All Star Sports VS All Star Music

[ebkrist]

I'm planning a birthday trip in January, and wish to take advantage of the resort only deal Disney is offering. Because of this, I find myself stuck between choosing between ASSp and ASMu.

I know ASSp recently received soft renovations and their food court will be complete when I'm there. And I've heard bus service is great there since it's the first stop when a bus is servicing all three All Stars.

But overall I've heard ASMu is better.

Any opinions are welcome. I know this isn't a crisis of major proportion, but I am hung up on this one choice for some reason.

Thanks!

 

[stitchlovestink]

I have stayed at both... I liked Music okay. Sports was IMO, tolerable. That said, It has been years since I have stayed at Sports. But I have NO desire to return to Sports. I did not care for it. I am a POP convert and have no intention/desire to return to an All Star. But I guess if they shut POP down and I had to go back under protest, I would choose Music over Sports! That would be a 'no brainer' choice for *me*! LOL!

 

[ebkrist]

I have stayed at both... I liked Music okay. Sports was IMO, tolerable. That said, It has been years since I have stayed at Sports. But I have NO desire to return to Sports. I did not care for it. I am a POP convert and have no intention/desire to return to an All Star. But I guess if they shut POP down and I had to go back under protest, I would choose Music over Sports! That would be a 'no brainer' choice for *me*! LOL!

Thanks - I did look into POP too, since it would only be about $40 more for my trip. Is POP that much better than the All Stars?

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

We are a POP/Value family, POP is our favorite and we thought there food court was the best. That being said we havent been back since there was changes to the food court but you can always walk across the bridge to AoA. The choice between Sports and Music, we'd choose Music. On a side note my DD(15) loved the boys sports teams that were at Sports when we were there.... lol.

 

[Mom of a princess]

We like Sports better because if the All Stars are sharing buses it is first to picked up and dropped off.
Also I am excited to see the new food court.

 

[MooskaMinnie]

I'd stay at Music, mostly just because I prefer the theme to Sports.

 

[sherlockmiles]

I've stayed at music 3x with no problems (suggest staying on a second floor or above - if it rains ALOT it looked like water could seep into some of the first floor rooms....). I have not stayed at Sports. That being said, I have been to sports and walked around the entire complex - looking for hidden mickeys and evaluating if we'd like to stay there since my husband is a sports buy. I did not like the layout or feel of sports at all. I'm sure its kept up as well as music and movies but just didn't feel like it was.

 

[ebkrist]

Thanks everyone, for the advice! Its given me a lot to chew over.

I like to look at reviews on websites for some of these hotels, but I feel like it's all black and white. I don' know which reviews I can trust.

 

[HopperFan]

If it's not that much more I would stay at POP. You have many advantages such as no shared bus, access to the AoA food court which is very different in it's offerings, has more than other value and serves food on plates with real silverware. Overall the resort is well landscaped and feels more plush than Allstars. Where else can you get a lake view room for Value Standard rate.

If you stick with the Allstars I would def pick Sports. Should have advantage if buses are sharing, brand new food court (huge plus) and a footprint layed out so that the main hub is central to resort. Not my favorite in themes but it does have Disney intertwined in it.

ASMu - been twice and not going back. The footprint is the worse of the Allstars and POP. It is an oblong resort with the main hub at the end so if you get put in the rooms towards the back you have a very long walk (length of resort). At night the resort is very dark and we were not comfortable in our rooms back there. It's the only Disney resort I can say we felt unsafe (and I am city/street smart and not afraid anywhere else on property). We ended up driving to parks because of the walk to the bus. Food court experiences equally disappointing so we ended up eating elsewhere. The theme to us is not Disney at all. Other than an occasional reference to Disney songs, I think they missed it here.

 

[summersalt]

I've stayed at Sports, Music, Pop, Wilderness Lodge, Poly, and POFQ. Pop is the only resort that I will NEVER return to. We did not have a good experience at all. I found the resort to be too big for one food court. It was loud, crowded and nasty. The cast members were rude and unhelpful. The check out procedures and baggage check was a nightmare. All together a bad visit. Sports, IMHO, was better. First on the bus stop. Food court was manageable. Cast members were nicer. I'd definitely stay there again. Music was good too. No problems there. I just like being the first stop when sharing buses.

 

[bookgirl]

I"ve done AoA, ASMu (x2) and have a reservation in March at ASsp.


I do like ASMu and I was going to return but I decided to try a new value (just to compare and to see how I like it) and sports was cheaper than Movies and it was the first stop on the bus route if they did have to share. Allstars get a bad rap about buses but I've only ever shared a bus a few times while staying there and because they have less occupancy even when they do share they still are transporting less people than AoA or POP. (which I have no plans to return to or stay at, really dislike those).

I do prefer ASMu as it was the most low key of the values as far as the plastic iconology goes but I am going to ASports with an open mind.

There have been rumors that the new food court at Sports will be more like AoA. I never disliked the food courts and AoA was fine so I'm good with either style.

If you want lower key then go with Music, if you like more thememing then go with Sports.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I've stayed at Sports, Music, Pop, Wilderness Lodge, Poly, and POFQ. Pop is the only resort that I will NEVER return to. We did not have a good experience at all. I found the resort to be too big for one food court. It was loud, crowded and nasty. The cast members were rude and unhelpful. The check out procedures and baggage check was a nightmare. All together a bad visit. Sports, IMHO, was better. First on the bus stop. Food court was manageable. Cast members were nicer. I'd definitely stay there again. Music was good too. No problems there. I just like being the first stop when sharing buses.

See, different strokes!!
I thought the CMs at Sports were VERY indifferent and undisney-like. I also found it to be MUCH LESS EFFICIENTLY run than POP.
I have stayed 38 nights alone just this year and 120 nights overall. I have had VERY FEW problems at POP for the number of nights I have spent there.
*For me* I have found their RAC to be run very well and I never even have to check out w/ the front desk!! I often an able to get a late check out or they are a bit flexible with the 11am check out!
I will admit I am not a fan of the new menu but as often as *I* have used the food court I have not encountered rude CMs!! POP has some of the NICEST and most helpful chefs on property. They will do whatever they can to help you with your needs!

OP...for $40 more!!! I would most definitely pick POP over an All Star!!! Good Luck with your decision!

 

[hungrygreenhippo]

The first couple times I stayed at Sports was back in 2001 & 2002 because it was the cheapest resort with availability. Since 2008 when I started doing RunDisney races, I've stayed at Sports another 7 times since it's typically a host resort.

I've found that it meets my needs perfectly as I don't really care about the theming and don't eat at the food court. (Although I'll be interested to see what it's like after the renovation.) For me the resort is just a home base rather than a place to hang out. As others have mentioned, I like that for the bus, Sports is the first pick up and drop off since I do tend to use the bus during times when it's shared.

I stayed at Music for one trip since I wanted to see another resort and it was the same price as Sports. I hated the layout of Music because I was in one of the buildings toward the back and the walk to the main building and buses seemed to take forever. Between the two, I'd pick Sports.

 

[BrookeMQ]

I have stayed at both. I prefer sports. The layout just seems better. It was such a long walk back to our room at music. I never felt that way at sports.

 

[Disneylover99]

I have stayed at both. I prefer sports. The layout just seems better. It was such a long walk back to our room at music. I never felt that way at sports.

I have to agree with the music layout. I have stayed here twice and I do not like the layout at all. I would recommend paying the extra money for a preferred room if you stay at Music.

For that reason, Sports would be my choice (plus a new food court and first bus pick up is bonus).