Value Resorts · EPCOT area · $$
Disney's Art of Animation Resort
The value resort that feels like walking into the movies: courtyards themed to Finding Nemo, Cars, and The Lion King at larger-than-life scale, with Lightning McQueen parked outside your building, a Radiator Springs skyline, King Triton crowning the Big Blue Pool (the largest resort pool at Disney World, with underwater speakers playing Nemo audio). Most of the resort is family suites sleeping six, with two bathrooms and kitchenettes, purpose-built for exactly the crowd that books here; the Little Mermaid standard rooms are the budget option but sit a long walk from everything. The Landscape of Flavors food court is a cut above value-resort norms, and the Skyliner station shared with Pop Century lifts transportation to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios out of bus-land entirely. For families with young kids, the theming here out-delights resorts at triple the price.
🛏️ The Rooms
Most of the resort is family suites sleeping six with two bathrooms and a kitchenette, the best value tier answer for bigger crews. The Little Mermaid standard rooms are the budget wing, cheerful but a long walk from everything. Suites drop you inside Cars or Nemo courtyards where the theming runs right up to your door, Lightning McQueen parked outside and all.
✨ The Lobby & Grounds
The lobby is a gallery of animation, concept sketches evolving into finished characters across every wall, and the courtyards finish the lesson at full scale: Radiator Springs' neon, a Lion King savanna playground, giant Nemo reef pieces. For an animation loving kid this is the best outdoor space Disney has ever built, and adults who grew up on these movies feel it too.
🏊 Pools & Recreation
The Big Blue Pool in the Nemo courtyard is the largest at Disney World, complete with underwater speakers playing the movie soundtrack while you swim, plus a splash pad and the Schoolyard water playground. Cars and Little Mermaid keep smaller pools with their own themes. Poolside crafts and dance parties run most afternoons.
🍽️ Dining at Art of Animation Resort
Landscape of Flavors is one of the better value food courts, with create your own bowls and smoothies alongside the standards. The real move is the Skyliner: EPCOT's food and the Riviera's Primo Piatto are a gondola away, which no other value resort can say. The Drop Off pool bar covers the afternoon.
Full menus, grades, and what to order for every restaurant live on the Dining page.
🚌 Getting to the Parks
- 🏰 Magic Kingdom
- Bus
- 🌐 EPCOT
- Skyliner, with a transfer at the Caribbean Beach hub
- 🎬 Hollywood Studios
- Skyliner, with a transfer at the Caribbean Beach hub
- 🦁 Animal Kingdom
- Bus
How each ride type actually works is covered in the Transportation guide.
🎀 Mal's Tips
The Skyliner station shared with Pop Century is the whole ballgame: rope drop EPCOT or Hollywood Studios without a bus. Book Nemo suites for littlest kids, Cars for the coolest courtyard. Little Mermaid rooms are cheap for a reason, budget the walk.
Best for: Family suites, Big Blue pool, Skyliner