So how bad are the all star resorts really? From a cost stand point if we really want to save on hotel costs it’s great, and the theming of all-star movies is something I know my daughter and niece will love, but with buses, bed size, food choices etc., what are your thoughts? Worth it for pretty much only sleeping while there, or just stick with POP?
I will start by saying I don’t have any recent personal experience with the All-Stars (stayed at ASMo briefly in 2008 with no complaints). I have read that they are being refurbed to the new Pop Century style room. Starting with Movies currently and then on to the others so depending on your timeline for your trip, they could be refurbed by then.
As just a place to sleep in the bubble, I really don’t see how you can go wrong. But we prefer stretching our dollar for longer trips with less expensive accommodations in general (staying 9 nights in two rooms at Pop in March). If money weren’t an issue, I’d feel differently I’m sure, but we are a party of 6 so it adds up quickly.
I’ve read about shared busses and that would be a bummer–adding travel time if you are the first stop and risking a full bus if you are the last. In general, Disney transportation usually works it out in my experience. For food choices, if you are doing mostly park time, there are plenty of other convenient options. We typically only eat at the quick service place at the resort 2 or 3 times during a week-long trip so choices don’t really bother us with so many other great options on property.
Just things to think about.
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We stayed last June and loved All Star Sports. We had no issues with the busses. The one night that we closed AK we did share a bus. The bus pulled up and we got on but it was not full so they had the other All stars load till the bus was full. When our bus left another one picked up who was left.
Me and DW will be back this June to stay at All Star again.
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Since we are leaning toward Movies, the refurbed rooms may be a game changer. If they also have queen sized beds like POP. Our trip is not until after thanksgiving 2020.
We will typically try to do rope drop as much as possible, and with bus sharing concerns I am hoping the morning bus routine would still get us there in plenty of time. The one other thing that concerns me is room size. My niece will need a pack n play, and I know it will be tight in most value rooms. Do any of you know if the all star rooms considerably smaller? Or about the same as POP?
I would say not bad at all !! We stayed at the Movies last November. Our refurbed room was perfect for the 3 of us (not that small, for our standards). The pool was awesome. CMs were awesome. Foodcourt was pretty bad but we ate there only twice so we didn’t really care. Zero bus issues. Stayed at WL 3 years ago and honestly I think the price difference was not worth it at all. I would definitely go back.
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Our room had 2 queen beds (1 of these was a murphy).
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I believe they are the same size but POP might be a smig bigger.
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Thank you all so much! We stayed at WL last time (splurge trip) and I have heard some not so great things about the all-stars, so this helps a lot. It definitely gives us more options to think about.
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Both POP and All Star rooms are 260 square feet.
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I know you’re asking about all star movies but I wanted to share. DH, DS, and I stayed at All Star Sports the last two years. We love it. The hotel rooms are nice and ours was very quiet. I had no problems with my allergies either trip. We liked the food court for dinner. They actually made great steaks. Heads up — sometimes the all star hotels share buses. They go to sports, then music, and finally to movies. Enjoy your upcoming trip and planning!
Thank you! That is very helpful!
Thanks! The shared busses is definitely going to be a factor. And if movies is the last stop that will for sure weigh on our decision.
When DH and I stayed at ASMo in August and September, we had a great time. I would go back in a heartbeat.
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We did not get a single shared bus from Nov. 3 to 10, 2018.
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Any chance you caught an early pre-rope drop busses?
No, we did not RD a single time.
Ok thanks! I am just curious as to how those work. If I’m taking a guess I would probably think those busses would be shared, but I was hoping someone could confirm that.
I think (I am really not sure) the shared busses happen only during the least busy times (if anyone knows when it’s not busy nowadays please tell me LOL) when there are not enough people to dedicate busses to each of the resorts. When we were there in November, we always had ‘‘movies-only’’ busses and they were frequent and pretty much always full.
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My family of 12, so 3 rooms, has stayed at All Star Sports last November 2017 (the week after Thanksgiving and 2 years before that (the 2nd week in December) due to never getting the hotel we want with the Free dining promotion! We are planning a 2020 trip in hoping for French Quarter which I stayed there about 5 years ago! At the All Star Sports- we were ground floor, preferred room which was across from the pool, and hardly any walk to the bus station! My 4 and 2 year old loved the sports theme but after some of us has stayed at the French Quarter man is it different! The food is better at the moderate and man the crowds is way more in All Stars! It didn’t matter what time we did the bus transportation morning, early or late afternoon, closing time… we ALWAYS had a wait! Like a 1-3 bus wait time! Now yes, I realize at opening morning time and closing you will have a crowd waiting for the bus but I’d glance over at moderate resorts and especially at French Quarter when we’re awaiting our bus transportation and there were hardly the crowds like All Star Resorts! Now was it like the end of the world, no, and yes we still had a great time but we are staying at French Quarter this next time!!!
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I stayed there once on a last minute short trip. I had no issues with the facility or even the busses. I was put on a floor that was otherwise occupied by a group of college students who were drunk pretty much 24/7 (except when they were passed out - which unfortunately did not align with my sleeping preferences. This was before the current smoking policies were in place, and every outdoor walkway was a smoking area - and it wasn’t all tobacco. In the AM I had to walk around beer bottles and other things I’ll have the good taste not to enumerate. Fortunately my first night was there last. I did complain to the CM at the desk and she just seem d completely demoralized and kind of had a “you’re staying at the cheapest resort on the property so you get what yo pay for” attitude. I wanted to get to the parks and didn’t have the strength to ask for a manager. The other two nights were much better, but even then I have never experienced a higher ratio of rudeness amongst the guests as I did there. Fast forward about 20 years and my experience at PoP was 180 degrees opposite…
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