A Storyboard Chandelier and Dining Amidst Background Art

I haven’t pinpointed what it is exactly about Disney World’s Art of Animation resort that simultaneously fascinates and annoys me. Somehow it manages to romanticize the art form–a chandelier made of storyboard drawings–while decontextualizing the artwork to the point where it becomes wallpaper for a hotel lobby. The restaurant area of the resort promises guests can enjoy their food “while dining among background art from the featured films.”

Perhaps what’s missing from the Art of Animation resort is recognition of the creative process. This resort could have been a wonderful opportunity to enhance the public’s appreciation for the hard work that goes into making an animated film. Instead, it appears that animation art serves only as the gimmicky backdrop to a generic hotel experience.