Gym/Exercise Options at Pop Century

[jmu...@umich.edu]

Hello,

We are planning a trip for later this year with our extended family
and staying at Pop Century. My brother is really into exercise (he
goes to the gym every day at home) and was asking about a gym at our
resort. I told him that there is no gym at Pop Century as far as I
know, but would check with you guys to see what his options are. Does
anyone know what the closest gym would be? Could he use the gym at
another resort? We will have a rental car, so he could potentially
drive somewhere to avoid multiple bus changes. Is there a local gym
in the area?

thanks,
Jill

[Paul Lalli]

You can use the Ship Shape Health Club at the Beach Club / Yacht Club
for $12 per day. There's also a running trail at Pop Century if he
just wants to run and not work with weights or machines...

Paul Lalli

[Ginny Favers]

The closest resorts to the Pop Century are indeed the Epcot resorts.
Boardwalk, and Yacht/Beach Club.

Parking to walk into the fitness center would be more convenient at the
Beach/Yacht Club, so I second Paul's post.

~Amanda

[Pete...@aol.com]

When staying at any Disney hotel without a health club we always use
Saratoga Springs Fitness Center. It is located close by the main pool
near check in. Walk in, present your resort I.D. at the front desk of
the fitness center. They hold your card until you are finished. Cost
is zero. Of all the health clubs on property this one has always been
and remains my favourite.

[Patty Winter]

In article <0e9ab4dd-b943-4d68...@q4g2000yqm.googlegroups.com>,

Pete...@aol.com <Pete...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>When staying at any Disney hotel without a health club we always use
>Saratoga Springs Fitness Center. It is located close by the main pool
>near check in. Walk in, present your resort I.D. at the front desk of
>the fitness center. They hold your card until you are finished. Cost
>is zero.

That's interesting. The WDW website says:

The fitness center is reserved for Spa Guests, Guests staying
in Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Disney Vacation Club
Members. Fees may apply for Guests of other Walt Disney World
Resort hotels. Room keys are required for workouts. Disney
Vacation Club Members not staying at Disney's Saratoga Springs
Resort&Spa must present their Disney Vacation Club Member ID.

I wonder whether you were just lucky! Although it does say that fees
"may" apply, so maybe if they aren't overrun, they let any WDW resort
guest in for free.

Patty

[Rob Steere]

"Patty Winter" <pat...@wintertime.com> wrote in message
news:4b5b2ede$0$1605$742e...@news.sonic.net...

>
> That's interesting. The WDW website says:
>
> The fitness center is reserved for Spa Guests, Guests staying
> in Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Disney Vacation Club
> Members. Fees may apply for Guests of other Walt Disney World
> Resort hotels. Room keys are required for workouts. Disney
> Vacation Club Members not staying at Disney's Saratoga Springs
> Resort&Spa must present their Disney Vacation Club Member ID.
>
> I wonder whether you were just lucky! Although it does say that fees
> "may" apply, so maybe if they aren't overrun, they let any WDW resort
> guest in for free.
>
>
> Patty
>

From posts I've read online from people that have gone to gyms at other
resorts when their doesn't have one, it's been about 50/50 whether they got
charged. It's probably up to the Cast Member (perhaps there's paperwork or
the money transaction that they don't want to deal with, or they just let it
be a "magical moment").
I also seem to recall reading about one person who paid for a single day,
and the CM gave them a card or something that allowed them to come back for
free the rest of their trip.

-Rob

[Michelle in Atlanta]

<jmu...@umich.edu> wrote in message
news:4063a632-1531-4af2...@m16g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...

My husband also works out most every day and is into free weights and
cardio. After checking out the onsite fitness centers (easy to do by both
looking at photos on allearsnet.com and calling the resort and asking about
the equipment), we decided to drive to Celebration Hospital and use the gym
there. There's a daily fee and an age requirement if you want to bring kids
(13 yo, I think) but it was perfect for us. Free weights and cardio
equipment plus a full size basketball gym which my son loved. We were at
AKL, close to the Pop Resorts, and the drive was maybe 10 minutes.
Michelle in Atlanta

[Pete...@aol.com]

Here's the thing:

After visiting Saratoga Springs fitness center repeatedly for several
years I paid only once in all those visits, and that is because I
asked them if there was a charge. Otherwise, if you walk in, go to
the check in desk and offer your resort card, they simply take your
card and hold it for the length of time you visit.

Obviously your resort card is coded to your home resort, but either
they don't know there should be a charge or it doesn't really matter
in the larger scheme of things. The fitness center here is never
crowded, perhaps that is one reason why economy level guests find it
so easy to slide in for free.