Articles | Disneyland | Walt Disney World
Results 1 to 20 of 20

Thread: Thoughts in booking Pop Century over the normal Moderate?

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Blog Entries
    1

    Thoughts in booking Pop Century over the normal Moderate?

    Thinking of trying Pop. CSR is our fave. Advice?

    Mikala

  2. # ADS

    Join Date
    Location
    Posts
     

  3. #2
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    N.O. LA
    Blog Entries
    5

    I stay at Pop if it makes a difference between going or not, or if I can stay longer if I stay there. In other words, I stay there for budgetary reasons.

    I think it really depends on why you're considering it, and why CSR is your favorite.

    Cathy

  4. #3
    Gravity release me... tappenfeat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Wishin' we were back in Disney
    Blog Entries
    1

    There was a recent thread on POP! which has some good comments. Here is one of the threads

    We liked POP! when we stayed there and we have stayed at Deluxe's, Moderates and Value Resorts.




    Stephanie

  5. #4

    Now that mini-fridges are/will be in Values, it basically comes down to coffeemakers and bed sizes (if you are not going to book a room with King beds) to save those $.

    If real coffee is an issue, you can buy an inexpensive single cup coffeemaker to pack in your luggage. However, you can't do anything about bed sizes and at CSR you get Queen beds - at Pop you get full-size beds.

    “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” - Roy Disney

  6. #5

    We always stay at Pop and bring a 2 cup coffee maker and coffee. With the frigs we eat a quick breakfast and a cup of coffee and off to the bus we go. I would rather stay in a Value so I can shop more. If we stayed in a mod, I would not be able to afford to do that so the Pop will always be our choice.


  7. #6

    I think it also depends on how many people will be in the room. DH and I used to stay in Values almost exclusively before we had kids, and they met our needs perfectly (we park-stormed and spent extremely little time in the room). On our last trip, with our 2 children (5 and 10), our room at Pop seemed very crowded. Also, now that I'm older, I found the double beds extremely cramped and I was waking up achy by the 3rd of 4th morning. We moved to CSR halfway through our vacation, and the queen-sized beds were heavenly! We liked Pop, but we decided that Value resorts no longer meet our needs.


  8. #7
    Zzzzzzz... Ohthatjeff's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Qui Transluit Sustinet

    The food court is way too small. Otherwise I've no complaints with POP. But I book value rooms when I go because (a) I'm cheap financially restrictive and (b) theming doesn't impress me much when the lights are off.


  9. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Blog Entries
    1

    Hmmm. Lots to think about. I have read reviews on Trip Advisor and on allears and it seems that most people love Pop. In other posts, I inquired about traveling to WDW alone with my two 5 year old daughters (6 by the trip), because we have recently moved to Seattle because of my husbands work, and he wasn't sure if he would be able to accompany on our 6th annual trip. I was totally bummed, but couldn't imagine telling the girls we weren't going, and he didn't want us to cancel.

    My post got lots of responses from all of you that travel alone with your kids. I asked my mom and sister, and both couldn't make it for various reasons, then my sister says she decided she wants to come, she is a single mom with a boy and girls, ages 6 and 8. It was a perfect surprise as the cousins adore each other, as does my sister and I, but because of budget reasons, I'm trying to make this their best trip ever. This is the first year in the kiddies lives that they are blessed to have 3 vacations after my sisters difficult divorce, and now my husband is joining us for 4 nights at the end after my sister and the kids have gone, so me and my girls are still getting a big trip, about 11-12 days. Haven't decided yet.

    We've stayed at all moderates, and CSR is the fave as mentioned in the original post. We love the grounds, pool, Food court, themed Mexican.

    Does Pop have a slide? We have upgraded the dining plan from Quick Service to the next level, and have some great dining ahead of us. For the 6 of us, 2 adults and 4 kids, we will have a separate room no matter where we stay. I think staying at Pop would give her the opportunity to stay an extra night. I guess I'm looking for a simple comparison.

    Mikala

  10. #9

    ^ Pop is still the best choice for a value resort although Pop does not have a slide in the pool.

    When I looked at your post, I wondered (because it appears that your sister has children of opposite genders) if POR - Alligator Bayou might be the best as a moderate choice (over CSR).

    POR was recently refurbished with queen size beds and in Alligator Bayou, most rooms have also now been refurbished with a 3rd pull down bed (bunk size). This gives 3 beds in one room. There is a swimming pool with slide, easy access to POFQ (for a little bit of variety) and easy access to Downtown Disney via boat.

    Last edited by Barberella; 04-24-2012 at 04:17 PM.
    “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” - Roy Disney

  11. #10
    Some people are worth melting for oregontraveler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Springfield, Oregon
    Quote Originally Posted by mikala View Post
    This is the first year in the kiddies lives that they are blessed to have 3 vacations after my sisters difficult divorce, and now my husband is joining us for 4 nights at the end after my sister and the kids have gone, so me and my girls are still getting a big trip, about 11-12 days. Haven't decided yet.

    Does Pop have a slide? We have upgraded the dining plan from Quick Service to the next level, and have some great dining ahead of us. For the 6 of us, 2 adults and 4 kids, we will have a separate room no matter where we stay. I think staying at Pop would give her the opportunity to stay an extra night. I guess I'm looking for a simple comparison.
    WOW, 11-12 days in all. I suppose the economics will kick in somehow to budget for the trip. Good choice on the DDP plan.
    Sorry, POP pools have no slides: 50's bowling, 60's Hippy-Dippy & 80's computer.

    If you would like a quiet-er room, ask for something on the back sides, away from the pool areas.

  12. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Barberella View Post
    ^ Pop is still the best choice for a value resort although Pop does not have a slide in the pool.

    When I looked at your post, I wondered (because it appears that your sister has children of opposite genders) if POR - Alligator Bayou might be the best as a moderate choice (over CSR).

    POR was recently refurbished with queen size beds and in Alligator Bayou, most rooms have also now been refurbished with a 3rd pull down bed (bunk size). This gives 3 beds in one room. There is a swimming pool with slide, easy access to POFQ (for a little bit of variety) and easy access to Downtown Disney via boat.
    That actually does sound like a great idea. She has a boy (6) and a girl (8). My prior post sounded like she had 3 kids but it's only 2. I have to admit, I loved the access to DTD when staying at POR or FQ.
    Mikala

  13. #12
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by oregontraveler View Post
    WOW, 11-12 days in all. I suppose the economics will kick in somehow to budget for the trip. Good choice on the DDP plan.
    Sorry, POP pools have no slides: 50's bowling, 60's Hippy-Dippy & 80's computer.

    If you would like a quiet-er room, ask for something on the back sides, away from the pool areas.
    Oregontraveler, boy do we love our long trips. Prior to Fall 2011, we did four years of 10 nights every September, this past year, the girls and I did 13 nights (went early to hang with a friend and her kids), husband came for 10 nights, but this year he gets 4 nights, and we get 11-12. Heck, I could be there a month.

    The slide is important because we have water babies, and the consideration for another resort came from thinking about $$, and maybe changing it up. They have never been to WDW. After last fall on the dining plan. I doubt we will ever go without it.
    Mikala

  14. #13
    Some people are worth melting for oregontraveler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Springfield, Oregon
    Quote Originally Posted by mikala View Post
    The slide is important because we have water babies, and the consideration for another resort came from thinking about $$, and maybe changing it up. They have never been to WDW. After last fall on the dining plan. I doubt we will ever go without it.
    You might want to look into the water parks add-on with your tickets. That might be a compromise if still worried about money.
    Depending on the time of year, both may be open: Blizzard Beach & Typhoon Lagoon. They always keep one open during refurbs.

  15. #14
    Gravity release me... tappenfeat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Wishin' we were back in Disney
    Blog Entries
    1

    We stayed in the 50's building, but not on the pool side. 1st floor and we did not hear a thing; no foot noise or neighbors. However, we did get connecting rooms so we had 2 bathrooms and more space for 2 kids and 2 adults. It worked quite well for us. We used a discount from Mousesavers for $59 a night.




    Stephanie

  16. #15

    I really like the moderates, have stayed multiple times in all of them, and by far prefer the CSR. The first time I had to go budget, I stayed at the All Star Sports and didn't like it much - it felt like I was staying in the Motel 6 of Disney resorts (even though of course it's MUCH nicer than a Motel 6!). But on a later budget trip I stayed at the Pop, and I didn't get that cheap feeling. I think they learned something after those early value resorts. Maybe it's the theming, maybe the landscaping, but the Pop feels much more like a moderate resort. I don't think you're going to have any problem at all with the transition. And you'll enjoy the CSR all that much more on your next trip!

    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
    - James Taylor

  17. #16
    Friend of Figment
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Poinciana, FL (20 miles from WDW)

    The total size of the rooms in the value resorts are 83% of the size of the rooms at the moderates. (260 sf compared to 314 sf.)

    Disneyland Trips: 13 trips for 49 nights.
    But I live less than 20 miles from Walt Disney World! And work there part-time.

    For more information about Disabled Access to Disney World and nearby areas, check this out. Or for tickets, check out my Everything About WDW Tickets post.

  18. #17
    Registered User mousecanuck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Canada's piece of California Kelowna, BC

    We lucked into a sale that made it silly not to go with a moderate (CSR). The slide apparently made all the difference in the world to our son (12) - every day we'd go to the pool for a break and he'd spend pretty much the entire time coming down the slide. Then we went onto a hotel room at Universal that was the same size as a Value room and with two teenagers and us, it was a pretty good thing we were only there three days and most of the days were in the parks - could not believe the difference in room size!!! But our kids are older, we're older and - we also decided that if/when we go on our own someday, a value would be fine for our needs, probably...but if that sale came up, back to CSR we'd go!!!

    “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place, where parents and children can have fun, together.” - Walt Disney

    And we do!!!

  19. #18

    Another aspect...if you go during a time when there's free dining, you'll get quick service with your package at value resorts (Pop), but the regular dining when staying at a moderate resort. If the dollar amounts are close, go with the moderate (and those queen beds at some of the moderates are pretty compelling too!)

    Mary@MasterpieceTravels.com

  20. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by mkraemer View Post
    Another aspect...if you go during a time when there's free dining, you'll get quick service with your package at value resorts (Pop), but the regular dining when staying at a moderate resort. If the dollar amounts are close, go with the moderate (and those queen beds at some of the moderates are pretty compelling too!)
    Can I just qualify for any UK readers that free dining for us is different. No free dining at Values Free quick service at moderates and free regular dining at Deluxe resorts. Given the costs of dining over 2 weeks this makes it cheaper to stay at a moderate unless you were to find a very cheap way of eating. You can pay the difference to upgrade to regular dining if you get free quick service at a moderate.
     

    If no-one out there understands, start your own revolution and cut out the middle man (Billy Bragg)

  21. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by mkraemer View Post
    Another aspect...if you go during a time when there's free dining, you'll get quick service with your package at value resorts (Pop), but the regular dining when staying at a moderate resort. If the dollar amounts are close, go with the moderate (and those queen beds at some of the moderates are pretty compelling too!)
    One of the reason we chose POR vs POP this coming Sept. Everything else is Equal in my eyes between the two however I do like the Pool at POP better than POR...

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •