Ranking POP Century by Decades with Building Recommendations

Disney’s POP Century is one of the best value resorts on property. With Skyliner access and fun theming, it’s a desirable resort to stay at. What section should you stay in? Which building should you choose? I’m ranking POP Century by decades (including building recommendations) to help you make your decision.

POP Century

Disney’s POP Century is a value resort and arguably the best option if you are looking for the most bang for your buck. The resort was built in 2003 and is located near the ESPN Wide World of Sports area. There are close to 3,000 rooms that are divided into 5 decades: 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.

POP Century’s best weapon is Skyliner access. Just a short walk away, you can be on your way to Hollywood Studios or Epcot. The Skyliner provides transportation to two out of the four parks without needing a bus, which is a huge advantage. Although the rooms are identical to the All Star resorts, many gladly pay the extra money (which isn’t really a lot) to be able to stay at a Skyliner resort.

You can read our full guide to POP Century HERE to learn all about resort and amenities and see photos of the rooms.

So you’ve read our guide and you want to stay at POP Century? Great! But, what building should you stay in? Which has the shortest walk to the Skyliner or the main pool? What will appeal to the kids? I’m going to rank each decade and then include my top pick for building so you know what room type to book or what to request!

It’s important to note that Disney will try their best to accommodate your request, but it’s not a guarantee. I must also reiterate that the rooms themselves are identical throughout the resort so these rankings are purely based on location and outdoor theming.

90’s Buildings

The 90s section of POP is located in the worst possible place. Unless you want a super quiet room away from the main pool and food court, do not choose the 90s building. It is the smallest section of the entire resort – almost like they got finished with all the other decades and ran out of room before getting to the 90s section.

It’s also the farthest walk to both the Skyliner and lobby area. This can be brutal during those treks to the room after a long day in the parks or in the middle of severe weather.

For many parents out there, the 90s may be a fun building to relive your childhood or teen years. The area is themed to feature a giant computer, floppy disk (remember those?), and hip hop dancers.

The 90s building (yes, there’s only one) shares a quiet pool with the 80s section, and because this area is so small it probably will not be as crowded as other pools.

Best building to choose: #8…because there’s only one.

80’s Buildings

The 80s section has a head start to the Skyliner compared to the 90s section so 80s is my next pick. There is a giant Roger Rabbit and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head statues, which are fun for the young ones. My daughter enjoyed getting her photo with them when we were checking the resort out.

Since this area and pool are shared with those staying in the 90s section, it’s also going to be fairly quiet. If you are closer to the front of the buildings in the 80s you are pretty much on the start of the walking path toward the Skyliner. It will take you about 5-10 minutes to get there from your room in the 80s. There are two buildings.

Best building: #9 because you are physically closer to the lobby area.

70’s Buildings

Moving closer to the main resort area is the 70s building. This area would be really fun for the young and the young at heart with the giant foosball setup and the two Twister areas. There is also a giant Mickey and Big Wheel.

One major downside to the 70s building is that there is no quiet pool. You will either need to walk to the Hippy Dippy feature pool or head to the 80s/90s pool. Since you are moving closer to the main pool and lobby area, the noise will also increase as well. There are also two buildings.

Best building: #6 because it is physically closer to the Skyliner.

50’s Buildings

Themed with bowling pins, a Jukebox, and a Lady and the Tramp statue is the 50s section. It is pretty much in the same location as the 70s section but it does have its own pool, giving it an advantage. There are three buildings in this section.

Building #1 is really close to the main lobby and the Magical Express location. This is where I stayed on my most recent visit to POP Century, and I really enjoyed the location. It was less than a minute to get from the lobby to the stairs by my room.

Best building: #3 because of location to Skyliner and water views.

60’s Buildings

The 60s section is the preferred section of the resort…and for good reason. This area is directly between the lobby and Skyliner and is a quick walk to both. You have an advantage here when you want a quick refill of your mug or you are ready to get back to your room after a long day in the parks.

The feature pool is also located in the 60s section. Be aware though that this section is also the loudest of all the decades because of its location. The feature pool also can occasionally hit capacity meaning you may be walking to another pool anyway.

There are two buildings in the 60s section, and the theming is fun with Goofy, Baloo, and Mowgli statues. There are flower petals and peace signs on the building as well.

Best building: either! Both are identical and have equal access to the lobby and Skyliner. If you want to stay in the 60s section, you must book a preferred room!

What’s your favorite building to stay in when you visit POP Century? Least favorite? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook.