Disney's ART OF ANIMATION RESORT Thread

[CornishPixie]

Hi All,

I'm trying to get your valuable opinions please.
My wife, two girls (9 and 6) and myself are booked to be at the Port Orleans Riverside Resort in May 2014 for 14 nights.

My wife and myself are having concerns that the POR resort may not feel like "Disney" for the girls..
We stayed last year at the Movies resort and we all absolutely loved it.. we loved the ability to sit around the pool to eat or breakfast, we had a great room location, just 2 mins from the main building. Food was good and we didn't have any major issues at all.
With this is mind, we booked again for 2014 but this time I picked a resort that I thought might be an upgrade.
It's only now we are having a few concerns if we booked the right hotel. I love the idea of the AoA suites to give us more space and different sleeping areas.

What do you guys think?????

Stay at the Port Orleans Riverside (Preferred room location paid for)

Stay in AoA suite

Would love your inputs.

I think it is a fantastic idea to split your stay! We are doing that with AOA LK Suite and AKV Kidani Suite. Especially because you are staying so many days, it would be fun to have two different experiences. I am betting you will end up loving both resorts!

 

[jpessa]

I think it is a fantastic idea to split your stay! We are doing that with AOA LK Suite and AKV Kidani Suite. Especially because you are staying so many days, it would be fun to have two different experiences. I am betting you will end up loving both resorts!

Agree with a split stay. It can be great fun to experience different ones. You will LOVE AoA. In my opinion only it's the most "Disney" resort out there.

 

[magictam2]

Cking into AofA yesterday morning was not the way to start our magical experience. That CM was less than pleasant. She barely acknowledged we were there. she didn't give out very clear instructions or at least instructions I could understand regarding key cards AND magic bands.
Bill service lost the stroller that Apple dropped off. Just when Apple said they'd redeliver they found it.
Once we got into the HS park it was all better.

 

[magictam2]

I'm not sure if this was mentioned but the MBs do not open the pool gates or building side doors. Those take a regular door card.
Also at the pool there are no towels. Just towel returns. The info on the TV said to bring your own towels from the room. So maybe it's just because of the time year and it's not very crowded. But I was most disappointed to find out there are no hot tubs here. My feet could use one.

 

[Loftin716]

Cking into AofA yesterday morning was not the way to start our magical experience. That CM was less than pleasant. She barely acknowledged we were there. she didn't give out very clear instructions or at least instructions I could understand regarding key cards AND magic bands. Bill service lost the stroller that Apple dropped off. Just when Apple said they'd redeliver they found it. Once we got into the HS park it was all better.

Awe! Hope the remainder of your visit is wonderful!

 

[magictam2]

I'm not sure if this was mentioned but the MBs do not open the pool gates or building side doors. Those take a regular door card. Also at the pool there are no towels. Just towel returns. The info on the TV said to bring your own towels from the room. So maybe it's just because of the time year and it's not very crowded. But I was most disappointed to find out there are no hot tubs here. My feet could use one.

My DD said she was able to get the MB to work on the gate. But she said it was hard and more luck than anything.

 

[jcarwash]

Also at the pool there are no towels. Just towel returns. The info on the TV said to bring your own towels from the room. So maybe it's just because of the time year and it's not very crowded. But I was most disappointed to find out there are no hot tubs here. My feet could use one.

Disney value resorts:
1. Do not have any hot tubs.
2. Do not supply towels at the pools at any time. You can ask for extra if you need them. There may also be racks with extra towels in the elevator areas, depending on the resort.

 

[jpessa]

I'm not sure if this was mentioned but the MBs do not open the pool gates or building side doors. Those take a regular door card.
Also at the pool there are no towels. Just towel returns. The info on the TV said to bring your own towels from the room. So maybe it's just because of the time year and it's not very crowded. But I was most disappointed to find out there are no hot tubs here. My feet could use one.

I used the MB to open the pool gates and side doors in September. Don't know if it changed.

Values never have pool towels or hot tubs. Those amenities start at moderate level resorts.

 

[magictam2]

I haven't stayed value before. So wasn't aware of the no hot tubes. BUMMER.
Apparently an MBS challenged. My daughter was able to use the band on the Pool gates but I'm still struggling.

 

[michigandergirl]

We just got back from a weeks stay at AOA in a Finding Nemo suite. Absolutely loved the theming! The grounds and the room are amazing - so stinking cute! We were in building 5 on the 4th floor facing the lake and it was so quiet, I swear we must have been the only ones there. The staff was very friendly, my kids especially loved the pool deck activities. Never waited long for a bus. All in all, a great time.

Oh, and the MB's do open the pool gates, but there was one gate in particular that didn't work much of the time for some reason.

 

[G719]

Regarding using your magic band at the pool gate, we were told that you have to first use your band to open your room door before using it at the pool. Our DD had used her band when we first arrived to open the room. DH tried his at the pool gate and that is what the CMs said. It did work after we used it for the room. And there was one gate on the side of the nemo pool that none of us could get to work.
And you can get towels from a cart right inside the main door of the nemo buildings.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I used the MB to open the pool gates and side doors in September. Don't know if it changed.

Values never have pool towels or hot tubs. Those amenities start at moderate level resorts.

We also used the MB to open the pool gates and the laundry room in late September. They always worked, quite easily for us. And, they had towels available every day (and evening) inside the Nemo building, by the elevator. I was staying in Nemo, so I am not sure if they had these carts in every building, or just by the pool in Nemo.

I loved the bridge to Pop, it's quite nice, and we walked over to eat at the Pop food court one night, and to walk around.

 

[scotlass]

Hey,

We are swithering between AoA and All Star Music.

But Im not sure my 14yrs DS will be keen on a LM room !!
DH thinks it will be brilliant just to see his face....

 

[mickeysmith]

Hey,

We are swithering between AoA and All Star Music.

But Im not sure my 14yrs DS will be keen on a LM room !!
DH thinks it will be brilliant just to see his face....

That would be a priceless picture!!

 

[KanataDad]

I read on a thread that bottled water is very expensive at Disney. Anyone know the exact price? To get it delivered from local grocery store there is a minimum order required (I think $40).

 

[bluezy]

I read on a thread that bottled water is very expensive at Disney. Anyone know the exact price? To get it delivered from local grocery store there is a minimum order required (I think $40).

It's $2.50/bottle throughout the parks and resorts. Expensive compared to a grocery store or big box retailer but cheap compared to other tourist attractions I've been to in the last few months (it was $4/bottle at 3 different amusement parks and a whopping $5.50 at Radio City Music Hall).

 

[WantToGoNow]

That would be a priceless picture!!

My ds12 was ok with it. He said it wasn't overly girly.

 

[KanataDad]

It's $2.50/bottle throughout the parks and resorts. Expensive compared to a grocery store or big box retailer but cheap compared to other tourist attractions I've been to in the last few months (it was $4/bottle at 3 different amusement parks and a whopping $5.50 at Radio City Music Hall).

We tried to order from staples.com but they won't accept Canadian credit cards. Walmart.com expected delivery for AoA showing 12/19 which is too late, and we don't have a car to pick up from a local store. Are there any other options for quicker delivery?

 

[blueangel2]

We tried to order from staples.com but they won't accept Canadian credit cards. Walmart.com expected delivery for AoA showing 12/19 which is too late, and we don't have a car to pick up from a local store. Are there any other options for quicker delivery?

Have you tried Amazon.com?

 

[mikat]

deleted - false story on another thread