Disney’s Pop Century Resort Review: Is it Right for Your Family?

Finding the right Walt Disney World Resort accommodations is a large part of the vacation planning process. Disney’s Pop Century Resort is a great option for families and our complete review will list all of the reasons why this resort might be the right one for your family.

You’ve decided to take the family to Orlando, Florida to meet Mickey. Now it’s time to start planning your vacation. Researching the best accommodations for families at Walt Disney World can be overwhelming. Counting off property resorts and on property resorts, there are so many options. All Disney resorts are kid-friendly, so the question becomes, which one is right for YOUR family.

Pop Century, which just went through a major renovation in 2017-2018 is one of Disney’s six value resort options. A value resort is great for families looking to save money on their resort stay. The 1950s – 1990s theme throughout Pop Century is fun for all ages. I’ve stayed at the Pop Century for two of my Disney Vacations. We spend very little time in our resort rooms when we’re at Disney, so I think staying at value hotels are a great way to save money on a Disney vacation.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Why should you stay “on property” at a Disney World Resort? The Extra Magic Hours, proximity to the parks and riding the Magical Express are some of the wonderful benefits.

Pop Century Resort Rooms

Pop Century is one of my favorite value resorts. It’s one of kids’ favorites, too. My biggest issue with booking a stay at the Pop Century is that the rooms accommodate a family of 4 or less. If you’re a family of 5 or more (like we are), you’ll have to book two rooms.

There are 4 room types; standard room, standard pool view, preferred room and preferred pool view. The location of the rooms are what makes some of the rooms preferred. Honestly, if you’re traveling with little ones, I’d consider getting a preferred room because those rooms are located close to the lobby and bus stops. You’ll appreciate the shorter walk when you’re hauling sleeping kids back to the room at night.

You can choose between a King room or 2 Queen beds. If you get a room with 2 beds, the second bed is a Murphy bed. I really love this setup because once you put the Murphy bed away, the room feels much bigger and you have room to move around.

Also, there is a sliding door that separates the bathroom area from the rest of the room. This is a nice addition to these rooms because I wake up earlier than the rest of my family so I can shower and get dressed without waking anyone.

All of the guest rooms include wifi, a hair dryer, mini-fridge and a coffee maker. I was most impressed by the number of USB ports around the room. Even the techiest family would have enough ports to charge all of their devices.

Resort Activities

Enjoying the resort activities is part of the fun when staying onsite at Disney. Take a day off from the parks to enjoy some of these:

The Pools

During your Disney vacation, we highly recommend taking a day off to enjoy the resort pools. You’re going to want to check out the resort’s main Hippy Dippy Pool located in the 1960s area. There are two other fun pools at the resort; 1950s Bowling Pool and the 1990s Computer Pool. Mom’s and dad will also enjoy the Petals pool bar (located at the Hippy Dippy Pool) which serves signature tropical cocktails, the Banana Cabana and Poolside Iced Tea (other cocktails, beer and wine are also available).

Note: The Hippy Dippy Pool is currently closed for renovations. Please check here for the latest.

Everything Pop Shopping

If you need to do a little shopping, head to the Everything Pop Gift Shop. We found Disney merchandise such as pins for pin trading, Disney ears and more. I actually stopped in to grab a couple of last-minute items that I’d forgotten at home — Tylenol and Band-Aids.

Movies Under The Stars

Snuggle up with the kids and watch a Disney film under the night sky at the Hippy Dippy Pool. This is a great way to relax and help the kids settle down for the night after a fun day in the parks. When you check-in to the resort, ask them for a schedule of the events taking place during your stay.

Enjoy a Stroll

There is a 1-mile trail around the resort which is a great way to explore the Pop Century resort. Go on a scavenger hunt and see if you can find all of the fun “larger than life” objects from the 1950s-1990s. We found a Yo-Yo, bowling pin, Big Wheel tricycle, foosball and Rubiks Cube!

Fast Forward Arcade

There is a fun arcade located inside the Pop Century. I looked inside a couple of times during our visit and it was never crowded. If you’re spending a day at the resort, tweens and teens especially will want t0 stop in for a few minutes to play some of the games before relaxing by the pool.

Everything Pop Dining

The food court at the Pop Century is actually a decent place to get a quick bite before heading to the parks or when you arrive home after a long day. The food court is part of the Disney Dining Plan. The variety was great, you’re sure to find something that will please everyone in your group. The breakfast menu includes favorites like chocolate chip pancakes and omelets.

The lunch menu includes burgers, pizzas and salads. I was impressed by the selection on the dinner menu; it included salmon, meatloaf and pot roast. I’m particularly fond of the house-made desserts! Who doesn’t want to end their day with a mermaid cupcake?!

SheBuysTravel Tip: If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, talk to the chefs before placing your order. They can help accommodate you. 

Transportation to the Parks

Thanks to the different transportation options at each of the Disney resorts if you fly to Disney World you don’t have to worry about renting a vehicle. The Magical Express will transport you from MCO airport to your resort and there are a couple of transportation options for getting from the resort to the Disney parks. We’ve listed those here:

Buses

Each day you can ride to and from the parks and Disney Springs on the buses. The schedule for the buses will be available through the My Disney Experience App. This transportation option will get you to Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Disney Springs.

Skyliner

The Skyliner is now up and running. We had the thrilling experience of getting to try it. Find out everything you need to know about the Skyliner here.

At the Pop Century, the Skyliner is located on the bridge that goes across Hourglass Lake. Keep in mind that this is the same bridge that takes you to the Art of Animation Resort so both resorts will be using this Skyliner.

The Skyliner only runs to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. If you’re visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom or Magic Kingdom, you’ll need to take the buses.

Once you leave the Pop Century on the Skyliner you will be taken to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. When you arrive at the Caribbean Beach you’ll exit the Skyliner and get in line to get on the next Skyliner that will take you to either EPCOT or Hollywood Studios. If you’re going to EPCOT, just remember that it does not take you to the front entrance, it takes you to the International Gateway entrance.

Read More: Complete Guide to Disney World Transportation

Where to Buy Disney Tickets

We recommend purchasing your Disney theme park tickets through Get Away Today. Not only does the company have the lowest prices, but it also offers a best price guarantee. If you ever find park tickets cheaper, Get Away Today won’t just match the price, the company will beat it. If you call to make your purchase be sure to mention SheBuysTravel!

Other Value Resorts Reviews:

• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (located next to the Pop Century Resort)