Pop Century and the All Star Resorts are the most affordable 4 inns at Walt Disney World which have related eating, swimming pools, and rooms–however theme and transportation variations. Trip planners on tight budgets may surprise which to decide on, and whether or not it’s value paying a premium for Pop. This head-to-head comparability helps reply frequent questions.
Attempting to decide on between the All Stars and Pop Century is frequent for guests to Florida attempting to do Disney on a Dime. These Worth Resorts are among the many largest at Walt Disney World, all have a number of goal promoting factors in addition to related drawbacks. Being Worth Resorts, all of them additionally cater to related visitor demographics.
Regardless of this, there are some pretty vital variations. The primary is in fan following. Few Walt Disney World resorts have as passionate of a fanbase as Pop Century. It’s proper up there with the Polynesian, which is a very totally different resort. The All Stars are virtually the precise reverse. Among the identical individuals who completely adore Pop Century flip their noses up on the All Stars. Actually, it’s baffling.
In fact, there are variations past simply the fan response to every. Pop Century is newer, has its personal distinctive premise, a sister resort in Artwork of Animation, and the Skyliner gondolas transportation system. There are different smaller variations amongst these resorts, which is the place this comparability comes into play.
What this resort ‘versus’ submit will search to deal with is whether or not you must persist with fan and family-favorite Pop Century or go for the cheaper choices on the All Stars. With that in thoughts, we’ll evaluate theme, value, eating, swimming pools, and different facilities that will help you decide which is best for you…
Theme: Toss Up – This actually comes down to private choice. Because the identify (sorta/principally) suggests, Pop Century is themed to popular culture from the final century.
Initially, it was supposed to supply sections devoted to the “Legendary Years” and the “Traditional Years” to divide the property by the primary and second halves of the century. For causes past the scope of this submit, solely the latter was constructed. Which means that the buildings of Pop Century function visuals from the Fifties to 90s.
In contrast, the All Stars are themed to motion pictures, sports activities, and music—all as seen by means of the lens of Disney characters and flicks. Should you or your youngsters are into any of these ideas, you’ll love the All Star Resort reflective of that.
Pop Century does obtain some complaints that it’s “not Disney sufficient” as in comparison with the All Stars. There’s positively much less Disney within the design, however I’d say it’s fairly outstanding. The outsized icon visible model is used in any respect three, and I feel in the long run, this comes down to private preferences.
My thematic rankings are Pop Century, All Star Sports activities, Music, and Films—in that order. However I don’t fake that that is definitive. You could possibly simply make the case for any of those being first or worst.
Rooms: All Stars (Barely) – All of those Worth Resorts have acquired very related reimagined rooms, with the All Stars getting fully equivalent designs. Above is a photograph of the brand new room at All Star Sports activities; beneath is a brand new room at Pop Century. Can you notice the variations? (Except for the curved strains in a single–that’s as a result of I used a fisheye lens.)
It actually simply comes right down to the Mickey Mouse artwork on the wall, wooden colours, and a number of the materials used on the curtains and chairs. By way of substance and performance, the rooms at Pop Century and the All Stars are 100% equivalent. Except you are feeling very strongly about types of Mickey Mouse artwork, I can not fathom selecting on the idea of room types.
As a normal matter, we’ve stayed in these new rooms a number of instances, and located all of them to be big upgrades over their predecessors. They’re not excellent–you may learn in regards to the professionals & cons in our Images & Video: Newly Reimagined Rooms on the All Star Resorts submit.
The explanation why we’ve given the nod to the All Stars right here, however barely, is as a result of the reimagined rooms are all newer right here. This overhaul began at Pop Century a number of years in the past, and was accomplished at a fully glacial tempo (and paused completely through the closure and subsequent phased reopening).
Consequently, the rooms at Pop Century have seen a couple of extra years of wear and tear and tear than a number of the ones on the All Stars. More often than not, this isn’t actually noticeable. In our expertise, these rooms are surprisingly sturdy and aren’t exhibiting a lot indicators of age. However a few of them are, and also you’re extra more likely to see that at Pop Century.
If this issues to you, it’s most likely additionally value stating that All Star Sports activities was the ultimate resort to obtain these new rooms. Of our three stays right here within the final 12 months, all of them have been in new rooms, and these have had noticeably much less put on and tear than their counterparts at All Star Films. Regardless that we’re lumping the All Stars collectively for this comparability, that might be the motive why we’d rank Sports activities greater than Films.
Eating: Pop Century – None of those resorts have desk service eating places. All have pretty related meals courts. You could possibly most likely make the argument that one in all these is healthier than the others, however I feel that’s a stretch. It was positively true 5+ years in the past when All the things Pop and Panorama of Flavors (a brief stroll from Pop Century at Artwork of Animation) had been prime tier and had distinctive dishes. By and huge, that’s now not the case–all of those menus are boring, stereotypical theme park delicacies.
The one motive Pop Century will get the sting is due to Caribbean Seaside, which is definitely accessible in underneath 5 minutes by way of the Skyliner–and thru which you’ll must transit en path to EPCOT or DHS. Caribbean Seaside has underrated eating choices in Sebastian’s Bistro, Banana Cabana, and Spyglass Grill.
Whereas Spyglass Grill additionally nonetheless has a scaled again menu that isn’t fairly nearly as good as earlier than, it’s nonetheless higher than the Worth Resorts. Ditto Centertown Market, for that matter. Then there’s Banana Cabana and Sebastian’s Bistro, the latter of which has a new family-style meal that’s the finest dinner deal in all of Walt Disney World.
Swimming pools: Pop Century – None of those resorts make our checklist of the High 10 Swimming pools at Walt Disney World, With that mentioned, I’m a fan of the Hippy Dippy Pool, Pop Century’s 235,000+ gallon function pool that includes flower-shaped water jets and a lazy 1960’s perspective. I additionally just like the Bowling Pin Pool and Laptop Pool.
I additionally just like the Duck Pond Pool (All Star Films), in addition to the Surfboard Bay Pool and Grand Slam Pool (each at All Star Sports activities). I’m not tremendous eager on the function swimming pools at Films or Music, however that’s largely due to how busy they get.
Greater than another class, this comes down to private choice. By way of ‘cool issue’, I really assume the very best entry on this checklist is the Grand Slam Pool, however I could be biased as a baseball fan.
Transportation: Pop Century – The Skyliner is a big win for each Pop Century and Artwork of Animation by way of transportation. Following a fast flight to Caribbean Seaside, now you can get to and from EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in a breeze by way of one of many two stations on the central hub.
Because of the Skyliner, bus transportation is just mandatory for Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs in the event you’re staying at Pop Century. It’s mandatory for all parks in the event you’re staying on the All Stars, which means you must both be ready for coping with that or have a rental automotive or be ready to pay further for Uber or Lyft on the All Stars.
Bus transportation isn’t unhealthy at both. Whereas Pop Century and the All Stars are large, neither have inner stops–that’s an enormous win, particularly over the likes of Caribbean Seaside, Coronado Springs, and Port Orleans Riverside within the Reasonable Resort tier. The buses are additionally extremely environment friendly at each through the morning and night rushes, so even when the road is lengthy, you must get to your vacation spot rapidly due to back-to-back buses.
On common, bus transportation is healthier at Pop Century. We haven’t skilled it sharing buses with different resorts in latest reminiscence, whereas the All Stars can and do–particularly throughout slower seasons or instances of day. One other quirk comes on the finish of the evening, when generally the All Stars simply pile everybody right into a single bus and make stops in any respect three inns. That is extra environment friendly than ready for a bus, but it surely’s nonetheless much less nice general in our view.
Lastly, Pop Century has higher room-door to park-entrance instances as a result of a extra centralized location than the All Stars. As we’ve mentioned earlier than, there’s nothing magical about driving a bus (even one that claims “Disney” on the surface), and this could get outdated over the course of a visit–so we’re hyper-focused on minimizing bus time and utilizing novel types of transportation. That’s exactly why the Skyliner is such a compelling promoting level.
Value: All Stars – On common, nightly room charges are about $40 to $60 greater at Pop Century throughout virtually each fee season of the 12 months for traditional rooms on the respective resorts. Costs are a bit much less predictable when you issue reductions into the combination, however the All Stars often have nearly as good or higher of particular gives. In addition they are inclined to have higher availability, which means not unnecessarily paying further for premium view or location classes that you could be not need within the first place.
By and huge, Pop Century’s premium pricing could be attributed to the Skyliner. Previous to the gondola opening, the associated fee differential between Pop Century and the All Stars was round $10 to $20 per evening. Since then, there’s been a fairly vital divergence, with Pop Century having one of many largest value will increase for a couple of consecutive years–proper up there with Caribbean Seaside (one other Skyliner resort).
We’d contend that the Skyliner is definitely value paying further per evening. What’s debatable is how a lot that premium is value. Regardless, that’s why Pop Century has the sting within the transportation class above.
Verdict: Pop Century – We’re declaring Pop Century the winner right here, which shouldn’t be an enormous shock since (spoiler alert) it ranks because the #1 resort on our Rankings of ALL Resort Lodges at Walt Disney World from Worst to Greatest. In contrast, the All Stars rank #18, #22 and #23 (that’s useless final). So the result may appear clear from a fast look at that.
Nevertheless, the fact is that this can be a a lot nearer name than you may anticipate. As talked about elsewhere, the All Stars are one in all my go-to resorts for solo analysis journeys once I’m attempting to do issues as inexpensively as doable. In my opinion, they’re nice for company on an extremely tight funds who’re debating not between Worth Resorts and higher-tier lodging, however Worth Resorts versus staying off-site to save cash. When you think about the price of parking, transportation, and worth of Early Entry–plus the general high quality–a compelling case could be made for the All Stars.
It’s most likely secure to imagine that’s the viewers studying this comparability. You’re not debating between these two inns and the Grand Floridian or Seaside Membership, and doubtless don’t have the funds for the latter with out breaking the financial institution. For many, the Deluxe Resorts are full non-starters.
With that in thoughts, it comes down as to if you must save by staying on the All Stars or splurge on Pop Century. And it’s in that state of affairs the place this turns into a a lot nearer name, and actually dependent upon simply how huge the pricing hole is on your journey, and the way a lot you’d have to splurge to make Pop Century occur.
The Skyliner is a complete game-changer for us. Transportation was once irritating at each of those resorts for all parks, and now that’s solely true on the All Stars. That is the sort of transformational, practical addition that by itself outweighs actually every little thing else. The Skyliner makes getting from Pop Century to EPCOT or DHS a complete breeze, and we regularly begin at a kind of parks and hop from there to Animal Kingdom or Magic Kingdom because of this (or simply use Uber/Lyft).
We’re big followers of the Skyliner, and we’d truthfully put it above the monorail by way of the transportation benefit it gives. (Simply look how excessive the monorail pricing premium is for the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Up to date!) That one function alone makes the charges charged at Pop Century justiable. All the things else is icing on the cake.
With that mentioned, there’s truthfully not that rather more—the Skyliner is outcome-determinative right here. Which means that in the event you dislike the gondolas for no matter motive (concern of heights, storm season downtime, and many others.), then you must completely save the cash and guide the All Stars as a substitute.
Our view is that Pop Century punches above its weight, delivering robust lodging, environment friendly transportation, comfort to Artwork of Animation by way of Era Hole Bridge, and particularly reasonable value factors in gentle of what it gives. For individuals who have an off-site or Worth Resort funds and might want to splurge to maneuver up from the All Stars to Pop Century–particularly first timers on a once-in-a-lifetime journey, there are few higher methods of allocating these funds than this improve. We’d do it over most upcharges, laborious ticket occasions, desk service meals, and many others.
That’s simply us, although and your mileage could range. If you analyze the All Star Resorts ‘guidelines model’ they actually do have so much going for them, particularly in the event you’re on an ultra-tight funds. As must be apparent provided that I keep there a lot, I’ve completely nothing in opposition to the All Stars and have zero hesitation in reserving. Should you’re nonetheless involved about this since you’ve seen different followers flip their noses up on the All Stars, we’d encourage you to learn Are Walt Disney World’s Most cost-effective Lodges Truly Good? The reply to the titular query must be apparent after studying this, however the rationalization will put your thoughts relaxed.
However, we’d additionally pay the premium costs–with out hesitation and even when that meant sacrificing on different elements of the journey–for Pop Century on a household trip, particularly if we solely might go to Walt Disney World as soon as per 12 months…or ever. The Skyliner is an enormous part of that, however not the one factor. Pop Century simply feels nicer, has or gives entry to raised facilities and eating, and is a sentimental favourite for us. We suspect it might turn out to be one for you, too.
Should you’re nonetheless having hassle selecting between the 2, figuring out which resort or room kind is best for you, or if another side of Walt Disney World trip planning is just too overwhelming and also you want one-on-one assist, we suggest contacting a no payment “Approved Disney Trip Planner” or journey agent to get a quote and that will help you plan. They get their fee from Disney, so not one of the licensed (key phrase) planners will cost you for reserving their journey and serving to. Right here’s one such Approved Disney Trip Planner that we suggest!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about inns on our Walt Disney World Lodges Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a singular have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the very best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every little thing you might want to know!
Your Ideas
Do you agree or disagree with our verdict on this Pop Century vs. All Star Resorts head-to-head? What about our conclusions in every class? Is there one thing we missed or received unsuitable? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
