Pop Century vs Art of Animation: Which Disney World Resort Is Right for You?

There are perhaps no more intertwined Walt Disney World hotels than the Pop Century and Art of Animation resorts. After all, the two resorts that sit across from each other on either side of Hourglass Lake were almost the same hotel at one point in time!

It’s true! The area where the Art of Animation Resort -which opened in 2012 –  currently sits was originally set to be home to the Legendary Years section of Pop Century, which was to cover the 1900s to the 1940s. However, the post-9/11 tourism slowdown led to massive changes to the Pop Century Resort, which would open in a truncated form in 2003.

Given that Pop Century and Art of Animation were originally meant to be one resort and that both are part of Disney’s Value Tier of hotels, it’s perhaps no surprise that many guests find themselves choosing between the two. So, which is the best option? Well, to figure that out, let’s analyze how the hotels are similar… and how they’re different!

How Are Pop Century & Art of Animation Similar?

As mentioned above, both Pop Century and Art of Animation are part of Disney’s Value Tier of resorts, and both feature similar layouts. Each features a main hall building that is home to the hotel’s front desk, gift shop, and food court (Everything Pop for Pop Century and Landscape of Flavors for Art of Animation).

From there, each hotel features sets of separate clusters of buildings that house their rooms, linked with gigantic sculptures tied to their themes.

Each of the hotels features similar amenities. Both have a main pool outside their main hall building — the Hippy Dippy Pool at Pop Century and the Big Blue Pool at Art of Animation — flanked by a pool bar. Each hotel also features two other pools that complement its respective main pools.

The biggest amenity that the hotels share is the Walt Disney World Skyliner. Guests from each hotel can make their way to a shared station in the middle of Hourglass Lake to travel to the Caribbean Beach Resort, Riviera Resort, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios.

Now that we’ve reviewed the big similarities between the two hotels, let’s take a look at what sets them apart!

What Are the Key Differences Between the Pop Century & Art of Animation Resorts?

On a practical level, the biggest difference between the two is their respective rooms. Pop Century houses standard Value Tier Walt Disney World hotel rooms, which are connected by outdoor hallways, while Art of Animation offers something a bit different.

You see, outside of the hotel’s Little Mermaid buildings, which had been under construction as part of the aforementioned initial Legendary Years construction and are similar to Pop Century, Art of Animation’s Cars, Finding Nemo, and Lion King areas, instead feature family suites.

Built to accommodate parties up to 6, these suites include a bedroom with one queen-size bed; one double-size convertible TableBed; one double-size sleeper sofa; a living room; 2 bathrooms, and a kitchenette.

Then there’s the question of theme. Pop Century features buildings themed to each decade from the 1950s to the 1990s, with sculptures of icons of each decade (both Disney and not) that are mainly recognizable to Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and elder millennials.

While Art of Animation’s layout is very similar, its sets of buildings are each themed to a different Disney animated film — The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, The Lion King, and Cars — with massive sculptures featuring characters from those films. New rooms were also recently announced for Disney’s Art of Animation resort and are set for Summer 2027!

Is Pop Century or Art of Animation Right for You?

As with many Disney World plans, the “right” choice comes down to which one is the best fit for you and your travel party! Those traveling with larger family groups, especially including younger children, likely would skew towards Art of Animation. The hotel’s larger suites offer plenty of space for families to spread out, and the large recognizable film characters are sure to be a treat for youngsters.

On the other hand, older Disney Adults traveling without kids may enjoy the nostalgic Pop Century, and its decade-specific icons like and 8-tack player, a Walkman, and a classic 1990s laptop, just to name a few. elements. Plus, the resort’s more basic rooms will likely appeal to those who see their hotel room simply as a nightly stopover to rest between rope-dropping theme parks.

Whether Pop Century or Art of Animation is your pick, each of these hotels offers a Value Tier Disney World hotel experience, complete with Skyliner access. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on Disney World’s hotels!

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Which do you prefer: Pop Century or Art of Animation? Let us know in the comments below.

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