Downton Disney: the Disney Snob and the Seven Seas Clubs - 5/20 Secret Tonga Lounge

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by Curiouser&curiouser!

Oh, the Grand is just so GRAND!

Originally Posted by scrapbookersdis

That Grand Floridian Orchestra is the best! I think a CD of their performances is sold in the resort gift shop.

They are so good!

Originally Posted by khertz

The GF is SO gorgeous!! And I think you managed to show of every single square inch of it for us in your pictures. But really, you got some beautiful shots of a beautiful resort.

I know, I just couldn't stop taking pics! Thanks!

Originally Posted by Janny

Dear Emma,
Just wanted to say thank you for that beautiful trip to the Grand Floridian. You have such literary & vocal talent!! You should thank your parents also for raising such nice looking, fun loving, great kids. You all beam with excitement and it is very contagious!! You have helped us plan our Disney trip so much through your TR's and website. We had such a magical time at the poly last year, that we are returning again this May!!! You put our minds at ease that it would be possible to get around with our youngest daughter in her wheelchair, and it was!! 35% PIN incentive made our trip possible this calendar year instead of waiting until next! Keep up the great work on your blogs and know that you have many grateful fans out here on the disBoards!!
God Bless!

janny

Hi Janny! Awww, I'm so glad you and your family had a good time - and hooray for going back to the Polynesian!!

Originally Posted by jennyjinx3

Just popping in to say that I am seriously contemplating the GF for our November trip....

Love it!

[AGPrincess]

One of the things that I had been most excited about for this trip - one of the parts that made me do a little dance, giddy with excitement, whenever I thought about it...ok, actually there were lots of things about the trip that made me do a happy dance, but ANYway, one of the things was that we were going to stay at Art of Animation for the first time!

It looked so bright and colorful. I could not wait to check it out in person!

We all slept in the next morning. Though I was eager to get over to AoA and check in...it’s also nice to actually be on vacation during your vacation! I used the time to straighten my har. Not that it would last long in that Florida humidity!

By 11:30 we had everyone loaded in the car and were on our way!



WOOT WOOT!



Driving up – it’s so funny to think that this was supposed to be the other half of Pop Century. There could be giant 10’s and 20’s out in front instead of the character drawings! I love the first half of twentieth century, so I was kinda sad when the scrapped that - but then I love Art of Animation’s theme, so I can’t really quibble!



A photoshopped panoramic!



Princess Ariel! She has such fabulous hair. Back when we stayed in July, it was just the Finding Nemo and Cars sections open, although the Lion King area was nearly finished.



Skipping in through the entrance!



I kinda have a thing for concept art, so I fell in love with that wall alongside the Ink and Paint Shop right away. How pretty are those pictures? I would totally buy them as posters.



Actually, it’s probably a good thing they don’t sell them as posters, because I would want all of them!



So you’ve probably heard this before from other descriptions, but it’s true - photos do no justice to this lobby. It is so stunning in person, like stepping into a rainbow.



I had been curious to see these check-in desks, as I had heard cast members at my own front desk talking about the new “open concept” – the idea is that instead of one long imposing wall of check-in you have more individual, free-standing desks, so that cast members can come out from behind them easily to answer questions and interact with guests better. When I heard it described I thought the desks would be spread out all over the place, but actually it doesn’t look so different from a normal Disney lobby. The more open layout does seem nice though.



I love how the wall opposite the check-in desks is filled with black and white drawings from the movies. It’s like the paint from the palette is just waiting to leap across the lobby to fill in the sketches!



Don’t mess with Guido, man. Or me. lol.

(BTW, sorry for the odd photo sizes - I already uploaded some of these photos for my blog, and if I can avoid wrestling with photobucket to re-upload a photo, I definitely will, lol!)



Once we were half way across the lobby Dart realized there was a kids’ tv area at the other end of it, and he sprinted over there and leaped over the couches. That kid.

It was nice and quiet when we checked in, no lines. The CM got us our keys and soon we were swimming across the EAC to find room 5715 in the Finding Nemo section!



Just like at Pop Century, the pool greets you as soon as you set out of the lobby - the Big Blue Pool, that is! Athos and I immediately started singing “In the biiiiig bluuuuuue wooooorld!” when we saw the name.



This way dudes! The building on one side of the pool had turtles – on the other side it was sharks!



BUBBLES!!! Bubbles are exciting. And Disney carpets are the best.



This-a-way...



The room! It was so cheerful and colorful. I felt like I had entered a bright coral reef!



You felt that way especially when you looked at the table! This folded down at night into a bed.



I bet these bright orange chairs came from Ikea!





The bedroom!



Complete with Mickey towel, and check out Mr. Ray swimming across the dresser! Characters from Finding Nemo were sprinkled throughout the room, painted on the drawers…



Or grinning on the bathroom curtains!



Sink area. There was text along the top of the mirror reminding you that “Fish are FRIENDS. NOT FOOD.”

We all absolutely loved the room, we were running back and forth, noticing all the details. But we didn't have too long to oooh and aaahhh, because we had an ADR to get to at one of our favorite restaurants: Via Napoli.

I had actually never been before, but on a previous trip Mom had brought back some of her lasagna in a to-go box and let me try it. It was AMAZING. If it had been that moutwateringly good reheated, how much better would it be fresh - I couldn't wait to find out!

[marDgreen88]

Oh my gosh. I swear, every time you post another update about the GF, my desire to stay there just grows and grows (and grows... and grows). It's so beautiful and perfect. It's really good to know that you can enjoy so much from a one night stay at this place... it makes it seem SO worth it! (Keeping this in mind... oh yes.)

SO fun that yall got to stay at AoA! I'm pretty much guaranteed to stay at a value resort on my next trip, and AoA is my first choice by a long shot (especially since I've already stayed at ALL the All Stars)! It's so amazing even in pictures, I can't even imagine what it looks like in person!

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by marDgreen88

Oh my gosh. I swear, every time you post another update about the GF, my desire to stay there just grows and grows (and grows... and grows). It's so beautiful and perfect. It's really good to know that you can enjoy so much from a one night stay at this place... it makes it seem SO worth it! (Keeping this in mind... oh yes.)

SO fun that yall got to stay at AoA! I'm pretty much guaranteed to stay at a value resort on my next trip, and AoA is my first choice by a long shot (especially since I've already stayed at ALL the All Stars)! It's so amazing even in pictures, I can't even imagine what it looks like in person!

lol...glad you enjoyed the GF updates! The DIS is always there to inspire you to new Disney fun -- for years we never had been to Mickey's Not-So-Scary, but then my Mom saw a video of the parade on here, and we had to go!

AoA was SO much fun, it really did feel like you were stepping into a colorful animated Disney movie! And it was nice and quiet while we were there (no loud tour groups like at other values!) - hopefully it'll stay that way!

[disneyhockeymad]

mum and I walked around AoA in September and I was absolutely blown away, the detail they have gone too is amazing! I love it! Your room looks incredible too, I can definitely imagine just how excited you were, I would be absolutely the same!

Ahh I just loved that place so much! And the food court was so good too!!

[scrapbookersdis]

Love that bright color palette at AoA.

Looking forward to your next update!

[Aussiesalad]

I love your pictures of AoA!! It's all so bright and colourful there!

Seriously love the whole check in area and all the drawings!!

Ahhh you're right!! Totally have to sing big blue blue world every time you walk past the pool...

The room looks amazing!!!

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

Oh, I am just in love with all the fun colors at Art of Animation! It just makes you want to play!

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by disneyhockeymad

mum and I walked around AoA in September and I was absolutely blown away, the detail they have gone too is amazing! I love it! Your room looks incredible too, I can definitely imagine just how excited you were, I would be absolutely the same!

Ahh I just loved that place so much! And the food court was so good too!!

It is so lovely - I tried to wake up early every morning just to walk around and soak it all in. And you're right, the food court was delish!

Originally Posted by scrapbookersdis

Love that bright color palette at AoA.

Looking forward to your next update!

[khertz]

AoA looks so amazing!! I can't wait to go check it out on our October trip. DS is crazy about Cars and Nemo, so I know he will just love walking around and seeing all of the characters.

The artwork in the lobby looks so beautiful! I love the sketch work. Disney did a fantastic job themeing this resort!

[FancyNancy]

What an awesome TR! Subbing in and can't wait to read more

[zipadeepixie]

Hey Emma, have you stayed in every resort on site? You must have! How about ranking them on your blog - would be a great topic!

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by Aussiesalad

I love your pictures of AoA!! It's all so bright and colourful there!

Seriously love the whole check in area and all the drawings!!

Ahhh you're right!! Totally have to sing big blue blue world every time you walk past the pool...

The room looks amazing!!!

Awww, thanks! Haha - and it doesn't take much to get the Big Blue World song stuck in my head.

Originally Posted by Curiouser&curiouser!

Oh, I am just in love with all the fun colors at Art of Animation! It just makes you want to play!

That is the perfect way to describe it - AoA DOES make you want to play! It just makes you feel like a kid.

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by khertz

AoA looks so amazing!! I can't wait to go check it out on our October trip. DS is crazy about Cars and Nemo, so I know he will just love walking around and seeing all of the characters.

The artwork in the lobby looks so beautiful! I love the sketch work. Disney did a fantastic job themeing this resort!

I bet you'll love it, and I bet your DS will ADORE it! The Cars section especially is so cool - they have a smaller Cozy Cone motel pool, and there are actually big traffic cones you can sit it, it's so fun!

Originally Posted by FancyNancy

What an awesome TR! Subbing in and can't wait to read more

Thank you so much! It always makes my day to meet a new reader - welcome!!

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by zipadeepixie

Hey Emma, have you stayed in every resort on site? You must have! How about ranking them on your blog - would be a great topic!

The one resort we have never stayed at is Old Key West - we have visited, we just have never stayed in one of the rooms. Someday!

I LOVE your idea, though - it would be really fun, but also kinda hard to rank some of them. Obviously I'd have to put the Polynesian as number 1 (that's a given. ), but as soon as I get to number two I'm in a quandry - I adore the Animal Kingdom Lodge, but then the Grand was pretty incredible. And then when I think about how restful the Wilderness Lodge's lobby is... Hmmm...this is definitely something to think about.