Value Resorts

[Patty1]

Is there any difference between the value resort? Which would you suggest? Are there any differences is the pools or bus services?

Thanks!

 

[goofygal531]

I don't think there's any difference. My friend loves the Pop since it's the newest. I would also think the bus service is better at the Pop since the All Stars share a bus.

Then again, I've never stayed at a value, so I don't have hands on experience.

 

[Stitchfans]

My favorite Value is Movies because of the themeing. You always feel like you are at Disney while staying there. We stayed at Music in '04 and then Movies in '05 and '07. Back to Movies this coming March '08.

As far as the buses. They are all crowded as far as I know. But they come regularly so the wait isn't that terribly long. Now the cafeterias that is another story. Those no matter what meal seem to always be pretty crowded from what I have seen.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I always pick value resorts based on the theme that most appeals to those I am traveling with. The services are basically the same from one to another. Pop is very popular on these boards, but I've enjoyed my stays at the All Stars as well.

 

[boomhauer]

My favorite is the Movies.

FWIW - The sharing of buses at All Star Movies is 90% of the time, a moot point.

1.In the morning when the parks are opening, Movies has it's own bus.
2.Right after the parks close, Movies has it's own bus.
3.Because Movies and Music are so close, if the line for the Music bus isn't long, just take that one. Some rooms are closer taking that bus.

 

[helenk]

I really enjoy the Allstar Music, it has recently been refurbished and the rooms are like new.
As boomhauer indicated in the early morning and late evening when the parks close, each Allstar Resort has its own bus so the bus sharing really is not a problem.
When they do share a bus, the pick up route is Allstar Sports, then Music and then Movies.

 

[Rylee]

The All Star Resorts are all similar, other than the theming. (10 buildings X 3 floors, 1920 rooms) The resort center is where the check-in desk, food court, arcade and gift shop are located. Outside this building is where the main pool is. There is one other "quiet" pool. The All Stars sometimes share buses, but we've never had any issues regarding this.

Pop Century Resort is larger, (10 buildings X 4 floors, close to 3,000 rooms) although the rooms are the same size as All Stars (260 sq ft.). It has one main pool and 2 quiet pools to accommodate the number of additional guest.

I would choose whatever theming your family likes best. My family likes ASMovies.

 

[D&DDisney]

During our recent trip we stayed at Movies and POP. POP was by far cleaner and more organized in the check-in/check-out procedures than Movies.

 

[clkelley]

My favorite Value is Movies because of the themeing. You always feel like you are at Disney while staying there. We stayed at Music in '04 and then Movies in '05 and '07. Back to Movies this coming March '08.

As far as the buses. They are all crowded as far as I know. But they come regularly so the wait isn't that terribly long. Now the cafeterias that is another story. Those no matter what meal seem to always be pretty crowded from what I have seen.

Breakfast at 6:30 in the morning is not crowded

 

[clkelley]

Because of the extra rooms at Pop, the bus lines even an hour after closing at MK and Epcot are really long. We always hang in the parks for at least an hour after closing to avoid the bus lines, and were really surprised to find Pop's lines still super long!!!

 

[clkelley]

Also, Pop Century is in a different county than All-Stars, so the room tax is 1/2% cheaper than All-Stars.

 

[Dawn68PA]

We've stayed at ASMu and at Pop. I enjoyed them both. Next year we'll do ASMo.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We enjoy Pop more but that is just a personal preference. We have found all the value resorts to be close enough that the slight differences aren't worth worrying about.

 

[minnie61650]

NOISE:

We stay at All Star Music and my DH who is a builder remarked about how quiet the rooms are at All Star Music. We never our heard our neighbors and I only heard a toilet flush (softly) once when I was awake during the night.

I had read that the ventilation system at Pop is set up different than the system at the All Star resorts.
Apparently 16 rooms at Pop all share the same ventilation system.
That is why Pop had a lot of problems with guests smelling smoke when smokers would smoke in neighboring rooms.

See this thread about 16 rooms sharing the venting system at Pop:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?p=21999445&posted=1#post21999445



I think the room noises are also traveling through the ventilation system at Pop.

So even though the walls may not be any thinner at Pop the rooms seem to be noisier there.

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Here is a list of differences between the two resorts.

Pop is newer.
Pop was built in 2003.
All Star Movies was built in 1999.
All Star Sports and Music were built in 1994.

All Star Music is 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



All Star Sports is slated to be refurbished between June 2007 and Feb.of 2008.

Pop has a lake. The All Stars do not have a lake.

When staying at the All Stars you use any of the All Stars pools.
The 3 All Stars are within easy walking distance of each other.

The gift shops are separate from the food court at the All Stars.
The gift shop and food court are combined at Pop.

Pop has 2,880 guest rooms. 4 floors in each building.
Each of the All Stars has 1,960 rooms. 3 floors in each building.

Both Pop and the All Star rooms are 260 square feet.

The beds at the All Stars are movable.

the beds at Pop at bolted to the floor.

The far bed at an All Star is closer to wall. And the near bed is not as close to the doorway as it is at Pop

The far bed at Pop is pulled away from the wall more. The near bed is closer to door.
http://allearsnet.com/acc/asmv59.jpg
http://allearsnet.com/acc/popcent56.jpg

For most people that would not make a difference but since I need an ECV
the bed being so near the door at Pop makes it more difficult for me to back my EVC in.

 

[RllngRckBrw]

I like 2 resorts better than the rest but it mostly a matter of preference for the themeing. I like Pop because it has its own bus (and in my opinion the best food court). I also like Sports because it is the first bus stop for the other three All Star hotels. These are very small differences but for the same price it is worth it to us.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

I've stayed at All Star Movies, All Star Sports and Pop Century. My absolute favorite is Pop. The rooms are newer (less wear and tear) plus the layout and amenities seem to be planned much better than the ones at All-Star. The last time I stayed I had a car so I can't comment as to the bus situation.

The 70s section at Pop (Mickey Phone building) rules!

 

[minnie61650]

Buses:

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!)

 

[joeathome167]

Just my two cents on the subject....

We stayed at AS Movies in May 2003. We found it to be fine for our family of 4. The only issue was...the busing after the parks close. We usually held back and let the crowd stream out and by the time we got to the buses they were packed. We ended up waiting for the last bus and didn't get back to the room till real late. But we got a seat and it was better than cramming on a full bus and I mean cramming. But it was a lot of late nights for our 2 and 4 yr. old.

 

[pinkygirl]

quick question please, just wondering if POP has shuttle to MCO airport? We are going on a Disney cruise in Oct and we are planning a one nigth stay after the cruise. Thanks

 

[ilovemyjj]

I have stayed at all 3 resorts, and the only thing to me that was different was the theming..different bathroom wallpaper, bed sheets and pics on the wall. That was about it!! I didnt really have a fav. i just like a place to sleep, i get up and im out the door, so i dont care about scenery..lol!!