The Art of Animation Resort was the first Disney experience for my son and husband so it holds a special place in our vacation memories. The resort is in the value category which means it is one of the most affordable resort options on property. As we entered the resort there was no doubt we were on Disney property with the towering statues of some of our favorite characters. In the lobby we were greeted by a beautiful wall of animator sketches and a white Christmas tree. We checked in at the front desk to pick up our magic bands. It was quick, easy and the cast members were friendly and knowledgeable. What made this even more enjoyable was the true MAGIC of Disney’s luggage service!
The Art of Animation resort is designed around four movie themes: The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Finding Nemo and Cars. It has 3 pools, a splash pad, and a playground. We spent time at The Big Blue Pool which has zero entry and is the largest pool on Disney property. The splash pad was adjacent to the pool but was a bit chilly. I confess, we were the people swimming on a 72 degree day in November. The Righteous Reef playground was also in the Finding Nemo portion of the resort and looked like a colorful coral reef. Playgrounds aren’t available at every Disney resort so this was a great option for us with an almost two year old. We also enjoyed touring the resort and snapping photos with the larger than life figures. Can we talk about Ursula for a minute?! She’s my absolute favorite villain; so it was no surprise we had to imitate her statue!
The Art of Animation offers many room options, including family suites that accommodate up to six people. With only the three of us, we stayed in a standard Little Mermaid room in the building behind Ariel’s statue. The room was laid out like a typical hotel room with The Little Mermaid theme. This room included a tub/shower and a toilet with a door separating the sink. With a family, this type of setup is super time saving as one person can be getting ready while another is in the shower.
The Art of Animation resort has a cafeteria, Landscape of Flavors, that offers a variety of quick service food options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We ate both breakfast and dinner here during our stay. A quick service dining credit can be used at this location if you have a Disney Dining Plan. Landscape of Flavors offers the most diverse array of options for a value resort dining venue and is a quick and convenient spot to grab a good meal.
Other things to note: a gift shop is available in the main building, child care services are available, as well as laundry and dry cleaning. The resort is located on the Magical Express Bus line which transports guests to and from the Orlando airport. Complimentary transportation to the parks include Disney buses and the Skyliner. The bus stops at all four theme parks and Disney Springs! The Skyliner is another convenient option to and from Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
This is a great resort if you have young children, a party of six that want to stay in the same room or have a short stay planned.
-Stacie Whalen
To take advantage of our complimentary expert planning services contact Stacie Whalen at stacie@teplanners.com today!
