A homage to Atlantic City circa 1940, Disney’s BoardWalk Villas shares the shore of Crescent Lake with other Disney Resort Hotels, and attracts families seeking home-style comforts, including cooking facilities, and hotel-style conveniences. During busy seasons, the boardwalk and main pool are lively; a second pool and other areas of the resort offer peace and quiet.

Celebration, a residential community created by a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, includes pastel-colored downtown shops and restaurants.

What to expect: This unique Lake Buena Vista resort is reminiscent of a wildlife-reserve lodge on the African savannah. Arriving guests are greeted in a three-story lobby with a crackling fireplace, hand-carved wood furniture, and authentic African artifacts. As the sun sets, two outdoor patios flanking the lobby provide close-up views of exotic animals, including giraffes, ostriches, impalas, and zebras.

Amenity highlights: Simba's Clubhouse provides supervised children's activities for ages 4-12 (surcharge), while the resort also has a children's pool, playground, and game arcade. The Zahanati Massage & Fitness Center has exercise equipment, a sauna and steam room, and offers additional spa services (surcharge). The resort also offers a zero-entry outdoor pool, which has a 67-foot-long slide and two spa tubs. Two restaurants provide African-inspired multi-cultural cuisine.

Insider tip: Public viewing areas in the early morning and just before sunsets allow guests to watch the animals of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge gathering to graze on the savannah. Guest services provides advice on the best times for wildlife viewing.

Located a half-mile from Walt Disney World® Resort, this resort and convention center welcomes business and leisure travelers and families with a sweeping tiled lobby, wood-framed arched doorways, and hanging lanterns. A 4.5-acre, glass-domed atrium celebrates several Florida regions with a replica of a historic fort, Ponce de Leon’s fountain of youth, a 60-foot sailboat reminiscent of Key West, and Everglade-style swamps and cypress trees.

Three lushly landscaped golf courses with small ponds, mature trees, and plentiful wildlife highlight this 2,300-acre resort located in a quiet, secluded area southwest of Walt Disney World® Resort. Villa neighborhoods offer a variety of architectural styles, from Key West to Colonial. Arriving guests are welcomed by a personal concierge who accompanies them to their villa and assists them during their stay.

Streets lined with palm trees lead to this Mediterranean–inspired hotel flanked by two meticulously manicured 18-hole championship golf courses. The two-story marble-floored lobby provides a superb view of the outdoor courtyard fountain, lap pool, gardens, and golf courses. A $3-million art collection is displayed throughout the hotel.

What to expect: Set on palm-studded, green manicured grounds, the Lighthouse Key is located just off Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, three miles from the main entrance to Walt Disney World®. The resort is ideal for vacationers wanting upscale amenities close to central Florida’s many theme parks.

Amenity highlights: The villas at Lighthouse Key are replete with high-end amenities like flat-screen TVs, jetted tubs, Xbox consoles, and Cabrera marble countertops in kitchens and baths. A European spa offers a variety of massage treatments and facials, and two outdoor pools and a spa tub are also on site.

Lush foliage, towering palms, colorful flowers, and fountains create a secluded oasis for leisure travelers and families arriving at this 20-acre Orlando resort. A sky dome lights the lobby, where a busy guest-services desk provides information about area attractions.

Located five miles from Disney’s Hollywood Studios™, the Seralago Hotel & Suites is particularly popular with families. An abundance of on-site dining and recreation choices adds to the appeal. Lobby conveniences include a guest-services desk, racks of brochures, and an ATM.