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Staying on property at Disney World adds a whole other level to your trip. And fortunately, there is a Disney hotel for every budget and taste. If you are looking for a fun hotel that will appeal to the whole family without breaking the bank, then you should consider Pop Century Resort. This value resort is one of the more popular resorts on property, and it is relatively easy on the wallet. We stayed at Pop Century a few years ago on my son’s first trip. This is my review of Pop Century Resort. (Updated February 19, 2020).
Location
Pop Century Resort is located fairly close to Hollywood Studios and the Wide World of Sports Complex. This means that it doesn’t take long to get to Hollywood Studios or Epcot. It will take you a little bit longer, however, to get to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs. While it is not so convenient that you can walk to a park, like some of the other resorts on property, by using Disney transportation during your trip, the location should not be much of an issue for you. Pop has recently become even more convenient thanks to the newly opened Skyliner, which is a gondola that connects Pop to Hollywood Studios and Epcot.
Pop Century Resort sits next door to the much newer Art of Animation Resort. They are close enough to walk between the two. This is an advantage if you are staying at Pop Century because you can hop over to check out the great theming and the wonderful food court at Art of Animation. There are several places for some super cute photos at both resorts too.
Size
Pop Century is a large resort. It covers about 177 acres. The resort consists of ten buildings of rooms, each four stories tall. As you would expect with a resort of this size, Pop Century Resort can get loud at times. Also, the common areas, such as the food court and pools, can get quite busy at peak times. If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing hotel, this is not a good choice.
Theme/Atmosphere
Pop Century Resort has a very unique theme. Its design revolves around the decades of the past. There are two buildings of rooms dedicated to each decade from the 1950’s through the 1990’s. The entire resort is decorated with bright colors and larger-than-life icons of decades past. You will find such blasts from the past as the yo-yo, Rubik’s cube, Big Wheel, a Foosball game, and 8-track tapes. This is an especially fun place to stay if you will have multiple generations with you on your trip. It gives grandparents a chance to teach the grandchildren about their favorite childhood toys and games. For families with younger kids, this is a great place to stay because of the fun and playful design of the resort. My son’s favorite part of the resort when we stayed here was the Surfing Goofy statue and water feature.
Transportation
If you will be staying at Pop Century Resort and using Disney transportation, you can take the Skyliner to Hollywood and Epcot. To get to Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom, you will have to take a bus. Of course, if you would like a mode of transportation that is faster than the bus, you will need to either use your own car or arrange for an Uber, Lyft, or Minnie Van. You can only reach Disney Springs by bus, car, or ride share as well. The presence of this resort on the Skyliner route is a huge plus to staying here and has made Pop Century more popular than ever.
Most of the time, Pop Century does have its own dedicated buses, though. While the waits for the buses at the end of the night will be long due to the size of the resort, you shouldn’t have to share buses with any other resorts. Occasionally, during less busy times of day, Pop Century may share buses with Art of Animation.
Price
Pop Century is one of the value resorts, which is the cheapest category of resorts on property. However, Pop Century is one of the more expensive resorts in the value category. This resort is budget friendly while also having the convenience of being on the Skyliner. Rooms at Pop Century will run you anywhere from approximately $154-336 per night, depending on the time of year and day of the week you will be there as well as whether you choose a standard or preferred room. These prices are rack rates. You may be able to take advantage of a discount and get an even better deal on your hotel stay.
Restaurants
The only restaurant at Pop Century Resort is the Everything POP food court. Unlike most of the other food courts across property, Everything POP blends right into the resort’s gift shop. It is all located in one large open area. This makes it convenient if you are wanting to do some souvenir shopping while grabbing a meal. But, it also adds to the noise level of the food court as well. For me, the food court is decent but isn’t anything special. However, for many Pop fans, this is one of the greatest food courts on property. One of the unique offerings at Everything POP is the tie-dyed cheesecake, which has a cult following of its own. To see the menu options at Everything POP, see allears.net. There is also a pool bar at the main pool.
Recreation
Pop Century Resort has an arcade, three feature pools, a playground, and a walking trail. One pool is shaped like a bowling pin. It is located near the 1950’s buildings. The Hippy Dippy pool is shaped like a flower and can be found near the 1970’s buildings. The third pool is shaped like a computer and is near the 1980’s buildings. When we stayed here, we only used the Hippy Dippy pool. It is a fun place for the kids to splash around in. Along the edges of the pool are flowers that squirt water.
Conclusion
Pop Century Resort is one of the value resorts at Disney World. The design of the resort centers around pop culture icons from the 1950’s through the 1990’s. All around the property, you will see bright colors and giant four-story-tall toys from decades past. It is a fun place to stay, especially with kids. If you are looking for a great hotel to stay with convenient transportation options, this is a wonderful choice for you. At times, it can get loud, especially around the pools and food court. If you are looking to stay on property but don’t want to spend a ton of money, definitely check out Pop Century Resort. This may just be the resort for you. For more help planning your trip, read our secrets to a great Disney trip, and posts on the Disney Dining Plan and Memory Maker. Happy travels!
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