Way back in December I posted about a one-of-a-kind exhibition Disney debuted at the New Orleans Museum of Art. The show celebrated the fairy tale nature of Disney’s movies, revealing behind-the-scenes glimpses of animation work and studies on the relationship between Disney animated films and their source material.
Unfortunately, only New Orleans hosted the show. But almost as if to make up for it, Disney World’s building a new resort hotel which carries on the theme and spirit from the “Dreams Come True” exhibition. Breaking ground this summer, and expected to open in 2012, is Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.
The Disney Parks official blog reveals that suite designs for the resort revolve around four Disney movies: “The Little Mermaid,” “The Lion King,” “Cars,” and “Finding Nemo.” The suites for each theme make up the four wings of the resort.
Because this is Disney, a room designed around a theme doesn’t just mean some relevant pictures hanging on the walls. Decor in the resort includes giant statues of the movie characters, like a 35-foot-tall King Triton which will rule over the Little Mermaid domain.
Even for Disney, the Art of Animation Resort is family-focused. The suites can fit up to six people, so that makes the hotel a perfect resting place for a vacation with the extended family.
Senior Vice President of Imagineering Eric Jacobson says of the resort, “With more multi-generational families vacationing together, guests are looking for places where they can play together and stay together. This resort was designed with the needs of families in mind, as we continue the Disney tradition of providing a great guest experience for every taste and budget.”
I’m sure Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will be a really cool place to spend a Disney vacation, but I’m realizing that I may have exaggerated when I compared it to the “Dreams Come True” art exhibit. The hotel may be themed around some of Disney’s films, but I doubt it’s going to have the interactive features and stories boasted by the sadly now-closed exhibition.
Also, I can’t help but wish that the new resort includes a “Beauty and the Beast” theme. I know I’m biased because that’s my favorite Disney film, but when the Disney Parks PR department starts describing the various “wings” of the hotel and extolling the wonders of the statues that will decorate it, I can’t help but think of the Beast’s castle.
Still, the more I search for news about Disney, the more I’m convinced that I should wait at least until 2012 to visit the park. Given all the exciting new buildings and features that will open in 2012, I can’t help but think that I’ll be disappointed seeing all the construction for the cool new additions but be unable to visit them. I do know I’ve picked where I want to stay at my Disney World vacation: the Little Mermaid wing of the Art of Animation Resort.
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