Disney's ART OF ANIMATION RESORT Thread

[mafibisha]

I'm sorry if this has been asked already, I can't seem to find an answer! I am wondering about entrances to the buildings...I'm trying to stay closest to the main building as I can. I have looked at a map and think Building 1 in the Cars area will be best for us. I'm wondering if you have to walk to the middle of the building to access the stairs and elevators, or if there is some on the ends? Thanks for any answers!

Same question here except we are in the Little Mermaid regular rooms, NOT suites.
TIA!

 

[McQueenMaterMom]

Last year when I went in February, the McQueen in front of the hotel was covered over by a huge box. Is anyone there now or who has come back recently who can let me know if McQueen is there next to Sally? I'm not sure if they schedule maintenance on them or if it was a one time thing (vandalism).

 

[Harters2WDW]

Same question here except we are in the Little Mermaid regular rooms, NOT suites.
TIA!

Us too! Open to any good recs for LM section. We have a car with us and drive to the parks and I don't mind walking.

 

[cgattis]

Last year when I went in February, the McQueen in front of the hotel was covered over by a huge box. Is anyone there now or who has come back recently who can let me know if McQueen is there next to Sally? I'm not sure if they schedule maintenance on them or if it was a one time thing (vandalism).

He was gone when we were there in March, but he was back (and all shiny!) in October. I think they will probably stay in a continuous cycle of refurb, since kids (and some adults probably) just can't resist touching and leaning on them.

 

[Dreamport]

I'm sorry if this has been asked already, I can't seem to find an answer! I am wondering about entrances to the buildings...I'm trying to stay closest to the main building as I can. I have looked at a map and think Building 1 in the Cars area will be best for us. I'm wondering if you have to walk to the middle of the building to access the stairs and elevators, or if there is some on the ends? Thanks for any answers!

You can definitely go in and out of the stairwells on the ends of the buildings. We stayed in the Cars building with Luigi & Guido in front of it two years ago, 3rd floor in the last suite facing the main path to the pool, and used the end stairwell to enter and exit the whole week except when arriving and departing with our luggage. Very easy to do (and we got to say "good morning" to Sheriff each day.)

 

[bluezy]

There are rooms in both Cars and LK that are closer than some rooms in Nemo; it just depends where in the building you end up.

Yes, there are doors/stairs in the ends of each building, but we never used them, so I'm not sure if you can enter that way or exit only.

We've stayed in Cars and LK and never had an issue with distance to the main building, but we don't have any mobility issues. As PP noted, "near lobby" and "near transportation" are what you want. I'd pick the building based on my preferred theme.

Totally agree. We wanted to be in a Nemo suite so that we would be closest to the food court and bus stops. When discounts came out, we had to switch to Lion King. We ended up in Bldg. 10 right by the stairwell closest to the main building. Our room was closer to Landscape of Flavors than 3/4 of the Nemo Suites and closer to the bus stops than about 2/3 of the Nemo Suites (would have been a much shorter walk if we didn't have to take such an indirect path to get there).

 

[coastermom]

How wonderful is AOA ? Our last few trips have been to all Deluxe resorts .. Beach Club , AKL 2 times and just this Sept in the Contemporary .. We have to say that we disliked the Contemporary and love love love the AKL .. I have become that person now and only want to stay deluxe but hubby wants to try AOA for the suite .. Sell me on AOA guys >. We are traveling in Sept again !

 

[trishypoo]

We will be staying at AOA a for first time in FEB, but I have stayed at the family suites in ASM. For us two things make a suite great.....private room for parents....and two bathrooms!!

 

[RookieLady]

How wonderful is AOA ? Our last few trips have been to all Deluxe resorts .. Beach Club , AKL 2 times and just this Sept in the Contemporary .. We have to say that we disliked the Contemporary and love love love the AKL .. I have become that person now and only want to stay deluxe but hubby wants to try AOA for the suite .. Sell me on AOA guys >. We are traveling in Sept again !

We are deluxe people fresh back from AoA. I am making my way through all the resorts. I liked it; my husband did not. We travelled without children, staying in an LM room with a king bed. I thought it was cute. Here are some thoughts.

The buses: they were plentiful. Much better than any deluxe experience I have had. I thought travel times to the parks were overall far superior. However, we stood on the way home every, single time. At first, I thought it was random. However, I started to think it might also be a function of volume of travelers, as well as the touring style of those travelers. We did not take breaks at the hotel, so we were closing (and opening) parks. When we stay deluxe, we enjoy the hotel amenities more and the touring is not as exhausting. I think it played into the bus issue because perhaps others do similar things.

The toilet paper and the towels are of low quality, but are functional. Lotion was not provided, and I was not wild about the shampoo combination.

The grounds are just darling. There is a beautiful running trail that I really enjoyed. I liked it better than the trail between WL and Fort Wilderness.

We didn't try the food court, other than to purchase water after a run. I thought the line was a little ridiculous ( I just about finished my water standing in line, before I paid for it and I got in the shortest line).

I would not stay in LM with children because of its size, but I would go back on an adult only trip or in one of the suites. I also thought the theme of cars (at least outside) was far superior to the other suite areas.

Mousekeeping was wonderful, although we didn't get towel animals (I don't care but I know others do).

I did not try the pool because I thought it was too cold, although there were others in it. It was huge.

The walk to the busses from LM was not bad, but the walk back after being on my feet all day was long. There is no way that I would utilize the drink refill thing at this resort in the LM rooms. The only reason I went to the food court is because I was already running and planned the end of my run at the food court. The walk back was a nice cool down.

We stayed in Ursula (sp?) and had a wonderful view of the lake. I never really enjoyed a view at hotels with exterior exits, but we were on a high floor with little traffic, so I was willing to open the curtains.

If you go with the right expectations, I think that you will like it. My husband did not care for it because I think he is used to the slower pace the deluxe resort encourages you to take.

 

[cgattis]

We stayed at AKL last year and LOVED it. We've also stayed at SOG, Poly, Beach Club, and Dolphin. Within the first hour at AoA, DH said "this is the best place we've ever stayed." And he is not a "Disney guy;" if we never went again, I doubt he'd complain. We liked it well enough (over our spring break) that we stayed there again over fall break. Like PP said, private bedroom and TWO bathrooms just nails it. (Although I'd sleep in the cones if they'd let me!! LOL)

 

[cajunfan]

We will be staying in a suite in May for 9 days. In total there are 5 of us. Two of us will check in on the first day and stay the entire time and check out (we are also the main reservation holder/payer). The other three people will arrive mid-trip and leave a day or two before us. My potential problem is...the two of us arriving first will have all the magic bands and things. We have the Fantasmic! dinner package booked on the day that the other group plan on arriving. Will it be any problem for us to leave their magic bands (in a box or large envelope with their name on it for them in case we are not at the resort when they arrive?

Thanks for any input!

 

[shannon006]

Took the plunge and booked a Lion King Suite for end of May. Me, DH, DS 22, DD 14 & DD 7. Dates are 5/30-6/8. We are celebrating DS college graduation. This is where he wanted to stay. We are very excited and I look forward to reading all about this resort.

 

[FireflyTrance]

Does anyone know if diapers, wipes and swim diapers are sold at AoA? Specifically size 6. I have heard diapers are sold, but I don't know if they carry all sizes.

 

[Disneymadhouse]

Hi, we are planning on staying at AoA for 2 nights after our cruise in December before flying home to the UK.
We are hoping that it will be warm enough to swim, but I am a little concerned about the big blue not being chlorine but being salt. How salty is it??!! I really dislike salt water pools and would immediately discount booking a hotel because of it having a salt water pool, but the theming looks wonderful at AoA!

Thanks for any info!

Claire

 

[cgattis]

Salt pools aren't "saltwater," like the ocean. It will feel and smell like tap water. You'll love it at AoA

 

[Chicago Mo]

Salt pools aren't "saltwater," like the ocean. It will feel and smell like tap water. You'll love it at AoA

can you explain this to me? we have stayed at AoA last Sept. WE LOVED IT hands down i was a poly snob turned into a AoA freak.

But in the pool it tasted weird, i asked if it was salt water and was told NO. what is the difference between salt pool and salt water?!?


thank you!

 

[pwillunlv]

This may sound like a weird question, but are the blankets on the beds at AoA the same type of light-weight polyester blankets you would expect to see at a Motel 6? If so, is there a way to request a different type of blanket?

My DW has a thing about those types of blankets--they are a deal-breaker.

 

[cgattis]

can you explain this to me? we have stayed at AoA last Sept. WE LOVED IT hands down i was a poly snob turned into a AoA freak. But in the pool it tasted weird, i asked if it was salt water and was told NO. what is the difference between salt pool and salt water?!? thank you!

Ok...in my best Cliff Clavin voice...little known fact, a, er, saltwater pool is actually only one tenth as salty as the ocean. (But it's the same salt--just like table salt.). Then instead of adding chlorine (a sanitizer), water is circulated through a device that uses electrolysis to convert some of that salt to a chlorine gas, which is dissolved in the water. It actually becomes somewhat of a regenerative cycle, too, but I've already said way more than I know

 

[Mommyof2Boos]

We will be staying in a suite in May for 9 days. In total there are 5 of us. Two of us will check in on the first day and stay the entire time and check out (we are also the main reservation holder/payer). The other three people will arrive mid-trip and leave a day or two before us. My potential problem is...the two of us arriving first will have all the magic bands and things. We have the Fantasmic! dinner package booked on the day that the other group plan on arriving. Will it be any problem for us to leave their magic bands (in a box or large envelope with their name on it for them in case we are not at the resort when they arrive?

Thanks for any input!

Is the other part of your party utilizing Disney Transporation from the airport? If so they will need tickets, or MagicBands from what I understand. Can you mail their bands? If they are not I don't see why keeping them at the hotel desk wouldn't work. They can show the reservation number, tell them their names, and give the room number you are in and it shouldn't be a problem, I would think. But to be sure I would call.

Another thing my mother suggested doing is have them head straight to the parks and get a locker, tell them the combination to the lock and put the bands in their to pick up when they get there. This would be easiest if there was not a lot of luggage, but it would be an option.

 

[Chicago Mo]

Ok...in my best Cliff Clavin voice...little known fact, a, er, saltwater pool is actually only one tenth as salty as the ocean. (But it's the same salt--just like table salt.). Then instead of adding chlorine (a sanitizer), water is circulated through a device that uses electrolysis to convert some of that salt to a chlorine gas, which is dissolved in the water. It actually becomes somewhat of a regenerative cycle, too, but I've already said way more than I know

THIS was quite the lesson in Salt! And i am a Cliff Clavin fan, and had to read your explanation in his voice...
Thanks again. People with home pools are tuning into "salt" is this the same?