I’ve stayed at every Disney Skyliner resort, and one stands above the rest. Here’s why Disney’s Pop Century is my favorite place to stay.

The Disney Skyliner has changed how people can get around Disney World, but you have to be staying at the right resort to really take advantage of it. The Disney Skyliner route connects four Disney resorts (including Disney’s Pop Century, Disney’s Art of Animation, Disney’s Caribbean Beach, and Disney’s Riviera Resort) to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. And, not only is it convenient, but riding in a gondola over Disney World is also an experience in itself.

But with four hotel options that include value, moderate, and deluxe resorts, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. And, while it’s tempting to assume that the more expensive options are automatically better, the fact that they cost more doesn’t necessarily make them the better choice. I’ve stayed at every resort on the route, and Disney’s Pop Century has become my favorite place to book when I want access to Disney’s Skyliner – here’s why!

The Price is Reasonable

Disney’s Pop Century is a value resort, which means that you’ll find some of the lowest nightly rates available anywhere on Disney property. It’s also the cheapest resort you can book if being on the Skyliner route matters to you. And, when you save on your hotel, you’re able to put more money towards things that add to your trip, like character meals, special experiences, and souvenirs.

Photo by Laurie Sapp

The Rooms Are Simple But Functional

If you plan to spend most of your time at the theme parks and mostly need a clean place to land every night, these rooms are exactly enough. They were recently updated, so even though they’re on the smaller side of Disney hotel rooms, they feel new inside, with nicer finishes and better storage space. Suitcases slide under the lifted beds easily, and there’s more drawer and shelf space than the older value resort rooms.

Photo by Danny Shuster

It’s also worth noting that you don’t get that much more space in your room by staying at the other Skyliner Resort options. Disney’s Art of Animation and Disney’s Riviera Resort do offer suite-style rooms, but it can often end up being more space than you actually need when you’re spending most of your day at the parks, so the increased cost for the room isn’t really justified.

Disney Will Deliver Your Luggage From the Airport to Your Room

If you look back on the days when Disney used to deliver your luggage to your room fondly, then choosing Pop Century over other Skyliner Resorts is a no-brainer. Disney recently introduced a new airport luggage transfer service at select hotels, and Pop Century and Art of Animation are the only two Skyliner Resorts on the list (other Value Resorts are included as well).

Photo by Rich Ramos

If you’re flying American Airlines, Southwest, or United, you can now sign up for this service and have Disney collect your checked bags at the Orlando International Airport for you. Then, all you have to do is call Luggage Assistance when you arrive at your room to have them delivered directly to you. You’re also able to check your bags with Disney when you check out and have them taken to the airport for you, so you no longer have to worry about wheeling all your luggage through the airport either way!

This service isn’t offered at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort or Disney’s Riviera Resort.

You’re Truly Immersed In the Disney Bubble

Unlike Disney’s Moderate and Deluxe Resorts, the Value Resorts do Disney theming to their maximum and Pop Century is no exception! The whole property is themed to the decades of the late twentieth century, with larger-than-life icons, giant yo-yos, walls of pop culture memories from the 50s through the 90s, and more.

Photo by Laurie Sapp

If what you want from a Disney hotel is that fully immersed, Disney Bubble feeling, this hotel delivers it better than the Skyliner Routes moderate and deluxe options. The decades theme is also one of the most ideal themes for families, since the nostalgia really resonates with the adults while the oversized Disney characters scattered through the building wow’s with the kids.

It Has Everything You Need For a Resort Day

Whether it’s an afternoon break at the hotel to escape the heat or a full day dedicated to hanging out at the resort, Pop Century is packed with all the best amenities that you need. The main pool is large, and there are two additional pools in more secluded areas of the hotel, so even on a busy afternoon you can usually find a quieter spot to swim and relax.

Plus, the food court is the ideal quick-service restaurant set-up for families. Unlike Disney’s Caribbean Beach and Disney’s Riviera Resort, Pop Century’s fast-food option is set up like a food court, so there are multiple stations serving different kinds of food rather than one line with one menu. This makes a big difference if you’re traveling with family members who have completely different tastes. At the food court, you can split up, grab pizza at one counter, a burger at another, and a salad or something lighter at a third, and still sit down together. Anyone who has tried to feed picky eaters from a single quick-service menu knows how much stress that removes.

That being said, staying at Pop Century means that you won’t have access to a table service restaurant steps from your room, but that’s the nice thing about staying on the Disney Skyliner – you can just hop on and travel to another hotel on the route that has one! 

When you add up all of these perks to staying at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, it’s easy to see why this hotel is a fan-favorite on the Skyliner Route. And, before you travel, be sure to check out our Disney Skyliner guide here so you know how to get around and can get the most out of Disney’s gondola-style transportation system!