Welcome to this month’s Blogorail Orange Loop. Today we are sharing our reviews of the value resorts at Walt Disney World.
Disney’s Pop Century Resort feels a little like a time capsule. The 2,880-room resort is home to larger than life icons, pop culture references, and of course Disney characters.
Disney’s Pop Century Resort celebrates pop culture from the 50s to the 90s. Individual lodge buildings pay tribute to popular culture from each decade. The giant pop culture icons were constructed to celebrate the decade they were introduced in, or when they gained their greatest popularity. And I do mean giant. Some of the icons are more than 60 feet tall.
The 1950s area features giant sock-hoppers dancing on the sides of the lodge buildings, a 40-foot-tall tabletop jukebox, and a bowling pin-shaped pool. Or you can relax on the bowling alley-inspired pool deck. The canine character stars from Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” animated feature film (released to theater audiences in 1955) are also featured in the courtyard.
Amidst tie-dyed hues and psychedelic colors, the 1960s buildings bring out the fun in everyone. Play-Doh Pete, the artful child that adorned Play-Doh labels in the 1960s, is featured on a giant can of the popular modeling compound. Peeking out the top of the can are several Play-Doh animal creations, including a blue elephant and a yellow giraffe. Sharp-eyed guests will spot the “thumbprints” on the elephant’s ears, seemingly created by the child who modeled the Play-Doh pachyderm. Baloo and Mowgli from Disney’s “The Jungle Book” (released in 1967) are hand-in-hand across the courtyard. Giant Duncan Imperial-model yo-yos, with “strings” that measure more than one-foot in diameter, bookend each 1960s building. The centerpiece of the area is the Hippy Dippy Pool, a flower-shaped pool complete with squirting petals on the periphery.
In the 1970s courtyard, the colorful Big Wheel riding toy gets ready to roll, while a classic Mickey Mouse rotary-dial telephone calls from across the courtyard. Between the two towering icons, table soccer players stand at the ready for guests to wander amidst their imaginary game. Eight-track tapes, the popular musical medium of the decade, corner each building.
In the 1980s area of Disney’s Pop Century Resort features the Rubik’s Cube which is more than 40 feet tall on each building. (Walt Disney Imagineers designed the different cubes to represent different stages of the solution process.) Across the courtyard, one of the original Sony Walkman models, and accompanying headphone set, anchors the building.
The 1990s area pays tribute to two personal technology marvels — the cellular telephone and the computer. A giant laptop computer is the centerpiece, while early-model cellular telephones stand at each corner. In the middle of the courtyard is a computer-shaped pool, complete with a spongy keyboard that offers guests an alphabet-filled pool deck area.
The main building is called Classic Hall. This is where check in and the resort’s concierge desk is located. It also houses the gift shop, food court, and arcade. Outside is where you will find the bus stops that will take you to the parks.
Make sure to check out the displays located near the check in area that showcase some great memorabilia. There is also a cute waiting area for kids where they can watch Disney cartoons while you check in, buy tickets, etc.
Rooms at Pop Century have two double beds or one king sized bed. They accommodate 4 guests and have a table and two chairs, dresser, nightstand, flat panel television, mini-fridge, ironing board and iron, hair dryer, in-room safe, H20 brand toiletries, closet and vanity area, and bathroom.
The rooms are not the biggest but they are great if you are not planning on spending too much time at the resort. I have more room photos as well as a video tour of an accessible room here.
Pop Century’s food court, Everything Pop, is combined with the resorts gift shop. There are seven stations as well as a bakery area and a grab and go section. The menus at the resort have undergone changes and offer a nice variety. In the mornings the entire area smells like waffles and it is amazing. 🙂
The gift shop is one of my favorites. You will find a lot of the basic Disney merchandise like plushes, clothing, jewelry, etc. You will also find a small selection of toiletries, medicine, and other necessities in case you forgot to pack something. There is also some resort specific merchandise.
There are 3 large pools at Pop Century resort. The main pool is the Hippy Dippy pool that is located behind Classic Hall and is part of the 60s section. This is where you’ll find Petals Pool Bar. The bowling pin pool is located at the 50s section and the computer pool is at the 90s. There is also a kid’s water play area. Goofy stands watch over Pop Jet Playground, a playland of popping water located near the 1970s lodge buildings.
Each Disney Resort features Movies Under the Stars. At Pop Century, the movies are shown on the Hippy Dippy pool deck. Runners will find a running trail, a playground for the kids, and an arcade in Classic Hall.
Bus transportation to the parks is the only option. Pop Century does have dedicated buses, meaning that they when you board you won’t stop at another resort. The Pop Century Site has some great information on bus transportation and wait times.
We love Disney’s Pop Century Resort. We’ve stayed here multiple times at the resort multiple times and honestly, we haven’t had a bad experience. Most of our stays have been in the 50s section. I like staying there because you can get a standard room but you are still close to Classic Hall. We’ve also stayed in the 80s section and while it is a little further the walk is nice. For more photos, check out the gallery at the end of the post.
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I have lots of great memories here. Some with kids and some without. It is amazing how a stroll along the lake can be so romantic.
This is our second-favorite value resort. We stayed once and thoroughly enjoyed it! Nice review and I love your pictures!
We’ve only stayed at Pop one night but we enjoyed our stay. We really liked the food court. Lots of options even for the kids.
We only stayed at Pop one night, but it was a good experience. We really liked their food court. Lots of options, even for the kids.
We check in to Pop in less than a week!! We went for a preferred room this time which I think will put us in either the 60’s, 50’s, or 70’s. I’ve stayed in the 60’s and 80’s before and they’re all so fun! Love the themeing.
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