The Groovy New Pop Century FAQ Thread!

[taximomfor4]

Thank you for your answers! I'm relieved now LOL, I did call to change our preferred room to standard and the CM told me the "pre-check" in starts at 7am, I had no clue. Our flights have arrived in PM past trips so we always checked in at "normal time".

We accidentally arrived at our resort at 2:30am. They told us that the computers come up for the day at 4:30am, and to pre-checkin then. This was at the All Stars, maybe it's different? We got our room keys, and had to call in after 3pm to find out our room numbers.

Beth

 

[DISUNC]

We accidentally arrived at our resort at 2:30am. They told us that the computers come up for the day at 4:30am, and to pre-checkin then. This was at the All Stars, maybe it's different? We got our room keys, and had to call in after 3pm to find out our room numbers.

Beth

I'll bite here! How does one 'accidentally' arrive at your resort???

 

[taximomfor4]

I'll bite here! How does one 'accidentally' arrive at your resort???

Well, it went something like this:

We trip-ticked our route at AAA, estimated drive time almost 18 hours. We planned to drive straight through, stopping for 1 hour every 3 hours during the first day driving, then straight through the night arriving at 7am. The kids (4 of them) were soooooo good during the drive that we only stopped, for about 20 minutes each time, twice, and then once for dinner for 45 minutes. Since DH was sleeping, not navigating, I had no way of reading the triptick during the night, so didn't realize how close we were to WDW till our Check Engine light came on and I got off the freeway. It was 2am, and we were half-hour out of our hotel. With the check engine light on, I didn't know what to do so I stopped, added some gas, turned off the engine for a few minutes, then started back up and drove the rest of the way. Because I had stopped, the kids all woke up and NOBODY went back to sleep. Figured that if the van was running fine, I'd rather get to the hotel, get it towed and fixed in the morning when we wouldn't need it anymore. Turned out it was fine, didn't need fixed till after our vacation.

We tried to get a room for the rest of the night, to shower, and watch TV till breakfast, but the values were booked solid. It was Easter Morning, at 2:30am. We went to McD's and ate french fries, smelled the warm, floral-scented air, and drove around DTD.

 

[geetey]

The same thing happened to some friends of mine. They planned on arriving at WDW around 7 am. It turns out they made MUCH better time than expected and arrived around 2 am! The kids didn't need the breaks and stops like they expected. Happy or sleeping kids = fewer stops.

They did find a hotel in the DTD area for 1 night before checking into the WL.

 

[AllyCatTapia]

I talked to a CRO & she said that when you book your resort through AAA, they don't get them until a couple days beforehand- and they don't go to central, they go straight to my resort.

So when is the room assignor assigning rooms? Is it within a 2 days timeframe? If so, what are my chances of gettign my requests? Gotta wonder!

 

[AllyCatTapia]

hmmmmm ok just called POP directly and they said the room assignor assigns rooms out THE DAY YOU ARRIVE.

Sound about right?

She also said they get the AAA requests 5 days beforehand.

 

[geetey]

I have always heard the rooms are assigned 1-3 days beforehand, so that info sounds correct to me. So many times when people are checking in, they ask if they can be moved, so I imagine the Room Assigner is very busy the day of arrival.

For our trip in May, we had 2 rooms but they were 10 rooms apart. We asked if there were any rooms closer together and the CM got us connecting rooms. We didn't care if we lost our pool view.

 

[DISUNC]

Here is the OFFICIAL, UNofficial word on Faxing room requests!

http://allearsnet.com/acc/cro1.htm

However this is dated 5/2005. Last year in July 2005 ,I faxed our room request 3 days before we arrived at the POP. The ONE & ONLY time we ever received what we requested @WDW resorts.

This year I place my request with my AAA TA, and again I will fax the POP 3 days before we arrive. What the worst that can happen...they throw out the fax!!!!

I can't STATE this enough on these boards....REALLY every room at the POP has it's good/bad points!

 

[MaBelle]

I think a lot has to do with the time of day you arrive and how booked they are on that day. We arrived on Friday night 5/19 at about 10pm. They were booked and the only request we received was non-smoking.
I had asked for 70's, lakeview, top floor:

No 70's.
Ok, what about lakeview? I'll go check. No.
Ok, what about top floor anywhere? I'll go check. No, very sorry.

So we ended up on 2nd floor in 90's building with a "garden view" (parking lot).
They said we could check into moving the next day when people checked out, but we were ready to play the next day, not move!

 

[MrsMud]

We are staying at Pop in Sept (Hubby, I and 2 girls 10 and 8). We have never before stayed in a room with just 2 double beds. Hubby and I have a King bed at home, and can manage in a Queen when staying at a hotel. However, I don't think we can manage in a double!
My 2 girls can share a double with no problem, or have even shared a twin on occasion. Still, we will need another bed for at least one of us.
My question is, if I bring a blow up twin mattress, is there room for it somewhere in the room? I know the rooms there are quite small, so I'm getting nervous. Any advice? Thanks!

 

[geetey]

MrsMud,
I don't think a twin aerobed would fit between a bed and the wall (either side) but I think you can move the table & 2 chairs to the space under the window by the door. That would leave the area along the tv wall open, and I believe a twin could fit there fine.

 

[Goofy4]

Still, we will need another bed for at least one of us.
My question is, if I bring a blow up twin mattress, is there room for it somewhere in the room? I know the rooms there are quite small, so I'm getting nervous. Any advice? Thanks!

Perhaps if you move the small table as you angle left or right to enter the room -- completely blocking access to the door. Or, just outside the bathroom door. Really tight fits either way.

 

[Goofy4]

This will be our first visit to POP, we're soo excited but have some questions and need your expert knowledge

We're on the free DP deal and preferred room is included, (60's) but we're wanting to stay in the 50's building, on the side close to Classic Hall.

1. Any 3rd floor rooms in 50's building "close to Classic Hall" that you recommend?

I would try to get into bldg 1 in 50's. It's the closest bldg to Classic Hall. I wouldn't ask for a particular room though..just third floor, close to Classic Hall.

2. Elevators or not? Yes, there are two elevators in the center of each bldg.

You're sure you don't want the 4th floor?

On the other hand, especially in the 50's, being close to the stairs (and using them) can cut a good minute or 2 off your time to your car or bus.

 

[jjarman]

MrsMud,
I don't think a twin aerobed would fit between a bed and the wall (either side) but I think you can move the table & 2 chairs to the space under the window by the door. That would leave the area along the tv wall open, and I believe a twin could fit there fine.

A former co-worker did this last year at POP and it fit just fine. I don't know exactly where they put the blow up bed but it did work.

 

[jjarman]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered but I couldn't find it on a search. Can someone post a link to the POP resort map? The one on Our Laughing Place is not working. Also, which buildings/rooms are considered preferred?

 

[Andrew_Lubow]

http://www.willcad.org/disney_maps.html

 

[jjarman]

http://www.willcad.org/disney_maps.html

Thanks. What a great site. Anyone know the preferred rooms?

 

[ChairborneRangr]

Thanks. What a great site. Anyone know the preferred rooms?

WillCAD and several other maps sites are available via my links site www.disneylinks.net

 

[cnids00]

We'd love the 4th floor..oops I guess we'll just have to wait and see whats available when we get there. We're supposed to arrive at MCO around 11:40am, so maybe we'll be able to check in once we get to the resort.
The other times we've arrived at MCO around 2-3pm...a couple of hours might make a difference, I guess right now I'd take any room if I could only be there right now!!!!

All this excitement and anticipation is driving me nuts!

 

[cnids00]

I think I read that if you use Magical Express (which we are for the first time) the resort automatically knows you're coming and it's a different room assignment thingie? Or that your room is assigned already? Or something like that..

I need some more coffee..it's my morning