Disney’s Pop Century Resort
My home base.
1050 Century Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
A working trip, with a little room for wonder
A conference, a castle, and a very convenient pool.
Fiber Connect brought me to Florida. Staying at Disney gave the hours around work a little extra charm.
There are work trips where the hotel is simply where you leave your suitcase. On this one, I stayed at Disney’s Pop Century Resort—and the pool was right outside my room.
An excellent detail. Possibly the detail I should lead with.
I flew JetBlue to Florida for Fiber Connect with Graphical Networks. The conference took place at the beautiful Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, while Pop Century was my home base. Around the work came a lovely Skyliner ride, the Crystal Palace buffet, and a little time at Disney.
Michael and James stayed home. The Evil Queen, however, made an appearance. ;)
A Disney address for a working trip
The pleasure of being close.
Gaylord Palms was a lovely setting for the conference. Staying at Pop Century gave the trip another atmosphere altogether: bright, playful, and unmistakably Disney.
And then there was that pool. Having it right outside my room was such a pleasure. After a day of work, I appreciated being close to something enjoyable without having to organize another outing.
Even when James isn’t traveling with me, I notice those practical details. How far is the walk? How easily could we return to the room? Is the thing we would most enjoy conveniently nearby?
Those questions matter just as much to me as a hotel’s photographs.
The journey gets a place in the story
The Skyliner was part of the pleasure.
I loved the Skyliner ride. Transportation can feel like something to get through, but this was a lovely part of the trip itself.
Pop Century is connected through the Skyliner network to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It is worth looking at the route and current operating information before building the day around it.
My own takeaway was simpler: leave time to enjoy the ride.
A table with good company
Crystal Palace, with a visit from Eeyore.
Crystal Palace was another lovely part of the trip. The bright dining room, the buffet, and a visit from Eeyore made a memorable combination.
I still found myself thinking about how the experience might work for our family. Being able to see food before choosing it can be useful. So can knowing beforehand that characters may approach the table.
For a future visit with James, I would look at the current food choices, preview the setting, and plan around what felt comfortable for him. This was my trip, so those are considerations for another visit—not things I tested with him.
Crystal Palace is inside Magic Kingdom. Disney recommends reservations; valid park admission is also required, and a park reservation may be needed depending on the ticket. Check the current menu and booking details →
After hours
The family stayed home.
The Queen did not.
I did meet the Evil Queen, which is a rather wonderful addition to an otherwise respectable business-trip itinerary.
There were also little apple-shaped desserts and a dinner presentation worth taking a video of. Some moments deserve a place in the camera roll even when the original reason for packing was a conference.
Keep the places straight
One trip. Three useful pins.
Use the place links for directions. A map pin is an orientation aid; confirm accessible entrances and your route with the venue.
Gaylord Palms
The conference venue.
6000 West Osceola Parkway
Kissimmee, FL 34746
The Crystal Palace
Inside Magic Kingdom, near Main Street, U.S.A. Plan park entry and transportation as part of the meal.
Find the restaurant →The useful part, beside the lovely part
What I would check before a family stay.
The room features
Disney offers wheelchair-accessible and hearing-accessible hotel rooms. Use the “Accessible Rooms” booking option, then confirm the specific features you need. Disney’s hotel accessibility guide →
The walk, and the setting
Disney describes accessible paths between hotel amenities. I would also ask about the actual distance to food, transportation, and the pool. Being close to the pool suited me beautifully; a quieter room location may suit another family better.
The transportation plan
The Skyliner serves EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, not Gaylord Palms or Magic Kingdom. Plan the conference journey separately. For mobility needs, check Disney’s boarding guidance and speak with a Cast Member about your equipment. Transportation access information →
The meal
Check the current menu and booking conditions. For James, I would preview the room and character visits, think about familiar food, and make it easy to step away if needed. A lovely room and a manageable meal both matter.
The dates
Revisit current resort, pool, transportation, and refurbishment notices before booking. This story describes a past trip; it is not a promise that every service will be the same on your travel dates.
Current planning note: Disney’s Pop Century page currently flags construction and refurbishment. The Skyliner page lists a closure January 24–30, 2027, with bus service available. Check the resort notices and Skyliner updates for your dates. Details checked October 6, 2026.
The small details worth packing for
Pack the swimsuit.
What I liked about this trip was having room for a few enjoyable things around the work: a beautiful conference setting, a Disney home base, a lovely ride above the resort, and a meal with Eeyore.
I wouldn’t need to fill every spare hour to enjoy that combination again.
But I would absolutely pack the swimsuit.
A small plan for a working trip
Before the suitcase closes.
For a conference stay with a little room for Disney.
An AUsome Life · anausomelife.com/fiber-connect-disney-field-note.html
From the window seat
I flew JetBlue for this trip. Looking back through the photographs, the journey gets its own place in the story.
The conference brought me there.
The little moments stayed with me.
This is my personal account of a work trip. Michael and James did not accompany me; the family-planning notes describe what I would consider for a future visit. Views are my own. Photos and video are from my trip. The two watercolors are original AI-assisted editorial illustrations, not photographs or maps of the venues.
Planning references: Pop Century · Gaylord Palms · Fiber Connect venue · Crystal Palace. Checked October 6, 2026.