All Star VS POP Century

[wdwmom2+1]

Hi I have a few questions, We've always stayed at all star sports and my daughter Loves it because she likes the x's and o's. we love it because we like the game room, the cafeteria style food. we've also stayed at disney institute and old key west along with a bunch outside of disney. but we were wondering how does pop century compare to all star, we are going in may and have booked at all star but was wondering about pop century . any opionoins>? comparisons? thanks
Cherie

 

[StitchExp626]

Pop Century is basically the same as All Stars with maybe a few exceptions here and there. The room layouts are the same as All Stars, there's a food court like All Stars, there are giant figures/icons on the buildings. I believe Pop Century has it's own bus sytem unlike All Stars which shares its bus with other resorts. I've heard that Pop Century is a lot nicer than All Stars. Check out the link in my singature for more info about Pop Century.

 

[Chris]

We just got back from the Pop Century and it is a neat hotel but don't gop when it is busy. W had a HORROR story from last week.

We arrived on a late flight that got in at midnight. I am a Hertz Gold member so I did not have to wait for a car and we were to the hotel by 1:00am. We stood in line to check in and got a room and drug all our bags in at 1:30. It was a smoking room. We got to WDW around 3 times a year and I am familiar with their policy that they do not guarnatee a no smoking room but when I made the reservation, I emphasized it was for medical reasons. I have a son with sevier asthma and allergies to smoke. I went back to the fron t desk and stood in line again. I was told that there were no nonsmoking rooms available and they would move us the next day. In the mean time, they would send someone down to try to "freshen" the room. I returned to the room to find my family outside because my son could not breath in the room. A member of housekeeping came and sprayed some stuff around but it did no good. We gathered our luggage and returned to the fron desk now it is 2:30am. after waiting in line again (this time with three other families that had the same problem). We were told that we could stay at Coronodo Springs for that night they had some non smoking rooms available. So the other all of the families gathered in the lobby headed for Coronodo Springs. We arrive and check in and are given our room info. I asked for a late checkout since it was now 3:30 am and my 9 and 7 years olds had not yet been to sleep. I was told "NO." I asked if she would check with the manager. She went away and returned about 5 minutes later and said "No, you have to be out by 11:00." we headed for our room with our luggage, put our key in the lock and...nothing! They had mixed up the room assignements and after another several minutes of trying, we determined that they had given us all the wrong room and we played "put the key in a door" until it opend the lock. I put in a 10:00am wake up call which never came. At 10:15 I got a call from the front desk reminding me to be out by 11:00!!!!!!!!

Anyway, back ot the Pop Century. Once we got our room it was nice. Ask for the 50's building. The 60's are the preferred rooms but there is no parking anywhere near the rooms. The 50's are just as close to the food court.

The food court is good quality but has a lot fewer things that my kids liked than the All Stars.

Have fun!

 

[TheOneVader]

Woah, horror story all right. We got the 70's rooms. Very nice

 

[epcot2004]

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience. We stayed at Pop March 4-9 and we liked it very much. Compared to the All-Star Music (the only All Star i have been to) I think Pop far exceeds the other economy hotels. The theming, layout, landscaping, food, & bus stops were all done very well. There is even a lake which you can walk along and signs point out specific events during each decade. The main building (Classic Hall) has combined shopping, check-in, & food court meshed together. It has a wonderful open feel. We stayed in the 70's building and that was very close by. It doen't seem necessary to pay extra for a "preferred" room. The only draw backs were leaving the parks after fireworks the waits were a little long but they did send several busses at a time, also, the walls seemed to be thin, you could hear more "background" noise than in other resorts. All-in-all we plan to go back when the Legendary Years section opens (whenever that is). Till then it will be Port Orleans Riverside for us.

 

[epcot2004]

they also have tie-dyed cheesecake. Look to the left.

 

[Tenny317]

I haave stayed at both the All Star and Pop Century. There is not much of a difference. I think somebody said it but the bus system is its own at Pop Century. There is some different types of food at Pop Century but still cafe style. You get what you pay for at those 2 hotels. It's on the cheaper side so it's less frills

 

[Dwarful]

Can the kids get grilled cheese?? they had it at the allstars, but then I read one of the above posts that said there was alot less that the kids liked food wise.

 

[StitchExp626]

See the POp Century Lunch and Dinner Menu . Doesn't look like there's grilled cheese sandwhiches but there are other things that your kids may like.

Originally posted by Dwarful
Can the kids get grilled cheese?? they had it at the allstars, but then I read one of the above posts that said there was alot less that the kids liked food wise.

 

[SusanAnne]

We stayed at the Pop Century this week and I happen to like the All Star Movies much better, to me it was themed more "Disney" and the food court is not as good as Movies. The hotel room walls were paper thin, and housekeeping their has alot to be desired. However our last trip we stayed at AKL and it is very hard to compare that. I'm sure our next trip we will stay at AKL.

 

[wdwmom2+1]

IM DIsappointed i called to transfer from all star sports to pop centrury and they said it was about 100.00 more and for 100.00 we'll just stay at the sports . maybe next time we'll do the pop century cherie

 

[TURKEY]

Originally posted by wdwmom2
IM DIsappointed i called to transfer from all star sports to pop centrury and they said it was about 100.00 more and for 100.00 we'll just stay at the sports . maybe next time we'll do the pop century cherie

Did you get some kind of discount for Sports? It should be the same price unless you got some sort of discount.

If you're really set on moving to Pop, try asking at C/I to see if you can move over.

 

[agdbeanie]

Pop is much nicer than the All-stars, mainly b/c it's brand new. We frequent the value resorts on weekends b/c we live so close and the FL discounts are great. We tried Pop when it first opened and were very pleased. After time it will probably be the same as the All-Stars b/c it will age like they have. For longer visits we much prefer the moderates and deluxes, but for quick weekend visits the values are great and save a ton of money.
At this point in time I would go for Pop b/c its new and nice.
(Although the all-stars still beat a non-Disney hotel any day!)

 

[agdbeanie]

Originally posted by wdwmom2
IM DIsappointed i called to transfer from all star sports to pop centrury and they said it was about 100.00 more and for 100.00 we'll just stay at the sports . maybe next time we'll do the pop century cherie

When they put rooms on discount, they only block a certain # of rooms at the discount price. It might be that the discount block was sold out at Pop and that's why there was a price difference. You would probably have to pay the rack rate at Pop. Next time try booking at Pop when you originally make the reservations.

 

[wdwmom2+1]

yea i got the florida visa rate its like 54 a night. i'll try pop next time thanks!

 

[Dwarful]

Well, I am so confused. We have our rooms great rates and all at Pop Century. 3 rooms, 10 nights, so I am not about to try to change all that. But the kids did love Movies, I just hope the theme at Pop Century is Disney enough for them. I was really torn between the decision. Decided for Pop because I have family that really wanted to be at an upgraded off site hotel and I thought, well Pop is new and much cheaper and still onsite. So hopefully this all works out well for us and it doesn't turn into a disaster where I get blamed for everything...like paper thin walls.