Disney's Animation Inn & Suites

[sharadoc]

If you read the Jim Hill article, you'll notice he doesn't say they definitely are going to do this, just that they will most certainly do something with the undeveloped area, and this is one possibility.
He points out that they made mock ups of the Animal Kingdom lodge rooms seven years before the resort actually opened!

How can he be sure it was seven years before it was built? His rationale is that the All-Star room is in the background, right? Maybe they never tore down the All-Star room and used the interior for the Pop decor.

I'm very excited about this possibility. We're staying in a Family Suite in January and I'd love to have more so we can get discounts and be involved in some of the major promotions. I got locked out of the 4/3 one because we're in a family suite, which stinks!

 

[CanadianGuy]

First off, I take everything Jim Hill says with a big (grain), (handful), .. no wait.. BLOCK of salt...

That said, I think there's something here..

I'd really be surprised if "low bookings" is the real reason for this move..

But one last thought to keep in mind, it'll take at least 2 years or so to build and finish the other half and at least six months to a year to rebrand and refurb the existing half.

If Disney started this work in 6 months .. they still wouldn't be done before 2011 or maybe 2012 ... Disney will definitely time this such that the work is done while the recession rages on..

Why? In part because it's easier and a whole lot cheaper to get construction work done.. when nobody else is doing any!



Knox

 

[edolyne]

Just found this thread and also a follow up to Jim Hill's original article.

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2009/01/13/are-disney-world-s-recession-worries-starting-to-recede.aspx

This looks very promising and I am hopeful that this will come to fruition. Myself and DW have really enjoyed staying at Pop and with our expanding family the possibility of suites would be fantastic.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Checked out of POP on 2/11 and got into a chat with a CM on the engineering services staff (he was working on all the rooms on our floor in bldg 3). Something with the vents and air filters.

But he told dh and I that a re-themeing would be done starting by the end of this year. Also mentioned the unfinished construction across the lake and he told us that the buzz they were all hearing was it would be DVC family suites.

I take all this with a grain of salt....but just figured I'd pass it along.........

Maria

 

[edolyne]

Checked out of POP on 2/11 and got into a chat with a CM on the engineering services staff (he was working on all the rooms on our floor in bldg 3). Something with the vents and air filters.

But he told dh and I that a re-themeing would be done starting by the end of this year. Also mentioned the unfinished construction across the lake and he told us that the buzz they were all hearing was it would be DVC family suites.

I take all this with a grain of salt....but just figured I'd pass it along.........

Maria

Grain of salt taken, seems kind of odd to me that they would build a DVC resort in conjunction with a value property. Excited to see what the next year and a half has in store for Pop as we are headed back there in October of 2010.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I agree it does seem odd edolyne. But perhaps, in an attempt to get another DVC audience attracted, they would go with a "value type" DVC ? This isn't the first time I've heard this rumor, but it is the first time I've heard it from a CM's mouth. I've read rumors on the internet. The CM told us the construction would not renew for at least 18 months on that side.

 

[edolyne]

I will say that it would make DVC much more attractive for me and my family. We have stayed at Pop many times and after pricing out the complete cost of DVC we decided to forgo it as we have been more than happy with the value resorts and 50 years of value resports are much, much less than owning DVC. So if this is the case it should be quite interesting to see how they promote it and what the price to buy in is.

 

[CanadianImagineer]

The thing that would seem most logical for me would be for them to keep Classic Years as it is and then make Legendary Years into the Animation Suites. They 'd be sister resorts.. much like the Allstars or POFQ+R. Just my two cents.

 

[redrosesix]

DVC at Animation Suites? I'd buy in! None of the other DVC places is for us -- too much like the other hotels we stay in throughout the year, and way too $$$.

Even if they aren't DVC, I know a lot of people who stayed outside WDW this year so that they could have a suite (and they weren't large families) -- WDW must be aware that they are losing those guests. It makes good financial sense to find a way to get them back.

 

[MariaEllerºoº]

What would happen with All Star Movies?? Would they then change the theme?

 

[Colleen27]

Grain of salt taken, seems kind of odd to me that they would build a DVC resort in conjunction with a value property. Excited to see what the next year and a half has in store for Pop as we are headed back there in October of 2010.

I don't know... I think the fact that the newest DVC resorts will sleep 5 in a 1 bedroom tells us that Disney is hearing the complaints about poor options for larger families and realizing that they're losing a certain demographic to off-site lodging simply because of the difficulty/expense of getting a room on Disney property for a family of 5/6. They already have options for bigger families at the higher price points. A lower-cost DVC or moderate-level suites make sense as a next step.

 

[redrosesix]

What would happen with All Star Movies?? Would they then change the theme?

Interesting point. I hear from the boards that it's overdue for a rehab anyway. Maybe it will get a make-over too?

 

[KSG'sDisneyMem]

I absolutely agree that they need more options for larger families. But if they do a DVC there, and POP changed theming and was re-named a "moderate", what happens to the rest of the folks who really need to book values? THe value resorts were the best idea Disney had as far as making it more reachable for families to take a trip to Disney World. But I personally hope that POP remains a value with the new area being suites, but a value rate suite. Maybe I misunderstand. If it was to become a DVC would it be more affordable to families to buy into this? I guess there is just a lot of speculation out there but when I have booked values, I have often been told no rooms at POP but we could take ASSp or ASMo instead as their were rooms available at those locations. So how can it be that POP is only running at about 80% capacity and the All Stars are running at 95%? I will be watching and waiting to see what happens with this. Thanks for the info OP and others who have posted info here.

 

[MiaSRN62]

None of the other DVC places is for us -- too much like the other hotels we stay in throughout the year, and way too $$$.

Really ? I can see the $$$ part....but the themeing is awesome at most of the DVC resorts. AKV and VWL are impressive in it's themeing to us. Not many resorts have animals right outside your balcony.

And did I miss something, did they say they would make POP a moderate ? I agree that making an all-suites resort (whether it's DVC or not), will be a welcome addition. The lack of rooms for families over 4 is why we purchased DVC back in 2000. For years we had to get two rooms and many times they couldn't accomodate us with connecting or even adjoining sometimes.

So I could foresee suites booking up quickly if they're priced appropriately.

 

[tiki23]

We love it just the way it is!

I agree with the pp who said that it seems to be POP that always sells out first during promotions. Anything that helps to provide for bigger families is great but I hope they don't change the Classic Years theme.

It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.

 

[redrosesix]

Really ? I can see the $$$ part....but the themeing is awesome at most of the DVC resorts. AKV and VWL are impressive in it's themeing to us. Not many resorts have animals right outside your balcony.

I agree -- the theming is great at VML -- I'd feel just like I'm at my brother's cottage. I'll give you AKV. But we like the All Stars and Pop because they are a fun place for us. We travel a lot throughout the year, and we stay in a lot of hotels. For us to buy into something, it has to be something different. And it has to be closer to the price we pay to stay at WDW in the places we like.

I agree with you -- making the Animation Suites a DVC wouldn't necessarily make it a moderate. But it would allow WDW to compete with the time shares and suites outside WDW.

 

[dairyqueenmom]

Really ? I can see the $$$ part....but the themeing is awesome at most of the DVC resorts. AKV and VWL are impressive in it's themeing to us. Not many resorts have animals right outside your balcony.

And did I miss something, did they say they would make POP a moderate ? I agree that making an all-suites resort (whether it's DVC or not), will be a welcome addition. The lack of rooms for families over 4 is why we purchased DVC back in 2000. For years we had to get two rooms and many times they couldn't accomodate us with connecting or even adjoining sometimes.

So I could foresee suites booking up quickly if they're priced appropriately.

Same reason we bought DVC, we are a family of 6 and with our kids getting older the two rooms, and the family suites where even getting to expensive and too small. We love our two bedroom.

 

[Vickis3js]

If they made Pop or the newer section of Pop I should say a value DVC I can't see the price per point cost being lower then anywhere else. If so then they would probably make it non interchangeable with the other DVC's. I's like to see if they are just making a whole new DVC product which it seems they would have to do to make it work. It will definatly be interesting to see.

 

[WALTSAGOD]

I would tend to doubt it. I have to think that Disney would do all family suites there in order to fill a need that has existed for years. Many families head to WDW but have trouble finding good accomodations, for a decent price, for their families if there are more than 4 in the group.
I can see Disney doing something with the other side of the lake at POP. It has stood half finished and empty for too many years now. But, I seriously doubt that POP is going to be rehabbed because it has not reached full capacity in the past. POP always seems to be bustling with people. If it wasn't full, or at least a good percentage full, they would just close down a bldg rather than put a few guests in it. That's what they have done at other resorts. POFQ was shut down due to renovations, but it seems that it remained closed due to much fewer guests.

Here's hoping they put in some kind of family suites at POP-the Classic Years.

I can see more suites going over very well.

 

[edolyne]

We love it just the way it is!

I agree with the pp who said that it seems to be POP that always sells out first during promotions. Anything that helps to provide for bigger families is great but I hope they don't change the Classic Years theme.

It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.

I have to say we love Pop just the way that it is too, in fact when Pop was sold out I called there atleast once a day waiting for an opening as we didn't really want to stay somewhere else on property. There is just something about the themeing that really seems to draw us there. I am hopeful that they keep it as it is and add the suites across the lake and finish that part of Pop off.

As far as POP DVC is concerned that idea really sounds interesting to me. Right now for the price that they are looking for DVC is not really an option unless they came out with a more "Value" rate. I would say that a way to make it very attractive to families would be to offer a lower point per night price(possibly 4 on the weeknights and 6 on the weekends for a studio during value season) and a buy in of 80 point minimum. Also instead of locking you just to Pop DVC they could allow you to use your points at other DVC resorts but only allow bookings at other resorts 4 or 6 months in advance; this way their higher paying population would have first dibs. The combination of the lower buy in price(effectivly half of what is required now) and a lower maintenance fee per point would make it very attractive to families who are on a tight budget.

Well hopefully Disney is reading these posts and takes this idea into consideration because this would certainly "force" my hand into signing DVC papers, as long as the DW agrees.