AoA

[Brittmarie04]

Ok I need everyone's advice! I have reservations at pop 9/24-9/30 with free dining( first time we will be doing free dining)

I was thinking about switching to AoA just a standard little mermaid room but my DD8 looked at the map and said that's to far to walk when we stay at pop we always stay in 60's Building so we are close by the main pool, food court, and buses. Do you guys think the walk will be that bad? I'd really like to switch I think she would love the mermaid room, but she's worried about after a longgggg day in the park having to walk far back to the hotel from bus stop. Any advice or opinions are welcome

 

[spiceycat]

where did you find a map of AoA????

 

[Brittmarie04]

I goggled it

 

[NokOnHarts]

I've been trying to get an answer to this question for awhile now. Funny to me that no one really knows since the buildings are actually in the ground and have been for awhile. I have asked a few sources who know people who've been at the site and most estimates are between 5-8 minutes each way. Obviously it depends on which building you get, too. Most people are saying it's comparable to the outer buildings at POP but comparing the two maps, LM section looks further than the 90's building at POP IMHO. My best guess is that it'll be more than 5 min. each way unless you're walking quite fast. No one will have a good answer until the resort opens and people report back from their stays. HTH though.

 

[mickeye]

On the AoA thread it was determined that the distance was .25 miles which is about 2 blocks; much too short a distance for an 8y.o. to shy away from. Tell her people who are 'Mommy and Daddy' ages are the ones who should be worried about the distance to the pool. LOL. On videos and photos, it really doesn't look that far at all; it appears to be a compact arrangement similar to Pop Century's. We have a 'short distance' walker in our group due to a disability, but even for her the distance looks 'doable'. Besides, it's a new resort; think how much fun it will be to explore it and pass thru and by, the LK's Playground area.

 

[pigletto]

And.. you'll have your own pool in the LM section that will be themed and really neat!!
So your only concern is the main building and walking back from the bus. That is a tough one. I say if you are the sort that hates the walk back to the room at the end of a park day then stay put. Otherwise, it shouldn't be too bad. It looks like you can take the path around the parking lot from the busses and it might be a bit quicker.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Ok I need everyone's advice! I have reservations at pop 9/24-9/30 with free dining( first time we will be doing free dining)

I was thinking about switching to AoA just a standard little mermaid room but my DD8 looked at the map and said that's to far to walk when we stay at pop we always stay in 60's Building so we are close by the main pool, food court, and buses. Do you guys think the walk will be that bad? I'd really like to switch I think she would love the mermaid room, but she's worried about after a longgggg day in the park having to walk far back to the hotel from bus stop. Any advice or opinions are welcome

We're the kind of people who will pay for the location of pool facing preferred rooms at Pop (meaning 60s pool facing). We spend a lot of time at our resort and like to be right in the middle of the action. We really enjoy Pop.

I likely won't ever stay in the Little Mermaid rooms at AoA. I am staying in the Nemo section in August though (I'd be booking 2 rooms if staying in LM so the suite makes sense for us).

Only you can decide if the LM section too far away from the action for you. At the moment, it is for me.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

This pic gives a pretty good perspective of the distance of the LM room to the main building. It doesn't look bad at all.

The LM buildings are at the top of the page. Directly under those are the Lion King suites and then the main building under that.

 

[DW2010]

A little walk never hurt anyone, especially an 8 year old . It really doesn't look THAT far from the pic above.

 

[teekathepony]

My DH and I debated switching from a preferred Pop room to the far-away LM rooms, but in the end with all the info we gathered (especially that photo posted by MistressMerryweather) the walk didn't look too long, and it should be a pleasant walk through a brand new resort so it will be more interesting anyway. We went for it.

 

[Brittmarie04]

Thanks for everyone's input. After seeing the map it doesn't look to bad at all. But since we're going 9/24-9/30 I think its going to be super packed since it was just added to free dining, right now were leaning towards just staying at pop. I think it will be a lot slower at pop bc I have seen a lot of people saying they have switched to AoA

 

[Brittmarie04]

This pic gives a pretty good perspective of the distance of the LM room to the main building. It doesn't look bad at all.

The LM buildings are at the top of the page. Directly under those are the Lion King suites and then the main building under that.

Thanks for posting the map for all of us to see

 

[StacyMarie]

I think the walk will be fine BUT what I am seeing is the pools seem a bit smaller than Pop pools. With the rooms at AOA being suites and holding more people than Pop and having smaller pools, I would think it's going to be pretty cramped at the pools. We are going to wait a year and let the excitement of it being new get over and done with before considering a stay.

 

[dclfun]

I don't think it will be that far, and hopefully it will be quieter than the buildings closer to the food court and bus stop. At Pop I never get a preferred room as I'd rather not hear noise from the pool or more foot traffic. I have a toddler granddaughter so I do understand the meltdowns. I just don't want them to melt down under my window. I have the first week of FD booked at Pop, and then Sept. 15-22 at AOA. Can't wait to try out the new resort.

 

[MuchLovedMama]

We normally stay in the 50's section at POP cause we really like the bowling pin pool and that walk is not bad at all. The LM rooms will definitely be a longer walk but I figure compared to the walking that you do in the parks it doesn't even compare.

I also think the pools look smaller. At least the 2 smaller pools. I've read that the main pool is supposed to be the largest on Disney property but the other 2 look quite a bit smaller. I'm also worried that they are gonna be quite a bit more crowded just because it'll just be opening therefore it'll be WAY more crowded than the other value resorts. If we weren't going to be there on the actual opening day of the LM section I think I may have stuck with POP just cause I think it'll be so much less crowded.

 

[Brittmarie04]

We normally stay in the 50's section at POP cause we really like the bowling pin pool and that walk is not bad at all. The LM rooms will definitely be a longer walk but I figure compared to the walking that you do in the parks it doesn't even compare.

I also think the pools look smaller. At least the 2 smaller pools. I've read that the main pool is supposed to be the largest on Disney property but the other 2 look quite a bit smaller. I'm also worried that they are gonna be quite a bit more crowded just because it'll just be opening therefore it'll be WAY more crowded than the other value resorts. If we weren't going to be there on the actual opening day of the LM section I think I may have stuck with POP just cause I think it'll be so much less crowded.

Yea we will be there 9/24 so shortly after opening and I think LM section will be crazy, especially since they added free dining so we are leaning towards staying at pop! I have read so many ppl on here saying they switched from pop to AoA. Maybe we will try AoA in jan when we go back for DD birthday.