I usually get a look of confusion and disbelief when I tell people the only Walt Disney World resort we have stayed at is Pop Century. Mostly because seasoned park vets like myself usually opt for at least a moderate category resort. Well I am going to make a solid case why Pop Century is if not as good but worth another look when making travel plans.
Exhibit A: Monetary Savings- My wife and I are what I call park hounds. We usually spend most of our trips to WDW in the parks. Therefore, we usually just use our resort for a place to sleep, grab something to eat on the way, or after a long day. For research purposes I have used June 7th-14th,2015 as a base time frame. I also am using a family of four (two adults and two children) as the typical traveling party. I am also using Port Orleans Riverside as a comparison resort since it seems to be the most popular moderate resort on property. Riverside standard room price is $1543.50 This included two queen beds. While a standard room at POP is only $1182.40 which includes two double beds. That is a savings of almost $400 which is a lot of Dole Whips.
Pop Century standard room with Queen sized bed
Exhibit B: Transportation- Although Pop Century only utilizes one type of transportation it as a lot of positives. Pop uses the buses to move guests between the parks. However, they have a dedicated bus line. This means unlike the other value resorts you do not have make multiple stops before making it to your destination. The buses arrive almost every 15 minutes for the different parks so you never have to wait very long to get on them. They have also started using the “bendy” buses which hold twice as many people as the standard bus. While Port Orleans does offer boat service it is only to Downtown Disney. The buses also have to make serveral stops around the resort to pick up guests at different depots.
“Bendy” bus at Pop Century
Exhibit C: Theming- Pop Century boasts some underrated theming. Using the backdrop of decades past. They bring some larger than life reminders of the childhoods of all ages. From Rubix cubes, walkman’s, bowling pins, and even 8 track cartridges. You also get the added bonus of the bridge to the Art of Animation Resort. Within a short walk you can be immersed in some of the greatest films Disney/Pixar have to offer. Port Orleans does have excellent theming, but is is geared more to adults than kids. Port Orleans doesn’t Roger Rabbit and a life sized foosball table to run around in either!
Pop Century Theming
There are a few of the good reasons why you should look into Pop Century on your next trip to Walt Disney World. In full disclosure I do want to try other resorts in the future and Port Orleans is one of the top choices. However, please don’t discount Pop Century simply because it is considered “value”. Yes it is a value as far as money goes, but it isn’t on quality.
If you have any specific questions on Pop Century please send them to keith@enchantedtikitalk.com and I would be happy to answer them for you.
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