"Official" Hotels in Lake Buena Vista
These properties, designated "official" Walt Disney World hotels, are located on and around Hotel Plaza Boulevard, which puts them at the northeast corner of WDW. They're close to Downtown Disney Marketplace, Downtown Disney West Side, and Pleasure Island. The boulevard has been landscaped with enough greenery to make it a contestant for Main Street, U.S.A.
Guests at these hotels enjoy some WDW privileges, including free bus service to the parks, but be sure to ask when booking which privileges you'll get because they do vary from hotel to hotel. Their locations put you close to the parks, and even closer to the action of Downtown Disney, but, unlike the resorts on WDW property, which occupy their own completely separate areas, the hotels here are set along the tree-lined boulevard. Traffic can be a frustration, as the boulevard is a main access route to Downtown Disney from the outside world. Also note that the Walt Disney World Dolphin and Walt Disney World Swan should be considered the eighth and ninth of the "official" hotels because they're not Disney-owned. The difference is they're located directly on the WDW property.
Another perk of the "official" hotels is that they generally offer a less intense Mickey ambience, although some do offer character breakfasts a few days each week (ask the person answering the reservation line for details and schedules). Decide for yourself if that's a plus or a minus.
You can make reservations for all of these properties through the CRO (tel. 407/934-7639) or through the direct hotel numbers included in the listings. To ensure you get the best rates, however, call the hotel or its parent chain directly to see if there are special rates or packages available.
Excess Charges -- Several of the properties in this section add daily resort fees to their room rates. Though it's essentially a legal version of price gouging, charging for services that used to be included in the rates, such as use of the pool, admission to the health club, or in-room coffee or phones has become a growing trend. Be sure to ask when you make your reservations to see if your hotel charges such a fee and, if so, exactly what's included (some may even be optional) so you're not blindsided at checkout.
