Pop vs. POR Royal Rooms

[WeLoveLilo05]

Which would you pick a preferred room at Pop or POR Royal Rooms for a May trip? Was thinking of 5 nights with my husband, DD3 and DD13. I haven't stayed at either. We have stayed at all levels of Disney hotels, my only concern about Pop is the beds, I know value beds aren't very comfy, but has anyone stayed there with the renovation? Does Pop share a bus? How was buses at each hotel?
Advice appreciated as always

 

[HopperFan]

2 POP stays with new beds and love them. Very comfy, best sleep I got in years. I know all rooms are supposed to be done by end of May but they appear to be way behind schedule. I love POP, stayed over 25 times and now with queens bed I am hard pressed to pay much more. You do give up Table Service, Pool Slide, Hot Tub but for us .... pool time is only for a quick dip so we don't mind. Bright colors, very Disney and fun. No bus sharing but it's usually the farthest out bus stops at MK, Epcot and DHS. And being a bigger resort, if you close a park can have long lines.

POR, love that resort, first Disney I ever stayed, probably have 8+ stays there. Beautiful southern charm and landscaping. Two stays were in Royal rooms and we love them. I probably would only book them from now on. Disney imagineering at it's best for a room. I like the boat to DS, that is a treat but sometimes there is a line and it won't run during bad weather. I wouldn't not book POR because of buses, but I try to catch the bus at the first stop because they can fill up fast. I don't like that their bus stops other than the front one are out on other side of parking lots. But again, we make it work.

I wouldn't hesitate to stay in either one so it would depend on my budget, how much time I want to be at resort and if I will truly use the extra amenities.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I've stayed at both and actually stayed in a royal room at POR.
I like both resorts.
For me its about a budget.
If budget allows then I would take POR RR over POP any day but when I'm doing a quick and dirty trip especially if there are no discounts I'm going with the cheaper option as I won't even have time to enjoy the room.
POR has much better sound proofing I'd say. I never heard any neighbors. At POP you can hear if someone whispers in the room next to you.
POP does not share a bus.
The bus is one thing I like much better at POP.
I like having designated lines for each park.
I always felt stressed waiting at POR with a ton of other people not knowing who was going to be getting on the same bus I wanted to get on to see if there was going to be enough room for all of us. I will admit I was stressing unnecessarily.
With all that said I will be staying at POP in December 2018 but had POR been included in the FD BB for December we would have certainly picked it.

 

[mom2rtk]

We've stayed at both and really enjoyed both.

For me the single stop dedicated bus service at Pop Century tips the scale.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

We have stayed at both, haven't been to POP during the reno but it was fun. That was our first stay with our girls when they were little. The kids loved it, I liked our room and slept just fine. That trip was 3 years ago and bed was great. I was not a fan of the dining area, very chaotic and not good food. We only ate there once but not worth it to me. Bus was fine for us, to/from the resorts went very smoothly. We have stayed at POR Royal Rooms and loved it. Just got back in August. Rooms have awesome details, so much so my DH even loved it!! We requested a corner room and it does make it feel a bit bigger since you get extra light. We also slept great at POR!! Bus was easy at POR too, we never had any issues even when the crowds were higher than normal. They are both wonderfully themed resorts but I would not go back to POP but would go back to POR in a heartbeat!

 

[jaiminee krikit]

We've stayed in both, and I love things about both POR and Pop. If money isn't an issue, I would definitely do POR.

I stayed at Pop this past summer in a renovated room and they are awesome! When in the room, I definitely did not feel like I was at a value resort. It was nicer than some higher end hotels I've stayed at before. I love the new dressing area and bathroom. I like the new floors, although water did get in pretty far during a long storm, but I noticed quickly and didn't put anything in that area (and was careful when walking over there). The bed was super comfy and I really liked all the storage and counter space. I also liked that they had USB ports for charging devices in the outlets. I love the theming of Pop, too. It's in your face and so cute! I loved opening my front door and having Roger Rabbit greet me every day! The food court was surprisingly good this trip, too. Last time I was there, it was not my favorite. The CMs I have encountered at Pop are also very fun and friendly.

I love everything about POR, especially staying in a Royal Room. I love the lobby, it just feels like home. I love seeing Yehaa Bob at the River Roost and having a cocktail. I really like their food court. And the Royal Rooms are just gorgeous. We stayed in one right after they opened in 2012 and then again last summer, and they didn't feel worn or tired at all. I love the décor, especially the fireworks in the headboard. I also really like the boat that goes down to DS. I love walking along the river and visiting POFQ (my absolute favorite WDW resort).

It's a difficult decision. But like I said, if money isn't an issue, I'd definitely choose POR.