Is Little Mermaid "worth it"?

[jpessa]

Aren't AoA prices, especially the LM rooms, basically the same price as a moderate? I'd go up and stay at POFQ or POR.

No, AoA LM rooms are just a few dollars more than POP.

 

[Patience]

Aren't AoA prices, especially the LM rooms, basically the same price as a moderate? I'd go up and stay at POFQ or POR.

A moderate resort package with free regular dining plan costs less than an AoA Little Mermaid package with a paid regular dining plan since there is no free dining for LM rooms.

 

[jnoble82]

POFQ is part of free dining.

Totally agree free food is worth it.

Is it really? I didn't see it on the list. I will look again. Still not sure we would go there since we're more of quick service people and less sit downs (though honestly free is free so even if we used a table service for a quick service, its not like we're losing money) but we could probably find a few places to make dinner reservations for. We're going September 24th-October 1st. We changed out dates due to crazy airline prices and ended up SAVING by adding a night to Disney World. Crazy!

 

[jpessa]

Is it really? I didn't see it on the list. I will look again. Still not sure we would go there since we're more of quick service people and less sit downs (though honestly free is free so even if we used a table service for a quick service, its not like we're losing money) but we could probably find a few places to make dinner reservations for. We're going September 24th-October 1st. We changed out dates due to crazy airline prices and ended up SAVING by adding a night to Disney World. Crazy!

I know there is limited availability for FD at the POFQ, so it may no longer be available for your dates, but it was included.

Love adding Disney time plus saving money! It's like magic

 

[LovetheMouse12302]

I have stayed at both Pop Century and Art of Animation (Little Mermaid) and I prefer Pop and given the choice I'd return there.

 

[jpessa]

I have stayed at both Pop Century and Art of Animation (Little Mermaid) and I prefer Pop and given the choice I'd return there.

May I ask why? I'm doing a split stay in September staying at both so I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Never been to either. Will be my first time at a Value.

 

[dmaxphil]

Not sure if mentioned, but if staying at a value isn't the free dining offer only the quick service plan, not the normal DDP?

 

[LovetheMouse12302]

May I ask why? I'm doing a split stay in September staying at both so I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Never been to either. Will be my first time at a Value.

This was my first time at a value as well! I liked Pop Century better because my room was very clean. Having stayed at resorts of all types I really think this was the cleanest room I've stayed at. It felt like Pop was less busy. I'm sure a lot of people visit Art of Animation to look around. It may just be my imagination but it seemed like AOA didn't have many benches along the pathways. We enjoy sitting and just relaxing at night.
Also, we had absolutely no cell phone service in our room. I know that won't bother everyone but it did us because my mom was keeping our pets and I liked checking in on them. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask!

 

[dpswift]

This past February we stayed at AoA little Mermaid. It would have cost less to stay at a moderate with the 30% off code but DD had her heart set on AoA. AoA is by far the nicest of the values. The landscaping and statues are nicer. The pools are fenced in and landscaped as well. The walk from little mermaid to Animaters Hall and the buses was long. There was not a short cut to the buses like there is at POP.

If the price was close I would stay at AoA however since free dining is not included for little mermaid Dh and I are staying at All Star Movies for our getaway weekend.

 

[caroluau]

Have you considered a split stay? I'm going for 10 days in September and had LM booked. When FD came out, I decided to split with POP, 5 days there with FD (actually upgraded to DDP) then 5 days LM with OOP food. I figure I can easily stretch the 5 night DDP to cover the 6 eligible days (valid until midnight on check out day), which leaves me with only 4 days of food to pay for, and by then I'll be done with table service

Good luck and enjoy!

We did a split stay in Dec 2012 because we wanted to stay in GF for Christmas decor but couldn't swing it for whole trip. So we did 5 nights at GF w/ MYW tickets and FD plus 2 nights at AOA LM room only. Funny thing of it all was DD loved LM room better We spent a day at the resort & loved exploring the artwork, food court, & pools.

 

[Dis*Mom]

I have stayed in the little mermaid rooms of AoA and also stayed many times at pop. While I loved the little mermaid rooms and the AoA resort, if I could get free dining, I would stay at Pop. We love Pop also, and you could always walk over to AoA. We loved the little mermaid section but after a few long days in the parks, that walk at night seemed really LONG!

 

[jnoble82]

I have stayed in the little mermaid rooms of AoA and also stayed many times at pop. While I loved the little mermaid rooms and the AoA resort, if I could get free dining, I would stay at Pop. We love Pop also, and you could always walk over to AoA. We loved the little mermaid section but after a few long days in the parks, that walk at night seemed really LONG!

We were in Mighty Ducks for our last stay at Movies. Such a long walk (and we got "lost" our first day by making a wrong turn and heading down towards Love Bug) and we only figured out the 'short cut' to music with a day left in our trip. Live and learn though we aren't keen on staying at Movies again. It wasn't a bad hotel. It was nice, clean, and the staff was most than friendly, just the wait for the buses when they got full at Sports or Music was annoying some days.


As for Pop I kind of like the 50's cause I love the bowling pin pool though I guess that is a preferred and we didn't find ourselves looking out our window enough to spring for preferred or pool view though pool view is only an extra 40 bucks so maybe. A view of the lake would be nice though.

What is the "memory lane" I see on the map?

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

We loved AOA, but I would pick a free dining resort as well.

We stayed in a preferred room at Pop in the bowling pin area (building one facing away from the pool to avoid pool noise) ... we weren't concerned with view as much as proximity to the buses, etc. And it was really convenient and quiet. Or LM room was very quiet, but it was a much longer walk to the main hall & bus stops than building 1 at Pop.

Memory lane is a path with a bunch of signs from different years with a memorable event or two from that year written on the sign. It's a neat little walk.

 

[jnoble82]

We loved AOA, but I would pick a free dining resort as well.

We stayed in a preferred room at Pop in the bowling pin area (building one facing away from the pool to avoid pool noise) ... we weren't concerned with view as much as proximity to the buses, etc. And it was really convenient and quiet. Or LM room was very quiet, but it was a much longer walk to the main hall & bus stops than building 1 at Pop.

Memory lane is a path with a bunch of signs from different years with a memorable event or two from that year written on the sign. It's a neat little walk.

Likely we won't spring for preferred or pool view and just get what we get. We 'faced' the pool at Mighty Ducks but it was rarely used so there wasn't too much noise. Honestly I don't care if we face a concrete wall as we don't plan on spending much time beyond sleeping in the room and its Disney!

I think we'll take a walk down memory lane while we're there. It sounds enjoyable.

I'm calling tonight after all the storm warnings end and hopefully the hold won't be too long to switch to Pop. There's other times to check out LM. Maybe when its less popular, it will be part of Free Dining.