Pop vs All Star Sports Free Dining?

[pmama]

Yes, the obvious answer would be Pop! However, I was only able to get six nights free dining with Pop and there is 8 nights available with Sports. Doing 10-11 nights so regardless we will have to do a split stay but with Pop it would be split stay before and after, with Sports it'd be just 2 res. Not 3. Upgrading to regular dining plan. WWYD? It's about the same price for 8 nights free dining at Sports as it is for 7 nights (6 of which are free dining) at Pop. Could stay at Pop for first 3 nights then transfer to Sports but worried we'll be disappointed with lack of upgrade.

I'd love to hear your suggestions!

 

[lampshadehead]

If the Sports room is preferred, then I would go with Sports.

 

[Dis703]

Personally, I'd stick with Pop. I stayed at All Star Sports almost 2 years ago and felt the rooms were in extremely bad shape. First room had major water stains all down the walls in the bathroom and mildewed grout throughout the tile floor, bed bug markings on the mattresses and very worn throughout. This was in addition to a terrible chemical smell like maybe they had sprayed for bugs recently. I asked to be moved and the second room was much better but still so old and worn. The carpet patterns were worn to a point you could hardly tell what it was originally. The table was left sticky and dirty and there was residue from something spilled down the wall in the bathroom. But we cleaned it up and stuck with it. Talking to other guests at the bus stops during that visit we definitely weren't the only ones. Only other issue with the resort were the crowds of kids on field trips. I'd be in a line for a bus with like 20 kids in front of me and all of a sudden 20-30 more cut in to be with them and we are bumped back to the next bus. As I hear it any of the values can have these groups but so far we haven't experienced it at Pop.

I will say that I do feel like Sports had some of the nicest resort CMs we've run into. But unless they have had a refurb since 2016 I wouldn't recommend staying there.

 

[lampshadehead]

Well this is why it was hard for me to decide between these two, because the Basketball standard room, was really worn out and dare I say, gross? With that being said, the preferred rooms in Surfs Up just seemed better to me and the location is good. The food courts are a wash, but if I had to pick, Pop would win and it pains me to say that! Since you are upgrading your dining, I am assuming that most of your meals wont be at the quick serve food court anyway? The deciding factor for me would be the bus. I found them all to be consistent in the daytime. But at park closing, I was much more satisfied with the Sports buses than Pop, to say the least.

 

[Spunky946]

Pop for the refurbed rooms.

 

[aebeauregard]

I'm just kinda following along with this post to see other opinions. I am also trying to decide between a bounce back POP free dining 5 nights I have booked and switching to Sports 7 nights. My husband just gave me the green light to have him miss an entire week of work and when we booked the BB that wasn't the case. If we want the entire week with free dining we have to switch to sports. Trying to gage if it's worth it or not.

 

[Arielfan98]

What dates are you going?

 

[goofyintoronto]

FWIW, I stayed at Sports last trip (basketball section I believe) and thought the rooms were fine. I also stayed at Sports the previous trip too...different section, and it was fine too. True that the rooms arent as new as pop....but again, they were fine. I love sports! But I also love Pop. Its one of my faves. I love the lakeview...I love that i can walk over the AoA foodcourt and eat/look around. I can see why the decision is hard. I like both resorts but since pop had a refurb, i'd be more inclined to try that out.

When is your trip?

Yes, the obvious answer would be Pop! However, I was only able to get six nights free dining with Pop and there is 8 nights available with Sports. Doing 10-11 nights so regardless we will have to do a split stay but with Pop it would be split stay before and after, with Sports it'd be just 2 res. Not 3. Upgrading to regular dining plan. WWYD? It's about the same price for 8 nights free dining at Sports as it is for 7 nights (6 of which are free dining) at Pop. Could stay at Pop for first 3 nights then transfer to Sports but worried we'll be disappointed with lack of upgrade.

I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Can you clarify what the bolded means? "res"??

 

[Texans_loyal]

I would stick with POP. The new beds are super comfortable and it will be hard to go from that to all star beds. Maybe start out at all stars preferred and then switch to POP?

 

[DaniMoon]

I switched from POP to All-Stars because there were rooms available for my stay at POP. I switched to All Star Sports for our 13 night stay to get free dining. I was a bit bummed, but my kids saw pictures of the resort and are now excited and hoping for rooms in the Homerun section since we are baseball/softball fanatics.

We stayed at POP several times before the upgrade and were happy, so I'm sure we will be happy with Sports.

 

[brockash]

Yes, the obvious answer would be Pop! However, I was only able to get six nights free dining with Pop and there is 8 nights available with Sports. Doing 10-11 nights so regardless we will have to do a split stay but with Pop it would be split stay before and after, with Sports it'd be just 2 res. Not 3. Upgrading to regular dining plan. WWYD? It's about the same price for 8 nights free dining at Sports as it is for 7 nights (6 of which are free dining) at Pop. Could stay at Pop for first 3 nights then transfer to Sports but worried we'll be disappointed with lack of upgrade.

I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Sports

 

[lampshadehead]

I'm just kinda following along with this post to see other opinions. I am also trying to decide between a bounce back POP free dining 5 nights I have booked and switching to Sports 7 nights. My husband just gave me the green light to have him miss an entire week of work and when we booked the BB that wasn't the case. If we want the entire week with free dining we have to switch to sports. Trying to gage if it's worth it or not.

For the extra nights, I would definitely switch to Sports.

 

[loves to dive]

For the same price but more days, I'd do Sports. I've stayed at both and have stayed in the refurbed room at Pop. The rooms are nice at Pop and you can't beat having a coffee pot in the room in a value resort but at the end of the day, more days is more days and a value resort is a value resort. I have found the bus service is good and bad at all resorts in all levels and I've stayed at most of the resorts at WDW. I've found the food courts are the food courts, some have different offerings but at the end of the day, they are food courts and quick service food.

 

[wisteria1019]

I would opt for more nights, especially if it is just a place to sleep.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Yes, the obvious answer would be Pop! However, I was only able to get six nights free dining with Pop and there is 8 nights available with Sports. Doing 10-11 nights so regardless we will have to do a split stay but with Pop it would be split stay before and after, with Sports it'd be just 2 res. Not 3. Upgrading to regular dining plan. WWYD? It's about the same price for 8 nights free dining at Sports as it is for 7 nights (6 of which are free dining) at Pop. Could stay at Pop for first 3 nights then transfer to Sports but worried we'll be disappointed with lack of upgrade.

I'd love to hear your suggestions!

2 extra days of free dining? I'd go sports. Pop is better. But it isn't enough better that I'd pay for two extra days of food. I've never had rooms in terrible shape at either. They have been in different states of needing decor upgrades. But They've always been clean.

 

[JennyDrake]

Within the last 2 years I've stayed at each of the All Stars and I've had ZERO problems with the condition of the rooms. In fact, I'll be back on Saturday!

 

[magicalcouple]

I love the new refurbed rooms at Pop, so you're right, the answer would normally be Pop! But 3 reservations and moves doesn't sound worth it to me. I have stayed at Sports and found it be perfectly fine for all our needs. I'd keep it simple, whatever the simplest option is for you, less stress for more fun!

 

[Woth2982]

I stayed at Sports back in October. Irma cancelled our September trip and we had to get our engagement photos done before November, and Sports ended up being the cheapest choice (October is so much more expensive than mid September). I did not love it. We sprung for a preferred room and were in the football section which I felt was still far away from everything. I usually stay Moderate because I like the beds better (after a long day at Disney I want a comfy bed), so I felt like Sports was a real let down. Only other value I have stayed at was Pop and I liked it just fine. I did stay at AOA but was upgraded to a family suite so I don't count that as value.

 

[Helvetica]

I was in Sports in January and it was fine. If you're just looking for a room, Sports will do. Just be sure to check the Wide World of Sports website to see if there are any big Sports things that week. Pop is a pretty popular place for teams too and I think they're usually the same price so if that's the case Pop may be more crowded than Sports.

If you're just looking for a bed and want to stay at Disney longer, I'd go with Sports. The cafeteria isn't great, so try not to eat there.