My question is, Should I ask for a preferred room with a lake view (if there is such a thing), or am I better off embracing the Pop Culture and asking for a room near the Hippy Dippy pool so that everyone will see our GirlzGonePop decorations? Is there a happy medium?
The last two times, I have requested Lake View, and got stuck behind those big dancing people on the sides of the building! Both times we decorated our windows and neither time could anyone see it!!!! (yes, I am still crazed over it) So, request what you really want (lake view) and take what they give you. (This time I was in preferred, and before that had requested 70's lakeview.)
I had an excellent TA, and she had both called and FAXed POP before our arrival and I still got a crappy room. When I returned, I was going to change my request for September, but she said, that it is a little harder to get a Lake View room when you are in preferred because there are less available. In September, we have standard room request for lake view - period. She said that may be easier to accomodate since they could put us in either 70's or 50's.
The lake view rooms, in my humble opinion, are MUCH quieter, and, it makes me feel like I am on vacation. The pool rooms were very loud. I was in the 60's above the kiddie pool on the third floor and it was VERY LOUD with people yelling for thier kids both at 3AM (and the kid was yelling back that she was NOT coming up)

and at 7AM (thank you "Bradley"'s mom)

! (I realize that could happen anywhere, but if you are in a lake view, the kids shouldn't be hanging out below for their parents to yell to them to come back to the room)
OK, so, that's my rather lengthy answer. Let us know what you decide.