Disney's Art of Animation Resort hotel

[jcmaro]

I'm looking at this resort for our trip next October. Honestly, I don't care where we stay as long as it's on property and we aren't crammed together. It will be my mom, DH, me, DS, DD and DD (7, 5 and 2 1/2 at the time of trip) and we want the regular dining plan. This trip is looking expensive but I love Disney and can't wait to go back. I just need to figure out where to stay and when to go!

 

[rachel09985]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...n-resort-will-open-in-phases-starting-may-31/

New video was posted!!! Can't wait to stay here in 2013!

 

[lovesdumbo]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...n-resort-will-open-in-phases-starting-may-31/

New video was posted!!! Can't wait to stay here in 2013!

Cool!!!

Still can't figure out the layout. I couldn't see any closets. I really enjoyed all the storage in the ASMusic suite.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Closets? We don't get no closets.

I'm going to guess there must be the hanging bars in one of the bathroom areas. I don't think there is a stand alone closet like in Deluxe rooms.

My DH liked the separation between the eating and sitting area. That little bit of a jog is nice.

I like that the entrance is not in the sitting area.

Really hoping we can make this work. The price is so steep.

 

[HeatherLassell]

I screencapped the model of the room from the video.

I would assume that closets just aren't in the model...because there has to be.

I'm not loving that it looks like the table and chairs (that turn into the bed) seems to be right by the front door while the parents would be back in the far right corner away from the door. I know you can lock them but I'd never design it that way.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Closets? We don't get no closets.

I'm going to guess there must be the hanging bars in one of the bathroom areas. I don't think there is a stand alone closet like in Deluxe rooms.

My DH liked the separation between the eating and sitting area. That little bit of a jog is nice.

I like that the entrance is not in the sitting area.

Really hoping we can make this work. The price is so steep.

I didn't really mean a closed closet. I did like that the AS suite had 2 hanging areas.

I like that there are windows away from the walkways.

Love that the table is bigger than the tiny little 2 seater in the AS suite.

But....the price is a bit high. My family of 5 can fit in one room and if the price is the same (or close to the same) I think I would choose 1 standard room at the BWI over a family suite. We stayed club level this summer at BWI with a 40% discount and paid $288. Rack Rate on the Animation Suite for next summer is $249. I know it is not really a fair comparison. If I could get the 40% off a BWI CL room next summer I could likely get something off the suite but maybe not with them being new. I think I would have to choose a CL room with the convenience of Epcot location over AoA suite for $40 less a night.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I screencapped the model of the room from the video.

I would assume that closets just aren't in the model...because there has to be.

I'm not loving that it looks like the table and chairs (that turn into the bed) seems to be right by the front door while the parents would be back in the far right corner away from the door. I know you can lock them but I'd never design it that way.

Maybe that little jut out next to the TV against the outside wall in the bedroom is a closet.

Sleeping right by the door is the way the AS suites are except that all 4 sleeping spots other than the bedroom are right at the door in the AS suite while only 2 are in the AoA suite.

 

[lamb616]

I screencapped the model of the room from the video.

I would assume that closets just aren't in the model...because there has to be.

I'm not loving that it looks like the table and chairs (that turn into the bed) seems to be right by the front door while the parents would be back in the far right corner away from the door. I know you can lock them but I'd never design it that way.

my kids always go in the separate bedroom whenever we stay in suites. I wouldn't let them sleep in the open sleeping area. God forbid someone breaks in, or one of them sleepwalks out the door (they've never slept walk, I'm just overly paranoid like that, lol).

 

[lamb616]

i love that there's 3 sleeping areas vs. 2. In this case I might put DD (4) and me in the bedroom, ODS (8) in the back sleeping area, and DH up front by the door.

so the tvs are on the walls? Is there an armoire type thing with drawers in the living room like in ASMU? Is that the red thing next to the couch?

Is anyone else thinking "Oh crap, you mean I have to clean off the table every night in order to fold it out into a bed?" that ended up being our gathering place for everything - bags, pocketbooks, pamphlets, trinkets, etc.

 

[winterman]

I didn't realize, until I was at POP last week, that most of the buildings will have internal hallways. I would assume those are the suite buildings and the ones with the outside walkways will have regular rooms.

 

[HeatherLassell]

I didn't realize, until I was at POP last week, that most of the buildings will have internal hallways. I would assume those are the suite buildings and the ones with the outside walkways will have regular rooms.

I think you're exactly right. Because originally the rooms would be the same as POP. But only the 2 (i think it was only 2) buildings were built back in early 200/2001. So those will be the regular Little Mermaid rooms. All the new buildings that they built do have the internal hallways and those are the ones with the suites.

I just saw this information:
Walt Disney World has announced an opening date for their newest accommodations, the Art of Animation Resort. The value resort will open in stages, with the first phase, the "Finding Nemo" section, opening May 31, 2012. After that will come "Cars" in late July, "The Lion King" in late September, and "The Little Mermaid" in late 2012. The resort is near the Pop Century Resort, and will boast 1,120 family suites and 864 guest rooms. According to the Disney Parks Blog, the "Finding Nemo" section at the Art of Animation Resort will house the largest swimming pool of any Disney resort. This pool will measure a whopping 11,859 square feet. A children's water play area and two other pools will round out the rest of the resort's aquatic offerings.

 

[Colleen27]

I think you're exactly right. Because originally the rooms would be the same as POP. But only the 2 (i think it was only 2) buildings were built back in early 200/2001. So those will be the regular Little Mermaid rooms. All the new buildings that they built do have the internal hallways and those are the ones with the suites.

I just saw this information:
Walt Disney World has announced an opening date for their newest accommodations, the Art of Animation Resort. The value resort will open in stages, with the first phase, the "Finding Nemo" section, opening May 31, 2012. After that will come "Cars" in late July, "The Lion King" in late September, and "The Little Mermaid" in late 2012. The resort is near the Pop Century Resort, and will boast 1,120 family suites and 864 guest rooms. According to the Disney Parks Blog, the "Finding Nemo" section at the Art of Animation Resort will house the largest swimming pool of any Disney resort. This pool will measure a whopping 11,859 square feet. A children's water play area and two other pools will round out the rest of the resort's aquatic offerings.

It is sounding more and more like AoA will occupy its own 'level' between value and moderate in terms of amenities, which explains the higher pricing. The more elaborate pool complex will, if done well and maintained (unlike the Goofy jets at POP), do a lot to justify the higher pricing in my book.

 

[DreamLiveLoveDisney]

SOOOO excited!!! I just booked AoA Little Mermaid room for January 2013!!! I can not wait!!!

 

[BlovesC]

I'm obsessed with reading updates on the construction of this resort. I can't wait to stay here! DH and I have never stayed in a value yet, but I've been wanting to because I love the colorful themeing they all have...but now with AoA around the corner I'm so excited! The rooms look amazing! We book a resort stay every January for my birthday so I'm hoping to snag a Little Mermaid room as soon as reservations for 2013 are opened up. We don't have any kids yet but we wouldn't mind giving one of the Lion King suites a try either. That's a lot of space for such a decent price!

 

[BlovesC]

SOOOO excited!!! I just booked AoA Little Mermaid room for January 2013!!! I can not wait!!!

Really?! How? The Disney site keeps telling me reservations are only open up through December 2012!

 

[DreamLiveLoveDisney]

Really?! How? The Disney site keeps telling me reservations are only open up through December 2012!

You can book a room only reservation 500 days out. You have to call though. If you want a package, you can add it to your room reservation later.

 

[BlovesC]

You can book a room only reservation 500 days out. You have to call though. If you want a package, you can add it to your room reservation later.

Holy cow, I never knew that! I always do everything online and I never imagined there were different rules for different systems. We only ever book room-only, anyway, unless we do AP+dining but we usually add that closer to the date. Thanks for the tip! I'll have to square away our Jan 2013 dates sooner than I thought!

 

[DreamLiveLoveDisney]

Holy cow, I never knew that! I always do everything online and I never imagined there were different rules for different systems. We only ever book room-only, anyway, unless we do AP+dining but we usually add that closer to the date. Thanks for the tip! I'll have to square away our Jan 2013 dates sooner than I thought!

I was pretty excited to learn about it too. I have a feeling that as soon as those rooms are available online, they're going to go fast!

 

[babyrich]

So I decided to price and possibly book a stay here in October 2012. Only suites come up available. Is that really possible that is the only thing left? I tried all of Sept and Oct and the first week in Nov 2012.

There are only 2 of us, I dont need a suite.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

There are only suites available until the end of 2012. The single/normal rooms will be complete last.