Pop: Why choose a preferred room?

[kadesha]

We were in the back side of the 50's building, overlooking the lake with a view of Spaceship Earth. It was a terrible long walk to the buses!!!

 

[goofy4tink]

We were in the 80's building facing the parking lot, third floor and LOVED it!!!

I don't think we could have been much closer to the bus stop. We just walked across the parking lot (there is a sidewalk too).

We also had a view of fireworks every night.

We would not have been happy in a preferred room.

We never used the main pool because it was often closed and always too loud and crowded. We loved the computer pool, we used it at least 7 times the week we were there.

I wouldn't pay the extra money, just request a non preferred building relatively close to whatever is most important to you.

If you were facing the parking lot in 80's, you weren't getting a view of IllumiNations. You would be facing the complete opposite direction. Just don't want someone getting upset because they thought they would see the IllumiNations fireworks in that area.


As for the walk from the 50's area, it's really not that bad. I have been in bldg 2, third floor, last room on that floor before going down the bowling pin stairway next to the far parking lot. It was about a 4 min walk to the food court/bus stop. When I was in bldg 1, on the backside, ground level, it took me maybe 2 mins. Off in the 80's, ground level, backside, it was about 4 mins. 60's bldg 4, 4th floor, facing the lake? About 3 mins.
My walk to the bus at BWV has always been much, much longer.

 

[dclick4968]

Here's a map of prefered rooms.....

http://www.willcad.org/maps/resorts/resort_pop_prefered.jpg

 

[Magic2000]

We've stayed at Pop Century several times and have never paid for preferred. We have stayed in the 60s bldg, before it was "preferred" (our room was near the kiddie pool, third floor). The other times, we were in the 50s, 70s, and 80s.

I also don't think Pop is that spread out; so to us, it hasn't been that far of a walk.

Last summer, my brother and his family were at Disney the same time as us. They paid for a preferred room, we did not. We had the very first room next to the big wheel on the first floor (if walking from the food court, we had to walk under the big wheel and there was our room - Rm 0101). Their room was maybe four doors away from us, but on the other side of the big wheel (they were closer to the food court/bus stops than we were).

We're heading back to Pop Century in a few weeks, and my DD would like to have a room by Lady & The Tramp.

 

[F1Julie]

The only time I booked a preferred room was when standard wasn't available with AAA rate. It was cheaper to book AAA preferred than rack rate standard. I won't pay extra for a location or a view. I just don't spend enough time in my room to care and a little extra walking doesn't bother me. We walk around the parks all day anyway so I don't see what the big deal is about walking at your resort.

 

[Amy&Dan]

The only time I booked a preferred room was when standard wasn't available with AAA rate. It was cheaper to book AAA preferred than rack rate standard. I won't pay extra for a location or a view. I just don't spend enough time in my room to care and a little extra walking doesn't bother me. We walk around the parks all day anyway so I don't see what the big deal is about walking at your resort.

It can be a really big deal if you travel with small children or an elderly family member. I know when we stayed at Sports with my mom in 2005 I paid for preferred no question. My mom was just finishing up chemo so every step counted. If you have small kids its also really nice to know you won't be that far from the bus, especially after a long day at the parks.

Its definitely true that you can get a non preferred room in a great location. But its not a guarantee. You might end up a few minutes further than you want. Which in normal every day life doesn't matter but on a Disney trip really can.


I have gone both ways on this. I never regret paying for preferred once I get in my room with that nice location. And many times I have opted not to and gotten a perfectly fine location with a non preferred room and been pleased as punch I didn't shell out the extra money for something that wasn't any better than what I got standard. Other times I haven't and then I really regret not spending that extra $10 a night!

 

[bavaria]

Now, I'll probably end up with one of the rooms in 60's, in bldg 4, way over to the side, closer to bldg 3 in 50's. It will be one of the furthest out there rooms, and my step-gd will end up in bldg 3, across the grass from me. I just know it.

Or perhaps you will end up in the 'preferred' room furthest from the action, while they end up in the 'standard' room closest to the action, and you will be near to each other

 

[kaytieeldr]

Or closer! For example, rooms 1 through 12 in Building 6 (70s) are Preferred; rooms 13 through 24, which back up to these rooms - 1/24, 2/23, 3/22,...12/13 - back up on each other. And 12 & 13 are at the end of the building closest to the Goofy Jets.

A poster above stated they could see the fireworks from the 80s, outside a room facing the parking lot. Thinking back... that same end of Building 9 (rooms 12-24) face the parking lot and approximately the same direction as the 50s rooms with the IllumiNations fireworks view. I wouldn't be surprised at all if you can see those from the fourth floor, or from the lower-numbered rooms on that wing on the lower floors.

 

[BamaFan121s]

I really don't see the point in a preferred room at Pop. We paid for one once and were not any close to the food court than on previous trips when we stayed non-preferred. (The standard room we had in the 80's building was actually close to the bus stops than the preferred 60's room.) Plus, so many of the preferred rooms were facing the 60's hippy dippy pool--NOT where I'd want to be.

 

[perla75]

Hmm...I guess I can see the point of a preferred room for people with very young children or elderly people.

For us, it looks like standard will work out just fine.

Now, I am really interested in these rooms that have views of Spaceship Earth!! I wouldn't mind the walk for this!

Right now, we are planning to request king sized bed on an upper floor. Which buildings/sections allow you to see a view of Spaceship Earth?

 

[BamaFan121s]

Which buildings/sections allow you to see a view of Spaceship Earth?

50's building facing the lake.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

You can also request an EPCOT view First time we checked-in the CM (who happened to be a supervisor) asked if we would like an EPCOT and IllumiNations view - of course we said, "thank you"!!

It is the top of IllumiNations and Spaceship Earth can be seen - definitely a plus at a value!

 

[Gillian]

The problem with preferred rooms at Pop, as discussed on the first page of the thread, is that while most are preferred for location/closeness to Classic hall, a few are preferred because they're close to the main pool or some other mysterious reason. So if you are getting preferred for the distance, you need to be aware that some preferred rooms are not so close in and also request close to classic hall.

That's what the poster on page one was saying. They paid for preferred but were no closer than some of the standard rooms.

From what I can tell, if you want/need to be close in, you should upgrade and also request the location.

If you don't mind a walk, there are many standard rooms with interesting views or good locations.

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

The only time I booked a preferred room was when standard wasn't available with AAA rate. It was cheaper to book AAA preferred than rack rate standard. I won't pay extra for a location or a view. I just don't spend enough time in my room to care and a little extra walking doesn't bother me. We walk around the parks all day anyway so I don't see what the big deal is about walking at your resort.

I agree 100%. I've yet to figure out why some people get so shook up about the walk at the resort. I mean we walk 10 to 13 miles each day any how......what's a little more going to hurt?

 

[Buckeye Gal]

Thank you!! Could you also tell me which Pop buildings are the preferred ones?

You will find the BEST maps of the preferred rooms on the POP FAQ thread in Post #1 under the "Classic Year's Room/Standard vs. Preferred" section.

 

[pumpkinfish]

I agree 100%. I've yet to figure out why some people get so shook up about the walk at the resort. I mean we walk 10 to 13 miles each day any how......what's a little more going to hurt?

Well I know that after walking those 11-13 miles each day, that extra bit to walk to a regular room rather than a preferred that's close to Classic Hall really does hurt. I don't have kids but if I did, I know that might be an extra pain. My dogs really start barking at the end of the day !