I've stayed at the Pop Century, Port Orleans, and the Wilderness Lodge. The thing that REALLY bothered me about Pop Century was the bus service. Separate lines for each destination, you have to stand in line, it's not covered. And coming back at night, we rarely ever got on the first bus and had to wait for other buses.
In my experience, it isn't like that at the Moderate or Deluxe resorts.
I would stay at pop century again only if I had a car.
Pop bus server is the best of the values, but that's like saying I'd rather drink drain cleaner than bleach. The bus service is awful and after staying at Pop, POR, CB, and WL before, I can say that the bus service is pretty bad regardless which one you stay at. I've had 45 minute+ waits from my hotel at EVERY ONE of these hotels!
I pretty much only stay at moderates anymore simply because the time of year I go to WDW. I use to stay at Pop every single time, but since I go in the first week of December, there were too many years of the Pop Warner demons running around.
I like the moderates simply because you get a bigger room and it comes with a fridge. I stay for 7-10 each time, so its well worth it for me to have a fridge and get it stocked from gardengrocer.com Values charge like $15/day for the fridge and the rooms are just way to small to stay for that amount of time. If you just want to hang out in the room, you feel like you are on top of each other.
Don't like CB, think its too big and too spaced out. I prefer POR with a preferred room and love it. Going this May and would have stayed at POR again, but staying at Pop this time since I don't have to worry about the Pop Warner this time.
I do agree that when I'm at WDW, I spend as much time at the parks as I can. But if you are only doing a 4 day weekend, its no big deal just to get the cheapest room. But if you are staying for 10 days, staying at the WL is certianly awesome. I've done that before and loved it.