Pop Century vs. Coronado Springs vs. Animal Kingdom Lodge

[jiminy.cricket]

Hello!

My friend and I are going on a trip to the World for a few days later this summer and are undecided on a hotel. Any opinions on these resorts and our little dilemma of indecision would be appreciated!

He would like to see the refurbished Pop rooms and swim in the Hippy Dippy pool but knows that he may not be placed in a refurbished room. I also like the fact that it is the most economical. I have never stayed on-site and think it might be neat to see the Pop Century.

We both agree Coronado Springs is gorgeous and affordable but I wonder if the sprawl of the resort is a con and how construction might impact the resort experience.

Animal Kingdom Lodge seems like a more compact resort and is beautiful and unique. It would be a nice place to spend time, but the rooms don't seem that much more spectacular than those at the other resorts to justify the significantly higher cost.

It's worth noting that my DF will be visiting Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. I am undecided on whether I am visiting parks but am leaning toward enjoying the hotel and resort-hopping.

Thank you all as always for the great advice you always provide me!

 

[epcotisbest]

If it fits in your budget, AKL hands down, especially since you will be taking advantage of resort time. The rooms are OK, but it is the resort itself that is spectacular. You might consider Wilderness Lodge as well for the same reason.

 

[Master Yoda]

The size of Coronado is actually a non-issue for most people unless you plan on using the restaurants there on a daily basis. Both parking and bus stops circle nearly the entire resort making your walk to those relatively short. Even if you chose to use the restaurants at the resort the walk to the front of the resort is less than 10 minutes even if you are located at the building the farthest from them.

While AKL looks compact, the central lobby is the only way in or out. If you are at one of the rooms at the end of a hall, it can be a decent walk to get in and out. Still, the walk is only a few minutes under the worst of conditions.

The rooms at AKL are not spectacular, but the view is pretty hard to beat. The dining there is also among the best on property.

 

[imahistorygeek]

If economical is how you're leaning and you've never stayed on property, I recommend Pop. We've stayed there many times and it's nice. The theming is incredible and fun! It's still a great experience even if you don't get a refurbed room. We've also stayed at AKL numerous times. It's amazing in it's own right. You can't go wrong with either choice.

 

[wannabeBelle]

The size of Coronado is actually a non-issue for most people unless you plan on using the restaurants there on a daily basis. Both parking and bus stops circle nearly the entire resort making your walk to those relatively short. Even if you chose to use the restaurants at the resort the walk to the front of the resort is less than 10 minutes even if you are located at the building the farthest from them.

While AKL looks compact, the central lobby is the only way in or out. If you are at one of the rooms at the end of a hall, it can be a decent walk to get in and out. Still, the walk is only a few minutes under the worst of conditions.

The rooms at AKL are not spectacular, but the view is pretty hard to beat. The dining there is also among the best on property.

This. I'd vote for Coronado just to keep expenses down while getting a great resort experience. AKL is spectacular though. Pop is cute if you were spending more of your time at the parks, but for a more resort based experience, I'd go for the Mods or Deluxes. Marie

 

[Greg H]

We have stayed at POP and CSR and are actually staying at AKL in the fall. We think AKL looks really nice and have heard great things about the restaurants. We really liked our stay at CSR and we would definitely recommend it. The main pool is really nice and the dining options seem a step above other resorts at that price point. The grounds are also really nice and bus system not too bad at all. We found POP fine but we did not find it as nice as CSR. The grounds are nice and the themes are pretty cool. We did not find the dining options as good and did not find the pools as nice as some other options. No water slides. If we were going to enjoy the resort, and had the money, we would likely pick CSR over POP. If we were going more to visit the parks and not planning on spending much time at the resort we would probably save a few bucks and stay at POP...

 

[LadyBirdV]

If you enjoy animals , then IMO if you are just spending time in the resort all day - it would be AKL hands down. Also the restaurant line-up there of Boma, Sanaa, and Jiko is unbeatable .

Since you mentioned your friend will be visiting Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom only , I wanted to mention that we did a split stay between AKL and Poly , and we did Animal Kingdom & HS on the days were were based at AKL. The bus ride to Animal Kingdom in particular is very convenient.

I personally would not choose POP if you are going to be staying in the resort the whole time , if you can afford a mod or deluxe.

 

[Lad]

If price is no issue and you enjoy the theming, spring for AKL. It's a beautiful resort and more affordable than some of the other deluxes.

I'm not a huge fan of POP. Stayed there last year and found it to be loud and a bit chaotic. Food court was a nightmare and overall the theming felt tacky. However, POP seems to have a big fanbase so your mileage may vary. Plus, as you mentioned, there's no guarantee you will actually get a refurbished room.

I have stayed at Coronado multiple times and it ranks as one of my favorite resorts. I enjoy the theming, do not find the size to be a big deal, and the rooms are quite comfortable. Feels the most "upscale" of the moderates. Good middle ground pricewise also.

 

[jiminy.cricket]

Thank you all so much for the valuable feedback and very sharp points! After reading your comments and a lot of deliberation and elimination, we eventually decided on... (drumroll) Coronado Springs!

I remember hearing about it when it first opened in the 90s. It sounded fabulous. After further research, I think I've fallen in love with it and am so excited to go! It's a gorgeous property with paths for bicycles, surreys, running; there are a lake and palm trees and four different pools to try with movies under the stars and eateries and bars with attractive menus; and the rooms look beautiful; I don't imagine it would be super crowded; the price is right and the construction hasn't bothered anyone so far.

Thanks for the feedback for the other resorts as well. I do enjoy the richness of AKL. I've visited quite a few times and enjoy the views, fire pits, Boma and Sanaa. This will be a new experience. I was thinking about hopping to AKL but I'm actually tempted to stay at CS the entire time (I won't)! Because of EMH eligibility now, I've decided I must join DF at AK for one day. The rest of the time will be dedicated to Disney Springs, possibly Boardwalk, riding monorails and boats, the MK resorts.

Speaking of which, I do have a couple of questions more: Is anyone allowed to watch the fireworks from the 4th floor balcony and how early should one find a spot there and are we allowed to bring alcoholic beverages out there? Are we allowed to walk around CS and DS with such beverages as well? Where is the best place to watch the DHS fireworks at CS? Am I over-scheduling myself? Thank you again for reading!

 

[Bairstow]

Thank you all so much for the valuable feedback and very sharp points! After reading your comments and a lot of deliberation and elimination, we eventually decided on... (drumroll) Coronado Springs!

I remember hearing about it when it first opened in the 90s. It sounded fabulous. After further research, I think I've fallen in love with it and am so excited to go! It's a gorgeous property with paths for bicycles, surreys, running; there are a lake and palm trees and four different pools to try with movies under the stars and eateries and bars with attractive menus; and the rooms look beautiful; I don't imagine it would be super crowded; the price is right and the construction hasn't bothered anyone so far.

Thanks for the feedback for the other resorts as well. I do enjoy the richness of AKL. I've visited quite a few times and enjoy the views, fire pits, Boma and Sanaa. This will be a new experience. I was thinking about hopping to AKL but I'm actually tempted to stay at CS the entire time (I won't)! Because of EMH eligibility now, I've decided I must join DF at AK for one day. The rest of the time will be dedicated to Disney Springs, possibly Boardwalk, riding monorails and boats, the MK resorts.

Speaking of which, I do have a couple of questions more: Is anyone allowed to watch the fireworks from the 4th floor balcony and how early should one find a spot there and are we allowed to bring alcoholic beverages out there? Are we allowed to walk around CS and DS with such beverages as well? Where is the best place to watch the DHS fireworks at CS? Am I over-scheduling myself? Thank you again for reading!

You've made a good choice.
Animal Kingdom Lodge is a noticeable step up in quality and experience from Coronado, but Coronado is a huuuuuuge step up in terms of quality and themeing from Pop.
If you've been to AKL a few times to see the animal viewing trails and restaurants, you've already experienced the best parts of that resort anyway.
The balconies at Coronado Springs are actually exterior hallways, like at a motel. All the moderate resorts are set up this way. Anyone can get up there to watch the fireworks.
When we stayed at Coronado we never watched fireworks from the balconies- though we swimming at the Dig Site and could hear most of the music from Fantasmic and see the occasional flash.
You can have alcoholic beverages anywhere you want at a resort, except maybe inside the swimming pool. I mean, it's a resort!

 

[jiminy.cricket]

Thank you, and thank you for the information! I'm excited about this decision! Sorry; I meant to specify the Contemporary Resort balcony for HEA, not CS. Oops! I thought it might be nice to listen to the soundtrack if it's piped in and watch with a drink, but I wonder if that area gets crowded. I also remember seeing a video online of fireworks as viewed from CS; they seemed really close! It's pretty neat that you could enjoy the pool and a bit of Fantasmic!

 

[Bairstow]

Thank you, and thank you for the information! I'm excited about this decision! Sorry; I meant to specify the Contemporary Resort balcony for HEA, not CS. Oops! I thought it might be nice to listen to the soundtrack if it's piped in and watch with a drink, but I wonder if that area gets crowded. I also remember seeing a video online of fireworks as viewed from CS; they seemed really close! It's pretty neat that you could enjoy the pool and a bit of Fantasmic!

Oh!
In that case, yeah- you can get up to the balconies in the Contemporary for the fireworks, but it takes some doing. Ride the elevator up as high as you can get without a key card or magic band- I believe to the 10th floor. After that, exit the hallway onto the northwest fire escape. From there, just keep going up fire escape landings as high as you like via the stairs. The top floor will typically be occupied by California Grill guests, so you may want to settle in one or two floors below so as not to draw attention or to have more space to yourselves. The downside is, there's no way back into the building without either barging into California Grill to use their elevator access, or to take ALL the stairs to the bottom level where you can re-enter the Grand Concourse and get wherever you're going.

Another primo "free" Magic Kingdom fireworks viewing area is the ferry boat dock at the Grand Floridian.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

Have fun.

 

[Dory71]

If you will be staying at Coronado Springs I would request one on the refurbished rooms (7B maybe??). We just got back from a stay there and part of our party had a room in the refurbished area and part did not. The refurbished room were very nice, bright and roomy, had double sinks, keurig machine, etc. The older rooms did not impress me. We wished we had one of the newer rooms. Two of the older rooms also had plumbing issues.

 

[correcaminos]

If you are not sure about going to the parks, I would not do Pop Century. Honestly I am not a fan of the values for a relaxing vacation. Others may disagree, but I don't think it's a great place unless you aren't hanging around the resort much.

CS is my favorite moderate (I think I flip, it's great though) but truthfully for a non-park stay you would love AKL. They have so much to offer there for you to do. We could stay there and never set foot in the park. You have a lot to see at Jambo and Kidani there. The rooms ARE that much better than CSR as well IMO. The size and the theming is top notch. AKL isn't that costly compared to other deluxe resorts too.

As for fireworks, skip Contemporary. The view is skewed and you won't see much of the projections anyway. Go to the Polynesian, hang out at Trader Sam's or get a Dole Whip at the Pineapple Lanai and watch HEA from the beach. Catch the water pageant at 9pm too if you can.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Just a point on HEA. A lot of the storyline is told using projected images on the Castle so if you are outside of the parks, you will miss that portion of the show. I have only seen it once, but I think a lot would be lost by not seeing the complete show, projections and all. Marie

 

[TabulaRasa]

Animal Kingdom Lodge HANDS DOWN if your budget allows. The other two pale in comparison.

 

[jiminy.cricket]

Have fun.

Thank you!

 

[jiminy.cricket]

It's great to know that the deck is still available. I'll try to get there an hour beforehand and hope I can still find a spot. Thank you, Bairstow, for sharing the savvy Contemporary strategy! If I do pursue it, hopefully, I won't be too tipsy to make it down all the stairwells (I'm just anticipating one drink, if any). If I am, well... better to be safe and intrude on the CG, I suppose.

Thank you for the other suggestions and reminders: GF dock, Poly beach. I've also heard there are some decent vantage points from the TTC. Can you really find a decent view from the Poly amid all of the bungalows? I remember reading somewhere that they tend to obstruct the view, although I do remember seeing the castle in the daytime while hanging around the Pineapple Lanai last year. Do these places offer better views than the Contemporary? I've never seen fireworks from the Contemporary, or any of these other locations, and just assumed because of its height, the Contemporary would offer the clearest views. Seeing the water pageant would be fun too! I've only seen part of it once over a decade ago.

I would love to see HEA right in front of the castle at some point, maybe once HEA isn't so new anymore. It does seem that the projection mapping is integral to the show and I love it, but on a quick budget trip, I can't justify spending the money on a one-day ticket (and possibly a dessert party) just to see HEA projections. Watching the fireworks from outside the berm is the next best thing.

We have requested a refurbished room if it is available. The pictures look gorgeous! Hopefully our location won't be too far from El Centro but if it is, it'll be a nice walk or bus ride.

Thank you again for all of your thoughts and the information! By the way, it's so wonderful to see so many familiar handles and avatars and experts still around, the same ones I saw when I started lurking over a decade ago! (I kind of went M.I.A. for a while once life started getting busier.)

 

[correcaminos]

Thank you for the other suggestions and reminders: GF dock, Poly beach. I've also heard there are some decent vantage points from the TTC. Can you really find a decent view from the Poly amid all of the bungalows? I remember reading somewhere that they tend to obstruct the view, although I do remember seeing the castle in the daytime while hanging around the Pineapple Lanai last year. Do these places offer better views than the Contemporary? I've never seen fireworks from the Contemporary, or any of these other locations, and just assumed because of its height, the Contemporary would offer the clearest views. Seeing the water pageant would be fun too! I've only seen part of it once over a decade ago.

We have requested a refurbished room if it is available. The pictures look gorgeous! Hopefully our location won't be too far from El Centro but if it is, it'll be a nice walk or bus ride.

Thank you again for all of your thoughts and the information! By the way, it's so wonderful to see so many familiar handles and avatars and experts still around, the same ones I saw when I started lurking over a decade ago! (I kind of went M.I.A. for a while once life started getting busier.)

The closer on the beach towards the resort (not TTC) dock you will not have an issue watching. It's still unobstructed from that point of view. I completely forgot to go to other locations to check out. Though the fireworks high in the sky were visible easily even with a bungalow in front of us from our lake view room. We could see the castle though if we moved side to side a little.

From Pineapple Lanai you have more of a direct line past the pool which has a good view of the MK truthfully. Just as you head towards the TTC the bungalows get in the way.

I hope you have a fantastic stay. We loved Coronado Springs during our stay and my other family too who has stayed in the last few years.