Top 7 Amazing Things About Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

By Cassie

In this 87-acre resort you can be surrounded by the art of Disney’s and Disney-Pixar’s most popular animated films: Cars, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo. This is the newest of the Value Resorts at Walt Disney World and it opened in May of 2012. Some guests of the Pop Century resort may recall buildings on the other side of Hour Glass Lake that were intended to become more “centuries” buildings may recognize those buildings in The Little Mermaid section of Art of Animation.

7. “Sketch Artist of the Day” only takes place at Art of Animation Resort. Kids may choose their favorite Disney/ Disney-Pixar character and do their best drawing of them. Turn these drawings in at the front desk by 4PM each day. At about 5:45PM the winner is revealed. If you checked-in without paper or drawing materials, just ask for some at the front desk. If this is something your child likes to do be sure to check out the drawing class “Animation Academy” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios where guests are taught how to draw a Disney character in twenty minutes. You keep your drawing as a souvenir. (When the Art of Animation resort first opened there were drawing classes taught by a Disney character artist three times during the day, in a room adjacent to the front desk. Unfortunately, this has been discontinued.)  There are several daily activities for children at the Big Blue Pool that keep them well entertained in a shady area inside the large pool enclosure. Parents can see them from the pool area and the Drop Off Pool bar. Other children’s services include in-room babysitting that can be arranged through the front desk, although it is not Disney Cast Members who do this service.

6. A Value resort with availability of 1120 Family Suites that sleeps up to 6 guests. Each suite has a separate bedroom with a queen-size bed, a dining table that flips over to become a full-size bed, a full-size sleeper sofa in the living room and the advantage of having 2 bathrooms and even a small kitchen. The suites include a microwave, free Wi-Fi service, hair dryer, coffee maker, in-room safe, iron and ironing board. The size of the suites is 565-square feet. The Little Mermaid section has 864 standard size rooms with 2 double beds or 1 king-size bed that sleeps up to four adults. They include hair dryer, free Wi-Fi service, in-room safes, iron and ironing board, small refrigerators and bath products. The size of the standard room is 277-square feet.

5. Additional Amenities: Movies Under the Stars takes place poolside by the Big Blue Pool nightly, weather permitting. These are complimentary showings of Disney movies for the guests of this resort. 1.38-mile long Jogging Trail around the Art of Animation resort, Righteous Reef Playground can be found in the courtyard of the Finding Nemo section of the resort, Pixel Play Arcade which is located in the main Animation Hall building. While Hourglass Lake, separating Pop Century Resort from Art of Animation Resort seems like a good place to go fishing, Disney does not permit fishing here. You can book a fishing trip through other Disney resorts though.

This resort is very near the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex that offers a variety of professional and guest sports activities. There are Poolside activities for children to enjoy during the afternoons. Fun Shopping at the Ink & Paint Shop and this area also serves as the package pick-up area when having purchases shipped to your resort from the Parks or Downtown Disney shops. 24-hour Self-Service Laundry and Locker Rentals are available near the Big Blue Pool, Cozy Cone Pool and the Flippin’ Fins Pool making it easy for families to continue to have fun together in the pool while making that short walk to the Laundry area and back. Disney thought this out for families to benefit from everything offered at their resort.

4. Largest Walt Disney World resort swimming pool (not counting the water parks). This 12,000-square foot main pool holding 310,000 gallons of water, known as The Big Blue Pool, is a Finding Nemo themed area that actually has underwater speakers that you can hear the voices and music from Finding Nemo when you put your head below the water’s surface. This is something very new to Disney and where could it have been better utilized than this pool? There is a water playground for little ones and even a pool bar for adult guests. The resort has two additional pools, The Cozy Cone from Cars and another one called the Flippin’ Fins Pool in The Little Mermaid section of the resort.  You can enjoy hearing the “Under the Sea Orchestra” at the Flippin’ Fins Pool.

3. The resort is the “Greenest” with more recycling receptacles than any other resort, a chemical-free water filtration system to wash windows, and it is the first Walt Disney World resort to use washable, not disposable, plates and utensils.

2. Great details of the Animation process that Disney has become famous for are featured throughout this resort. It begins in the lobby where you watch the progression of pencil sketches through to actual story boards. The Landscape of Flavors food court is set up to feature the Disney-Pixar films spotlighted in the rest of the resort. The resort rooms offer you an even closer look at the featured films.  As is typical of the Value resorts there are larger than life icons outside each building and the Art of Animation is no exception. This value resort seems to have a step-up from the others though. These 2,500 sculptured icons provide great backdrops for photos, putting you into your favorite Disney-Pixar animated film. Check out Mr. Ray in the Finding Nemo section, his wingspan is 27-feet across! As you walk around the resort you will notice several signs that share little-known details about the Disney/Pixar film featured in that area of the resort.

1. Excellent Food Court: Landscape of Flavors has good food and a pretty good selection of items to choose from. For breakfast try character-shaped waffles with a topping of fresh fruit and side of bacon, create-your-own yogurt Parfait or Fruit Bowl, Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Build Your Own Omelet,  a delicious Portuguese inspired Breakfast Platter, Challah French Toast, Vegetarian Breakfast Sandwich, a Breakfast Burger, a variety of baked goods, a nice selection of Smoothies and iced coffees. Fur lunch choose a platter, grilled fish or chicken, Mongolian Beef stir fry, Tandoori Shrimp, Salads, Caprese Sandwich, Buffalo-style Turkey Sandwich, or try the Barbecued Pork Sandwich made with a cornbread waffle which is a unique and tasty option.  Create-Your-Own Burgers, -Pastas, or –Salads, a variety of pizzas, and a different selection of sides including Roasted Cauliflower with Tomatoes, Acorn Squash, Spinach and Paneer Cheese, Multigrain Rice, Naan Bread with Dipping Sauce, Pickled Vegetables and more. For Dinner add Lentil Crusted Fish, Gluten Free Meatloaf, Pork Tortierre Pie, Turkey and Waffle Dressing, Cottage Pie, Pierogis and Kielbasa Sausage and Patty Melts.  Landscape of Flavors seats over 600 guests. The Drop Off Pool Bar features light snacks and pizza as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

 

Landscape of Flavors

Credit: Disney Dining

Credit: Disney

Credit: DisneyDining

Credit: Disney Dining

Credit: DisneyDining