Neighborhoods

Other Lake Buena Vista Area Hotels

The hotels in this section are within a few minutes' drive of the WDW parks. They offer a great location but not the Disney-related privileges given to guests in the "official" hotels, such as Disney bus service and character breakfasts. On the flip side, because you're not paying for those privileges, hotels in this category are generally a shade less expensive for comparable rooms and services.

Marriott Montage -- The December 2000 christening of Marriott Village at Lake Buena Vista, 8623 Vineland Ave., Orlando, FL 32821 (tel. 877/682-8552 or 407/938-9001; www.marriottvillage.com), brought together three of the flagship's properties in a cluster just east of Lake Buena Vista, 3 miles from WDW. The resort includes a 400-room SpringHill Suites ($85-$135 double; free continental breakfast), a 388-room Fairfield Inn ($70-$125 double; free continental breakfast), and a 312-room Courtyard by Marriott ($85-$135 double). Children younger than 17 stay free in their parents' rooms, and an extra person costs an additional $10.

All rooms have fridges and free high-speed Internet access. Each property has adult and kids' pools, fitness centers, kids' clubs, whirlpools, a rental-car desk, and guest-services desks. All offer transportation for a fee ($5-$15 per person per day) to Disney parks and non-Disney parks. There are three restaurants within walking distance, as well as an array of snack-style eateries in the village. To get here, take I-4 Exit 68, Hwy. 535/Apopka-Vineland Rd.; then head south to Vineland, and go left a half-mile to the village. There's free self-parking.

Kissimmee Accommodations

This stretch of highway (U.S. 192, also known as Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy.) is within close proximity of the Disney parks. In the last few years a revitalization of the area has added such features as extra wide sidewalks, streetlamps, highway markers, and widened roads to make it a more friendly and appealing area to stay and play. Traffic here can nevertheless be frustrating, especially when you are trying to cross the street. Budget hotels and restaurants abound, though a few higher-priced luxury resorts are starting to appear a bit off of the main drag. While Disney is close by, Universal and SeaWorld are not -- the latter are a good 20-minute (or more) ride away. If you don't have a car, Mears Transportation is a good bet to take you there for about $14 to $16 per person per day, round-trip.

In addition to the hotels reviewed, the Saratoga Resort Orlando Villas At Maingate, 4787 W. Irlo Bronson Hwy. (tel. 407/397-0555; www.saratogaresortvillas.com), offers spacious one-, two-, and three-bedroom town house accommodations with kitchens that are great for families and larger groups. The Quality Suites Maingate East, 5876 W. Irlo Bronson Hwy. (tel. 877/609-1777 or 407/396-8040; www.qualitysuitesmaingateeast.com), offers suites with separate bedroom and living areas, fully stocked kitchens, and a location that's hard to beat. And the Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration, 2900 Parkway Blvd. (tel. 888/201-1718 or 407/396-7000; www.Radisson.com), set back in off the main drag, has recently upgraded rooms, a nice pool area with a water slide, several onsite dining options, and beautifully landscaped grounds.

Inexpensive -- There are scores of inexpensive but serviceable motels, including chains. Most are within a few miles of Disney, have rooms in the 300-square-foot range, and arrange transportation to the parks. Many sell attractions tickets, but be careful. Many deeply discounted ticket offers are too good to be true. Some people land at the parks with invalid tickets or waste a half-day or more listening to a timeshare pitch to get 30% to 40% off the regular price (single-day Disney park tickets are $67 for adults, $56 for kids 3-9). If a discount is more than $2 to $5 per ticket, it's probably too good to be true.

Stick to buying tickets through the parks or accept the modest discounts offered by such groups as AAA, AARP, and the visitor information centers.

International Drive Area Accommodations

The hotels and resorts listed here are 7 to 10 miles north of Walt Disney World (via I-4) and 1 to 5 miles from Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. The advantages of staying on I-Drive: It's a destination unto itself, filled with accommodations, restaurants, and small attractions; it has its own inexpensive trolley service; and it's centrally located for those who want to visit Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, and the downtown area. The disadvantages: The north end of I-Drive is badly congested; the shops, motels, eateries, and attractions along this stretch can be tacky; and some of the motels and hotels don't offer free transportation to the parks (the going rate is $6-$15 round-trip).

I-Drive Alternatives -- If you're coming into town during peak season and you're having trouble finding a room, the 1,052-room Wyndham Orlando Resort, 8001 International Dr. (tel. 800/WYNDHAM or 407/351-2420; www.wyndham.com), is an impeccably landscaped property that's good for families and features numerous pools, playgrounds and a kids club for children ages 4 to 12. The 1,338-room Caribe Royale, 8101 World Center Dr. (tel. 800/823-8300 or 407/238-8000; www.cariberoyale.com), offers spacious one-bedroom suites (kitchenettes) and two-bedroom villas (Jacuzzis and full kitchens). The grounds are beautifully landscaped, the pool has cascading waterfalls and a 75-foot water slide, there is a playground nearby, and the service is tops.

Two Grand Hotels -- Part of the 500-acre Grande Lakes Resort complex, the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, 4012 Central Florida Pkwy. (tel. 800/682-3665 or 407/206-2400; www.ritzcarlton.com), debuted in July 2003 and is one of the city's best destinations for deep-pocketed travelers. The posh 584-room luxury hotel ($199-$769 double; $599-$6,500 suites) features exquisitely manicured grounds, a lobby designed after an Italian Palazzo, and a 40,000-square-foot, three-level spa with 40 treatment rooms. The spacious rooms at this smoke-free hotel have balconies, flatscreen TVs, hand-painted Italian furniture, and lots of other luxury perks. The level of service is exceptional.

Sharing quarters (and most recreational facilities, from pools to an 18-hole golf course to several child-care programs) with the Ritz at the Grande Lakes development is the less expensive 1,000-room JW Marriott Orlando, 4040 Central Florida Pkwy. (tel. 800/682-9956 or 407/206-2300; www.grandelakes.com). The smoke-free resort ($179-$499 for up to four people per room; $399-$4,500 for suites) has a fabulous 24,000-square-foot Lazy River pool that winds through rock formations and small waterfalls (depth 3-5 ft.). The tiptop rooms at the Moorish-themed resort are on par with those in Disney's moderate class. Ask for a west-facing room for the best views.

The major drawback: The hotels are outside of the main tourist areas, a 7- or 8-mile drive southeast of SeaWorld and about the same distance east of Walt Disney World. Free transportation is provided to Universal Orlando, but for the other parks, you're on your own.

Downtown Orlando

The major reason travelers usually give for staying in downtown Orlando is to avoid the hustle and bustle (and crowds) of the theme park zone. One other plus: Those traveling without children may greatly appreciate the lack of them in the downtown hotels, which generally cater to business travelers.

But if you're traveling in the middle of the peak season, including summer or around the December holidays, you'll likely find yourself bumping into other people no matter where you go. And if you plan to spend most of your days in the theme parks, and nights at Pleasure Island or CityWalk, then you're better off staying in the thick of things. Unless you avoid driving during rush hour from 7 to 9am and 4 to 6pm, you'll likely spend a lot more vacation time on I-4 and its traffic than you'd like. It will also be harder to escape back to your hotel for an afternoon swim or a nap.

In our opinion, unless you're getting a really fabulous discount at one of downtown's many business hotels, there's only one property that really stands out in the area and is worth the schlep.