Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Whenever I post a question on Disney forums about which resorts are worth our money, without fail I am told about Disney’s Pop Century.

Pop Century is one of the value resorts on property, which means you will save money while also getting the perks that come with choosing to stay at Disney.

Some of these perks include:

Extra Magic Hours

This permits you to enjoy the fun before or after the park is open to the public. When you go to Disney’s website you will find their calendar that shows which parks are offering this during your visit.  This is a great opportunity to get some of those high demand rides done before the crowds take over.

Transportation

You can easily hop on a bus and make your way to the fun. In addition, if you are staying at Grand Floridian, Contemporary, or Disney’s Polynesian Resort you can hop on the monorail straight from your resort!

In the future, Disney is going to open a Gondola system that will leave from Pop Century and Art of Animation. This new sky liner will take you to Epcot, where you can eat and drink around the world.

Theming 

Disney’s Pop Century Resort is ready to help you explore every era. They start in the 1950’s and  we make our way to the totally cool 90’s.

Each section has it’s own personal touch that is sure to magically transport you to it’s time.

We were placed in the 90’s section, and boy, was that a throwback! I was instantly taken back to a world full of Rubik Cubes, roller skates and floppy discs. No really… our pool featured a giant floppy disc.

Remember the days of surfing the net?

If you’ve ever managed to complete a Rubik’s cube, my hat goes off to you!

You can request the time period where you would like to stay and Disney will do their best to accommodate your preference.

On our next trip, I plan to request the 60’s, because I would love to be in the middle of the action!

Checking In 

Getting all set up at Pop Century could not have been easier. At the front desk, we were given our keys and parking information.

Our Room

We were happy to get a room on the first floor of the 90’s building. As a chronic pain fighter, first floors are always my go to.

This is the first resort my husband and I have stayed at together, and because it is a value resort I had pretty reasonable expectations. As I entered the room, those expectations were blown out of the water.

I was immediately drawn to the fun Mickey art above our bed.

These little hooks were great to hang my many custom Mickey Ears!

I am a huge believer in unpacking your suitcase upon arrival. There is nothing worse than rummaging through a cluttered suitcase on vacation. Pop has a perfect sized closet and a huge dresser for you things.

Color me impressed by these complementary toiletries. They were great quality and had an amazing scent.

We were officially welcomed by this sweet letter that was placed on our bed. I have heard a few people say that Pop Century is the Motel 6 of Disney properties. All I have to say is… What Motel 6 are you staying at? Sign me up!

Swimming Pool

This is where the magic happens. This pool is located right outside of the Welcome Center and is where most of the guests go to relax. The theme of this area is my favorite part about Pop Century, and I was tempted to skip the parks all day to hang out in this groovy spot.

Petals

You could find us here every afternoon of our stay. This bar is located right outside of the pool gates and offers some delicious cocktails.

If you are the type of Disney go-er who loves to get pictures in front of special Disney walls, add this one to your list. I’ve seen many pictures in front of this Pop wall and knew I had to get a snap myself.

Dining Hall

This is not a regular cafeteria… this is a cool cafeteria.(Mean girls anyone?)

I wish I could say that I tried numerous menu items, but we tried their burgers on our first day and were HOOKED. Make sure to get their side of delicious ranch!

Aside from the 10//10 burgers, they also have their own bakery case with all of your favorites.

After hearing rave reviews, we opted to try their Tie Dye Cheesecake.

I don’t mean to be dramatic, but I would drive to Pop Century just to get this treat. It is in my top 10 desserts that Disney offers.

Fast Forward Arcade

Call us old school, but we were PUMPED that there was an arcade at the resort. We loaded up our game cards and spent a couple hours playing some of our old favorites.

I love the parks, but there was something special about slowing down and having a date day in this quiet arcade.

Gift Store

Did you forget something essential at home? Everything Pop has you covered. This is also a great way to avoid the crowds while you get some of the souvenirs your kids are begging for.

Would I go back?

Absolutely! Pop Century was a breath of fresh air during our vacation. We have gotten in the groove of staying off property, but this Resort gave us a run for our money.

We typically spend $50 a night on Hotwire, but we were able to snag our Pop Century room for $130. When we sit down and think about all the extra that were offered to us by staying on property(a huge one being extra magic hours), choosing to book Pop seems to be a no brainer.

Kids and couples alike will be able to feel the extra pixie dust.

Where resort should we try next?

Let me know in the comments what you think of Disney’s Pop Century Resort!