Disney’s Pop Century Resort | Overview & Review

Hello, World!

We’re stepping into a world where nostalgia and Disney Magic collide with our most recent Walt Disney World Resort Hotel review - welcome to Disney’s Pop Century Resort!

Since 2003, when the Disney’s Pop Century Resort welcomed its first guests, it’s been all about capturing the essence of American pop culture. How you might ask? Well, with larger-than-life theming of course! From the moment you walk into the lobby, where you’ll find displays of nostalgic items from yesteryear, to the massive recreations of iconic items that make up the theming at this resort, you’ll be immersed in decades from the 1950’s into the 1990’s. So let’s get lost in the 40 years stretch on the timeline that Disney’s Pop Century celebrates and take a closer look at this resort.

Appeal Of The Resort

Even before stepping onto the grounds of Disney’s Pop Century Resort, there are a few things that make it an appealing place to stay for guests visiting Walt Disney World.

First and foremost, we have the price point. Disney’s Pop Century Resort is what Walt Disney World considered a “Value Resort”. That means that it is one of the most affordable Walt Disney World Resort Hotels of all the Walt Disney World owned and operated hotels on property. The price range for Disney’s Pop Century Resort is between $154 and $390 per night, depending on the time of year and whether or not you choose to stay in a “preferred” room.

While this isn’t the most affordable of the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, the pricing for Disney’s Pop Century Resort is quite reasonable if you’re choosing to stay in a standard room. That said, as all of the rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort are the same size with the same sleeping configuration, we don’t necessarily think that upgrading to a “preferred” room is worth the extra money. Of course, every family has different wants and needs during their vacation, so be sure to let us know if you agree by leaving a comment.

The other feature of Disney’s Pop Century Resort that a lot of families find appealing is the access to the Disney Skyliner. The Disney Skyliner is Walt Disney World’s newest form of transportation and it’s quickly becoming a favorite among guests visiting the Walt Disney World Resort. This is especially true for guests staying at what is known as a “Skyliner Resort” as it offers quick and relatively easy access to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT and other Resorts along the Disney Skyliner route.

Learn more about the Disney Skyliner HERE.

Of course, there are 2 sides to every coin and having access to the Disney Skyliner isn’t going to be a “feature” for every family. There are things about the Disney Skyliner that can be a problem for some. Those who have a fear of heights, enclosed spaces and those who suffer from motion sickness might want to consider that at Disney’s Pop Century Resort the Disney Skyliner is going to be your only free Disney Transportation option for getting to Hollywood Studios and/or EPCOT.

NOTE: You may have heard that there is bus transportation to and from EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This is something that does happen under certain circumstances, but it’s important to keep in mind that it is not standard practice for Disney Skyliner Resorts to operate buses is the Disney Skyliner is operational. Exceptions to this may be when crowds are particularly heavy during certain times of the year, but again, it’s not something we think you should count on when booking any Disney Skyliner Resort.

Lots To Offer

Aside from the price point and convenience of the Disney Skyliner, there’s quite a lot that Disney’s Pop Century Resort has to offer for guests who choose to call this home during their vacation. Right at the top of that list, we’ve got the pools!

Disney’s Pop Century Resort features 3 pools for guests to enjoy, whether they’re relaxing or burning off some energy. Over in the 1950’s you’ll find the Bowling Pool that’s shaped like. . . you guessed it. . . a bowling pin. Over in the 1990’s you’ll find the Computer Pool complete with floppy disc and keyboard. Then, coming in at a whopping 235,613 gallons, you’ll find the Hippy Dippy Pool. This is the resort’s main pool which comes complete with far-out flower-shaped water jets and a chill 1960’s attitude.

Of course, it doesn’t stop there! There are activities that take place throughout the day [and week] at Disney’s Pop Century Resort to include themed pool parties, games, trivia, “Movies Under the Stars” and more! You can learn more about all of the activities available at the resort during your stay by inquiring at the Front Desk or by checking out the Walt Disney World Website.

Learn more about Movies Under the Stars HERE.

Despite all of this being offered at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, we did feel like there was a little something missing during our stay. We tried to put out finger on it while we were there, but we couldn’t quite figure it out until editing our walk around video later; there was no music. Unlike other resorts that we’ve been to around Walt Disney World, there was no music being played at Disney’s Pop Century Resort around the resort itself. This was fairly disappointing, especially because music was such a major part of the theme.

We also felt like the resort was lacking green spaces to be outdoors and lounge around throughout the resort. While there were places to hang out on the pool deck, we think I would have been nice to have a few more outside that fenced area. This made the resort feel a little less like what you’d come to expect from a Disney Resort Hotel and more of what you’d come to expect from a hotel you’re just relying on as a place to stay at night. Of course, this was just our opinion. If you’ve ever stayed here we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Dining & Shopping

Like at other Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, guests staying at Disney’s Pop Century Resort have access to both dining and shopping without having to leave the resort. Here at Disney’s Pop Century, they are both called “Everything POP Shopping & Dining”. This includes a quick service restaurant as well as a shop where you can purchase a variety of Walt Disney World souvenirs and other necessities that you might find yourself needing during your vacation.

As far as food is concerned, Everything POP offers a variety of dishes to choose from. This includes burgers, chicken, hot dogs, sandwiches, pizza and pasta. There are also rotating menu items and seasonal items available depending on when you happen to be visiting. There’s also a breakfast menu that includes waffled, breakfast sandwiches and more.

Truth be told, the menu at Everything POP isn’t much to write home about. The items are fairly standard and aren’t what you might describe as exciting in any way. However, they are what we would describe as safe. In other words, it won’t be the most adventurous meal you eat at Walt Disney World, but that can actually be a good thing. There’s plenty of variety available for families who have a variety of tastes to accommodate and none of the menu items are really going to throw you for a loop. Again. . . . we think that’s a good thing for a resort geared to families on a budget.

Prices at Everything POP are fairly reasonable as are the portion sizes, which make it a good potion for grabbing a quick bite on nights when you’re to tired to leave the resort to search for dinner.

Check out the Everything POP Shopping & Dining Menu HERE.

Of course, if you want to venture out there are a lot of great options that are very easy to access with the Disney Skyliner. While these options aren’t technically part of Disney’s Pop Century Resort, having such quick access to them makes it worth noting. That said, if you’re looking for something a bit more interesting than Everything POP you have the option of dining at Caribbean Beach, Disney’s Riviera Resort, Yacht & Beach Club, Boardwalk as well as the Swan & Dolphin Resorts. . . . all accessible from the Disney Skyliner!

The Rooms

There are 2 different categories of rooms offered at Disney’s Pop Century Resort; standard and preferred. While both of these rooms are ultimately the same, the location is what sets one apart from the other. Preferred rooms are the more conveniently located option, being closer to the main building and thus bus transportation and dining.

Location aside, most of the rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort are going to share the same characteristics. They will be 260-square-feet with 1 queen bed and 1 queen size Murphy bed. Guests can also specially request a room with a King-size bed, but these rooms are limited and only available upon request.

Rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort are small and simple, but they are equipped with everything you need. The elevated bed allows for plenty of space to tuck away luggage during your trip and other storage options will help keep your room organized. The beverage cooler/mini-fridge is also a great feature of this room. We think that having a way to tuck away snacks and keep drinks cool makes a huge difference when traveling [to Walt Disney World or elsewhere] and so we’re glad to see that is available in this room.

However, the let down of this room is the theming. With the resort being so over-the-top, it’s disappointing to see that the rooms don’t carry the theming over in some way; even if it’s just simple framed pieces of artwork or furniture. While we’re well aware that the resort sits within Disney’s “Value” range, that hasn’t stopped Disney from adding touches of Disney Magic before. . . why that would be the case here is unbeknownst to us. That said, we think that simple design choices could have easily elevated the experience at this resort rather than making it sterile. Of course, we’d love to hear what you have to say about this. . . so let us know in a comment.

At the end of the day, we think that Disney’s Pop Century Resort is a great option for a number of different reasons. While there are some letdowns, particularly in regards to theming of the rooms and ambiance of the resort itself, it does provide a great value option for families in a fantastic location. We love that it has access to the Disney Skyliner, which allows guests to have easy access to other resorts that can make up for what Pop Century itself is lacking. There’s also easy access to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, which is only a short walk across Hourglass Lake.

We also think that the rooms are pretty great for the price. While they can be a little bit tight if you’re traveling with a big family, they offer enough organization options and use space well enough to make it comfortable for everyone during your stay; again at that very reasonable price point.