Walt Disney World's Art Of Animation Resort puts you right into your favorite Disney movie

Attention Disney fans: Have you ever wanted to go under the sea with Ariel, or set about finding Nemo on your own? Then you’re going to love Walt Disney World’s newest offering, the Art Of Animation Resort that puts you into the worlds of your favorite Disney characters and animated films. The property, consisting primarily of whimsically appointed family suites, will consist of four wings with the first – the Finding Nemo wing – set to open on May 31. Other family suite wings will open over the summer; Cars on June 18 and The Lion King planned for Aug. 10. The final phase – The Little Mermaid wing – will consist of standard guest rooms and is set to open on Sept. 15.

I wanted to take all the furniture home. Can you blame me?

I was able to get a sneak peek at the suites in the Finding Nemo wing, and I have two words that had me wanting to reserve one on the spot: TWO BATHROOMS. The mere thought of not having to share a sink with our two teenage girls rendered my husband and I speechless. Not to mention the spacious rooms (three separate sleeping areas that can sleep up to six) and sitting areas filled with hip, colorful furnishings that had an Ikea-goes-underwater vibe. The family suites also feature a kitchenette, and a clever contraption in the living room that starts off as a table and turns into a bed that you’ll have to see to believe. And did I mention TWO BATHROOMS?

But we found it difficult to tear ourselves away from the lobby to even see the rest of the hotel. Cells from all your favorite Disney movies line the walls, and my favorite piece is this stunning, modern light structure consisting of a sunburst of gleaming metal pipes and drawings.

On the walls and up in the sky – it's all in the details

Disney Resorts are known for their over-the-top swimming pools, and the Art Of Animation’s is no exception. Named the “Big Blue” pool, it has the distinction of being the biggest pool at any of the resorts, measuring 11,859 square feet and featuring a colorful reef with a giant-sized Mr. Ray and Crush. If that isn’t enough to keep the kids busy, there’s also a big arcade that my teens couldn’t get enough of (Fruit Ninja and Guitar Hero got a big workout on our visit.)

Rumor has it the pool will feature an underwater sound system. iPool!

Suites at the Art of Animation Resort start at $248 per night and the standard rooms start as low as $94, and like all the Walt Disney World Resorts there are built-in perks: complimentary transportation to and from the airport and between all of the different parks and resorts, and special ‘Extra Magic Hours’ that give resort guests exclusive after-hours access to the parks. On our last night in Orlando we stayed at the Magic Kingdom until 2am – call us crazy but there was something pretty cool about riding The Haunted Mansion along with only ten other people.

If You Go:

Walt Disney World’s Art Of Animation Resort
1850 Century Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407/W-DISNEY (934-7639)

Post by Marsha Takeda-Morrison. Also find me at Sweatpantsmom.com

Photos: Disney, Marsha Takeda-Morrison

Take your pick of three swimming pools at the Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina

Caribbean Vibe with Dutch Hospitality

When traveling in other countries, sometimes I am embarrassed by the lack of foreign languages that I speak.  The Europeans routinely speak three to five languages to my two, if you count my rusty  high school and college Spanish.  On a trip to Curacao, I learned that the locals spoke Papiamentu, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and English. While flip flops and sandals were the preferred footwear of choice over wooden clogs from the Netherlands, there was a strong Dutch influence on the island of Curacao in the Dutch Caribbean.

Located at Santa Barbara Plantation, the Hyatt Regency Curacao opened in April of 2010 and is a full-service Dutch Caribbean resort, situated on 27 acres  between the Caribbean Sea and Spanish Water Bay. The largest island of the Caribbean trio universally referred to as the ABC Islands, Curacao is located only 35 miles from Aruba and Venezuela. Curacao’s southern coast, with its vibrant blue waters, offers scuba diving, snorkeling and sailing.

Relax at Hyatt Regency Curacao's private Barbara Beach on the Spanish Water Bay

The snorkeling at Curacao was top notch. I have snorkeled in Hawaii and many places in Mexico, including Paradise Reef in Cozumel, Mexico – one of Jacques Cousteau’s favorite dive locations.

Hyatt Regency Curacao open air lobby

Gourmet Dining to Family-Friendly Activities at Hyatt Regency Curacao

If you are anything like my family, you’ll have a golfer, shopper, swimmer and horseback rider in the group, all wanting to go in different directions. The same thing applies to food choices; one likes seafood, while the other prefers steak and potatoes. While you won’t find any  Stroopwafels on the menu, I did see  Bitterballen, a Dutch fried meatball, offered on the room service menu. I ordered the Saffron Risotto, with shrimp, scallion and pecorino and was not disappointed. Impressive quality and speedy service is what I have come to expect from Hyatt Regency Resorts, and once again, the Hyatt delivered. If you enjoy seafood, the open air SHOR restaurant, over-looking the Caribbean Sea, is not to be missed.

The Hyatt Regency Curacao, with its golf course, swimming pools, private Barbara Beach, tennis courts and Camp Arawak Kid’s Camp (ages 3-12) will keep everyone happy. I spent a lovely morning visiting downtown Willemstad and had lunch at Marshe Bieuw at the Old Market. Joining me at the communal table was a Curacao police officer. With the low crime rate in Curacao, I would feel comfortable sending my teenagers together on the downtown shuttle to Willemstad in the day time – $12 per person roundtrip.

Hyatt Regency Curacao Waterview King, Room #1306 faces the Caribbean Sea

ACCOMMODATION
• 350 guestrooms, including 15 suites, 16 Sea Traditions rooms, 195 kings,
128 doubles, and 12 accessible rooms
All accommodations offer:
• Full balcony or patio
• Hyatt Grand Bed™
• Voice mail, telephone with message light, wireless and wired Internet access port
• Flat-screen plasma television with remote
• Electronic lock
• In-room safety-deposit box
• Deluxe bath amenities
• Tea pot
• Iron / ironing board
• Mini refrigerator
• iHome® alarm clock radio

Sea Traditions Suite #3101 with spa bathroom perfect for honeymooners

SERVICES & FACILITIES
• 1-800-CHECK-IN®
• Concierge
• Business center
• Car rental desk
• Multilingual staff
• Assistive devices for persons with disabilities
• Safe-deposit boxes at front desk
• Airport Shuttle service available at a nominal fee
• Valet and self-parking
• Gift shops
• In-room dining
• Tour desk

RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
• The property features  the Old Quarry Golf Course, an 18-hole, par 72 golf course designed by Pete Dye.
It is approximately 7,200 yards, includes a driving range, a 3,000-square-foot pro
shop and the 5,000-square-foot Shor restaurant. Lessons and caddies are available
• 4,500-square-foot ATABEI Spa has four treatment rooms, including a couples
treatment room
• 24-hour Hyatt Stay Fit fitness center features state-of-the-art fitness and
weight-training equipment
• Three full-service restaurants (Shor, Medi & Swim)
• Four lounges
• Three outdoor pools
• Four clay tennis courts
• Camp Arawak

Activities include:

• Bicycling and jogging trails
• Diving
• Golf
• Snorkeling
• ATABEI Spa
• Swimming
• Tennis – four  clay courts
• Beach Volleyball
• wifi (additional charge)

Connect with Social Media:

Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina  is on Twitter and you may friend the resort on Facebook.

If You Go:

Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina

Santa Barbara Plantation, Porta Blancu, Nieuwpoort ,
Curacao, Dutch Caribbean

Photos courtesy of  Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip, Travels from Northern California.

I was a guest of Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina.

Related Post:

Horseback Riding in Curacao

Curacao Hotels

From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

If you enjoy exclusive events, Zagat rated dining and five star lodging, surrounded by Mendocino County’s 2,400 acre Van Damme State Park, then you will want to reserve your spot at Stevenswood Wine and Mushroom Excursion taking place November 9, 2008.

“It’s a very exclusive event, limited to 10 people,” says Stevenswood Co-owner Michael Webster.  From noon until 6 p.m. mushroom foragers will accompany Mushroom Expert Eric Schramm on a walk in search of delictable varieties of edible mushrooms.  Participants will have the option to include the days cache in the dinner prepared that evening by Executive Chef Patrick Meany.

Porcini Mushroom

If you prefer pinot noir to porcini’s, or simply want to bliss out at Stevenswood’s Indigo Eco-Spa, the “Emperor’s Choice” 10 hour spa package might be just the ticket.  The package includes a champagne breakfast to kick start your morning, facial, massage, spa lunch and a five star dinner complete with 10 courses paired with wines, among other options.  Certified as the world’s first eco-spa, Indigo uses botanical and all natural ingredients from their private label line of skin and body care products.

For guests traveling with dogs, the resort is pet-friendly, as are some of the local beaches.  Those of us with dogs larger than a toy poddle can breath a sigh of relief as Stevenswood has a “no weight limit” policy.  The owners black Lab, Zack, probaby had something to do with tipping the scale in favor of plus-size dogs.

For more ideas on what to do in the area, visit Concierge Nelson’s blog.

Room Rates: Suites range from $249-$895.

Private Mushroom Tour and Dinner: $399 per person

Emperor’s Choice Spa Package: $2,008 per couple

Pet-friendly fee: $50 per animal

Thanks to lao_ren100 for the beautiful Mendocino beach and bridge photo