Hi, Jessica and welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
Thank you for bringing us this great question!
Disney’s Pop Century Resort and
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort are my two favorite Disney Value Resort Hotels! Having stayed at and having used
Disney’s Complimentary Resort Transportation to and from both, I can give you an answer based on my personal experience. Although Disney’s Pop Century Resort has more than double the number of rooms than Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, the capacity of both is similar due to the latter having Family Suites which fit more per room, so I always found the lines for the buses to be similar in length. One of the main differences that I noted is that the bus stop at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is mainly covered, while at Disney’s Pop Century Resort you are subject to the elements, including Central Florida’s heat and/or rain. That being said, if you are staying in a Standard Room at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, the walk to and from the bus stop might be a bit of a hike (10 minutes or so), however if you select a Preferred Room at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, the walk would be much shorter. Although at peak times buses might be standing room only, both Disney Resort Hotels have transportation running to and from
Disney Theme Parks and
Disney Springs approximately every 20 minutes.
I hope this helps you make your decision and that you have a magical day!
Jen