Posts Tagged ‘Disney Value Resorts’

In response to the demand for more Family Suites, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is now accepting reservations for 2012.  Guests can immerse themselves in classic animated films with a stay at this new Value Resort.  The resort is made up of four wings, three of which have family suites and one which features standard rooms.  It’s being opened in stages with the suites being offered first.  The property will ultimately include 1,120 family suites, and 864 standard rooms.

For arrivals beginning June 1, 2012, guests can stay in a Finding Nemo Family Suite.  Cars Family suites are available for dates from September 1, 2012, and on October 1, 2012, The Lion King Family Suites will be added to the roster.

An interesting element of these new suites is the addition of an Inova TableBed, a dining and work table that can quickly be converted into a double bed.  Suites will continue to offer a queen bed in the separate master bedroom and a double sleep sofa in the living room, as well as two bathrooms and a kitchenette with small refrigerator, microwave, and coffeemaker.

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will also include standard category rooms in The Little Mermaid wing which will be opened for occupancy later in the year.

All images – Walt Disney Imagineering Concept Art

After years of languishing in limbo, the area originally planned for an expansion of Disney’s Pop Century Resort will now be the site of a new Value property, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Building is slated to begin this summer with an opening in  2012.

Adding nearly 2,000 rooms to the current inventory, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will feature four of Disney’s more current animated films, Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid.

Three of the wings will offer a total of 1,120 new family suites; welcome news for those needing a more moderately-priced option for parties of five or six.  The Little Mermaid wing will have 864 standard rooms.  All units will feature specially-themed interiors; an extremely popular choice at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort where the pirate-themed rooms are in demand despite their higher cost.

Guests can also expect the same fun and fantasy they’ve come to appreciate at the other Value resorts, with work already begun on giant sculptures of the movies’ most well-loved characters.  Different, themed courtyards will allow guests to feel as though they have stepped into a movie!

With the lure and excitement of the theme parks, it’s easy to forget that the Walt Disney World resort hotels are, in and of themselves, vacation destinations.  Guests can step outside their room to view an African savannah at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge or lose themselves in the tropics at Disney’s Polynesian Resort; escape to the piney woods at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge or frolic on the sandy beaches of Disney’s Yacht and Beach Clubs.  The color and fun of Mardi Gras, the tranquil beauty of the American Southwest, the Caribbean, even Andy’s Room:  with such wide range of styles, settings and décor, there’s something to suit every taste.  Although each has its own ambience, they all include the hallmark of the Disney experience – outstanding service.

Disney resorts fall into four “categories” – Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villa.  While each property is unique, those sharing the same category will have many similar characteristics.

The Value resorts typically reflect the lowest prices of the four categories.  We say “typically” because sometimes a special offer can result in a normally higher-priced category costing less.  Your travel concierge will always be on the lookout for the best value during your vacation dates.

The standard room at a Value resort has the smallest square-footage with two double beds and exterior corridors.  The resorts themselves are very large and spread out with attractive, albeit basic, landscaping and a nice pool but one without a slide or extensive theming.  All four have amazing oversized structures around the property which highlight elements of the resort’s specific theme.  So, you’ll find giant memorabilia from the different decades at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, or enormous characters from the movies at Disney’s All Star Movies Resort.

Since there are no table-service restaurants at the Value resorts, the food courts are particularly expansive with many more options than those found elsewhere.  Bus service is available to all destinations within the Walt Disney World complex.

Moderate resorts, a bit more expensive, feature slightly larger rooms although they do retain the exterior corridors.  There are both “theme” and “quiet” pools, and the lovely grounds are an outstanding feature.  Perhaps because, unlike the Deluxe Resorts, they are not built on the limited land closer to the parks, the Moderate resorts boast extravagant landscaping, arguably more beautiful than any other resort category.  With the exception of Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter, the Moderate resorts are enormous and very spread out over the spectacular landscapes.  Plantings, design elements, and architecture are all chosen to enhance the sense that guests have truly escaped to the bayou, the desert, the Caribbean, or New Orleans.

Some Moderate resorts feature a table-service restaurant, and two have boat service to Downtown Disney, but otherwise, bus transportation is provided.

At the Deluxe Resorts, expect extensive theming and extraordinary public spaces with imaginative touches at every turn.  There are generally numerous activities and amenities coupled with at least one exceptional dining venue.

The standard rooms are the largest, although they do vary in size from one property to another, generally have two queen-sized beds and often include a daybed, as well.   Interior hallways give these resorts more of a “hotel” atmosphere and large lobbies and seating areas are invitations to linger.  All except Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge have multiple transportation options which may include bus, boat, monorail, and pedestrian walkways to other locations.  Bell services and room service are more comprehensive.  The grounds are meticulously groomed and the theme pools are especially elaborate.  Most also feature a lovely “quiet” pool.

Deluxe resorts also offer suites and concierge or club-level accommodations making them the most luxurious of the Disney properties.

Deluxe Villa resort accommodations are rooms allocated to retail sales from the Disney Vacation Club properties.   Room configurations include studios, one- and two-bedroom villas, and three-bedroom Grand Villas.  The studio is somewhat comparable to a standard deluxe-property room with the addition of a small kitchenette.  The other units include a full kitchen, washer and dryer, two- or three-room master bathrooms with whirlpool tubs and walk-in showers, and plentiful storage.  The Grand Villas add a dining room for family dinners and are wonderfully spacious.

Several of the Deluxe Villa properties are connected to existing hotels: Disney’s Boardwalk, Disney’s Beach Club, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.  Guests staying in these villas have full access to all the amenities of their sister hotel including the themed pools.  Disney’s Old Key West and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa are dedicated villa properties without any standard hotel space connected.

Of course, each Walt Disney World Resort hotel has features that are uniquely theirs!  Your travel concierge will be happy to provide in-depth information about each resort to assist you in making the perfect choice.