Art of Animation: Finding Nemo Family Suite

The Big Blue Pool (with underwater music!)

This time last summer, I was on vacation at Walt Disney World with Todd and a few members of our family. When we were planning this trip, we crunched and re-crunched the numbers until we figured out that Art of Animation was the best idea. And we are so glad that we did. It was awesome!

Say hello to your old pal, Bruce!

The theme in this area is just as awesome as the Cars section. Little details are everywhere! This is especially true at the pool area, where the music can be heard when you swim underwater, as well occasionally the voices of Nemo, Dory, Crush, Squirt, etc. At the pool there's the Drop Off, a drink and snack bar, which has mug refill and wash station. We were really close to the pool, so we walked over and filled up our mugs a couple times a day! At the furthest end of the pool (closest to the splash park) it's zero entry, which I always enjoy.

Mine!

Mr. Ray was swimming outside of our building!

Big "sketchpad" backing up to Hourglass Lake.

View across the lake of Pop Century.

Once we got into the room, the details only continued. Not to mention the extra space that was previously superfluous to Todd and myself was now incredibly useful to the bunch of us!

 The master bedroom had a standard queen sized bed, nightstands, etc. That you would find in a typical Disney hotel room, as well an en suite bathroom with a standing glass door shower.

 

 There is also the usual dresser / television stand combo, complete with reef design!

Closer look at the adorable headboard!

Bubble lights on the ceiling.

Jellyfish lamp.

 Out in the living room there is a Murphy bed that pulls down, making the headboard a picture of Nemo and Marlin! Too cute.

 This couch folds out into a full bed. Also, look closely: the fish above it is actually all the little silver fish shaped like Marlin from the film!

 The living area also has a bathroom with a bathtub and shark themed curtain.

 I wasn't able to get a picture, but in the living room instead of a short coffee table, there are actually two flat stools can be either sat on or used as a table. Pretty clever!

The splash zone area.

Overall, we had absolutely zero complaints about staying at Art of Animation! Of course, it's important to keep in mind that this resort is geared to families, and would probably not be terribly conducive to a romantic getaway for most people in couples (unless of course you're Todd and me, who came here on our Honeymoon!). But if your goal is to stay at a well themed Value Resort, this one will cost a little more for a standard room that at Pop Century or an All Star, but it's well worth it!

Seven Dwarves Mine Train Review

Today is the official opening day of the brand new Seven Dwarves Mine Train coaster at Magic Kingdom! However, we just happened to be at Magic Kingdom last week, and got to ride it twice during the soft openings!

The hype is definitely worth it! There are big drops, fast speeds and the ride is incredibly smooth. The interactive queue is also one of the best I've seen!

I don't want to ruin anything, so I'll just post some pictures. Hope you all get to ride it soon!

Liberty Tree Tavern Lunch Review

Liberty Tree Tavern at Magic Kingdom is a popular dinner spot, which features an all-you-care-to-enjoy family style spread of classic Thanksgiving type foods. Because turkey, mashed potatoes, etc. are pretty heavy, a lot of people pass on Liberty Tree for lunch during a day at the parks.

However, we disagree! While the food is still pretty heavy, it's not so much that you'll be weighed down. Plus, if you get a window seat, you might get a view of the Liberty Bell! ;-)

Old fashioned pantry in the lobby.

The ambiance is warm, with a colonial theme throughout. Each room is themed to a different Founding Father, and the detailing is really great.

Dark wood table chairs and rich fabrics give a very homey feel.

Now, onto the food! We started with crab and lobster dip, which was devoured too quickly for a picture. It's served with a fresh loaf of bread, and it was to die for. When the bread was gone, we ate it with a spoon. Seriously, delicious.

I was very pleased to see they serve the pomegranate lemonade, which I am learning is just Minute Maid and standard at just about every table service, but it's exciting nonetheless.

 

Todd likes the traditional style food from dinner, so he went with the Pilgrims Feast. Mashed potatoes, turkey, green beans, and herb stuffing. It was good, just like what's served at dinner.

I went with the freedom pasta, and it was amazing. The mushrooms, chicken, and pasta are served in a rich cream sauce and topped with shredded Parmesan cheese. The noodles were perfectly tender, and the chicken was cooked perfectly. I would definitely order this again.

We decided to skip on dessert, but the Johnny Appleseed cake that comes with dinner is available. Liberty Tree is a great lunch place, and certainly a considerable option for anyone looking for a nice hearty lunch, away from the heat and crowds.

Festival of Fantasy and Magic Kingdom Update

Hello, Everyone!

As noted in the previous post, Todd and I attended Magic Kingdom for Easter. However, the day we went was notable for another reason: it was the first day to meet Anna and Elsa from Frozen at Princess Fairy Tale Hall! We didn't get a chance to meet them because, well...

Yikes!

Clearly the sisters continue to be a crowd favorite! Luckily, we've already got that FastPassed for our May trip.

Speaking of Anna, Elsa, and princesses, there seems to have been an adjustment to the leading Festival of Fantasy Float: both figure of Cinderella's dress-in-progress and the Anna and Elsa pedestal now rotate, letting each side of the parade route get a view.  Cinderella and Prince Charming on the reverse side of the gown, and Tiana with Naveen on the reverse of the Frozen trio:

Cinderella and Prince Charming on their rotating platform. 

And is it just me, or are the characters in the parade, particularly the princesses, even more lively and animated than they used to be? They were wonderful!

Elsa, I'm assuming, advising Anna to let it go.

Look at those faces! These princesses are definitely full of magic and energy! It really made the parade even more enjoyable.

And just for fun, here's a few more photos:

Mouse cuddles!

And bonus: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

It's coming along so nicely! Hopefully it soft opens soon :-).

Keep an eye out for more updates, and see you next time.