Disney's Art of Animation Resort: Beware the Killer Turtle

Disney is busy these days. In addition to launching the Disney Dream cruise ship, building the Aulani DVC Resort in Hawaii, and undertaking a colossal revamp of Fantasyland, the company is now planning to build a new value resort near Hollywood Studios: Disney's Art of Animation.

From what I can tell, the hotel will have four separate buildings, each themed after a popular animated movie: The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, and Cars. Except for the rooms in The Little Mermaid building, the accommodations will be family suites. Tough luck for boys if their parents won't plonk down for a suite.

Each building, in addition, will have its own themed courtyard. The concept art currently on Disney's site shows the Finding Nemo courtyard. Maybe it's my eyes playing tricks on me, but check out that concept art yourself: doesn't it look as if gigantic (and aptly named) Crush the turtle is about to squash the kid cowering beneath him?

Gotta be me. Disney wouldn't do that.

Ready to book? You can't. The resort opens, tentatively, in summer 2012, and I doubt Disney will start taking reservations until well into 2011. Room rates likely will be comparable to the room rates for other value resorts.

I'm not overwhelmed by Disney's Art of Animation. My daughter has seen the concept art (and is very worried about that poor little boy under Crush) and would love to stay in a Little Mermaid room, but I haven't yet caught the magic on this one.

I will, though. It's in my Disney Dad contract.