Art of Animation Reopening Update: 2020-2021 Resort & Pool Refurbishments
We virtually visit Art of Animation Resort as we continue our Walt Disney World hotel reopening updates. In this progress report, we’ll share details on recent & upcoming construction work, dates for the Big Blue Pool refurbishment, and more. (Updated October 14, 2020.)
While we’ve revised this Art of Animation Resort refurbishment report, it actually predates the closure of Walt Disney World. A few projects were originally announced or in-progress last fall, at which time we gave a rundown of when they’d begin, why they were happening, and what to expect.
Some were finished prior to the closure of Walt Disney World, but others were interrupted or postponed due to that. Rather than reinventing the wheel, we’re simply refreshing this post with new info, removing outdated references, and letting you know what’s already finished. Let’s dig in…
For starters, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort reopens on November 1, 2020. It joins Disney’s Pop Century Resort across the Generation Gap Bridge as only the second Value Resort operating for at least the remainder of 2020 at Walt Disney World.
There’s no word yet on when any of the All Star Resorts will return. Our expectation is that one or two will return in Summer and/or Fall 2021, but that all three won’t be back until 2022. Our hope is that Walt Disney World uses the downtime of those resorts to finish up the room overhaul project.
Back to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, the following will be available when the hotel reopens on November 1, 2020:
Dining
- The Drop Off Pool Bar
- Landscape of Flavors
Shops
- Ink & Paint Shop
Activities
- Pools
- Poolside Activities
- Movies Under the Stars
Transportation
- Bus transportation is available from this Disney Resort hotel to the Disney theme parks and the Disney Springs area
- Disney Skyliner gondolas to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT
It’s worth noting here that the Skyliner to DHS or EPCOT connects via the hub station at Caribbean Beach Resort. Long lines at both the Pop Century station and the Caribbean Beach Resort hub are occurring with regularity for rope drop. Since Pop Century and Art of Animation share a station, the latter reopening is only going to exacerbate that problem.
We’ll monitor the situation, but there’s no logical reason to expect improvement absent the Skyliner operating earlier. Without that, it’ll only worsen in the coming months, especially with occupancy rates ticking up for the holiday season. Accordingly, our strong rope drop recommendation is using a car–whether that be your own, a rental, or Uber/Lyft–to get to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s also recommended for EPCOT, but not as strongly.
Moving on to the refurbishments at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. First up is the multi-phase floor replacement project in the lobby.
This began last spring and totally finished by the fall. It looks great and is a considerable improvement over the small tiles that became grimy and discolored over the years.
The bigger refurbishment project starts next year. Beginning in 2021, the Big Blue Pool will be closed for a refurbishment project that will last a few months. This was originally scheduled to occur right about now (and it’s unfortunate that it didn’t happen during the closure), finishing up by December.
Instead, the Big Blue Pool will be closed for refurbishment from January 11, 2021 through early April 2021. Timing-wise, this is still fairly convenient–after the big Christmas crowds depart and potentially returning before more big crowds arrive for Easter (April 4, 2021).
Per DisneyWorld.com: “While this work takes place, our other exhilarating pool and recreation offerings will remain open for your enjoyment–including Flippin’ Fins Pool, Cozy Cone Pool and the Schoolyard Sprayground. Noise may be heard while this work is being completed, but noise should not be heard from Guest rooms between dusk and 9:00 AM.”
The scope of the refurbishment work on the Big Blue Pool has yet to be revealed. The best recent comparison is probably the Dig Site at Coronado Springs, which was refurbished about a year ago for the same duration of time. That pool was essentially just refreshed and had routine/preventative maintenance done. It emerged looking fresh and like-new, but not fundamentally different.
Next, the soft goods refurbishment has resulting in a quiet refreshment of in the Art of Animation Family Suites. Nothing particularly major was done here–mostly just the carpeting being replaced with laminate flooring, queen beds replacing full-sized ones, and other slight changes to furniture, furnishings, and finishings.
Work is now done on the Cars, Nemo, and Lion King Family Suites. Pre-closure, work had commenced on the Little Mermaid standard rooms with some finishing up and reopening. We’re about 75% sure those rooms are also done–but there is the possibility some work remains. In any case, this was being done pretty quietly. Even if work is ongoing, it’s unnoticeable and should wrap up shortly.
Finally, a few photos of Cars:
This remains my favorite section of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort by a wide margin. The way it’s done is cool, and the integration of the Cozy Cones and Wheel Well Motel is nice. I still wish Disney would’ve built a stand-alone Wheel Well Motel behind Disney California Adventure with an entrance into Cars Land. (Rumor is that Disney owns the land on which a couple of those third-party Harbor/Katella hotels sit…so maybe someday once the leases expire!)
That’s it from Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. We don’t yet have any upcoming stays scheduled here for Christmas 2020, but we’ll be back at Pop Century on a couple of occasions, so we’ll drop in for more Art of Animation updates then. It’s nice to see the resort receiving some TLC some 8 years after it opened (how has it been so long? I still remember when it opened like it was yesterday!).
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Your Thoughts
What do you think about Art of Animation’s lobby and pool refurbishment projects? Is this your favorite Value Resort, or do you prefer the cheaper options? Any other improvements you’d like to see Disney make to Art of Animation Resort? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of the projects? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Looking forward to getting to AoA for the first time in January. We check out of AoA and into AK Jambo House the day the Big Blue pool closes. Any reason why they’d fill up the pool just to shut it down in 2 months? Like you said, seems like they could have been working on it during the closure, especially after WDW reopened.
Oh well, at any rate, looking forward to experiencing all of AoA and Pop – We signed up for the virtual 5k (we’ll be walking) and plotted a path that takes us along nearly every main walking path of the complex, including around the Hour Glass Lake and will get to see all of the giant statues at both resorts. Should be a fun way to experience the complex.
Hello. We are staying a few days at Pop in early December. Will we be allowed to eat at Art of Animation food court or is resort hopping for food no longer allowed?
Generally, you are only prevented from getting into another resort if you’re in your own car and don’t have a dining reservation. Since you’ll more than like walk over, it won’t be an issue.
Hi Tom,
I’m a DAAR Recreation Cast Member and I’m really missing my home resort right now and I came across your photo of the Big Blue Pool and would love to make it my desktop background. Would you be willing to send me the original copy so it’s not pixelated?
Sorry for the incredibly tardy reply, but I just noticed this. If you’d still like the full sized photo, please email via the “contact” page. Hope you’re able to return to your home resort soon! 🙂
Planning to stay at AoA in Cars suites in late May 2020. Is everything done or will be done by then?
Staying at the art of animation in april just in a standard room. Assuming we may be able to request a room can you suggest where (what number even) ww should ask for.
Are there area close to the pool or close to transport? Any suggestions gratefully accepted.
When we stayed in the AoA Little Mermaid room (NOT suite), it was practically steps away from the big blue pool.
Art of Animation is by FAR our family’s favorite Value Resort! It’s actually one of our top favorite resorts, period! (Not to mention it was the very first Disney Resort we stayed at so it holds a special place in our hearts). The theming at AoA is a great example of Disney Excellence and their attention to detail. The Lion King is my favorite Disney movie, hands down, but I have to say that I love the Cars area of AoA even better than The Lion King area! I guess it’s the closest thing that WDW has to having anything even remotely close to Cars Land at DCA. Any time I refer families with smaller children to WDW I almost always suggest this resort…it really packs a punch and has that WOW factor.
Love your blogs! I always stop by this website when I need advice or reviews on anything WDW!
tom (or anyone), do you have the room numbers of the updated/refurbished lion king suite rooms? i just saw a post on another site of the removal of the carpet and we’d like to score one of those room if possible but room number(s) would be helpful. the post didn’t say how many rooms were currently refurbished.
We stayed in a Cars suite the week of Memorial Day and they swapped the closed area of the lobby the day before we left. We stayed in the Cars suites the same week in 2016 and the carpet in our room this time was definitely worse for the wear. The edges were still the orange cone pattern but the main part of the carpet was much closer to brown than orange. Still loved the room and resort but it could definitely use a refresh!
i believe i read it right, but just verifying that pool work doesn’t start until 2020? another site made it seem sooner. i just want it to be open when we go september of this year.
Do the suites have carpet or laminate flooring?
Carpeting, which is subtly themed to the room’s film/characters.
I live AoA, it’s the first resort that my kids and I stayed in on our yearly “us” trip and it still feels like home. If it weren’t for them wanting to stay in all of the resorts I would stay there every time, but not in those Little Mermaid rooms! They’re too much of a hike after spending long days in the parks!
I agree, the Cars is my favorite. We stayed here in Feb and decided to book again for next year, even though we were considering upgrading to a deluxe, the theming of this resort really made the decision to rebook here easy.
I really love this resort. My family stayed in a Cars suite a few months after AoA opened, and again 3-years later. We had much, much better cast member interactions there than at the Polynesian or Contemporary, and I think the Landscape of Flavors is the best resort food court on property. Our last on-site stay was at the Pop, but we used the Landscape of Flavors as frequently as, the also excellent, Everything Pop. We discovered AoA’s autograph chandelier, just outside the Ink & Paint shop, as we happened past a ceremony for two “Cars” animators to add their signatures to the lighting fixtures. Such a fun and magical moment!
We’re staying at AoA in a Nemo suite this December. When I booked I was Meh on both the Skyliner and AOA (but couldn’t pass up the bounce back discount for a real one bedroom). Now I am ridiculously excited about both the resort and the Skyliner.
This hotel brings back the fondest memory of our oldest’s 1st Disney trip. Upon arrival to the lobby he skipped gleefully at the sight of the drawings. There was even more magic when he saw his Cars friends. The kid hugged the front wheel of Lighting McQueen with such a strong grip! 😀
This hotel is a true gem. I am a huge fan of animation, so walking into that lobby just feels like Disney Magic.
We’ll typically stay there a few days then move to a deluxe for a week, but the Cars theme makes my son happy so we can’t miss it.
It looks like a really nice resort with cool theming. I am curious why it’s graded as economy but costs at least double as any all star or pop century.
Most of the “rooms” at AOA are family suites with much larger footprints and include a kitchenette. So, compared to a traditional value resort room you get a lot for your money. The only ones at this resort that aren’t suites are the Little Mermaid Rooms which are smaller, but very themed.
Any guesstimate as to when the lobby work will be done?
Stayed at the Cars section 2 years ago. Very nice accommodations and recreation and food amenities were excellent. Would definitely stay here again; but, got a little spoiled by Coronado Springs, which was also excellent!!! Decisions, decisions!!
We love AoA and I’m happy to read that the floor is being replaced. When it gets wet from people’s shoes it turns into a skating rink. We’ve seen countless people fall and have taken a couple almost tumbles ourselves. Here’s hoping the new floor has more grip!