*DIS Contributors review meals, resort stays, and entertainment that they have paid for during their own vacations. They only utilize discounts and offers if they are available to the general public, such as annual passholder discounts or DVC membership discounts. They receive no additional compensation for dining experiences or events, so that they may give their honest opinions about price and value.
With so many Walt Disney World resorts, it can be overwhelming to choose which one is the best fit for your vacation. I was recently asked by a friend which resort we normally stay at and why. Of course there are various resorts we want to try to stay at one day, but our go-to option was easy: we love Disney’s Pop Century Resort.
Pop Century is a Value resort, and in my opinion, it’s tough to beat for those who are budget-conscious. The remodeled rooms give a fresh and clean feel. That combined with the design of the room, and it’s too convenient to pass up. The Murphy bed allows for plenty of bed space but still room to move around when it’s not bedtime. This was super convenient for our family of five (with one under three years old). The storage in the bathroom area was very helpful as well.
Now let’s talk location. When it comes to buses, I love that Pop only has one bus stop, and the buses came frequently enough for the crowd. However, it’s the addition of the Skyliner that is the real game changer. With this service, it’s easy to get to Epcot, and it’s also great to get to more restaurant options. Even though I’m scared of heights, I suck it up and use the Skyliner when we need to because the of how easy it is to get places in it. I would be remiss to mention that the hotel grounds aren’t too large either. While other resorts are very spread out, you can be at the farthest hotel room from the bus stop, and it’s still not a bad walk to get to (believe me, we’ve been there).
When it comes to food options, Everything Pop Café food is fine. It’s typical cafeteria food, but you also have more options a short walk away at Art of Animation. If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale or just different options, you have plenty of stops with the Skyliner. You can easily get to Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and the Boardwalk area resorts for plenty of great food choices. You can even get to a couple character dining locations this way! This is a game changer because guests at resorts that only rely on Disney bus transportation would have to take the bus to a theme park or Disney Springs and then get on a different bus (or monorail) to go to the resort they wanted to eat at. This is a big time suck that made us limit our food options at other resorts before.
Now let’s talk about theming. This isn’t the most elegant theming, but I will say it is super fun for the kids. Even better, you can walk over the bridge to Art of Animation to check out their theming, which the kids will get a kick out of and make for some great photos.
Since we are a family of five, and my youngest is now older than three, I’m sad to say we’ll now have to decide if it’s worth getting two rooms there over some of the suites. However, for families of 4 or less, I would definitely recommend a look at Pop Century Resort!
Sara is a Marketing Specialist by day, but her true passion is writing. She's been a freelance writer for 11 years and uses that side hustle money for traveling with her husband and three young children.
