2 rooms at Pop OR All-Star Music family suite?
Why would you choose one over the other if you’ve done both?
Visiting all 4 parks (MK x 2, extra 1/2 day at Epcot). Won’t have a car. Family of 6 (2 adults, 4 kids, ages 3-11).
I feel like I know the differences (skyliner, ktichen area, beds), but just would love to hear from those who’ve stayed in each…I cant make decisions so I’m asking all over the interwebs. Our first/ previous WDW visit was all of us in one room at GF.
Since you’re never guaranteed to have connecting or even adjoining rooms (though they do try their best) I wouldn’t book 2 rooms if another option was available that would put my whole party in a single room particularly with young kids involved
When are you going? Is it a rainy season or a time when the Skyliner could be under refurbishment? (The past couple of years it has been closed the end of January, but I don’t believe it has been announced yet for 2024.)
We haven’t ever stayed at All-Star Music so I can’t comment there, but we have four kids ages 3-11 as well and stayed in 2 rooms at Pop over Spring Break. We did (back when we were just a 2 kid family), stay at All-Star Movies in 1 room years ago.
I loved the space we had at 2 rooms in Pop and loved the location & use of Skyliner at Pop. We don’t usually prepare food in the room so lack of kitchen wasn’t an issue & we had enough room in between the 2 beverage chiller/mini-fridges to keep hydration cool & store a very few leftovers.
I don’t know if the All-Star Music suite is 2 full bathrooms or not but I really loved that the most I think about 2 rooms at Pop. I could be bathing the 2 younger kids while DH/older kids took turns showering & it made that part go so much faster to get into bed vs. figure out who was showering morning or night based on who was just ready to crash at the end of the day vs. who was likely not to be able to wake up in time to shower before leaving the room.
We did also love using the Skyliner for Pop so that tipped us heavily but we only compared a suite at Animation Academy to Pop (I don’t remember if we didn’t consider All-Star Music because it didn’t have Skyliner or if it was just lack of availbility as we booked late with only 2 months before our trip).
We had a rental car and decided to use that instead of the bus transport for AK & MK so we never did try out busses from Pop vs. All-Stars. But in our stay a long while back at All-Star Movies I was bracing for the worst with bus transportation based on many reviews and was pleasantly surprised that we had a dedicated bus for Movies the whole time to & from every park & Disney Springs. The only bus that was an extraordinary wait was coming back from Disney Springs. If memory serves, all bus stops for all the Value hotels (so both All-Stars & Pop) are the very end of all the other stops so you do add up the steps there, but nothing too much more compared to the step count of just going to WDW.
Overall, if it were me, I’d chose POP again in a heartbeat.
It is
January. Totally aware skyliner could close. But, would also be able to change dates if it was really worth it.
I would lean toward ASMusic with your fact pattern. Two bathrooms, guaranteed “connected” suite, (important with young children), probably cheaper than 2 Pop rooms, and uncertain availability of Skyliner at Pop.
I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of transportation at ASM. Because there are so many people there, the buses are running practically non-stop – I rarely waited long. And the family suites are in the same buildings as the “Preferred” rooms – all close to the food court, pool, and transportation.
I would pick the All Stars Suite. Having the full fridge/ freezer for drinks and snacks is great! Our milk soured in the bev cooler at Pop in March.
Plus, you aren’t guaranteed connecting rooms or even rooms next to each other.
The theming at Pop is fun but I like the theming around the Calypso area in Music too!
Adding that a microwave and full sink is also wonderful with kiddos.
I haven’t stayed in the ASM Suites, just the regular rooms, but I would choose the family suite at ASM.
Also this! Plus, with two adjoining rooms at Pop! you could be way out in the 90s section. With ASM, you’re going to get Jazz or Calypso, so you know you’re going to be close to Melody Hall.
We had good luck adding bags of ice to our cooler in GF last year. Also, my husband is way relaxed with food safety. 
Sorry to hear it spoiled, but it is super helpful to know!