Just before the Great Recession, a British developer took $200 million of other people’s money, began constructing a massive 900-room lakeside resort on 106 acres by a conservation area west of Disney—and then fled the country. It sat grimly half-built for 7 years, a white elephant in the swamp, but finally the saga has a happy ending. In 2018, new owners finished and expanded it, and now it’s a full-service moderate resort that isn’t quite luxurious but is still a value for money. Guest quarters here are huge comfortable apartments, each with a fully equipped kitchen, washer/dryer, tub, and screened-in balcony; even the smallest are 975 sq. ft. To sweeten the pot, the grounds face a small Old Florida lake (only electric or human-powered boats, available for rent, are allowed, and so is fishing). Families are also drawn to the small private water park, separate from the adult pools, with a little slide tower and lazy river. Don’t let the Winter Garden address scare you; I’ve timed it, and the drive to Disney’s gate on Western Way via backroads is 7 minutes. In fact, the semirural location sets it apart from competitors, like a resort oasis in a wide wilderness of green. Resort fee warning: $35–45/night.