Disney's POP CENTURY RESORT Information & Questions

[GeorgeP]

Hi all! We are coming down in early June for our daughters first trip...she'll be a few weeks short of 5 while we're there. Anyway, I'm starting to plan our days and I was wondering if you could give me a guesstimate as far as how long it takes to get from MCO to Pop after landing. We're scheduled to land at about 11:45 and are doing DME to Pop...we're hitting MK when we arrive. We're coming up on our Fastpass booking date, so I didn't want to book anything before I had an idea of how long it might be. My wife and I stayed at Pop about 6 years ago, but we did Universal studios first before Disney, so I have no idea how long it might take. What's your experience been from plane landing to Pop to the parks?

 

[dansdad]

Hi all! We are coming down in early June for our daughters first trip...she'll be a few weeks short of 5 while we're there. Anyway, I'm starting to plan our days and I was wondering if you could give me a guesstimate as far as how long it takes to get from MCO to Pop after landing. We're scheduled to land at about 11:45 and are doing DME to Pop...we're hitting MK when we arrive. We're coming up on our Fastpass booking date, so I didn't want to book anything before I had an idea of how long it might be. My wife and I stayed at Pop about 6 years ago, but we did Universal studios first before Disney, so I have no idea how long it might take. What's your experience been from plane landing to Pop to the parks?

To be safe, I wouldn't book anything before 2:30PM.

 

[ksromack]

I had a meatloaf platter last fall that was a pleasant surprise. They do have Dole Whip in the dessert area now, apparently. Hard to go too wrong with that.

Dole Whip? Yes please!

To be safe, I wouldn't book anything before 2:30PM.

Agreed. Because you technically have an hour after that 14:30 mark to use that first fast pass!

 

[juxtapose]

I've only ever stayed at OKW where busses seemed to take forever to get anywhere! If we have an 8:00am BOG reservation, 9am park opening, when should we be at the bus stop? Is 7am early enough? It's just my husband and I, and if it's much earlier than that I'm thinking of getting a Lyft.

 

[BabybetterDisney]

Hi everyone, here is my idea about going to SWGE 10 times during my coming September trip:

Plan A. If I end a park day in DHS, I go there around 10 p.m., walk around it once quickly, then return by Skyliner. (I think DHS will close at 10:30 p.m. like they did when TSL first opened, or maybe even later.)
Plan B. If I don't end a park day in DHS, I would make sure I get back to Pop by 9:30, rest 10 minutes, than take the Skyliner to DHS and get there by 10 p.m., and repeat Plan A.

I have a 10 day park ticket, so I figure that I will be able to hit SWGE 10 times! Of course, my plan depends on the Skyliner opening by September, but I'm confident that it will. It also depends on me being able to squeeze myself and a stroller into SWGE without having to wait in line. I think I will be able to.

What do you think? Do you see any flaws in my plan? Here are some problems that I've thought of:

1. If the Skyliner is down for any reason then I won't go to DHS unless I'm already there.
2. If SWGE is too packed to get in even at night, I would just turn around and come back.

Anything else?

Personally, I don't even like SWGE -- I'm a Star Wars original trilogy fan. I just want to be able to tell people that I've been there 10 times already.

 

[Mark Cameron]

Hi everyone, here is my idea about going to SWGE 10 times during my coming September trip:

Plan A. If I end a park day in DHS, I go there around 10 p.m., walk around it once quickly, then return by Skyliner. (I think DHS will close at 10:30 p.m. like they did when TSL first opened, or maybe even later.)
Plan B. If I don't end a park day in DHS, I would make sure I get back to Pop by 9:30, rest 10 minutes, than take the Skyliner to DHS and get there by 10 p.m., and repeat Plan A.

I have a 10 day park ticket, so I figure that I will be able to hit SWGE 10 times! Of course, my plan depends on the Skyliner opening by September, but I'm confident that it will. It also depends on me being able to squeeze myself and a stroller into SWGE without having to wait in line. I think I will be able to.

What do you think? Do you see any flaws in my plan? Here are some problems that I've thought of:

1. If the Skyliner is down for any reason then I won't go to DHS unless I'm already there.
2. If SWGE is too packed to get in even at night, I would just turn around and come back.

Anything else?

Personally, I don't even like SWGE -- I'm a Star Wars original trilogy fan. I just want to be able to tell people that I've been there 10 times already.

I feel like this is an ambitious plan with a lot of ifs! I'll be curious to see if it works out. That's still pretty close to opening day so I would be more optimistic if it was in early November. I'm rooting for you though. I am staying away from that place for a while!

 

[BabybetterDisney]

I feel like this is an ambitious plan with a lot of ifs! I'll be curious to see if it works out. That's still pretty close to opening day so I would be more optimistic if it was in early November. I'm rooting for you though. I am staying away from that place for a while!

Thanks! You are staying away? Not even going to take a peek? There is a chance that it might be "enterable" at night (I can't think of a better word), and Pop is at a perfect location to jump on the Skyliner and float over quickly and back. I think night is the most likely time for the crowd to die down a bit, especially if they've been waiting in line since 3 a.m.!

 

[Mark Cameron]

Thanks! You are staying away? Not even going to take a peek? There is a chance that it might be "enterable" at night (I can't think of a better word), and Pop is at a perfect location to jump on the Skyliner and float over quickly and back. I think night is the most likely time for the crowd to die down a bit, especially if they've been waiting in line since 3 a.m.!

Yeah, I'm not a big Star Wars fan at all and am less of a fan of shoulder to shoulder crowds! We are going to take a year or so off and maybe go at the end of 2020 before all the 2021 craziness begins. I agree with you that Pop is a great place to be for your plan as long as the Skyliner works out like it is supposed to. We have one night in late September this year at Pop, going to MNSSHP, so I am planning on taking a ride on the Skyliner but won't have a park ticket to go into HS! I would also agree that the night times will probably be better, but you may not be able to see a lot of details! Good luck!

 

[Disneylover99]

I've only ever stayed at OKW where busses seemed to take forever to get anywhere! If we have an 8:00am BOG reservation, 9am park opening, when should we be at the bus stop? Is 7am early enough? It's just my husband and I, and if it's much earlier than that I'm thinking of getting a Lyft.

Yes. Be at the bus stop by 7am. That should be good. But also check the bus wait times on MDE. I find them to be pretty helpful when you’re getting ready in the morning.

 

[Disneylover99]

Hi everyone, here is my idea about going to SWGE 10 times during my coming September trip:

Plan A. If I end a park day in DHS, I go there around 10 p.m., walk around it once quickly, then return by Skyliner. (I think DHS will close at 10:30 p.m. like they did when TSL first opened, or maybe even later.)
Plan B. If I don't end a park day in DHS, I would make sure I get back to Pop by 9:30, rest 10 minutes, than take the Skyliner to DHS and get there by 10 p.m., and repeat Plan A.

I have a 10 day park ticket, so I figure that I will be able to hit SWGE 10 times! Of course, my plan depends on the Skyliner opening by September, but I'm confident that it will. It also depends on me being able to squeeze myself and a stroller into SWGE without having to wait in line. I think I will be able to.

What do you think? Do you see any flaws in my plan? Here are some problems that I've thought of:

1. If the Skyliner is down for any reason then I won't go to DHS unless I'm already there.
2. If SWGE is too packed to get in even at night, I would just turn around and come back.

Anything else?

Personally, I don't even like SWGE -- I'm a Star Wars original trilogy fan. I just want to be able to tell people that I've been there 10 times already.

One question in your plan B....... why would you go back to Pop just to rest for 10 minutes? Why not just take the bus to HS from whichever park you happen to be at. Or you could walk or boat from Epcot to HS.

Do you really want to go to SWGE daily for 10 days with a young child, late at night, when you don’t even like the land, just to say you’ve done it? Have you considered how the crowds and lots of late nights might affect your touring and enjoyment of the other parks? I mean, if going daily will make it a fulfilling trip for you, okay, then go for it!
But honestly, it sounds tiring and stressful to me.

 

[Ebeth08]

First timer here! We'll be traveling with 2 adults and 2 kids (ages 8 and 6). We have a preferred room booked for June. Does anyone have a recommendation of which area of Pop Century we should try to request. We're hoping to be closer to the buses. Also, I know there are four floors, but are there elevators? Would it be best to request a room on the first or second floor?

 

[BabybetterDisney]

One question in your plan B....... why would you go back to Pop just to rest for 10 minutes? Why not just take the bus to HS from whichever park you happen to be at. Or you could walk or boat from Epcot to HS.

Do you really want to go to SWGE daily for 10 days with a young child, late at night, when you don’t even like the land, just to say you’ve done it? Have you considered how the crowds and lots of late nights might affect your touring and enjoyment of the other parks? I mean, if going daily will make it a fulfilling trip for you, okay, then go for it!
But honestly, it sounds tiring and stressful to me.

I have to go back to Pop so that I can get on the Skyliner! You know, arrive "in style." It's part of the fun, an excuse to take the Skyliner. Otherwise, I don't even want to be there if I had to take the bus, even if the bus takes the same amount of time. Where's the coolness? (From Epcot, I won't go back to Pop, just walk quickly straight to HS, I love that walk).

Also, being back at Pop and in my room helps me calm my brain. I get overwhelmed being in the parks all day. I find looking at the glassy Hourglass Lake, even for a moment, really takes my stress away. Pop is like a "relaxation treatment" to me. Otherwise, I can't make it to DHS, I'll be too worn out.

The late nights shouldn't be too much of a problem. We plan to get up daily at 10 a.m. and be back by 10: 45 p.m.. DS3 normally gets up at 10:30 am and goes to bed at 10:45 p.m., so he should be OK, plus he can sleep in the stroller because as I understand it, you don't have to fold the stroller on the Skyliner. I will give DS3 a bath in the afternoon so that he can go straight to bed after getting back from DHS.

As to the crowds, you have a point...I might not be able to walk around SWGE once fast enough to make it back in time. I don't want to be stuck inside for an hour. If it looks so crowded that I would not be able to move easily in there, then I won't go in. I would just take a quick peek near the entrance, then turn around and leave before I get swept away in the sea of humanity. Still counts as "a visit to SWGE" in my mind! That way, I can get back even faster.

Do you really want to go to SWGE daily for 10 days with a young child, late at night, when you don’t even like the land, just to say you’ve done it?

Yes, that's very, very important for bragging rights! Not just for me, but also for DS13. He can tell his nerdy friends that he went to SWGE 10 times and watch them burn in jealousy. Makes for a fun conversation starter! And also to be able to tell DS3 later that when SWGE opened, he went there 10 times! And it doesn't have to 10 times. If it ends up being only 7 or 8 times, it will be very great also.

But thanks for pointing out the crowd situation so that I can be mentally prepared. It will be OK to just look at the entrance because I don't even want to be in there. But in 10 days I hope to be able to walk all the way around inside at least once so that I can talk about it accurately. And I just need to luck out one day out of 10! If it's crowded but I can still maneuver in there, that's all that matters. I don't care if the big crowd "diminishes my experience" being that I don't care for the experience. I just want to get it over with. So this is going to be a daily quest for us: it's the journey, not the destination!

Yeah, it's stressful, but exciting. Imagine how fast I can get there and back. It's never been done before in the history of Pop!

Pop's preferred room and the Skyliner are very important to my plan. Without either one my plan is off. I already booked the room, so I just need the Skyliner to be good and ready by September, at least the Pop and DHS branches. I'm confident that they are aiming to get the Skyliner ready for SWGE.

 

[ellbell]

As to the crowds, you have a point...I might not be able to walk around SWGE once fast enough to make it back in time. I don't want to be stuck inside for an hour. If it looks so crowded that I would not be able to move easily in there, then I won't go in. I would just take a quick peek near the entrance, then turn around and leave before I get swept away in the sea of humanity. Still counts as "a visit to SWGE" in my mind! That way, I can get back even faster.



Yes, that's very, very important for bragging rights! Not just for me, but also for DS13. He can tell his nerdy friends that he went to SWGE 10 times and watch them burn in jealousy. Makes for a fun conversation starter! And also to be able to tell DS3 later that when SWGE opened, he went there 10 times! And it doesn't have to 10 times. If it ends up being only 7 or 8 times, it will be very great also.

But thanks for pointing out the crowd situation so that I can be mentally prepared. It will be OK to just look at the entrance because I don't even want to be in there. But in 10 days I hope to be able to walk all the way around inside at least once so that I can talk about it accurately. And I just need to luck out one day out of 10! If it's crowded but I can still maneuver in there, that's all that matters.

You can't really say you've been to GE if you just look at the entrance

 

[BabybetterDisney]

First timer here! We'll be traveling with 2 adults and 2 kids (ages 8 and 6). We have a preferred room booked for June. Does anyone have a recommendation of which area of Pop Century we should try to request. We're hoping to be closer to the buses. Also, I know there are four floors, but are there elevators? Would it be best to request a room on the first or second floor?

If you are in a preferred room you are very close to the buses. Doesn't matter which area you get, but you want to be in the 60s so that you can be close to the main pool, or 50s to be close to the quiet pool so that your kids can get to the pool slightly faster. (The main pool is nicer, but can be loud with the activities in the afternoon. Your kids will like it, but you might not.)

Yes, there are elevators, so the floor number isn't a problem. But I recommend first (ground) or second floor. When my kids were that age, they loved both taking the elevator and rushing up and down the stairs because they didn't get that at home. (They still do.) If you and kids don't care for elevators or stairs, then first (ground) floor is the most convenient. No waiting for the elevator. But the elevators work great, very little wait, so it's fine either way. Though first floor might have a ton of foot traffic, making it noisy especially at night.

Have a great time!

 

[BabybetterDisney]

You can't really say you've been to GE if you just look at the entrance

Yes I can. I am going to squeeze myself a little bit inside the entrance, then get out, if it's really packed.

 

[juxtapose]

Yes. Be at the bus stop by 7am. That should be good. But also check the bus wait times on MDE. I find them to be pretty helpful when you’re getting ready in the morning.

I didn’t know they had bus wait times in MDE, thanks! Last time we were at WDW they were just using the boards at the station that seemed not very accurate.

 

[ellbell]

Yes I can. I am going to squeeze myself a little bit inside the entrance, then get out, if it's really packed.

Good luck to you. Hopefully they don't have queues to get in to galaxies edge and you're able to look back on this goal achieved with much pride.

 

[rstevens333]

Hi all! We are coming down in early June for our daughters first trip...she'll be a few weeks short of 5 while we're there. Anyway, I'm starting to plan our days and I was wondering if you could give me a guesstimate as far as how long it takes to get from MCO to Pop after landing. We're scheduled to land at about 11:45 and are doing DME to Pop...we're hitting MK when we arrive. We're coming up on our Fastpass booking date, so I didn't want to book anything before I had an idea of how long it might be. My wife and I stayed at Pop about 6 years ago, but we did Universal studios first before Disney, so I have no idea how long it might take. What's your experience been from plane landing to Pop to the parks?

Give yourself 60 minutes to get to Pop just to be safe. One thing you can do to at least feel like it's moving faster is get off the bus at Art of Animation and walk to Pop. That's what I do to stretch after the flight and bus ride.

 

[kylovebug]

For those of you who have stayed in the remodeled rooms, how tight is it for a family of 4? 2 adults, a 13 yr old + 11 year old. Also, did you take anything to help you organize the room better?

 

[Disneylover99]

For those of you who have stayed in the remodeled rooms, how tight is it for a family of 4? 2 adults, a 13 yr old + 11 year old. Also, did you take anything to help you organize the room better?

Our kids are similar in age to your kids and our last stay was for 14 days. We didn't find it to be too tight at all. The storage under the bed was helpful and my 11 year old was in charge of the Murphy bed each day. She's fairly neat, and organized, so she made the bed and put it up and down each day. That was easy to do and really helped to create space.

We also like to completely unpack on our two week trips. 3 of us like to put our clothing in packing cubes in the drawers while my husband likes to pack and hang his clothing from a hangar in an accordion like packing cube. We also hang a huge bag for dirty clothing and do a load of laundry when it fills up. That's about it!