value resorts and school groups

[HopperFan]

I am worried about the international tour groups for our upcoming stay at the POP. I have heard they are quite rude and I don't want to go to jail for laying out some 16 year old from Brazil.

I actually changed our dates this year to avoid them after two miserable stays with them. Pay for a preferred room, be prepared for food court to be a nightmare at breakfast and part of the dinner time and get to buses early - if a group is there and you don't think you will get on, speak to a CM about calling for additional bus. We ended up not eating at food court and driving to parks.

Trip 1 - I did talk to kids direct going to their rooms. Pointless. Incredible behavior. The next night I told their "chaperone" if I had problems again I was no longer depending on resort to handle, I was calling the police to come because I felt unsafe. Listened or not but we finally got to sleep before 1 am for the first time in 5 days.

 

[HopperFan]

Only a thousand?lol

I actually sat and counted how many got on tour buses one night in animal costumes and I think there were about 600. Thought we were going to have quiet evening but alas there were still hundreds roaming, chanting, singing, slamming doors ..... so I estimated 1000.

But 1000 actually feels more like 10,000 when you multiply with the behavior.

 

[mom4fun]

When POP was new they did not allow. My DS team was participating at WWoS and wanted to stay there because their coaches keep control and didn't want them around other teams. Disney said no. The parent in charge continued to "negotiate" and they finally agreed if they paid rack rate. Done. NOW POP is full of groups and sadly during BTG season (not spring break) will be home to a thousand at a time.

AoA is your best bet but you will pay top price and no discount. AllStars are guaranteed but never heard of issues at Movies.

POP usually places all groups in the 90's and 80's where their buses can easily pull up, they have their own pool and they don't have to go through other resort areas to get to food court or buses. Request rooms in other areas.

Do you think 70's Lakeview, would be a good choice to avoid the school groups? They told me there was no availability for standard rooms in 50's section.

 

[MsEeyoreLover]

I've always stayed at the All-Star Movies Resort. The one time I did get a room all the way in the far back, there was a lot of school groups but they were no bother to us! .. I didn't see any when I was in the Toys Story section

 

[HopperFan]

Do you think 70's Lakeview, would be a good choice to avoid the school groups? They told me there was no availability for standard rooms in 50's section.

I think they are mostly housed in the 90's and 80's. But if you are booking next spring they would have no way of knowing if there was availability in the 50's. Rooms are not assigned this far out and it is not a bookable category.

I would:
- Book your trip for your dates in POP Standard.
- Call back in a couple months and ask that they add 50's Lake View to your reservation.
- When you are allowed to do online check in, go to requests and once again put 50's Lake View.
- Since online check in I have always gotten my requests.
- Even if you get 50's OR Lake View, I think your odds of being away from them are good.

 

[ChimCher-ee]

AoA is your best bet but you will pay top price and no discount. AllStars are guaranteed but never heard of issues at Movies.

We stayed at Music last year (July) and there were many, many groups, located in the Broadway section.

 

[mom4fun]

Thanks. I finally got a little mermaid room at AoA. Hopefully they won't have the big school groups

 

[HopperFan]

We stayed at Music last year (July) and there were many, many groups, located in the Broadway section.

I was in Broadway once with them......

 

[ChimCher-ee]

I was in Broadway once with them......

Oh no. And....?

We were parking lot side in Jazz, and we were early risers, and we were inside most nights by 8:00. That was far enough away and those seem to be teen "off peak hours."

But we did catch a bus back with them one night, and thank goodness we had been lucky enough to get in line just ahead of them. They should have to take their own buses.