For those who have wondered what was to become of Pop Century Resort’s “Legendary Years,” here’s your answer.
Disney has been playing around with the Art of Animation Resort idea for years now, and it looks like the economy has finally strengthened enough for the resort to become a reality. The Art of Animation Resort will join Disney’s All Star Resorts and Disney’s Pop Century Resort as a value-level hotel; it will feature 864 traditional hotel rooms and 1,120 family suites, which sleep six and have proven successful at Disney’s All Star Music resort.
But the most interesting tidbit of news is that the resort will be designed in sections featuring four of Disney’s successful animated films: The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, The Lion King, and Cars. Like the other value resorts, the sections will include massive, larger-than-life icons from the movies, and will be decorated in vibrant colors from the films. Currently, designers and artists are modeling icons like King Triton, who will be located in the Little Mermaid section of the resort.
“The hope is you walk into this courtyard and you’re kind of like seeing it as a character in the movie,” said Frank Paris, a senior project manager with Walt Disney Imagineering, the company’s in-house attraction-design unit.
The resort is scheduled to open in sections throughout 2012.
