Pop vs POFQ

[DisneyGlutton]

My best friend and I are having a friendly debate about where to stay the next time we go (the 4/3 offer is rather tempting) and we could use input.

We stayed at Pop on our first trip and then POFQ on our second. Pop is a little too garish for us, though the food court is nicer (with apple juice for me!) and the transportation works out well unless you get stuck in a long queue. POFQ of course is more elegant and relaxing, but all the stops at POR are wearing and a timesuck. The difference in price would about $300 (so $175 pp), so that needs to be taken into consideration.

My friend is worried that it will be hard to "downgrade" back to Pop and that we'll regret it; I did so on my Dec trip with my Dad and I can't decide whether it was a good decision or not. Splitting our stay between the two (if that's even possible or worthwhile with the 4/3 deal) seems inconvenient. What do you think we should do? Thanks!

[Beast_fanatic]

I think a lot depends on how much you are going to utilize your resort. Is it just a place to shower and sleep? Are you going to be utilizing the food court and pools/other amenities? The less time that I spend at the resort, the less important it is to me where I stay.

[LavaLamp]

I think it depends on what kind of trip you are going to take. If you are going commando-park hopper, it would be better to stay at Pop because of the excellent food court. If you want to have a more relaxing vacation, opt to stay at POFQ. In the end though, the difference is only $300, so it might be worth it to stay at POFQ.

[Missy_Mouses_Dad]

We stayed at po and pop (as well as other value resorts), and I agree, if you are going to use the resort to sleep, shower, etc., pop is my choice. If you want a quieter, more relaxing atmosphere, po is the choice.

We stay at value, since we spend very little time at the resort. The food courts were a wash as far as we were concerned, although it was a considerably longer trek at po..

[MNNHFLTX]

If either you or your friend are truly worried about whether you would enjoy staying at Pop Century again, after staying at Port Orleans French Quarter, than it might be best to just pay the extra $$ (if you have it) and stay there. I've stayed at value and moderate resorts after staying at several of the deluxes and while I wasn't disappointed, I would be lying if said I didn't like the deluxes more.

[Daisy712]

We have stayed at POFQ and Pop. We enjoy Pop because we love the atmosphere. I didn't really care of the atmosphere at POFQ and completely hated having to ride through PO everytime we got on a bus. You need to take into account what you would enjoy more. We also travel with our 15 yr old DS and 12 yr old DD. We see a lot through their eyes and we see the fun side of Pop. Good luck making your choice.

[swampfox28]

I guess everyone will have different opinions on this, but since I've stayed at both (and only those hotels!), I'll weigh in...!

First trip - Pop. LOVED IT! Was in awe of the statues, pool, etc. We went really off-season and it wasn't hard to get a bus, etc.

2nd trip - POFQ. (first trip w/ our 2 kids) LOVED IT MORE!!! So quiet, so intimate - loved the boat to Downtown Disney - loved the fact that it was smaller, the rooms had fridges (etc.) included (not extra), pool had a slide, and that busses seemed to run faster AND were less crowded.

Sure, you stop at POR - but you're always 1st on the bus at POFQ AND first to get off! (We were always conscious of offering seats to those that might need them, but never had to worry that we COULDN'T get a seat - with a 2 year old, that was nice!)

Then I took my best friend from high school who is getting ready to move abroad and who has NEVER been to WDW. We stayed at Pop because it was a lot cheaper and money was an issue (but we still wanted to do the trip!) I have to say, it was NOT as much fun the 2nd time around (for me, anyway!)

Part of it was because we were in just about the FURTHEST building away from the lobby (and very far from the bus stop!) and it just felt TOO crowded - esp. in the mornings in the food court area. I hated having to wait FOREVER in the lobby to talk to a desk person (whereas at POFQ it was almost always instantaneous!)

Now this could just be we had a very LUCKY trip at POFQ and got less lucky with POP. (I still think any day at WDW is better than being home, so I didn't HATE Pop - but it just wasn't as terrific and it WAS hard to "downgrade"). My friend did like the decorations - but felt it had a somewhat "mall-like" (too big and kind of impersonal) feel to it. POFQ just felt better to me and I'll always choose it if I have my druthers.

I'm kind of afraid to try a deluxe; perhaps the bar will again be raised!! And yet, sometimse I still wish somehow we COULD try one - just once (HA!)

-Sarah

[DisneyGlutton]

Sure, you stop at POR - but you're always 1st on the bus at POFQ AND first to get off!

Part of it was because we were in just about the FURTHEST building away from the lobby (and very far from the bus stop!) and it just felt TOO crowded - esp. in the mornings in the food court area. I hated having to wait FOREVER in the lobby to talk to a desk person (whereas at POFQ it was almost always instantaneous!)

[it just wasn't as terrific and it WAS hard to "downgrade"). My friend did like the decorations - but felt it had a somewhat "mall-like" (too big and kind of impersonal) feel to it. POFQ just felt better to me and I'll always choose it if I have my druthers.
-Sarah

I'm glad you had more luck with the bus at PO, but that wasn't our experience at all; frequently we would be first on and last off, which was very soul numbing.

If you stay at Pop, the way to go is with a preferred room I think, to avoid the problems you mentioned (except the crowds and the mall-like feel, which you can't escape).

If either you or your friend are truly worried about whether you would enjoy staying at Pop Century again, after staying at Port Orleans French Quarter, than it might be best to just pay the extra $$ (if you have it) and stay there. I've stayed at value and moderate resorts after staying at several of the deluxes and while I wasn't disappointed, I would be lying if said I didn't like the deluxes more.

So basically if I can ever afford a deluxe, you're saying I shouldn't go unless I can afford it everytime? That's so true though...saving money by downgrading doesn't tend to make people happy.

We stayed at po and pop (as well as other value resorts), and I agree, if you are going to use the resort to sleep, shower, etc., pop is my choice. If you want a quieter, more relaxing atmosphere, po is the choice.

The problem is I want to sleep and shower in a relaxing atmosphere, lol, but also save money...and that's not all possible!

I think it depends on what kind of trip you are going to take. If you are going commando-park hopper, it would be better to stay at Pop because of the excellent food court. If you want to have a more relaxing vacation, opt to stay at POFQ. In the end though, the difference is only $300, so it might be worth it to stay at POFQ.

We like to relax most of the time...sleep in a little and then stay out till park close, and hop as necessary but not for its own sake.

I think a lot depends on how much you are going to utilize your resort. Is it just a place to shower and sleep? Are you going to be utilizing the food court and pools/other amenities? The less time that I spend at the resort, the less important it is to me where I stay.

It is basically a place to shower, sleep, and fill up our mugs. We don't care about the pool or other amenities.

We have stayed at POFQ and Pop. We enjoy Pop because we love the atmosphere. I didn't really care of the atmosphere at POFQ and completely hated having to ride through PO everytime we got on a bus. You need to take into account what you would enjoy more. We also travel with our 15 yr old DS and 12 yr old DD. We see a lot through their eyes and we see the fun side of Pop. Good luck making your choice.

Isn't that bus ride a killer? Disney should fix that somehow! Glad you enjoy Pop with your kids...but no kids for me anytime soon, lol, so I just think its a lil garish. But it has other things to recommend it, which is the problem!


THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE! The input was great. I'm so indecisive still...I was hoping the advice would all go one way, which it didn't, lol. I'm going to send the thread to my best friend and leave it up to him I think

(If the transportation at POFQ was better and its food court had apple juice, since I don't like pop, it would be a slam dunk...esp if POFQ wasn't more money...but even at Disney, reality exists!)