Art of Animation at Disney … not such a big deal
Today marks the day when Walt Disney World opens the Art of Animation hotel on their property. Much is being made of the hotel and the experience it will provide but for many families in this economy it’s the bottom line that really matters.
Yes, the hotel has many great features but this is a hotel designed for families on a tight budget so we did a bit of research on the Disney web site to see what kind of price you can expect to pay. Take a look below…. click on the picture…
We picked a really quiet time to visit Orlando for our research and decided on a check in date of 17 September and check out of 19th September for a three day / two night stay. Frankly, we were astonished at the rate the Disney web site came back with…. yes, that’s an astonishing $1,641.42 for a two night stay at the Art of Animation in a standard room! And, if you want to upgrade to a family suite be prepared to pay a staggering $342.00 extra!
OK, so this resort will have a whopping 310,000 gallon Nemo pool which is the largest non-waterpark pool on Disney property but is it really worth paying this kind of money just to stay at the newest Disney property? I think not.
So what’s the alternative? Well, vacation rental homes from FloridaLeisure.com start from $99.00 per night for a three bedroom home with your own private pool. Yes, a 1600 square foot home with your own pool to splash around in so no sharing with other folks… want proof? Click on the picture below…
Further, if you want to upgrade to a 4, 5, 6 or 7 bedroom home you’ll still find it less expensive per night than staying at the Art of Animation resort! Check out our rate for the same dates in September in a 7 bedroom home (click picture below) that can house up to 15 people for just $ 195.00 per night! That works out at $13.00 per person per night! Now that’s what I call a deal!
And here’s another consideration… you have to eat and drink right? Well it certainly can get expensive having all your snacks and meals at a hotel and you can easily add another few hundred dollars to the cost of your trip if you do so. Vacation homes have another distinct advantage… you get a full sized kitchen (see picture below) and you can visit a local grocery store like Publix to shop just like you would at home. That means it will cost you the same to eat and drink while on vacation as it would by staying at home!
Finally, some folks argue that they love to stay on Disney property and that they enjoy the transport system that Disney provides. We agree it is great, but consider this, you can hire a rental car, have the flexibility that provides and still save hundreds of dollars by staying in a vacation rental home rather than on property. Oh, and there’s another secret, your rental car will get you from point A to point B on Disney property far quicker than waiting for Disney transportation. It’s not uncommon for guests to have to wait 1o minutes, 20 minutes and even up to 45 minutes for a bus to arrive to take you from one location to the next. By that time you can have driven yourself and already started to enjoy your time at the park.
So, what do you want to do? Stay on Disney property or would you prefer to save money and have more space, time and fun by staying at a Florida Leisure vacation home. Many families have already seen the benefits of staying just a few minutes off site at a vacation rental, why not join them? To make a reservation call 1-800-760-1114 or visit FloridaLeisure.com to find out the best deals in Orlando!
