Welcome to planDisney, Amber! This is a great question, and I hope to give you the information to make the best decision for you, as really there is no wrong answer.
I'll admit in full disclosure, the
Skyliner is my favorite mode of transportation at Walt Disney World, and I love staying at resorts like
Pop Century for access to this magic carpet. It takes about twelve minutes in the air to get from Pop Century to Hollywood Studios: roughly a six-minute ride to Caribbean Beach station and then six minutes to Hollywood Studios. The drive by car may be technically shorter (around 6-8 minutes on the road without traffic), but the Skyliner drops you off close to the gates. I feel it also gives me that "Disney feeling" before my day at the park starts. Hopping into a gondola and seeing the parks with a bird's eye view beats red brake lights and traffic lights for me.
Early theme park entry is a favorite benefit of many Disney resort guests, so if you are planning on arriving early, make sure to include time to go through security and be ready with your MagicBand for park entry and proof of resort stay to rope drop your favorite attraction.
For your trip, be sure to check out this
planDisney Pocket Guide to Pop Century Resort and come back to
planDisney if you have any other questions.
May the Force be With You!
Cheers,
Jana