Hotel Review: Disney's Pop Century Resort

Disney's Pop Century Resort is the newest of four Walt Disney World hotels in the "value" category, with room rates starting at $85 a night. Like all Disney resort hotels, this price includes complimentary transportation to and from Orlando International airport, bus service to all of Disney's theme parks and the Downtown Disney shopping district, free parking at the parks, and access to "extra magic hours", Disney's extended theme park hours for guests of their resorts.

The resort is colorful and highly themed, with each section representing a different decade of the second half of the 20th century. Each of the resort's ten buildings is identified by a four-story tall icon associated with its era, and the lobby and common areas are decorated with a collection of nostalgic memorabilia. The resort has three separate pool areas, each shaped as a pop culture staple of the decade in which it is located, as well as a wading pool for toddlers and a small splash pad area with water jets.

I arrived at the resort with my family early on a Wednesday afternoon, a slow time at the front desk. We were greeted by a member of the hotel staff who directed us to the appropriate desk for check-in and gave each of the children a flower as a welcome. Once at the desk check-in was quick and efficient, so much so that the children asked for more time in the television lounge where classic Disney cartoons run around the clock to entertain younger guests while the adults are at the front desk.

Our room was located on the third floor in the 1950s section, in a building marked by Lady from the Disney classic Lady and the Tramp. The elevator was easy to find at the center of the T shaped building. Ice and vending machines are also centrally located on each floor near the elevator. Outdoor corridors give a bit of a motel feel, but the grounds are so immaculate and visually entertaining that you don't mind the scenic walk to your room.

The rooms at Pop Century are compact, at 260 square feet, and most contain two double beds. I found the room to be clean and bright, with a convenient split bath design and privacy curtain separating the sleeping area from the vanity. The resort recently underwent renovations that included new linens and carpets, as well as new furnishings and LCD televisions, and the quality of the new finishes were apparent. The carpet was soft underfoot and the bedding, while not luxurious or very high thread count, was smooth and soft. Housekeeping was efficient and frequently left small towel animals for my children to find when we returned to the room for the night.

Uniquely important to a Disney resort is the quality of park transportation, and on that count Pop Century really shone. Where most Disney resorts have multiple bus stops located around their sprawling grounds, Pop Century has a more compact layout that allows for only a single, centrally located bus stop. With children anxious to get to Dumbo in the morning or tired from a day of rides in the evening, not making multiple stops before getting to your ultimate destination is ideal.

One downside to Pop Century is the food court area. While the food quality and selection are quite good for food court style service the area can become very crowded at peak dining times, particularly for breakfast. Outdoor seating absorbs some of the overflow in busy periods and the service is friendly and efficient, but the capacity seems to fall a bit short of the demand in the morning hours.

Another factor that some might consider a drawback is that the pool areas are open 24 hours and the resort is always bustling, even late at night. As a night owl that is a feature I appreciated, and I enjoyed being able to go for a late night swim or to grab a drink without feeling alone or isolated no matter how late the hour, but it is not a resort that offers many opportunities to sit quietly and enjoy the Florida weather.

While Pop Century lacks some of the amenities of Disney's higher priced resorts, it does not lack for friendly staff, clean attractive rooms, or an enjoyable overall resort experience. It offers all of the Disney magic and the convenience of staying on site at an affordable price, and I highly recommend it to anyone planning a Walt Disney World vacation.