I've stayed at POP twice and loved it both times. As beautiful as Animal Kingdom Lodge was on my first adult trip, we really didn't spend any time in the hotel. The values are considerably cheaper if you're only sleeping and occasionally using the pool at your hotel-- I don't know about the other values, but I miss POP all the time! We requested a room on the top floor of the 50s section both times, and it was quiet at night and not too long of a walk to the buses.
While I've never done a solo trip, I did spend some time alone in HS because my cousin wasn't feeling the Star Wars Weekends stuff. I'm pretty shy and was a little nervous, but I enjoyed it once I got to the park. It's liberating, as so many others have said, to stroll about and do exactly what you feel like doing.