Pop Century Questions

[SarahC97]

I'm considering trying Pop on our next trip, but I'm a little nervous about it. I'm afraid that the resort is just going to be too busy and chaotic. Does it feel crowded? Is it a big resort? Is the bus service quick or are there long lines? Is it worth it to get a preferred room? t know it's a very popular resort and I'm just a little worried that it won't have a relaxed feel. I'd love to hear your experiences!

 

[Shellyb84]

I think Pop is a relaxing resort! The grounds are lovely and the only times we've really noticed that it felt crowded was at certain times at the food court. We never really had an issue with the bus, the line just depends on when you arrive so that's just a matter of luck really. Personally I wouldn't pay extra for preferred. We've had standard rooms in several sections of the resort and never felt it was a very long walk to the main building.

We stayed at Pop a few times just for a night prior to checking in somewhere else, and I was a little hesitant when we actually booked a trip there (it was a 4 night long weekend) - but we ended up loving it! We've been a few other nights and a long weekend since then, and will be staying 5 nights there in June for the first part of a split stay.

One nice thing I've noticed is that the pools never really felt crowded. I think so many people stay there that are in the parks all day long, it's not like a mod or deluxe where people spend a good bit of time at the resort.

 

[fla4fun]

I think the bus transportation is as good at Pop as any other resort. Yes, the value resort bus stops are typically the farthest out at the parks, but not that much farther than the mods. I like the fact that there are designated queues at the resort for each bus, so you don’t get that free for all rush like at the mods or deluxes when the bus arrives. Once you get a feel for the bus timing, it’s pretty easy to catch one without waiting too long.

I have stayed in every section except the fifties, and they all have advantages and disadvantages. The sixties was closer to the lobby and food court, but was noisier than the other areas because of the pool and other activities. I actually prefer the 80’s and 90’s, as they are close to the buses by cutting through the parking, but away from the hustle and bustle of the main pool. Some people prefer the fifties because they are close to the other end of the lobby building.

The food court can get busy in the mornings, so I usually have some food in the room for breakfast. I have not found it to be overly busy the remainder of the day.

 

[10MoreMinutes]

I love Pop! I've stayed there twice and it's never felt busy or crowded to me, except occasionally the food court area (we avoided that by going in at off-meal-times). I will qualify that by saying I've never used any of the pools, so those may feel different than the rest of the resort. I've never had an issue with buses either...I can think of only one time where I waited more than 10-15 minutes (that was for a Pop to DS bus in the middle of the afternoon), including leaving the parks at the end of the night. The walk from the parks to the Pop bus stop sometimes isn't fun if you've been on your feet all day because it's usually one of the furthest bus stops away.

In my opinion, it looks like a bigger resort on a map than it feels when you're there. I've stayed in the 80s section and the 90s section and could get to the main building and bus stops within 5-10 minutes at a leisurely pace by cutting through the parking lot instead of going through the center of the resort, so I've never felt the need to book a preferred room. Also, because the preferred rooms are closer to the main building, it may feel busier in those sections.

 

[my_ears]

I stayed at Pop for 10 days and it didn't feel crowded. It was late Feb/early March though. I enjoyed the 80s because it was right by the computer pool which was quiet and a quick walk across the parking lot to the buses aswell as the food court. I never waited more than 15 mins for a bus. Some might consider 15 mins "a long time" but I'm from NYC and used to taking buses/subway everywhere so that is NOTHING in comparison. Now, once you arrive to the parks the stop is one of the furthest away. Probably because it's a value so be ready. We definetly felt that walk a couple nights leaving the parks exhausted, kinda like will we ever reach the bus?! lol And they do get crowded if you leave the parks late, which we did most nights. You might have to stand at times. Or wait for the next bus, which isn't too bad because they tend to come back to back at that time. So the wait isn't crazy.
It's not that big of a resort, we walked through the entire place exploring and it was fine. Cool thing is, you can walk across the bridge and visit AoA, which is beautiful.
I can't speak of Preferred because we had a Standard Pool View. I can say that I was able to lay by the pool and relax, no problem. One day there was a small group of cheerleaders practicing by the pool but they were quiet. Ran into them again coming back from the park that night. They didn't hang around, went straight to their rooms. That was the only time I saw them. But we did spend most of our time either at the parks or Universal.
We loved Pop, will def return. Make sure to get a refurbed room if you end up going. They are great.

 

[DaniMoon]

We love POP, we are heading there for 13 nights in August. It will be our fourth stay in six years. I don't find it crowded, we don't do breakfasts in the food court, but that does look like the busiest time there.

We have rarely waited for a bus longer than 10-15 minutes (one exception was during a downpour right before closing, but all the buses were crazy). Buses can be crowded and at busier times it's a 50/50 shot whether you have a seat or are standing. We take breaks during the day and those buses are usually not crowded and we have seats -- also we can hop on a AOA bus if one comes sooner (bus stops are next to each other) and less than 10 minute walk back to POP from AOA.

Our favorite room is a 70s lake-view top floor -- quiet and not far from food court, buses, the bar. I would personally avoid the preferred pool view room category, more traffic -- movies at night, etc.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I'm considering trying Pop on our next trip, but I'm a little nervous about it. I'm afraid that the resort is just going to be too busy and chaotic. Does it feel crowded? Is it a big resort? Is the bus service quick or are there long lines? Is it worth it to get a preferred room? t know it's a very popular resort and I'm just a little worried that it won't have a relaxed feel. I'd love to hear your experiences!

Pop is a large resort. Most of the day, the bus situation is fine. Even in the morning, you won't get all that huge of a line as people don't all leave at once. Breakfast in the dining area is as crowded as it gets all day. And believe me it is crowded. But we just grab a banana or apple the night before and munch on the way to the parks in the morning anyway. Sometimes I'll run in for some milk. The register line isn't all that bad. It's the waiting for your food and eating the food where the crowds come in. And Milk and fruit are all self serve and we don't need a table. In out poof. We don't really eat a big breakfast. Then we're ready for lunch BEFORE the rush. However, in the evening after fireworks and at closing, the line for the bus is humungous. Go buy a late night ice cream and sit for about 20-30 minutes, then head out. Why stand in a long line when you can eat ice cream instead? If you've seen all the scooter pie fights and the like on this site regarding the bus lines, well guess what? If you grab that ice cream, all that stuff isn't going to matter because you won't be waiting long for a bus anyway. The walk to the line at Epcot is a long one. Same goes for AK. I haven't found the premium rooms worth it. And some of them are positioned so people are walking by on their way to breakfast. And well people don't use their quiet voices. Something about being outside makes people forget they're in a hotel hallway right outside someone's room.
The buses aren't all that far from the 80s if you're in the building where you just cut across the parking lot. The other building though, well through the pool area, through the 90s building, no cut across the parking lot... Yeah. A haul. We joked that only one room had a longer walk than we did. And it was right next to us. But not nearly the haul you'll be doing in the parks. The upper floors of the 50s can be cool too because you get a view of the fireworks from there. In general, the outer buildings are a lot more quiet. We drive and enjoy the close proximity to the parking lot. Many of the premium rooms are not close to any parking.

All in all we do like Pop.

 

[SarahC97]

Pop is a large resort. Most of the day, the bus situation is fine. Even in the morning, you won't get all that huge of a line as people don't all leave at once. Breakfast in the dining area is as crowded as it gets all day. And believe me it is crowded. But we just grab a banana or apple the night before and munch on the way to the parks in the morning anyway. Sometimes I'll run in for some milk. The register line isn't all that bad. It's the waiting for your food and eating the food where the crowds come in. And Milk and fruit are all self serve and we don't need a table. In out poof. We don't really eat a big breakfast. Then we're ready for lunch BEFORE the rush. However, in the evening after fireworks and at closing, the line for the bus is humungous. Go buy a late night ice cream and sit for about 20-30 minutes, then head out. Why stand in a long line when you can eat ice cream instead? If you've seen all the scooter pie fights and the like on this site regarding the bus lines, well guess what? If you grab that ice cream, all that stuff isn't going to matter because you won't be waiting long for a bus anyway. The walk to the line at Epcot is a long one. Same goes for AK. I haven't found the premium rooms worth it. And some of them are positioned so people are walking by on their way to breakfast. And well people don't use their quiet voices. Something about being outside makes people forget they're in a hotel hallway right outside someone's room.
The buses aren't all that far from the 80s if you're in the building where you just cut across the parking lot. The other building though, well through the pool area, through the 90s building, no cut across the parking lot... Yeah. A haul. We joked that only one room had a longer walk than we did. And it was right next to us. But not nearly the haul you'll be doing in the parks. The upper floors of the 50s can be cool too because you get a view of the fireworks from there. In general, the outer buildings are a lot more quiet. We drive and enjoy the close proximity to the parking lot. Many of the premium rooms are not close to any parking.

All in all we do like Pop.

Haha at scooter pie fights!

One of my concerns about pop is the size. When we stay value we normally stay at one of the All Stars and I really like the size of those resorts, but with the Skyliner coming in next year (it should be open when we go) and the refurbished rooms, I'm wondering if I should give Pop a try. We stayed at AoA in the LM rooms and I did not like that walk at the end of the day. Same for the moderates, the resorts were just too big for our tastes. So, I'm really on the fence. Thanks for the info and sharing your experience!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Haha at scooter pie fights!

One of my concerns about pop is the size. When we stay value we normally stay at one of the All Stars and I really like the size of those resorts, but with the Skyliner coming in next year (it should be open when we go) and the refurbished rooms, I'm wondering if I should give Pop a try. We stayed at AoA in the LM rooms and I did not like that walk at the end of the day. Same for the moderates, the resorts were just too big for our tastes. So, I'm really on the fence. Thanks for the info and sharing your experience!

Now that I have a bit more info, yeah a preferred room might be worth it for you. Pop has 2880 rooms. All Star Movies has 1920. Pop is equal in rooms to 1.5 times All star movies or 50% more. But Pop has four floors whereas All star movies has three So much of Pop's bigger size is up rather than out. That said the configuration is a bit different and the far buildings in the 80s might be too far for you. Also if you got stuck at the far end of the 50s. it might also be too far. By the way I want to ride that skyliner.

But Oh God, some of the mods are humongous. Just driving from the back to the front can prompt an Are we there yet from the kids.

 

[hes122]

I've stayed at Pop 3 times and never found it to be that big to be honest. The first time we had a preferred room in the 60s section, the 2nd time was a single night in the 50s section, and this last time in the 80s. I've never found the walk to be cumbersome, but I will say that during this last visit we traipsed through the resort to get to our room in the 80s section which took a while with luggage and an Amazon delivery box. Once we took a better look at the map and discovered that we could get to where we wanted to go via the path by the parking lot it was smooth sailing from there on out. If I can get some things sorted out I am likely going to be staying there again in November.

 

[buzznina]

We have stayed at POP 3 times and had great trips while staying there. Sometimes it can feel a bit crowded but nothing that bothered us. For us, I do not get that relaxing feel like I do at a Mod or Deluxe but it is not themed that way, but we appreciate the fun theme's of the value resorts. Buses are buses no matter what resort you stay at, you can have long lines or waits at any of them. I cannot help with the size of resorts because it really does not bother us if we have to walk a few minutes more, it's not a big deal to us. Have a magical time wherever you stay

 

[strike4]

Why stand in a long line when you can eat ice cream instead?

You sound exactly like my family! hahaha

 

[ellbell]

I love Pop. I've stayed twice. Once in the 90's section in September and it was so quiet and relaxing. If walking across the parking lot it wasn't far at all. The second time in March was in the 70's and it was closer but there was a bit more noise. I just downloaded a white noise app and it resolved issues with that. I have never waited for a bus going to or coming from the parks for more than 10 minutes which was great. I am planning on 3 more trips in the next 2 years and unless it becomes really expensive I'll continue to book there.

 

[Haley R]

We just had our first stay at Pop and loved it! We are booked there again for October. We had a Standard room, building 10 room 0435 and it was SO close to the bus stop. It was really nice to be that close after getting back late from the parks.

The buses were always great except for one time at AK. We waited about 20 minutes for a bus (which really isn't that bad), but that was the longest we waited. They jam packed those buses which is fine with me because I like to get where I'm going and if it means I have to stand then oh well.

We never thought the food court was busy, but we were usually there during off times.

 

[greg9x]

Preferred was nice last trip, first time had it. Was n 50's building 1 and was only about 25 yards (taking the side stairs) from the main building side door, and about 50 yards from the dining entrance. It's not necessary, but it was nice.

Buses usually ok, but larger resort = more scooters you have to wait for and larger lines after end of night shows from parks. As well as the further stops, but that's all values.

 

[Fern]

We usually stay deluxe (occasionally mod), and we had our first stay at Pop last year. I was really pleasantly surprised! We got one of the first renovated rooms and found them to be great and very efficiently planned. Grounds did not feel crowded at all. It was very spread out, but we were in bldg 2 (standard), so pretty close to the bus stop and had no issues with waiting. I did find the food court to be crazy busy and loud, but for breakfast we were all just trying to get in and out so it wasn't a big deal. I wouldn't go there to try to have a relaxing meal or anything! If we ate breakfast there, we would usually grab a table outside so it wasn't so loud. The main pool was great for our needs, and we didn't really miss the slides at deluxe level. It got a little crowded with kids mid-day, but not too bad. Kids enjoyed the laptop pool. I would stay there again (and in fact, we are). The business was completely acceptable considering how much money we saved on the room. We don't spend a ton of time at the resort anyway, so the relative lack of amenities wasn't a big deal.

 

[SarahC97]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond. I think we're going to give it a whirl next summer!

 

[HopperFan]

I'm considering trying Pop on our next trip, but I'm a little nervous about it.

1) I'm afraid that the resort is just going to be too busy and chaotic. Does it feel crowded?

2) Is it a big resort?

3) Is the bus service quick or are there long lines?

4) Is it worth it to get a preferred room? t know it's a very popular resort and I'm just a little worried that it won't have a relaxed feel.

5) I'd love to hear your experiences!

1) I'll just say that Disney overall has a very high occupancy rate. Whenever you go, all resorts will be equally full so I would never book thinking well xxx will be less full of people than xxx. I have been at POP Century MANY trips where it is very full ... and yet other than when the BTG are there, I have never experienced what I felt was crowded walks, pools etc. I've had trips where I never saw anyone else on our hallway. I have stayed at moderates and deluxe hotels that were obviously full, impossible to get lounges at main pool and hard to get on buses.

2) Surprisingly the footprint is not large. The buildings are 4 story so more rooms per building than the AllStars.

3) Bus, sure it can get crowded but so can any other bus option on any given day. I never pick a resort based on buses. Sometimes you walk up to lines, sometimes nothing. The longest lines will be at a park at closing but you can avoid those windows. The plus is everyone gets on fairly since one stop, opposed to say POR where a bus might be full before it gets to you even if you had been at stop much longer.

4) NO. It's not that large and Preferred will actually put you in the middle of the activity and traffic. We like Standard and request Lake View room. Much quieter.

5) Something like 30-35+ stays and our favorite Value. There is nothing specific to POP that would keep me from booking.

 

[WeLoveDisneyAlways]

POP is our Disney home we love it and we’ll be back in 166 days. We love relaxing by the pool in fact it’s so relaxing I fell asleep the one day while DD and DH swam. We’ve been going in January the past few years and it’s be quiet other than dinner time in the food court this year we’re going in October so I am expecting larger crowds hopefully the pools aren’t too rowdy. We also love the food court only place on earth DD is always happy at dinner time can’t even say that about eating at home we’ve never had issues with buses. Can’t wait to see the new renovated rooms

 

[Haley R]

POP is our Disney home we love it and we’ll be back in 166 days. We love relaxing by the pool in fact it’s so relaxing I fell asleep the one day while DD and DH swam. We’ve been going in January the past few years and it’s be quiet other than dinner time in the food court this year we’re going in October so I am expecting larger crowds hopefully the pools aren’t too rowdy. We also love the food court only place on earth DD is always happy at dinner time can’t even say that about eating at home we’ve never had issues with buses. Can’t wait to see the new renovated rooms

The new rooms are awesome!