Credit: DisneyDisney World is finally preparing to overhaul one of its most recognizable resort hotels, and longtime fans are already realizing this could mark the end of an era for some beloved themed rooms.
Art of Animation Resort has stood out since opening in 2012 because it never tried to look subtle. The entire resort leaned heavily into giant character statues, oversized movie references, colorful hallways, and hotel rooms that felt like extensions of the films themselves. For many families, that full commitment to Disney and Pixar storytelling was the very reason they stayed there in the first place.
Now, Disney has officially confirmed major room refurbishments are on the way for 2027, and while the resort is not losing its themes entirely, guests should still expect a very different look once construction wraps up.
Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming changes.
Why Art of Animation Became So Popular
Art of Animation Resort quickly became one of the most recognizable hotels at Walt Disney World after opening in 2012. While many Disney resorts focus more on atmosphere or luxury, Art of Animation built its identity around complete immersion.
The resort is divided into themed sections inspired by Disney and Pixar favorites like Cars (2006), Finding Nemo (2003), The Lion King (1994), and The Little Mermaid (1989). Everywhere guests walk, they are surrounded by giant character icons, oversized props, themed courtyards, and colorful details pulled directly from the movies.
For families with younger children, especially, the experience starts long before entering the parks.
The Cars section became one of the resort’s biggest draws because guests could walk through a recreation of Radiator Springs filled with neon signs, familiar landmarks, and life-sized character models. Meanwhile, the Little Mermaid rooms offered one of the most heavily themed standard hotel room experiences anywhere at Disney World.
Unlike many newer refurbishments around the property that have moved toward cleaner, more neutral styles, Art of Animation has always embraced bold colors and playful designs. That approach helped the resort stand apart from nearly every other Value Resort on Disney property.
But after more than a decade, Disney is officially preparing to modernize the rooms.
Disney Confirms Major Room Refurbishments for 2027
Disney has now confirmed that refurbished rooms are officially coming to Art of Animation beginning in summer 2027.
According to a Disney spokesperson, the updates will apply to both standard guest rooms and the resort’s family suites. That means major portions of the hotel will eventually see refreshed interiors.
Thankfully, for guests with vacations already planned, Disney is not shutting down the resort during the project.
Instead, construction will occur in phases while the hotel remains operational, mirroring the approach Disney has taken with several recent resort refurbishments across Walt Disney World.
At the moment, Disney has not released a full construction timeline or detailed concept art for every room category. However, the confirmation alone already signals a major shift for one of Disney World’s most recognizable resort designs.
For many fans, the biggest question now is whether Disney will preserve the movie-inspired style that made Art of Animation famous in the first place.
The Rooms Will Still Be Themed — Just Different
Disney fans concerned that Art of Animation could lose its personality entirely can probably relax a bit.
Disney has already confirmed that the refreshed rooms will remain heavily themed to their respective films. However, they will not look identical to the original 2012 versions guests have known for years.
The biggest preview so far comes from details shared about the upcoming Little Mermaid room redesigns.
According to Disney, the updated rooms will still feature strong underwater theming. Guests can expect seashell-inspired beds and chairs to remain part of the design. Disney also revealed that massive Ariel and “Under the Sea” artwork will appear throughout the room, including on the walls and Murphy bed.
Additional details include bubble-style lamps placed on the nightstands, continuing the underwater atmosphere that helped make the original rooms so memorable.
While Disney has not fully revealed the redesigned Cars rooms yet, it appears the company still understands that Art of Animation’s identity depends heavily on immersive movie theming.
Other Disney World Resorts Are Also Changing
Art of Animation is far from the only Disney World resort currently going through major updates. Across the property, Disney continues to reshape several hotels as the company modernizes older spaces and prepares for future expansion.
Here are some of the biggest resort changes happening right now:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort recently received a redesigned lobby area
- The Grand Floridian also added a new lobby bar
- The resort brought back its iconic tea service
- Construction work is still ongoing around portions of the hotel
- Disney’s BoardWalk area continues evolving after the closure of Big River Grille
- The Promenade Fine Art Gallery has also closed
- Jellyrolls officially shut down as well
- Disney has not announced replacement plans yet, but more BoardWalk updates are likely
A New Era Is Coming to Art of Animation
For many Disney World fans, Art of Animation represents a very specific era of Disney resort design.
When the hotel debuted in 2012, Disney leaned heavily into immersive storytelling and rooms that felt unapologetically themed from floor to ceiling. The resort fully embraced the idea that families wanted to stay inside the worlds of their favorite Disney and Pixar movies.
Now, after more than a decade, Disney is officially preparing to evolve that experience.
The good news is that the company does not appear to be abandoning the themes that made the resort so popular in the first place. Guests will still see strong connections to The Little Mermaid and Cars, even if the final designs look more modern than the originals.
Still, once these refurbishments begin in 2027, the original 2012 versions of these rooms will slowly disappear for good. For Disney fans who grew up visiting Art of Animation over the past decade, that alone makes this upcoming overhaul feel surprisingly emotional.
