Art of Animation Resort to Open Sections Ahead of Schedule

Today the Disney Parks Blog has confirmed that the construction at the forthcoming Art of Animation Resort is ahead of schedule and will allow for the various sections within the newest hotel at the Walt Disney World resort to open earlier than originally anticipated. The revised schedule is as follows:

• Finding Nemo – Family Suites – opening May 31 on schedule
• Cars – Family Suites – opens June 18 (originally July 31)
• Lion King – Family Suites – opens August 10 (originally September 30)
• Little Mermaid – Standard Value Resort Rooms – opens September 15 (originally December 31)

Reservations for these later phases will begin being accepted Friday, March 23, 2012. Additionally Disney released the following statement about the resort:

“We are excited that the Cars, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid wings at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will all open earlier than we originally planned, bringing more permanent resort jobs to Central Florida sooner,” said Kevin Myers, vice president of resort operations for Walt Disney World Resort. “Demand for family suites exists in the marketplace today and the new opening dates reflect how optimistic we are about tourism in Central Florida.”