Disney's POP CENTURY RESORT Information & Questions

[TaurusNYY]

What you have planned sounds great! Yes, luggage services will hold your luggage for you. You can do as you've mentioned or, head straight to Disney Springs. Pop will do their best to have your room ready close to your arrival time but it is not guaranteed so having plans while your luggage is being well cared for is a great option. When your room is ready you will receive a text.

thanks I just wanted to hear from someone to verify its not a wacky plan - thank you.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

If the early entry starts at 8:30 for HS, what time should we be in line for the sky liner by if we want to be at the park for 8am? How long do you need to wait at the hub station to transfer?

 

[scrappinginontario]

It’s recommended to arrive for ETPE, arrive at resort transportation 90 mins before ETPE begins. Transportation may not be running at that time but you’ll be towards the front of the line when it does.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I don’t understand why you need to up that early just to get the sky liner! They should keep the buses instead. I never waited more than 10 minutes for any bus.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I don’t understand why you need to up that early just to get the sky liner! They should keep the buses instead. I never waited more than 10 minutes for any bus.

Wow!! You've had far better success with the Pop buses than we have at park opening as normally it takes 2-3 buses for us to get onto a bus early in the morning.

The 90 min suggestion has nothing to do with Skyliner and everything to do with being asked what time to arrive in order to make it to a park for ETPE and in reality, 30 mins before ETPE. You don't have to arrive that early it's just what is suggested based on many people sharing their experiences, for you to be at the park at 8AM.

It's best to remember that Pop is a resort of almost 3000 rooms and is running at near capacity. All parks are open 30 mins early and it's well known that taking advantage of ETPE is the best wait to do an attraction or 2 with shorter lines. Add to this that Pop shares the Skyliner station with AoA, it's going to take time to get to any park.

The rule of thumb for any transportation (including bus to MK or AK) is to arrive 90 mins before ETPE hours begin if you're trying to be towards the front of the crowd.

Totally up to you. You asked for suggestions and based on the ETPE thread and 'Here Now and Just Back' thread, this is the recommended time. Nobody is telling you what to do, just answering your question.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I wasn’t questioning your reply, just stating my previous experience at pop pre-skyliner.

Thank you for your detailed experience.

 

[Minniebee]

We were at Pop last week and used Skyliner several mornings. We found that getting in line around 6:30 am put us fairly near the front (on the bridge one day and just off the bridge another.) The line builds fast, so even 5-10 minutes makes a huge difference! It starts running around 7, and our last day they started a little earlier. Yes, it's early! But it did put us at the front of the pack at Epcot and HS. On our Epcot day, we were 2nd back from the turnstiles and walked directly on Remy and then walked on Frozen as well. At HS, we were probably 3-4 back from turnstiles and walked directly on Rise and then walked on TSM.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

We were at Pop last week and used Skyliner several mornings. We found that getting in line around 6:30 am put us fairly near the front (on the bridge one day and just off the bridge another.) The line builds fast, so even 5-10 minutes makes a huge difference! It starts running around 7, and our last day they started a little earlier. Yes, it's early! But it did put us at the front of the pack at Epcot and HS. On our Epcot day, we were 2nd back from the turnstiles and walked directly on Remy and then walked on Frozen as well. At HS, we were probably 3-4 back from turnstiles and walked directly on Rise and then walked on TSM.

Did you bother with genie+ at those parks?

 

[Disneylover99]

I wasn’t questioning your reply, just stating my previous experience at pop pre-skyliner.

Thank you for your detailed experience.

Pre-covid/pre-skyliner I’d agree with you. Buses were quick and efficient at Pop. I’d argue, they were the most efficient/plentiful bus service on property. But times have changed, and unfortunately, not necessarily for the better.

 

[Minniebee]

Did you bother with genie+ at those parks?

Epcot, no, HS, yes. At Epcot, we pretty much walked on these rides first thing--Remy, Frozen, Soarin, Land, Figment. Test Track was down early in the morning, so we rode it later with single rider. Our longest wait was SEarth in the afternoon (but it was having some technical difficulties that made the line super slow moving.) It was a very successful day thanks to the early start and I was glad we didn't buy genie+.
At HS, we walked on Rise, then TSM, then RockinRollercoaster all before the park opened to the general public. Between that and Genie+ , we rode everything except SDD and saw a few shows as well. Again, a very successful day.

It is early, and I know could be tough for some families. We are accustomed to getting up early anyway, so we basically kept our usual school/work wakeup schedule. The Skyliner is a great advantage for Early entry, especially at Epcot.

We did skip early entry at AK and slept in that day. We arrived around lunch time and were able to ride it all and see Lion King and Kite tails. We rode FOP pretty close to closing and waited right at 60 minutes. (no Genie+ that day either.)

 

[Dizzy Lizzie]

Is it better to order magic bands before you arrive or get them at the resort? And if I do order them before do they come to my house? Or do I get them at the resort when I check in?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Is it better to order magic bands before you arrive or get them at the resort? And if I do order them before do they come to my house? Or do I get them at the resort when I check in?

If you order in advance on MDE you get them for a discounted price. Once you arrive at Disney and buy them there you'll pay full price.

If you live in the US your MBs will be mailed to you. If you live outside the US we pick them up at the front desk.

 

[leeniewdw]

We were at Pop last week and used Skyliner several mornings. We found that getting in line around 6:30 am put us fairly near the front (on the bridge one day and just off the bridge another.) The line builds fast, so even 5-10 minutes makes a huge difference! It starts running around 7, and our last day they started a little earlier. Yes, it's early! But it did put us at the front of the pack at Epcot and HS. On our Epcot day, we were 2nd back from the turnstiles and walked directly on Remy and then walked on Frozen as well. At HS, we were probably 3-4 back from turnstiles and walked directly on Rise and then walked on TSM.

Our experience the first weekend in March was that we arrived at the Skyliner station at 7:15am and there was no line (perhaps a few groups ahead that loaded quickly). We went to DHS so had a small but fast moving line at the transfer station at CBR. We got thru the entrance and were in line for RnRC at 7:45. We were #s 4 and 5 in line for the ride. I'm sure if we were going to SDD or Galaxy's Edge it would have been different, but figured I'd offer my experience. There's absolutely no way I would have gotten DH up/out much earlier. We grabbed our first LL at 7am in our room, then swung by the food court for a beverage and then headed to the Skyliner.

Keep in mind, we seemed to have hit the parks when things weren't as crazy as other recent experiences.

 

[Dizzy Lizzie]

This is a silly question, but do they have the park maps in the hotel lobby?

 

[jcarwash]

This is a silly question, but do they have the park maps in the hotel lobby?

Not really a silly question, because I was looking for them on the lobby counters during my last visit in July 2021 and they weren't available, at least just out on the counters like in the past. I'm sure I they had them available if I asked, but I didn't. I got my maps at the parks.

 

[Dizzy Lizzie]

Thanks! I'll ask them if I don't see any on the counters. The day we arrive we are not going into the parks. So I was hoping to study the maps the night before. I know they're online, but I like physical maps. lol

 

[MinnieMSue]

Thanks! I'll ask them if I don't see any on the counters. The day we arrive we are not going into the parks. So I was hoping to study the maps the night before. I know they're online, but I like physical maps. lol

Mae weren’t at Pop last trip but at ASMu my mom was talking to a CM in the lobby and they went behind the counter and got her maps so I would think they would prob have them at Pop too

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

We are going the end of Nov/first week of Dec, so hopefully crowds won't be too bad. I think they have that week listed as a good time to go since it's after Thanksgiving and before the full swing of Christmas.

 

[leeniewdw]

We went the first Fri/Sat of December this year and were able to do just about everything at DHS using G+ (we booked LLs on our travel day and had a lot stacked for the afternoon/evening). We did the MK during an AH event (stupid expensive but rode everything). The only thing we were unprepared for were the lines for the food booths at EPCOT. VERY long. Perhaps that was actually WDW with staffing issues or the fact we visited on a Sat night. We attended the Flower/Garden fest first weekend of March and visited on a Friday and lines were very small. Go figure.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

We went the first Fri/Sat of December this year and were able to do just about everything at DHS using G+ (we booked LLs on our travel day and had a lot stacked for the afternoon/evening). We did the MK during an AH event (stupid expensive but rode everything). The only thing we were unprepared for were the lines for the food booths at EPCOT. VERY long. Perhaps that was actually WDW with staffing issues or the fact we visited on a Sat night. We attended the Flower/Garden fest first weekend of March and visited on a Friday and lines were very small. Go figure.

That's great to hear (or read!).

Question about stacking LLs...so we are staying onsite, so 7am can book one. Then, when the park opens at 9am I can book another even if we haven't used our 7am one yet? Then Again at 11am, 1pm, etc (every two hours)?