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

[smidgy]

I have a question about parking at AoA. I know we can handle the walk from LM in the mornings but I'm not sure how my 7 year old will handle the walk back at night. We won't have a stroller and neither of us can carry her very far.

Since we are driving, not flying, is there parking located closer to the Bus Stop? Like can we drive from LM to the Bus and leave our car there so we can drive back at night? I know if there's parking, it wouldn't be guaranteed availability. I just can't picture the layout and wondering if there's a parking area there or not.

well, considering there will be numerous children, of various ages, staying at ALL of the rooms at the resort, it shouldn't be too long of a walk for any of the children. if your child has a problem with longer walks, thenmaybe you should bring an umbrella stroller.

we toured with our 7 year old grandson recently, and he had absolutely NO problem with the tons of walking we did that trip.

 

[trzur7]

By the looks of the pictures you enter and exit the room from inside the building, is this correct? There is no door that opens up to the outside?
Do the windows open?

 

[jcarwash]

By the looks of the pictures you enter and exit the room from inside the building, is this correct? There is no door that opens up to the outside?
Do the windows open?

With the suites (Nemo, Lion King, Cars), yes, you enter the buildings and the room hallways and doors are interior-facing. I don't think the windows open for the suites.

The Little Mermaid section with standard rooms has exterior "hallways" and doors. Definitely no opening of windows in the LM rooms.

 

[trzur7]

Thank you!

 

[LikeSeriously]

Thanks dansdad! I'm not terribly worried about still having to walk a little ways after parking because my husband will be able to drop my daughter and I off near the buses or room. He and I can handle the extra walk at night but I know she won't be able to.

smidgy: I don't think the fact that lots of kids of all ages stay all over the resorts has any bearing on whether my daughter will be capable of making the walk after a full day or not. Sorry but that came off quite rude, like "if my kid can do it,
so can yours". Everyone has different needs and since I know my child well, I can assure you that she will not be able to make the walk back to the rooms at night. She won't have a problem during the day so toting a stroller (which most 7 year olds are too big for - all the umbrellas I have had have a 40lb limit) is over-kill for us if we can easily take the car.

On a related note, I was just recently made aware that as resort guests, we have free parking at the parks so it may not matter about the parking at AoA. We might just drive to the parks ourselves instead of taking the busses.

 

[LikeSeriously]

I know that no one can say for sure and that there's really no history with AoA being so new but (bear with my over-excited assumptions and please don't shoot them down with "no FDP for values" etc. I've heard all the rumors, I'm just saying IF this happened)... IF they offer a Free Dining Plan during the first week of October, and it's only for the Suites at AoA and not the LM rooms, does it sound like I'm figuring it correctly that it would only cost me about $300 more to switch to a Suite from an LM? Basically I'm figuring that my Dining Plan I already have (1Qs - 1TS) is roughly $300 less than the cost of the Suites for us for 7 nights. Does that make sense? It just seems like an awesome deal if I'm correct, so I wanted to make sure I wasn't figuring it wrong. I mean, we could just stay in the LM if Free Dining is offered and save $1000 but we would really love to be in a Suite but couldn't see spending the extra $1300. I know I might be let down but I can't help but be excited over the possibility.

Also, what do y'all think the chances are for Room Discounts the first full week of October at AoA? I haven't read as much about those. I don't know if that would be a better deal for us than the Free Dining. I'm not sure how to figure the cost of just our room, so I don't know what a 15% or 30% discount would be.

 

[smidgy]

smidgy: I don't think the fact that lots of kids of all ages stay all over the resorts has any bearing on whether my daughter will be capable of making the walk after a full day or not. Sorry but that came off quite rude, like "if my kid can do it,
so can yours". Everyone has different needs and since I know my child well, I can assure you that she will not be able to make the walk back to the rooms at night. She won't have a problem during the day so toting a stroller (which most 7 year olds are too big for - all the umbrellas I have had have a 40lb limit) is over-kill for us if we can easily take the car.

.

I did not mean at all to be rude, and if it came across that way to you, I apologize. I didn't realized your daughter had special needs. I was just trying to assure you that the walks weren't too bad as most kids handle them fine.
(not "if my kid can do it, yours can." more of an "I think your daughter will be ok, my grandson was tired, and he handled it" reasurrance to set your mind at ease.)
yes, a 7 year old would be way heavy to carry. maybe you would be better off with driving to the parks or driving to the lobby parking nearer the bus stop. On second thought, I don't know if you realize that on the bus ride home, there's a good chance you will be standing. it sounds like your DD would be too tired for that, too. so driving would probably be your best bet. hope it works out for you. have a fun trip!

 

[smidgy]

as far as free dining, room discounts, etc. unfortunately I think the LM rooms won't be included for some time.
many people want to stay at this newest value resort that don't need the suites, or want to pay for them.. so I don't think they';; have any problem booking those rooms for a while.

but we can only hope!!!

 

[dmbcanada]

I always think of Disney World a happy place, but I just read the most negative review of AOA on tripadvisor. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think some people are just have a negative view of life, so nothing will please them. I don't know why these types of people go on vacation, especially to a fun place like Disney when all they are going to do is complain!

 

[WinGS]

We are planning to spend some time in the big pool during our stay as well as tour the whole resort. How much time do you think we'll need for this? Just wanted to factor this in to our plans...

 

[Tomader]

We just came back from AoA and we loved it. We stayed in the car suites and they were close to the food court. Little Mermaid almost needs it's own food court. A little far from the main building. I wish the suites were not so expensive. They list them under Value and they sure are not cheap. But I did really love the place. I'm booking it with hopefully the free dining in August. Disney told me they don't book the Little Mermaid with the free dining plan. They get the people in without it.

 

[amybel]

I am booked in a Little Mermaid room for August
I just have one question about the fridges, or "beverage coolers" in the rooms. Are they cold enough to keep dairy products such as milk or yogurt? And how big are they, could I fit a carton of milk in them?

 

[Goofy22]

Yes they are the larger dorm size not the small square style more rectangular longer and yes you can fit a half gal of milk nicely on the door and they stay cool enough for milk and yogurt etc

 

[smidgy]

We are planning to spend some time in the big pool during our stay as well as tour the whole resort. How much time do you think we'll need for this? Just wanted to factor this in to our plans...

our tradition on the first night is to tour the resort, wherever we are staying. mix up a cocktail and leisurely stroll. we walked over to AOA from pop in august. it took about 45 minutes to walk around and look at everything.. but LM wasn't done yet. I'd say an hour/hour and a half to walk around and look at everything. then add in your pool time.

 

[smidgy]

We just came back from AoA and we loved it. We stayed in the car suites and they were close to the food court. Little Mermaid almost needs it's own food court. A little far from the main building. I wish the suites were not so expensive. They list them under Value and they sure are not cheap. But I did really love the place. I'm booking it with hopefully the free dining in August. Disney told me they don't book the Little Mermaid with the free dining plan. They get the people in without it.

wanna talk long walk?lol have you ever walked from blg 36 in ALligator Bayou to the food court at POR? or from trinidad North (or is it south?) to the CBR food court? how about from the ranchos section to pepper market at CSR?

LM is far, but not as far as these walks. (of course, at those resorts, you can take an internal bus, or grab a theme park bus if it's stopping at the main stop..if you want to wait)

now French Quarter is the most convenient of the moderate resorts. nothing is a long walk.

I guess the problem (if you want to call it that) with AOA there is no "preferred"section.. to pay to be close to everything.. this is cause the only reason LM section even exists is the buildings were already built to be part of the POP Legendary Years. and yes, the suites are pricey (esp for just the 2 of us, although it sure would be nice!)

 

[trzur7]

I have no trouble walking, im just wondering about how far is it from LM room to the food court? 5 minutes? 10 minutes? I would assume it is not as bad as Caribbean Beach, which can be a very long walk.

 

[Goofy22]

I would say maybe 6-7 min walk . If you ever stayed at Pop it's like walking from the 90's to Everything Pop apprx that distance . I didn't think it was bad but that's my opinion

 

[Goofy22]

If you want to be close to the main building or pool at AOA you stay in Nemo the next closest is Cars lion king is the section previous to the lil mermaid rooms

 

[Rychelle924]

wanna talk long walk?lol have you ever walked from blg 36 in ALligator Bayou to the foood court at POR? or from trinidad North (or is it south?) to the CBR food court? how about from the ranchos section to pepper market at CSR?

LM is far, but not as far as these walks. (of course, at those resorts, you can take an internal bus, or grab a theme park bus if it's stopping at the main stop..if you want to wait)

now French Quarter is the most convenient of the moderate resorts. nothing is a long walk.

I guess the problem (if you want to call it that) with AOA there is no "preferred"section.. to pay to be close to everything.. this is cause the only reason LM section even exists is the buildings were already built to be part of the POP Legendary Years. and yes, the suites are pricey (esp for just the 2 of us, although it sure would be nice!)

Hahaha Trinidad South!!! Ahhhh!!! We booked a pirate room in 2011 for our boys. Man, for all that extra $$$ for a specialty themed room, they really stick you out in no mans land at CBR! So many nights we wanted to fill our mugs or get a snack but we were way too tired from walking all day to take the walk there and back lol

 

[sunnydays28]

What linens are on the beds? I know a comforter, as we see them in the pictures (and I assume they are the generic stiff polyester that every hotel uses), and pillows. Can someone list from comforter down and a basic description of the items?

And are extras provided in the room or do we have to call for them?