First time Pop Century questions...

[Wellhello]

Hey everyone,
My wife, daughter and I are staying at Pop Century for the first time in May and I have a few questions I’m hoping some of you might be able to help me out with. We booked a standard room as we really don’t care much about the view or proximity to the pool.

My first question is all the reviews I have seen on the refurbished rooms just feature the two queen beds. I’m 6’5” and cannot fit in a queen bed without my feet hanging off the end so we also requested a king bed (daughter is still a baby and will sleep in her pack and play). Do any of the refurbished rooms have just the king bed or do they all have the two queens?

Second question is is the online check in worth doing? Can you make building/location preferences? If so what is the best location at Pop Century for just a standard room?

Is there any way to guarantee or increase our chances of getting a newer room?

I appreciate you reading this and greatful for any tips!!

 

[DarthVader]

Second question is is the online check in worth doing?

I think so, it reduces the line and gets you into your room sooner then if you didn't do the online checkin process.

 

[Diesel Dan]

I think the refurbished rooms just have queens, you can still request a King but it will be in the un-refurbished sections. We had a King room last year in the 50's section and it was nice, lots of room. I agree with Darth Vader that the online check in will save you some time.

 

[jgj123]

There are refurbished rooms with king beds. Pop never had many king beds, but they still exist in the refurb.

Online can save some time, assuming everything goes right. We did online this last trip and instead of being texted a room assignment, we were texted to go to the front desk. Then half our magicbands didn't work to get in the room, but that was solved with a call.

Last I heard, everything but buildings 1 and 2 (50's) had been renovated (buildings 5 - 10) or were still under renovation (buildings 3 and 4). So your odds of getting a renovated room are pretty good even without asking for one of the finished buildings.

 

[daisyduckie]

I know you said your little one is a baby, she is under the age of 3, right? If not they will not put you in a king room as those only accommodate 2 people plus a child age 2 or under.

 

[Master Yoda]

Unless something has changed with the refurb, a king beds in the value resorts are only in the handicap accessible rooms. They also max out at an occupancy of 2. Those needing an handicap accessible room will get preference over requests. Also, if you party size is greater than 2, you will not be put in a king bed room.

Lastly, unless they are using a California King bed, the queen and the king beds will be the same length of 80" making your bed options a bit moot.

You will want to call the reservation center and add any requests. Requests via online check in are a bit hit or miss. Sometimes you get a pull down menu with a few options, sometimes it is a dialogue box and there are instances where you have no options at all.

Online check in can save you a few minutes checking in, but there is no guarantee. If you have a bunch of others doing online check in ahead of you you can often wait just as long or longer than the regular check in line especially if the people ahead of you have questions.

 

[Wellhello]

Thank y’all so much! Yea my daughter will only be 9 months old (yes I know we’re probably nuts for taking a 9 month old but she LOVES people watching) so she will be in a pack and play to sleep. What are some of yalls favorite building locations to stay?

 

[Jamie77]

Online check in can save you a few minutes checking in, but there is no guarantee. If you have a bunch of others doing online check in ahead of you you can often wait just as long or longer than the regular check in line especially if the people ahead of you have questions.

That's always been my experience except for one time.

 

[Master Yoda]

That's always been my experience except for one time.

That has been my biggest gripe about online check in. Disney pushes it to everyone, but not everyone should use it.

It was designed to be grab an go and is typically staffed accordingly. If someone has questions or is particular about their room location then it can make the online check in line grind to a halt.

 

[Jamie77]

That has been my biggest gripe about online check in. Disney pushes it to everyone, but not everyone should use it.

It was designed to be grab an go and is typically staffed accordingly. If someone has questions or is particular about their room location then it can make the online check in line grind to a halt.

Exactly. I don't like it at POP especially because the last time I stood in that line, I had to wait although no one else was in the line and there was a CM standing there ignoring me. She wasn't serving anyone. After about 10 minutes, she calls me over to the regular line (after the line of guests was gone) and then proceeded to go to the online check-in area to retrieve my packet that was already prepared. I wasted 10 minutes being ignored and feeling like an idiot for standing where I was supposed to stand.

 

[DarthVader]

I wasted 10 minutes being ignored and feeling like an idiot for standing where I was supposed to stand.

Did you try to call her over?

 

[daisyduckie]

Exactly. I don't like it at POP especially because the last time I stood in that line, I had to wait although no one else was in the line and there was a CM standing there ignoring me. She wasn't serving anyone. After about 10 minutes, she calls me over to the regular line (after the line of guests was gone) and then proceeded to go to the online check-in area to retrieve my packet that was already prepared. I wasted 10 minutes being ignored and feeling like an idiot for standing where I was supposed to stand.

As someone who works behind a service desk every now and again, it could be she was finishing up a few things. Sometimes there is still work to do once the guest leaves to finish whatever process you are in.

 

[KellBelle]

I called in to request a king room at All Star Sports when we stayed in December. It was an accessible room, but we were happy that the request was fulfilled. The bathroom was a little larger, but otherwise, the room was pretty much the same as the 2 queen room our traveling companions had. Actually, I had a couple more requests in addition to the king room and all were granted. I honestly feel they try and honor the requests made.

 

[Gabe1]

Thank y’all so much! Yea my daughter will only be 9 months old (yes I know we’re probably nuts for taking a 9 month old but she LOVES people watching) so she will be in a pack and play to sleep. What are some of yalls favorite building locations to stay?

No worries. It is family time and great bonding. My son was 14 months and only walking one day for his first trip. My DD, my second was only 2 months old her first trip. She had her days and nights mixed up from birth, couldn't undo it. Disney did it the second night given how many times she was removed from her stroller disturbing her sleep. We spent 2 weeks at Disney that trip at the FQ. Best $3000 I ever spent as she learned to sleep through the night vs the day. Blessed.

Seriously, not nuts. We took our children every year growing up...they are grown now. Something for everyone, even little ones. Family time rocks.

 

[Jamie77]

Did you try to call her over?

She wasn't doing anything but staring at me. She was already at the online check-in stand.

 

[Jamie77]

As someone who works behind a service desk every now and again, it could be she was finishing up a few things. Sometimes there is still work to do once the guest leaves to finish whatever process you are in.

She was staring at me, doing nothing. She was already at the online check-in stand.

 

[Dave B]

As someone who works behind a service desk every now and again, it could be she was finishing up a few things. Sometimes there is still work to do once the guest leaves to finish whatever process you are in.

Yeah but there is common courtesy and common sense involved here too. The CM could have very easily looked up and stated I am finishing up from the last customer, it will just be a couple minutes, at least acknowledge the person there. I am in customer service and it is not that hard to communicate with your customers

 

[daisyduckie]

She wasn't doing anything but staring at me. She was already at the online check-in stand.

That is very weird.

 

[Nick Pappagiorgio]

What are some of yalls favorite building locations to stay?

I usually request a room in the 70s. There is no pool in that section but you are fairly close to the buses and the buildings are not right on top of the parking lot like some rooms are in other sections. I am not sure if these are upgraded yet. As I reply when you do online check-in you can request a room by decade.