Disney's Art of Animation Resort Info Thread! Mouseketeers welcome!

[smidgy]

we have checked into a disney resort as early as 9 am. no problem. of course, it doesn't mean your room will be ready. while we often have our room ready very early, we have had to wait for it, too. (some people check out very early, like we have at 6 AM when driving, of some stay untill the 11 am mandatory check out time, as we have when flying)

but even if your room isn't ready, you get your park tickets, etc. and can store y our luggage, and you canuse the pool and everything else.

 

[jcarwash]

I am in the debating stage. AOA LM room sounds great but the walk sounds bad. However, I heard POP has the same type of walk situation too. But can't figure out if POP room categories is set up the same. Are the suites in the 60s section in POP like AOA suites are in the middle? Are there basic rooms in the 60 section in POP? If you get a room at POP you could still have the long walk like AOA LM rooms.

POP and AOA are also I think the only ones value resorts that have there own bus transportation and don't share with other resorts?

The "walk" situation at Pop and LM are very different. At Pop it's much more possible for you to get a room assignment closer to the main building and buses, or choose to pay for a preferred room to lock in that closer room assignment. All rooms at Pop are standard rooms; there are no suites.

That said, it is possible you could get a room assignment at Pop with a longer walk similar to that from the LM section at AoA, but with Pop you have a lot more options to try to get closer, either by paying or making a (non guaranteed) building/room request.

On the buses, yes Pop and AoA always have dedicated buses. The All Stars vary between sharing and not sharing, for example, during busy periods you aren't going to be sharing a full All Star Sports bus with All Star Music and All Star Movies. Another piece of advice is that typically Sports is the first stop when sharing is going on.

We will be staying at AoA in a LM room in March. Our flight arrives early around 8:30am. Would early check-in be a valid request? I am also going to ask for a ground floor room in building 9 to have less of a walk to the buses...

By the time you arrive at AoA, it's entirely possible a room will be ready for you. I would predict you would be arriving by say 9:30am at the earliest...are you using Magical Express? Certainly you can request early arrival if you wish, but this doesn't seem like a super-early arrival to me.

 

[DISvirgin1]

I am in the debating stage. AOA LM room sounds great but the walk sounds bad. However, I heard POP has the same type of walk situation too. But can't figure out if POP room categories is set up the same. Are the suites in the 60s section in POP like AOA suites are in the middle? Are there basic rooms in the 60 section in POP? If you get a room at POP you could still have the long walk like AOA LM rooms.

POP and AOA are also I think the only ones value resorts that have there own bus transportation and don't share with other resorts?

Like others have said, POP does not have suites. You could stay at the Pop and be in the same situation, but if I believe you can pay/ask to be closer to the shuttle stop. I don't mind a little walk, but the LM was simply too much.
On a side note the Wi-Fi in the resort and at the parks was AWESOME! I was able to sign in for my flight while waiting for Fantasmic at DHS

 

[EpcotBill]

we will be in Littel mermaid this spring, by I'm thinking is won't be any longer a walk than from the end of the 50s at pop.

I think it is longer than the 50s to Everything Pop. It might be about the same as the farthest rooms in the 80s or 90s. Come back and let us know what you think after your stay.

 

[jcarwash]

we will be in Littel mermaid this spring, by I'm thinking is won't be any longer a walk than from the end of the 50s at pop.

Keep in mind that although the 50's and LM are across from each other, the property layouts are not mirror images; they are inverted. The 50s section "matches" the Cars section. So as EpcotBill says above, LM may be similar to the longest walks from the 80s/90s section at Pop.

(I had a chance to visit - not stay at - AoA on Saturday, and I chose to drive over to the LM section vs. walking from the main building...it didn't look like an appealing walk, I'll put it that way.)

 

[smidgy]

we were in the furthest 80's bldg at pop. corner room closest to the 90;s bldg. to get to the the bus stops, we cut through the parking lot. pretty short walk. but not very pretty.

to get to the food court, we cut through the other 80's bldg and walked along the back of the 70s bldg. it wasn't too long.
the longest was fro the farthest 50's bldg. walking all along that long bowling pin pool, then the courtyard, then past the pool bar, etc to the food court, or around the luggage area to the bus stop.

I think the worst walk at a value is if you are in the Country Inn section of All star music. esp on the further end. you have towalk past the "park" area (with the picnic tables,) past the piano pool, all the way through the long Jazz section, then all along the Calypso pool.

I will report back after. it will probably be a little longer for us, as we requested the building away fro the parking lot, lake view. we don't go till april, though.

 

[dmbcanada]

Yeah, so are we. I didn't deal very well with teenage girls when I WAS one, so I hope it's not too bad.

Where are you in Ontario? We're in Buffalo, NY ... about as close to Canada as we can be and still in the U.S. I used to live and work within site of the border. (Lewiston and Niagara Falls, USA.)

I did some further research and they will be staying at All-Stars or Caribbean Beach. Plus won't be in the parks during the daytime hours.

We in London,ON, about 2hrs from the border.

 

[WinGS]

By the time you arrive at AoA, it's entirely possible a room will be ready for you. I would predict you would be arriving by say 9:30am at the earliest...are you using Magical Express? Certainly you can request early arrival if you wish, but this doesn't seem like a super-early arrival to me.

Thanks..
Yes we would be using the Magical Express. We are arriving March 29 but still waiting for my tags. How soon do the tags arrive? I think I booked more than a couple of weeks ago already.

 

[jcarwash]

Thanks..
Yes we would be using the Magical Express. We are arriving March 29 but still waiting for my tags. How soon do the tags arrive? I think I booked more than a couple of weeks ago already.

I would expect the DME tags should be coming within the next week or so.

 

[Chasesmom]

I keep seeing where people write that AoA has their own bus line, which is awesome. My question is, do those buses stop at all of the parks, or is it a dedicated bus for each park?
Thanks for any info!

 

[mom2rtk]

I keep seeing where people write that AoA has their own bus line, which is awesome. My question is, do those buses stop at all of the parks, or is it a dedicated bus for each park?
Thanks for any info!

Different buses for each park. They don't stop at other resorts along the way to or from, which is quite awesome. Pop has the same arrangement.

 

[jcarwash]

I keep seeing where people write that AoA has their own bus line, which is awesome. My question is, do those buses stop at all of the parks, or is it a dedicated bus for each park?
Thanks for any info!

Dedicated bus for each park, although the route to Animal Kingdom may also include stops at Blizzard Beach.

 

[osugal]

How long does it actually take to get to each park from AOA if taking the buses? Not including time waiting for the buses - just drive time. Thanks!

 

[jcarwash]

How long does it actually take to get to each park from AOA if taking the buses? Not including time waiting for the buses - just drive time. Thanks!

My rough estimates for bus drive time:

Hollywood Studios: 5-7 minutes
Epcot: 7-10 minutes
Animal Kingdom: 10-15 minutes
Magic Kingdom: 15-20 minutes

 

[osugal]

My rough estimates for bus drive time:

Hollywood Studios: 5-7 minutes
Epcot: 7-10 minutes
Animal Kingdom: 10-15 minutes
Magic Kingdom: 15-20 minutes

Thanks! I appreciate the help.

 

[Chasesmom]

That's great information on the buses! Thanks so much!

 

[DevonsDisneyMom]

I apologize if this question was already asked, but just heard that AoA offers drawing lessons in Animation hall??? Does anyone know anything about this? like times and where it is located? We are only there for one night before we switch over to AKL, but my DS LOVES to draw so I am sure he would be thrilled to participate in this activity!

 

[Marblies]

I apologize if this question was already asked, but just heard that AoA offers drawing lessons in Animation hall??? Does anyone know anything about this? like times and where it is located? We are only there for one night before we switch over to AKL, but my DS LOVES to draw so I am sure he would be thrilled to participate in this activity!

This info is from allears, but it should help:
Out in the lobby, tucked next to the front doors, is an area where guests can learn to draw various Disney characters step-by-step. An animator is there from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Monday to lead guests through the process. Classes start on the hour and are free.

The Magic of Disney Animation in Disney's Hollywood Studios also has a drawing class with a more formal set-up that is great fun and free too.

 

[DevonsDisneyMom]

This info is from allears, but it should help:
Out in the lobby, tucked next to the front doors, is an area where guests can learn to draw various Disney characters step-by-step. An animator is there from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Monday to lead guests through the process. Classes start on the hour and are free.

The Magic of Disney Animation in Disney's Hollywood Studios also has a drawing class with a more formal set-up that is great fun and free too.

Thank you so VERY much!!! We have done the one at HS studios and would love to check this out at the resort. The day we check out at AoA we were planning on spending some time at the big blue pool before leaving to check into AKV, so this is a perfect something to do in the morning.

 

[pookie10]

Thanks for the bus info...

random question..

my stomach hurts about not going to animal kingdom...its a short trip, also a first trip..

we have a 5 and 11 yr old and lots of great dining reservations planned..

we have 1 day epcot, 1 day Hollywood studios, 1 full day and a half magic kingdom.........our last day is just flying home..............

Am I missing anything really great?? I LOVE animals, we go to the Denver zoo all the time.