Cannot make a decision...ASMu family suite or two rooms at POP or ASMu?

[southernfriedmom]

Our resort of choice is BWI but to enjoy a longer trip without breaking the budget we will stay value for 3-4 nights before our 5 night stay at BWI. Our plan is to do more TS dining and commando park touring while at a Value for the first half of our trip and then enjoy more resort time and leisurely touring while at BWI. It will be myself, DH, DS (8 & 10) and DD (5 & 5). I cannot make a decision about which Value I listed my thoughts right now and would love other's opinions...

Two rooms at ASMu= Pros: cheapest with real beds for the children
Cons: shared bus, no chance for Queen or King bed, no guarantee for connecting rooms

Two rooms at POP = Pros: no shared bus, ?many seem to think its a bit nicer than ASMu?? (maybe I am wrong), chance that DH & I could have a King
Cons: about $20 more per night, no connecting guarantee

ASMu Family Suite= Pros: Guaranteed in same room & a Queen for DH & I
Cons: about $35 more per night than two rooms, kids won't have real beds

Thanks in Advance for Sharing your thoughts with this indecisive DISer!!

 

[JennyDrake]

I vote for 2 rooms at ASMu--hands down! Extra bathroom, extra bed, and I love the resort.

I think the bus sharing at All Stars is WAY overstated. I stay at the AS at least 2-3 times per year and I would guess that we share buses 25% of the time or less. Even when we do, I see no difference in that and a moderate with multiple stops within the resort.

 

[Babsy]

Our resort of choice is BWI but to enjoy a longer trip without breaking the budget we will stay value for 3-4 nights before our 5 night stay at BWI. Our plan is to do more TS dining and commando park touring while at a Value for the first half of our trip and then enjoy more resort time and leisurely touring while at BWI. It will be myself, DH, DS (8 & 10) and DD (5 & 5). I cannot make a decision about which Value I listed my thoughts right now and would love other's opinions...

Two rooms at ASMu= Pros: cheapest with real beds for the children
Cons: shared bus, no chance for Queen or King bed, no guarantee for connecting rooms

Two rooms at POP = Pros: no shared bus, ?many seem to think its a bit nicer than ASMu?? (maybe I am wrong), chance that DH & I could have a King
Cons: about $20 more per night, no connecting guarantee

ASMu Family Suite= Pros: Guaranteed in same room & a Queen for DH & I
Cons: about $35 more per night than two rooms, kids won't have real beds

Thanks in Advance for Sharing your thoughts with this indecisive DISer!!

I would go with ASMu family suite. I like the guarantee of all of us together and the queen bed for DH and me. However, that would depend upon what kind of sleepers your children are. Mine would have been fine at that age on pullouts.

If kids might not sleep well without real beds, I would go with Pop. It is a really nice resort and you can walk over to AoA to enjoy the theming and food court there as well.

 

[EvilQueenLiz]

I did a split stay in August, 7 days in BWV and then 5 in ASMu Suites! I was very happy with the suite, it was a nice set up, I liked my "master bedroom" and three teenagers and my ds8 had no complaints about the pull outs. I liked the kitchenette area with the fridge. I would stay there again in the future rather than a regular moderate resort room.

 

[BigKid45]

We've done both ASMu FS and connecting rooms at PoP. With your crew I'd recommend 2 rooms and I'd pick POP over AS. How nice it is to close that connecting door for a few hours of quiet and the kids can do their thing right next door. I think Disney does their best not to split up families, especially with small children so you should get connecting rooms. I'd splurge for King room for parents connected to double-doubles for the kids. I think PoP QS dining is better than ASMu and the Pop themes are better. You can always walk across the bridge to AoA too!

 

[DisMom1981]

Not sure about the All Star Resort, but we've stayed twice at Pop in the summer and arrived early and have been able to get connecting rooms with no issues.

 

[southernfriedmom]

Thanks for all the suggestions...I am leaning towards two rooms. A couple of you suggested POP over ASMu or vice-versa. If you have a preference, what is it about the resort that you prefer over the other?

 

[SabbyR]

For us we love POP! And its nice because besides Pools you kinda get two resorts in one with AoA being just across the bridge. Weve always been happy with everything at Pop from buses to mouse keeping to food (although to be fair weve only eaten breakfast there maybe a handful of times in all our trips) so my vote would be for Pop!

 

[EvilQueenLiz]

Thanks for all the suggestions...I am leaning towards two rooms. A couple of you suggested POP over ASMu or vice-versa. If you have a preference, what is it about the resort that you prefer over the other?

I've stayed in both and I would stay in either of them again. I would however be partial to the family suite just because it makes more sense for my older kids. The suite keeps us together but separate! Also, with the suite you are guaranteed a "preferred" building close to the pool, food and main hall. I think you'll be happy with whichever you choose.

 

[HopperFan]

Two rooms at POP. Two rooms for REAL beds are a plus!

We have stayed at all the AllStars and POP - POP is our favorite.

We really feel that POP is much nicer overall than the AllStars. The landscaping is much nicer and walking around the resort doesn't feel as value. It also has the walking path all around the lake and a bridge over to AoA where you can enjoy their food court which is a nicer food court than other values and serves food on real plates with real silverware which they don't do at most the moderates. You can watch fireworks from some buildings and the bridge. POP does not share transportation at any time and it's always been very efficient. I have often returned very late after EMH or parties at MK with just my DS and I - and have always felt very safe. POP has a layout similar to AllStar Sports & AllStar Movies where the main hub in along the side/center.

We will gladly return to Sports or Movies but Music is our least favorite resort. The footprint is not like the others and the main stuff is at the end of an oblong footprint. Standard rooms are at the other end and it's a hike to the food court, buses etc. The buildings close are suites or preferred. We don't like the decor at all. It's not Disney and mostly feels like a Route 66 motel. It is a poorly lit resort and at night we felt very uncomfortable walking back to our room. We are city street smart folks and rarely feel this way. We ended up driving everywhere in our car so we didn't have to cross the dark resort.

Our view when we walk out of our room at POP

 

[bnk1120]

I would choose the 2 rooms at Pop. I have stayed at pop and asmu and much prefer pop. The layout of the resort is better. I also love the icons, the food court and morning walks around the resort. The 50's section is my favorite