Pop Goes the Decades!
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Pop Goes the Decades!
Just over ten years ago, Lindsay and I checked in for an extended stay at Disney's first ever "value� resort, Disney's All-Star Sports. With the assistance of star Miami-based architects, Arquitectonica, Walt Disney Imagineering aimed to turn the motel concept on its head by injecting some Disney fun. By plussing each building with giant sporting icons, Disney hoped to attract guests who saw Disney resort hotels as pricey and exclusive. The rooms were the smallest on Property, the passageways exposed to the elements like any discount lodging and the buildings densely packed. In 1994, guests could secure the All-Star for around $59 plus taxes, around half that of the next category, Disney's Carribean Beach Resort. The concept opened with 3,000 rooms and occupancy ran at almost 100% throughout the entire summer. Walt Disney World quickly ramped up further value resort additions, namely All-Star Music and All-Star Movies. Today, over 9,000 rooms occupy the All-Star landscape, offering cheap Disney accommodation (with all the ancillary benefits offered to other resort guests, like complementary bus transportation and Magic Morning exclusive park openings) that was basic and functional. Probably more a place to just rest your weary head after a full day in the parks than one to spend any valuable vacation time there.
Critics argued that Disney would be cannibalising their own guests by offering discount lodgings. However, in practice, the concept was flawlessly executed and shrewder than anyone could have realistically anticipated. Disney's All-Star Resorts brought new resort guests to Property to experience the Disney difference. On average, most guests love their visit to the complex and the majority vow to return to Walt Disney World and stay on property. The cunning difference is that the majority of guests look for a new Disney experience when planning subsequent trips. This often means upgrading to the equally sprawling moderate resorts, such as Disney's Port Orleans Resort. Once hooked, guests rarely choose to stay on I-Drive again.
Hence, the decision in 1998 to push ahead with another value resort complex. Disney's All-Star resort had already reached capacity with three distinct themes and it was time to develop elsewhere on property. The decision was to build on the expansive plains on Victory Way between the back of Disney's Carribean Beach Resort and Disney's Wide World of Sports complex. The plans called for a resort to rival the All-Star in number of beds, but on a larger plot with a new theme and layout. The architects of the first value concept were re-hired and Disney's Pop Century was conceived as a playful homage to each decade and the songs, sayings, fashions, products and fads that were made famous in those times.
However, as the resort's first phase (the ‘50s through to the ‘90s) was nearing completion, the tourist market collapsed in the aftermath of September 11 2001. Walt Disney World saw occupancy rates flatline and had to take the drastic measure of closing resort accommodation. Construction on Disney's Pop Century slowed to a crawl and until last December, guests arriving in the area could see the giant pop icons that anchor each building in the distance on each and every visit.
Now I should first lay my cards on the table. Although I have stayed at Disney's All-Star Resort on several occasions, the last visit was many years ago and I would rather walk on fire than voluntarily stay at a value WDW resort. Now, my feelings are for reasons other than pure snobbery. I actually believe that the value resorts are ironically named, as they are anything but value. The moderate resorts offer considerably superior accommodation and facilities, and often for only a small upgrade in cost (particularly, off-season, when WDW discount moderate and deluxe resorts at a considerably higher rate than their value counterparts). I dislike the lack of a full-service dining facility and find it perplexing that the 12,000 potential guests cannot find anything other than burgers and pizza to eat in the evening (especially when park hours are reduced in the winter). The resort also lacks any form of order or placidity with the pools noisily occupied by children until the early hours of the morning and the whole place makes me feel hurried and rushed. The bus arrangements have always been and I am sure always will be inadequate for such a sprawling estate (especially when early park openings occur when it become a scrum for the front of the line). The deliberate remoteness to the four WDW theme parks is also wholly unappealing for me.
There are several caveats. I strongly advocate the architectural style. The larger-than-life icons are both playful and immensely eye-catching. There is plenty for families to explore as they walk around comparing the icons with their own building. I am also delighted that the value resorts bring guests onto WDWproperty 24/7 and away from the faceless and bland I-Drive and Kissimmee accommodations. For the first time, virtually any family travelling to the Orlando area could afford a stay in a Disney hotel (certainly something to brag about when telling friends and neighbours on their return).
I was actually sceptical about my first visit to Disney's Pop Century Resort. The advanced buzz, especially from our own discussion boards was poor at best. However, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed visiting each decade and the iconography that defined that period. As you snake along the access road from Victory Way, the majority of the buildings are hidden by elevated grass embankments and your attention is distracted to the kitsch roadsigns, proclaiming with pride "Air-conditioning� and "Color TV!�. The registration building is similar to its category brethren. The vast hangar-like reception with literally dozens of check-in terminals appeared soulless at first glance, but the cavernous space is littered with homely additions, including numerous three-dimensional collages of goodies from each decade. The vastness is dispersed by reduced lighting that present a stage-like appearance as you enter. Beyond the guest service stations, the remaining indoor resort facilities are offered. Disney's Pop Century has merged the retail and dining facility into one open-plan space, with only a waist-high dividing wall. Oversized icons from the half-century covered by this part of the resort are suspended from the ceiling.
Walking through the food hall, one can exit onto the main pool. The giant family pool was actually the biggest disappointment. The area lacked any significant theming, except for numerous lonely plastic flowers, doubling as sprinkler heads, as the sole ‘60s icons. The huge expanse of flat concrete was littered with dozens of loungers and recliners, as some of the thousands of guests relaxed in the afternoon sun. Spinning around, the rear of the communal building was covered in typography typical of each decade. Nearby, a life-size figure of a surfing Goofy is available, surrounded by fountains for a photo opportunity.
Now, the photographs speak for themselves. I am sure that this resort will speak greater volumes to tourists than Disney's All-Star, as the iconography is not necessarily indigenous of the United States (which is often the complaint levelled by the large foreign contingent at All-Star Sports). The oversized sculptures are amusing and provoke memories of family members' past ("Look kids, an 8-track cassette!�). The pathways are also littered with signage outlining the major events of that decade. Naturally, Disney have opted to mine their own archives for many of the giant figures. The presence of Baloo & Mowgli, Roger Rabbit and a giant Mickey Mouse telephone from the ‘80s (I still have mine!) are surprising, but great photo opportunities for families on their Disney vacation. Hasbro also get numerous nods, including a supersize tub of Play Doh! (any kid's dream ,including mine!) and a romantic pose for the Potato Heads. The one particularly grating constant on the buildings themselves are the two-dimensional cut-outs of phrases from each decade. They look excessively tacky and actually fail the brief at hand, as the typography is not overly reminiscent of the period.
On first thought, the buildings appear to have been arranged more appropriately, offering more quiet areas than the All-Star layout. The presence of Hourglass Lake also adds a calming influence to the resort, despite offering an unusual view of the drab, unpainted reception hall for Phase II of Disney's Pop Century (the 1900s to ‘40s). However, at least the uncompleted expansion (and there are still no plans to restart development) offers a dividing line between the two halves, unlike the three All-Star complexes that bleed into one another in a line. Sadly, the link bridge is closed to traffic at present.
Summing up, I could not with all fairness offer a comparison on the two value resorts, having never stayed overnight at this latest addition. However, my initial thoughts are that Disney's Pop Century is a superior offering to the decade-old All-Stars due to a more appealing theme and some pleasant and subtle changes that should make the family vacation just a tad more serene. Hopefully, these images will help you reach your own conclusion.
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