POP Century standard or All Star Sports preferred?

[Megara5115]

Hello!

I guess the title sums it up... Which would you recommend?

I was set on POP but I started seeing positive reviews for All Star Sports (which I had stayed away from because of the shared buses and the increased distance). The more I read the more that Sports seems like a good option too.

-Sports is smaller and I have read it is also less hectic but I like the theme at POP better (not a deal breaker of course)

-The buses are first pick up/first drop off... is this advantage comparable to POP having it's own buses?

We are going April 29- May 10 2015- will there be any large groups at All Star Sports at that time?

Thank you for any insight!!!

 

[Missymouse18]

I'm a Pop fanatic and we stay there every year, but I have stayed at all of the Values, including Sports.
Sports is actually low key and a little more quiet than the others if there are no sports teams/schools/cheerleader competitors staying there.
The shared busses were never an issue for us. Unless it has changed in the last few years, there are still no fridges in the rooms at Sports, so if that is something you need then you might want to reconsider.
Other than that, I think for the "wow" factor and the pools you would go with Pop. Saying that, I think either one is a good choice.

 

[Nutbean]

Each of the All-Star resorts are quite small. I personally would not bother paying the extra for a preferred room since none of the rooms are particularly far from the main building and bus stops.

That may help with your decision...?

 

[Nutbean]

Unless it has changed in the last few years, there are still no fridges in the rooms at Sports, so if that is something you need then you might want to reconsider.

I'm pretty sure all the Value resorts including All-Star Sports now have mini-fridges.

 

[Missymouse18]

I will echo what PP said - I wouldn't pay the extra $ for a preferred room as resorts are small.

 

[MattRyan]

Do Pop standard, request 60s and another category. Your room will face the lake and reasonably close to main building. (All preferred rooms are in the 60s)

 

[shyjade]

Do Pop standard, request 60s and another category. Your room will face the lake and reasonably close to main building. (All preferred rooms are in the 60s)

Not true. There are preferred rooms at Pop in the 50's, 60's and 70's (just not 80's or 90's). A lake facing room at Pop is considered standard.

Yes, there are fridges in ALL Disney resort rooms, including Pop & Sports.

As for the bussing, I would think staying at Sports (being the 1st stop) would be comparable to the bussing at Pop. Although I prefer Pop over the All-Stars, both resorts you are considering would be a good choice, IMO. Pop has the added benefit of the lake/scenery and proximity to AoA which has a great food court. However, Sports is likely a bit quieter, although Preferred would put you closer to everything and therefore more traffic/noise I would think. We had a very quiet lake-facing room at Pop in the 70's section last year (standard level).

 

[Megara5115]

Thanks for the feedback! I was thinking all stars sports preferred mostly because I like the theming with proximity to buses etc being a bonus. I would probably request a room facing away from the pool if possible.

If you've been to either or both please let me know what you think!

 

[jennbunn]

I have stayed at both pop 50's pool view and preferred sports facing the playground. Love both resorts but would give a slight advantage to pop. We loved being so close to art of animation and eating at landscape of flavor. The buses seemed to run a bit more often at pop then sports but I also stayed at a busier time at pop then I did sports so that may be the case as well.

 

[freckles04]

nevermind

 

[Nutbean]

I have stayed at Pop and All-Star Movies. We are booked at All-Star Sports for our trip this fall.

I really liked Pop (decor, newer, food court) but since I'm all about convenience and not having a long walk to buses and to the food court (I hate having a 20 minute round trip walk just to use my resort refillable mug and I don't want to pay for a preferred room) I prefer the All-Stars.

Bus service was about the same for both. One thing I liked about the All-Stars though is that when leaving the parks for the day, you can get on whichever All-Star bus you want (i.e. one with the shortest line, whichever comes first, etc.) and then just walk to your resort. It beats waiting in the heat or having to stand on a crowded bus.

 

[HopperFan]

Huge POP fan, I think it is step above the AllStars but just got back from a quick stay at ASSports after many years. The rooms are the same, the theme decor is cute and well done but more mature than I expected since it focused on teams, new food court was very nice with all new seating, staff in food court was great, buses were fine but again I was only there a couple days. Activities by the pool were very busy and packed with folks. There wasn't a seat to be found for the movie by the pool. I will return again for a short trip, not sure I would stay longer it still has that motel feel with less emphasis on the landscape, feeling more concrete like and everything was on top of each other. Only ASMusic has standard rooms that cause you a very long walk to main hub so preferred there is way to go. Movie and Sports are set up in a more tight footprint to the main hub.

POP is a tight footprint and I would never pay for preferred there. You can see on map that many non-preferred are just as close as some preferred. There are NO ROOMS that are more than a 5-6 minute walk to the main hub and I am traveling with DS who is handicapped and walks slow. My walk at Sports was way longer than my walk at POP. Last trip I took other DS and he was shocked at how close everything was. I have stayed in most the sections and our favorite is 50's facing the lake. Standard price for Deluxe view. Resort is beautifully landscaped and I was surprised my first trip that it felt more in line with moderate landscaping. You still have fun Disney icons throughout. I would suggest you avoid the 80's and 90's as that is where they place groups. It is easier for their charter buses and keeps them all hanging at computer pool away from the rest.

From our 50's lake view room our car is not too far, the main hub and buses are under a 5 minute walk and it is so peaceful. Last fall for 12 days I never saw or heard another person on our floor the entire trip - and it was busy with Free Dining. Love walking over to AoA to eat and enjoy the imagineering spread all over. We even took the AoA bus back one night, stopped for snacks in their food court then enjoyed the walk to our room over the bridge. We also can see Illuminations, Wishes, and DHS fireworks when they have them. One night DS sat on chair inside the room at window and watched all kinds of fireworks.

Red marks preferred...

 

[lustergirl]

Thanks for the feedback! I was thinking all stars sports preferred mostly because I like the theming with proximity to buses etc being a bonus. I would probably request a room facing away from the pool if possible.

If you've been to either or both please let me know what you think!

I have been to both and prefer AS Sports hands down. We stayed at POP in October 2009 and I thought the resort was too big. We paid for a preferred room and ended up on the 4th floor. POP now has pool preferred rooms and this is what I would pay for if we stayed there again.

Even though POP has its own dedicated bus service you will find often that each of the All Star Resorts do as well. Because of the sheer size I would say that POP is definitely more hectic than AS Sports.

At Sports we have stayed preferred and standard. You cant go wrong with the cheaper room as it is no where the distance that a standard room at POP would be to the bus stop, food court and so on.

I am going back to AS Sports during a solo trip in November and I can't wait

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Each of the All-Star resorts are quite small. I personally would not bother paying the extra for a preferred room since none of the rooms are particularly far from the main building and bus stops.

That may help with your decision...?

I echo this.
To me if it's preferred vs. pop, then I'd go pop. But if it was standard and save the money, I'd go All-Stars and spend the money on souvenirs

 

[Missymouse18]

Stayed at both. Every time I have stayed at Pop, I have requested 60's section, ground floor, lakeside. Every time I have gotten exactly this. You are only steps away from the pool, however it's on the backside of the building so you don't get the noise. In this section I am less than three and a half minutes from my door to the bus. Also, within five minutes to AoA's food court. I had coffee every morning beside the lake as the sun came up and it was very peaceful.
Sports is nice and quiet, small and relaxing. Food court is not as nice, but if you aren't planning on eating most of your meals there, it shouldn't be an issue.
I would choose Pop over Sports, but still, in all, would say Sports is definitely not a bad choice.