POP vs. All Stars

[Mrs Grumpy]

This question is actually coming from my DH. We stayed at POP last time and I loved the gift shop there and he loved the arcade.

How does the gift shop and arcade at the All Stars compare to the ones at POP?

 

[tmatthews]

I think they are all comparable. I really like the POP food court and store. Now it has been years since I stayed at asmo but I don't remember anything bad. We are staying at asmo next month!

 

[BeHappyInDisney]

We always stay at the POP now however
if your husband likes sports stay at the All Star Sports
He wsill love the Icons there. We also found the movies
a nice to stay with the kids.

 

[PJLUVSDISNEY]

Just came back from ASMo and loved every minute of it. The Icons are are awesome at all the Allstars. Although never stayed at Pop, I am thinking of switching to POP!!!??? I am sure you'll have a great time there!
Although I was wondering are there tour groups at all the Value resorts, bc we ran into a herd of them in July of 05???

Anyway have fun with what ever you choose.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

We stayed at POP in September and ASMu this past January. Food court at ASMu was better for us than POP, plus it was less crowded. DH & I won't go back to POP again after unmagical trip in September but wouldn't hesitate to stay at ASMu again. Rooms have been refurbished, new mattresses on the beds, curtains in the bathroom areas. Just the little touches that make the rooms seem so nice and relaxing. JMHO..................

 

[Chipmunk89]

We've stayed at both Pop and AS Sports, and we enjoyed both. We just tend to prefer Pop. Maybe because that's the first place we stay on our first visit to WDW. You didn't say when you were planning on going. Just be aware that the AS host large groups. I know of the Cheer competition and Pop Warner, but I think there are others too.

We stayed at POP in September and ASMu this past January. Food court at ASMu was better for us than POP, plus it was less crowded. DH & I won't go back to POP again after unmagical trip in September but wouldn't hesitate to stay at ASMu again. Rooms have been refurbished, new mattresses on the beds, curtains in the bathroom areas. Just the little touches that make the rooms seem so nice and relaxing. JMHO..................

Sorry for the unmagical stay at Pop. But remember you went at a very busy time of the year. Since Disney offered free dining in Sept, the crowds have grown. January is a much less busier time to visit.

.....much less busier......does that even make sence
My English teacher would be very upset!

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

Sorry for the unmagical stay at Pop. But remember you went at a very busy time of the year. Since Disney offered free dining in Sept, the crowds have grown. January is a much less busier time to visit. :

September itself in the parks wasn't the least bit busy. The "unmagical" part of the trip was specifically POP and things that went on there at the resort that probably would have gone on no matter what size crowd was there. It's just a HUGE resort. Paid extra for a preferred room - location we were given was not "preferred" according to where it was located, but according to Disney it was.............rude, unsupervised, unruley kids running up & down the halls of the resort after 10pm....................rude guests too lazy to use a key card to open their door each time they entered so they flipped the lock open & proceeded to slam the door on it for over an hour after 11pm..........and the list goes on and on. We just found that POP had become way too overwhelming for the type of vacation we'd hoped for, so decided to switch to ASMu which is much smaller and quieter. The January vacation was truely a vacation this time around and the parks were pretty much the same as they had been in September.......not crowded at all..............JMHO......

 

[band_man]

You know, we had this same experience the last time we stayed at WL. We had first stayed there right after the resort opened. It was marketed as a romantic escape. It was so peaceful. The last time we went it was just as you described POP. Kids running up and down the halls. People slamming doors. Even groups of adults returning to their rooms after 2 in the morning while talking loudly in the hallway.

I am beginning to wonder if anyone has any manners left?

 

[mickey2000]

 

[staticgirl50]

We stayed at the POP this Jan. and LOVED it. We have a 3 year old daughter and she loved the hustle and bustle of it. It just meshed with our quick moving style. The food court is loud, but we did not mind.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

I am beginning to wonder if anyone has any manners left?

Sometimes I feel the same way. I was trying to convince DH to go to WL in April, but we may just do day trips over instead of staying. I'm not sure I could handle another stay with inconsiderate guests whether it's at a Value or a Deluxe. With AP's and only being 1 1/2 hours from WDW we don't "have" to stay, but I love the convenience of not having to get in a car & drive anywhere - just hop on a bus & go!!

 

[Bobo912]

We've stayed at ASMo 5 times, but we stayed at POP on our last trip this past January. They were both great. I think the food selection is better at the ASMo food court. The gift shops are comparable, although I think the one at POP is larger, or it might just seem that way because of the way it opens up to the foodcourt. I've never had any problem with noisy kids at either resort. We had a corner room in the 70's building (by the big 8-track tape) at POP, which was very convenient to the lobby/foodcourt. But since POP is so big, I can see how some preferred rooms might not be so convenient. Since ASMo is smaller, I would say there is a better chance for a preferred room being closer. Since we were on the corner near the stairs at POP, I was afraid it would be noisy, but it wasn't. You've probably heard that the plumbing is noisy at POP, and it is absolutely true. You can hear every time the shower is turned on or the toliet flushed in the room above/below you. Never experienced that at ASMo. Not a big deal though, unless you're a really light sleeper.