What is the Pop Century Resort?
Pop Century value Resort is located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, and opened in December 2003. It is the fourth value resort at Disney World. The All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, and All-Star Sports Resorts opened in the 1990s.
The resort was originally scheduled to open in 2001 however, due to 9/11 the resort was put on hold. The resort represents the “Classic Years” of the 20th century. The second phase of the resort which had been started sat vacant for years. “The Legendary Years” of the 1900s – 1940s would eventually become Disney’s Art of Animation Resort about ten years later.
The Art of Theming
Disney is famous for its immersive theming in its parks and resorts. The theming involves the visitor in the Disney experience. The resort represents the last 50 years of the 20th century. Each of the five sections represents a “classic” period in the century with specific attributes to pull visitors into that period.
Eye-catching large icons signify which decade you are entering, and color patterns reinforce the feeling. In addition, the rooflines of the buildings contain catchphrases of the period.
Huge icons dominate center spaces representing critical memories of the era(typically related to Disney).
theming
Pop Century Location
Recreation
recreation
Besides the Theme Parks, Pop Century has several recreational opportunities for you and your family. There are three pools; the Bowling Pin Pool, the Hippy Dippy Pool, and the Computer Pool.
Memory Lane is a 1.3-mile walking or jogging path along Hourglass Lake that can be a relaxing stroll or a workout. You’ll see the Skyliner in operation along the trail and historical signs noting fun facts and achievements through the decades.
Between Classic Hall and the 70s section is a playground with plenty of seating shaded by trees. Swings, a slide, and climbing surfaces are available for the children.
Don’t forget the Fast Forward Arcade outside Everything Pop in the Classic Hall. There are dozens of current and retro games to entertain your whole family for hours.
transportation
In front of Classic Hall are the Bus Transportation stations taking visitors to the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, the water parks, and Disney Springs. Buses run approximately every 20 minutes. Depending on the visitor load to a specific location, Disney may add more buses.
The Skyliner began service in 2020 and gave visitors a different mode of transportation. Delivering passengers to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. The Skyliner is on the Generation Gap Bridge between the two resorts.
TIP: When severe weather approaches Disney, the Skyliner staff will offload all passengers at the nearest station. You will need to take bus transportation to your destination.
When the weather is safe, Skyliner service returns to normal operations.
Bus Transportation
Skyliner
Food & Dining
You will never go hungry at the resort. Food is available from 6:30 am until midnight. Breakfast starts the day with a wide menu selection to satisfy even the picky eaters in your family. Those Mickey-shaped waffles are not just for kids.
Three ordering stations are available for your convenience and a mobile ordering pickup station. The lunch and dinner selections include Burgers and Chicken, Sandwiches, Pizza, and Pasta.
Entrees include Roasted Salmon Dinner, Roasted Turkey Dinner, Pot Roast, and Chili in a Bread Boule.
If you are in a hurry and want to take it with you, plenty of options are available.
Shopping
Everything Pop Shopping is a 5,000-square-foot retail area in the Classic Hall. Typical to most Resort gift shops, it offers various Resort-specific items. In addition, General Disney merchandise and special runs of Disney feature films will be available.
Items that guests may need for their stay include the standard sundries. There are also smaller souvenirs which make perfect gifts for family back home. However, most of the square footage does contain an impressive amount of merchandise.
pop Shopping
Room tour videos
Walt Disney World provides video room tours for guests to experience where they might be staying. But, if you have resort-specific questions about what amenities are available, we can cover that for you during Your Dream Vacation Planning Session.
Two-Queen Room
King Room
1950's Section
Pop Century 1950s section welcomes you in traditional Disney style. The nine 65 foot+ Bowling Pins signify a favorite pastime of the decades. Also, they are a decorative cover for the staircases at the building ends.
Disney’s 1955 blockbuster hit animated movie Lady, and the Tramp serves as the inspiration for the center icon. Towering characters of both Lady and Tramp greet visitors at two building entrances.
The third building entrance displays a giant iconic tabletop jukebox typically found in restaurants during the 50s—these three icons surround the Bowling Pin swimming pool. Again, a relaxing and quieter experience compared to the Hippy Dippy Pool of the 60s. But don’t miss the giant-sized ball racks, guide arrow, and wooden panel deck area. The bowling shoe racks contain the guest laundry room and the pool bathrooms.
On the railings of the upper floors, you can see some of your favorite songs from the 50s.
1960's Section
1960s Section
The bright yellow and orange building colors in the 60s section emphasize the decade known as the swinging sixties. Large icons of dancers decorate the buildings in poses of popular dances of the decade. The Twist, Loco-Motion, Mashed Potato, and the Watusi, to name a few.
Huge Duncan Yo-Yos camouflages the building stairwells as icons of the era. Mowgli and Baloo, the central icon from The Jungle Book Disney film, greet the guests at the main building entrances.
The Hippy Dippy pool is the main feature pool for Pop Century. The largest of the three swimming pools offers activities for children of all ages. Life jackets are available in different sizes, and multiple lifeguards keep a watchful eye on everyone.
Petals Pool Bar offers food and drinks for every age. It’s the only Pop Century location offering alcohol by the glass.
The 60s section is close to the Skyliner.
1970's Section
The 70s section is not too far from the Skyliner and does not have a pool. Instead, platform shoes and mood rings signified the disco decade. Giant 8 track tape cartridges cover stairwells.
Centerpiece icons are a giant Big Wheel and a Mickey Mouse Telephone. Between these icons is a foosball table with twelve-foot-tall players ready for a game.
Ready for a fun game with the kids? Find one of the Twister games with the game board permanently tiled into the ground and the spinner board is mounted, so you’ll always know which foot or hand goes where.
1980's-90s Section
Welcome to the 80s and 90s
Here the last two decades of the 20th century share one section. The stairwell icons define the different decades, Rubiks Cube for the 80s and Cell Phone for the 90s.
The centerpiece icons are a giant Roger Rabbit from the 1988 hybrid feature film Who Framed Roger Rabbit and a Walkman Cassette player. The most relevant icon is the large Laptop Computer overlooking the Computer Pool. A quiet alternative to the Hippy Dippy Pool.
Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head have a shaded spot close to Hourglass Lake. You’ll find other toys and movie characters by taking a walk, and don’t miss PacMan catching his pray along the sides of the buildings. It’s Disney, and It’s Fun!
