Hi Christine,
Pop Century has been our favorite value resort since it opened almost 10 years ago. We've stayed there at least 20 times and enjoy the "decades" themes, the Hippy Dippy Pool, the arcade and the good variety of selections in the food court. We also appreciate the fact that it does not share a bus with any other resort as the All-Star resorts sometimes do.
The new
Art of Animation resort, however, is now a strong competition for our favorite. The theming at the new resort is amazing. You feel as if you really are walking through Radiator Springs in the Cars area, for example. And the Finding Nemo-themed Big Blue Pool is the largest pool in the Disney resorts.
Most of the rooms at Art of Animation are two-bathroom suites, which are wonderful but considerably more expensive than a standard room. The only standard rooms at Art of Animation are themed around the Little Mermaid, which may or not appeal to your children. The new resort also has its own buses and does not share with other resorts.
The resorts are adjacent to one another. Whichever you choose, you can walk across the Generation Gap bridge between the resorts to check out the different themes, playgrounds, arcades and dining options.
Dining plans are available no matter where you stay, but you don't have to have one. For a short visit, you may especially find that the dining plan is unnecessary.
Because late July is the height of the summer season, there seldom are discount deals. Those usually aren't offered until the fall. So your decision may come down to which of the resorts has availability at the best price.
You can't go wrong either way.
I hope that helps. Please let me know if I can answer other questions as you plan your visit. Enjoy!
Wilma