Photos & Video: New Rooms at Pop Century
We’ve stayed in a newly-refurbished room at Pop Century Resort, and wanted to share some photos and video from these redone hotel rooms at Walt Disney World. In addition to that, we’ll cover our experience staying in these redesigned rooms, offer thoughts on what the refurbishment means for the future of Pop Century, and why you might or might not want to request a new room on your WDW vacation.
The Pop Century refurbishment was completed in phases, building by building, and is now finished. Currently (as of Summer 2019), the only construction project at Pop Century is the Disney Skyliner gondola station being “built” in the middle of Hourglass Lake between Art of Animation and Pop Century. However, that’s been finished and testing for months now, and should debut in the very near future.
Suffice to say, there’s no reason not to stay at Pop Century right now. In fact, Disney’s Pop Century Resort is one of our top picks for places to stay at Walt Disney World in Fall 2019 and beyond. It’s an excellent option on the Value Resort end of the spectrum, with amenities and accommodations far superior to the All Star Resorts…
It’s no secret that we were excited about the Pop Century room refurbishment. Back in the spring, we shared that we specifically booked Pop Century for our fall trip in the hopes of being able to stay in one of these rooms. We absolutely loved the look of the preview photos, and were excited that this would be an upscale Value Resort room. So…did the refurbished rooms live up to our hype?
Yes. Absolutely. We were 100% satisfied with the new room, and think it’s an unequivocal upgrade from the old rooms at Pop Century. Thanks to our experience in this new room, Pop Century will once again be in our regular Walt Disney World hotel rotation, particularly during long weekend ‘rope drop until park close’ trips.
Before we get going with our thoughts on this experience, here’s a video tour of the new room we stayed in at Pop Century to provide some context for what we’re describing:
The biggest change you can expect to see is a new configuration with a regular bed flanked by nightstands, and Murphy bed that doubles as a table. Both of these beds are queen-sized, versus the double beds previously in these rooms.
There’s a lighter color scheme, dominated by white with hints of orange and lime, Mickey Mouse pop art above the queen bed, and Pluto pop art above the Murphy bed. There’s also a ton more storage space, including a dresser under the television, room for luggage under the bed, and a variety of random cubbies around the room.
You might say this is a nice space-saving solution, but we cannot be too positive here (it’s the internet, after all). So, let’s call this what it is: Disney’s clandestine attempt at tricking you into leaving behind your valuable Duffy plush collection so that Walt Disney World can increase revenue at Property Control.
There are also a boat-load of USB-charging ports and outlets around the room. Again, clearly a way for Disney to acquire and resell my iPhone charging cable. Those wily minxes!
In the corner, there’s a kiosk with drawers, a mini-fridge, and a coffee maker! This is somehow a Walt Disney World Value Resort first, which is astonishing. All 41 of the hotels we’ve stayed at near Disneyland have had coffee makers, including the worst one, which I wrote should be condemned by the City of Anaheim.
In the bathroom, you have a vessel sink, illuminated bathroom mirror, and make-up mirror. There’s also an actual sliding door separating the bathroom area from the main room (instead of a thin curtain), glass door in the shower, and rainfall shower fixture in addition to the standard one.
All of these things, to us, are upgrades to the room with zero downside. Each individually might be a minor thing, but collectively, they make for a room that is significantly “plussed” over the Value Resort defaults.
One of the biggest complaints that we’ve heard about the rooms is that they are “un-Disney” and thematically lacking. We’ve heard this criticism a few times, and frankly, it’s perplexing.
To be sure, there is valid criticism that some could levy at these rooms…but them being less themed than their predecessors is not such a critique.
Here’s a picture of a Pop Century room from our last stay there, a few years ago (from our old Pop Century Review, which will be updated very soon):
Note that this was shortly before the removal of the comforter, which was replaced by a similar runner at the bottom of the bed. Aside from that, the only thematic touch is the painting on the far wall.
Aside from that the room is devoid of Disney decor and is completely un-themed, unless you count a random collection of three circles in the carpet. As you can see, Pop Century’s old rooms were not exactly the pinnacle of themed design. We suspect a lot of the complaints about the new design are rooted in nostalgia more than anything else.
Here’s a similar view of the new room:
This room has Mickey Mouse pop art above the bed, which alone gives it as much in the way of Disney decor as the previous room. It also has Pluto art above the pull-down bed, so it should get the edge in terms of “Disney-ness.”
Beyond that, the style here actually goes further than before thematically. The room uses bold colors, minimalist design, sharp lines, and the contrast of wood against white. To me, these rooms feel very much like a Mid-Century design with flourishes of Disney-inspired pop art. Certainly not as good as the Cabana Bay Beach Resort at Universal Orlando, but a step in the right direction.
Part of what surprises me is the complaint that there is not enough Disney in the room. (Between the Mickey and the Pluto, there’s more.) The thing is, the amount of overt Disney IP is not what defines “theme.” Disney characters are not a theme. To the contrary, they are usually a crutch, acting as a veiled substitute for theme.
In the case of these new Pop Century rooms, you have the best of both worlds. The Disney decor is in the pop art style, meaning it satisfies both the thematic requirements and those who expect a dose of Disney in their room. Should there be more? Arguably. Is it less themed than before? Inarguably no.
With that said, I can understand the complaint that the room feels sterile due to the abundance of white. Although I don’t agree with this critique, I can at least respect the logic behind it. Having a blue wall (like the old Pop Century room, current Cabana Bay rooms, or even the bathroom of this room) might’ve made the space a bit more inviting.
Personally, I feel Value Resort rooms have always been too dark and drab, and this brightens them up. Perhaps it was an over-correction to the old style, but I’ll take a hotel room that looks crisp and clean over one that’s dark and drab any day. Still, I can appreciate the desire for something of a happy medium.
Likewise, I think adding a bed runner into the mix would help. I was mostly on board when the hotel industry moved from comforters to bed runners, but I cannot support this new trend of eliminating the bed runner completely.
Walt Disney World has followed this trend at some resorts, and I think it really think that’s a mistake. The bed runner is a quick and easy way to reinforce theme, and the missing runner makes the bed look ‘naked’ and plain. I know it’s a little thing, but it’s these details that really count at Walt Disney World.
Another complaint is that the removal of carpet and addition of laminate flooring makes the room louder. The obvious solution here is to request the top floor and reenact the hit film Stomp the Yard with nary a care in the world. That’s what we did, and noise was never an issue…for us.
If you end up on a lower floor with a herd of children (or us) above you, perhaps you won’t be as forgiving of this change. Noise aside, we prefer the new floors. They are easier to clean and keep clean; in a budget-rate motel, we’re down with as little bodily fluid-retaining surfaces as possible.
The space that the pull-down Murphy Bed opened up for us was huge. It made the small room feel less claustrophobic, and that plus the color choices made it easier for us to spend time in the room without going stir-crazy. We think this change makes the new rooms at Pop Century a significantly better option for couples and solo travelers.
It may come as a surprise, but most visitors to Walt Disney World are not couples or solo travelers. (I know, right?!) For families, the layout with the Murphy bed not be ideal, especially since it means not having any table in the room when the kids are sleeping.
That’s really the only downside for families that immediately jumps to my mind. There’s always concern that Murphy beds will be less comfortable, but we did not find that to be the case. I’m sure there are other changes that could be legitimate negatives for some parties, but I suspect that’ll largely be on a circumstantial basis.
Overall, we view the new rooms at Pop Century as significant upgrades. Recent Walt Disney World room changes have been hit or miss, but to us, this is an absolute home run–the best room refurbishment to date. These are improvements to the point that we once again look forward to staying at Pop Century, and now (also once again) view this as the #1 Value Resort at Walt Disney World. The rooms certainly are not perfect, but in our estimation, this is the single-greatest improvement to a guest room we have seen since we’ve been visiting Walt Disney World. Unfortunately, it’s not all upside. Between this room enhancement and the upcoming Skyliner, we have little doubt that Disney has plans to position Pop Century into a higher ‘tier’ in the next couple of years. (So in other words: enjoy these upgrades to Pop Century at the current rates while you can!)
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of these new rooms at Pop Century? Excited for the room redesign, or are you not a fan of the Murphy bed style? Do you agree or disagree with our take on the changes being appealing to couples or solo travelers? Any thoughts of your own to add? Have you stayed in one of the new rooms? Share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!
Does anyone have any pictures of the new handicapped rooms at Pop? I need to see the roll-in shower configuration. Also, has anyone used a scooter in the new rooms? Looks like it might be tight getting one between the dresser and the foot of the bed. Any pictures would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hello,
Is there enough space to fit a pac n play bed for an infant with the Murphy bed down? I’ve currently booked the Royal room at Port Orleans, but I really like the look of the new refurbished pop century rooms and the price is massively cheaper.
Thanks in advance!
We are thinking about staying at Pop on our next visit to Disney…
We are a family of four traveling…2 adults & 2 kids…
Do you it is possible for a twin inflatable mattress to fit in the Pop room?
HI MY GRANDDAUGHTER [13] AND MY SELF STAYED AT THE POP CENTURY JUNE JULY 2018 IN THE NEW ROOMS VERY VERY GOOD VERY CLEAN BED LINEN VERY CLEAN AND BEDS WERE COMFORTABLE WOULD RECOMMEND TO STAY FOR A BUDGET HOTEL PLAN ON STAYING AGAIN
I stayed in a newly refurbished room and everything about it was nicer than the old version. For those complaining about the hassle of putting up the bed, it takes about 10 seconds to do. More storage space, more bathroom counter space and plenty of charging outlets. Disney did a great job .
I am going to miss the table. We always travel with lots of snicks and lay them out on the table for easy access. Cant think that I would want to put that bed up and down every day after a long day in the park??? I also wish there was a little POP of color on the bed…looks very “hospital like” Still love POP for the dining hall and the pool though
We will be staying at Pop next Sept. I too don’t like the idea of no table with the use of the Murphy bed. And too much trouble to put up and down every day.
We just got back from our first trip to Disney. We stayed here and this and the lack of a tub bothered me. Up and down with the bed was annoying. It’s a great room, but with two boys that are preteens, it was just a bit small. I’m going save a bit more for a moderate to be in my budget for our next trip.
No tub? There is a tub in the updated photos. Can we request a room with a tub? We have a child that gets very bad leg cramps after walking and last time we had to soak him in a warm bath because he was crying so bad.
Tom, can u detail what sort of coffee maker Pop has in their rooms? Are they Keurig or tassimo or proprietary packet/pouch ones or can we bring paper filters and use our own coffee? Size of filter??
Big thanks.
It was the type that uses a small disc filter of coffee.
Do they provide the coffee? My husband drinks decaf so wondering if we should provide our own and if so where to get them? How small are the discs??
You are going to love it we just left on Aug 2. We had a blast!!!!!!!! We stayed in the 1960s building with the huge Mickey mouse holding the telephone the scenery is priceless!!! Have fun
Hello,
My husband and I are trying to plan a trip to Disney coming up this September 2018. It is about our 14th time .Last 4-5 times were at POP and last summer was in a NON furbished room. I have POP on hold for the next 24 hours so I can make my decision about staying there or another resort. POP has significantly raised prices since last summer and I find it hard to stay there, although it would be nice to have a NEW room. I’ve inquired into MOVIES (which we stayed at over 12 years ago), Im not sure if thats a step backwards because its a older resort and the busses stop at all 3 resorts (I think)
Maybe you can tell me your thoughts on what would be the best stay without paying too much ! Rate range I have are $155-$169 for 5 night stay.
Thank you Kathy
Is there space to put a pack n play in here? And not put it in front of the adjoining room door?
We stayed there in March with a 2yr old and we put the Disney pack n play in the bathroom by the sink! That way we could close the double barn type door and not disturb the baby! There’s also still room to squeeze into the bathroom and not wake the baby! Plus the hair dryer has a built in light that we used as a nightlight….. Worked great all week!!
I’m encouraged by this! I’ve been really hoping we could squeeze baby in the bathroom area. Did you get a pack n play from Disney or did you bring your own? I’m pretty sure the one we own at home is larger than a “standard” sized pack n play.
Staying at pop in October I’m really looking forward to it. – FYI Alamo should be condemned. Lol but not before the Anaheim Carriage ( we nicknamed it the AnaCRIME SCAREage) that place needs to be emploded.
Prostitution and drug deals at that place and it’s dirty. It’s definitely nowhere anyone with kids should stay.
Thanks for sharing such a useful article. Definitely helped for anyone.
We’ll be there in August…any idea on whether king-sized beds are still available in the refurbished rooms? My husband is a very tall guy, and that makes it difficult to share a smaller bed.
yes they are, although there aren’t a tonne of them.
We truly loved the new rooms at Pop! It was our first time staying on Disney property and it was so great! I loved the under the bed storage to keep the luggage out of the way.
Stayed in a renovated room at the beginning of May. Loved it for the most part, especially the new bathroom (what a MAJOR improvement). My only complaints, the windows let in very little natural light, always had to have some light turned on, even during the day. And the floor is CHEAP! When I walked across it, I could feel an air pocket between the sub flooring and the laminate. I don’t see those floors holding up. Even the outside of the buildings have a nice fresh coat of paint on them, and the whole resort looks as fresh and clean as when they first opened ( I was there then too) in 2003.
I really enjoyed our stay in a refurbed room. Over the course of last year I stayed at Pop, AKL, WL and the Polynesian. The Pop beds were more comfortable than all the deluxes I had stayed in that year. Love the clean look with pops of Disney.
Loved to hear you have stayed in moderate and deluxe resorts as well and still love Pop Century. I have never stayed at Pop and couldn’t decide between French Quarter. Any advice?
I’m going to Disney in December and staying at Pop….will construction be done by then??
I really enjoyed the new room at pop. as far as no table when bed is down it would of been nice to have just a small table in front of window for morning coffee, just a tray size like in campers would be nice. I was just there in april and will be back in nov if all works out
How about that section above the fridge in the corner it was like a small table out of the way by the coffe maker, you just would move one of the chairs before pulling the Murphy bed down. Just a thought.
Have slept on a pull down bed at Art of Animation and did not like it. Will miss the extra hanging space. Hope they still have a little wall safe. Wish they had kept a building or two with the old style rooms. I have stayed there so often it was easy to get organized once I was in the room with my luggage.
The safe is in the cabinet in the dresser. Very large. Lots more storage in new rooms so you can even be better organized.