David and I love Walt Disney World Resorts. We know that we could stay off-site for less money, but the benefits of being onsite, usually outweighs the money we could save. We’ve stayed at most of the resorts at Walt Disney World, including Value, Moderate, and Deluxe Resorts. This was our first time staying at Disney’s Art of Animation – a Resort that has been heralded as Disney’s best Value Hotel. We were really excited to be staying here (CARS! LION KING! MERMAIDS! FINDING NEMO!), because we love the idea of a hotel themed around some of the classic Disney movies that the company is known for.
From the second you walk into the lobby, you know that you’re in a different kind of Value hotel. Value hotel lobbies normally make me sad, with their dingy lobbies and outdated style. The Art of Animation lobby is filled with a kaleidoscope of color, from the neon light overhang that covers check-in, to the sketches from classic Disney movies that adorn the walls.
Art of Animation has a food court that we recommend trying to eat at while you’re there. We normally don’t make a point of going to resort food courts, (unless it’s Captain Cooks at The Poly, because pork nachos are life itself) but Landscape of Flavors offers a variety of ethnic foods. Want Indian food? You can have it! Want a crabcake burger? Go for it! This place is great, and incredibly affordably priced.
There are four different sections are Art of Animation, three that are family suites, and one with standard rooms. The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Cars, are all family suites; while The Little Mermaid is standard rooms. We stayed in a Little Mermaid room, and were really impressed. We know it’s the same size as the rooms at the other Value Resort’s, but the way it’s laid out and decorated made it feel much bigger. I told David several times that I would have freaked out as a kid if I had gotten to stay in one of those rooms. I mean, as an adult, I was on cloud nine getting to shower in Ariels treasure cave. It was enough to make anyone sing a few bars of ‘Part Of Your World’.
Each of the different sections is like getting to step into the different movies. It’s a magical Disney experience to stay at The Art of Animation, and one we highly recommend, more so than any of the other Value Resorts. Sometimes, it’s a little pricier than the other resorts in it’s class, but the extra money is well worth it.