disney feel than POP.)

I need honest comparisons from folks who have done both, trying to "sale" the better resort. Compare transport, food courts, pools, walking, everything, ETC.

NOT TO SEEM RUDE. . .I only need this from folks who have done both.

I felt that the buses at POP were worse, especially on the early entry park morning. In fact, last trip we avoided early entry parks!!!

I have to decide and make my resies ASAP or I will go crazy!! Less than a year from now we'll be home from this trip!!! WOW!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Why don't the girls want Movies? If Disney feel is the name of their game, Movies has it all over Music IMO. I think Pop does also.

 

[minnie61650]

Here are a few facts;

The gift shops are separate from the food court at the All Stars.
The gift shop and food court are combined at Pop.

All Stars were built in 1994.
Pop was built in 2003.




I like the fact Pick up for packages delivered to the resort from the parks is behind the counter at the All Stars .
It is across the building at Pop.

Most of the rooms at the All Stars are closer to the parking area.

When staying at the All Stars you can use any of the All Star pools.That means 3 main pools ,3 quiet pools and 3 kiddie pools to chose from.

The All Star Movie Fantasia pool has Mickey.

The Calypso pool at ASMU has Donald Duck.

And the Surfs up pool at All Star Sports has giant surf boards.

Pop has 2,880 guest rooms. 4 floors in each building.
Each of the All Stars has 1,960 rooms. 3 floors in each building. That means more people in the food courts, and waiting at the bus stop at POP than at the All Stars.



Have a great time at Disney wherever you choose to stay!

 

[TLHB70]

Our family has stayed at both. We have stayed at Pop twice and ASMusic about 5 times. Our last two stays were at Pop. The first of the two times we stayed we did so because we wanted to try "the new hotel." We didn't really like it. Since so many DISers really like it, I told DH we must have had a rare bad experience. I told him that we really need to try it again soooooooooo we did on our last trip. Well, we still didn't care for it at all. I am with you on the fact that I think the buses are worse, more crowded. I know that shouldn't really make sense since Pop doesn't share with other resorts like ASMusic. However, we really believed that the buses were more crowded, and we felt that it took longer between buses. We also didn't care for the lay out of the Pop. It seemed too spread out for us. We seemed to walk FOREVER to get to the bus. It was also a bit too busy and loud for us. ASMusic seems more relaxed and quiet out of the other All Star resorts. (We haven't stayed at Sport, though.) I know that lots of the DISers really like the Pop. I also know that we are all different individuals with different tastes. You asked for opinions and this is just mine and my family's. We much prefer ASMusic. We will be staying there again in September. We don't plan to ever stay at Pop again.

 

[minnie61650]

..... I am with you on the fact that I think the buses are worse, more crowded. I know that shouldn't really make sense since Pop doesn't share with other resorts like ASMusic. However, we really believed that the buses were more crowded, and we felt that it took longer between buses. ........ We don't plan to ever stay at Pop again.

The buses at the All Stars "sometimes" share with other All Stars:

This has been my experience. Other's may have had a different experience.

A WORD ABOUT BUS SHARING

To me Bus Sharing at the All Stars is really a non issue.

In the mornings during Park opening hours each All Star usually has a dedicated bus.
During mid day it is usually just our stop and maybe one more on the way to the parks. On the way back sometimes it is all 3 but often Sports and Music share and Movies has it's own bus back. Each of the All Stars usually has it's own dedicated bus back from the MK.
That is a big plus. It seems like the Music bus stop usually has the shortest of the three All Star bus lines.

I guess some people who stay at POP see all 3 All Star names on the return sign of our bus stop when they head to the POP bus stop and think All Stars also has 3 stops on the way to the park.
(Even when we stop at another AS resort to load up it has not taken more than 5 minutes and we are on our way!)

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We have been in both a few times and overall we like Pop better. It has a newer feel to it and seems more relaxed to us. The buses aren't an issue at either resort for us since we have never had a problem at either resort. We wouldn't mind staying at Music again but would probably choose Pop first if it was an option.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Service in the All Star gift shops is better than the one at Pop.

That's an opinion, not a fact.

Pick up for packages delivered to the resort from the parks is behind the counter at the All Stars .
It is across the building at Pop.

During slow hours, they handle pick up at the counter at pop and it's right inside the door when you get off the bus. But much of the time, they have a CM at a table about 10 steps away that will retrieve your package while you sit down and take a load off. I most certainly didn't have to walk across the entire building to get there.

The rooms at the All Stars are closer to the parking area.

Pop does have more buildings further away from the lots, but those are back by the lake. There are several buildings close to the parking area if one were to request them. My room ended up about 10 steps from the parking lot. There aren't many closer than that. One of the reasons we like Pop is that the parking area is less intrusive.

Pop has 2,880 guest rooms. 4 floors in each building.
Each of the All Stars has 1,960 rooms. 3 floors in each building. That means more people in the food courts, in the pools and waiting at the bus stop at POP than at the All Stars.

Divide your number of rooms by the number of pools and you'll find that Pop has 960 rooms per pool and the All stars have 980 rooms per pool. That slightly favors Pop.

 

[minnie61650]

That's an opinion, not a fact. ....


Divide your number of rooms by the number of pools and you'll find that Pop has 960 rooms per pool and the All stars have 980 rooms per pool. That slightly favors Pop.

Thank-you so much for your correction to my post and also for your observations.

I just edited my post.

But I think both Pop and the All Stars have equal number rooms per pool since Pop has 3 pools and has half the number of rooms as the All Stars. The All Stars has 6 pools so they should be equal. Pop total # of rooms is 2880 divided by 3 equals 960 .All Star total # of rooms 5760 which when divided by 6 equals 960. Am I missing something??

Peace

 

[CheshireVal]

I prefer Pop for the following reasons:

-- The bus service seems to be better. I've never had problems with long lines or crowds on Pop buses like I did when we stayed at All Star Music. I also hate how you have to stop at Sports first when the buses share. At Pop, there's only one stop.

-- The food court is better. They have some interesting selections and I've never tried anything I didn't like. I also like the layout of the food court because the tables are broken up into smaller sections instead of being one huge box like at All Stars.

-- I love the fact that there is an indoor lounge at Pop. To me, that makes it feel more adult-friendly.

-- The lake is also a top draw. It's a pretty and relaxing stroll, and if you have a lake view it's really nice!

-- The Twister board on the Pop grounds is kind of fun.

-- Finally, Pop is newer!

All that being said, my family used to like All Star Music a lot... until Pop opened. I don't think you can really go wrong either way.

 

[Sugardimples]

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head live at POP and that's good enough for me!

(I also like the indoor lounge at POP.)

 

[bishop1989]

ASMu. We have stayed at all of the AS and prefer them over POP. I have stayed at POP three times and the last two only beacuse we got the rooms for under $60 and even then I debated it. I just don't enjoy the atmsopher at POP.

 

[robinb]

I have to preface this by saying the All Star Music is my least favorite resort on Disney property.

Advantages of POP:
* No bus sharing
* No parking lot sharing
* Smaller resort
* Bigger food court
* Two bars, one pool bar and one inside the food court
* I like the giant icons and the room decorations better
* I like the pool better
* The lake adds more interest to the resort area

POP Disadantages
* Only one bus, shared All Star busses may get you back to your resort faster
* Some folks find the food court very loud
* Some folks have said that the beds are harder

ASMu Advantages
* Some folks have said that the beds are comfier
* Average bus wait/ride time is quicker

ASMu Disadvantages
* Some buildings are a LONG way from the food court/busses
* Parking can be difficult as ASMu shares with both ASSp and ASMv
* I don't like the "music" theme, I don't like the wallpaper, I don't like the icons and I find the pool boring (sorry Linda!)
* ASMu is in the middle of the All Star resorts. It's the second stop on the way to the parks and you may not get a seat and the second stop on the way back too so yoi have a longer ride while standing.

 

[Bell30012]

And don't forget Goofy's Pop Jet Pool area (spray jet fountains) only found at the POP Century. My three-year-old would have stayed there they whole time given the opportunity We went the week after spring break and found POP Century to be not crowded at all. We didn't ask for any special room but the room we had was about as close to the parking lot as you could get, yet a short walk to the busses or pools.

 

[minnie61650]

I have to preface this by saying the All Star Music is my least favorite resort on Disney property.........

* I don't like the "music" theme, I don't like the wallpaper, .....(sorry Linda!)

No problem robinb.

I agree All Star Music needs a new look in the decor department.
And guess what?

Since Disney building the Family Suites with a new look the standard rooms at All Star Music are also being redone.
New furniture, new carpet, new wallpaper and bedspreads, and wall mounted hair dryers. I love the cute Mickey artwork.
One of our DISners stayed in one of the newly redone rooms a few weeks ago and posted some photos on this Thread:
See post # 8.

I really like the new look and hope others do also.

Take a look

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1139297

 

[robinb]

One of our DISners stayed in one of the newly redone rooms a few weeks ago and posted some photos...

Thanks for the link. I *do* like the new decorating! I like the less garish bedspread and I really like the dresser/TV stand. That one one of the "biggies" for me ... I hated the inside of the rooms.