Art of Animation with teens

[mom58]

I'm thinking of taking my two senior high boys, and my 16 year old daughter and a friend to Disney for Spring Break. I'm looking for the cheapest way to stay on Disney property.

Does anyone know if Art of Animation (or any of the Value properties, or any other suggestions!) would work for us? I'm willing to get 2 rooms. Are any of the suites near regular rooms? If I could get one family suite and one regular room, we'd be good, I think.

Any other ideas? We did a really nice trip last spring break where we stayed in a two bedroom villa at Animal Kingdom Lodge. I don't want to break the bank this year, but we still need some privacy. I'd like to keep my hotel budget around $550 a night if possible.

Thanks!

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

The regular rooms at AoA are in the Little Mermaid building, while the suites are in the Cars, Lion King and Finding Nemo buldings. The AoA suites sleep six but only have three sleeping areas, so someone would have to sleep with someone else.

Do you have six people total? You could try for two connecting value rooms so you would have four beds, but some of the teens would still be sharing beds, and I don't know if you would feel comfortable with all four teens in one room. Coronado Springs has junior suites with two queens and a pullout - it has two bathrooms. We have used an air mattress at CSR before (not in the suites, but they are two rooms put together) since my girls don't like to sleep together. That would be more than a family suite, though, and you would still only have three sleeping areas.

Have you considered renting points for a 2BR villa? We rented a 2 BR at BWV from someone here on the DIS. It was about $3000 for seven nights in June, and we had plenty of space for me, DH, DD13 and her best friend and DD9. OKW, BLT or AKL Kidani might be even better for your group since those 2 BRs sleep nine people - a king in the master, two queens or a queen and pullout in the second BR, and a pullout and a sleeper chair in the living room. BLT and Kidani also have three bathrooms in the 2 BRs. OKW has the most space.

You can also rent points from a broker if you don't feel comfortable renting from an individual. The reservation is generally non-refundable and non-changeable, so you have to be sure of your dates.

 

[JennyDrake]

I would go with 2, regular rooms at AS or Pop. You may even want to look at 3, regular rooms--it COULD be worth your getting an AP to get AP rates on the rooms. AS and Pop offer AP discounts while AoA does not. You can only get regular rooms in the Little Mermaid section--not sure how thrilled a teen boy would be with that!

Mousesavers.com show rack rate of $134/night at AS for a regular room. so $134x3=$402 per night. Usual AP discounts are 20%, but can be as high as 40%. So if you got an AP, you would save $80-$160 per night on a block of three rooms.

 

[Marthasor]

I'm thinking of taking my two senior high boys, and my 16 year old daughter and a friend to Disney for Spring Break. I'm looking for the cheapest way to stay on Disney property.

Does anyone know if Art of Animation (or any of the Value properties, or any other suggestions!) would work for us? I'm willing to get 2 rooms. Are any of the suites near regular rooms? If I could get one family suite and one regular room, we'd be good, I think.

Any other ideas? We did a really nice trip last spring break where we stayed in a two bedroom villa at Animal Kingdom Lodge. I don't want to break the bank this year, but we still need some privacy. I'd like to keep my hotel budget around $550 a night if possible.

Thanks!

You could get one suite and one regular room at AoA, they won't be in the same section however, (closest would be a regular room in Little Mermaid and suite in Lion King) and it's going to run you over $600 a night. Cheapest thing to do would be to get two value rooms, but most comfortable (and still under $550) would be to get two rooms at a moderate. I personally would pick POR for this one. Two rooms, queen beds, two bathrooms.

 

[mom58]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm mulling over all the options. I'll look into the villas--we stayed at AK last spring break and it cost more than I want to spend this year. I'll try some other villas, and I'll definitely look at POR.

I'm glad to find out that the suites are all in one building. I think by the time I spent the money for 2 suites, I'd be better off looking at a villa.

I'm also looking at staying off property to save a BIG chunk!

Y'all gave me a lot more to think about!

 

[bek]

The Wilderness cabins sleep 6.

All Stars Music has family suites. I don't know if their suites are near standard rooms.

 

[heidijanesmith]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm mulling over all the options. I'll look into the villas--we stayed at AK last spring break and it cost more than I want to spend this year. I'll try some other villas, and I'll definitely look at POR.

I'm glad to find out that the suites are all in one building. I think by the time I spent the money for 2 suites, I'd be better off looking at a villa.

I'm also looking at staying off property to save a BIG chunk!

Y'all gave me a lot more to think about!

That's tough to figure out what would appeal to teens and where/how they will sleep. I am not sure if this would work for you, but one year we rented three rooms at AKL, with an AP discount, as they have bunkbed options. Since you have already been to AKL, maybe WL would be a good choice as these resorts both have bunkbed options.

I booked the rooms a head of time and then added the AP discount when they were released. AP discounts are not always available, but if one is you could get two rooms at a huge savings, add the bunk beds and you don't have to worry about teens sleeping in the same bed.