Value Comparison - POP, ASMu, or ASSp

[BrianD]

We are looking at Values for our next trip down, and what is available is All Star Music, All Star Sports, & POP (preferred only).

In their current condition, I'm looking for opinions on which one you would pick. We have two small children (7 & 4), and the three things I'm really looking for are:
1. Which one's rooms are in the best condition (including bed comfort)?
2. Which one has the best pool areas for the young kids?
3. Which one has the most appealing theme for the young'ins?

Thank you in advance!!!

 

[Tara8595]

All would likely suit your needs. Pop has the biggest food court and dedicated bus service. It's my favorite value, so I'm biased to recommend that one.

 

[disneymath]

Well, ASMu rooms were recently refurbed ... finished in 2007. We stayed in a Family Suite in December 2007 and thought it was fine - very comfy bed, comfy-enough pull out. Clean too.

Apparently ASSp was getting pretty run down, but their rooms are currently being refurbed (or have recently been finished).

PoP is the newest of the three.

Not sure how much this helps.

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

I can't tell you about ASM. I love the theming at the POP. I also love the kids pools...especially with a non-swimmer or toddler the kiddie pool is wonderful. However...the size of POP is much bigger than the other values. To me, I hate trying to walk back to our room at POP after long days in the parks with young kids. They are exhausted and it is all you can do to get them back to the room. For that reason alone I liked ASSp much better. Room condition was slightly better at POP but they were refurbishing ASSp last Aug. when we were there. The theming is good at ASsp too. The food court at ASSp is not as extensive as POP but also not as chaotic. We are taking 2 4yr old granddaughters in September and we are choosing ASsp for the reasons above. I love the moderates for many many reasons and wish I could always afford to use them over the values, but it just isn't in the budget this year....so ASSp it is! And I will love every minute of it!

 

[BrianD]

Thanks guys! So it sounds like perhaps POP has the best of the "kddie" pool areas, but ASSp & ASMu may have the most recently updated rooms. Theming seems to be good at all three. Size of the resort is not really a concern for us. Hmm...

Any other opinions? Thanks again!

 

[kjs1976]

POP!!!! We have stayed at AS-M and S several times and then POP last Aug. The rooms at POP were the same as the AS. Although I know the rooms at AS-M have been refurbished, the ones at POP are in great condition.

Pop has a SUPER food court with a tremendous variety of dishes...we've found it to be the best on property. The pools are fantastic for the kiddos and the theming is awesome. Plus, POP has it's own bus service and doesn't share with other resorts. AS shares busses and they get very crowded very fast!

Oh, and although I'm sure that you'll be spending most of your time at the parks, POP does have some fun kiddie play areas outside, plus kid activities by the front desk in the afternoon and by the pools!

 

[minnie61650]

I have stayed at all levels of Disney Resorts. My favorite Disney owned resort is All Star Music.

Here are a few reasons :



1. I can book a preferred room location.
The way All Star Music is laid out it "seems" smaller than most of the other Disney resorts. If I stay in a preferred building I only see the Calypso and Jazz builings on the way to and from the main pool and the bus stop and food court. Since I stay in preferred room I know I am going to be close to the food court, bus stop, & main pool.

2. I enjoy the theming at the All Stars. All Star Music is also is the quietest of the values. Generally less people stay there and there are more seniors and couples and less young children because children enjoy the themes of the other values more.

3. The bus service at the All Star Music is very good. Since I use an ECV good bus transportation is essential.

4. The entry at the values and Mods are much more Handicap friendly.
I am able to get in and out of my All Star room unassisted. This way my husband can go and play a round of golf and know I can leave my room to relax by the pool if I choose.
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All Star Music is my favorite resort. It tends to be the quietest of all the values.


All Star Music just underwent a refurbishment of all of the rooms and was completed in June 2007.


Here is a website with photos of the newly refurbished rooms at All Star Music.

Look at the Jazz Inn section with new posted:

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


* NOTE: The Calypso and Jazz sections of All Star Music also have a privacy curtain between the vanity and sleeping area making a little dressing area. Disney's mods have aprivacy curtain but All Star Music is the only value to also have the privacy curtain.

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DH and I enjoy the landscaping and peacefulness of All Star Music.
We enjoy relaxing by the pool (there are plenty of chairs and lounges), and the beautiful lighting at the resort by night.

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I love The All Star Resorts.

I am 57 years old and travel several times a yearfor pleasure. I often stay at 3 and 4 star and sometimes a 5 star hotels and motels.
So the deluxe and mod resorts are just another hotel/motel to me.
Staying at an All Star is like being in the heart of the Magic and that is where I want to be.

All Star Music is my favorite. It is quieter because more couples stay there. I love staying at the Calypso building. It is closer to the pool, food court and bus stop.

Here is a site with a map of All Star Sports and All Star Music.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmap.htm
Scroll down. All Star Music is at the bottom of the page.
The Calypso buildings at All Star Music are #1 and #10 are nearest to the food court and bus stop.

The Calypso pool at ASMu has Donald Duck.

The buses are wonderful.

Bus rides are quite short from the ALL Stars according to PassPorter.com

All Star Buses-CBR buses---POPbuses--PO buses--- Contemporary
MK 20 min---- 20 min-----25 min------10 min---20 min(mono)
Epcot 10 min-- 15 min-----20 min------10 min---15 min
MGM 10 min----12 min-----15 min------15 min---20min
AK 10 min------20min-------15 min----15 min---20 min
DTD 15 min----20 min------20 min-----15 min---35 min

It only takes 10 minutes to get to Epcot, MGM and AK from All Stars.
MK is 20 min away. That's the same amount of time it takes on the monorail from the Contemporary.

A WORD ABOUT BUS SHARING

To me Bus Sharing at the All Stars is really a non issue.

In the mornings during Park opening hours each All Star usually has a dedicated bus.
During mid day it is usually just our stop and maybe one more on the way to the parks. On the way back sometimes it is all 3 but often Sports and Movies share and Music has it's own bus back. Each of the All Stars usually has it's own dedicated bus back from the MK.
That is a big plus. It seems like the Music bus stop usually has the shortest of the three All Star bus lines.

I guess some people who stay at POP see all 3 All Star names on the return sign of our bus stop when they head to the POP bus stop and think All Stars also has 3 stops on the way to the park.
(Even when we stop at another AS resort to load up it has not taken more than 5 minutes and we are on our way!)

The pools at The All Stars are very kid friendly.

When staying at the All Stars you can use any of the All Star pools.That means 3 main pools ,3 quiet pools and 3 kiddie pools to chose from.

The All Star Movie Fantasia pool has Mickey.

The Calypso pool at ASMU has Donald Duck.

And the Surfs up pool at All Star Sports has giant surf boards.

Here are a few pool photos.

All Star Sports pool.

All Star Music Donald pool.

All Star Movies Mickey Pool.

I have visited WDW more than a dozen times with the 1st time in Oct. 1971. It was brand new. I've stayed at FW, Disney Inn, a few the of Hotels on hotel Blvd., CBR and the towers at the Contemporary. I got to see the MK from my balcony at the Contemporary and I'm happy I got to experience it once. I just prefer the All Star Resorts.
The theming is pure Disney.

My last 6 visits have been at The All Stars and during the fall of 2005 when we took dd,dsil, and our grandson age 3(at the time) for 8 nights we stayed at the All Stars Music. I thought about AKL and even though we can well afford AKL I just wanted Alex to experience the Disney Magic at the All Stars on his first visit.
Where else can one find Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse at the pool?

Have fun at Disney!

 

[Goofy4]

Many, many, many more similarities than differences. I don't think Disney wants there to be a perception that any one is overall "better" than the others.

As mentioned, our Music room had obviously been recently refurbed -- no sign of wear.

This might help: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/resortmain.htm