Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Resort French Quarter, Port Orleans Resort Riverside.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Perhaps Disney's best value, the Moderates feature larger rooms with nicer furniture, more amenities and snazzier pools, plus better-realized themes (the French Quarter oozes Crescent City charm, complete with Nawlins-style facades). All but the French Quarter have full-service restaurants.
RESORT | Deluxe
Rates from $199 a night double.
BEST FOR . . .
Big spenders who want to see giraffes from their rooms each morning (Animal Kingdom Lodge) or watch monorails zip through the lobby (Contemporary).
HOTELS
Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club, BoardWalk Inn, Contemporary, Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Polynesian, Wilderness, Yacht Club. Disney lumps the Dolphin and Swan properties into this category, but they're operated by Starwood.
WHAT TO EXPECT
These are the cream of the Disney crop, with the Mouse theme machine in full throttle (the Beach Club and Yacht Club look like New England seaside grande dames, the Polynesian is Hawaii-lite, etc.) All have multiple restaurants (no need to settle for mass-produced burgers), plush rooms, grand lobbies, posh pools and/or beaches and facilities such as health clubs and tennis courts.
RESORT | Home Away From Home
Rooms/cabins from $234 a night double, campsites from $38.
BEST FOR . . .
Those who've always dreamed of living at Disney World . . . and don't mind cooking while on vacation.
HOTELS
