Disney's ART OF ANIMATION RESORT Information & Questions

Would the lobby hold our bags even after we check out since we can't check in to our other resort in till 3.
You can leave your bags at Bell Services outside the main lobby entrance - we do this every trip, because we always book the latest flight home. Very convenient.
 
We like AoA, but that’s a pretty big price difference. Were there no AP discounts for your dates? We just got back from a 4 day weekend trip at $123 a night (AP fall rate). We have Veterans Day weekend booked for $173/night (also AP fall/holiday rate). $205 seems incredibly high to me...I might look at Pop since it’s right across the bridge and you can go look at all the cool Mermaid stuff.
Well, after hearing some saying that that price was probably much, I opted to go for All-Star Sports. I know, a lot don't like the All-Stars (especially compared to AoA) but we've enjoyed Movies and Music (though at Music our room was a LONG walk to the front).

I mainly picked Sports because:
1) It was the only All-Stars we haven't done . .and will be fun to have done them all in one year.
2) It was about $70/night cheaper than the rack rate Little Mermaid rooms (due to an available AP discount). For a 5 night stay, that adds up!

I guess I'd rather save the $400 and just spend our off day taking the Skyliner to AoA to explore the Little Mermaid section. Not the princess themed room I was hoping for (quite the opposite by staying at Sports), but we have princess focused things to do throughout the trip to help make up for it. Heck .. I could take some of that $400 saved and spend it on a dress or makeover or something and still come out ahead.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

We'll save AoA (and perhaps splurge for the suites) when the kids get older and will want their own space. Now they are small enough (2yo and 7yo) that the small Value rooms are more than enough room for us (who like to spend most of the time at the parks anyway).
 
Ya .. thats my quandry. I want the resort, but do not need a family suite and I wanted to be on the Skyliner. Full rack rate .. no discounts available and probably too late now to book Pop Century. I can only find rack rooms (which .. at this late in the game .. Pop Century is $169 (only $15 less than AoA).

My dates are 10/14 - 10/19
I guess October is going to be pretty packed since availability is pretty sparse.

Yeah, when I search on your dates, I only get four options. No Sports, no Pop, no LM rooms. Just ASMu, ASMo, AoA suites, and CBR. I'm not surprised to only see a $15 difference. It was the big price difference you had in your original post I found shocking. I've been searching multitudes of dates all year, and the LM rooms have always been very competitively priced with Pop. Unlike our last trip in 2016, for most of 2019 (and early 2020), LM rooms have been less than half the price of an AOA (or Pop) suite. I always thought the lack of discounts and higher prices for LM rooms would always keep DD5 and me from ever staying in one, as our party of six would need two rooms. But for our January trip, two LM rooms with four beds cost $50 less per night than one AoA family suite with three beds. Under the Sea we go!
But yeah, I get that hundreds of dollars for you could be spent elsewhere. If you don't think the room or Skyliner is that big a deal for your family, you could try for an ADR for the Bon Voyage breakfast at BWI's Trattoria al Forno, where you can meet Ariel and Prince Eric (and Rapunzel and Flynn/Eugene). That might be more special.
 
This is a great thread. We are looking to stay here next April as we are starting to plan our next trip!

disney lover at heart
We have stayed here numerous times and have decided being in the “ bubble “ is part of the Disney mystic!!!! Great fun place!
 


I would always book a Pop room over Little Mermaid at AoA. (I LOVE AoA, but the suite rooms, not LM). That said, I will be at AoA in a LM room in 2 weeks. I got a great discount (CM) and there was nothing left at Pop, so LM it is. We stayed at LM once last year as well. i am a DVC member but saving points for a big family trip later.

I am very excited to try the Skyliner, my son is a manual WC, and it looks like I can just push him onto the cablecar, and that will be fantastic. Hope it is running to both parks on opening day.
 
Silly question- Do they still sell the pens that look like paint brushes in the gift shop? I bought one years ago and it was my favorite pen until it disappeared one day.
 


When booking a family suite, is there a possibility of getting a Nemo suite?
We love all the theming but would not pay more to guarantee a Nemo suite but it would be a nice surprise if it happened!
 
When booking a family suite, is there a possibility of getting a Nemo suite?
We love all the theming but would not pay more to guarantee a Nemo suite but it would be a nice surprise if it happened!
Yes, there's a chance. We booked a family suite the last two times and actually got into the Nemo section both times. Definitely don't count on it though.
 
Does anyone know if refurbs will be completed in family suites by May 2020, by chance?
I think they just started on the 3rd building. Information I can find is limited but if I am following it correctly they start (? Finish) a building every 5 weeks or so. I think that they are working on or finished buildings 2 & 3 in Cars and just started building 4 in Nemo. I think it will come down to what they intended to do with the Little Mermaid section. If they do all the suites first I would think they would be done with all suites in April 2020ish. If they start Little Mermaid in the middle I would say probably all the rooms would finish just before the pool refurb in Fall 2020. But this is wild speculation.
 
I think they just started on the 3rd building. Information I can find is limited but if I am following it correctly they start (? Finish) a building every 5 weeks or so. I think that they are working on or finished buildings 2 & 3 in Cars and just started building 4 in Nemo. I think it will come down to what they intended to do with the Little Mermaid section. If they do all the suites first I would think they would be done with all suites in April 2020ish. If they start Little Mermaid in the middle I would say probably all the rooms would finish just before the pool refurb in Fall 2020. But this is wild speculation.

Didn't know AoA was doing a building refurb other than the pool late 2020. Found some info about flooring but is there a thread for the buildings? We're staying in Nemo in June.
 
Didn't know AoA was doing a building refurb other than the pool late 2020. Found some info about flooring but is there a thread for the buildings? We're staying in Nemo in June.

I haven't been able to find much either over the last few weeks. From the pictures I've seen, it looks like carpeting is being removed and replaced with hard-surface flooring; mattresses are being replaced; TVs are being replaced with larger wall-mounted units; and walls are being repainted. Based on the pace they seem to be moving, I would imagine all of the suites will be finished by late Spring/early Summer. We're booked in a LK suite next June. I just hope they're replacing the hallway carpeting as well. That was awful in the Nemo building we were in a few years ago and still hadn't been changed out when we were there last summer (2018). Honestly, I thought the hallways were in much more need of a refresh/refurb than the rooms were at that time. But I'm not complaining about the suites being refurbished. And I'm secretly hoping they don't finish the LK suites until June so we can be one of the first to stay in the room and everything will be brand new. :) The last two non-Disney hotel stays I've had were in really "new" rooms -- one of them, the hotel had only been open for 3 months and the other one had just recently completed a complete refurbishment of all of their rooms. Everything felt brand new in both hotel. Now I'm spoiled. :D
 
@bluezy Thanks for the info! We stayed in a LM room Dec '17 and I must say I thought it was in bad need of update, lots of rust in the bathroom ect. Wife thought it was fine. :confused3 We stayed at Pop for the first time in June '18 right after the refurb and really liked the rooms. This summer we have a split stay so only staying two nights in a Nemo room.
 
Does anyone know if the resort gift shop sells socks? We are leaving early tomorrow morning, staying at an airport hotel tonight, and I just discovered I forgot to pack any socks (other than the ones I’m wearing). :rotfl: I’ll look at the airport tomorrow and am hopeful I’ll find some there or at AoA and not need to venture into a park.
 
I am backkk :)
hi all, been away for a while due to me schedule but just got word that a trip is being planned for me in July 2020!

we will most likely pay for Nemo as that’s what we did in 11/18 and loved it but I see from some back reading that refurbs are taking place so not sure how that might effect things.

will have to look at the tickets where you go in later as we typically don’t go till like 11 anyway at are night owls.

I believe, the sky liner transportation thing runs to AoA too.
i am a time saver person but I also know the rest of the family will love it so I’ll be researching that more too.

one thing I know people in this thread would know and can be of benefit to a fellow traveler...how does the walk from LM compare to the walk over the bridge from Pop time wise??
TIA for any tips or feedback anyway has to get me back on track with what’s happening at Disney!

next stop is look for a resort promo/discount code

edit...
found out the “mid day ticket” is only 2/3/4 days and we will be at least 5, more likely 7.
found out ParkSavers has the best prices.
found out room discounts are only out till 4/20/20
confirmed the Skyliner does go from AoA

now I need to see if I can find out more on the skyline.
2 big things to me are...
do you have to exit/re enter at CBR and/or Riviera (once open) while heading to HS/Epcot??
what is the travel time vs bus??
edit two
this link gave me most of the above answers https://ziggyknowsdisney.com/new-di...oning-and-expansion-to-animal-kingdom-coming/
according to it, the ride time is approx 9 mins from AoA to HS and I don’t have to get off.
from AoA to Epcot is approx 16 mins but I need to get off at CBR.
a real pro/con depending on where you are at Epcot is you could be closer to the bus or skyliner for a faster time.

finding mixed times on sites for the bus
for example https://disneyparksmomspanel.disney...imation-parks-trying-tentatively-plan-279514/ states 15 mins to HS while this https://magicguides.com/disney-world-transportation-map/ states 10
basically though it seems the bus and skyliner are close to the same as travel time goes
 
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I would always book a Pop room over Little Mermaid at AoA. (I LOVE AoA, but the suite rooms, not LM). That said, I will be at AoA in a LM room in 2 weeks. I got a great discount (CM) and there was nothing left at Pop, so LM it is. We stayed at LM once last year as well. i am a DVC member but saving points for a big family trip later.

I am very excited to try the Skyliner, my son is a manual WC, and it looks like I can just push him onto the cablecar, and that will be fantastic. Hope it is running to both parks on opening day.
So, how was your stay? Two of my kids are the reason we're in the LM rooms, but I am getting anxious and ready to try to jump ship because people have been so down on the LM rooms.
 
If anyone is there currently and could report on Halloween activities at the resort today that would be really helpful for planning. TIA!
 

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