Laughing Lindsay

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Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Review

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Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is another one of the “value resorts” at Walt Disney World. I previously stayed there in 2019 on a solo trip. Today, I’m going to review it as I wrap up my look at the value resorts at WDW.

Art of Animation Resort Review

Art of Animation

Disney’s Art of Animation resort is across the lake from Disney’s Pop Century Resort, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. It’s basically a sister resort to Pop with highly themed areas corresponding to different Disney/Pixar films. It also has access to the Skyliner for transportation to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. While technically considered a value resort, it is usually the most expensive value resort on property. This is due to the popular animated film themes and the fact it has family suites. This is a fun resort to walk around and look at the huge statues in each area. The movies represented include: the standard rooms in “The Little Mermaid” and family suites in “Cars”, “Finding Nemo”, and “The Lion King”.

Pros

  • Movie Themed Rooms/Sections – This is probably one of the biggest perks of staying here. If you or your loved one is a big fan of one of these movies, then this is a huge reason to stay here. I stayed in “The Little Mermaid” section to celebrate my 30th birthday since the original animation came out the year I was born.
  • Family Suites – The family suites can sleep up to 6 people with a regular queen sized bed, a bed/table combo, and a pull out sofa bed. This is great for larger families or groups. It also makes it more expensive. I’ve not had the pleasure of staying in one of these rooms, but I hope to someday. If I do, I will be sure to do a separate review and link it here.
  • Large Pool – In fact, Art of Animation has the largest resort pool at Walt Disney World! The Big Blue Pool is themed to “Finding Nemo” and is very big!
  • Skyliner Access – My husband and I love the Skyliner. It’s so easy to use and we prefer to stay at resorts on the Skyliner just to use this mode of transportation.
  • On-site Perks – Just like staying at Pop or even Disney’s All Star Resorts, you get certain perks for staying on-site including 60 days advance dining reservations, early park entry, and free park transportation!

Cons

  • More Expensive – The standard rooms are the most expensive value rooms and the suites are sometimes comparable in price to a deluxe resort.
  • Beds in Suites – Again, there’s only one regular bed in the suites. So, I guess you can pull straws for the other beds in a group with multiple adults. Ha.
  • Noise – This is moreso in a standard room as those have outdoor corridors. The suites have interior hallways and should be quieter.

Is Art of Animation Worth The Money?

I think the question of value of this resort really comes down to preferences and budget. It may be worth it for a fan of one of the movies or for larger families. However, a couple would probably prefer the cheaper rooms across the lake at Pop.

Disney’s Pop Century Resort Review

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Back in May, I started my Walt Disney World Resort reviews with All Star Resorts Overview. Today, I’m doing another value resort, but it’s a step up, in my opinion. I’m talking about Disney’s Pop Century Resort!

Disney's Pop Century Resort

Disney’s Pop Century

This is a retro themed resort wherein different sections of the resort are themed to different decades! Beginning with the 1950’s and ending with the 1990’s, you can stay in a decade with lots of nostalgia. There’s lots of fun life-sized pieces of memorabilia around the resort. Think Rubik’s cubes, cell phones, a foosball table and more! It’s definitely fun to walk around and see everything. Plus, there are lots of fun historical facts posted around the resort/lake. For reference, the preferred sections include the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s theme.

While this resort is technically a value, like the All Stars, it is more expensive and has some added perks. Similarly to how I reviewed the All Stars, I think I will do a pros/cons list to help people decide if this is a good resort for their stay.

Pros

  • Cheaper rates – While it’s more expensive than the All Stars, it is cheaper than all of the other on-site resorts.
  • Skyliner – I love the addition of the Skyliner at WDW. It’s a gondola system that makes getting between certain resorts and parks easier! If you stay at Pop, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach Resort, or Riviera Resort then you will use the gondolas to get to/from Hollywood Studios and Epcot! Personally, I consider this to be one of the biggest perks of staying here!
  • Fun Theme for Older Folks – My mom enjoys seeing things from her childhood here. Likewise, I enjoy seeing stuff from the 90’s.
  • On-Site Perks – Staying on-site at WDW gives you access to free park transportation, early park entry, and dining reservations 60 days out!

Cons

  • Theme May Not Enthuse Kids – While adults may love the nostalgia of staying here, I don’t know that many kids will like it.
  • Noise – Personally, I find there to be more noise at all of the value resorts, regardless of the resort. The walls and floors are thin and I’ve heard all kinds of things here.
  • Crowds – Again, similar to other value resorts, this one attracts groups and can be crowded or rowdy depending on the time of the year.
  • Pull down bed – I don’t know why they made the decision to remodel all of the value rooms with a pull down bed. However, you get another bed/table combo here just like at All Stars.

Is Disney’s Pop Century Worth It?

This was the first resort I stayed at with my husband. In fact, I’ve stayed here several times in the past. Between the costs and Skyliner, it can be a no-brainer in some situations. My only hesitation now is the pull down bed for a longer trip and the noise. So, if those things aren’t of concern to you, then this may be the perfect resort for you!

Andy Griffith Homeplace Review

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During the pandemic I learned that you could spend the night at the Andy Griffith homeplace or his childhood home in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Being from an Andy-loving family and seeing as how it’s not that far from southwestern Virginia, I knew I had to stay there. Thankfully, I was able to snag a two night stay there recently and I thought I would provide a review for anyone considering staying here.

Andy Griffith Homeplace

Andy Griffith Homeplace

I’m not sure if “The Andy Griffith Show” is as popular nationwide as it is in the Appalachian Mountains or not. However, both my husband and I grew up watching the show with our parents/grandparents. If you happen to be unaware of this show, I highly recommend checking it out. You can currently stream episodes for free on PlutoTV. I think my favorite episode is “Mountain Wedding”, in case you were wondering.

People in Appalachia love the show and Andy for depicting small town life in a positive way. Lots of people like the show for the nostalgia of a simpler world, that never really existed. Nonetheless, it is awesome that you can book a stay in this man’s childhood home!

The House

My mom and I stayed here for two nights earlier this month. She slept in the bigger main bedroom and I was in the smaller back bedroom. We enjoyed the older styling of the home that displayed how it may have felt to live here years ago. It was also great to see some of the memorabilia displayed in the house. I loved watching an episode of the show in the living room!

My mom was surprised by how small the entire house was. In fact, the bathroom is downright tiny and might be difficult for some larger folks to use. However, it was sufficient for a two night stay.

One thing I have to comment on is the disturbing state of the floors. I’m not an expert, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were foundation issues with the house. There’s a soft spot in the floor between the bed and wall in the front bedroom. While the floor in the bathroom is newer, it’s already gotten some water damage from the shower and is loose/unstable. Also, different rooms are at different heights. Some are intentional and easy to spot. Some are less so. My advice is to watch where you step.

I appreciate the nostalgia of the house. However, I definitely think it could use some upgrades or maintenance work.

Tips

The house tends to stay booked up. Even with a two night minimum stay during peak times of the year, it can be difficult to book the house. Since I live relatively close, I had been checking the site periodically for months now. I finally spotted a free Friday and Saturday night about two weeks out. The house has a one week cancellation policy. So, if you can’t get it on a date further out, keep checking to see if something opens up!

Also, the house is owned by the local Hampton Inn and staying here gives you access to their amenities, including their free breakfast! I enjoyed strawberry waffles one morning from their buffet! Also, it was a nice touch that someone called me beforehand to confirm our reservation. The only other place I’ve received a phone call from prior to a stay was at The Inn at Christmas Place. So, that was a neat surprise.

This house is a very popular sightseeing destination. So, be prepared for people to be parked outside constantly during the day. I know I’m in some strangers photos!

Final Thoughts

While staying at Andy Griffith’s homeplace was a fun thing to do, I don’t know that I would stay here again without some updates. It’s a neat thing to do once as an Andy fan. I’ll probably visit Mt. Airy again, but it will probably be a daytrip for this Virginia girl.

Sheraton Park Hotel Review

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On my most recent visit to Disneyland, I stayed off-site to save some money since I was traveling solo. However, I didn’t want to stay somewhere shabby. So, I stayed at the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort. This is my review of my four night stay there!

Sheraton Park Hotel

Sheraton Park Hotel

Unlike Walt Disney World, Disneyland has only three on-site resorts and they are all considered deluxe resorts. Seeing as how this was a last minute solo trip, I didn’t feel right spending that much money on this trip. So, I opted to stay somewhere that was nice and within walking distance to the parks without paying a fortune. I ended up going with the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim resort. Here are the pros and cons of staying here.

Pros

The majority of these bullet points are the exact reasons why I chose to stay here.

  • Location. It’s technically near the convention center, so it would make a great conference/event hotel. It’s also a 15-ish minute walk to the theme parks. I loved being able to just walk to the parks. That’s a huge perk over visiting WDW and dealing with the buses.
  • Restaurant. Unfortunately, I never was hungry enough to enjoy dinner here, but it sounds amazing! Nonetheless, I was very thankful for the 6 AM breakfast of french toast. I always prefer to stay somewhere with a restaurant so I don’t have to wander far if I get hungry. So, this was a nice perk.
  • Newly refurbished. The rooms were recently refurbished and are really nice. Everything still looks shiny and new, so you don’t have to worry about something falling apart or being overly dirty.
  • Comfortable. The beds are very comfortable. Also, I had a very quiet stay here, which is more than I can say for some other theme park stays.
  • Balconies. Every room has a balcony to look out over California. Some rooms even have a theme park view. I had a city view and was happy with that.
  • Disney Good Neighbor Hotel. I booked a Disneyland Good Neighbor package, which was super convenient for booking the hotel and park tickets together. Plus, I was able to log-on and make payments. I intend to make a future post about the pros of staying at a Good Neighbor Hotel in the future.

Cons

Now, admittedly some of these are minor or even petty complaints. However, they are things that I didn’t like and want to share for complete honesty.

  • Walk by homeless. Remember that short walk I mentioned as a pro? Well, it seems a lot longer when you are dodging the homeless. This certainly wasn’t the hotel’s fault as it wasn’t on their property. Although, a free shuttle to/from the park would be a nice amenity to have at night here. I probably won’t stay here again for a strictly theme park visit again unless I’m with my husband simply due to the night time walk.
  • No free in-room Wi-Fi. This was a complete surprise as I assumed every hotel with business guests would offer free Wi-Fi. However, there was only free Wi-Fi in the lobby here and that was a nuisance.
  • Dark bathroom. This probably wouldn’t bother most people. However, there isn’t a light over the shower. So, it was a darker bathroom than I’m used to. Also, I could see how people with limited vision could have trouble with this room.
  • Air conditioner is finicky. It seems like it shuts off after there’s no movement in the room for a period of time. I can’t guarantee that’s what was happening, but the room was certainly warmer when I slept or left it. I can see this being a bigger problem in the heat of summer.
  • No early access to room. I attempted to check in a little early, however my room wasn’t ready. In fact, my room wasn’t ready at check-in time either. They did store my luggage for me while I waited, but it was a bit of an annoyance to start the trip this way.

Is the Sheraton Park Hotel worth it?

If you are considering a stay at this hotel for a conference at the convention center, it’s probably a good option. If you are comfortable walking past the homeless population, then it’s a terrific option for a Disneyland stay as well. As I said above, I will probably look at spending a good bit more money to stay on-site next time just to feel safer on the walk as a female traveler.

Have you stayed here before? What was your experience like?

Disney’s All Star Resorts Overview

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In the years that I wasn’t blogging, I visited Walt Disney World many times. So, I have a lot of content I can put out on those experiences. I figured that I would start with reviewing the resorts since there are so many options available. Over the years, I have stayed at most of the on-site resorts. To kick-off my coverage of the resorts, I’m starting with the most affordable, Disney’s All Star Resorts!

Disney's All Star Resorts

Disney’s All Star Resorts

There are three Disney’s All Star Resorts: Music, Movies, and Sports! Each of them is considered a “value” resort at WDW. That simply means these rooms will be the cheapest on-site rooms available. Personally, I’m a fan of staying on-site due to the included transportation to the parks. Often times, that makes it worth the higher prices to stay at an official Walt Disney World resort. So, here’s a look at the three cheapest hotels.

Disney’s All Star Movies

Of the three resorts, All Star Movies has my favorite theming. I guess it feels more Disney-like to wander around seeing big statues of movie characters. The sections here include: Toy Story, Fantasia, Love Bug, 101 Dalmatians, and Mighty Ducks. I have stayed here a couple of times, but I think I prefer the Toy Story section the most. It reminds me of my childhood and gets me in the mood to visit Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios. Plus, it’s considered a preferred section as it’s closer to transportation and the lobby, which is worth a lot after a long day in the parks.

Disney’s All Star Music

I’ve stayed here only once and it was a great solo trip. In fact, it was my last trip before the pandemic and my last as a WDW Annual Passholder. All Star Music has sections themed after popular music genres including: country, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, calypso, and Broadway. I paid extra to stay in the preferred section or calypso section and it was worth the few extra dollars to be close to everything.

Disney’s All Star Sports

Lastly, there’s Sports. I finally stayed at this Disney’s All Star Resort in December 2024! I guess it’s because I’m not super into sports. Also, this is a super popular one for guests competing at ESPN Wide World of Sports to stay at. So, it can sometimes be easier to get a room at the other two. Sports themed sections here include: baseball, basketball, football, surfing, and tennis. I stayed in the tennis section, which was great because I’m a Donald Duck fan.

Pros

  • Cheaper rates. This is compared to other on-site hotels and not necessarily off-site ones.
  • Family Suites at Music are usually the cheapest suites on property and great for a larger family.
  • On-site perks, including transportation, early entry, and booking dining length of stay 60 days out.
  • Fun theming to suit your tastes.
  • Newly refurbished rooms.

Cons

  • Noise. There are outside corridors, which leads to more noise. Additionally, the walls and floors tend to be thin. I’ve heard all kinds of things while staying in a value resort. In fact, I find the All Stars to be comparable to the Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites at Universal Orlando in terms of room quality and noise.
  • All three are popular with sports/tour groups. My advice: avoid them during competitions or school breaks.
  • One bed is a pull down bed. With the refurbishment, one of the beds became a pull-down bed/table. It’s just not as comfortable as a regular bed. It’s definitely not optimal for longer stays or older folks.
  • Buses are crowded. In fact, during slower times of the year, a bus will be shared between all three resorts.

Overall, I find Disney’s All Star Resorts to be great for a short trip on a budget. However, I think it’s worth it to spend a little extra for a longer trip or one when you need two actual beds.