Worried about upcoming stay ...

[Kaitlyn Conners]

We are heading down to stay at Art of Animation next Friday for a week. We are traveling with my parents and our 3 kids, one of which is an infant. We have booked a family suite because they say it sleeps 6 adults but now were getting worried about the quality of the hotel since we've found its actually a budget hotel. Can we switch to a different resort and just book 2 rooms? I guess I'm not as worried about the sleeping arrangements as I ask that we are going to be disappointed with the resort. Any feed back as far as the quality?

 

[Mousemommy1]

Well, we typically stay deluxe (often CL) because we enjoy the little "extras". That being said, we stayed in a Nemo Suite at Art of Animation last year prior to our Disney cruise and we LOVED it. The room was awesome and offered plenty of space for our family of 5. We loved having two bathrooms. We loved that the suites still had the indoor hallways, vs. the motel types at the other values and mods. (I strongly dislike those entries).

The pool is awesome and the food court was enjoyable. We would totally stay there again!

 

[ErinsMommy]

Art of Animation is one of the newer resorts, not sure if its the same 'value' category as ASSports or ASMusic though? I heard its pretty nice! If you wanted to upgrade to a different resort, call and ask what's available and if within your budget.

 

[BrianL]

I wouldn't worry too much. The value resorts at Disney are still very nice. We're not talking a Motel 6 here. I haven't stayed in AoA, but I'd compare them to like a Homewood Suites type of room. You will have exterior entry doors (edit: I have learned that is only on the standard rooms, not the suites). The suites are themed too, and look really cool. You won't have all the bells and whistles of a deluxe resort, but it should be clean and comfortable. Unless you are used to only staying at the Four Seasons or something, I think you'll have a great time!

The "Value" resorts at Disney are not really "Budget" hotels as far as the rest of the industry is concerned. They are more mid-scale. I do work in the hospitality industry.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The Family Suites are considered Value because they're the least expensive way to sleep 6 on-property. They are not in any way a weird roadside motel with FREE HBO and a machine to feed quarters next to the bed, whose sheets seem suspicious.

 

[kmv]

I think ppl worry that "value" means your run of the mill motel. The values at Disney are still clean, nice, nice pools and have a great theme and food court. AoA is a newer resort and is nicer than any motel you have ever laid eyes on. You won't be disappointed.

 

[DLgal]

You will have exterior entry doors.

The suites have interior entry doors. They are in buildings with hallways and elevators.

We usually stay Deluxe as well. We stayed in a Cars suite and thought it was well laid out and nice, BUT the main bed was the same hard mattress all the values have, the sheets and towels were thin and scratchy, and the buildings are cell phone dead zones (at least for us it was). I also disliked the small windows that seemed really institutional (like a school). It felt kind of like a really nice dorm room, to be honest. The food court is okay (didn't love it as many here do). The pool is large and pretty nice, but our kids missed having a slide and we missed a hot tub. There is no gym onsite but there are nice jogging paths on the grounds. The microwave and refrigerator were handy and I imagine with an infant will be invaluable.

If you are used to high end hotels, you probably won't be happy here for a week.

Also, I think you will all feel pretty cramped in ONE suite. I can't imagine that. We were just a family of 4...put our kids out in the living area, and that was the MOST I would be comfortable with. Once the beds are down in the living area, there is very little usable space. Where do you plan to have your parents sleep? Both beds in the living area are rather small (full size, not queens). If you plan to give them the main bedroom (which I would assume) the 5 of you will be pretty crammed in the living area. The rooms are large for a value resort but they are only slightly larger than the largest deluxe rooms on property. I imagine you would be more comfortable in 2 rooms at a deluxe resort.

 

[BrianL]

The suites have interior entry doors. They are in buildings with hallways and elevators.

Ah, I didn't know that. I see exterior doors on the building. Are they just for the standard rooms?

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

I would call Disney directly and ask about availability and price of switching. It might make the decision for you. Either way, I hope you enjoy your trip!

 

[wilkeliza]

Ah, I didn't know that. I see exterior doors on the building. Are they just for the standard rooms?

Little Mermaid rooms have the outside doors like all other value and moderate resorts. Only the family suites have indoor doors.

 

[siestakeys04]

I have stayed at a value and the theme was great for small kids, if you are worried you need to call ASAP since you are arriving next week could be slim pickings.

 

[Hopefully]

I concur with most of the opinions. A Disney Value is not a Motel 6 level.
But there are limited amenities, I agree with the dorm room analogy.
Personally, I would not be happy with that many in an AoA suite, I would not like only a food court, we would miss a pool slide etc.
I would call and see what else is available.

 

[Minnesota!]

Value does not equal sketchy motel. It means it costs the less as it has less amenities. Still comes with great service, housekeeping, good food court, pools, etc.

I have stayed at all levels and, other than size, did not notice one iota of difference in the mattresses/sheets. Yes, a slide is fun for the kids, and a hot stew of people's body hair and sloughed off skin can be fun for the adults (can you tell I am not a fan of group hot-tubs?), but I would NOT worry about being in some roadside motel where there are questionable stains and odors in the rooms....

That being said...staying with my parents in one "room" for a week sounds like hell, and I would not do it even on a dare. I would look at 2 rooms...maybe a suite in Lion King and a single room in the Little Mermaid.

 

[Disco_Punk]

Is it just me, or should they really consider changing the category names? It seems to cause more confusion than anything. And to echo everyone else, Value at Disney is exactly that, Disney's version of value. The rooms are excellent quality and really well themed!

 

[happymommy]

Also, I think you will all feel pretty cramped in ONE suite. I can't imagine that. We were just a family of 4...put our kids out in the living area, and that was the MOST I would be comfortable with. Once the beds are down in the living area, there is very little usable space. Where do you plan to have your parents sleep? Both beds in the living area are rather small (full size, not queens). If you plan to give them the main bedroom (which I would assume) the 5 of you will be pretty crammed in the living area. The rooms are large for a value resort but they are only slightly larger than the largest deluxe rooms on property. I imagine you would be more comfortable in 2 rooms at a deluxe resort.

I think this is a very, very good point. I could see a family of four being okay in the suite, but if I were the grandparents, I'd want my own room, no matter what. Otherwise, say the grandparents get the one real bedroom, that leaves the rest on sofa sleeper type things or murphy bed in the living room. I'd be fine with two kids there, but not me.

I looked online out of curiosity. I see a 2 bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs for $967/night, same at Old Key West. Many resorts show no availability.

Pop or AOA LM room both are roughly $200/night, so you could see about getting your parents a room of their own there.

Good luck!

 

[Ensusieasm]

We are heading down to stay at Art of Animation next Friday for a week. We are traveling with my parents and our 3 kids, one of which is an infant. We have booked a family suite because they say it sleeps 6 adults but now were getting worried about the quality of the hotel since we've found its actually a budget hotel. Can we switch to a different resort and just book 2 rooms? I guess I'm not as worried about the sleeping arrangements as I ask that we are going to be disappointed with the resort. Any feed back as far as the quality?

Your suite will have just one queen bed in the bedroom and a kitchen table and sofa that convert to 2 double beds. These are not real beds, and are not anyway near as comfortable as a real bed. You would be much better off getting two rooms at a moderate resort with a total of 4 REAL queen beds and two full bathrooms. Check out Port Orleans Riverside, a gorgeous moderate resort. You can't go wrong there.

 

[DLgal]

I think this is a very, very good point. I could see a family of four being okay in the suite, but if I were the grandparents, I'd want my own room, no matter what. Otherwise, say the grandparents get the one real bedroom, that leaves the rest on sofa sleeper type things or murphy bed in the living room. I'd be fine with two kids there, but not me.

I looked online out of curiosity. I see a 2 bedroom villa at Saratoga Springs for $967/night, same at Old Key West. Many resorts show no availability.

Pop or AOA LM room both are roughly $200/night, so you could see about getting your parents a room of their own there.

Good luck!

Yeah,at the very least, get the grandparents their own room at AoA in the Little Mermaid section. I daresay you might ALL be more comfortable in 2 standard value rooms...At least there are real beds in them.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

It's the most "upscale" of the value resorts and has an AMAZING theme.
And the food court has a wide variety of what I'd consider unique food choices.

That being said...
I'd be more worried about the sleeping arrangements than the rest of the resort since the suites only have one TRUE bed and the rest are converts.

I'd recommend 2 rooms but probably not at AOA since the LM rooms are such an annoyingly far walk to the buses.

I enjoyed the theme but that walk makes me not want to stay again.

 

[tseitel]

If it's in the budget I would definitely think about switching. I wouldn't be comfortable with 2 adults, 2 kids and an infant in the living room area. Even 2 regular value rooms would be better, just for the actual beds.
I wouldn't be concerned about the quality of the resort or rooms (it's a nice resort) just the sleeping areas.

 

[Wild4Walt]

I think you need to ask yourself what is it that you expect in a resort. If you want a table service restaurant then the 'value' resort is not for you. If you are looking for theming that is immersive but not in your face - then the value is not for you. IMO, the value resorts are just as awesome as the moderate and deluxe resorts but there is definitely a different feel to the resorts.