POP or Mod...Advice for a Unique Situation...

[jls886]

Okay, here is the current situation...

We are booked at POP from Dec 19-30. We're a family of 4...mom, dad, me(23), sister(19)...so we're all adults. My mom also uses an ECV around the parks due to a bad knee. She doesn't need it around the room, only when we're going long distances for long periods of time. I have stayed at POP with a friend before, but wasn't paying that much attention to how the room would work with my family situation. So, we know POP is cheap, crowded, small rooms, etc but we're only planning to be in the room to shower and sleep so we'd rather save the money and spend it on other things. Until tonight...we got to thinking maybe we should switch to a Mod to get a little bit bigger room and a double sink. But then there is the negative of shared buses. We're nervous that, for example, we switch to CBR and we happen to be closest to the last bus stop. Will the buses be "standing room only" after picking up the other stops before ours?? Would we have to wait and wait until there is room on a bus for her ECV??

So our questions are...

Will an ECV even fit comfortably in a POP room with 4 adults and their luggage??

Do the positives of POP just having one bus stop outweigh the negatives of numerous bus stops at the mods??

 

[disneymarie]

IF you have a travel agent then have them contact for a accessable room. Or call on your own if not. It is by needs. Our room was a Resv. as a the same for you...We had the agent call to make sure they knew we needed a room with handles on the tub and toilet, and we were using a ECV.

When we arrived as we had 5 in our party, they gave us two connecting rooms no additional fee. They said tehre were enough paying guest for the second room free. THe hanicap room had a King bed, and a fridge so I did not need to worry over the cooler.

I can not even imagine if we had all of us in one room.
Disney was extremly helpful.

From requesting the accessable room they just added the connecting and it worked out so perfect.
Enjoy your trip
dianne

 

[poohandwendy]

Okay, here is the current situation...

We are booked at POP from Dec 19-30. We're a family of 4...mom, dad, me(23), sister(19)...so we're all adults. My mom also uses an ECV around the parks due to a bad knee. She doesn't need it around the room, only when we're going long distances for long periods of time. I have stayed at POP with a friend before, but wasn't paying that much attention to how the room would work with my family situation. So, we know POP is cheap, crowded, small rooms, etc but we're only planning to be in the room to shower and sleep so we'd rather save the money and spend it on other things. Until tonight...we got to thinking maybe we should switch to a Mod to get a little bit bigger room and a double sink. But then there is the negative of shared buses. We're nervous that, for example, we switch to CBR and we happen to be closest to the last bus stop. Will the buses be "standing room only" after picking up the other stops before ours?? Would we have to wait and wait until there is room on a bus for her ECV??

So our questions are...

Will an ECV even fit comfortably in a POP room with 4 adults and their luggage??

Do the positives of POP just having one bus stop outweigh the negatives of numerous bus stops at the mods??

I don't know all of the answers to your questions, and I would suggest your posting this on the DISabilities board, because there are really great people over there with tons of WDW experience.

Anyways, what I can tell you is that we stayed at POR last week and the South Depot (near the lobby) was usually the first pick up and first drop off
on the bus route, so I think you could ask for a room close to the best bus stop for the resort and that would help. Also from what I saw, before allowing anyone else on, they always put those in wheelchairs and EVCs first, if that helps. Now, that doesn't mean the rest of you will not have to stand alot (due to that time of year, it's pretty busy so you probably will stand sometimes)

I think your decision of whether or not to change from Pop to a moderate depends on whether or not it would be a financial burden, at least in part. We have not stayed in any values, but I was impressed by the size of the POR and POFQ rooms, they are pretty decent in size, IMO. Again, I think the DISability boards may be the best place for your question, I know they would be able to steer you in the right direction. Good luck with it and I hope you have a great trip!

 

[Timon_n_Pumba]

You could look into Coronado Springs. They don't share buses with any other resort. My mother, sister, nephew and niece (the kids were 17 and 13) shared a room there with DM's ECV and there didn't seem to be any problem spacewise.

Just a thought!

Best Regards,

Scott in MO

 

[Schmeck]

IF you have a travel agent then have them contact for a accessable room. Or call on your own if not. It is by needs. Our room was a Resv. as a the same for you...We had the agent call to make sure they knew we needed a room with handles on the tub and toilet, and we were using a ECV.

When we arrived as we had 5 in our party, they gave us two connecting rooms no additional fee. They said tehre were enough paying guest for the second room free. THe hanicap room had a King bed, and a fridge so I did not need to worry over the cooler.

I can not even imagine if we had all of us in one room.
Disney was extremly helpful.

From requesting the accessable room they just added the connecting and it worked out so perfect.
Enjoy your trip
dianne

You've confused me - what resort were you staying at that you could book 5 to a room, a deluxe or POR-AB, right? I believe the OP is looking at Pop Century or CBR.

To the OP - CBR has the largest rooms for a moderate, so I think 4 adults and an ECV should fit just fine. Just make sure to let them know you need a 1st floor room, as there are no elevators at CBR.

When we were there years and years ago, I believe the bus route started over at the Jamaica/Aruba region - I bet someone on the Transportation board could tell you what the bus route is now. Then you can request that 'island'!

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I stayed in a room at Pop by myself last year. I remember thinking that I would not want to share the room with more than one other person for any length of time. The rooms are pretty small. I can't imagine having 4 adults in one without the ECV.

I'd get a second room at Pop, or try a mod. When we were considering this year's trip, we looked into CSR since it doesn't share busses.

 

[melomouse]

Hi -

While I do understand the budgetary issues, I just wanted to share that we had an ECV "parked" in our POR room and it was a bit tight - I cannot even imagine losing another 100 sq ft. or so.

Also, the PP was right about posting this on the disability boards - great suggestions and experience there!!

 

[Sandi]

We've stayed at Pop, all of the moderates, and a few deluxes. I cannot imagine 4 adults in Pop being the least bit comfortable -- ECV or not (and Pop is our current favorite resort). If you're concerned about the bus stops, why not try PO-FQ where there is only one stop and it is usually the stop prior to heading over to POR.

Also, as you'll be there during the holiday season, the resorts are going to be crowded. I'm surprised that Disneymarie got a free room that connected to what they reserved. While that sure was nice, it isn't going to happen at the time of the year you're going.

Have a good trip.

 

[shellybaxter]

We usually have an ECV with us in our room. We stayed at POP once for our arrival night and purposly didn't have the ECV delivered until the next morning because I don't think it would have fit in the room. The "we" were only Dh, Dniece, and myself. I've never stayed in a moderate room with two beds (always pay for a king bed) but in the kind room the ECV fits fine

 

[jls886]

Thank you so much for all of your quick responses! The budget really isn't too much of an issue...now we're thinking we might as well switch it up to a deluxe! I think we have definitely decided that POP will be too small, so now its just deciding which mod or deluxe.

Thanks again for all of your suggestions!!

 

[disnut8]

One note - if you ask for a handicapped accessible room, most of those are equipped with a king size bed so be careful since you want to have four adults in one room.

Also, whatever you decide, you might consider requesting a first floor room for medical reasons so you won't have to deal with elevators.

 

[shellybaxter]

My favorite room when I have an ECV is a DVC one bedroom villa. Those and I would expect the two bedrooms, have an entry way that the ECV fits in really well. One bedrooms have a king bed in the bedroom and a queen size sofa sleeper in the living room. Two bedrooms have the king in the master bedroom and two queens or one queen and a sleeper sofa in the second bedroom

 

[madenon]

CBR is no problem when it comes to the bus and an ECV. Even if you are the last busstop, as long as there are wc spots available (2 per bus), they'll make room. Those sitting on the seats used for the wc/ecv will have to make room. They'll fold up 3 seats and that's the place they'll hook up the ecv. It's incouraged to get out of the ecv while using the bus and the person sitting in the chair assigned for that would also have to move.

The most important thing you could run into (and at any resort!) is if the bus has already 2 wc/ecv's on it. Even if there was nobody else in there; no way jose wait for the next bus. Also I found that if the bus was full, it wouldn't stop at Trinidad South but go right to the park. No probs when I was there (not staying at south either ), because there allways was a second bus right after us.

I actually prefer the CBR. Shouldn't say this, could mess up my own future trip, but what the hack. They only have 21 handicapped rooms at the entire resort! Count in the fact that people are affraid of the no elevator (no problem, as long as you make reservations via the right department) and the resort "must be to big", and you don't see much wc's or ecv's there. Great deal, because I only had it happen to me once during the whole trip that the bus had 2 on it allready and I had to wait. This was when the sky was pouring, a lot of thunder and they just announced Spectromagic to be cancelled and everybody wanted to get home.

At each of the parks I've seen others resorts having more than 2 wc/ecv's at the busstop which would mean waiting on the second bus. Also counting the busses I've seen, there are a lot of CBR busses compared to Pop or the AS (even less than pop).

 

[CleveRocks]

Value rooms are 260 square feet. Rooms at POFQ, POR and CSR are 314 square feet. Rooms at CBR are 340 square feet.

Don't get freaked by the phrase "bus sharing." First of all, both CSR and CBR have their own buses. POFQ and POR share buses sometimes, and sometimes not. In my week at POFQ, only twice did I ride through any of POR after boarding the bus at POFQ. And if you're concerned about seating, all the POFQ/POR shared buses start at POFQ first, except for the Downtown Disney buses.

CBR has 7 bus stops for park buses. The order depends on the destination:

• Buses headed to Magic Kingdom and DTD stop at Martinique first, and from there stop at Old Port Royale, Trinidad North, Trinidad South, Jamaica, Aruba and finally Barbados before heading to the final destination.

• Buses headed to Epcot, MGM and Animal Kingdom stop at Jamaica first, and from there stop at Aruba, Barbados, Martinique, OPR, Trinidad North and finally Trinidad South before heading to the final destination.

 

[septbaby]

We were 2 adults and a 5yo in first floor room at CBR. I guess their is a nook between the bed and doorway where the ECV could fit, I kept my golf clubs there. She could also roll it into the bathroom area and tuck it in the closet corner near the safe. If it has to plugged in that is probably a better spot. Be sure the floor remains clear for her.

You'll want to unpack and put suitcases under the bed as it will be a tight fit for 4 adults.

The beds are DOUBLE and not Queen at a Moderate. But if you stay at Pop you already use the doube beds.

 

[Melct]

I would suggest getting 2 connecting rooms at POP. You will have much more room than one room at a MOD. HTH

mel

 

[tiki23]

I would suggest getting 2 connecting rooms at POP. You will have much more room than one room at a MOD. HTH

mel

AND 2 bathrooms! (Very important in my book! )