Disney Just Axed a Popular Kid Activity From One of Its Most Family Friendly Resorts

Families with reservations at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort this week are dealing with not one but two simultaneous disruptions at one of Walt Disney World’s most popular family-friendly hotels, and if you are checking in before the end of the month, you need to know what is currently happening on property before you arrive.

The Playground Is Closed

The Righteous Reef playground in the Finding Nemo section of Art of Animation is closed for maintenance through April 28. The playground sits next to The Big Blue Pool and features a coral reef-inspired design, with slides and a giant Squirt statue, making it a favorite stop for younger guests staying at the resort. For families who chose Art of Animation specifically because of the immersive Finding Nemo environment and its amenities, losing access to the playground during their stay is a real disruption.

Disney is directing guests to the playground at the neighboring Pop Century Resort as an alternative during the closure. The pools and the Schoolyard Sprayground splash pad at Art of Animation remain open, which helps, but the Pop Century alternative requires families to leave their resort property to access a playground, adding a logistical layer to a vacation that is already full of moving pieces. The Righteous Reef last went through a major refurbishment in 2022, and the current maintenance closure is expected to wrap up by April 28.

The Food Court Situation at Disney

The playground closure is the more predictable of the two issues currently affecting Art of Animation guests. The other one was not planned and caught guests off guard when it happened. Earlier this week, part of the ceiling inside Landscape of Flavors, the resort’s main food court, gave way and water began pouring into the dining space. The flow was significant enough that Cast Members moved quickly to close off the affected area and redirect guests away from the damaged section.

Landscape of Flavors is not a secondary amenity at Art of Animation. It is the primary dining option for most guests at the resort and one of the busiest food courts on Walt Disney World property, particularly during breakfast before early park openings and dinner after long days in the parks. Having sections of it closed off, and the normal flow of the space disrupted by an active structural situation, is a meaningful inconvenience for families relying on it as their main source of quick meals during their stay.

Disney’s Cast Members responded quickly, and the company’s maintenance processes are built to handle exactly these kinds of situations efficiently. But for guests who were inside the food court when it happened, the experience was jarring in a way that stands out from the typical Disney resort visit.

What Families With Upcoming Disney Reservations Should Know

If you are checking into Art of Animation before April 28, the playground closure is the most concrete thing to plan around. Build the Pop Century alternative into your expectations if playground time is important to your kids, and lean into the pools and splash pad on the days you are spending time at the resort. The water amenities are all still open, and for most younger guests, they are the bigger draw anyway.

The food court situation is still developing, and the timeline for full restoration of normal operations has not been confirmed publicly. Expect the possibility of some ongoing impact in the Landscape of Flavors and potentially longer waits in fully operational sections while repairs continue.

Art of Animation is still a genuinely strong resort for families and multi-generational groups, and neither of these issues changes the core reasons people book it. The theming, oversized suites, and the overall atmosphere that make the resort feel different from a standard hotel are still entirely intact. But families arriving right now are walking into a property dealing with two simultaneous disruptions, and knowing that before you check in is significantly better than finding out after you arrive.