POR vs. a value

[mom2morgan]

I have POR booked for our May trip. We've only ever stayed there, at Carribean, and at AKL and POR is our favourite and feels like home. However, I'm looking at costs, especially since I'm Canadian and the exchange rate is killing me. It looks like staying at a Value instead would save us 800 dollars, which is a LOT of money. I just don't know if I can stand it. Disclaimer; I've never even visited one so I have no direct experience to draw on. So here's our scoop - it is hubby, myself, and our 20 year old daughter. Our style is to do the parks at a relaxed pace, have some nice dinners, and spend afternoons poolside. What do you think - could we make a Value work, and if so, which one? Or with our style and preferences is it worth some penny pinching to do POR?

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

We tried POP for a couple of nights last summer, and were so glad to go back to POFQ. There wasn't anything wrong with POP per se, but we realized that we loved POFQ/POR and they felt like home too. POP felt loud and crowded with small rooms and not-as-good pools.

I'm sure we would have been fine, the room was clean and the food court decent, but it just didn't have the same feel to us. So, I'm not much help, but I would choose POP over the All-Stars since it is finishing up a renovation, and it never shares a bus!

[Cinderelley]

Pop and POR are my two favorite resorts. The one I choose is based on what kind of trip I want. If I want something romantic, I go for POR. If it is for something fun, I choose Pop.

If it is only a pool that you need, you would probably be fine with Pop. The quiet pool in the 50s section is always quiet when I have been there. If you are looking for entertainment like Yeehaw Bob or a nice sit down meal at your resort, you would probably want to stick with POR. Pop has a poolside bar, but no entertainment, and the food court is all counter service.

I love the fun photo opportunities around Pop's grounds. I always request a room in the 50's section in the back of the jukebox building, so that I can watch the fireworks from our room. They are a good distance away, but I can still see them on nights that we relax at the resort. I prefer having one bus stop instead of the multiple stops around POR, but that is really just a minor thing for me. The bus stop at Pop isn't shaded if that is a concern for you.

In your shoes, I would sit down and figure out the things at POR that you would be unhappy without and then compare them to what Pop offers. I am a little bit of a hotel snob, but I can usually find something I like at any resort if I have the right mind set.

[mom2morgan]

Yeah, I remembered that I was looking forward to Yee Haw Bob and trying Boatwright's for a first time ...and that lovely boat ride to Disney Springs! Not looking for romantic with the kid along, but I think I'd still be happier at POR. Then I found a discount for my dates and saved $300, so it only hurts about half as much LOL

[#1donaldfan]

Riverside and the FQ are our favorites but we have stayed at the values and have never really had an issue. I do like POP a lot, in that I like to run the Hour Glass Lake trail in the mornings. The food court was good and the rooms have always been clean. The busses are nearly as busy at any resort we have been seeing lately, so that shouldn't be a deciding factor .. save the cash, have fun at POP or whichever you choose !!

[mook3y]

You can still come by to see Yee Haw Bob regardless of the resort you stay at!

We have stayed at POR more than any other property on site. We have only stayed at AS Music for values for a couple nights.

We tend to take our time too, and love to spend time at the pool. But, the pools are not even close to being as nice at a value resort imho. I love the theming and waterslide at POR.

Since we try to spend a fair amount of time on vacation relaxing, we make use of the nicer resorts and the extra amenities they offer. Sounds like you are in the same boat. :)

That said, if the $ difference means you have to cut back on meals, souvinears, etc. Might be worth it to go to POP.

Regardless... YOUR GOING TO WDW! happy planning.

[Cinderelley]

Yeah, I remembered that I was looking forward to Yee Haw Bob and trying Boatwright's for a first time ...and that lovely boat ride to Disney Springs! Not looking for romantic with the kid along, but I think I'd still be happier at POR. Then I found a discount for my dates and saved $300, so it only hurts about half as much LOL

Awesome! You'll be able to stay where you like and save a little money. :)

[Jeff]

My wife and I stayed at Pop Feb of 2016, we are normally moderate or deluxe guests with POR a favorite. We were concerned about not being happy at POP but we were pleasantly surprised. We had a “preferred room” (thanks to Magical Journeys) which put us closer to the main building, this was nice. Our most pleasant surprise were the busses! Our first morning we went to MK and the bus line was very, very long but amazingly the wait was much shorter than many waits at POR or deluxe resorts. There were several WDW transportation officials at the bus area monitoring lines and within 2 or 3 minutes 3 busses pulled up, one a double length buss, and the entire line was emptied in no time! These short waits continued throughout our trip! To save money, We would go back to POP without hesitation!

[Roger's #1 Fan]

I have to agree with what others have said regarding the values. I have stayed at POR, SS, and Dolphin as well as ASM, ASMu, Pop, and AoA. While you definitely give up some room area and a higher end dining/pool experience, that savings can be used to do other experiences/dining in the parks or other resorts. I did notice that the waits for bus times tended to be slightly longer at the moderates, especially the ones with multiple pickup points.