Buckeye Gal
Beach Girl Deep in the Land
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2007
Welcome to the NEWER, GROOVIER Pop Century Resorts FAQ thread!
Hi, everyone!
The following information compiled in Post #1 has been gathered from the multitude of DISer postings. There are also links to pictures that were gathered from these postings in the Pop Century Picture Thread and from Corey Martin from the RDreams Unlimited/DIS Unplugged. I hope you find it helpful to have so much of it in one place!
If at any point in time you find information in Post #1 outdated or links to photos are no longer valid, please PM me, and I'll make the revision!
FYI....The thread named "The Groovy New Pop Century FAQ Thread!" has been closed by the Moderators, making this thread the only newest, GROOVIER Pop Century FAQ thread out there to receive new information.
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What is this thread's purpose?
This thread is intended to be a single point of reference for FAQs directly associated to the Pop Century Resorts. Let's try to keep this thread clean for people to post information on Pop or to easily get answers to their inquiries about the resort.
Please feel free to post information about the resort and everything it offers so this becomes a special place where others within the DIS family can learn about Pop and all the wonderful things it has to offer. If you have a picture to post or want to see things for yourself, please go to the well established Pop Century Picture thread. I've also tried to incorporate photo links to topics noted below so you can more easily get a visual as you read along.
In the spirit of keeping the thread full of only great information, questions, and reviews, if you want to meet new and old friends while staying at the Pop, if you want have friendly chit-chat unrelated to a stay at Pop, or if you want to share your great vacation news, by all means start up a a new thread so we can hear about it!!
Subscribing: Did you know you do not have to reply to this thread to subscribe to it? On any thread on the DISboards, near the top of the page and just under the advertisement banner and "Page # of #", there's a drop-down option named "Thread Tools". After clicking on this, select "Subscribe to this Thread". Please do this instead of posting a "Subbing" type of post so we can cut down on the number of unnecessary posts that makes it more time consuming to read through.
WHAT ARE POP CENTURY RESORTS?
THE BASICS
Classic Hall is the name of the main building. Classic Hall houses the front desk area, the arcade, and the merchandise/food court area named "Everything POP." You walk into this area, and it starts off as the merchandise store. Walk further, and it becomes the Food Court. The Food Court itself is HUGE. There are many tables, lots of soda fountains, and a very eclectic selection of food. Everything on property is VERY close to this main building. The furthest building might be a 6 minute walk to Classic Hall, if that. In fact, the Classic Years Resort is only 1,500 feet from one corner to the diagonally-opposite furthest corner.
Pop Century Resorts is broken into two separate resort areas. There are the Legendary Years and Classic Years. The lands of Legendary and Classic Years are connected via the Generation Gap Bridge over Hourglass Lake.
Address
Pop Century Resorts, Classic Years
1050 Century Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Via Satellite
Latitude: 28°20'59.72"N
Longitude: 81°32'36.78"W
Phone Numbers
Main Phone: 407.938.4000
Fax: 407.938.4039
TTY Reservations: 407.939.7670
Reservations: 407.934.7639 (407-WDISNEY)
Special Needs/Disabilities Reservations: 407.939.7807
Check-in Time: 4:00 pm
Check-out Time: 11:00 am
Pop Century Picture Thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1424996
DIS Pop Picture Posting: http://www.wdwinfo.com/Photos/Pop_Century/index.htm#31WDW Property Map: http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/propertymap.htm
Pop Century Property Map: http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/PopCenturyMap.pdf
LEGENDARY YEARS (1910’s – 1940’s)
- Ironically, Generation Gap Bridge from Classic Years' property leads to a ghost town, just like you may have seen in the early 1900’s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSc1fG0ETeY). You can walk across the bridge. Once you are off the bridge, it dead-ends with landscaping, which becomes a natural barrier to walking on the land for the Legandary Years as that's prohibited.
- Construction was abandoned after 9.11.2001 due to uncertainly of tourism demands
- Property is now considered “backstage”; the parking lot there is used by CMs for training and staging
- Reconstruction and grand opening date unknown, however, in April 2008, DISer baileybelle had spoken to two manager Cast Members who told her that within the next 2-3 years, the Legendary Years side was going to be finally finished. They indicated that due to the successful demand at ASM, this section of the resort would be made into family suites like ASM has today instead of the original plan to make these rooms like the Classic Years.
- Resort's Grand Opening Day was December 14, 2003
- 10 T-shaped themed lodges; 4 floors each
- 1950’s: Buildings #1 (Lady), #2 (Jukebox), #3 (Tramp); bowling pin stairs
- 1960’s: Buildings #4 (Play-Doh), #5 (Mowgli & Baloo); Duncan Yo-Yo stairs
- 1970’s: Buildings #6 (Mickey Phone), #10 (Big Wheel); 8-track tape stairs
- 1980’s: Buildings #7 (Roger Rabbit), #9 (Sony Walkman); Rubix Cube stairs
- 1990’s: Building #8 (Lap Top Computer); cell phone stairs
- Total of 2880 air conditioned rooms
- rooms are 260 sq feet each
- room allocations
- King Bed, Standard: 81
- King Bed, Handicap Accessible*: 63
- Dbl/Dbl Beds, Standard: 2621
- Dbl/Dbl Beds, Handicap Accessible*: 115
(*) indicates rooms have roll-in showers in bathroom (no bathtub)
- Room capacity accommodates up to 4 adults/children plus one portable crib for an infant (an infant is defined as a child UNDER age 3)
- Pack 'n Play available upon request at no charge
- Roll-away beds are not available
- All rooms are identical in decoration with the exception of framed artwork and a wallpaper border depicting the decade of the room
- Beds are on permanent pedestals, so they cannot be moved nor will items get lost under the bed. There is one exception to the permanent pedestals. The disABILITY rooms have beds that do in fact move.
- The space between the two double beds is not wide enough for a twin-sized mattress
- If you need to bring a twin air mattress, you will have enough (barely) floor space to use it; however, you will have to move the table and chairs away from the entertainment center/dresser wall. An inflatable sleeping bag bed would work even better because it’s less wide. Remember that you still cannot exceed the capacity of 4 people + 1 infant.
- Floor Plans
- Like all other WDW resorts, only non-smoking rooms are available
- Connecting rooms are available
- ALL rooms with King beds or handicap accessable are connecting rooms with the other room being a standard room with two double beds
- There are also Dbl/Dbl & Dbl/Dbl connecting rooms.
- DISer ChairborneRangr has created a wonderful map showing locations of connecting, handicap accessible, and king bed rooms
- http://disneyworldlinks.com/tools/PopCenturyRoomLayoutLarge.jpg
- On August 18, 2008, DISer mickeystoontown reported that while she was at Pop Century, she was informed that all the mattresses were being replaced. While there, she saw it going on herself. Goofy22 also reported on August 30th that he had just returned from Pop they were still replacing mattresses when he was there.
- Standard vs. Preferred
- Preferred Rooms
- "Preferred" refer to the location of the room on the property and nothing more; they do not refer to views or amenities
- these are rooms in buildings closest to Classic Hall (500 ft or less)
- preferred rooms are not necessarily THAT much closer the bus stop; see "Property Info" section in this post and/or a wonderful posting from DISer Simba77 that maps out the distance from the center of the bus stop area to the center of each era
- '60s = 840 feet
- '80s = 945 feet
- '90s = 945 feet
- '70s = 950 feet
- '50s = 980 feet
- typically $10-$15/night more than a standard room
- these room numbers are considered preferred rooms (note “x” defines the floor)
- Building 1: 1x01 – 1x36
- Building 3: 3x61 – 3x72
- Building 4: 4x01 – 4x36 & 4x61 – 4x72
- Building 5: 5x01 – 5x12 & 5x37 – 5x72
- Building 6: 6x01 – 6x12
- Building 10: 0x37 – 0x72
- preferred room maps: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=17643531&postcount=2 & from the links immediately above associated to the buildings
- Standard Rooms
- worse case, rooms furthest from Classic Hall will take 6-7 minutes to walk to the building
- Preferred Rooms
- Best Hourglass Lake views: Buildings #3, #4, #5, #6
- Quieter rooms: As a rule of thumb, lakeside views and 3rd and 4th floors of any building are quieter
- Individual room climate control is by default motion sensor activated
- to "trick" the motion sensor so the temp stays as you left it, get a helium balloon to bounce around in your room
- there is no known way to override the thermostat's motion sensor yourself; they are different than other units in other WDW resorts
- you can call maintenance to turn off the motion sensor, however, whatever they do to it only lasts 24 hours
- Safes
- a small safe is built inside the wall in your room
- approximately 4" deep x 12" wide x 14" tall, which fits most 15" laptops
- safe opens/locks with a traditional key
- if larger space is need, go to Registration Guest Services in the Lobby of Classic Hall, and they’ll likely be able to lock it up for you
- Small table with 2 chairs are in the room
- An entertainment center/dresser with 6 drawers (3 large/3 small) and 3 small shelves is in the room
- Rooms with a king bed have 2 nightstands
- Full/double bed rooms have 1 nightstand between the two beds; space between two beds is approximately 30"
- check-in is 4:00 pm; it's entirely a luck of the draw if your room will be available earlier as that's based on many factors, including but not limited to days with a higher rate of departure on your arrival date, lower occupancy levels allowing Mousekeeping to rotate rooms more quickly, the length of your say, and trying to accommodate your special location request(s)
MAKING RESERVATIONS
Reservations: 407.934.7639 (407-WDISNEY), TTY Reservations at 407.939.7670, or Special Needs Reservations at 407.939.7807
When making your reservation, you may have the need to include the following to your reservation request:
- Special requests
- it’s suggested to have your requests (no guarantee given) added as notations to your reservation ASAP (call 407-WDISNEY)
- in addition to having your special request(s) on your reservation, many guests have also faxed their requests directly to Pop Century 4-6 days prior to arrival; it's rumored that room assignments are made 3 days prior to arrival
- on the fax cover letter, make it simple and concise; "I'm requesting the following:" followed by bullet points of what you desire
- include your name, reservation number, date of arrival, and length of stay
- common special requests WDW will try to accommodate at no extra charge unless otherwise noted:
- rooms accessible to wheelchairs
- equipment for guests with hearing impairments
- hearing-impaired TDD telephones
- bed shaker accessory for hearing-impaired guests as an alternative to an alarm clock
- bed boards
- Graco Pack 'n Play (this will just fit between the two full-sized beds with about 1.5" to spare)
- bed rails
- connecting rooms (these are rooms that have a connecting door within the room to another room; note that "adjacent rooms" have a different meaning, which is the rooms are side by side or directly across from each other)
- preferred decade themed building
- small refrigerators (fee applies unless it's for medical needs)
- a Sharps container for used syringes
- quieter rooms (lake-side view & 4th floor, which is the top floor so you have no guests above your head)
- ground level floors (for those with fear of little munchkins getting hurt on higher levels, prefer to not use stairs/elevators)
- room with view to see Illuminations and Spaceship Earth from Epcot (note that many say you can see only the highest fireworks from Pop)
- the best viewing rooms are reported to primarily be found on the lakeside view of 50’s building #2 (Rooms #2450-2460) and 60’s buildings #3 and #4; check out Simba77's post that diagrams the best rooms with a view, which you may want to pair with the room number map
- floors 3 and 4 will obviously offer best views in these buildings
- Package deals
- if needed, make sure you include your park tickets and/or dining plan with your room reservation
- If applicable to your plans, ensure you reserve your complimentary Magical Express ground transportation to/from the Orlando airport and Pop while reserving your room. WDW Reservations will need your flight info, so if you don't have that at the time of making your resort reservation, don't forget to call them back once the flights are secured.
AMENITIES
- Pools
- open from 7:00 am - Midnight
- quiet time at pools from 10:00 pm – Midnight
- lifeguards are on duty from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.
- Three main pools include Hippy Dippy Flower, Computer, and Bowling Pin pools
- all are heated and maintained at 82 degrees Fahrenheit
- edges of each pool are shallow and become deeper as you get to the center, getting no deeper than 4'9"
- no diving in any pool is permitted
- Goofy Pop Jets (70’s area between Buildings #5 and #6) with a padded foam ground
- Hippy Dippy Flower Pool is the featured pool located in the 60’s courtyard and closest to Class Hall
- there are four flower shower spray fountains at the Hippy Dippy Pool
- Kids' Wading Pool is right by the Hippy Dippy Flower Pool located near the 60’s courtyard
- Computer Pool is located in the 80’s and 90’s courtyard; this pool is more known to be considered the quiet pool
- Bowling Pin Pool is located in the 50’s courtyard
- there are no slides or jacuzzis/hot tubs
- bring towel from your guest room to the pool; before you leave the room, call Mousekeeping for replacement towels to be delivered while you’re soaking in the sun
- life vests are located in a bin near all pools and available for use at no cost
- feel free to bring your own inflatables and noodles for the pools
- there are typically beach balls floating around in the pools for guests to use
- All diaper-age children are required to wear plastic pants or swim diapers for the safety of other guests. These can be purchased at any of the gift shops on property.
- Children under 12 must have adult supervision at the pools
- Coin-operated lockers are in the restroom/shower area of the pool-size laundry facility.
- Coin-operated laundry machines are available
- $2 each for the washer and an approximate 20 minute dryer cycle
- locations are in poolside bathroom buildings in courtyards of 50’s, 60’s, and 90’s decades
- buildings are open 24 hours, but after about 9:00 pm, you have to use your KTTWC to get in
- a change machine and laundry product vending machine are in the service building; detergent and dryer sheets can be purchased here
- no seating available in building
- look for the hidden Mickey in the laundry room
- 25” remote TV in rooms with front A/V jacks for video games and camcorders; note most do not have S-video inputs
- No coffee maker in room nor available for renting
- check the Trip Planning Budget Board as there may still be a Pop coffee maker swap in progress; for starters, try http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1366280
- Small refrigerator for rent $12/night; free for those with medical needs
- check Trip Planning Budget Board as there may still be a Pop fridge swap in progress; for starters, try http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1431195, http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1336041, http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1206828&page=55, http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1775905or http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1703058
- for more flexibility in where you have the refrigerator located in the room, consider packing a heavy duty extension cord
- H20 brand shampoo/conditioner combo and a round soap bar with a Mickey head on it will be provided; there is no lotion or shower gel
- Hairdryers are on the wall in your room, but they are weak
- Iron and ironing board are in your room
- Although there is a radio alarm clock in the room, don’t forget you can have Mickey and his friends give you your morning wake-up call on the phone. Answer the phone by pressing the speaker phone button so everyone can hear! (Note that in Sept 2008, there were some wake-up calls with Mickey and friends' voice and some with music from Hanna Montana.)
- The alarm clock/radio has a white noise function; the options are seen on on this photo; these sounds have been reported as less than natural and very electronic sounding
- The alarm clock/radio has an MP3 player hookup (speaker use only; it does not charge up your MP3 player)
- Voicemail is on your room's phone line, which you can customize your outgoing message
- Internet Access
- wired ethernet (high speed) internet is available in your room at the fee of $10 for 24 hour period; the speed has been reported very good
- no wireless access available anywhere on WDW property
- dial-up internet connection is an option; look for the Orlando (not Kissimmee) local number provided by your ISP
- there are no courtesy computers to use or pay for use on the resort's property
- if you do not have a computer but need internet access, you can rent computer time at the rate of $10.00 for 15 minutes only at the conventions centers located at the Boardwalk Inn, Yacht Club, Dolphin, Contemporary, Coronado Springs, and Grand Floridian resorts; they are available for use by anyone staying at any WDW resort
- ATM is found in Classic Hall Lobby behind the Disney Vacation Club counter
- Currency exchange service available in Classic Hall Lobby
- Babysitting/Childcare Services for a fee
- Valet Service Cleaning
- Express Check-out
- The television channel line-up is noted here
FOOD/DINING
- The Food Court providing B/L/D/Snacks is in Everything POP located in Classic Hall
- open 6:00 am – Midnight
- note that from 11:00 pm to Midnight, there are mostly just snacks available
- breakfast served 6:00 am – 11:00 am
- The DIS has a dining menu posted at http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=361
- Deb from AllEarsNet has menus and prices posted at the following links:
- breakfast: http://allearsnet.com/menu/menu_popb.htm
- lunch, dinner, and snacks: http://allearsnet.com/menu/menu_popct.htm
- Condiments in the Food Court include jelly, peanut butter, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, sugar, artificial sweetener, and more
- Pizza (and a little more) delivery is available from 4:00 pm – Midnight
- Deb from AllEarsNet has the Pizza Delivery menu posted at http://allearsnet.com/menu/menu_poppiz.htm
- The DIS has a Pop Pizza Delivery menu as well at http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/popcentury_room_menu.htm
- note that an 18% service fee plus a $1 delivery fee will be applied to your room charges
- Don't miss out on the tie-dye cheesecake! BTW, after eating your cheesecake, don't look back! What goes in, must, ahem...go out!
- Celebration Cakes
- frozen cakes are available for purchase on-property for approximately $13
- fresh vanilla cake with vanilla frosting (topped with a Mickey picture) is available in the Food Court for approximately $13
- fresh chocolate cake with chocolate frosting is available but requires some pre-planning
- call the Food Court Head Chef in advance of your arrival and place an order with a credit card
- the order is fulfilled at the Grand Floridian bakery and delivered to Pop Century Resorts for you to pick up at the Pop bakery
- cake can be personalized with a name
- cost is approximately $13
- it's suggested that you ask for the Pop's Head Chef when you check in to ensure your order is going to be ready for you
- the direct number to the POP Cake Hotline is 407-938-3070; the 6 inch cakes are only decorated with flowers and personalization, but you can get Disney decorations on the larger cakes
- whenever you pick the cake up at the food court, they will have it packaged and in a bag with plates, napkins and forks
- Many foods from the Food Court can be put in containers with lids if you prefer to go back to your room to eat
- If you desire a sundae as your dessert, go eat your meal and come back. They let you come back to get your sundae by taking your receipt up to 1 hour after you got your meal.
- Refillable lidded 16 oz. souvenir travel mugs can be purchased for approx $12.50 for use during your stay
- includes unlimited refills on the following: basic coffee, soda (Coke products: Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Fanta Orange, Sprite, Sprite Zero), apple juice, Minute Maid Light lemonade (there is no lemonade available that doesn't contain artificial sweetener), unsweetened ice tea, hot tea, hot cocoa, and frozen ICEEs in the flavors of Coke and blue raspberry
- Caffeine-free Diet Coke has been found to be inconsistently available from the soda fountain
- excludes milk
- this unlimited refill purchase is only valid for one continuous stay and not to be reused during your next visit
- in 2008, the mugs are in the "Year of a Million Dreams" design; they look just like the mugs used in 2007 but have no date on them
- the mugs can only be used at the resort you purchased it from; they cannot be used anywhere else at WDW
- Cappuccino and espresso can be purchased on-site
- Soy milk (vanilla and chocolate flavors) is available for purchase in the Food Court
- Half gallons of cow's milk are available for purchase in the Food Court in fat free, 1%, and whole milk varieties; as of January 2008, the price was $2.99
- Small cartons (8 oz) of regular cow's milk and chocolate milk are available for purchase
- Hot water dispenser is in the Food Court
- Toaster is available in the Food Court
- Microwave oven is available in Food Court
- Petals Poolside Bar is located outside in 60’s era courtyard; drink menu
- Countertop-like appliances in guest rooms are against hotel safety policies
- Mixed/specialty alcoholic beverages have been reported as not very good, low on alcohol, and cost too much
- Ice buckets and disposable plastic cups are in your guest room
- Ice machine available on each floor behind the building’s elevators
- Soda and snack vending machines are located near the ice machines on the first floor only of each building
- Soda and snack vending machines are located in the service buildings by each pool
- If you need to make Advanced Dinner Reservations (ADR) for your favorite restaurants throughout the World, to determine the 180 day mark that makes you eligible to do so, try this great calendar calculator.
RESORT ENTERTAINMENT
- Do “The Twist” in the Food Court at 8:00 am
- Around 3:00 beside the huge Big Wheel, Cast Members get out several Big Wheels for the kids to ride
- A free sand art activity for the kids starts sometime around 3:00 near the Hippy Dippy Flower Pool
- Do “The Hustle” in Classic Hall and Food Court at 6:00 pm
- A parade in Classic Hall is held everyday anywhere from 5:30-7:00 pm for the kids
- Outdoor Twister can be played in the 70’s courtyard on the end closest to Classic Hall
- Near the entrance of Classic Hall, there are sidewalk chalk and hula hoops available to use
- Fast Forward Arcade is in the Classic Hall (here's another picture)
- typical arcade reward prizes can be earned
- all game machines are cashless; you will purchase an arcade card and load a balance onto it via your KTTW card, credit card, or feed cash into the machine that gives you your arcade card
- $1 = 50 points
- $5 = 250 pts + 25 bonus pts
- $10 = 500 pts + 100 pts
- $20 = 1000 pts + 250 pts
- $25 = 1250 pts + 750 pts
- your money converts to points; games require a varied amount of points
- as you insert your arcade card in a game machine, a balance of remaining points will display
- a Pop Century pressed penny machine is located in the arcade as well as Everything Pop
- There’s a playground (more pics here) in the 70’s era behind Building #10 on side of Classic Hall
- Children’s video "theater" area is off to the right-hand side as you enter through the pick-up/drop-off entrance near the Luggage Assistance area. A few toys are available there, too. Note that this is just a small sitting area, not a traditional theater.
- Fishing is permitted around Hourglass Lake but not on Generation Gap Bridge
- fishing equipment is not available for rent on property; pack your own
- a Florida fishing license is not required because this is private property
- Caution: grounds leading to lake’s edge are steep and the drop-off in the lake is pretty immediate
- Surrey bikes and bicycles are not available at Pop Century Resorts
- Ping Pong table is located near the Hippy Dippy Pool and the Food Court entrance. You'll find a candy machine-like dispenser at Petals Bar where you get your ping pong ball for $0.50. Tip: You might want to pick up a pack of ping pong balls at Walmart and pack for your trip as it's cheaper.
- Take a step back in time by checking out the shadow boxes in the lobby of Classic Hall
- Walk outside along Memory Lane and read the highlights of each year from 1950-1999
- Bunnies, ducks, and squirrels, OH MY! They're all over the place and willing to eat for a picture!!
- Create a spelling game and let the kids burn off some energy at the keyboard in the Computer Pool courtyard
- At Halloween, the kids can go Trick-or-Treating at this resort
- Swimming is prohibited in Hourglass Lake
- Near Petals, the lifeguards get out the hula hoops around 4:15 pm.
- Giant Lego blocks are on the sidewalk by the luggage pickup station
SERVICES
- Credit or debit cards can be linked to your KTTW card; there is not a hold put on debit cards
- Make purchase at the parks and many stores at Downtown Disney with your KTTW card so you don't have to carry a credit card or cash
- Assuming you have had either pre-authorization or put cash down, you can charge up to an accumulative total of $500 to your room account on your KTTWC. Once your account balance reaches $500, you will need to go to Guest Services to settle that payment and get authorization for another $500 (or less if you desire).
- Luggage
- luggage can be stowed away at the beginning and end of your visit in Classic Hall
- there are no traditional bell hop services, however, you can leave your luggage at check in, and it will be delivered to your room likely within an hour
- luggage carts are available you to use
- you can transfer luggage to/from another WDW resort if you're switching mid-stay; the service is free, but don't forget to tip those helping you
- when checking out, you can leave luggage behind in room and call for pickup without waiting for them to come and get it
- if you choose to use the Magical Express transportation service where Disney gets your luggage from the airport, know that it may take 3-4 hours for your luggage to arrive at the resort
- remember you have the choice to not put the ME luggage tag on your luggage and take it with you to the ground transportation bus instead of having them handle it
- On-site pizza delivery (pizza made at the Food Court) is the only type of food room service available
- Ship packages to/from Pop Century Resort and home
- for packages arriving to the resort, on the label’s first line, include your name preceded by the word “Guest” and date of arrival (like "Guest Kimberly Jones 12.22.08")
- it’s up to you if you want to also include your reservation number, but name and date are essential
- they will hold your package up to 2 weeks prior to your arrival
- pick up your package from home or ship to home from the Concierge Desk
- ship items back home to save on luggage space
- Park gift shop package delivery to Pop Century is convenient so you don’t have to carry around your purchases while playing at the parks
- make sure you give your package 24 hours to arrive at the resort
- pick-up area is just inside the bus stop entrance into Classic Hall's gift shop near the candy selection
- Tipping to Mousekeeping
- this one is certainly a controversial topic!
- it would be the Disney-like thing to do, but not necessarily expected as these are not tipped positions...yet it does help to brighten someone's day
- your assigned Mousekeeper can change from day-to-day, so leave a clearly marked envelope for him/her on a daily basis
- go to http://themouseforless.com/downloads/trip/mousekeeping.shtml for some cute graphics all ready for your envelope to go through your home printer
- scrapbookers, use your Disney papers, embellishments, and rubber stamps to decorate an ordinary envelope
- a guideline some use is to tip $1 per day per person in the room + $1; so a room of 4 people would be $5 each day for the Mousekeeper who is taking care of you and your family
- as always, tip based on service provided
- Coin change machines are available in each of the laundry rooms
- Most airlines offer check-in at the resort, which allows you to drop off your luggage and not see it until you return to your home airport. Check resort for list of participating airlines and their guidelines to use this service.
- No business center is on property
- Hair wrapping (a small strand of hair wrapped in colored thread) is a service you'll find at a cart between the Hippy Dippy Pool and the Food Court entrance. Cost is $2 an inch plus they have some beads that can be purchased.
- Temporary Disney tattoos can be purchased at the Tattoo Station located by Petals Pool Bar and beside the Hair Wrapping Station
- Have a caricature drawn for a fee
- The Concierge Desk hours are 7:00 am - 10:00 pm.
PROPERTY INFO
- Retail gift shop in Everything Pop located in Classic Hall; open 6:00 am - Midnight
- End-cap stairways and 2 elevators are available for each building
- elevators are located behind the decade’s large pop icon
- A stroller, walking, and running path is alongside half of Hourglass Lake on Memory Lane
- Outside designated smoking areas are around the lake on Memory Lane; smoking is not permitted outside your room door
- The entire Pop Century Resorts campus is more compact and easier to get around than the moderate resorts. At any point, it will take from 5-8 minutes to walk to the communal building, Classic Hall, from your room’s building. So don’t sweat concerns about lengthy walks to the bus station at Classic Hall.
- If you’re in the 90’s or 80’s section, consider a shortcut by crossing through the parking lot to get to Classic Hall and the bus stop as it’s a much shorter distance
- Google Earth was the source of the following stats. It was used by a DISer to unveil the WORST case distances from the farthest room from the elevators in each building to the center of the bus stop. Below are worst case scenarios for walking back to your room from the bus stop after a long day at the parks.
- Building 2 - 0.28 miles
- Building 6 - 0.23 miles
- Building 7 - 0.22 miles
- Building 4 or 5 - 0.20 miles
- The closest you can get to the bus stops is to have a ground floor room at the end of one of the 60's buildings closest to Classic Hall. This requires a walk of only 0.13 miles. With this in mind, that makes for an 800 foot difference (less than the length of a football field) between the worst and the best case.
- You cannot walk to any other WDW property from Pop Century
- The closest resort to Pop Century is Caribbean Beach Resort, however, it is not in walking distance
- Resort property is non-smoking; there are designated locations around Hourglass Lake where smoking is permitted
- Pool-side dressing rooms, showers, and restrooms are in a stand-alone building by each of the 3 big pools. This is perfect if you want to officially check in on day one and you desire to relax yet your room is not yet available. Note there is no hair dryer available for use in this facility.
- If you forgot or have a need for personal care and sundry items like Advil, Pepto, diapers, sunscreen, band-aids, deodorant, or detergent, Everything Pop has a selection available for purchase.
TRANSPORTATION
- Magical Express ground transportation (motor coach buses) to/from MCO airport and Pop is free, but reservations are required
- you need to provide flight information to Disney so they know when to expect you; call whomever you made your room reservations with to get your transportation reservation secured
- if for any reason you do not have your free ME transportation voucher that should have been mailed to your home, call to make arrangements no less than 3 hours prior to your arrival (4 hours for international flights) at 1.866.599.0951
- Commute time from MCO airport to Pop Century Resorts is approximately 35 minutes
- Guest check-in parking available in front of Classic Hall
- Free guest parking at resort
- Buses are the only means to get to the parks via Disney transportation
- Unlike other Value Resorts, Pop Century buses go directly to a destination; they do not stop at any other resort to pick up other guests, so they’re most efficient; keep your ears open because you don't want to miss that the music on the bus is in theme with the destination
- You cannot walk to any WDW destination from Pop
- Buses run throughout the entire day
- Pop Century is a “Magic On Demand” resort (Zone 5); this means buses get dispatched on an as-needed basis
- Pop Century bus’ hours of operation
- begins one hour before park opens, including park Early Magic Hours
- begins 30 minutes prior to first scheduled on-property character breakfast
- approximately one hour past park’s closure; keep in mind that this is a very busy time for transportation needs, so waiting times and commute times are increased
- Since Pop Century Resorts is the most recent resort to their property (not to mention this is a Value Resort), the bus pick-up/drop-off queue at the WDW parks and DTW is typically furthest away from the entrance to the park; the exception is DHS, which has it's stop very close to the entrance
- Walk time to/from the Pop bus stop and your room will not be more than approx 7 minutes
- There’s a separate bus stop for each of the WDW parks, including Downtown Disney, located in front of Classic Hall. Note that the line queues are not covered from the weather elements.
- Helpful travel time and route calculator: http://www.ourlaughingplace.com/asp/twiz.aspx
- Routes to get to popular resort Character Breakfasts from Pop Century
- If you’re early enough, the bus driver may drive you directly to the resort, so ask!
- Chef Mickey’s at Contemporary Resort
- bus to Magic Kingdom then Monorail to Contemporary (or walk)
- ‘Ohana Character Breakfast at Polynesian Resort
- bus to Magic Kingdom then Monorail to Poly
- 1900 Park Fare at Grand Floridian Resort
- bus to Magic Kingdom then Monorail to Grand Floridian
- Cape May Café at Beach Club Resort
- bus to Disney Hollywood Studios (aka MGM) then walk or take a boat to Beach Club Resort
- Routes to get to Dinner Shows from Pop Century
- Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness
- bus to Magic Kingdom then boat to Fort Wilderness
- Polynesian Spirit of Aloha Luau at Polynesian Resort
- bus to Magic Kingdom then Monorail to Poly
- Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness
- Estimated driving times (time varies based on traffic and times of day; realize this doesn't take into consideration time waiting for buses or walking to an entrance)
- Animal Kingdom: 6 - 12 minutes
- Blizzard Beach: 6 minutes
- Disney Hollywood Studios (aka MGM): 5 minutes
- Downtown Disney: 10 - 15 minutes
- Epcot: 8 minutes
- Magic Kingdom: 12 minutes
- Typhoon Lagoon: 6 minutes or 16 minutes, depending on route
- Rental car agencies are not near Pop Century, however.....
- as always, Enterprise will pick you up at Pop Century
- Alamo has a rental location at the Car Care Center near the Magic Kingdom parking lot; you can arrange in advance for an agency's shuttle to pick you up there
- National/Alamo have a rental counter in the Dolphin hotel
- several hotels on Hotel Plaza Boulevard have car rental counters; you could take a bus from Pop to Downtown Disney, then walk to one of the hotels
- obviously MCO airport has rental car agencies
- Some reported estimated one-way costs for taking a taxi cab to/from Pop Century Resorts and around WDW are noted below. Taxis are usually around the property, but if not, contact the main desk for help to make arrangements. Remember to add a tip.
- Beach Club/Yacht Club - $10
- Contemporary Resort - $20
- Polynesian Resort - $19
TIPS & MISC STUFF
- The DIS's Resort Overview: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/popcentury.htm
- 2008 resort rates are posted on the DIS at http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/disney-rates-2008.htm#VALUE; note that Pop Century Resorts' tax is 1% less than the All Star Resorts
- Bring a pop-up hamper for dirty clothes; this makes it easier when running down to laundry room, too
- Bring over-the-door or hanging closet clear pocket organizer (like a shoe holder) to reduce clutter and missing items; frequently found at Dollar Tree for a dollar, of course!
- Pack a Travel Space Saver Bag for all those new stuffed animals that need to come home
- Bring clothes pins to hang up wet swimsuits on the retractable clothes line in the shower, to help keep curtains closed, or to hang a mouse by his ear in your window
- Pack a night light
- Check to see if there are park or resort closings, refurbishments, or construction going on during your stay at http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/rehab.htm
- Pal Mickey is available for purchase at Everything Pop
- Disney characters do not make appearances at Pop Century
- Feel free to decorate your window with stuffed animals, dolls, inflatables, holiday lights, DIS lime green Mickey heads, and window clings to make it more festive and recognizable to the kiddos. The size of the window is 37 3/4" x 59".
- Your room door is metal, so you can bring magnets to help decorate the outside of your door, or bring a magnet clip to hold important papers or notes on the inside of your door
- For those guests with hearing impairments, Pop offers TTY phones, visual signals for fire alarms, phones, wake up alarms, and door knocks. There is also a bed shaker accessory. These items are available for use at no cost.
- If you need additional privacy from the vanity area or if you're looking to darken the sleeping area while you’re getting ready in the morning, pack a tension rod and shower curtain w/rings or a regular curtain. Place this between the vanity area and the bed area. The width of this "doorway" is 38", so plan accordingly. An alternative is to use two Command Adhesive (removable) Hooks and hang shower curtain on the hooks.
- Can’t get enough water? Order a case of water from a place like Staples and have it delivered to the resort in your name.
- Need snacks? Check Amazon.com for snacks and they frequently have free S&H for orders over $25!
- Need groceries? Reach out to http://gardengrocer.com for their delivery services to the resort. You can also order a Styrofoam cooler from them for your stay. When you leave, pass along the cooler to someone at the pool!
- Nearest stores
- Publix Grocery Store (off of South International Drive)
- Directions: out of Pop Century parking lot, turn left; at next light turn left onto Osceola Parkway; at 2nd light (Gaylord is right next to you), turn right onto South International Drive; once you are under the overpass and before you get to US 192, turn left and Publix will be right there
- Walmart
- Directions: out of Pop Century parking lot, turn left; at next light turn left onto Osceola Parkway; at 2nd light (Gaylord is right next to you), turn left onto South International Drive; when this road dead ends, turn right onto Rt 535; you will see a Hess gas station, and behind it and a little further down is the Walmart; this Walmart is not right on 535 so it can be hard to see
- Publix Grocery Store (off of South International Drive)
- There is no charge for room-to-room calls (does not include calling other WDW resorts); refer to the phone information card in your room for current local and long distance rates
- To save money, pack your own detergent and dryer sheets if you plan to do laundry. Consider buying Dropps (pre-measured gel packs) or pre-measure powdered detergent and put in baggies.
- Need a gift basket or flowers delivered to your room? Here are some DISer suggested companies:
- Memories by Betsy (formerly Memories by Sarah)
- http://www.memoriesbybetsy.com
- 1.888.475.9046
- email betsy@memoriesbybetsy.com
- Official Walt Disney World Florist & Gift Baskets
- http://www.disneyflorist.com
- 1.407.827.3505
- Memories by Betsy (formerly Memories by Sarah)
- Check out the back of the lifeguard stands for daily park hours and weather information. Hours are also posted in Classic Hall.
- Lanyard pins are available for purchase in Everything Pop. Don't wait for the parks to trade with a Cast Member. Approach a CM at Pop and see if they have one you want!
- There are various seasonal purchase-with-purchase specials when you make a minimum purchase at Everything Pop. Check the signs to see the current special.
- Pop Century is not an allotted resort for Pop Warner. Those participating groups have never been known to stay here.
- The bathtubs do not have non-slip appliqués on the bottom of the tub nor non-slip mats
- Classic Concoctions Bar in Classic Hall permanently closed on May 6, 2008.
- For all you light sleepers, you may want to close the bathroom door before you lay your tired Mickey Ears down to bed. The noise from your neighbor's toilet flushing and showers running are reported to be disturbingly loud.
- If you have several electronics, like for rechargeable batteries and such, you might want to pack a power strip so you have enough outlets. Location of 2-plug outlets: bathroom sink, by the small table, underneath window, between the beds, behind tv stand/dresser, and on wall adjacent to bathroom wall, which is beside the bed
- Assuming you have had either pre-authorization or put cash down, you can charge up to an accumulative total of $500 to your room account on your KTTWC. Once your account balance reaches $500, you will need to go to Guest Services to settle that payment and get authorization for another $500 (or less if you desire).
- If your Mousekeeper makes you a towel animal, be appreciative as this is not required for them to do for you.
- US postcard postage stamps are sold at the cash registers at Everything Pop
- There is a mail slot in Classic Hall right inside the main entrance beside the ATMs and pay phones.
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Now get out there and enjoy your magical vacation!!
It will be a lot easier to find info!
Ooops! Thanks for the correction!
