All Star Music or POP

[njmomof5]

We're in the tentative (hoping the economy and income pick up) stages of planning a 2012 vacation and I'm wondering about POP Century vs. All Star Music.

We've stayed at All Star Sports in the past and I really much prefer the moderate resorts to the value resorts, but for financial reasons if we go to Disney we'll have to go value. So it looks like we'll be staying at POP or All Star Music next year. Now I'm coming to the experts to find out which you all prefer and why.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Lori - hoping to get back to the World in 2012 :mickey:

[WDWdreamer87]

Unbiased opinion: either one will be great places to stay. As a guest, I've stayed at Pop Century and enjoyed it. The theming and location is great, and there is no bus sharing when it comes to getting to the parks.

All Star Music is the best out of the All Star resorts, only because our rooms are the most updated, cleanest, and well kept. (not saying this because I work there, but because I've witnessed working in Movies that our resort looks like a deluxe compared to Movies).

Whichever you choose, locate a building closer to the Main Building (Calypso/Jazz = Music, 50's/70's = Pop) so that you have an easier time getting food, merchandise, buses, etc)

If you want a quieter experience, go for Country building in Music or 80s building in Pop. Both hotels have the same layout room wise, same amenities, same overall experience.

Hope this helps. If you have any specific All Star questions, let me know! :D

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

We prefer the All Stars to Pop.....I thought the layout of Pop was just too big and I didn't like how the air conditioning system worked....it was fine really we just prefer the All Stars resorts....

[CajunDisneyDad]

I personally perfer the Pop, strictly due to the non bus sharing (well until June 2012 lol) We stayed at the Sports this last time and got a prefered room facing the pool! Needless to say we didnt go to sleep any night until after 1:00am... so that being said we perfer Pop :) Whatever you decide, enjoy!!!
:mickey:

[disneymom15]

Of the values, we prefer POP. We've stayed at all 4 values. We like the food court better at POP and also not having to share buses.

[DisneyMP3Maker]

We've stayed at the All Stars (Movies and Music) and like them quite a bit. We've also stayed at POP. It was a nice change of scenery. POP, though, took us out of the Disney frame of mind. While there is the typical theme of a value (over-sized statues, etc), the music and quite a bit of the decor had nothing to do with Disney, and that's one of the things we look forward to most. Which is why we like All Star Movies best of all the Values. Though we are totally looking forward to the new resort opening up across the lake from POP!

[brownie]

:welcome:

njmomof5, welcome to INTERCOT!

I have not stayed at All-Star Music but have stayed at Pop Century. I believe Pop Century has a bigger food court area. That and with it being newer would make me pick Pop Century over All-Star Music. We really enjoyed our stay at Pop Century and would stay there again.

[TinkRocks]

I've stayed at all three All-Star Resorts, as well as Pop Century.

Of the three All-Star Resorts, I'd go with Music. However, as others have said, transportation can be an issue at the All-Star Resorts 'cos they share buses to the parks. On several occasions, the wait can be quite significant.

I enjoy Pop Century - I don't spend too much time at the resort (I'd prefer to spend my time in the parks), but do like to stay on property when I'm at WDW for a few days so that I can make use of the transportation. Pop doesn't share buses with other resorts, so the buses take you between the resort and the destination directly (other than Downtown Disney sharing a bus with Typhoon Lagoon).

[dizneydeb22]

We have stayed at both the AsMu and the Pop Century. Each has it's own pro's and con's. Of the two, I would have to say that we liked Pop just a little bit more because of the non bus sharing. Music is great especially since as soon as you exit the main building you are greeted by the Three Cabelleros in the pool! At Pop the theme is great as well and the food court is bigger and has more of a variety(the tie die cheesecake isn't bad either). All in all we were extremely happy with both of our stays. I can say with complete honesty that we didn't have a negative experience at either one. Good luck with your choice and I hope you have a magical trip!

[JerseyDad]

....having stayed at both.....I'd say POP. It's (to me) a nicer value resort....with theming we prefer...transportation that we have never had an issue with....and an over-all resort experience that won us over immediately

[AmandaChan]

We're in the tentative (hoping the economy and income pick up) stages of planning a 2012 vacation and I'm wondering about POP Century vs. All Star Music.

We've stayed at All Star Sports in the past and I really much prefer the moderate resorts to the value resorts, but for financial reasons if we go to Disney we'll have to go value. So it looks like we'll be staying at POP or All Star Music next year. Now I'm coming to the experts to find out which you all prefer and why.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Lori - hoping to get back to the World in 2012 :mickey:

We've stayed in AS Sports before. I didn't hate it but I like Pop much better and here's why:

-It's newer
-There are not 3 bus stops at Pop, they have their own busses.
-The pool bar is nicer.
-I like the theme of Pop better.
- The food court and the shop are soo much nicer than the one at Sports.

The AS resorts are just older and there is more of a chance of groups being at those resorts being noisy!

[BelleBeauty]

I've stayed at AS Sports and Music and honestly I prefer POP. We've stayed there the past two trips. The fact that there is no bus sharing is key, and I like that it is a bit larger because we can get a room that is away from the main pool and the noise there. The back of the 50's Jukebox building on the 3rd or 4th floor is fantastic because you can have a view of IllumiNations from just outside your room!

[ValenciaCalling]

Same with me! When I stayed at the AS Sports on a high school trip, it was fine for 4 kids, but that's because all we really needed was a room with a shower and a bed.

Then, a few years later, I stayed at the POP with my mom. I could definitely tell a difference in quality. I don't know if it was the layout of the resort, or the fact that it's a littler newer, but it just seemed nicer than the All Stars.

Also, the last time I was at All Star Music, they put us in the country section, and our room was kind of gross. There were huge clumps of hair everywhere and bugs in the bathroom. It definitely turned me off to the All Stars. :(

[MushuGrl]

Honestly, I've never stayed at any of the All-Stars. But I'm one of the weirdos that prefer Pop to even a deluxe resort. And not just because I mainly need a bed, a shower, and some chow. I just love the place! It feels like Disney with so much to see. I'm a Pop Culture nut and it's just fun to walk down Memory Lane and see all the fun stuff.

The rooms are nice, and I have never had any trouble with noise. And the POP waffles alone are reason enough to stay!

[TheVBs]

We've never stayed at POP, but we've stayed at ASMu on every trip and have had a great stay every time. :mickey:

[Pop Centurion]

Pop because I love the theme & atmosphere of the resort. Plus I think the food court is much better & as mentioned, no bus sharing.

[WDWdreamer87]

Also, the last time I was at All Star Music, they put us in the country section, and our room was kind of gross. There were huge clumps of hair everywhere and bugs in the bathroom. It definitely turned me off to the All Stars. :(

I can assure you this is NOT the case now...especially since I'm working there!!! ;):D

[Sylvia]

POP was my first value resort and I loved it both times I stayed there. By the time I tried to book a third vacation, everyone else had discovered the resort, so I settled for ASMusic. At first, I kept comparing it to POP, so I wasn't happy. But, then, I decided that was stupid and I should really concentrate on Music and stop comparing. The result? I'm booked for my fifth consecutive annual vacation at ASMusic this September.

I will confess, though, that I always visit POP for the tie-dyed cheesecake. :blush:

Every so often, I stay at my all-time favorite, Caribbean Beach, or Shades of Green, but lately, I've been staying at a value resort. I've noticed in the past several years at Music, there have been more activities offered, including dinner specials every day. In approximately 74 days I'll be back there for another 2-week stay.

[jazzblaster]

We have stayed at all the value resorts. We like Pop the best. It has its own buses, so you don't have to waste time going from resort to resort....just straight to the parks. Its the newest of all of the values too, so thats another plus in its favor! No matter what...you will have a blast!

Lori

[Suzi Q]

I have stayed at all the values. I keep going back to Pop Century because I love to stay along the lake and always request a room somewhere along there if possible. There are benches to sit and watch the ducks float on the lake, it's such a quiet spot to unwind from the days excitement, I read a lot there too. It's a great spot for those of us whose children are grown and don't go with us anymore! I agree with earlier posters - not sharing a bus is another point in it's favor, the food court is bigger, plus I've gone there so many times it's like 'home' to me - say hi to Angel at guest services, joan in the food court, etc! I have stayed at all the all stars as well and music is my favorite theme-wise.

[megustamex]

I've stayed at both. I agree with the poster who stated that Pop doesn't feel as Disney-esque. One of the things I love about the AS resorts (even vs. the deluxe resorts) is that it feels like you are sleeping in the park. We love having the Disney theme around us all the time. Pop just doesn't have a lot of Disney theming.

Music is our favorite. It's always been clean, the grounds are pretty, and it is the only AS resort that has a DJ with music, games and movies by the pool.

The other thing that I like about the AS resorts is being able to easily walk over and explore the adjoining resorts (Sports and Movies). We like to eat in the other resort food courts for a change of pace too.

[micky95]

my dw & i have stayed at both and we prefer POP.bigger food court ,no bus sharing.to us it is the only resort that total puts you in a disney state of mind.pop is very themed to disney with forty foot figures of lady & tramp baloo and others. there is a giant big wheel,huge foos ball characters and much more .for us its POP only :number1:

[lovinmesomedisney]

Never stayed at Music, but have stayed at POP, Movies, and Sports. I much preferred All Stars over POP. For some unknown reason, POP seems to be the most popular, which meant the most crowded, and I didn't like the layout AT ALL. Also, as far as the buses go, I find it much easier to catch buses at Movies and Sports. We go to the parks from open to close, so we never shared buses with any of the other All Star resorts. When we stayed at POP last February, it ALWAYS had the longest lines at the end of the night at all the parks. I also like the layout of the food courts being more separated from the gift shops at the All Stars. I did not like the way the POP connected them. Just an opinion, but it is All Stars for us. No more POP. Tried it and didn't like it!

[Not2Loud]

I like them all for different reasons. The buses don't typically matter to me, as we drive in and can drive to the park we are visiting. I often drive to the TTC and go from there if we are hopping about all day.

I like ASMovies based upon theme as we love movies and its fun to look at all the statues as well as get some fun pretend play time in with DD8.

I like POP due to the lake in the back. It was nice to take walks along it and decompress a bit.

I have yet to stay at ANY WDW resort and not like it. I prefer some over others, but I like them all!

[nfrustaci]

Stayed at pop for the last 10 years or so. Every visit has been great. Rooms are always clean. They are small and there is limited drawer space but that is not a big deal for us. the beds are new so they are firm. I will tell you something that my friend had me laughing about, she was complaining about how small the bed pillows were and that they seemed extra fluffy. it wasn't until the end of the trip that i asked her if she noticed that they fold the open end of the pillow case inside the pillow to make the pillow appear small and over filled. all she had to do was take the open end out of itself and flatten the pillow out. We still laugh about it. Have a great time at Disney. We will be staying at POP for 10 days in October. Can't wait !!!!:mickey:

[njmomof5]

Thank you very much. You've all given me some great replies. I have to say though that the bus sharing isn't a huge problem as we always drive to Florida (7 airline tickets are too expensive) and so we have a car. My kiddoes looked at pictures online and couldn't resist the three caballeros, so I think ASMus will be first choice and POP will be second. :mickey:

Thanks again.

Lori

[mommy2maddi]

We stayed at POP last year and loved it. Great food court and great bus service. I'm sure you'll love either one, but POP is the choice for us. Have fun!!!:mickey: