Pop Century Room Refurbishment
Pop Century Resort at Walt Disney World is currently undergoing a room refurbishment that will totally redesign the guest rooms. This is being completed in phases, building by building, and should be completed by May 2018. Prior to then (likely as soon as June 2017), it will be possible to request a refurbished room. In this post, we’ll cover what the refurbishment means and why you might (or might not) want to request a new room if you’re staying at Pop Century.
If you’ve searched DisneyWorld.com recently, you might’ve seen this notice: “Disney’s Pop Century Resort is currently undergoing some refurbishment projects across the Resort. During this time, the Resort will be in full operation, with all amenities available–including dining, merchandise and recreation locations. It is possible that construction may be seen or heard, but noise should not be heard from Guest rooms between dusk and 9:00 a.m.”
June 11, 2017 Update: Guests who have checked into Pop Century this week staying in the 90s building have reported that they have received a remodeled room. It appears that the entire 90s building is now finished and open, with work continuing on the 80s building, which should also be finished in the very near future…
If you’re visiting in the next couple of weeks and want a refurbished room, we’d recommend requesting the 90s. After that, you should be safe to request the 80s, as those rooms should be done by around July 2017. If you’ve already had a chance to stay in one of the new rooms, please report on your experience in the comments below.
Here’s a look at one of the new rooms that Walt Disney World posted on Twitter:
Groovy! The resort rooms at Disney’s #PopCentury Resort are starting to pop with updates in color and comfort! pic.twitter.com/3aEsZbISWF
– WDW Today (@WDWToday) June 16, 2017
Some guests have expressed concern to us about how this room refurbishment will impact their stay at Pop Century, and we want to reiterate that it really should not. This refurbishment is to the guest rooms only, and is occurring in sections during daytime hours. You won’t notice it unless you’re in the building where it’s happening during the day, and even then it’s unlikely. (If you’re still worried, simply request a room away from the refurbishment.) We think there’s a lot to be optimistic about with this room refurbishment, too…
If you’re a regular reader of our newsletter, you might recall that I mentioned these new rooms over a year ago (I might’ve posted about them on the blog, too–I cannot recall). At that point, someone had sent me photos of a test room that would be the basis of this pretty dramatic room renovation.
Fast forward to last week, when I finally heard an update on this that some rooms in the 80s/90s section of Pop Century were nearing completion. I decided to post about it on our Facebook page to see if anyone could confirm details or share photos.
Someone sent me through-the-window photos of construction progress (thanks Monica R. for the on-the-ground reporting!) on the 90s building that were taken May 8, and not only was the final design identical (from what I saw) to the test design, but the room was pretty much ready for occupancy. The only thing missing was a mattress.
The biggest change you can expect to see is a new configuration with a queen sized bed flanked by nightstands, and Murphy bed that doubles as a table (see the below Art of Animation Murphy bed for visualization–the table here will be much smaller and everything less…vibrant).
In addition to that, there will be a lighter color scheme, dominated by white with hints of orange and lime, and Mickey Mouse pop art above the bed. There will be a dresser under the television, coffeemaker kiosk with drawers, vessel sinks, illuminated bathroom mirror, and abundance of storage.
Personally, these new rooms are very appealing. They feel very much like Mickey meets Mid-Century, almost like Cabana Bay Beach Resort at Universal. (Based on what I saw, these are not quite that nice or detailed–but nicer than the current Pop Century rooms.)
Although it’s a divisive resort, we have always been fans of Pop Century. We stayed here a lot in college, and it was a favorite spot for our commando (in Disney parlance, this does not involve going without undies) long weekend trips.
It’s a great way to enjoy on-site benefits like Extra Magic Hours, Disney’s Magical Express, and free transportation at Walt Disney World. If you’re mainly spending time in the parks, Pop Century has always been a great option thanks to those perks, reliable transportation, strong (for a Value Resort) dining, and, of course, its price-points.
We are not on quite as tight of a budget as we were back in college, but this room renovation puts Pop Century back on our radar as a regular place to stay. The space that the Murphy Bed will open up plus having a coffee maker will be huge for us. We think Pop Century will be great for couples and solo travelers.
Style-wise, I’m also a fan of the new rooms. The pop art suits these rooms well, and the renovated rooms now strike me as more on-theme than what was there before.
In fact, we’re so optimistic about the refurbished rooms that we’ve already booked Pop Century for our Fall 2017 Walt Disney World trip. (Now watch, we won’t get a refurbished room!)
Of course, these new rooms are not going to be for everyone. The layout, particularly the Murphy bed, will not be as appealing to some families. It’s also possible that kids won’t enjoy the more subtle theme and use of pop art rather than an overt cartoon style.
This is understandable, but my counterpoint to this would be that literally every other Value Resort is aimed squarely at families with kids. I know, I know, “Disney is for kids, Tom!” This does not mean that every square inch of Walt Disney World needs to cater directly towards them.
Adults without kids represent a surprisingly large demographic for Walt Disney World. From the 1970s until 1990s, this was something Disney recognized, and promoted its adult side quite a bit: from golf to Pleasure Island to the Disney Institute (and more).
When Sarah and I first started visiting together, the tides had turned, and almost everything was geared towards kids, right down to promotional videos, which seldom featured any non-nuclear families. It was all about pirates, princesses, skipping hand-in-hand with Mickey Mouse to Dumbo, and so on.
At some point in the last 5 years or so, this changed again. We’ve seen a noticeable uptick in the amount of offerings aimed at childless adults, honeymooners, and other guests like us. These are still the small minority of offerings, but it’s nice to see that we are no longer the “forgotten” demographic.
To be clear, I’m not stating that everything at Walt Disney World such cater towards people like us. To the contrary, I realize families are Disney’s bread and butter. I’m simply stating that families need to likewise understand that the (Walt Disney) World does not revolve around them. From honeymooners to conventioneers to obsessive out-of-state Annual Passholders, people without kids are also a lucrative demographic…and Disney doing a little bit for them is not the end of the world for families. 🙂
Overall, there are a couple of main takeaways from this article. First, you should not worry about your experience being impacted if you’re staying at Pop Century between now and May 2018, but you might want to request a room away from the refurbishments if you’re really concerned about it. Second, depending upon whether the new room style (particularly, the pull-down Murphy bed) appeals to you or not, request a refurbished room or a non-refurbished room if you’re visiting in Summer 2017 or later. We’ll keep you posted with updates to the Pop Century room refurbishment project as we hear them, so stay tuned!
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of these changes to Pop Century? Excited for the room redesign, or are you not a fan of the Murphy bed style? Do you agree or disagree with my take on the changes being appealing to couples or solo travelers? Any thoughts of your own to add? Have you done some sleuthing of your own to see the new rooms? Share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!
To be fair, most kids don’t want to be bombarded with bright images all the time, either. Many children would be happy to have a room where many of the Mickeys are even hidden, where they have to find them! Plus, a lot of parents know it’s easier to soothe a kid in a more toned down, muted place than a place of bright lights and colors.
We actually had a small challenge in our All-Star Music room for that reason. Everything was very bright, and we had to put towels over the night stand clocks to block out some of the harsh light. We found Coronado Springs Resort to be much more suited to our needs with two young kids, even though CSR is often touted as being a business-like resort that’s better for adults. Besides, to us, Disney World isn’t necessarily all about seeing Disney characters in everything (some things, yes; everything, no). I prefer the kids to be able to use their imagination and sense of wonder for a lot of Disney. So, yes, we go on FEA because the kids like Frozen, but we also just love going on adventures with pirates, boarding a train around MK, and rafting down some river rapids.
Don’t get me wrong. The kids love seeing Disney characters in the parks! I’m just saying that most people will kids want to be able to come back to their rooms to relax and quickly wind down. A room with bright lights and done in shocking colors doesn’t exactly help with that.
My husband and I spend a week at WDW for our anniversary every year. For many, many years we stayed at French Quarter, which is still a favorite. Last year we tried Art of Animation, which I am happy we tried but would never stay again. While at Art of Animation we crossed the bridge and checked out Pop Century. We knew that would be our next resort to try. It was a ghost town compared to Art of Animation, a plus, great pools, food court, gift shop and themes. Really looking forward to our stay there. We paid for for a preferred pool room but are considering asking for a refurbished room now… we live a coffee maker in our room and really missed that our last visit. Think this is a perfect pick for a couple! Thanks for all of your valuable information Tom!
One nice thing about Pop is it has its own bus. Many of the other value resorts have many stops along the way to the parks.
I think the rooms in the pictures look plain / ugly. Almost looks like a hospital room. Very disappointing.
We checked into Caribbean Beach last week for 7 days and then went to stay at Fort Wilderness with family for the remainder of our trip…. however my son got very sick last night and so I decided to check back into a hotel for the convenience of a private bathroom. When I called I didn’t request anything just a room as fast as possible. When we opened the door after checking in at 10 am I was so excited! The room is so nice! The rooms at Caribbean beach are probably quieter but other than that I’d much rather have stayed here at PC the entire time! I had no idea what to expect honestly but obviously we got the newly refurbished rooms (90’s section) for quite an it cheaper than what I just paid at CB.
So will the rooms themselves have a different theme depending on what section of POP they are in? 90’s 80’s 70’s decor?
We are in the new rooms and I don’t really think it’s date specific. Just modern looking with no carpet! Nothing in here screams ’90’s, lol.
Hmm. That’s disappointing.
It’s seems like the recent remodeling efforts are various resorts are less themey less Mickey.
I am definitely hoping for a refurbished room this September. We will have a crib (and stroller) in the room, so getting the Murphy bed out of the way as soon as the kids wake up will give us a lot more needed space. The queen size bed will be nice, too!
I hate this idea. As a family of 4 adults we need the two (at least full size beds). With this change in bedding configuration this will take Pop Century off our list of hotels we can stay at. So this being said it looks like our go to value is no longer an option and we will be forced to go to a moderate level. I know there are other values but with Little mermaid never offered in promotions and not in favor of the other value hotels, it will be moderate or higher from now on. Again Disney is pricing us out of coming.
There are still two beds. One is queen size and one is full size
I believe there is the queen bed and queen murphy bed?
Oh nope. The queen bed and full size Murphy. Still 2 beds. 🙂
A family of 4 should have no issue staying in these rooms. They have quite a bit of space even for luggage!
The best part of Pop Century is checking-in a little before 6:00 pm!
I love reading your blog!! It is my go-to for the best and most up to date info on WDW. I am excited to see the upcoming changes to Pop Century and love the bright airy feel it looks like it’s going to give plus some needed amenities added. I agree that I love the direction shift Disney has had recently gearing not only towards children and families but towards adult guests as well. My husband and I adore the parks and find it very adult friendly. When I first convinced my husband to finally go three years ago he went begrudgingly because he thought it was only for kids. Well put it this way…we have been five times in the past three years. So needless to say he’s hooked!
Thanks once again for all the wonderful info and updates!
Overall, I’m excited about the changes. I love Pop Century. I’m fine with the murphy bed as long it’s comfortable for an adult.
I’m most excited about the coffee maker as this was one negative for me when we stayed there. Who wants to jump up, get dressed and run to the food court first thing when you wake up? Not me!
I look forward to pictures.
Thanks for the info.
I just recently visit Disney World with my girls, (1st week of May) and we always stay at Pop Century for various reason. We stayed in the 70’s building, not far from 80’s construction. I never heard any construction noise and there were some mornings we slept in. The construction never interfered with our stay. As always, we had a wonderful trip and plan to stay there again for our next Disney trip.
I think this is great! We are planning to stay at POP the end of next year and I was really not looking forward to sleeping in a double bed for my whole vacation, plus our older child just LOVES the look of the Murphy beds at AoA. We are planning to book as soon the calendars for those dates open up, which will be well before the renovations are complete but our dates are well after they are scheduled to be completed- here’s hoping we will still get the “regular” prices!
Another adult only group here-usually my husband and I but often other family without children come too. You are right, we are a reasonably large group and shouldn’t be completely neglected. (Although so far the pop century remodel doesn’t matter much either way to us.)
While I’m all for (also) gearing things towards adults without kids, this change actually makes Pop less appealing to us. I like the look of the room, but the murphy bed is a deal breaker. We always have adult-only trips, though not as a couple so we prefer rooms with two “real” beds, especially when we’re sharing a room with 3 or 4 people. From our perspective kicking out the second bed makes a room more suitable for families with kids, because a murphy bed or a pull-out couch rarely offers the same level of comfort as a bed to an adult. Kids weigh less so the lack of support is less of an issue to them.
So depending on how you look at it, this change is not necessarily geared towards an adult audience.
We have bumped into the same issue when considering a DVC membership: why don’t they have studios with two beds other than at OKW? We would’ve become members years ago if more than two adults could sleep at least equally comfortably in a studio as in a moderate or even a value room. We’ve stayed in a studio at BWV, Jambo, and Aulani with just two adults and even then the lack of a second bed bothered us, especially because pulling out the couch at Aulani meant that the coffee table chest thing and the couch cushions took up just about all remaining space. It felt just as cramped as a value room.
If anything, I feel they should offer both options.
We LOVE the POP and have stayed here on all 14 trips but two. The biggest reason TRANSPORTATION to the parks. All the other resorts you have to wait. All Stars are the worst IMO with the 3 stops one resort after the other. We’re not going just the two of us in our 50’s and enjoy watching all the families with the kiddo’s fighting to get to the parks (yes that used to be us!!!). The POP has had some not so nice rooms and we’ve always been able to get relocated to another building when that happens. The upgrades are overdue and will be nice (until Disney ups the price for them). There are so many benefits to the resort that are overlooked IMO. Hourglass Lake is one of them as is the pool for the little ones. We always book the second week in Dec as it offers the free Disney Dining Plan, the National Cheer Comp. is over and the weather is cooler. The lines are always long and using Fast Pass has made that a non-starter. What is the best part of December at Disney, well NO-ONE does Christmas like Disney does.
Are there pictures somewhere that we can look at of the new rooms?
I’m so excited about the queen sized bed here! We’re a family of 3, but it’s not comfortable for my husband and I to sleep in a full size bed together (we have a king at home so we’re just used to MUCH more space) so we usually end up with an adult in each bed and the kiddo in with one or the other of us. As she gets bigger and bigger we were devastated to leave our favorite resort behind in search of queen sized beds. I’m sure the prices will go up, but hopefully they will still be cheaper than moderate rates. Thanks for the insight!
I look forward to seeing the upgrades but have to say we’ve loved all of our stays at Pop in the past, staff is great and the pool is a lot of fun to hang out, the staff always keeps it lively We also like their food court even though it could use a little organization at breakfast.
When I stayed there a few months ago (Terrible situation as all 7 rooms presented to me were too mildewy for my allergies), they said the carpets would be gone in the refurb, replaced with flooring. The pic above seems like carpeting. Any info on this?
I believe the picture above is a room at Art of Animation and serves as an example of what the murphy beds will be like in the new Pop Century rooms. From what I could see, Tom didn’t include pictures of the new Pop rooms.
The new rooms look really cool! We’ve reserved rooms pool preferred view rooms in the 60’s section for mid-August. Any idea if these rooms will be refurbished by mid-August? If not, which section should I switch to if we want these fancy refurbished rooms?
Thanks!
I believe those rooms will not be completed by mid-Aug. Renovations began in March in the 90’s building followed by the 80’s. To date, none of these rooms are yet available for booking. My guess is they will move their way around the resort clockwise in the form of 70’s, 60’s then 50’s. If you would like a renovated room in August your best request would be the 90’s or 80’s section I believe.