Disney's ART OF ANIMATION RESORT Thread

[bluezy]

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I gave up going through the pages and just decided to ask instead.

We are going in September, when historically they have offered free dining - which we are really hoping for. Do I understand right that because this is technically a value resort only counter service fd is offered? But you can pay the difference for the upgrade? Does anyone happen to know what the difference is (would it be taken from the rack rate when doing reservations online)?

Our dilemma is that AoA would give us the space we need for two adults, three teenagers, and a baby, but that seems to be it if we have to pay the difference for fd. It would cost $1000 less to stay at CBR and we wouldn't have to upgrade fd. Decisions, decisions! I just can't believe a room we would be paying so much more for and has more space wouldn't be considered in a higher class than a cramped one room hotel room.

If free dining is offered during your stay, you would pay rack rate for the room at either resort. If you stay at AoA, based on past years, you would receive the QSDP for free. If you want to upgrade to the regular dining plan you would have to pay the difference in price between the QSDP and DDP which is about $20/night/person (so $100 per night in your situation). The resorts at Disney are classified based on the amenities each resort level offers. It's not based on the price of the room. That's why AoA is considered a Value resort even though the suites are sometimes more expensive than some rooms at the Deluxe level. But the suites also have a lot more space.

With the size of your family and ages of the kids, you will be much more comfortable at AoA. I believe the rooms at CBR that sleep 5 (plus an infant) have 2 queen beds and a murphy bed that is somewhere smaller than a twin size bed. I don't have the exact measurements handy, but I remember that when we were considering CBR, I knew our 11 yo would be too tall for the murphy bed. Not to mention with 2 teens and a tween (in addition to 2 adults), we need 2 bathrooms. And it's nice to have 2 separate sleeping areas so that we don't all have to go to sleep and/or wake up at the same time.

 

[howaboutme]

Does AoA have bed rails available to guests? I have heard that resorts do have this option. Is it installed by housekeeping or can I install it myself? I'm asking that because if it is being used on either the pull out couch or the murphy, pre-installing it doesn't make sense. Thanks!

 

[dansdad]

1. Does AoA have bed rails available to guests?
2. Is it installed by housekeeping or can I install it myself?

1. Yup.
2. You install it yourself.

 

[WEDWDW]

I can't wait to try this! Especially since they the animation classes at HS are gone

Here are the hours.

 

[dkmulder]

If free dining is offered during your stay, you would pay rack rate for the room at either resort. If you stay at AoA, based on past years, you would receive the QSDP for free. If you want to upgrade to the regular dining plan you would have to pay the difference in price between the QSDP and DDP which is about $20/night/person (so $100 per night in your situation). The resorts at Disney are classified based on the amenities each resort level offers. It's not based on the price of the room. That's why AoA is considered a Value resort even though the suites are sometimes more expensive than some rooms at the Deluxe level. But the suites also have a lot more space.

With the size of your family and ages of the kids, you will be much more comfortable at AoA. I believe the rooms at CBR that sleep 5 (plus an infant) have 2 queen beds and a murphy bed that is somewhere smaller than a twin size bed. I don't have the exact measurements handy, but I remember that when we were considering CBR, I knew our 11 yo would be too tall for the murphy bed. Not to mention with 2 teens and a tween (in addition to 2 adults), we need 2 bathrooms. And it's nice to have 2 separate sleeping areas so that we don't all have to go to sleep and/or wake up at the same time.

Thank you. This answered all of my questions.

 

[Rivergirl2005]

Here are the hours.

Perfect!!! I was really disappointed when they closed the one at HS, I hope this is just as good!!!!

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We were in a LK suite last May. My 20 year old DD is 6'3" and was on the table bed - said it was SO comfortable. Her friend, not quite as tall, was on the couch bed and said it was the most comfortable pull out bed she'd ever slept on and she's traveled extensively. Now I don't know for sure if it's the beds or the 10+ miles we walked every day, but they slept really well! Hope you have a magical time!

I am happy to read this kind of feedback. I assured my 5"7 14 year old daughter (who is opposed to pull out beds) that she will comfortably survive sharing the table bed with her 9 year old sister. I showed her a room tour video on You Tube and she said she is looking forward to staying here now.

1. Nope
2. As many as can fit. Never heard of
anyone getting turned away.
3. See #2.
4. Any age. As long as you're young at
heart.
5. About an hour.

Thank you for this info. DH, DS7, and DD14 are very artistic and love sketching so this would definitely be of interest to them. We will only be at AOA for two days but one of our days there will be a Disney Springs/no park day. We plan to head to Disney Springs in the morning to avoid the crowds and *hope* to be back before 3pm (depending on the bus service). If not, hopefully the 5pm class won't be too full.

 

[slbgnb]

What's the difference between "character artist hours" and "teach to draw classes"?

 

[PrincessCooper's Mom]

Is there a direct fax number to send room request?
Also if in Little Mermaid Section and you want closed to busses and lobby what should I request?

Thanks

 

[twinsmama]

Is there anyone who LIKES the little mermaid rooms? I am seeing so much on disboards that makes me scared about them. I love LM and 10 minute walk to the busses doesn't sound crazy to me, is it really as bad as people are saying?

 

[SarahDisney]

Is there anyone who LIKES the little mermaid rooms? I am seeing so much on disboards that makes me scared about them. I love LM and 10 minute walk to the busses doesn't sound crazy to me, is it really as bad as people are saying?

I love them. I think the theming is amazing, the room is comfortable, and the walk is fine. If you're a Little Mermaid fan, I can't recommend them enough!

 

[Disneylover99]

Is there anyone who LIKES the little mermaid rooms? I am seeing so much on disboards that makes me scared about them. I love LM and 10 minute walk to the busses doesn't sound crazy to me, is it really as bad as people are saying?

Yes.

That being said, I do love AofA.

 

[dansdad]

Also if in Little Mermaid Section and you want closed to busses and lobby what should I request?

Thanks

"Close to Lobby" would be perfect. No need to complicate things.

 

[bluezy]

Is there anyone who LIKES the little mermaid rooms? I am seeing so much on disboards that makes me scared about them. I love LM and 10 minute walk to the busses doesn't sound crazy to me, is it really as bad as people are saying?

My son and his wife loved the rooms and they were fine with the location. They had a room in building 7 right at the end closest to the Lion King area. They had less than a 5 minute walk to the food court/bus stops. Their room was actually much closer to the food court and bus stops than our (the rest of the family) original location in a Cars suite in the far end of Bldg. 2 (as soon as I saw that location on the map I asked if they had something available in Nemo or LK that would be close to the bus stops/food court and we immediately switched to a LK suite). I thought the LM rooms were really cute and while depending on what building you're in, it can feel like a long walk to the main building and bus stops, but if you know that going in to it, it's probably not as bad as if you booked your room without ever looking at a map and just assumed that all rooms in the resort are really close to the main building.

 

[jcarwash]

Is there anyone who LIKES the little mermaid rooms? I am seeing so much on disboards that makes me scared about them. I love LM and 10 minute walk to the busses doesn't sound crazy to me, is it really as bad as people are saying?

Somebody must like the Little Mermaid rooms, because they are being booked consistently without any special offers/discounts available.

 

[twinsmama]

Thank you guys I feel better! We are HUGE LM fans and used to it taking a while to get between transportation and our room from our previous stays at FW cabins.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

We just got back from a split stay at the GF and the AOA. Our walk at the GF from Boca Chica to the monorail wasn't much further than the walk from LM to the Animation Hall. We enjoyed both resorts very much for all they each had to offer. We were pleasantly surprised to find that we waited no more than 15 minutes for a bus at the AOA and at the MK on Sunday night we stayed for Wishes and left to find a line of about 3 busloads waiting to go back to the AOA. Well, the bus that was there loaded up as many passengers as it could, 30 seconds after it pulled away an accordion tandem bus pulled up, loaded up all it could take and pulled away, and 45 seconds after that bus left another bus came up and picked up the rest of us. Same for POP which was 3 stalls away. The CBR and POR folks were still there when we left -- felt bad for them, but not that bad.!

Tom

 

[colarey]

If we get a ground floor how much can you hear the guests above you while you're in the room?

Obviously depends on the kind of people living above you, haha, but we just got back from our stay and we were on the ground floor in cars bldg 1. Only one one occasion one night did I hear someone above us possibly drop something or maybe set up a pack n play or something of that nature. It was really pretty quiet otherwise though. I expected much worse.

 

[WEDWDW]

What's the difference between "character artist hours" and "teach to draw classes"?

For Character Artist Hours,the Animator is just drawing on their own for Guests to watch and is not "teaching" Guests to draw.

 

[EeyoreME]

Yea! Booked our trip this morning It's all real now