Living and Working at Disney- Soarin's CM Journal

[TikiTikiRoom]

The art of animation resort, from what I saw from the road inside of a bus, looked totally killer. I saw them installing some of the text on the entrance sign, and you can see alot of the exterior out in the open. I wish I could grab pics but like I said, I was in a bus.

[MmeLeota]

may be a lead-up to a refresh at CBR... to go with a different theme in the room...

I would have thought the same thing, but the refurbish of the rooms was just in 2008.

[Soarin08]

You got some awesome pics! We were anxiously awaiting the stern so we could see what character was used. That was one thing they kept under wraps at the D23 Expo...I can't wait to see all the detail! Awesome that your friend's dad was the one who designed Dumbo!

Dumbo and the mouse is on the stern of the Fantasy

We were watching like kids on Christmas! It was hard to see on the camera we were watching from, but noticed Dumbo right away.

I can see the difference with TLM and FN...and I don't doubt that FN is well done and fits with the resort...I just don't understand why they chose to do FN when there's already FN rooms at CBR is all. I understand that kids relate more to the "modern" films (such as Pixar)...I just think it would have been a great opportunity to renew interest in a different classic instead of repeating a theme already carried a another resort.
Not complaining or anything, just curious as to why...

How prominent is the Nemo theming at CBR? This at A of A is in-your-face Nemo. Like, you know it's Nemo the minute you see it.

[Amy]

may be a lead-up to a refresh at CBR... to go with a different theme in the room...

I don't think the Finding Nemo refurb at the CBR was very long ago

[MmeLeota]

may be a lead-up to a refresh at CBR... to go with a different theme in the room...

I don't think the Finding Nemo refurb at the CBR was very long ago

2008

Soarin, while the Nemo theme may not be "in your face", there's no question that Nemo is the theme of the room. The border and the comforters have the characters on them and there are other less subtle hints throughout. Both Elizabethswann and I posted pics in our trip reports.

I'm really looking forward to the new resort though...even if there is a duplication in theme. I've seen several pieces of the concept art (thanks once again to the D23 Expo) and it looks like it will be an AMAZING property! We may be attempting to stay there on our next trip (which probably won't be til early next year).

[Soarin08]

may be a lead-up to a refresh at CBR... to go with a different theme in the room...

I don't think the Finding Nemo refurb at the CBR was very long ago

2008

Soarin, while the Nemo theme may not be "in your face", there's no question that Nemo is the theme of the room. The border and the comforters have the characters on them and there are other less subtle hints throughout. Both Elizabethswann and I posted pics in our trip reports.

I'm really looking forward to the new resort though...even if there is a duplication in theme. I've seen several pieces of the concept art (thanks once again to the D23 Expo) and it looks like it will be an AMAZING property! We may be attempting to stay there on our next trip (which probably won't be til early next year).

It definitely pops over at the new one... it's like, Nemo overload... but I think having the two resorts with the rooms will be fine. I'd have rather had Toy Story personally, over either Nemo or Cars, but of course All Star Movies already has it... Up would have been a fun one...

[Sleepy90]

Soarin do you know the Disney rates for these suites yet.

Virgin Holidays have them available from later in the year..............wait for it..................two weeks in February low season remember with car hire and Disney tickets £5200. I would like to see them but could get two trips for that at All Stars. Guess we will be heading back to POR.

[Amy]

Soarin do you know the Disney rates for these suites yet.

Virgin Holidays have them available from later in the year..............wait for it..................two weeks in February low season remember with car hire and Disney tickets £5200. I would like to see them but could get two trips for that at All Stars. Guess we will be heading back to POR.

That is what I am wondering too. It seems like for being a value resort, the Art of Animation is priced more like a moderate!

[cy1229]

Soarin do you know the Disney rates for these suites yet.

Virgin Holidays have them available from later in the year..............wait for it..................two weeks in February low season remember with car hire and Disney tickets £5200. I would like to see them but could get two trips for that at All Stars. Guess we will be heading back to POR.

That is what I am wondering too. It seems like for being a value resort, the Art of Animation is priced more like a moderate!

Well I think the suites are actually two rooms' worth of space. If you look at the typical layout for the buildings at a value or moderate resort, they took 2 of those rooms and combined them into a family suite. Families will LOVE the option of more space and a quiet place for kids to sleep while Mom and Dad stay up a little later. I wish they had the suites when the girls were little. We all had to go to bed at 9 because the girls wouldn't go to sleep otherwise. So it doesn't surprise me that they're more expensive. I'm curious to know how these suites are going to stack up financially against the studios and 1BR villas at the DVC locations. There has to be an advantage to AofA somehow, or they wouldn't have built them.

Speaking of advantages, children LOVE "over-the-top" theming. Think of the rooms they always built in "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" for the kids. OVER THE TOP. So I think this is being designed to appeal more to families with school-aged kids. Moms and dads just have to deal with it.

[Amy]

Soarin do you know the Disney rates for these suites yet.

Virgin Holidays have them available from later in the year..............wait for it..................two weeks in February low season remember with car hire and Disney tickets £5200. I would like to see them but could get two trips for that at All Stars. Guess we will be heading back to POR.

That is what I am wondering too. It seems like for being a value resort, the Art of Animation is priced more like a moderate!

Well I think the suites are actually two rooms' worth of space. If you look at the typical layout for the buildings at a value or moderate resort, they took 2 of those rooms and combined them into a family suite. Families will LOVE the option of more space and a quiet place for kids to sleep while Mom and Dad stay up a little later. I wish they had the suites when the girls were little. We all had to go to bed at 9 because the girls wouldn't go to sleep otherwise. So it doesn't surprise me that they're more expensive. I'm curious to know how these suites are going to stack up financially against the studios and 1BR villas at the DVC locations. There has to be an advantage to AofA somehow, or they wouldn't have built them.

Speaking of advantages, children LOVE "over-the-top" theming. Think of the rooms they always built in "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" for the kids. OVER THE TOP. So I think this is being designed to appeal more to families with school-aged kids. Moms and dads just have to deal with it.

I would expect the suites to be more expensive, but it seems like the single rooms are way more expensive than a room at the All Star resorts as well...

[cy1229]

I would expect the suites to be more expensive, but it seems like the single rooms are way more expensive than a room at the All Star resorts as well...

I thought they were all suites.

[theBIGyowski]

I would expect the suites to be more expensive, but it seems like the single rooms are way more expensive than a room at the All Star resorts as well...

I thought they were all suites.

According to Wikipedia...

In total, there will be 1,980 rooms. 1,120 of them will be family suites capable of housing up to six people, featuring living rooms and bedrooms. The remaining 864 will sport the standard value layout.

[cy1229]

I would expect the suites to be more expensive, but it seems like the single rooms are way more expensive than a room at the All Star resorts as well...

I thought they were all suites.

According to Wikipedia...

In total, there will be 1,980 rooms. 1,120 of them will be family suites capable of housing up to six people, featuring living rooms and bedrooms. The remaining 864 will sport the standard value layout.

Huh. So I wonder what would make someone spend more for this resort than, say, All Star Movies?

[Soarin08]

Soarin do you know the Disney rates for these suites yet.

Virgin Holidays have them available from later in the year..............wait for it..................two weeks in February low season remember with car hire and Disney tickets £5200. I would like to see them but could get two trips for that at All Stars. Guess we will be heading back to POR.

That is what I am wondering too. It seems like for being a value resort, the Art of Animation is priced more like a moderate!

That's the point, since it's far more room.... that's how the suites at Music are priced as well.

Nemo, Cars, and Lion King are the suites. Little Mermaid is being done from the existing half of the old set of buildings that were slated to be the Legendary Years for Pop. Hence why that piece is standard value.

[theBIGyowski]

Thanks for clearing that up, Soarin08!