Just Back from a stay at Art of Animation

[tex1989]

Just got back yesterday from a seven night stay at the Art of Animation in the Little Mermaid section. We have stayed at value, moderate and deluxe and have enjoyed them all. We had a great trip doing a MNSSHP Sunday night and a AP early morning event at HS on Tuesday morning.

We will probably not stay at AoA again unless we have grandkids to take one day in the future. Nothing against the resort it's just that the walk from Little Mermaid to the food court and the busses was miserable. After a long day in the parks it was just to much. A family suite near the front would have been fine but just being the wife and I it was not fun. We are going back in December and that is going to be at Pop where we can get closer to everything.

 

[MinnieMSue]

We feel the same way. We would love to stay at AoA but the cost for the suites is too much for us and the remote location of LM rooms makes them a poor choice for us. I have to say I also prefer the Pop remodeled rooms to LM. We stay at Pop and walk over to AoA food court a couple of times and to enjoy the sites over there. Pop is just fine for our needs

 

[Haley R]

We feel the same way. We would love to stay at AoA but the cost for the suites is too much for us and the remote location of LM rooms makes them a poor choice for us. I have to say I also prefer the Pop remodeled rooms to LM. We stay at Pop and walk over to AoA food court a couple of times and to enjoy the sites over there. Pop is just fine for our needs

We do this, too. I don't see DH and I staying at AoA in the near future, if ever. The suites are too expensive and I'm not impressed with the LM rooms considering they cost more than the new rooms at Pop and have a long walk to everything. We do like walking from Pop to AoA, though, to get some different food at their food court.

 

[MinnieMSue]

We do this, too. I don't see DH and I staying at AoA in the near future, if ever. The suites are too expensive and I'm not impressed with the LM rooms considering they cost more than the new rooms at Pop and have a long walk to everything. We do like walking from Pop to AoA, though, to get some different food at their food court.

The key is we walk over to AoA when we want to. Those Mermade rooms are a long walk every time you go to or come from them. I suppose there are rooms at Pop just as far but we have been lucky to have close rooms even when not paying for that privilege.

 

[EdmondD]

I guess I'll never understand the "walk is too far" thing. It's just a drop in the bucket compared to the overall walk you do during a day at Disney World. Plus, I find it to be a really pleasant walk, taking in the Lion King stuff along the way. But I think I'm in the minority.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I guess I'll never understand the "walk is too far" thing. It's just a drop in the bucket compared to the overall walk you do during a day at Disney World. Plus, I find it to be a really pleasant walk, taking in the Lion King stuff along the way. But I think I'm in the minority.

The walk is pretty much a drop in the bucket but when you are dead tired at the end of the night after walking all day and then walking to the usual far away location of the bus stop at the park for the resort it seems incredibly long to take that trek to your room.

 

[Average Joes]

The walk was annoying but not a huge deal for us. We only stayed one night though. What I didn't like was 20-25 minute waits to get food a couple times. The same for checking in and then later fixing magic bands.

 

[SarahC97]

Yeah, we stayed there in 2013 in a LM room and we'll never be back. It is a cool resort, but I hated the location of the LM rooms and will never pay the price to stay in a suite there. Everyone has their preferences!

 

[StageTek]

I guess I'll never understand the "walk is too far" thing.

After a long day in the parks walking and walking and walking, the "walk is too far" thing can be annoying. It's very nice to get off the bus and not have to walk too far to your room after that long day of walking. It's so also nice to head back to the room for a bit then walk to the food court and walk back to the room with some food when the walk isn't very far. We enjoy heading over to the food court in the morning to get breakfast to eat in the room. When the walk is too far it's less enjoyable; knowing that we need to make that walk again to get to the buses.

Hope that helps you understand a little better.

BTW: My first AoA (Little Mermaid) stay is coming up in February. I'm used to POFQ. This will be an interesting experience...

 

[Disneylover99]

BTW: My first AoA (Little Mermaid) stay is coming up in February. I'm used to POFQ. This will be an interesting experience...

Good luck to you! At least the walk doesn't seem as bad in the winter months. It's still further from the main buildings than any other resort room I've ever stayed in.

 

[Sue M]

After a long day in the parks walking and walking and walking, the "walk is too far" thing can be annoying. It's very nice to get off the bus and not have to walk too far to your room after that long day of walking. It's so also nice to head back to the room for a bit then walk to the food court and walk back to the room with some food when the walk isn't very far. We enjoy heading over to the food court in the morning to get breakfast to eat in the room. When the walk is too far it's less enjoyable; knowing that we need to make that walk again to get to the buses.

Hope that helps you understand a little better.

BTW: My first AoA (Little Mermaid) stay is coming up in February. I'm used to POFQ. This will be an interesting experience...

We take our mugs to the park with us, attached to purse with carabiner so we can fill mug at food court after we get off bus before heading to room. We were at Pop last Dec in the very back of 80’s so forget about going to room to get mug, walk back to food court to fill and drag yourself back to room, after long day.

 

[nkereina]

I guess I'll never understand the "walk is too far" thing. It's just a drop in the bucket compared to the overall walk you do during a day at Disney World. Plus, I find it to be a really pleasant walk, taking in the Lion King stuff along the way. But I think I'm in the minority.

Your comparison is similar to people who don't book an add-on activity like EMM because of the cost - $400 for a family is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of a Disney vacation, but its still a lot of money. The logic doesn't make a lot of sense. When you're tired at the end of the night and want to get back to your room, the last thing you want is a long walk to do that after presumably a long walk out of the park.

And, its a long ways to walk to fill up refillable mugs or grab a quick snack.

 

[StageTek]

I know EdmondD will never understand, but I do. I'm even second guessing my decision. For the same price I can get a Preferred Room at POP. For about $20 more (for the entire stay) I can get Preferred Pool View. That walk after a day in the parks really makes a difference to me. As I said, I'm usually at POFQ and love the short walk to get breakfast or grab a quick snack in the evening.

Hmmmm....

 

[Disneylover99]

I know EdmondD will never understand, but I do. I'm even second guessing my decision. For the same price I can get a Preferred Room at POP. For about $20 more (for the entire stay) I can get Preferred Pool View. That walk after a day in the parks really makes a difference to me. As I said, I'm usually at POFQ and love the short walk to get breakfast or grab a quick snack in the evening.

Hmmmm....

Or book a standard room at Pop and request the 60’s section. You’ll be closer to the AofA foodcourt then you would be in a LM room.

 

[dansdad]

Or book a standard room at Pop and request the 60’s section. You’ll be closer to the AofA foodcourt then you would be in a LM room.

Right. No matter where you are at Pop you'll be closer than the LM rooms.

 

[StageTek]

Really.....

I'm liking these suggestions. I've had great (so far) results with the Touring Plan room requests and it'd be nice to look out over the lake... And those rooms with the "Murphy" bed would be perfect for a solo trip...

Considering.... considering....

Does POP participate in the decline housekeeping/gift card option?

 

[dansdad]

Does POP participate in the decline housekeeping/gift card option?

Yes. Every Moderate and Value does.

 

[sdkraemer]

Right. No matter where you are at Pop you'll be closer than the LM rooms.

Seems like an exaggeration, doesn't it? Mapping it in google maps puts AoA buildings 7/9 at about .2 mile walk and Pop building 4/5 at about a .2 mile walk as well. Even mapping out a moderate like POR Oak Manor was a .2 mile walk to the food court.

 

[dansdad]

Seems like an exaggeration, doesn't it? Mapping it in google maps puts AoA buildings 7/9 at about .2 mile walk and Pop building 4/5 at about a .2 mile walk as well. Even mapping out a moderate like POR Oak Manor was a .2 mile walk to the food court.

I was going bu actually walking both.

 

[IndyToThere]

Stayed at the Cars suites in 2014 - that walk was decent, but I couldn't see staying at the Little Mermaid rooms. Much longer walk (and those rooms were usually not eligible for discounts when other rooms at AoA were discounted).Trying to fill up your cups in the food court becomes a long-ish hike. Now the walk to the bus for AoA at Magic Kingdom wasn't great (at the very end of the line) when you're exhausted at the end of the day and are carrying a 5 year old sleeping boy.