Where to stay when you are in the World can be tricky as there are almost 20 hotels that make up the Walt Disney World Resort Hotel collection, not to mention the array of accommodation out-of-the-World (i.e., off-property). In this article, I'll show you a sample of each type of accommodation on-property.



On-site properties are categorized as Deluxe, Moderate and Value Disney Resorts. The price range for each category is as follows:

Deluxe Resorts $205 to $780

Moderate Resorts Rates $139 to $215

Value Resorts Rates $79 to $137

Deluxe Resorts

Needless to say, hotels in the Deluxe category are for those with deep pockets who want to experience the ultimate in Disney luxury and style. The hotels in this category include the Animal Kingdom Lodge, BoardWalk Inn, Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, Yacht Club and Beach Club, and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. Deluxe resorts offer:

- elaborately themed pools with waterslides,

- world class restaurants,

- room service,

- valet parking,

- whirlpools,

- babysitting,

- bell services,

- concierge, and

- fitness center/spa.

If you enjoy the lush setting of tropical South Pacific, you'll love the Disney's Polynesian Resort. On this resort, seven villages along palm-lined pathways, a white-sand beach, thatched roofs and a nightly Polynesian luau invoke the feel of an island paradise. This resort is part of the Monorail system and is considered part of the Magic Kingdom Resort area because of its proximity to the Magic Kingdom theme park. The 75 species of indigenous vegetation on the resort will stir the plant lover within you.

To take a virtual tour of the Disney's Polynesian Resort, visit:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortLanding'id=PolynesianResortLandingPage

Moderate Resorts

There are a total of 4 moderately priced Disney resort, namely, Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter. These resorts have the following amenities:

- full-service restaurants,

- food courts,

- room service,

- luggage service,

- swimming pools with a slide and hot tub,

- on-site recreation, and

- bus or boat transportation.

Named after the European explorer Francisco de Coronado, the Coronado Springs Resort combines the beauty, fantasy and unique cultural elements of colonial Spain, Mexico and New Mexico. Accommodations come in the form of casitas (little houses), which represent urban centers like Santa Fe or Monterrey. The casitas are nestled amidst plazas, fountains and palm-shaded courtyards.

The resort is built around Lake Lago Dorado, with a stepped Mayan pyramid towering over the pool area. The grounds of the casitas are decorated with lovely fountains and gardenia bushes. Besides the casitas, there are also ranchos, which are 2- and 3- story pueblo-style villas representing the rustic charm of rural Spain.

A cool feature of the resort is that almost all throughout its compound, you can look across water and see the other areas.

To take a virtual tour of the resort, visit:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortLanding'id=CoronadoSpringsResortLandingPage&count=2

Value Resorts

Disney value resorts are for the budget conscious. They include All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, All-Star Sports and Pop Century. Each of these hotels has the following amenities:

- food courts,

- pizza delivery,

- luggage service,

- swimming pools, and

- bus transportation.

The All-Star Sports is playfully themed around sports of course, with sections centered around football, baseball, tennis and basketball. The philosophy behind this resort is bigger is better. You'll find bold and colorful pop art icons such as a 4-story football helmet, giant "tennis ball can" and megaphone-shaped stairwells.

The ambiance can get boisterous and fun because lots of sports teams stay at this resort. All-Star Sports is a great way to enjoy all the perks of staying on-property at WDW. You can:

- use the excellent Disney bus system,

- have purchases made in the parks delivered to your resort,

- charge expenses to your room,

- enjoy Extra Magic Hour early entrance to one park each day,

- count on assured entrance to the theme parks on crowded days, and

- enjoy life-guarded pools.

You can visit Disney's official website for more information:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortLanding'id=AllStarSportsResortLandingPage