The GROOVIER New Pop Century FAQ Thread Chapter 4! ~ Posts #1, #2 & #3 are MUST sees!

[MommytoaSweetie]

Still trying to decide if I should keep CRT or just stick to Akershus. We did both last time, and the girls are really princessy, but is CRT really worth 2 TS to me? Can't decide....

We have this debate in our house all the time! Last time we did Akershus and CRT and both were great, but pretty similar. Since we already did the castle once, we're holding out on it this time until my younger one is a little older to remember actually being in the castle (she was there last time, too, but 10 months). We are, however, doing two meals at Akershus to increase our chances of different princesses... even if they're the same, our girls won't care though.

 

[englishrose47]

We have this debate in our house all the time! Last time we did Akershus and CRT and both were great, but pretty similar. Since we already did the castle once, we're holding out on it this time until my younger one is a little older to remember actually being in the castle (she was there last time, too, but 10 months). We are, however, doing two meals at Akershus to increase our chances of different princesses... even if they're the same, our girls won't care though.

We are doing CRT in August for my DGDS (Twins) 16th Birthday , they requested it !! We have never done Akershus as other than breakfast the menu doesn;t appeal!! We did do 1900 Park and enjoyed i very much so that is another princess option!!

 

[jenseib]

I have a question concerning the POP's cake services that I'm hoping someone could help with

We're going to be celebrating a birthday on our trip in March, and we really wanted to do something special for the birthday boy with the cake. Get one of those amazing, fantastic cakes that people see when they eat at the Grand Floridian, the Contemporary, etc. However, we aren't eating at any of the places that would be serviced by those bakeries.

I saw on here that the Grand Floridian Bakery works with the POP for the cake services. I tried calling the cake hotline for the resort but they said the only options are six and eight inch plain cakes in chocolate or vanilla, a mickey head cake, or a ten inch screen printed cake in chocolate or vanilla. She didn't seem to understand what I was talking about when I asked the question about a specially customized cake though; she was more focusing on the number of people in our party.

So is it true? Can we not order a fancy cake at the POP either, or does the Grand Floridian deliver those special, fondant customized cakes to the POP? And, if they do, how do I go about getting an order for one in?

As far as I know. No you cannot get the realy fancy cakes delivered to Pop. I heard what you can get is very basic.

 

[NYEmomma]

Hi everyone! I have found myself considering staying in a value resort for our trip to Disney in October. We've stayed at POFQ in the past and have LOVED it, but the money we'd save at a value is enticing.

I have 2 concerns though... well, I guess one. I'm just worried about how busy/crowded the resort will be. Last time we were at WDW was prior to the opening of POP but both Music & Sports were there and I vividly recall how long the lines for the buses were for those resorts.

DD will be almost 3 at the time and I'm not looking forward to trying to get her to stand in line for a good 30 minutes waiting for a bus when she's excited to go to the parks or tired & cranky & ready to go home. I'm also concerned about how busy the food court will be.

Also, what are the conditions of the rooms like? My brother's been to ASMu and said the rooms were in rough shape.

Unfortunately we weren't paying attention to the calendar when we booked and we'll be going over the long Columbus Day weekend (Sun. 10/9 - Fri 10/14). So I'm really concerned about the crowds with the weekend.

I'd love some insight from POP vets!

 

[mommy2mrb]

Hi everyone! I have found myself considering staying in a value resort for our trip to Disney in October. We've stayed at POFQ in the past and have LOVED it, but the money we'd save at a value is enticing.

I have 2 concerns though... well, I guess one. I'm just worried about how busy/crowded the resort will be. Last time we were at WDW was prior to the opening of POP but both Music & Sports were there and I vividly recall how long the lines for the buses were for those resorts.

DD will be almost 3 at the time and I'm not looking forward to trying to get her to stand in line for a good 30 minutes waiting for a bus when she's excited to go to the parks or tired & cranky & ready to go home. I'm also concerned about how busy the food court will be.

Also, what are the conditions of the rooms like? My brother's been to ASMu and said the rooms were in rough shape.

Unfortunately we weren't paying attention to the calendar when we booked and we'll be going over the long Columbus Day weekend (Sun. 10/9 - Fri 10/14). So I'm really concerned about the crowds with the weekend.

I'd love some insight from POP vets!

all the rooms at POP were just fully refurbished, everything is new down to the carpets so that is not an issue.

never been in Oct at the POP always Jan/Feb so can't answer your bus ?? but we very rarely waited 30 min when we went....POP does not share buses with anyother resort so that is a plus...only one bus stop too in front of the main bldg....its a great resort for kids...staying for our third time in March, my DD requested we stayed again as it "home"!

enjoy your trip!

 

[seadd67]

I've settled on this one for alot of reasons - atmosphere, buses, food court, people! Unless you like to use jacuzzis or pool slides, I'd rather have the extra money to spend on WDW products!

Thank you, a nutraul voice with common sense!. I guess I just needed someone else to tell me not to jump ship. I ask my DS he just says" Dad what ever"!!,not helping!. I can live happly ever after now

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

all the rooms at POP were just fully refurbished, everything is new down to the carpets so that is not an issue.

never been in Oct at the POP always Jan/Feb so can't answer your bus ?? but we very rarely waited 30 min when we went....POP does not share buses with anyother resort so that is a plus...only one bus stop too in front of the main bldg....its a great resort for kids...staying for our third time in March, my DD requested we stayed again as it "home"!

enjoy your trip!

I have been in October and yes there are times that you will wait for the bus, and at the end of the night, maybe the second or third bus. This is not to discourage you, we love Pop even with the wait, but you should have all the information you need to make a decision.

 

[NYEmomma]

I have been in October and yes there are times that you will wait for the bus, and at the end of the night, maybe the second or third bus. This is not to discourage you, we love Pop even with the wait, but you should have all the information you need to make a decision.

Thanks for the input! Our last visit was in October and though we didn't find the crowds to be bad, there were times when we had to wait a while at the end of the night... but I'm just unsure what the Columbus Day crowd will be like (didn't even know that was a big enough holiday to cause an increased crowd at WDW!).

I do doubt though how often we'll be at the park until close. I'm not sure what time they close at night, but unless it's 8 p.m., we'll probably head home early for DD's bedtime. (though we'll definitely stay for fireworks at least once!)

Did it seem to you that the POP bus line was any bigger than other resorts or were they all about the same.

Thanks also to the PP that mentioned the refurb... Duh, forgot that I JUST read that in the first post or two of this thread, lol!

 

[englishrose47]

Thanks for the input! Our last visit was in October and though we didn't find the crowds to be bad, there were times when we had to wait a while at the end of the night... but I'm just unsure what the Columbus Day crowd will be like (didn't even know that was a big enough holiday to cause an increased crowd at WDW!).

I do doubt though how often we'll be at the park until close. I'm not sure what time they close at night, but unless it's 8 p.m., we'll probably head home early for DD's bedtime. (though we'll definitely stay for fireworks at least once!)

Did it seem to you that the POP bus line was any bigger than other resorts or were they all about the same.

Thanks also to the PP that mentioned the refurb... Duh, forgot that I JUST read that in the first post or two of this thread, lol!

Pop's bus stop is always the furthest but as for crowds , after any eveening parade/fireworks ALL the lines are long but Disney has lots of buses for all !!I think you will find the foocourt at Pop very good too!! In the morning around 8 a.m the staff there do the TWIST with guests and give out buttons to any guests who join them!!

 

[jcarwash]

Pop's bus stop is always the furthest

Except at Hollywood Studios...one of the closest!

 

[livibug]

We stayed at POP in June, 2009 and the resort was completely FULL - it was crowded and hopping, but I would never say we felt crowded out. The parks were packed to the gill, but we never waited more than 15 minutes for a bus at any location (park or POP). The food court was never a problem - the longest we waited in any line was under 5 minutes and this was at the peak 7:30am time and 6pm dinner times. Of course everyone's definition of crowded will vary. I tend to hate crowds, but even though the resort was full, I never did find the crowds to be a problem - but as always, your mileage may vary

....
I have 2 concerns though... well, I guess one. I'm just worried about how busy/crowded the resort will be. Last time we were at WDW was prior to the opening of POP but both Music & Sports were there and I vividly recall how long the lines for the buses were for those resorts.

DD will be almost 3 at the time and I'm not looking forward to trying to get her to stand in line for a good 30 minutes waiting for a bus when she's excited to go to the parks or tired & cranky & ready to go home. I'm also concerned about how busy the food court will be.

Also, what are the conditions of the rooms like? My brother's been to ASMu and said the rooms were in rough shape.

Unfortunately we weren't paying attention to the calendar when we booked and we'll be going over the long Columbus Day weekend (Sun. 10/9 - Fri 10/14). So I'm really concerned about the crowds with the weekend.

I'd love some insight from POP vets!

 

[lilandvisma]

Hi guys! We will be at POP for the first time in just about 50 days I'm a bit concerned to say the least...We paid for a preferred room and I requested 60s or 70s ground level. Is there a certain building I should have requested as well? Id love to be facing the pool. I know that nothing is guaranteed but would like to make an effort to get what I want. Also, am I understanding that online check in is NOT recommended ? I am so confused and getting nervous about things .

 

[Mindy5767]

I have been in October and yes there are times that you will wait for the bus, and at the end of the night, maybe the second or third bus. This is not to discourage you, we love Pop even with the wait, but you should have all the information you need to make a decision.

Yes, but you can have a bus issue with any resort. When we stayed at Pop in August and again in November, we rarely waited more than a couple minutes for the bus. However, there was maybe one time each stay that the bus was delayed. But we've had that same issue with other resorts. Several times at Saratoga the buses were timely, regular and we didn't wait long and another trip buses were bad. Same thing at Old Key West and at All Star Music. The problem with All Star Music was that occasionally the bus had to pick up or drop off at the other All Stars. I also recall the Boardwalk sharing a bus with the Swan and the Dolphin.

 

[Debagu]

Hi guys! We will be at POP for the first time in just about 50 days I'm a bit concerned to say the least...We paid for a preferred room and I requested 60s or 70s ground level. Is there a certain building I should have requested as well? Id love to be facing the pool. I know that nothing is guaranteed but would like to make an effort to get what I want. Also, am I understanding that online check in is NOT recommended ? I am so confused and getting nervous about things .

Congrats on your 1st visit to the POP.
We always request building 4, ground floor, facing pool. And have always gotten our request.
This is a preferred room area. Near the Hippy Dippy Pool.
We have used online check in with our request and received our request. Although not sure now, with the new system, how that will work out.
You will love the POP!!

 

[cmpfan]

We have this debate in our house all the time! Last time we did Akershus and CRT and both were great, but pretty similar. Since we already did the castle once, we're holding out on it this time until my younger one is a little older to remember actually being in the castle (she was there last time, too, but 10 months). We are, however, doing two meals at Akershus to increase our chances of different princesses... even if they're the same, our girls won't care though.

I think we are going to end up keeping both for now - although dd8 just informed me she definitely did not like the food at Akershush. I have a feeling she'll feel differently though once were there and she gets to see her favorite princesses.

 

[karizma05]

This is my family's first trip to Disneyworld , We will be there from Feb 13-18th. At first I was a little confussed but after reading this thread and some FAQ's on Disney's mom panel, I figured out the difference between Room Only and Packages. I call Disney this morning for the first time to add a day to my vacation( I orginally booked online) and talked to a CM that was sooooo nice and helped me with everything, making sure I had everything I needed and nothing I did not want. Since we are about 9 days away, I could do the online check-in but have read it may not be necessary. I have booked dinner reservations for the times we want ( I did this a couple of months ago). I rented the double stroller from Magic Stroller, reserved horseback riding for my DD18and DD13, BBB for my DD5 and DD4,even our customized maps have arrived. Now I do not know what else to do to make sure we have magical time....any suggestions?

 

[seadd67]

We hardly ever eat at the foodcourt,not because of the food but just so many other places to go. But its funny,we usuallly go early on the morining,late at night and its hardly anyone, but the imes we go in ther other times wow pack to the gill. Now for me i love it,i love crowds the more the better(as long as there is a bit of order) but its so funny to see the dinning area so pack!,dont ask me why you would feguire there would be alot of people

 

[chocovrdmicears]

This is my family's first trip to Disneyworld , We will be there from Feb 13-18th. At first I was a little confussed but after reading this thread and some FAQ's on Disney's mom panel, I figured out the difference between Room Only and Packages. I call Disney this morning for the first time to add a day to my vacation( I orginally booked online) and talked to a CM that was sooooo nice and helped me with everything, making sure I had everything I needed and nothing I did not want. Since we are about 9 days away, I could do the online check-in but have read it may not be necessary. I have booked dinner reservations for the times we want ( I did this a couple of months ago). I rented the double stroller from Magic Stroller, reserved horseback riding for my DD18and DD13, BBB for my DD5 and DD4,even our customized maps have arrived. Now I do not know what else to do to make sure we have magical time....any suggestions?

Sounds like you have it all covered! How exciting to be taking your 4 girls to WDW for the first time! I always find the week before we leave the loooonnngest part of the wait. I hope you and your family have a wonderful vacation!

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

This is my family's first trip to Disneyworld , We will be there from Feb 13-18th. At first I was a little confussed but after reading this thread and some FAQ's on Disney's mom panel, I figured out the difference between Room Only and Packages. I call Disney this morning for the first time to add a day to my vacation( I orginally booked online) and talked to a CM that was sooooo nice and helped me with everything, making sure I had everything I needed and nothing I did not want. Since we are about 9 days away, I could do the online check-in but have read it may not be necessary. I have booked dinner reservations for the times we want ( I did this a couple of months ago). I rented the double stroller from Magic Stroller, reserved horseback riding for my DD18and DD13, BBB for my DD5 and DD4,even our customized maps have arrived. Now I do not know what else to do to make sure we have magical time....any suggestions?

It sounds like you're great and you'll have a wonderful time! We'll be there that week, too, and we're SO excited! Just relax and have fun - don't try to do IT ALL, because you may stress yourself out on it, and enjoy the magic.

 

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

Hey all-just got back from our best trip ever at Disney! Had rm 6110 and it was a great location. We'd requested 1st floor Hippy Dippy poolside, got 1st floor but not the other. Checked in about 930pm and they didn't have polside that eve, but called a little later saying they had one the next day if we wanted to move. Once we got to our room, we were happy with the location and just wanted to get settled so we called and let them know we were perfectly content!

The CMs were all very nice and helpful! Bus service was great all week, never waited more than 10'minutes and usually alot less. Food court busy and chaotic but manageable. Only very minor frustration was the morning we were leaving, I wanted to chi in to airtram and print boarding passes and knead told to go outside, then they told menu needed to be inside...

All in all, it was phenomenal, Pop was perfect and we'll definately be back (hopefully sooner than later).