Disney's ART OF ANIMATION RESORT Thread

[provencio]

No, only the rooms at Moderates and Deluxes have ceiling fans. However, each Value resort has box fans you can request from housekeeping on a first come first served basis.

Thanks.. I have online registration coming up soon.. would this be something I should request at this time?

 

[dansdad]

Thanks.. I have online registration coming up soon.. would this be something I should request at this time?

No, that's not an option during online check in. You'll have to call housekeeping when you get to your room and ask for one.

 

[hulagirl87]

Oh happy day! Just switched us over from Cars to Nemo! It wasn't available the past few weeks to be able to switch, but today it was! I"m watching some snow falling outside our window right now. I'd like to be in Disney now please

 

[JoannaTN7]

Okay, I have a question (and I totally apologize if it's been asked previously - this thread is HUGE, though)! My family and I aren't going until fall of 2017 (crazy long way off, I know), but we are aggressively saving for this trip. We are lower income and rather desperate to try save for an AoA family suite! Of course, needing to budget so closely I've been looking into every from room discounts to free dining, to everything in between! Now, I noticed with "free dining" (which is NEVER guaranteed, I get that) that value resorts get the quick service plan. Even though AoA is considered a value resort, the family suites are more expensive than the moderate resorts. If you book a family suite are you forced into that quick service bracket? Do they even offer the free dining promotion to AoA? If anyone out there has any experience with this promotion and resort, or have at least researched it extensively I'd be very grateful for your expertise!

 

[dansdad]

Okay, I have a question (and I totally apologize if it's been asked previously - this thread is HUGE, though)! My family and I aren't going until fall of 2017 (crazy long way off, I know), but we are aggressively saving for this trip. We are lower income and rather desperate to try save for an AoA family suite! Of course, needing to budget so closely I've been looking into every from room discounts to free dining, to everything in between! Now, I noticed with "free dining" (which is NEVER guaranteed, I get that) that value resorts get the quick service plan. Even though AoA is considered a value resort, the family suites are more expensive than the moderate resorts. If you book a family suite are you forced into that quick service bracket?

Yes, if you book a Family Suite with the Free Dining offer you will get the Quick Service Plan. You can upgrade to the Regular Dining Plan and pay the difference. Currently it would be an extra $19 per night for each guest over 10 and $3.49 per night for each guest 3-9.

Do they even offer the free dining promotion to AoA?

For the Family Suites, usually yes. The Little Mermaid rooms are normally excluded from the Free Dining offer.

 

[JoannaTN7]

Thanks so much, dansdad! That will really help me if they offer in next year. We'd probably spring for just paying the difference for the regular plan. I mean, our worst case scenario would be having to switch over to Caribbean Beach for the lower price (but the bonus of the pulldown bed option), but if we can swing an AoA family suite we would be on top of the world!

 

[JoannaTN7]

Okay, let's open up a new can of worms! Get ready for this one:

Obviously there are many people here who have extensive experience with Disney World resorts. I, however, am an amateur. In 3 adult trips I've only stayed once at Port Orleans, and that was back in 2001 for my honeymoon. SO! Now I plan a resort return with my husband and our 2 children (ages 13 and 5 by the trip) and I was hoping to get some helpful tips and opinions regarding how we should spin this. Obviously we'd love to get a family suite, not because we need the room, but because of the added convenience of a 2nd bathroom and a little privacy with a master bedroom. But the cost is making me sweat a bit here, even with our aggressive savings plan. And seriously? Does anyone NOT love Finding Nemo? Now, all this taken into consideration, has anyone stayed in the moderate resorts along with this one? I know the Caribbean Beach resorts have a pulldown bed the little one would likely enjoy. In your opinions, are the benefits of the family suites worth the cost, or would you save some bucks and bounce over to the Caribbean Beach instead? Or is there another option I'm missing entirely (with the understanding I do NOT want to deal with the chaos that would likely ensue by sticking a 5 year-old in the same bed as his 13 year-old sister)? Please keep in mind my family is lower income and as gorgeous as these deluxe resorts are, their price tags throws them into nothing more than the realm of pipe dreams!

Thanks so much for any help WDW resort veterans can offer a semi-newb like me!

 

[dansdad]

Okay, let's open up a new can of worms! Get ready for this one:

Obviously there are many people here who have extensive experience with Disney World resorts. I, however, am an amateur. In 3 adult trips I've only stayed once at Port Orleans, and that was back in 2001 for my honeymoon. SO! Now I plan a resort return with my husband and our 2 children (ages 13 and 5 by the trip) and I was hoping to get some helpful tips and opinions regarding how we should spin this. Obviously we'd love to get a family suite, not because we need the room, but because of the added convenience of a 2nd bathroom and a little privacy with a master bedroom. But the cost is making me sweat a bit here, even with our aggressive savings plan. And seriously? Does anyone NOT love Finding Nemo? Now, all this taken into consideration, has anyone stayed in the moderate resorts along with this one? I know the Caribbean Beach resorts have a pulldown bed the little one would likely enjoy. In your opinions, are the benefits of the family suites worth the cost, or would you save some bucks and bounce over to the Caribbean Beach instead? Or is there another option I'm missing entirely (with the understanding I do NOT want to deal with the chaos that would likely ensue by sticking a 5 year-old in the same bed as his 13 year-old sister)? Please keep in mind my family is lower income and as gorgeous as these deluxe resorts are, their price tags throws them into nothing more than the realm of pipe dreams!

Thanks so much for any help WDW resort veterans can offer a semi-newb like me!

Port Orleans Riverside and Caribbean Beach both have rooms with a Murphy Bed. Of those 2 we prefer CBR, it is our favorite Moderate and our 2nd favorite in all of WDW. Both are great resorts though. At POR if you book a preferred room you will be guaranteed a room with the Murphy Bed. At CBR, since you are only a party of 4, a room with a Murphy bed will be a request. What you will get at POR and CBR over AoA:

Pool slides
Hot tubs
Ceiling fans in the room
2 real beds
Table service restaurant
Yeeha Bob Jackson - great entertainer at POR
Boat to Disney Springs - POR only
Bike rentals - for a fee
Savings of ~$100 per night


We have stayed in both POR and CBR with 2 adults and 3 kids with no issues at all. AoA is a great resort also, but for the $$ saved I would go with CBR or POR. Just my $.02.

 

[JoannaTN7]

Thanks so much again, dansdad! Man, you are ON this, lol! I really appreciate the advice and just hope my husband will be willing to look at the pricetag. Honestly? When he saw the Nemo rooms his eyes glazed over. I'll also point out that IF we can snag free dining, we'd automatically have the regular plan as opposed to the counter service one!

Oh, and since I have absolute no cents, your .02 is a boon!

 

[dansdad]

Thanks so much again, dansdad! Man, you are ON this, lol! I really appreciate the advice and just hope my husband will be willing to look at the pricetag. Honestly? When he saw the Nemo rooms his eyes glazed over. I'll also point out that IF we can snag free dining, we'd automatically have the regular plan as opposed to the counter service one!

Oh, and since I have absolute no cents, your .02 is a boon!

 

[minnie mum]

From a strictly budget point of view, you would likely save a lot more money staying at CBR in a resort room. The room rate is less and if free dining is offered, this resort is usually included. You would get free dining without the need to pay to upgrade.

We've stayed at CBR several times. It has a larger room than you would get in a regular value room. And while it only has a single bathroom, the vanity area outside the tub/toilet has 2 sinks. But you wouldn't have a kitchenette. Which only means you wouldn't have a microwave in your room. But there is one for guest use in the food court.

The other thing CBR has going for it is a really great main pool and splash pad area, pirate themed and very kid friendly.

It's not an easy decision. We usually stay at mods, but this time we are a group of 4 adults and one child. Our choice was 2 mod rooms or one family suite. I'm leaning heavily towards the suite because it's the lesser cost in our case. Even though that means 2 of the adults will have to sleep on a double sofa bed.

 

[JoannaTN7]

Thank you, Minnie mum! It is a tough decision. I'm just glad I have so many nice people willing to nudge me in the best direction!

 

[Minnie222]

We just stayed there in the Cars Room. The room is nice and close to Main building.

Pros: Beautiful outdoor decor.

Cons:
1. They piped in candy smell in the main lobby. Cute the first time you encounter it. The second time I walked there, I felt sick and allergic to it and was sneezing and tearing right on the spot. (And I am not a person with major allergies)

2. The carpets look very stained and dirty in the corridors and in room. The opening of sofa bed was very hard (need to call for help), and the fact that we need to put the cushion seats on the floor makes it feel VERY dirty. The room is large, but just don't know where to put things when you need to open all beds.
Good for 1 try. On fence about returning.

3. Some of Mermaid Sections are way out. Unbelievably far from main building.

And I kept thinking about Pop Legendary Years while at the main building. Wish they had built it that way.
Sorry to be negative. I wish I liked it better. I had high hopes and I was disappointed.
Overall just ok. Will try some place else next time.

 

[bluezy]

We just stayed there in the Cars Room. The room is nice and close to Main building.

Pros: Beautiful outdoor decor.

Cons:
1. They piped in candy smell in the main lobby. Cute the first time you encounter it. The second time I walked there, I felt sick and allergic to it and was sneezing and tearing right on the spot. (And I am not a person with major allergies)

2. The carpets look very stained and dirty in the corridors and in room. The opening of sofa bed was very hard (need to call for help), and the fact that we need to put the cushion seats on the floor makes it feel VERY dirty. The room is large, but just don't know where to put things when you need to open all beds.
Good for 1 try. On fence about returning.

3. Some of Mermaid Sections are way out. Unbelievably far from main building.

And I kept thinking about Pop Legendary Years while at the main building. Wish they had built it that way.
Sorry to be negative. I wish I liked it better. I had high hopes and I was disappointed.
Overall just ok. Will try some place else next time.

Hmmm, we've stayed at AoA twice and I've never noticed a candy smell in the main lobby. I'll have to pay more attention to that when we're there in June.

I think there must have been something wrong with your sofa bed. We've always found ours extremely easy to open. I've always done it with one hand and my youngest child (age 8 the first time we stayed in the suite) was even able to open it herself. Didn't your cushions just fit on the top of the sofa -- leaning against the wall?? We've also just set them to the side leaning on the back edge of the cushion that would normally be in the back of the couch anyway. Or stack them on the chair.

Maybe the furniture in the living room of the Cars suite is slightly different than the furniture in the LK suites (we've only stayed in LK) but we've also never found the room to be crowded with the beds open. In fact, we have two kids who usually sleep on air mattresses in addition to having the 2 beds open. I will say it's a little crowded with the two air mattresses on the floor in addition to the beds being open, but we only get out the air mattresses and open the beds when we're ready to go to bed for the night.

 

[Scott2552]

I am staying at the AOA in June and I have a character breakfast scheduled at the Polynesian at 7:30am. I was thinking of taking a taxi to the Polynesian instead of driving myself and then taking the monorail from the Polynesian to MK for the rest of the day. I was wondering if anyone knew how long the taxi ride would be to the Polynesian and how much it might cost. Also what time should we arrive at the Polynesian if we have a 7:30am reservation. Also will the AOA set up the taxi for me or will I need to do that. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks to all!!!

 

[JoannaTN7]

I am staying at the AOA in June and I have a character breakfast scheduled at the Polynesian at 7:30am. I was thinking of taking a taxi to the Polynesian instead of driving myself and then taking the monorail from the Polynesian to MK for the rest of the day. I was wondering if anyone knew how long the taxi ride would be to the Polynesian and how much it might cost. Also what time should we arrive at the Polynesian if we have a 7:30am reservation. Also will the AOA set up the taxi for me or will I need to do that. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks to all!!!

Hi, Scott! I'm no expert - just putting that out there off the bat - but I've heard that the taxis are horribly expensive. I've heard a lot about people using Uber at Disney, but I'm not sure if you have very small children with you. I think you can just talk to guest services and they can make sure the transportation is there for you to get to your reservation, but the others might know better than I.

 

[WEDWDW]

I am staying at the AOA in June and I have a character breakfast scheduled at the Polynesian at 7:30am. I was thinking of taking a taxi to the Polynesian instead of driving myself and then taking the monorail from the Polynesian to MK for the rest of the day. I was wondering if anyone knew how long the taxi ride would be to the Polynesian and how much it might cost. Also what time should we arrive at the Polynesian if we have a 7:30am reservation. Also will the AOA set up the taxi for me or will I need to do that. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks to all!!!

Around 15 minutes from AoA to the Poly.

I would arrive around 7:15 AM.

"Around" $20.00 for the taxi.

Often there are taxis in front of AoA-if not,Luggage Assistance(Value resort term for Bell Services) will call one for you.

 

[Scott2552]

Around 15 minutes from AoA to the Poly.

I would arrive around 7:15 AM.

"Around" $20.00 for the taxi.

Often there are taxis in front of AoA-if not,Luggage Assistance(Value resort term for Bell Services) will call one for you.

Thanks for the information

 

[Jacoby 46]

We are planning a December 2017 trip and can't wait!! Definitely want to stay here as it is the only resort we haven't stayed at yet!! I hope to get a Nemo room, can it be requested? Sorry if this has been asked, I didn't want to read every single post!! Thanks!

 

[dansdad]

We are planning a December 2017 trip and can't wait!! Definitely want to stay here as it is the only resort we haven't stayed at yet!! I hope to get a Nemo room, can it be requested? Sorry if this has been asked, I didn't want to read every single post!! Thanks!

Yiu can't request a Nemo Suite you have to book one. They are around $10 more per night over the Cars and Lion King suites.