Pop Century’s Groovy Scavenger Hunt: Icons Through the Decades
A retro scavenger hunt that invites guests to explore the greatest icons of the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s has returned at Disney’s Pop Century Resort! And while you’re on the hunt, this classic activity provides a plethora of amazing photo ops with the resort’s impressively gigantic icons, including Disney favorites like Lady & Tramp, Roger Rabbit, Mickey Mouse, Baloo & Mowgli, and Goofy. Note that this scavenger hunt is an entirely outdoor activity, so this is not a great rainy day project. But it is perfect for a resort-only day, and since there’s no time limit to complete it, you can easily spread this scavenger hunt over several days and join in other resort activities along the way, like roasting marshmallows at the nightly campfire or taking in that night’s Movie Under the Stars.
The scavenger hunt starts at the Pop Century Front Desk, where you’ll begin by picking up a map. You also get your first prize along with the map, since each map is wrapped in a free slap bracelet! There are a lot of different bracelet designs to choose from, and the Cast Members are happy to let you look through all the options and choose your favorite.
Once you have your map, you’ll see eleven of Pop Century’s biggest icons listed (one for each resort room building), and it’s your job to find them and figure out which icon belongs to each building. It’s a really clear map that’s easy to follow and will help you find your way around the resort like a pro. It looks like it has stickers to place on the map for each location, but it doesn’t - those are just printed photos of the icons on the map, so you’ll just write in the icon for each building.
The resort is very spread out, which means completing this hunt requires a good amount of walking (…or a little Googling if you don’t feel like hiking all over the resort, lol). But it’s a lot of fun and allows you to see every corner of the resort. While you’re walking around, be sure to look for the fun little recreation areas scattered around the resort, like the outdoor Twister games in the ‘70s section and ping pong by the Hippy Dippy Pool and the Computer Pool. There are also lots of great facts about every decade posted along the walking paths that add a little education to the scavenger hunt!
Give yourself a couple of hours to complete this, or you can work on it sporadically throughout your trip, exploring just a few buildings at a time whenever you have a chance. If you need an indoor break while you’re working through the scavenger hunt, visit Classic Hall. Don’t miss the famous Tie-Dye Cheesecake inside Everything Pop and the free Space Invaders arcade game in the Kid Zone section of the Classic Hall lobby! There are also always Disney movies playing inside the Kid Zone and on several TVs inside Everything Pop if you just want to sit in the air conditioning for a while.
When you’re finished and have located every icon, you can stop by the Front Desk with your completed map and show it to them to receive your prize. The Front Desk Cast Member will bring over a vintage briefcase stuffed full of retro prizes, like more slap bracelets, sunglasses, Slinkys, Rubik’s Cubes, pencils, foam airplanes, spinning tops, and more, and you’ll be invited to choose whichever prize you’d like.
This scavenger hunt is open to anyone, and you don’t need to be a registered Pop Century guest to participate. However, keep in mind that non-registered guests will most likely not be permitted to park here, so it’s best to arrive at Pop Century via the Disney Skyliner or bus. This activity works as a great afternoon break if you’re in Hollywood Studios or Epcot - it’s just a quick Skyliner ride away and you can spend a few hours relaxing outside of the crowded parks.
It’s a really fantastic way to explore Pop Century Resort and immerse yourself in the nostalgic theme, as well as a great no-cost activity that even earns you a couple of free souvenirs to take home!
Classic Icon Scavenger Hunt | Pop Century
*Activity dates and times listed here were accurate at the time this review was published. Resort activities and activity schedules may change month-to-month, so be sure to check the current Pop Century Recreation Calendar for updated times/dates when making plans to participate.
