Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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in quite good shape. A favorite with the budget-minded, its hallmark is a friendly staff
(some of whom have been there since the hotel opened) who provide excellent service.
The well-sized rooms sport quality furnishings and amenities (pull-out sofas, plasma
TVs, and more) and have enough space for five. Poolside rooms have balconies and
patios; the tower rooms have separate sitting areas, and some offer whirlpool tubs in the
bathrooms. If you want a view from up high, ask for a room facing west and WDW; the
south and east sides keep a watchful eye on I-4 traffic. The inner courtyard offers a quiet
escape where you can sit by the pool and soak up the Florida sunshine surrounded by
scattered palm trees.
1905 Hotel Plaza Blvd. (btw. Buena Vista Dr. and Hwy. 535/Apopka-Vineland Rd.), Lake Buena Vista, FL
32830. & 800/248-7890 or 407/828-2828. Fax 407/827-6338. www.downtowndisneyhotels.com or
www.royalplaza.com. 394 units. $129-$209 double; $189-$269 suite. $8 daily resort fee. Children 17 and
younger stay free in parent's room. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $16; self-parking free. From I-4, take
the Hwy. 535/Apopka-Vineland Rd. exit north to Hotel Plaza Blvd. and go left. It's the 2nd hotel on the
left. Amenities: Restaurant; lounge; Kids Eat Free program; babysitting; children's activity program;
health club; heated outdoor pool; room service; 4 lighted tennis courts; complimentary bus service to
WDW parks; transportation to non-Disney parks for a fee. In room: A/C, TV, game system, hair dryer,
Internet (fee), minibar.
5 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.
Note: These hotels are also listed on the “Walt Disney World & Lake Buena Vista
Accommodations” map, earlier in this chapter.
4
VERY EXPENSIVE
Gaylord Palms It's a convention center in disguise, but the Gaylord Palms
appeals to vacationers, too, and is not your run-of-the-mill resort. It could be considered
a destination unto itself, offering its own entertainment, fabulous dining, shops, and
recreational facilities. The 4 1 / 2 -acre octagonal Grand Atrium topped by a glass dome sur-
rounds a miniature version of the Castillo de San Marcos, the old fort at St. Augustine.
Waterfalls, lush foliage, live alligators, and a rocky landscape complete the feel.
The resort and its rooms are divided into themes: Emerald Bay, a 362-room hotel
within the hotel, has an elegant air; St. Augustine captures the essence of America's oldest
city; Key West delivers the laid-back ambience of Florida's southernmost city; and the
Everglades uses a misty swamp, snarling faux gator, fiber-optic fireflies, and tin-roofed
shanties to muster a wild-and-wooly air. The rooms are spacious, beautifully decorated,
and well appointed (the soundproofing, though, could be a bit better); each has its own
balcony. The kids' pool features a huge eight-legged octopus water slide, and cabanas at
the adult pool have Internet access. And if you need to unwind further, try the
20,000-square-foot branch of the famous Canyon Ranch SpaClub. As is befitting a
luxury resort, the service is impeccable; yet it's also extremely friendly and welcoming,
not standoffish, as is the case at many other resorts of this class.
 
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