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With tens of thousands of lodging choices available in the Orlando area, from tents to deluxe villas, there is no lack of variety in price or amenities. Actually, narrowing down the possibilities is part of the fun.
More than 60 million visitors come to the Orlando area each year, making it the most popular tourism destination on the planet. More upscale hotels are opening as visitors demand more luxurious surroundings, such as luxe linens, tasteful and refined decor, organic toiletries, or ergonomic chairs and work desks. But no matter what your budget or desires, lodging comes in such a wide range of prices, themes, color schemes, brands, and guest-room amenities, you will have no problem finding something that fits.
Resorts on and off Disney property combine function with fantasy, as befits visitor expectations. Characters in costume perform for the kids, pools are pirates’ caves with waterfalls, and some, like the Gaylord Palms, go so far as to re-create Florida landmarks under a gargantuan glass roof, giving visitors the illusion of having visited more of the state than they expected.
International Drive’s expanding attractions, including the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye, Madame Tussauds, and a widening array of eateries, are drawing more savvy conventioneers who bring their families along for the fun.
Many hotels have joined the trend toward green lodging, bringing recycling, water conservation, and other environmentally conscious practices to the table. Best of all, the sheer number and variety of hotel rooms means you can still find relative bargains throughout the Orlando area, even on Disney property, by researching your trip well, calling the lodgings directly, negotiating packages and prices, and shopping wisely.
Scenes and characters from favorite Disney movies dot the grounds of this large, value-priced, family resort—101 Dalmatians of all sizes scamper along railings, Mickey, in his Sorcerer's Apprentice robes commands the waters at the Fantasia pool, and a larger-than-life Woody cavorts with his Toy Story pals.
Music rules in this colorful, value-priced, family-centric resort that resembles a Florida beach hotel of the 1950s. Each section of the resort rocks to a different genre of popular music—country, jazz, rock and roll, calypso, and show tunes.
Stay here if you want the All-American, sports-mad, Disney-with-your-kids experience, or if you're a couple to whom all that pitter-pattering of little feet is a reasonable trade-off for a good deal on a room, albeit a small one.
This colorful, three-story resort is a kid's version of paradise as each of its four wings features images from Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King, or The Little Mermaid, and linens and carpeting match the theme. Suites sleep up to six and have a separate bedroom and two baths.
Giant jukeboxes, 65-foot-tall bowling pins, an oversize Big Wheel and Rubik's Cube, and other pop-culture memorabilia dot the grounds of this value resort. Guest rooms have recently been renovated, and a big food court serves reasonably priced fare.
Considered an even more family-friendly choice than its neighbor (the French Quarter resort), this lodging on the man-made Sassagoula River immerses you in a Creole setting—from the white-column mansions of Magnolia Bend to Alligator Bayou’s backwoods cottages. Highlights include Boatwrights Dining Hall, which features hearty portions of southern Louisiana cooking. Some rooms have extra pull-down bunks and river views, others are princess-themed. The six pools, waterslide, and waterfall are sure hits with all kids. Nightly campfires are pleasant, and, for a fee, there's fishing at Ol' Man Fishing Hole and carriage rides. A free water taxi ferries guests to other Disney resorts on the river and to Disney Springs, and a free shuttle is available to all Disney parks and the airport.
