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Minuses

−  Without a discount, expect to pay $425 a night and up.

−  As of this writing the Polynesian has no hot tub. Inexcusable!

Overall grade: The Polynesian enjoys a loyal repeat clientele and that says it all.

Wilderness Lodge & Villas

407/824–3200

Map location 4

Starting at $290 a night, the Western-spirited Wilderness Lodge is aimed at filling the gap between the mid-price and luxury resorts. The theme of the Wilderness Lodge extends into every aspect of the hotel’s design. The pool begins indoors as a hot spring and then flows through the lobby into a waterfall that tumbles over rocky caverns and culminates in the outdoor pool. The awe-inspiring lobby, which looks like a Lincoln Log project run amok, centers on an 82-foot fireplace that blazes all year round. The Native American-theme wallpaper, the staff dressed like park rangers, and even the stick ponies children ride to their tables in the Whispering Canyon Café all combine to evoke the feel of a National Park Service lodge built in the early 1900s.

Proximity to the Magic Kingdom:

Good, via launch

Proximity to Epcot:

Fair, via bus

Proximity to Hollywood:

Fair, via bus

Proximity to the Animal Kingdom:

Fair, via bus

Pluses

+  The lodge is heavily themed and the pool area, with its erupting geyser and stone hot tubs, is especially dramatic.

+  On-site child-care facilities.

+  Tons of happy quasi-campers here. Families return to the Wilderness Lodge again and again.

+  The Wilderness Lodge Villas, starting at $395 a night, provide all the great amenities and a little more space.

Minuses

−  Although it’s one of the least expensive luxury options, it still isn’t cheap.

−  This is the only Magic Kingdom resort hotel without monorail service. The boat takes slightly longer than the bus.

−  The rooms are small and sleep only four people; the other luxury resorts sleep five. “It’s a great resort once you get outside of your room,” said a mom from Indiana. “But while inside the room we were practically on top of each other.”

Overall Grade: A great family-pleasing setting and a favorite with many of our readers.

Epcot Hotels

Most of the Epcot resorts—the Yacht and Beach Clubs, BoardWalk, Swan, and Dolphin—share their own “back-door” entrance into Epcot’s World Showcase, accessed by water taxis and walkways. Unfortunately—and somewhat ironically considering these properties are marketed as “Epcot resorts”—it can be tricky to get to Epcot’s front gates. The Future World section of Epcot usually opens at 9 AM, but Epcot resort guests enter through the World Showcase, where the rides, shops, and restaurants don’t open until 11 AM. That means Epcot hotel guests have to walk through the World Showcase and enter Future World at a special rope-drop area. (Many people assume the Epcot hotels offer bus service to the main entrance of Epcot. They don’t.) The bad news is that this stroll through the World Showcase adds 10 minutes to your commute. The good news is that there are fewer people at this entrance point so you can still get a jump on the crowds, a key factor if you’re heading to a popular attraction like Soarin’.

In contrast, getting to Hollywood is a breeze. Water taxis leaving from the Epcot resort marinas will have you at the Hollywood gates within minutes. In addition, there are plenty of restaurants, clubs, and entertainment options around the lagoon. “We never left the Epcot resort area,” wrote one mom from Texas. “Everything we wanted to do was right there.”

The one Epcot hotel that doesn’t follow this plan is the Caribbean Beach Resort, which is a mid-priced property a bit apart from the others. It runs buses to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot; the Epcot bus lets you off at the Future World entrance.

The BoardWalk Inn and Villas

407/939–5100

Map location 13

The BoardWalk Inn and Villas form the hub of a large complex with convention space, several restaurants and shops, the ESPN sports club, and a dance club and piano bar. The mood is turn-of-the-20th-century Atlantic City.