Watching you and your child’s favorite Disney characters on screen can be a lot of fun, but what if you and your family could be a “part of that world?” Now you can!
The newest Disneyworld Resort hotel, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, opened its doors for the first time on May 31. Guests can now experience the world of Finding Nemo like never before in any one of the 320 suites.
Three more wings will be added to the resort hotel, all of which feature a different Disney favorite. The “Cars” wing, comprised of 480 suites, will open June 18
th; “The Lion King,” comprised of 320 suites will open August 10
th; and “The Little Mermaid” wing, comprised of 864 suites, is set to open on September 15
th.
All four wings aim to give guests a full immersion experience through storytelling, characters, original art sketches, bigger than life statues, full wing theming and playfulness almost amazing enough to keep guests firmly planted in the hotel itself.
“Our goal was to make guests feel like they have been immersed in the artistry and enchantment of Walt Disney and Disney Pixar animated classics,” said Walt Disney Imagineer Frank Paris.
The entire experience begins before you even enter the doors. Pixilated patterns and wavy ribbons of bold colors adorn the exterior of the building. The entryway of the hotel is filled with pencil drawings of Disney favorites like Lightning McQueen, Ariel, Nemo and Simba. The lobby features a chandelier of 77 different animation storyboards. Guests will even find bigger-than-life characters before venturing off to their rooms: a large and ominous Mufasa as well as a 35-foot-tall King Triton.
The journey only gets better as guests head off into their wings. Each and every detail has been tied into the theme of each wing. In the “Cars” wing, guests will travel down a freshly paved road to the Cozy Cone Motel, complete with cone-shaped cabanas and a Cozy Cone pool.
In “The Lion King” wing, guests will journey through the elephant graveyard play area and find Zazu perched on their headboards.
“The Little Mermaid” guests will find “gadgets and gizmos” in Ariel’s Little Mermaid courtyard.
“Finding Nemo” guests will find everything from bubble ceiling lights and coral shaped chairs to the largest resort swimming pool at the Disney World Resort, the “Big Blue Pool” were kids of any age (yes, that means adults too) can receive periodic messages and music from Dory and the lovable Nemo. Parents and children can pose for pictures with Mr. Ray or Crush. Children can spend time in the children’s play area with Squirt at the Righteous Reef.
The Resort hotel also features the Pixel Play Arcade, Drop Off pool bar, and Ink and Paint gift shop. A daily character artist can be found in the “Finding Nemo” lobby and guests can even enjoy nightly movies poolside.
Of course, no experience is complete without great food. Of course, Disney thought of that too. A poolside snack bar and the Landscape of Flavors food court can all be found within the hotel itself, both of which offer family friendly cuisines. But even if you can’t find something on the menu to tease your taste buds, a pizza delivery service is available.
Classified as a “budget” hotel, up to four guests can stay in a standard room for rates starting at $94 a night. Family suites, which feature two bathrooms, a kitchenette and three separate sleeping areas for up to six guests can be booked for rates starting at $248 per night. Guests at the Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will also enjoy complimentary transportation to and from the theme parks, extra Magic Hours and other benefits available to only Disney Resort hotel guests.
“Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is part of our continued investment in Central Florida and helps keep our region squarely on the map as the world’s premiere family vacation destination,” said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, US and France. “As more families travel and make memories together, they also want to stay together, which has created demand for family suites.”
The whole experience sounds downright enchanting and fun! Immersion experiences can also serve as highly educational for young (and not so young) minds. And since the experience is offered at a budget hotel price, I can’t imagine any parent planning to head out to the Land of Mouse this summer passing the opportunity up. But to be honest, I’m excited about more than just the hotel. What I love most is that the spirit of Walt Disney continues to live on, creating magic in our lives, in our hearts and in our worlds.
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1. Planet Wise Travel Wet/Dry Bag – Spit happens and so do unexpected poops. I love Planet Wise’s Travel Wet/Dry Bag because it is compact with a zipper to allow it to expand and it has a zipper to ensure that your little mess stays somewhat contained. I keep this is in my bag for unexpected messes and also store snacks in it!
2. Sassy Powder Dispenser -whether you are traveling with dry food or baby formula, this convenient dispenser allows you to portion out a meal to eliminate the guess work at 30,000 ft.
3. Zoli snack holder -This stacking snack holder is both compact and convenient. It allows you to carry a variety of options, which will come in handy if you are delayed.
4. phil&teds lobster highchair – weighing less than 5 pounds, the phil&teds lobster folds to be very compact, comes with it’s own case and will attach to almost every table. But we especially love it because it has it’s own food tray, which means that you don’t have to worry if you have to stop for a bite somewhere that may not be the cleanest.
5. Baby Bjorn Travel Light crib – Worried about the hotel crib not being safe or available? Bring your own! The Baby Bjorn travel light crib assembles in seconds(literally) and it folds in half. Not compact enough to go in your suitcase, but definitely small enough to be a piece of checked luggage or to only take up a small area in the back of the trunk for road trips. Not just for babies, this bed can be used for newborns and up until around the age of three.
1. Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover – Whether you are on a plane, in the park or at the beach, this cover will keep your baby covered while they are nursing. Bebe au Lait’s covers are both stylish and functional. They feature a have curved boning at the collar, which allows you to see your baby while they are feeding and a terry patch in the corner that can be used as a cloth if your baby spits up. When not in use it can tied to your infant seat to shield your baby from the sun.
2/3 Baby K’tan, Cybex 2.Go Carrier – When my boys were little I would carry them and check the stroller to keep my hands free while getting through the airport. I like the Cybex 2. Go carrier because it allows you to carry your baby in 5 different positions. The Baby K’Tan is nice for smaller babies who need stay close. You can wear your baby in 8 different positions including side carry for little ones (5 months+).
4. Skip*Hop Bento Bag – This full featured diaper bag has it all – including a insulated Mealtime Kit with Clix containers, which slides into a convenient compartment—keeping food in its own special place. The biggest bag Skip*Hop offers the Bento Bag has fifteen pockets include five mesh pockets, 2 insulated bottle pockets and the afore mentioned mealtime kit compartment. I also like that it hangs neatly on a stroller or it can be worn over the shoulder. Plus if you have this bag, you don’t need to worry about having any other snack holders as it comes with 3!
5. Bebe au Lait’s Quib is one of the best bibs we’ve come across for going out because a. It has magnets that allow it close easily and STAY closed, b. If your child messes the quib has 4 sides that can be used; two with prints and two with terry cloth. I love this Bib!
6. Patemm Pad – Whenever you leave the house you run the risk of having to change your baby somewhere there is not enough room or a place that is not as clean as you would like it to be. This gorgeous round pad is 28 inches in diameter and it is designed with 4 outside handles allowing you to unfold/fold it with one hand. You can store diapers, wipes, and even a set of clothes in the cleverly-placed inside pockets. When not in use, the patemm® pad folds into a compact carrier without the use of ties, buttton, snaps, or Velcro®.
