Choice between All-Star Music or Pop Century

[ggauthier82]

Hi,

Just wanted your opinion... if you had the choice between All-Star Music or Pop Century for a 11-night stay in August, which would you choose and why? We have two boys aged 3 and 7.

Thanks!!

 

[EvilQueen-T]

this may or may not make a difference in your decision but pop is gearing up to refurb their pools. not sure when they're starting but parts have been ordered.

 

[sbkline]

I am not a stock broker or banker. Never pretended to be a stock broker or banker. I have never even handled money or balanced a check book, but this is what i think you should do with your money.

:lol:

I think you might have left that tid-bit out to make your post convincing of your opinion. Granted, you did say it was based on themeing. Im voting for Pop too. Newer, dedicated bus line and better food court. To the OP, welcome. :wave: I think that your boys would probably love the fun atmosphere of Pop as well.

I wasn't really attempting to tell the OP what HE should do. I was just doing what he asked in his original post: telling him what *I* would do were I faced with that choice, and I told him my reasons why, as he asked. I never said "you should stay at Pop". I simply stated that it is where *I* would stay if given the two choices, and why. And that's what the OP was asking...although I ended up rethinking my answer and saying I may opt for the family suite at ASMu.:wave:

 

[Raven66]

We've stayed at ASMo, ASMu and Pop. We really like Pop the best but I think younger kids would like All Star Movies a lot. The first time we went our daughter was 5 and she had a blast at Movies. Where ever you choose you are going to have so much fun. :wave:

 

[GeoDonJac34]

I really like POP, so I will vote for that. The 50s building is split as are the 60s, and 70s. Some rooms are preferred, some not. the ones closest to pool are preferred. I personally would rather stay in a regular room facing hourglass lake.

 

[Dunleyg]

yes the pop is better in many ways. The All Star Movie would be great for a 3 year old, and the All star Music does not have as much bus issues as the other all star resorts. All in all, they are about the same.

 

[smk]

POP is a big resort, with a vacant abandoned structure just over the lake, ruining the view of an otherwise peaceful place to sit and relax. The food court is LOUD and crowded, music is playing non stop and it is hard to even have a conversation with anyone while eating (assuming you can find a table to sit together as a family anyway).

The dedicated bus thing is so old. Music, Movies and Sports all have dedicated buses too. We shared (sports and music) one time while going to DTD and that is it. The food court does have a few selections the others don't have, like cheesecake. However, I have never found that the food courts in the other values are lacking in selections.

ANY Disney hotel is good and your stay will be what you make of it. Sports is newly redone, clean and smaller. Movies has movies by the pool each night. You have booked a long vacation, so stay where you will be comfortable. Truth be told, they are all nice and you can't go wrong with any choice of a hotel on WDW property.

I happened to have an okay time at POP dispite the food court issues. I just prefer Sports in a value resort. IF POP was the only place to stay while I was there, then heck ya, I would stay again.

 

[DisneySky]

I have stayed at both ... POP is way better!! :wave:


I 'm actually staying at the Pop Century Resort in 36 days!!! woo hoo!!

 

[coltow]

I have stayed at POP for the last 4 Times I've been to disney,
LOVE IT :sohappy:.
I have never stayed at any of the other value resorts so I can't compare. But I agree about the bus stop at the Parks for pop being the furthest away My last trip I said I wanted to stay at a deluxe resort just one time so I could be the first bus stop :lol:

I could not agree more about the downside. The bus stop is definitely the furthest away! Another downside is that when you see the first POP Century big sign and turn into it...you think you are there, but you have a little bit more of a drive. Always throws me off! haha.

I wondered if it was because it was because it was one of of the last stand alone resorts that opened. I swear it feels the worst at EPCOT, the walk to the bus there takes FOREVER

 

[WDW_Emily]

I would go with pop But they are both very similar. Some differences:

Pop has 3 pools and a kiddie pool, ASMU has 2 pools
Pop has a larger food court....They basically have the same food Just pop has more places to sit and never feels as crowded as ASMU IMO.
The busses. Pop having its own bus definitely saves time.

All Star Music has more activities for the kids during the day though. The CMs will host hula hoop contest and other games by the pool. The also show a disney movie every night on a big blow up screen right near the pool.

 

[juniorthomas]

Hi,

Just wanted your opinion... if you had the choice between All-Star Music or Pop Century for a 11-night stay in August, which would you choose and why? We have two boys aged 3 and 7.

Thanks!!

Music is the second of the three All-Star hotels, so you would have at least one stop prior to departing for your WDW destination, and at least one stop on the way home at nights. Based on that, I'd say go Pop!

 

[fosse76]

Personally, I prefer ASM. Quality-wise they are the same. The food is pretty much the same (though the food court is larger at Pop Century). And the buses seem to come more frequently when at ASM than at Pop.

 

[Plowboy]

Pop all the way. We've stayed at both and find the facilities at Pop much nicer. Also, the bus service at AS is a pain in the neck compared to Pop's dedicated bus service.

 

[durangojim]

After staying at primarly deluxe resorts over the past 15 years we decided to "slum" it:lol: and stay at Pop last August for my son's 5th birthday. It was great, the room size was not bad, the pool was wonderful for the kids and the transportations was the best we've ever had in terms of wait times -- we never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus (we still prefer the boats and monorails in terms of coolness and ambience). The fact that Pop has its own transportation system is a big plus unlike PORS which was horrid and one reason why we'll never stay there again.

 

[fosse76]

After staying at primarly deluxe resorts over the past 15 years we decided to "slum" it:lol: and stay at Pop last August for my son's 5th birthday. It was great, the room size was not bad, the pool was wonderful for the kids and the transportations was the best we've ever had in terms of wait times -- we never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus (we still prefer the boats and monorails in terms of coolness and ambience). The fact that Pop has its own transportation system is a big plus unlike PORS which was horrid and one reason why we'll never stay there again.

I've had a different experience with Pop Century's buses. I've never waited less than 10 minutes for a bus. I personally don't see why people complain about the buses at All Star Resorts. Though I've a had some issues with the frequency of buses from the parks to the resorts, I've never waited more than five minutes to get to a park. :shrug:

 

[Disneykidder]

Although I didn't read through all 4 pages (sorry) I mst say Pop. It was nice, buses were good, the pools were cool and the staff were awesome.

We stayed at ASMu on our last visit and just had too many problems with the rooms. The staff were great and accommodating but we had too many room difficulties. We stayed in a suite at ASMu and the roominess was great. After staying at this resort, we vowed never to stay at a value again, unless it is Pop. (Next trip is Coronado).

Soooo, go for Pop. The Everything Pop shop was cool, the food court was nice, yummy and never too crowded and my son loved the larger than life icons. There were so many great picture ops with them, too. Our room was clean, we had cute towel animals, too and it was pretty quiet.

Good luck!:wave:

 

[Disneygal1]

Wow a lot of people are saying pop century, probably because it's newer. I am having the same dilemma as well. All Star Movies or Pop Century.

 

[smk]

All Star resorts do not share buses anymore. I was there in September, at Sports, and we had our own bus for every park visit, shared a bus with Music to DTD...that's it folks!

 

[MissingDisney]

All Star resorts do not share buses anymore. I was there in September, at Sports, and we had our own bus for every park visit, shared a bus with Music to DTD...that's it folks!

You got lucky.

 

[MissingDisney]

Stayed at both and vote is for POP. With kids that small, the room size should not be that big of a deal (were talking 50-60 sq. ft, basically the size of a bathroom) and if your spending the money for a fam. suite, just go moderate anyway.

 

[pixiesteno]

All Star Music! As previously posted, let go of the bus thing as the AS resorts each have their own dedicated buses except on the rare occasion during the middle of the day. ASMu has nightly Disney films on a large blow-up screen by the main pool, games by the pool every day. It is smaller than Pop and therefore less congested at the food court. It may appear that the food court doesn't have all the selections for snacks and such to take to your room, they are located in the store in the back; along with a nice selection of cereals and sandwich stuff. I would advise considering the family suites for size, kitchenette, and two bathrooms. Now, with small children the kitchenette is wonderful - fridge, microwave, coffeemaker, shelving for food items, plasti-ware. Imagine being able to have your children have a peaceful morning breakfast of their regular favorites before heading out the door for the parks, or a cup of brewed coffee before being in the public eye -- priceless. The family suites are all fairly new renovations, as new as the decor at Pop is.
If we were to take another trip without our RV(it would only be due to snow drifts around the travel trailer) then we would be back at ASMu. Oh the memories, we were there at this time last year, just DH and I for our anniversary -- sorry side thought -- I had the chance for a quick trip this past June and chose ASMu over Pop because it is a smaller resort and has a more intimate feeling IMO.
It's all personal preference, just don't decide on the "whole bus thing"