Disney’s Pop Century Resort vs Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
Disney’s Pop Century and All-Star Movies Resorts are two of Walt Disney World’s most popular Value Resort options. Both offer colorful theming, family-friendly amenities, and a relatively affordable way to stay on Disney property. However, some notable differences might make one a better fit for your trip than the other.
In this comparison, we’ll look at the differences between Pop Century and All-Star Movies, including their theming, rooms, pools, dining, transportation, and overall atmosphere. Both resorts have pros and cons, and some of those differences might sway you toward one over the other. As always, the final decision is yours, and we’ll try to provide as objective an overview as possible.
You might wonder why I chose All-Star Movies rather than All-Star Music or All-Star Sports for this comparison. To me, other than Art of Animation vs. Pop Century, All-Star Movies is the next resort that most naturally invites a comparison among the values. But, other than theming, the All-Star Resorts are all comparable. So you can use the points discussed below if you’re also considering Music or Sports versus Pop.
Room Comparison: Pop Century or All-Star Movies
As far as rooms go, you’ll have a tough time finding any major differences between the rooms at Disney’s All-Star Movies and Pop Century. They have the same layout with two queen beds, one of which is a Murphy-style bed that pulls down from the wall. Curtains and artwork are the most significant differences you’ll see between the rooms, if you can even consider that substantial. Rooms at both resorts are approximately 260 square feet. Here is a photo of a standard room at Disney’s All-Star Movies.
For comparison, here is a photo of a standard room at Disney’s Pop Century Resort.
So, which resort is best when it comes to rooms? Unfortunately, there isn’t a clear winner. If you would like to see more amenities, we have room tours for both resorts.
Comparing Room Locations at Pop Century vs. Movies
We’ve stayed in a preferred room at both Disney’s All-Star Movies and Pop Century and can agree that the upgrade is convenient. So if you hope to eliminate extra walking, you might consider the upgrade. Overall, this isn’t a significant comparison factor for either resort. We typically choose the most affordable option. It is, however, something worth mentioning because both resorts require a little extra walking.
Who Wins for Transportation?
Transportation is probably the most substantial difference between Disney’s Pop Century Resort and All-Star Movies. Upfront, Movies only offers one form of transportation: buses. No matter where you’re headed, you’ll need to take the bus when taking advantage of complimentary transportation options.
Pop Century, however, offers two forms of transportation: Disney’s bus service and the Skyliner. It is important to note that if you’re staying at Disney’s Pop Century, the Skyliner is the only transportation option for Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Bus service is only provided to these locations if and when the Skyliner isn’t operating.) Bus service is provided to the other theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs.
Pop Century also has a slight edge because you can walk next door to Art of Animation, or you can take the Skyliner to the surrounding resorts for dining. Having access to the Skyliner is a huge advantage. Overall, the Skyliner makes Pop Century the clear winner in terms of the transportation comparison. Those with a fear of heights, however, might prefer to stick with the bus system at Disney’s All-Star Movies.
Whenever you decide on a resort, you’ll want to read over our transportation guide for Pop Century or our transportation guide for All-Star Movies.
Dining
Quick service dining at both resorts can be hit or miss. As far as dining goes, you’ll be subject to either of the resort’s food courts. The food courts have multiple stations with various cuisines. My take: You’ll be burnt out by the end of the week if you rely too heavily on the resort’s food court. That goes for both resorts. The good thing about Pop Century, though, is that you can hop on the Skyliner and quickly get to other resorts for dining. You can take the Skyliner to Caribbean Beach, the Riviera (our preferred quick service is here), and the Epcot Resorts Area. All of these resorts have dining options. Unfortunately, at the All-Star Movies, you’ll have to take a bus to a park and then transfer to get to other resorts for dining. So, we’ll give Pop Century a slight edge strictly because of nearby dining options.
Theming
Theming is a tough choice in our comparison approach. All-Star Movies has five sections themed to Disney films: Fantasia, Toy Story, The Love Bug, 101 Dalmatians, and The Mighty Ducks. Pop Century has sections themed to decades: the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Both resorts are fun, and if theming is a big deal, we’d recommend going with what you like best.
Either resort’s theming works well for children because of the larger-than-life character statues. The throwbacks at Pop Century are fun for the nostalgic.
Pools
All-Star Movies has a feature pool and a secondary pool. Disney’s Pop Century has a feature pool and two secondary pools. Both resorts have small kiddie pools near the main pool. The movie theming continues at All-Star Movies feature pool, where you’ll see a Sorcerer Mickey water feature. See our complete overview of the pools at All-Star Movies for more photos.
The Hippy Dippy pool at Pop Century has a flower petal water feature. Both resorts have fun pools, but Pop Century does have the advantage of having a third pool. Since they are value resorts, neither has a hot tub or water slide. See our guide to Pop Century’s pools for more photos and details.
Price
I don’t always mention the price in our resort comparisons. But since we’re comparing value resorts, I felt it was important to mention that one resort will likely be cheaper than the other. That resort is Disney’s All-Star Movies. Since Pop Century has a prime location that offers access to the Skyliner, it’s going to be somewhat more expensive. You’ll have to check the exact rates for your dates and consider some of these other differences when making your decision.
So Who Wins? Pop Century or All-Star Movies
So, what would we choose? While we like both resorts, we enjoy staying at Disney’s Pop Century primarily because of its location near Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. Unless we found a great deal (read: less than $125 a night at Movies), we would almost always choose Pop Century over All-Star Movies.
We enjoy walking around Hourglass Lake at Pop Century and being able to walk to the neighboring Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. (That resort has the best outdoor Disney theming.)
Final Thoughts
I hope this comparison helped you figure out the right choice for your vacation. Both resorts are solid options if you’re on a limited budget. Pop Century will be an upgrade because of the Skyliner. If you’re a first-time visitor, though, you probably won’t ever know the difference. For more of our resort comparisons, you might enjoy:
- Disney’s Coronado Springs vs. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter vs. Riverside Resort
- Disney Skyliner Resorts vs Disney Monorail Resorts
- Disney’s Beach Club vs Beach Club Villas (What’s the Difference?)
Still deciding? Explore more comparisons in our Disney Resort Comparison Guide, or you might like to browse all Disney World Resorts. If you’re planning a trip, make sure to check with our friends at Firefly Travels. Check back with ResortsGal.com for more updates.
In the Comments
So which resort works best for you? Pop Century or All-Star Movies? Let us know your choice and why in our comments below.