Hotels

There seemed to be no end to Orlando's hotel boom a few years ago. Almost 4,000 new rooms were added every year through 2000, and then things began to slow down. The good news (though maybe not for your pocketbook) is that tourism numbers (and hotels) are rising once more, with roughly 4,300 rooms added to the city in the last 2 years. The Orlando area now has more than 115,000 rooms, including scores of places located in or near the major-league tourist draws: Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, and the rest of International Drive. Disney alone has 32 resorts (including Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas, which opened its first phase in 2007), timeshares, and "official" hotels.

Beautifully landscaped grounds are the rule at properties in WDW, neighboring Lake Buena Vista, Universal Orlando, and on the mid- and southern portions of I-Drive. But the beauty of the area is often offset by the beast of heavier traffic and, at times, higher prices. No matter what your budget or crowd tolerance, there is something for everyone. If you're looking for an inexpensive or moderately priced motel, check out the options in Kissimmee (though that area is no longer limited only to the budget conscious) and, to a lesser degree, on the northern end of International Drive.

Once you have decided on your vacation dates, book your accommodations as soon as possible, especially if you want to stay on Disney or Universal property. Advance reservations are an absolute necessity if you're planning on staying at any of the preferred resorts in town, whether on theme park property or in Orlando proper.

Wired to the Rest of the World -- All Disney resorts are wired for high-speed Internet access. A fee of $9.95 per 24-hour period applies to use the service. Be sure to check if your resort has a preselected "start" time, often the midafternoon, or you may find yourself being charged twice in a single day, depending on when you sign up for the service. Select Disney resorts (mostly in the Very Expensive range) offer limited Wi-Fi access (in public areas only) for a 24-hour period at a rate of $9.95, or 60 minutes at $5.

A Night Out -- Several of the higher-priced Disney resorts -- including Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Wilderness Lodge, as well as the Polynesian Resort -- have supervised kid care, usually from 4 or 4:30pm to midnight daily ($10 per child 4-12, per hour, dinner and activities included; tel. 407/939-3463). Disney also offers in-room sitters through Kid's Night Out (tel. 407/827-5444). The Walt Disney World Dolphin, an "official" resort, also offers a supervised child-care program.

Getting Away -- If you want to enjoy the amenities and service of a Disney resort but can't do without some beach time, the Disney Vacation Club offers visitors the option of renting a room just 2 hours south of WDW at its Vero Beach Resort (tel. 407/939-7775; www.dvcresorts.com), directly on the Atlantic Ocean, with sand, surf, and all the Disney trimmings included. Studios, standard rooms, one- and two-bedroom villas, and three-bedroom cottages are all available ranging about $175 to $1,125 per night. You will need to arrange for your own transportation.

Prime Real Estate

The Four Seasons, in partnership with Disney, is scheduled to open a new luxury resort, complete with its own 18-hole golf course, in 2010. Other future Disney projects include the addition of an entirely new resort community, set to include between 4,000 and 5,000 rooms in the value and moderate price range, along with retail shops and restaurants. The new community will be located just outside of the Disney gateway at the western edge of the Mouse's house. And these are just the tip of the iceberg on the Orlando expansion front -- several high-end destination properties and resort communities are set to open around town in the next few years. Stay tuned.

Reservation Services

Florida Hotel Network (tel. 800/293-2419; www.floridahotels.com), Central Reservation Service (tel. 800/555-7555 or 407/740-6442; www.crshotels.com), and Hotels.com (tel. 800/246-8357; www.hotels.com) are three other services that can help with room reservations and other kinds of reservations in Central Florida. HotelKingdom.com (tel. 877/766-6787 or 407/294-9600; www.hotelkingdom.com) is also a good source of room or vacation rental bargains. You can also book Disney World hotels directly by calling tel. 407/934-7639 or visiting www.disneyworld.com; Universal Orlando properties can be booked by calling tel. 800/837-2273 or 877/801-9720, or by visiting www.universalorlando.com.

How to use this Section

The hotels listed in this sectionr are divided by location and price category. As you might expect, many of the inexpensive properties are the farthest from the action and/or have the most spartan, unimaginative accommodations.

Keep in mind, however, that this isn't one of the world's best bargain destinations. Unlike other Florida tourist areas, there are few under-$60 motels that meet the standards demanded for listing in this guide. That's why we've raised the price bar. The ones in our inexpensive category charge an average of less than $90 per night for a double room. Those offering $90 to $180 rooms make up the moderate category; $180 to $250 rooms are listed as expensive, and anything more than $250 is listed as very expensive. Any included extras (such as breakfast) are listed for each property. Orlando's peak and off seasons are often complicated as the peak times are sporadically disbursed throughout the calendar. Even remote things such as the International Sweet Potato Growers convention in Orlando can raise off-season prices. These events especially impact moderately priced properties outside WDW.

Keep in mind that rates are per night double unless otherwise noted, and they don't include hotel taxes of 11% to 12%. Also, most Orlando hotels and motels let kids younger than 12 (and usually younger than 18) stay free with a parent or guardian if you don't exceed maximum room occupancy. But to be safe, ask for details when booking your room.