Our final evaluation of the Little Mermaid visitor rooms at Artwork of Animation Resort now comes throughout as too harsh. Walt Disney World’s normal lodging at this fan-favorite lodge have gotten so much higher, and this reevaluates them based mostly on worth for cash, location, themed design, high quality, and extra.
One factor I do wish to word upfront is that this isn’t us doing an entire 180 on the Little Mermaid rooms or admitting we had been “flawed” about them. That is largely in regards to the circumstances altering, and that warranting a partial vital reappraisal of the Artwork of Animation normal rooms. A combination between us being too harsh initially and issues having modified so much since.
It’s not that we’re afraid to confess once we’ve made errors. “I used to be flawed about…” is its personal style of posts on this weblog, together with however not restricted to Animal Kingdom’s excellence and full-day standing (though I’m beginning to rethink that one throughout Tropical Americas building) in addition to the high quality and allure of Toy Story Resort. That final one is definitely an amazing instance right here, because the Toy Story Resort rooms illustrate simply how well-done themed design in a Worth Resort may be.
To that time, let’s begin this evaluation with how we had been too harsh on the Little Mermaid rooms, absent something altering in regards to the resort itself. The “we” right here is actually me, as I’m the one who actually didn’t like these rooms initially–Sarah was far more forgiving of their faults. Our unique keep and evaluation was again once we had been childless Disney Adults.
Because it seems, the audience of the Little Mermaid rooms won’t be a thirtysomething dude with out youngsters. Who might’ve recognized?! As a fortysomething dude with a daughter, my perspective on these rooms–and just about all the pieces–has softened. Whereas I’ve all the time strived for objectivity and attempting to see how this or that would enchantment to oldsters with babies, the breadth of that perspective simply was not attainable with out being in these sneakers.
When moving into the Little Mermaid part of the resort, my first thought was that our daughter, Megatron, would completely love this sometime. Megatron at the moment has zero curiosity within the Little Mermaid–when she met Ariel in Magic Kingdom, her favourite a part of the expertise was holding a fork–nevertheless it’s simple to think about how she’d react based mostly on how she’s beginning to reply to all issues Frozen. And that alone melted my coronary heart, making me a Frozen fan, too. If she finally ends up loving the Little Mermaid, it’s recreation over–I’ll grow to be a fully-fledged fan of those rooms.
This makes it very simple to see why so many mother and father love the Little Mermaid rooms at Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort. I used to be beforehand fixated on their faults (and to make certain, there are nonetheless a number of!), whereas they had been singularly-focused on one factor: their youngsters’ happiness. That is smart now. I’ve developed those self same blinders.
Let’s transfer alongside to what has modified with the lodge as a complete. Artwork of Animation first opened in 2012, and it loved a long term as the latest resort at Walt Disney World. On high of that, it delivered to life storybook landscapes from trendy classics Discovering Nemo, Automobiles, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid.
The resort additionally supplied uniquely-themed household suites and wondrously detailed courtyards, which “drew” loads of friends to Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort. It was a smash success for a very long time, and the primary a number of instances we stayed right here, we paid full value. That was a rarity on the time, when most resorts had been being discounted nicely beneath rack charges.
On high of that, the Little Mermaid rooms at Artwork of Animation Resort are the costliest normal Worth Resort rooms in all of Walt Disney World. Whereas the Little Mermaid rooms at Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort are sometimes touted as being a small surcharge over the opposite Worth Resorts, it is a bit deceiving.
The rooms began out as costing $20 per night time greater than Pop Century, however that climbed to extra like $30 to $50 per night time, and that’s when evaluating rack charges. That was true once we first stayed within the Little Mermaid rooms, and remains to be true right this moment.
The distinction between then and now could be that the Little Mermaid rooms had been excluded from each single low cost for a very long time. I’m not 100% positive of when that modified, nevertheless it seems to be someday after revenge journey burned off based mostly on my data. That’s over a decade after opening, which is fully unprecedented.
Disney’s Riviera Resort and Gran Destino Tower each supplied a few of their best-ever offers once they had been brand-new. The Island Tower on the Polynesian is just a few months previous, and is already closely discounted. Conversely, it was quite common for the Little Mermaid rooms to exceed Reasonable Resort costs. Gran Destino Tower would’ve been cheaper (typically considerably so) most nights in 2019 when it was just a few months previous!
On account of reductions (or the shortage thereof), it was additionally widespread for the Little Mermaid rooms to successfully value over double the value of the All Stars. There have been instances again within the day once we paid $79/night time for one of many All Stars, and rack charges on the Little Mermaid rooms had been pushing $200!
Even right this moment, it’s not unusual for the Little Mermaid rooms to be excluded from reductions. The present 40% off price for Annual Passholders particularly blocks them out–the one sort of normal room to be excluded from the particular provide (all the pieces else is limited-inventory suites or multi-bedroom models).
The excellent news is that that is changing into much less widespread. The brand new lodge scent has worn off Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort as a complete, as evidenced by the summer time deal for Disney+ subscribers itemizing the Automobiles Suites as one of many few room varieties eligible for the particular financial savings–a reduction so deep that it brings the value of these rooms all the way down to $229 per night time, nicely beneath the non-discounted value of the Little Mermaid rooms. Once more, that is suites vs. normal rooms!
The Little Mermaid rooms are additionally usually discounted. Not solely are these eligible for the present Keep Longer & Save As much as 30% Off Walt Disney World Resorts in 2025, however they’ve additionally been eligible for various Florida resident and Annual Passholder offers (simply not the present one, for some odd motive).
The entire motive I booked this keep was as a result of the Little Mermaid rooms at Artwork of Animation had been inexplicably cheaper than discounted charges at Pop Century. In truth, I paid much less for this keep than we did for earlier stays at Artwork of Animation in 2021…and even 2018. That’s form of loopy contemplating how Skyliner resort costs have skyrocketed since these gondolas opened!
Talking of which, the Skyliner is the opposite huge change for the Little Mermaid rooms at Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort. Clearly, this isn’t brand-new. The Skyliner have a good time its 5-year anniversary final 12 months. However it’s new as of our final Little Mermaid room evaluation!
The Skyliner has a shared station between Artwork of Animation and Pop Century–the one two Worth Resorts with a station. These gondolas join these resorts to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT by way of Caribbean Seashore, and means entry to 2 parks and a number of other resorts with out getting on a bus, which is enormous.
The added worth to Pop Century or Artwork of Animation by this non-bus transportation can’t be overstated. We at the moment are prepared to pay a big premium for Pop Century or Artwork of Animation over the All Stars; I’m unsure of the precise quantity because it actually relies upon upon the aim of the journey, however we’re prepared to pay premium pricing for this one amenity–we derive great worth from it.
The Skyliner makes for simple noon breaks while you’re doing Disney’s Hollywood Studios or EPCOT, and is extraordinarily advantageous for Early Entry at each parks. (Nonetheless, the strains may be lengthy within the morning when the resorts are at full occupancy–see Skyliner Warning for Rope Dropping Disney’s Hollywood Studios or EPCOT.)
The advantages of the Skyliner can’t be overstated–we desire it to the monorail–and consider it as an absolute gamechanger. It may possibly make the Little Mermaid price the additional expense over the All Stars, or not less than assist bridge the hole. You’re getting Deluxe-caliber distinctive transportation at a Worth Resort!
One other quasi-change is location. No, the Little Mermaid rooms didn’t relocate to be nearer to the primary foyer. These rooms are nonetheless a hike, requiring you to stroll by the Lion King part earlier than arriving on the Little Mermaid part of the resort.
The primary time we stayed within the Little Mermaid rooms, we clocked a ten+ minute stroll to the bus cease. It felt interminably lengthy. Our room was on the far facet of constructing 8, and it’d’ve been quicker to swim to Spyglass Grill than stroll to Panorama of Flavors.
This time, I lucked right into a room on the finish of constructing 7, nearer to the Lion King part. (If I recall appropriately, it was room 7618.) Clearly, “getting fortunate with room task” doesn’t change the equation, both, nevertheless it does change my notion.
I by no means used the bus cease, however strolling to the Skyliner station was a breeze. I by no means timed it, as a result of it didn’t even cross my thoughts that it was an extended stroll–I fully forgot about this previous criticism whereas staying within the Little Mermaid rooms. Having that simple stroll alongside the waterfront most likely helped, on high of my favorable room task. The ethical of the story is to make a room request if staying within the Little Mermaid rooms at Artwork of Animation. The near-end of constructing 7 is way and away the most effective location.
Now we lastly arrive on the rooms themselves. These have modified in minor methods since opening, as there was the same challenge to interchange the carpet with laminate flooring. I actually don’t recall whether or not this was a part of a mushy items refurbishment, however regardless, there have been no different materials adjustments.
Your opinion of this modification will probably rely in your feeling about carpet vs. arduous flooring in resorts. Sarah finds this to be extra sanitary and simpler to scrub. I’m barely skeptical, particularly now that we now have a toddler who demonstrates with each lodge keep simply how soiled flooring–all of them–really are. I don’t know what it’s about tiny toes, however they appear optimized for dust acquisition. I assume I’ll take carpet that extracts the dust from her versus the opposite approach round.
Past that, this flooring is louder than carpet in case you have heavy walkers within the rooms above you. (Our toddler can also be, inexplicably, a heavy walker who exerts extra pressure with every step than somebody 10x her weight.) Personally, I simply suppose the carpet appeared higher. It was a pleasant thematic factor in a room that’s in any other case considerably devoid of them!
Under is a video room tour of the refreshed Little Mermaid rooms at Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort:
Given all of that, my evaluation of the Little Mermaid rooms at Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort hasn’t modified a complete lot. These are small motel rooms, and somewhat than having elaborate theme and particulars, they’ve pretty low-cost decorations scattered round.
The largest change for the reason that final time we reviewed the Little Mermaid rooms is that the entire different Worth Resorts have been up to date and upgraded since then. Each single a type of is a dramatic enchancment over this. It’s not even a remotely shut name–I’ll take the thematic components, type and performance of All Star Sports activities instantly over the Little Mermaid rooms at Artwork of Animation.
The lazy thematic effort is disappointing given what you’ll pay right here. For the fee distinction over the course of a weeklong trip, you would make a cease at Occasion Metropolis and purchase a boatload of decorations and make your individual Little Mermaid “themed” room. I want I had been kidding, however this has the vibe of a DIY themed trip rental down in ChampionsGate or Reunion.
The subsequent time these rooms get a tough items refurbishment, they actually need to get the identical remedy because the ‘Beneath the Sea’ rooms at Caribbean Seashore, besides with extra overt Little Mermaid stylization. That’s the reply–not this. Listed here are extra images of the Little Mermaid rooms:
All of that’s my goal evaluation. However we even acknowledged in our earlier room that none of this issues in case you have youngsters who’re obsessive about the Little Mermaid. Sarah’s first remark the primary time she entered the room was how a lot she would’ve liked it as a child.
As an alternative of trying round for issues to nitpick this go-round, my response as a freshly-minted Disney Dad was to see this room by our daughter’s eyes. How a lot she would possibly find it irresistible when she’s a bit older, and the way good this room might be in just a few years. (Though I’m hoping she’s extra of a Lion King or Automobiles fan, as I far desire these suites.) She already responded very favorably to the Royal Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside, which is why I’m actually hoping these don’t go extinct.
Chances are high, your youngsters aren’t armchair Imagineers or themed design critics. They aren’t going to critique a budget look of the decor or superficial nature of the themed design. So the brink query, once more, is: win poor health your youngsters love the room? You most likely already know the reply to that, and no evaluation of them rooms themselves actually essential.
Past all of this, we’re huge followers of Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort. That is mirrored in our Rankings of ALL Walt Disney World Resorts from Worst to Finest, the place (spoiler alert) Artwork of Animation ranks because the #8 lodge general and #2 Worth Resort. We’re particularly huge followers of the household suites, and would keep there usually with the form of aggressive reductions which can be at the moment being supplied.
There’s simple enchantment within the resort, and strolling across the grounds is a enjoyable expertise. It’s not Walt Disney World theming within the conventional sense of transporting friends to a distinct time and place, however there’s a sure allure to the outsized characters, components pulled from Disney animated classics, and vibrant colours.
Artwork of Animation is whimsical and enjoyable, making it the dream resort for a lot of households with babies. It may possibly work for some adults, too. The widespread areas have appreciable depth and element, and though my favourite is Radiator Springs, this additionally extends to the Little Mermaid part. This can be a huge a part of why the decor within the Little Mermaid rooms disappoints–as a result of all the pieces else about Artwork of Animation is way greater caliber!
Though the Little Mermaid rooms themselves haven’t improved, I felt revisiting this evaluation was essential as a result of our unique one concluded by saying “we might by no means do the Little Mermaid rooms once more.” Our evaluation of the rooms themselves was not too harsh–it was shockingly truthful for (on the time) childless Disney Adults. The rooms are a significant letdown, and punch beneath their weight. However perhaps it doesn’t matter, or your youngsters gained’t discover.
In the end, it’s not the rooms that modified or improved in a significant approach. It’s a combination of the encircling circumstances and resort as a complete. The Skyliner, specifically, is a large win. It affords a constant and predictable different to the bus for 2 parks, and is a breeze (apart from forward of rope drop or throughout storm season). The placement isn’t as huge of a problem with a room request.
Then there’s pricing. At the same time as rack charges have soared since our unique evaluation, efficient costs have dropped for a lot of dates because of corresponding reductions. That’s a extremely huge distinction, particularly when the Little Mermaid rooms are in the identical ballpark as Pop Century. Personally, I’d decide Pop over the Little Mermaid rooms for a solo or grownup keep. However with our daughter? Artwork of Animation all the best way–there’s a motive our Walt Disney World resort rankings name this the most effective decide for kid-focused holidays. The underside line is that we now have accomplished the Little Mermaid rooms once more since then, and can once more sooner or later.
For those who’re nonetheless uncertain of which WDW resort is true for your loved ones and wish one-on-one assist, together with personalised lodge picks—we advocate contacting a no payment Approved Disney Trip Planner (Disney’s time period for a journey agent) to get a quote and that will help you plan. They get their fee from Disney, so they may NOT cost you for reserving their journey and serving to. Right here’s one such Approved Disney Trip Planner that we advocate!
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Your Ideas
Have you ever stayed within the Little Mermaid rooms? Do you suppose they had been well worth the cash? Did you discover the decor cute and enjoyable, or had been you dissatisfied by the superficial type? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
