We have two boys age 8 and 10 and a 2 year old daughter. Do you think the mermaid room in art of animation is better then the pirate room in Carribean beach? Or is it possible to get one of each? Are these hotels anywhere near each other?
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AOA or Carribean?
- Thread starter Fitmomma93
- Start date
Zé_Carioca
Well-Known Member
They are both similar in the sense that both still have 2 full beds (most new rooms have moved to Queen) and carpet. Obviously the themes differ. If your kids like pirates go for that. I will say that I prefer regular rooms to the themed rooms simply because the regular rooms have recently been renovated and I like the new rooms with wooden floors and queen beds. I think the smart thing for you is to pick the resort you prefer, not necessarily the room. The kid will still have a lot to enjoy at disney even if the room isn't a particular pirate or princess theme.
For art of animation: The resort itself is more compact although the little mermaid rooms are at the far end of the resort. I like the food court a lot and for kids, the resort itself is fun because there are character statues and pixar/disney themed areas for each section: Cars cone pool, nemo pool etc.
Both resorts will have the skyliner which is a plus. Caribbean rooms have recently been renovated and so has the lobby. If the kids like pirates, the pool is pirate themed which can be fun. Caribbean beach has more food options: Banana Cabana and spyglass grill (pool bars), sebastian's bistro (sit down) and a quick-service restaurant. However, the resort is pretty big and spread out so sometimes to get to the lobby/parks you might need to take the internal bus shuttle.
The hotels are not near each other and you would need to get an uber/lyft or got to disney springs or a park with the buses and then transfer to a bus going to the other resort if you do not have a car.
For art of animation: The resort itself is more compact although the little mermaid rooms are at the far end of the resort. I like the food court a lot and for kids, the resort itself is fun because there are character statues and pixar/disney themed areas for each section: Cars cone pool, nemo pool etc.
Both resorts will have the skyliner which is a plus. Caribbean rooms have recently been renovated and so has the lobby. If the kids like pirates, the pool is pirate themed which can be fun. Caribbean beach has more food options: Banana Cabana and spyglass grill (pool bars), sebastian's bistro (sit down) and a quick-service restaurant. However, the resort is pretty big and spread out so sometimes to get to the lobby/parks you might need to take the internal bus shuttle.
The hotels are not near each other and you would need to get an uber/lyft or got to disney springs or a park with the buses and then transfer to a bus going to the other resort if you do not have a car.
Minthorne
Well-Known Member
Actually you could also take the Skyliner between the two resorts (while it is operating) so it's a little easier than dealing with the bus transfers.
I always recommend the bus to/from Disney Springs as a last resort; use a theme park as a transfer point before going all the way out and back to Disney Springs - it can be a haul - or use a Lyft or Uber. Before the Skyliner was operational, I would have told you to take a bus to Epcot and switch there.
DANDAMAN1
Member
I have a similar group. 2 boys(10, 6) and a girl(4). I decided on the Caribbean Beach Resort. Simply cause it was cheaper. We have no interest in the pirate rooms and took the Standard Room with 5th Sleeper. You get a room with 2 QUEEN size beds(beds in pirate room are full), and a pull down bed that looks like a toddler bed. Both resorts have the Skyliner so that's cool. But, CBR does have better restaurants and the pool area looks cool/fun. You also have the Caribbean cay island for the kids to play at CBR. There is less theming at CBR. So for kids, AoA may be a better expeience. It's our FIRST time staying at a Disney property. Hopefully all goes well.
Queen of the WDW Scene
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
You'd split your family between hotels???
I would not advise that.
Heck splitting between sections in a resort can be difficult enough lol.
I'd probably do neither.
The theme inside the little mermaid rooms is minimal its really the outside that is themed.
I have not stayed in a pirate room but I still wouldn't say its worth it.
Instead I'd go with POP or All Stars Movies particularly if you're on a budget. I just don't think AOA or Caribbean are worth the price.
I would not advise that.
Heck splitting between sections in a resort can be difficult enough lol.
I'd probably do neither.
The theme inside the little mermaid rooms is minimal its really the outside that is themed.
I have not stayed in a pirate room but I still wouldn't say its worth it.
Instead I'd go with POP or All Stars Movies particularly if you're on a budget. I just don't think AOA or Caribbean are worth the price.
Zé_Carioca
Well-Known Member
Brain fart moment, I can't believe I didn't even think of that lol. Yes, that would actually be the best to move between the two resorts, I've taken the caribbean to Pop/AoA route and its actually pretty fast!
Between the two though, I would lean towards CSR since that is the central Skyliner station and you need to stop there from the other resorts to switcht between the epcot and DHS lines.
utterlunacy
New Member
As someone with young kids like yourself (7-5-3), who has recently stayed at both resorts, I would tend to lean toward CBR. I tend to find the theming as well as comfort levels on the moderate resorts to be well worth it. They tend to "feel" like nicer hotels as opposed to the values. The whole pool are is much nicer for the kids at CBR, as is the Port Royale area. The only draw back is going to be the pirate rooms are located in the "Trinidad" area which, while close to the skyliner, is not very close to Old Port Royale and the main pool.
kong1802
Well-Known Member
I would do CBR with the 5th sleeper.
We've done the pirate rooms and the regular rooms with the 5th room. We are also a party of 5.
Pirate room has smaller beds and honestly the theme isn't worth the upcharge.
CBR has better amenities. Pool area is great for kids.
Have not stayed at AoA, but have stayed at other values. I know AoA is newer and better, but I still couldn't imagine it being nicer than CBR.
We've done the pirate rooms and the regular rooms with the 5th room. We are also a party of 5.
Pirate room has smaller beds and honestly the theme isn't worth the upcharge.
CBR has better amenities. Pool area is great for kids.
Have not stayed at AoA, but have stayed at other values. I know AoA is newer and better, but I still couldn't imagine it being nicer than CBR.
CaptainAmerica
Premium Member
Neither room is big enough where I'd put five people unless you absolutely had no other choice.
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
I think it depends on the configuration and comfort level of the party, maybe.
I don't know if my family is the norm, but we stayed at CBR for a week with 5 in the room (my mother-in-law, DH and me, and our son and daughter, then 7 and 9) and had no issues. However, we're all good sleepers and have the same early-rising schedule, are pretty low-maintenance (e.g., nobody needs more than 10 minutes to do hair and/or makeup, etc. in the morning), pack light, don't need much personal space, and don't spend much time in the room anyway. I suppose if any one of those factors had been absent, we'd have needed two rooms instead. Also, if we'd had any less square footage (e.g., as in the Little Mermaid rooms at AoA), I wouldn't have put us in just one room. We had just enough space for everything at CBR (and the second sink in the vanity area was a huge plus with all of us getting ready at the same time each day), but anything less would have been insufficient.
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