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Pop Century Refurb Begins



By Dave Shute

This morning before I drove to the airport I checked on Pop Century, and discovered its refurb has begun.

Carpets and furniture were being pulled out of the first floor east wing of Building 8, the 90s building.

Somewhat surprisingly, people were staying in rooms just ten yards away, around the corner on the south first floor wing.

I did go by before check out time, so maybe they will be out today. The alternative—that rooms will be pounded on in the same building that people are staying in—would be annoying.

Multiple leaked photos of test rooms have suggested that the refurbed rooms will include a queen bed, a fold-down full bed, and (in a first for standard rooms in the value resorts) a coffee maker.

The refurb schedule includes 20 work days (per room).

Day 16 (click to enlarge, but it’s still not that good a photo) includes “Install…Beverage Center” and Day 17 (and 18) includes “Install Inova Bed.”  So the fold-down bed is real, and the coffee maker may be the “Beverage Center.”

Staging of furnishings, etc., is over in the lot between Building 7 and Cars at Art of Animation, so likely the sequence of refurb will go roughly south to north, or 80s/90s to 50s.

I’ll let you know more once some of these refurbed rooms re-open!

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20 comments

1 Dawn { 03.06.17 at 5:32 pm }

When I booked my room (ages ago) they did send a letter talking about the pools that will be closed..no freebies though! ha!…thanks for the info Ü

2 Laura { 03.07.17 at 8:25 am }

Hi there,
Although the refurb might take 20 days per room, I’m guessing that rooms will be worked on simultaneously. So that leaves me wondering the timeline of when each floor of each building will be completed.

3 Dave { 03.07.17 at 9:04 am }

It looks like, Laura, from reports this morning, that about one-sixth of building 8 is being worked on. What I don’t know is when they will kick off the next group. If they kick off a sixth of a building every week, then, adding some time for the holidays, it will take about 10 weeks to complete a building, and a year and a half –or more– to complete the whole thing.

4 Heidi { 04.09.17 at 7:00 pm }

Hey Dave! I was wondering if there were any updates on the Pop referb. I’m planning on staying in the 60s (building 4 or 5) section May 6-17. I was just curious as to how far this referb has gotten.

5 Dave { 04.10.17 at 7:46 am }

Heidi, not that I have seen, but I can’t imagine it’ll be much beyond the 80s buildings by May.

6 Hannah { 04.22.17 at 11:59 am }

Hi,

Maybe the 80’s/90’s is done, or close to done now? Are they putting anyone in the new rooms yet?

Thank you, in our way tomorrow

7 Dave { 04.23.17 at 8:59 am }

Hannah, I’m sure a lot are done in the 90s building. Rumor is that they won’t be open to booking until June.

8 Christina { 05.01.17 at 9:44 am }

Hey Dave,

We’ve got a week stay in preferred room 9/16-9/23. What are the odds of getting one of these refurbished rooms for our stay and do you think I could call and request one? Thanks!!

9 Dave { 05.02.17 at 9:15 am }

Christina, I’m just guessing, but by then perhaps 3-4 buildings will be done, and one will be closed for work. Based on this, since there’s ten buildings, a third or more of capacity should be refurbed by then, so I think there’s a pretty good chance

10 Jen { 05.05.17 at 8:44 am }

Hello! I just stayed at POP for Star Wars race weekend in April we were in building 6 and there were no signs of refurbishment that I could see. (I also wasn\’t looking) Planning another stay at POP in Late November (after the thanksgiving crowd) and was curious as to which building I should request with the best chance of a refurbished room??

11 Dave { 05.07.17 at 7:42 am }

Jen, until the sequence becomes clear, the 80s building.

12 Cindy { 05.08.17 at 10:42 pm }

Are there any pictures available of the refurbed Pop Century rooms yet?

13 Dave { 05.09.17 at 7:45 am }

Cindy, only of test rooms–no pictures of actual rooms.

14 Ana { 05.25.17 at 7:15 pm }

Hello Dave!
First of all, I love your page!
I have a stay booked for August (staring on the 28th) and, of course, just like anyone, I would like to get one of the new rooms!
My question might be a silly one, but I thought it didn´t hurt to ask… how can I make room requests? (in this case, staying at the 90´s or 80´s building) do I have to call Disney or I can just state that in my online check in 60 days before arrival?
Thank you in advance!

15 Dave { 05.26.17 at 9:27 am }

Hi Ana, you can request a refurbed building (by area–e.g., 90s) on your online check in!

16 Ana { 06.01.17 at 5:54 pm }

Thank you for your reply! In your experience, have they granted *most* of your requests?
Last february was the first time I used online check in, I asked for Martinique at CBR and got it!

17 Dave { 06.04.17 at 11:42 am }

Ana, it’s rare for me to put in a request that’s anything more than a mild preference, so I don’t track the results. In general, your odds are higher the more availability there is of the room type, the shorter the trip, and the more of your nights are on (slightly less popular) weeknights. So if you requested “upper floor” at CB your odds would be higher than the same request at Pop, as half the rooms at CB are upper floor and only a quarter are at Pop…

18 Anna { 06.30.17 at 11:45 am }

Hi Dave!
Thank you SO much for all the hard work and honest information! Do you have any updates on the refurb to Pop? We are planning a stay the last week of July/beginning of August (yes, spur of the moment trip)..I would like to request a particular area with my agent depending on what’s been reworked, if possible! TYIA

19 Jenna { 02.05.18 at 12:26 pm }

Hi there!

Any recent updates on the renovations being done at Pop Century? I will be staying there in March 2018 and wondering what the chances are of getting a refurbished room!

Thanks!
Jenna

20 Dave { 02.05.18 at 12:36 pm }

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