4-Star Kid-Friendly Resort Adjacent to Orlando Theme Parks

As an official Walt Disney World® hotel, The Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa offers several theme-park perks to guests, including a complimentary shuttle to all four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks and two water parks. This 4-star hotel is located across the street from the shops and eateries of the Downtown Disney® Area, within easy driving distance of three championship-level golf courses, . Even with the hotel's superb spot near all the Orlando attractions, Fodor's writes that the resort "gets kudos as much for its on-site charms as for its location."

You'll retire to a 400-square-foot water-view guest room, where you can relax in front of the 32-inch flat-panel TV or venture out to the private balcony to rehearse scenes from Romeo and Juliet. With the hotel’s onsite dining options, you can enjoy drinks and food at One80 Sportgrill & Bar. On Sunday mornings, Disney Characters make an appearance at the Watercress Café during breakfast.

If theme parks don’t tucker out the kids, the hotel has plenty to keep them occupied until bedtime: three heated outdoor pools, an arcade, a playground, and tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts. For the grownups, there’s the Kay Casperson Lifestyle Spa & Boutique, a 10,000-square-foot spa, salon, and fitness center.

HIghlights of Lake Buena Vista

About 20 miles from downtown Orlando, Lake Buena Vista is the home of the Walt Disney World® Theme Parks and is named after the street where The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank is located. The world’s most-visited entertainment resort, spanning nearly 30,000 acres, encompasses four theme parks, two water parks, five golf courses, and the Downtown Disney® Area.

• Sample Disney itinerary: begin your day at Magic Kingdom® Park by boarding Space Mountain® Attraction, a rocket-shaped three-seater that climbs to 180 feet before entering a deep black tunnel and racing past stars, satellites, and constellations. After that, ride past the ghastly goofballs inside The Haunted Mansion. For dinner, head over to Epcot® to sample cuisine from Morocco, Mexico, France, Italy, and several other countries at the World Showcase.
• Beyond Disney: One of the most popular family destinations in the world, sunny Orlando is home to other theme parks including Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando.
• Downtown Orlando arts district: Shake up the typical theme-park-dominated itinerary by visiting this neighborhood, which boasts venues such as the CityArts Factory, a multifaceted patchwork of gallery spaces, and SAK Comedy Lab, which holds improv shows five nights a week.
• Museums around Loch Haven Park: The Orlando Museum of Art's collection features pieces by Georgia O’Keeffe, Robert Rauschenberg, Ansel Adams, and Andy Warhol. The park is also home to the Orlando Shakespeare Theater and the Orlando Science Center, where you can take a rover across a simulation of Mars’s red surface.

As to Disney artwork, properties and logos: ©Disney.

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