Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/Lotion-View-1245.asp" target="_blank"><b>LP Lotion: Art of Animation Resort Construction Update</b></a> Recent pictures and video of the ongoing construction on the Art of Animation Resort at Walt Disney World.
Originally Posted By frostysnowman Great photos! That coral looks a little too much like a large fries from McDonald's from my point of view, but otherwise it's nice to see how colorful and fun this resort is starting to look.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost I am happy to see what is happening there. I can tell you from experience that it was a depressing sight to see those buildings standing there unused when I was last at POP in the spring of 2009. Looks like they are going full out on the themeing.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo This atrocity sits across from Pop Century. Suppose it is better than derelict units.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom It is across the road from Boardwalk Resort. If there were sidewalks you could walk from the Boardwalk Resort to the Art of Animation Resort. So it is behind EPCOT and DHS. Believe me, it is well needed! Yes it is a monstrosity with close to 2,000 rooms.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom It is also a part of Pop Century.... there is a bridge connecting Pop Century and the Art of Animation Resorts.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I found a descent map showing where the Art of Animation is located. <a href="http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/propertymap.htm" target="_blank">http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortm...ymap.htm</a> #31 is the Pop Century Resort. The Art of Animation Resort is the entire leftern side of the Pop Centurty Resort. Look for the lake in the middle.... everything you see to the left of that lake on the Pop Century campus is the Art of Animation Resort. So according to this map rendering this resort is located behind DHS and NOT EPCOT. So I stand corrected.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros It's interesting that with all of the synnergizing and cross-promotion of existing brands in the parks, this is the first hotel being built themed specifically to the Disney properties. Yes, they have converted rooms at other resorts to fit their needs (Pirates at Caribbean Beach, Princesses at Port Orleans French Quarter, various luxury suites at the Disneyland Hotel), but this is the first time that they're doing it from scratch, and doing the entire resort. Yes, one could argue that the All Stars or Pop use heavy character influences, but they're still themed to fairly generic concepts, like 'sports' that don't nessecitate the Disney branding. This one is branded from its very essence. Looks like the hotels are starting to catch up with everything else they've been pushing recently. Iger must be proud. And am I the only one who is confused why they chose The Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo for the same hotel? Yes, both brands make lots of money (maybe I'm not actually confused), but having two different under-the-sea themed areas just seems realy strange to me. The two films have different looks, but I'm not sure that most guests would pick up on that. Are those sections of the hotel near each other? I bet there will be plenty of lost guests trying to find their room or their way around the resort.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Lol FA, I have always loathed the concept of the All Stars and Pop century because I felt giant icons on motel buildings were very lazy. I hate the new resort even more as the synergy is even more apparent. But I do applaud the idea of family suites. It has always been a challenge for a family of more than 4 to have comfortable accommodations unless staying at fort wilderness or dvc, this gives people a slightly cheaper option. It is still cheaper than 2 rooms. I just hate the tacky garishness of the economy options. Others seem to love it. C'est la vie.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<And am I the only one who is confused why they chose The Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo for the same hotel? Yes, both brands make lots of money (maybe I'm not actually confused), but having two different under-the-sea themed areas just seems realy strange to me. The two films have different looks, but I'm not sure that most guests would pick up on that. Are those sections of the hotel near each other? I bet there will be plenty of lost guests trying to find their room or their way around the resort.>> The Little Mermaid section of the AoA Resort will be exclusively normal hotel rooms. No family suites there! While all the other themed areas of the Resort will be exclusively family suites. What is odd is that the Little Mermaid section is the furthest away from the main building with the food court, etc. You want to keep in the mind that since the Little Mermaid section is only normal hotel rooms, they will not feature kitchenettes. So the guests staying in those rooms will be the mostly likely to require a food court or restaurant. Guests there will have to get to the AoA food court or cross over the pedistrian bridge to Pop in order to eat.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Obviously the Little Mermaid will appeal to girls and Nemo is more likely to appeal to boys.
Originally Posted By dshyates Maybe they are running out of recognizable highly stylized real world resort locations to replicate, so they are switching themeatic concepts. I believe Saratoga Springs was probably one of the last real world themes. And quite frankly felt sort of like scrapping the bottom of the barrel creatively. And had SS, NY not been a childhood favorite vacation spot for Eisner, it wouldn't have been built. I would like to hear ideas of other real world locations they could do. They have Polynesia, Victorian grand beach resort, carribean, key west, Africa, Southwest USA, Saratoga Springs NY, old south/ N'awlins, Western National Park, Dude Ranch, Atlantic City, and anywhere Contemporary ( W-esque). They could do Venice like the Mira Costa, but Universal has Portofino Bay which is very similar. They could do Paris, but WDW's Dixiecrat demo loath the French (Freedom Fries, anyone?). The Middle East is pretty low on most American's bucket list. What are some of your ideas?
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom << And had SS, NY not been a childhood favorite vacation spot for Eisner, it wouldn't have been built.>> It would have been built. It just would have been themed differently. I have always said the difference with the Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge Hotels is that they are destination hotels. People will travel all over the country ( and world ) to stay at either one of those hotels. The AoA, SS and others are not destination hotels. Quite frankly the Poly needs to be torn down and a large one or perhaps two building hotel, "mini Aulani". I am all for a hotel based on Venice. Or peerhaps one based on Snow White like the Disney Inn was fashioned. Basics work. Odd gets boring. I have never stayed there but in my opinion the most comfortable looking rooms on property are those at SS.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom You also want to keep in mind that Disney isn't the only game in Otown. The Gaylord Palms is an incredible Hotel with some incredible restaurants. When you get right down to it the last thing WDW needs is yet another hotel. Family suites yes, hotel rooms, no! And the AoA with 2,000 rooms will fit the bill for family suites.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>What are some of your ideas?<<< Well there are loads of other options they could go for: Mission Style Art Deco Egyptian Roman Viking Middle Eastern Medieval Pueblo Frontier Town Chinese Japanese Thai Oceania Colonial French village German village Italian Village British Village If they really want to do something cool with Avatar. Plenty of Star Wars themed resort options too Italian lakes Florentine New England Village Gothic Resort/Transylvania Russian Resort There are still a whole host of other options. I agree, Wilderness Lodge and AKL, while service is poor, are still world class architecture. And the monorail loop resorts have that cool feature. Boardwalk has live entertainment and a great location. Coronado Springs, Port Orleans and to a lesser degree, Caribbean beach give a sense of place. But if I wanted loud and garish, I could stay on Idrive. Ok, no EMH or the horrid WDW transport, but I would rather stay in Gaylord Palms, Marriott, Ritz Carlton, Peabody or one of the other better non Disney resorts than the Economy options. And I am not a big fan of big icons, it is what I expect at a tacky seaside resort, not a world class resort. I am not against economy or family suites either. The Cheyenne in Disneyland Paris is a good example of an economy hotel done right. And indeed I think the planned but never built Buffalo Junction would have been a great addition to WDW.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom The rumor mill has it that we will "see" Buffalo Junction as a DVC complex. I think with the AoA that is going to be it for hotels on property for a while. Expect more DVCs. And it would surprise me to see the Poly replaced with something more substantial and all under one roof.
