Pop Century Room Renovations

[scrappinginontario]

Not everyone qualifies to bypass the desk, and not everyone does online check in. I have only asked to change rooms once since the bypass the desk program started, and I didn't have a problem doing it. I was in a very noisy location and asked to be moved to a quieter one. I would think there would be some inventory available to swap out, but no guarantee it would be renovated rooms.

For what it's worth, on the days I check in, I do online check in with an estimated arrival time of 2pm so I can have a good chance of getting the room assignment before I leave work for the day. I usually arrive around 4:30, and if I put that as my estimated arrival time, sometimes the email comes after that time (sometimes after I've already gone to the desk because I didn't get the email). My last three stays I did get a renovated room. I do make that my only request, and really don't care which building I'm in or what floor I am on so long as I get a renovated room. The arrival time in the online check in is only an estimate anyway, so if your plane is arriving very late, I would put in an earlier arrival time so you can get your room assignment and know in advance whether you will need to make a change or not.

Yes, I understand that not everyone qualifies to bypass the desk. As a Canadian I need to visit the front desk each visit to pick up our MagicBands. The question asked was 'Do you think arriving earlier increases chances of a renovated room' and that was the question I was answering.

 

[bluezy]

Do you think arriving earlier increases chances of a renovated room? Asking about late May 2018

By the end of May, approximately 3/4 of the resort should be renovated so your chances of getting a refurbished room are going to be pretty good regardless of what time you arrive. I would think by then, all of the 60's should be completed (except for possibly a small section of building 4) and 2 of the 50's building should be in progress (building 3 has already been started). That would leave maybe 1 building of non-refurbished rooms available while there would be 7 buildings of refurbished rooms available. Just my speculation based on how renovations have been going.

 

[HopperFan]

Not everyone qualifies to bypass the desk, and not everyone does online check in. I have only asked to change rooms once since the bypass the desk program started, and I didn't have a problem doing it. I was in a very noisy location and asked to be moved to a quieter one. I would think there would be some inventory available to swap out, but no guarantee it would be renovated rooms.

For what it's worth, on the days I check in, I do online check in with an estimated arrival time of 2pm so I can have a good chance of getting the room assignment before I leave work for the day. I usually arrive around 4:30, and if I put that as my estimated arrival time, sometimes the email comes after that time (sometimes after I've already gone to the desk because I didn't get the email). My last three stays I did get a renovated room. I do make that my only request, and really don't care which building I'm in or what floor I am on so long as I get a renovated room. The arrival time in the online check in is only an estimate anyway, so if your plane is arriving very late, I would put in an earlier arrival time so you can get your room assignment and know in advance whether you will need to make a change or not.

Honestly I don't think there is a for sure strategy. We do the same as you ... if we are driving the 8 hours I put a 12 pm check-in knowing it won't be until 3. If we are driving our 1.5 hours I put the 10 am check-in knowing we would likely just be arriving at a park at that time. When it first started I found I got my text around the time I told them I was arriving. Now that we are farther down the road and many people do online check-in I have found my text comes after my posted time, usually not before I arrive and sometimes not even that day. We have had to go to the front desk more than half the times because our text hasn't come ... quite different than when this service started. Just seems like we hear all kinds of variations of check-in experiences. Maybe once the resort is done it will be more consistent.

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We all know that they "assign" the rooms a few days ahead no matter if you do online check-in or not. Yes, you can go to the front desk whether you get the text or not and see if they can move you. I've tried to move only twice and refused both times, my only request was to be moved anywhere away from the BTG. If you show up trying to move with a list of requests ... odds are these days with rooms out of service ... and renovated/nonrenovated rooms ... it may be harder but one can certainly ask. My only request since this started was a renovated room, and I got one every time ... I think 4 times.

Once we arrived to our room at CSR to find it full of luggage. My guess was the family went straight to the park and bell services delivered to the room. Well it was about 9 pm, we were tired and at back of resort. We called bell services and they promptly came to remove all the luggage. AND we put out the DND sign and flipped all the locks ... in case the other family had been texted their room. So I'm not sure if luggage present meant they were texted a number or if they just do it, assuming the guest will be happy at check-in and not ask to move ... seems risky if that was it ...

 

[AntJulie]

Did online check-in and chose 70's lake view. Also requested refurbished room on the phone when adding on two people to the resort reservation. We had a lake view room on 3rd floor in building 6. Nice location and quiet. Close to the elevator and everything else. Initially our entry door was not locked, anyone could enter without a magicband. I called and they sent someone to fix it. The coffee supplies were not replenished between guests (didn't use it anyway). We had a shower (no tub). I bring my own shampoo, conditioner and body wash anyway but I did not like the products supplied in the dispensers. We asked for towels at the front desk on our way back from parks whenever we needed them. The floors were not clean, black on everyone's feet and socks the first day. I opted out of housekeeping and had them put the amount on a physical gift card for kids to spend. Buses were great going to the parks. Using the room phone was frustrating to me (wake-up call, housekeeping, etc...). The kids did miss the "quiet pools" (moderate resorts) for swimming after a day at the parks. The weather was great. We have only been when it's hot and humid (Aug, Sept, Oct). I would stay here again.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Did online check-in and chose 70's lake view. Also requested refurbished room on the phone when adding on two people to the resort reservation. We had a lake view room on 3rd floor in building 6. Nice location and quiet. Close to the elevator and everything else. Initially our entry door was not locked, anyone could enter without a magicband. I called and they sent someone to fix it. The coffee supplies were not replenished between guests (didn't use it anyway). We had a shower (no tub). I bring my own shampoo, conditioner and body wash anyway but I did not like the products supplied in the dispensers. We asked for towels at the front desk on our way back from parks whenever we needed them. The floors were not clean, black on everyone's feet and socks the first day. I opted out of housekeeping and had them put the amount on a physical gift card for kids to spend. Buses were great going to the parks. Using the room phone was frustrating to me (wake-up call, housekeeping, etc...). The kids did miss the "quiet pools" (moderate resorts) for swimming after a day at the parks. The weather was great. We have only been when it's hot and humid (Aug, Sept, Oct). I would stay here again.

Glad you enjoyed your stay and will stay again. For future visits Pop also has 2 quiet pools. The Bowling Pin pool (currently closed for refurbishment) and the Computer Pool found in the 80’s and 90’s section.

 

[jcarwash]

...Using the room phone was frustrating to me (wake-up call, housekeeping, etc...)...

On our last visit (a two night stay) our room was inexplicably not cleaned although someone from housekeeping entered the room and took all the dirty towels. (And no, we didn't opt out housekeeping; we went right to the room without any front desk check-in).

To get the room cleaned or at least get towels and new coffee supplies, I intended to call the front desk or housekeeping but the room phone had no option to do so -- that button to call for "services" was obviously going to a call center, as I sat "on hold for the next representative." It was easier to just walk to the front desk to ask for help.

 

[Linkura]

Did online check-in and chose 70's lake view. Also requested refurbished room on the phone when adding on two people to the resort reservation. We had a lake view room on 3rd floor in building 6. Nice location and quiet. Close to the elevator and everything else. Initially our entry door was not locked, anyone could enter without a magicband. I called and they sent someone to fix it. The coffee supplies were not replenished between guests (didn't use it anyway). We had a shower (no tub). I bring my own shampoo, conditioner and body wash anyway but I did not like the products supplied in the dispensers. We asked for towels at the front desk on our way back from parks whenever we needed them. The floors were not clean, black on everyone's feet and socks the first day. I opted out of housekeeping and had them put the amount on a physical gift card for kids to spend. Buses were great going to the parks. Using the room phone was frustrating to me (wake-up call, housekeeping, etc...). The kids did miss the "quiet pools" (moderate resorts) for swimming after a day at the parks. The weather was great. We have only been when it's hot and humid (Aug, Sept, Oct). I would stay here again.

Well that's weird considering during my stay, the room floors were clean. Wonder why it's inconsistent.

 

[Haley R]

Well that's weird considering during my stay, the room floors were clean. Wonder why it's inconsistent.

Our floors were really dirty too. I used wipes on the floor after the first day and then gave up the rest of the trip lol.

 

[Linkura]

Our floors were really dirty too. I used wipes on the floor after the first day and then gave up the rest of the trip lol.

I don't know why the heck my floors were fine then, especially since weren't the 90s the first to be renovated? Perhaps I had competent housekeeping? I don't know.

 

[Haley R]

I don't know why the heck my floors were fine then, especially since weren't the 90s the first to be renovated? Perhaps I had competent housekeeping? I don't know.

We opted out of housekeeping so our floors only would’ve been cleaned by us. It was mainly the bathroom floors that I thought got dirty easily. You could see all of the hair everywhere.

 

[Linkura]

We opted out of housekeeping so our floors only would’ve been cleaned by us. It was mainly the bathroom floors that I thought got dirty easily. You could see all of the hair everywhere.

I had housekeeping. How were your floors on your first day then?

 

[Haley R]

I had housekeeping. How were your floors on your first day then?

On our first day I thought they were pretty clean, except there were black scrapes on the floor I’m assuming from luggage or chairs being dragged. It didn’t look like they would be easy to get out of the floor. Idk how long the floors will last honestly.

 

[Linkura]

On our first day I thought they were pretty clean, except there were black scrapes on the floor I’m assuming from luggage or chairs being dragged. It didn’t look like they would be easy to get out of the floor. Idk how long the floors will last honestly.

So sounds like if you have housekeeping, the floors will be and stay relatively clean. If you don't, they get dirty fast. I guess I won't be opting out of housekeeping at Pop anytime soon.

 

[Haley R]

So sounds like if you have housekeeping, the floors will be and stay relatively clean. If you don't, they get dirty fast. I guess I won't be opting out of housekeeping at Pop anytime soon.

I would still opt out again. I’d rather take the $$ and if the room gets dirty then that’s on me lol

 

[Cindy&Rebekah]

Same here - requested renovated, top floor... was assigned room in 50s on ground floor. We arrived very late and they were able to switch us to a renovated handicapped accessible room in the 80s on 2nd floor.

It was ok - not as much storage and only one large bathroom instead of the double doors... and the sound does travel.

Also, we did have a shower curtain as opposed to the doors that others have found - I suppose due to it being a HA room.

This was our first trip to Pop... it was fine, but we weren’t wowed by it. It was just noisy around us - both noises from rooms around us and noises from the school groups staying there outside. The white noise app couldn’t drown it out enough.

But I am glad we tried it and we did have a good time overall. And those beds were really comfy!

Since you were in a renovated handicapped accessible room, did you have two queen beds or a King? If queens, was there room for the wheel chair in the room?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Since you were in a renovated handicapped accessible room, did you have two queen beds or a King? If queens, was there room for the wheel chair in the room?

If you read back, there was discussion on this within the past week or so.

 

[AntJulie]

The Bowling Pin pool (currently closed for refurbishment) and the Computer Pool found in the 80’s and 90’s section.

Are they open late after parks close?

 

[AntJulie]

that button to call for "services" was obviously going to a call center, as I sat "on hold for the next representative." It was easier to just walk to the front desk to ask for help.

I totally agree...I handed my granddaughter the phone and told her to let me know when someone answers...lol.

 

[AntJulie]

Our floors were really dirty too. I used wipes on the floor after the first day and then gave up the rest of the trip lol.

I brought wet and dry floor cloths (swiffer type) to clean the floors every couple of days. I never go barefoot but the kids do.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Are they open late after parks close?

Not as late as Hippy Dippy. Depending on what time if the year you go, none of the pools are open after park hours.

I totally agree...I handed my granddaughter the phone and told her to let me know when someone answers...lol.

I called them from our room last month and my call was answered within 1-2 minutes. This was around 9pm or so and the items I requested were delivered to the room within 20 minutes.