Disney's ART OF ANIMATION RESORT Thread

[disneyophile]

Someone mentioned in another thread that some of the rooms at AoA open to an inner hallway (like a hotel) rather than to the outside (like a motel). Would someone be able to tell me which building/rooms have his configuration. Thank you in advance.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Someone mentioned in another thread that some of the rooms at AoA open to an inner hallway (like a hotel) rather than to the outside (like a motel). Would someone be able to tell me which building/rooms have his configuration. Thank you in advance.

The Littler Mermaid section has outside hallways. The other buildings all have inside hallways.

 

[cgattis]

Someone mentioned in another thread that some of the rooms at AoA open to an inner hallway (like a hotel) rather than to the outside (like a motel). Would someone be able to tell me which building/rooms have his configuration. Thank you in advance.

Like @GADisneyDad14 said, only LM has the outside doors. All the other sections are fully enclosed, with each building having its own entrance and elevator lobby (I.e., not a staffed desk, just an open area). There are also ice and vending on some of the floors. The laundry room for Cars is in the separate Cozy Cone Motel building. Not sure where the laundry is in the other sections. We love AoA!

 

[nkereina]

Someone mentioned in another thread that some of the rooms at AoA open to an inner hallway (like a hotel) rather than to the outside (like a motel). Would someone be able to tell me which building/rooms have his configuration. Thank you in advance.

To add to what PPs said, the LM area are the standard hotel rooms. The other areas, with the interior corridors, are all family suites. So if you book a family suite, you're good.

 

[WEDWDW]

Little Mermaid buildings and Animation Hall were built as part of Pop Century-The Legendary Years.

That project was scrapped after 9-11 and many years later AoA was built instead of Pop Century-The Legendary Years so Animation Hall and Little Mermaid "mirror" Pop Century buildings.

 

[WEDWDW]

Not sure where the laundry is in the other sections. We love AoA!

All 12 Value Resorts Pools have an adjacent Laundry.

 

[lynzi2004]

How early have people been lining up for buses at AoA? We were at Pop in August and in order to be on the first bus, we were having to start lining up about 2 hours prior to opening....still not being first in line. I’m hoping AoA may not be as crowded??

 

[LdyStormy76]

How early have people been lining up for buses at AoA? We were at Pop in August and in order to be on the first bus, we were having to start lining up about 2 hours prior to opening....still not being first in line. I’m hoping AoA may not be as crowded??

Even though I was at the parks before official park opening I was never on the first bus. The day I went to MK I was on a bus about 8/8:15 ish, and had no one in line ahead of me. All of the busses to/from the parks were minimal to no wait time. I did see people from Pop lining up 2 hours early for the skyliner, and there were cast members actively discouraging AoA guests from using the skyliner to reach Epcot or HS for park opening.

What I did run into was that the official park hours on the app did not match what I was experiencing. MK was supposed to open at 9 that day, and at 8:55 I was standing in a 55 minute line for Mine Train. I had the same experience with both Epcot and AK too.

 

[Minnie84]

Here now. Today for AK we were at the bus stop at 7:30am for a 9am park open. We were second in line. A line didn't start forming until about ten to 8. Bus arrived at 8:20. We've been trying to line up about 90 minutes before for each park and have been well ahead of any lines. We actually were the first people scanned into AK today and 1st on FOP! Same for MK day. 90 minutes before, and the bus came almost right away when we got to the line, about 6:40 that day for 8am park open. The only exception was our HS day. There was a line formed already ( we weren't quite 90 minutes ahead that day) . It also looked like we wouldn't make the first few busses based on the line length, so we quickly called an Uber instead and it arrived in 3 minutes after we called it. We took the skyliner on our Epcot day......not a great idea. It is very busy in the mornings. We still got to Epcot before park open though. Going again Friday, so we will try the bus instead. This is our very first time at WDW ( we are DL goers usually since we live in Canada closer to the west coast), but we have been able to be ahead of most crowds by following the 90 minute ahead plan. By the way, this resort is awesome! We've been having a fantastic time!

How early have people been lining up for buses at AoA? We were at Pop in August and in order to be on the first bus, we were having to start lining up about 2 hours prior to opening....still not being first in line. I’m hoping AoA may not be as crowded??

 

[lynzi2004]

Here now. Today for AK we were at the bus stop at 7:30am for a 9am park open. We were second in line. A line didn't start forming until about ten to 8. Bus arrived at 8:20. We've been trying to line up about 90 minutes before for each park and have been well ahead of any lines. We actually were the first people scanned into AK today and 1st on FOP! Same for MK day. 90 minutes before, and the bus came almost right away when we got to the line, about 6:40 that day for 8am park open. The only exception was our HS day. There was a line formed already ( we weren't quite 90 minutes ahead that day) . It also looked like we wouldn't make the first few busses based on the line length, so we quickly called an Uber instead and it arrived in 3 minutes after we called it. We took the skyliner on our Epcot day......not a great idea. It is very busy in the mornings. We still got to Epcot before park open though. Going again Friday, so we will try the bus instead. This is our very first time at WDW ( we are DL goers usually since we live in Canada closer to the west coast), but we have been able to be ahead of most crowds by following the 90 minute ahead plan. By the way, this resort is awesome! We've been having a fantastic time!

Perfect! Thank you! I was assuming they were opening earlier than stated, and it sounds like the buses are getting you there in time so that is the route we will take! Glad your having a great trip!

 

[lynzi2004]

One more question...is AoA doing the movie nights? I believe some resorts are doing them. If so does anyone have a list of the rest of November?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

One more question...is AoA doing the movie nights? I believe some resorts are doing them. If so does anyone have a list of the rest of November?

Here’s a link with the November schedule, although not exactly sure how to interpret the way they have phrased the AoA schedule.

http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2020/11/movies-under-stars-schedule-for-select.html?m=1

 

[WEDWDW]

AoA and Pop Century are "alternating" Movie Nights so that there is a Movie at one of them each night and they are available to Guests at both Resorts.

 

[lynzi2004]

Here’s a link with the November schedule, although not exactly sure how to interpret the way they have phrased the AoA schedule.

http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2020/11/movies-under-stars-schedule-for-select.html?m=1

AoA and Pop Century are "alternating" Movie Nights so that there is a Movie at one of them each night and they are available to Guests at both Resorts.

thank you both!

 

[CarlyMur09]

We were planning on using the skyliner for our Epcot/HS days, especially since we have a wheelchair and ECV in our group, and would rather not use the car as that requires lifting the ECV, which is heavy. What does it mean that they discourage use of the skyliner for AOA guests during the first 2 hours? We don’t need to be first into the parks, but would like to make it in before or very close the ‘official’ opening time (which looks to be 12 for Epcot and 10 for HS)

 

[LdyStormy76]

We were planning on using the skyliner for our Epcot/HS days, especially since we have a wheelchair and ECV in our group, and would rather not use the car as that requires lifting the ECV, which is heavy. What does it mean that they discourage use of the skyliner for AOA guests during the first 2 hours? We don’t need to be first into the parks, but would like to make it in before or very close the ‘official’ opening time (which looks to be 12 for Epcot and 10 for HS)

AoA has busses to get to those 2 parks, Pop does not. On the morning that I was talking with the 2 cast members on the AoA side they were telling guests that the busses would be faster than the skyliner if being at park opening was important, but they were welcome to wait in line on the AoA side if they wanted. All 3 groups they spoke with while I was there decided on busses. The biggest skyliner hang up seems to be at the transfer point when everyone has to disembark and move to new lines; at that point there are guests from multiple resorts in line so long lines. Also it is now 1 family per car instead of 10 people per car so that slows things down even more.

That morning I walked around Hourglass lake after breakfast and the skyliner line of Pop guests for HS was already out to the walking path, with minimal social distancing. Probably about 7:30 am based on the time stamp from photos. Cast members were in position just after 8.

My suggestion: Take the bus if being at the park near opening is important to you. The drivers are really good at flipping seats up to accommodate guests with wheels.

 

[CarlyMur09]

AoA has busses to get to those 2 parks, Pop does not. On the morning that I was talking with the 2 cast members on the AoA side they were telling guests that the busses would be faster than the skyliner if being at park opening was important, but they were welcome to wait in line on the AoA side if they wanted. All 3 groups they spoke with while I was there decided on busses. The biggest skyliner hang up seems to be at the transfer point when everyone has to disembark and move to new lines; at that point there are guests from multiple resorts in line so long lines. Also it is now 1 family per car instead of 10 people per car so that slows things down even more.

That morning I walked around Hourglass lake after breakfast and the skyliner line of Pop guests for HS was already out to the walking path, with minimal social distancing. Probably about 7:30 am based on the time stamp from photos. Cast members were in position just after 8.

My suggestion: Take the bus if being at the park near opening is important to you. The drivers are really good at flipping seats up to accommodate guests with wheels.

There’s gonna be 6 of us, so we’d be taking up quite some room, and after the last time we took a bus in Aug, we’re trying to avoid buses for this trip if possible, and would rather do the skyliner or car. I think we’ll be fine with taking the skyliner in this case, since we should have DAS set up. I just wasn’t sure what it was meant by discouraging people to use the skyliner is all.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Question for those that have been since reopening - am I correct in saying they have been running buses to DHS and Epcot from AoA (but not Pop)?

Thank you!

 

[Minnie84]

Question for those that have been since reopening - am I correct in saying they have been running buses to DHS and Epcot from AoA (but not Pop)?

Thank you!

I can confirm they are most definitely running buses from AOA to Epcot and HS. We have taken both this week. The cast member we spoke to at the skyliner the other day said Pop does not have buses for those 2 parks, hence why their line for the skyliner is quite crazy in the morning. The buses have been great here for the most part.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I can confirm they are most definitely running busses from AOA to Epcot and HS. We have taken both this week. The cast member we spoke to at the skyliner the other day said Pop does not have busses for those 2 parks, hence why their line for the skyliner is quite crazy in the morning. The busses have been great here for the most part.

Thank you!