Art of Animation Resort is one of those Walt Disney World hotels that families book specifically because of what the property offers beyond just a place to sleep. The oversized suites, the immersive theming pulled from Finding Nemo, Cars, and The Lion King, the giant pools, and the outdoor amenities that give kids something to do between park days are all part of the reason families return to this resort year after year. It is not the most expensive option on the property, but it consistently delivers an experience that justifies the choice for families traveling with young children and multiple generations. Which is why this week at Art of Animation has been particularly rough for the guests currently staying there: two things went wrong at the same time, and both of them hit families with kids directly.
The Disney Playground Is Gone Until April 28
Disney has closed the Righteous Reef playground in the Finding Nemo section of Art of Animation Resort for maintenance through April 28. The playground sits right next to The Big Blue Pool and features a coral reef design with slides and a giant Squirt statue that has been a fixture of the resort experience for years. For families staying in the Finding Nemo section specifically, the playground is one of the amenities that makes that section of the resort feel complete and worth the booking. Kids who are not quite old enough for the bigger slides at the pool or who need a break from the water have the Righteous Reef as their go-to outdoor activity during resort time.
With the playground closed, Disney is directing guests to the playground at Pop Century Resort next door. The pools at Art of Animation and the Schoolyard Sprayground splash pad are still open, providing families with water-loving kids an onsite alternative. But the Pop Century option requires leaving the resort entirely, which is not the kind of solution families expect when they book a specific property for its specific amenities. The Righteous Reef underwent a major refurbishment back in 2022, and the current maintenance window is expected to close by the end of the month.
Then the Food Court Ceiling Gave Way
The playground closure would have been enough on its own to make this a challenging week at Art of Animation. But earlier this week, an unrelated incident added a second layer of disruption for guests staying on property. Part of the ceiling inside Landscape of Flavors, the main food court at Art of Animation, and one of the busiest dining spaces at any Walt Disney World Resort, gave way, and water began pouring into the space. The flow was strong enough that Cast Members acted immediately to close off the affected area and redirect guests away from it.
Landscape of Flavors is not a convenience for Art of Animation guests. It is the primary place most families eat during their stay, particularly for quick breakfasts before early park mornings and fast dinners after exhausting days. It is a high-traffic space at peak times, and having a section of it suddenly closed off and the atmosphere shifted by an active structural situation was jarring for the guests who were there when it happened. Disney's Cast Members handled the response quickly and efficiently, as they are trained to do, but the disruption was real and visible to anyone in the food court at the time.
What This Week Looks Like for Disney Families
Families checking into Art of Animation between now and April 28 are arriving at a resort dealing with two simultaneous issues, one planned and one not, that both affect the parts of the property that matter most to guests traveling with young kids. The playground is the more concrete thing to plan around since it has a confirmed closure date. The food court situation is ongoing, and the full restoration timeline has not been publicly confirmed.
The resort itself is still fully operational, and the theming, pools, suites, and everything else that make Art of Animation worth booking are still there. But knowing what is currently happening on the property before you arrive is significantly better than finding out at check-in.
