Staying at Disney Worlds Art of Animation Resort

When we found out we were off to Walt Disney World, we were really excited to be staying at Disney’s newest resort, Disney’s Art of Animation which boasts storybook landscapes seen in such
classics as Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid.

Upon arrival you are treated to a visual delight and the curving wall is packed full of images, from their first creation to the final look. You can even take your own animation lesson!

We stayed in a delightfully themed Finding Nemo family suite which overlooked the Disney Cars hotel and its wonderful themed courtyard that Sebastian adored.

We always struggle to find large hotel rooms when we travel, but the family suite sleeps up to 6 adults.

The suite contains a bedroom with one queen-size bed; one double-size convertible TableBed; one double-size sleeper sofa; living room; 2 bathrooms (one with a shower and the other a bath) and a kitchenette.

We loved all the nods to the film which included themed units, images on the walls, porthole style mirrors with the wording “Fish are Friends” and themed bathrooms.

There is plenty of drawer / hanging space which meant that you could store everything comfortably without having to live out of a suitcase and an all important safe for any valuables. The kitchenette was well equipped with a coffee / tea maker, microwave, fridge, sink and tea & coffee.

There were two wide-screen televisions too, one in the bedroom and one in the lounge area where you could watch the Disney and news channels, as well as getting hints and tips about what to see in the parks.

The hidden beds took seconds to pull out and were fully made up so we just had to add pillows at bedtime.

Housekeepers came in daily to clean the room and left little treats for the kids which included towel animals and making their cuddly toys get up to all sorts of mischief.

The hotel also contains a restaurant, Landscape of Flavours which is open from 6am to midnight and serves a large variety of meals and snacks. We only had breakfast here but they serve cooked breakfast, cereals, pancakes, waffles and even made to order omlettes.

It was perhaps the outside of the Art of Animation Resort that really sold it to us. Each hotel is themed not only inside, but outside too and we enjoyed exploring each one, although the Cars courtyard was a firm favourite.

The Finding Nemo courtyard is home to the largest Disney Resort pool and play area and the kids adored some downtime, splashing around with Nemo and friends.

When you walked into the Lion King area, it was like entering the jungle and all your favourite characters were there for you to spot including Sumba, Timon & Pumbaa, Scar and Zazu.

Eliza’s favourite area was the Little Mermaid, with giant sculptures of Ariel, Ursula and Triton…..

….as well as smaller ones of Sebastian, Flounder and Prince Eric.

The best bit about staying in a Disney resort is that you get complimentary Disney Transportation around the Resort and from Orlando International, so there is no need for a car, you have access to Disney Dining Plans with are free when booking with Disney’s current offer and on designated days, the Disney parks open early or stay open later for guests staying at Disney Resort hotels. These are called ExtraMagic Hours. Plan your stay with these in mind and you will get crowd-free access to the best rides.
The Dining Plan is great value way to budget for meals whilst you are staying at Disney and for each night of your stay, each guest receives:

• 1 waiter service meal
• 1 self-service meal (can be used for breakfast or lunch)
• 1 non-alcoholic drink per meal
• 2 selected snacks
• Refillable mug (can only be used at the hotel)

There are over 100 locations to choose from and character dining is included with the waiter service meals. Self-service meals are great for casual dining or pit stops in the parks and snacks are available at Quick-Service restaurants and outdoor food carts throughout the resort, including drinks, popcorn, crisps, ice cream, sweets, biscuits and fresh fruit.
Here is a fab guide from Netflights.com explaining the different plans on offer:

Why not hop over and check out my 10 things I wish I had known before we went to Walt Disney World post, where you can find out my top tips for a successful trip.
Disclaimer:  This post is in partnership with Walt Disney World and Mumsnet. I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity and all opinions here are my own.

• Art of Animation
• Disney Cars
• Finding Nemo
• florida
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• orlando
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