Thinking of switching from POR to POP

[2kidsForMe]

Hello there. My dd, age 10, and I are heading down for a girl's only trip over 4th of July week. Yay! After much debate and switching around we finally settled on POR. The only option left for us was a Royal Room. Sounds great. The thing is, DD is not really into princesses or royal decor, and never has been. Boo! She doesn't care about pool slides or hot tubs. She just likes a nice big pool to swim around in with mom. A good food court is a must as well as decent bus service! Oh, and nightly movies. She just loves that. Should we just save the $ and head over to Pop? I know POR is beautiful, but I am concerned that it is almost sold out over 4th of July, and I am worried about crowds. Does POR absorb crowds well? I don't mind hustle and bustle, it is to expected and embraced, but if it is going to be crazy busy, would POR be an advantage over POP? Thank you so much for bearing with my long post.

 

[Missytara]

POP only has one bus stop; and POR has multiple bus stops plus they share with POFQ at busy times of days. If you are looking for "decent" bus service for that week, it is going to be a toss-up which one is going to fit your needs.

Both have very, very good food courts; POR has a sit-down restaurant as well.

POR also has the advantage of the water taxi and being able to come back at night from a resort, rather than a park. Water taxis run every 10 minutes after 4 pm, so it adds another opportunity to catch a different bus.

 

[willowsnn3]

I love POP. It just seems to "POP", lol. We always drive so we don't use the buses that much but the times we did (early morning), there was never a big wait.
We stayed at POR before and it was nice but I really like POP better. And the kids always ask if we are staying at POP when we start planning. They love it too.

 

[The Great Oz]

Our family has been at both POR and POP. I would prefer POP any day, although the rooms are smaller. I think the buses run better, we have never had to wait too long. They don't share buses with another resort and AoA is within walking distance, if you care to see it. POR is much more laid back, but I enjoy all the hustle and bustle.

 

[Marsheliz]

I having the same dilemma! We booked at CBR but I am second guessing and thinking about Pop to save some money too but I just don't know.

 

[3boys4me]

We have never stayed at POR but we have stayed at other mods. While I love the mods, our family is just too big and we need 2 rooms. My kids love POP! I do too. Not sure what it is, but we really like it. I think y'all will like it just fine. No need for some of the extras like queen beds since it is just the 2of you. Hope you all have a great mother daughter trip!

 

[Daisy'sPal]

In my experience, when my kids were that age, they had a lot of luck making "vacation friends" at the value resort pools. If your daughter is not shy, she may have a lot of fun with the other kids in the pool at POP. (She would have fun at POR, too, but for some reason the kids gravitate to each other at the value resorts, where we have not experienced that at the moderate or deluxe resorts.) You will probably have fun too, chatting with the other parents and grabbing a cocktail, if you're so inclined. This is generally where the value resorts hold the movies and kid's events, too.

POR is beautiful and the property does absorb crowds well - it is one of my favorites - as is Port Orleans French Quarter. If you have not looked at POFQ, do so. It may be another great option for you. A bit smaller, when I was there last year it did not share the bus with POR. My complaint about POP, being one of the largest capacity resorts, is that the bus terminals at the parks always seem to be at the end of the bus loop. I don't know about you, but when I'm done at the park, I am DONE and do not want to walk to the end of the bus loop to leave. Petty, but that's how my vacation brain works.

I like POP's food court environment best of the three, mainly because it is sort of mingled with the gift shop. Shopping from the breakfast table is dangerous! The dangerous shopping at the PO resorts is that you can take that little boat to Downtown Disney any time you want. Such problems.

Best of luck deciding. I think you will be happy either way. I have done "Mommy and Me trips" with both of my kids and that experience will be wonderful no matter where you are.

 

[JVig]

POR also has the advantage of the water taxi and being able to come back at night from a resort, rather than a park. Water taxis run every 10 minutes after 4 pm, so it adds another opportunity to catch a different bus.

Can you explain this a little bit? How does the water taxi help with the bus situation? The water taxi is only back and forth to Downtown Disney, correct?

I'm going to POR in August and I'm a first timer, so I'm trying to understand the options....

 

[Missytara]

Can you explain this a little bit? How does the water taxi help with the bus situation? The water taxi is only back and forth to Downtown Disney, correct?

I'm going to POR in August and I'm a first timer, so I'm trying to understand the options....

The resort bus hub is at DTD. If you end the evening at a resort, you do not have to go back to a park and then board a POR bus there. Just take the DTD bus from the resort to the hub. If you look up and you see the top of the volcano, that is RFC and the boat dock is right on the other side of it. Of course, there are multiple detours - the Christmas shop comes to mind.....ugh.

Like I said, I always end the night at a resort, so it is so good not to have to remember which park to go back to in order to transfer. I have never waited more than 15 minutes in the evening for the bus and never more than 5 minutes for the water taxi.

 

[Toadi]

Another vote for POP! We stayed there in 2005 and recently in March 2013; transportation was much better; food court great; bridge to Art of Animation, etc. We have stayed at all levels of resorts; POFQ is our fav, but POP is a great value ... highly recommend!

 

[trishadono]

I alternate my dd and ds for mom n me trips. My ds LOVES Pop!!

I say if kid loves one you will too. Their happiness will be your happiness.

Lucky for me dd likes deluxe

 

[trishadono]

I alternate my dd and ds for mom n me trips. My ds LOVES Pop!!

I say if kid loves one you will too. Their happiness will be your happiness.

Lucky for me dd likes deluxe

Also I have stayed at POP the most at 7! It is a great resort. Now that AOA is open fun to finally cross bridge. Theming is great, food court is good and service really is good there. Never had a problem and extra service is the norm. I think switch and try tie-dye cheese cake.

 

[freckles04]

If I wasn't REALLY wanting queen beds, and if my DS didn't REALLY want a pool slide, we'd go back to Pop in October in a heartbeat. (We are booked @ POR)

We are going on a short trip over Spring Break and can't wait to stay at Pop then!

 

[JVig]

The resort bus hub is at DTD. If you end the evening at a resort, you do not have to go back to a park and then board a POR bus there. Just take the DTD bus from the resort to the hub. If you look up and you see the top of the volcano, that is RFC and the boat dock is right on the other side of it. Of course, there are multiple detours - the Christmas shop comes to mind.....ugh.

Like I said, I always end the night at a resort, so it is so good not to have to remember which park to go back to in order to transfer. I have never waited more than 15 minutes in the evening for the bus and never more than 5 minutes for the water taxi.

Got it. Thank you!!

 

[2kidsForMe]

Thanks everyone. You are all so helpful. So much to think about. We stayed at FQ last year and we liked that, but this time I feel like with just the two of us I may be paying for things we won't use/need (queen bed, pool slide, royal guest rooms). Another idea I had was All Star Movies. The theming looks so fun! We have stayed at All Star Music in a family suite a while back, and I will say my kids and I loved the energy and atmosphere there. All the guests at the pool were so chatty and friendly. I am thinking that for a girl's trip we would probably like the vibe of Pop or ASMo, as opposed to the more sedate mod? I think I am talking myself into Pop.

 

[chellt]

POP only has one bus stop; and POR has multiple bus stops plus they share with POFQ at busy times of days. If you are looking for "decent" bus service for that week, it is going to be a toss-up which one is going to fit your needs.

Both have very, very good food courts; POR has a sit-down restaurant as well.

POR also has the advantage of the water taxi and being able to come back at night from a resort, rather than a park. Water taxis run every 10 minutes after 4 pm, so it adds another opportunity to catch a different bus.

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[darnheather]

POP only has one bus stop; and POR has multiple bus stops plus they share with POFQ at busy times of days. If you are looking for "decent" bus service for that week, it is going to be a toss-up which one is going to fit your needs.

Both have very, very good food courts; POR has a sit-down restaurant as well.

POR also has the advantage of the water taxi and being able to come back at night from a resort, rather than a park. Water taxis run every 10 minutes after 4 pm, so it adds another opportunity to catch a different bus.

What resorts can you go to/from POR with the water taxi?

 

[Missytara]

What resorts can you go to/from POR with the water taxi?

You have misread my post. You can take the DTD bus from any resort to the bus hub (near WPE). You walk to RFC and the Marketplace boat dock is right near that that takes you to POFQ and POR.

You can also go to SSR and THV from that same dock; you have to switch water taxis to go over to the other dock and transfer to OKW.

 

[Babsy]

I would stay at POP. T sounds like your DD would like itv there and you save \$$$$. What' no to love?