Disney's POP CENTURY RESORT Information & Questions

[bluezy]

I always do online check in and have never gotten an email beforehand to confirm check in. I’ve already checked in, I don’t need to confirm it.

We do online check in and always get the request to confirm our online check-in information a week before arrival. The purpose of the confirmation isn't to re-confirm the online check-in, it's to verify the credit card and cell phone numbers on file (in case they've changed since you did the original online check-in) and to give you one last chance to change your room preferences. I just checked and I still have the e-mails from the last few trips. Seems weird that they send it to some guests and not others. Maybe yours are going to spam???

 

[dansdad]

We do online check in and always get the request to confirm our online check-in information a week before arrival. The purpose of the confirmation isn't to re-confirm the online check-in, it's to verify the credit card and cell phone numbers on file (in case they've changed since you did the original online check-in) and to give you one last chance to change your room preferences. I just checked and I still have the e-mails from the last few trips. Seems weird that they send it to some guests and not others. Maybe yours are going to spam???

We get them about 50% of the time. Gotta love Disney IT.

 

[Action City]

We do online check in and always get the request to confirm our online check-in information a week before arrival. The purpose of the confirmation isn't to re-confirm the online check-in, it's to verify the credit card and cell phone numbers on file (in case they've changed since you did the original online check-in) and to give you one last chance to change your room preferences. I just checked and I still have the e-mails from the last few trips. Seems weird that they send it to some guests and not others. Maybe yours are going to spam???

No, I regularly check our spam.

 

[CarrieR]

Update on the "room occupied" nonsense...

I am here for a very short stay. Got to my room around midnight last night, leaving tomorrow AM. I'm solo, so only used one set of towels, and didn't really need housekeeping. So, I did what any normal, sane person would do and left the RO sign on the door. Got back to my room and found that it had been cleaned. Total waste of resources, but whatever.

(Irony, we stay for eight nights sometimes and only manage to get cleaned like twice... I'm here for seven minutes and housekeeping cleans despite the sign.)

Anyways, I stopped by the front desk to pay my room charges and noticed their "service your way" aka opt out of housekeeping sign. Mentioned something to the desk staff about how I should have done that, since I didn't need housekeeping, left the sign out, and they came anyways. CM said no, housekeeping won't come in, but they've instituted a "once daily security check." I told her housekeeping DID come in and all she could muster was an "Oh. That shouldn't have happened." Well, it did, so...

It's one thing to read it online, but having a CM patently recite the new policy felt far creepier than I had anticipated. There is NO reason for this policy. I'm here for vacation, not to experience a police state.

TL;DR version - RO sign means nothing, front desk confirms security check.

/rant

 

[CarrieR]

A few other incidental thoughts -

The room has the "lovely" new body wash/shampoo dispensers. I noticed Saturday night the body wash was empty. It was not filled during my housekeeping visit yesterday, either.

I walked around the room barefoot for a few yesterday, then went to put on Crocs sandals (since I figured I'd be wading through MK.) Before I did so, I put some lotion on a hot spot - and couldn't believe how dirty/gritty the bottom of my feet were. Note I had showered, gotten into bed to nap, and then gotten out of bed to dress before heading back into the parks, so this was definitely room grit and not park gunk.

(We observed in August that they really needed to leave a Swiffer wetjet in each room - especially when allowing you to decline housekeeping for a week long vacation!)

Upon checkin, there was a card and small baggie of Ghiradelli squares on the table. The card thanked me for being a returning guest. Really nice touch! (Especially as one of my ongoing overall gripes with Disney is that I feel looked down on, rather than appreciated, for being a frequent guest. Southwest and Starbucks give me free product... Disney gives me snarky comments. So a tiny token of appreciation is a really nice gesture!)

Thinking of all of my commentary, I suspect I sound pretty critical. Not the case - for example I love the new rooms (though I miss the old ones for nostalgic reasons.) We literally call Pop our "spare home" due to spending so many night here. But I've also seen the decline in service - like a consistent 20+ minute wait due to an understaffed front desk - don't have a problem calling out the changes that are guest unfriendly or just plain cheap.

I've bussed a ton this trip, and busses have been stellar. My bags (both DME and left with Bell Services) were waiting for me in my room on Saturday, no phone call necessary. CMs have been pleasant all trip. The weather - until last night's monsoon - has been stellar. I had potentially the loveliest day ever walking the WS with my camera. Some good points to balance out the gripes

 

[yesmylove]

I've seen pictures of the new rooms and look forward to being back in December. I think it might have been more interesting to do the rooms in each section to the years of their section. The 50's section with 50's furnishings, 60's with 60's furnishings etc. Like the way AoA is done up for each section. Just a thought.

 

[CarrieR]

It definitely would have been. I really like the new rooms - they're very nice, with lots of lovely features - but they're much more generic than the old PC rooms. Upscale, yes - "in the theme," no. Wish they could have blended the two!

 

[china mom]

Leaving almost 3/4 case of bottled water outside 1263 right now. Help yourself

 

[22Tink]

Has anyone had any experience with Pop allowing late check out? We don't fly out until 6:50pm and would like to spend our last morning in the parks. I was thinking it would be nice to not have to worry about checking out before we head to the parks.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Has anyone had any experience with Pop allowing late check out? We don't fly out until 6:50pm and would like to spend our last morning in the parks. I was thinking it would be nice to not have to worry about checking out before we head to the parks.

I always fly home late last day, just have your bags go to guest services, they will hold everything.

 

[22Tink]

I always fly home late last day, just have your bags go to guest services, they will hold everything.

Yeah that's what we did last trip. I was just trying to avoid having to stop at GS as we want to head out pretty early. I'm sure I read somewhere that someone had late check out so I'm hoping for that this time.

 

[CarrieR]

You can usually get noon - but I'd just leave your stuff with bell services. I've done the noon checkout with a 12:30 or 1 bus but beyond that it doesn't make much sense, IMO.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Yeah that's what we did last trip. I was just trying to avoid having to stop at GS as we want to head out pretty early. I'm sure I read somewhere that someone had late check out so I'm hoping for that this time.

Understandable, but chances are, latest check out would be 12/1ish and that means returning to hotel from parks by 11:30/12 bus time - either way cutting into park time most likely

 

[22Tink]

You can usually get noon - but I'd just leave your stuff with bell services. I've done the noon checkout with a 12:30 or 1 bus but beyond that it doesn't make much sense, IMO.

Noon doesn't really give that much extra time if regular checkout is 11:00. DME won't likely be picking us up until 2:45ish so my hope was to head to the parks for the morning, come back around 1:30 to clear out of the room and check out to be ready for DME. Most of our hotels here where I live have a noon checkout already and then they add a couple of hours for late checkout if the room is available but that may not be an option at Disney I guess. I'll ask when I check in and see what they offer. Checking out on our way out in the morning isn't the end of the world I just thought I'd see what other guest's experiences were with late checkout. Thanks for your input!

 

[22Tink]

Understandable, but chances are, latest check out would be 12/1ish and that means returning to hotel from parks by 11:30/12 bus time - either way cutting into park time most likely

I'd be happy to get a 1:00 check out. Our last FP is scheduled for 11:30 so we could easily make it back for 1:00. I guess I'll just ask at check in and see what they say. Might just be wishful thinking on my part!

 

[CarrieR]

No problem. I agree - for today, I have a 5P flight and just totally cleared out before heading to the parks this morning. I would have preferred to save the half-hour, but oh well. (Also, I wanted to use RAC... so I had to be pretty much packed anyways.)

If you're using RAC, maybe one member of the party could go to bell services while the other does RAC?

 

[mindeola]

Did a quick trip to Pop last week to drop my niece off for the DCP.

We all loved the refurb. We stayed in 90's. Thought storage was great. Definitely less floor space, but the beds were so comfy. That's a great trade off in my book. Floors did not feel dirty to us. I was disappointed that we only had a shower. It isn't ideal for me. I enjoy a hot bath in the am because I wake up so much earlier than everyone else.

 

[22Tink]

No problem. I agree - for today, I have a 5P flight and just totally cleared out before heading to the parks this morning. I would have preferred to save the half-hour, but oh well. (Also, I wanted to use RAC... so I had to be pretty much packed anyways.)

If you're using RAC, maybe one member of the party could go to bell services while the other does RAC?

We're international so no RAC for us. They have to store our luggage and then I have to go back and pick it up before getting in line for DME.

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

@HopperFan alluded to this on the Renovation Thread... Mentioned that busses were working great!

This will be my first on site experience since the Grand in 2001...

We will have a car with us on this trip.

Busses:

My understanding is that taking the bus to Magic Kingdom saves time because you are not having to deal with the parking lot, and then the Ferry Boat or Monorail.

EPCOT
Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom

If you have a car... You can in general save time because you park free being a resort guest, and you can either walk or tram faster than the busses.

For those who stay onsite and keep a car or rental with them... What is your experience from POP? I already know POP is a favorite because of the dedicated busses even in slow season.

Last year, we drove to Orlando and drove each day to MK, HS & AK. We had no issues with parking as we were at each park for PPO. Both of our MK days, we took a bus back to Pop for a mid day break and then bused back to the park. The best part was we did not have to wait for buses at park closing, so I feel like it worked really well for us. We will use the same strategy this year, except we may UBER if we do a mid day break this trip.

 

[goofygal531]

Just noticed the below tweets on wdw easy Josh's twitter. Wonder if Pop is charging now as well?

Coronado Springs
Jan 26
Starting today, there is a handling fee charged to the credit card assigned to your room for GROCERY DELIVERY. This includes Garden Grocer, Prime Now, InstaCart, etc. $5 flat fee.

Coronado Springs
Jan 26
If you accept them, you should be good but if the resort accepts your delivery, there will be a fee.