We have just returned from our third visit to Walt Disney World, Orlando and we had another amazing stay at Disney's Art of Animation. We have stayed at the resort before and although there are plenty of other hotels and accommodation choices we knew that we wanted to return to Art of Animation as for us it had everything we wanted from a hotel and resort and it's so close to our favourite theme parks, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World it can become overwhelming and when we first visited I researched everything and found lots of Walt Disney World hints and tips. I wanted to know what the best hotels where as I wanted to stay in the perfect place. I wanted our trip to be perfect and my research paid off. I found Art of Animation. It's one of the value resort hotels which is classed as a budget hotel although it doesn't feel like it. I would class it as more of a 4-star hotel. There are spacious guest rooms for small and bigger families, 4 areas each with a different theme based on Disney characters and for us it was the best choice. If you are looking at staying at Art of Animation then here are 8 reasons why we love the resort so much.
3 Pools
Having the choice of three pools is perfect for those hotter days when you just want to dip in the outdoor pool and not feel like it is overcrowded. We have never felt like they have crammed too many people in the pool and we have always been able to get a lounger around the pool too. Back to theming but the 3 pools are based around 3 of the movies. The Little Mermaid and Cars are located towards each side of the resort with The Big Blue Pool being directly in the centre just a short walk from the main entrance. All pools are in easy walking distance no matter where you are staying. The Big Blue is actually the largest pool in the whole of the Walt Disney World resort.
Theming
The Disney theming at Art of Animation is the best we have seen throughout Walt Disney World. The resort focuses on The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Cars and Finding Nemo. When you arrive at the hotel you will be greeted with life-size figures of all your favourite characters from the movies. They have designated sections for each movie and all the rooms and surrounding areas are focused on that movie. It's such a great thing for older and young children to see their favourite characters dotted around the resort.
Choice of Accommodation
Visitors to the resort come in all sizes and Art of Animation have you covered. Their rooms and suites can sleep up to 6 people. The standard Little Mermaid room consists of either 1 king or two queen beds. These are slightly bigger than UK Double beds. The Lion King, Cars and Finding Nemo family suites offer 1 queen bed and 2 double sized sleepers. Whilst the rooms at The Little Mermaid hotel room are spacious and perfect for a family of four, the family suite really does offer that extra space for larger families but the additional cost is quite a jump.
The suites also offer a kitchenette with microwave, fridge and 2 bathrooms. One bathroom is ensuite to the main bedroom offering a spacious double vanity, toilet and walk in shower while the other bathroom is located close to the living area offering a double vanity, toilet, bath and shower.
Close To Parks
Art of Animation is located in the Wide World of Sports Area and is really close to Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Epcot. Each park can be reached within 10 -15 minutes. It is further away from Magic Kingdom but the average bus ride is only a 15-minute drive.
Activities Around The Resort
As well as being close to the Disney parks and having 3 pools to keep you entertained the resort also does offer lots of activities and entertainment. You can find a 'what's on' at the resort but it usually consists of movie nights which Disney films being shown on the big screen or each night you can head to Pride Rock to roast some marshmallows. There are also games left out for you to play at anytime, like jumbo connect 4.
Value Resort
It still amazes me that Art of Animation is classed as a value resort. It is by far the nicest 'Disney themed' hotel we have seen with the theming and proximity to the parks. Being a value resort means costs are low to stay compared to other hotels which is definitely a huge bonus.
Jogging Trail
Hourglass Lake is situated between Disney's Art of Animation and Disney's Pop Century resorts. The lake which is named after its shape has a circular walking/ jogging/ running trail around the outskirts. The trail is approx 1.38miles and is perfect for those who like to start their day with a jog.
Sky Liner
The previous two times we have stayed at Art of Animation the sky ride hadn't been created and we were happy getting the buses each day to the parks but wow! What a difference the Sky Liner makes to your stay. Due to the distance of the parks if you are heading to Hollywood Studios or Epcot you can jump on the Sky Liner. It is so quick and easy. We never had to wait plus we usually got a whole one to ourselves. You can also use the free shuttle bus service to head to Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom.
I honestly couldn't recommend Art of Animation enough. Enjoying extra magic hours means full days at the park so Art of Animation really does have the best ways to relax once you get back. Whether it's enjoying watching Disney movies on your flat-screen tvs in the room or ordering room service from local service such as Uber Eats. It really does have everything to make your stay as magical as possible and for us it ticks all boxes for a great place to stay without the added extra cost of moderate hotels and for our budget it is definitely the best option.
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Michelle
