Just got back from our stay at POP..

[micknminnie]

and wow, was it HOT. The heat was almost unbearable at times. We usually go to Disney in late August and the heat was a lot worse now then what I have experienced in August. I was chit chatting with a woman who was from the area and she said the high temperatures where unusual for this time of year. Comparing to August, obviously, the crowds were higher. We were able to do most attractions with fastpass. It was way to hot to stand in line for characters so we didn't see many around this time. We made the mistake of going to MK on an EMH morning and tried to get lunch at Cosmic Ray's. It was insane. Lines were out the door and there was absolutely no place to sit. I think the heat and crowds made a lot of people miserable in Disney. I never heard so many people curse at Disney in my life. This was our first stay at Pop and we loved it. The kids loved the pool and the theming there is great. My family still had a great time but I think next time I will go back to my usual week in August when its less crowded and when the people seem happier.

 

[FireChiefGoofy]

Staying at Pop in November/December this year. However, the heat here in the Philly area was brutal last week too!

 

[KnK]

Just got back myself from a quick two day trip. It was hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. I don't normally have issue with the heat, but Friday morning when we went to MK, I was dripping with sweat within the first hour.

Will say that the crowds were lighter than I expected.

 

[wm49rs]

July, August and September- three months out of the year I have absolutely vowed to avoid Central Florida....

Glad you had a nice time though.

 

[mike10]

I had a bad experience when I was at the pop (well outside of one issue). I would stay out at the park till closing so I wouldn't get back to the hotel till after 12am.

Well one time I wanted to order a 2 liter of soda so I called up and asked just for a 2 liter of soda I was told I needed to get a pizza too. I said but I don't want a pizza I just want a 2 liter of soda. They said I would need to talk to the manager about that so I said ok np. Well the manager calls and I explain the issue of how just about everyday I get back I can't use my refillable mug after midnight because they are close and she was like we can refund your money.

I was like no I want the mug it's just hard when you close at midnight. So she said we will give you the 2 liter for free. I said no I want to pay for it since I want it I told them I would pay extra just to get a 2 liter of soda. She said no prob and just to send the pizza back. Well I look at my bill at the end of the trip and sending that pizza back cost me a bill of 25ish so I paid 25 something for a 2 liter of soda! Hard lesson learned if you ask me.

The other experience I had at POP was one of the housekeepers broke my wife's electric razor valued at 50 bucks. So it was the last day of my trip (no I didn't sit on it before I said anything) and I said something about it to the manager and they said I would get a 50 dollar refund. So I said ok even showed it on my "bill".

Well I get home and check my bank account and notice I still got charged the 50 bucks and received a new bill in the mail that shows I was still charged the 50 bucks. So not handled the way I believe it should have been.

That is why this coming trip there will be nothing but clothes brought and we're staying at the All-star Music resort. Again another hard lesson learned.

 

[micknminnie]

Just got back myself from a quick two day trip. It was hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. I don't normally have issue with the heat, but Friday morning when we went to MK, I was dripping with sweat within the first hour.

Will say that the crowds were lighter than I expected.

We were there both on Thursday, the day with the extra magic morning hours and on Friday too and I would say crowds were much better on Friday than Thursday. Yes, I agree, I think I was sweating by the time we got to the bus stop that morning.

 

[Mrs. Jobson]

We just got back last night and am missing it so bad right now. We always have a good time at Pop! It is a great resort! The crowds were ok, they seemed to get bigger by the time the parade and fireworks at MK rolled around. Let me just say that the new fireworks show was amazing. I loved it. I never thought that I would like anything better than Wishes but I did.

The one thing that I want to gripe about is the buses. I cannot stand riding the buses. Almost everytime we rode we had to stand. Normally I wouldn't care but I am about 3 months pregnant and my feet hurt me so bad. You know Pop buses are usually pretty good but this time not so much. Not to get on my soap box but you know some people need to learn some manners. That's all I have to say about that!

Food at Pop is usually great. This year they were ok. I think that they have cut back on the portions or I was just really hungry one.

 

[SAV]

I was just there from the 14th to the 21st and I have to say the crowds were rather light for us too. Yes, it was HOT, but it's June in Florida. What do you expect? It's all part of it for me. There are plenty of places to go and cool off. I was amazed that the 19th & 20th were very light. I guess Harry Potter took a chunk out the crowd level. Disney sure made a killing off of those spray bottle fans. So many people were snapping them up. I just brought my own from home and saved the $18.

It was our first time at POP and we loved it. The theming was great and the room was what we expected from a value. It was tiny, but acceptable. The pillows were awful, but I need a flat pillow or I get a neck ache. They were about 12 inches fluffy. The room we had was very quiet and we overlooked the lake...very nice. Usually, there is one loud person/room, but not for us...unless we were the loud room? Since the pool is open 24/7, it was strange when I went for a midnight swim and I saw young kids out there the whole time. The main pool had quite a few people for that time of the night. The food court area seemed to always be crowded too. Again, strange seeing people chowing down right before midnight each day.

 

[jedeye18]

We usually go in June; this year we are going in September instead. How bad will it be then?

 

[foreverbelle]

Wow....was is really that hot?? I only ask because the past couple of weeks-last week especially the Northern VA area it was hotter here than it was down there, so I can only imagine

 

[Dwarful]

mike10,
I also hate that they close the soda areas at midnight. When they have emh's until 2 or 3 we always end up buying bottles of soda before we head to the buses because we know we can't use the mugs. So this trip in July we aren't buying the mugs, but we will be at Yacht Club..and our experience at Boardwalk sort of proved to us the mugs are harder to use at these resorts.

Sorry they broke the razor. No matter where we stay, I always keep a small bag to put all of our everyday items away..toothbrushes, hairbrushes, my husbands electric razor/ trimmer. I don't like the idea of leaving personal things out like that...I don't know what they use to clean, I don't know how they clean, I figure I'd rather move the things myself, it doesn't take but about two minutes once everyone is ready. At the values I just stash the bag on the shelf area right by the sink. At the deluxe it goes on the shelf underneath the sink. I think housekeeping issues could happen at any resort, because it would be easy to knock something off a shelf or table.

 

[DoleWhipDiva]

Pop is a great value resort. We have always had good luck with the bus service since it doesn't stop at multiple spots.

 

[disneygirl1]

I just think it is going to be an incredibly HOT summer everywhere!!! I know here in Philly its been brutal and I think its suppose to be near 100 degrees every day this week!!! One thing about Florida in the summer, even though its HOT, its not near as humid as it is in Philly!

 

[disney4life2008]

Its always a great rule of thumb to either buy drinks and snacks in the food court during the day and leave them in the room and or go to a store at the park and bring them back with you.

I will attack the August heat in a few weeks. I am going to walmart to buy a spray fan.

 

[harveyt0206]

We have had an incredibly HOT summer here in Ohio. Hot and extremely humid. Whenever we have weather like this I always wonder how vacationers at Disney are dealing with the heat and humidity as it's typically much warmer there than here.

I honestly don't think I personally would ever plan a trip to WDW during the summer months. But that's just me and my aversion to all things over 90 degrees with 75% humidity.

 

[cowanfamily]

July, August and September- three months out of the year I have absolutely vowed to avoid Central Florida....

Glad you had a nice time though.

Last two weeks of Sept. best time to go. Don't know why you would avoid then. Low crowds, great weather (low 80's during the day), great rates!!!!!!

 

[wendysue]

About the food court and drinks... I dont drink soda, but the people in the room next to us went to the food court after we all returned from the parks really late and they said that there was 1 drink station open really late. We will be returning in November, and I will have to check it out.

 

[DonaldsFriend]

Crowds in September

We were there last September 20, 2009 on my 65th birthday. Crowds were just right. Our only complaint was staying in cabin in Fort Wilderness where they ere cutting the trees. Looked like a war zone. Don't believe we will ever do that again.