Disney's Grand Floridian Resort050

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, the newest of the Magic Kingdom-area hotels, is designed to resemble a Victorian resort.

In addition to the main building, guest rooms are located in five "out" buildings, most of which offer views of the lagoon or the gardens.

Standard rooms include two queen-size "cloud" beds and a day bed. Suites are also available. All rooms include an iron, ironing board, coffee maker, safe, small refrigerator, and a hair dryer. Pack-n-play cribs, high chairs, microwave ovens, and bed rails are available upon request; contact the housekeeping staff.

The rooms are decorated in airy pastels, with a plantation feel.

Internet access is offered through Ethernet cable (bring a cord or request one from room service); the fee for access is $9.95 a day.

Laundry facilities are located in most of the out buildings.

One of the best things about the resort is its proximity to the Magic Kingdom. The monorail stops right outside the hotel's main building and deposits guests at the front gates of the Kingdom one stop later - or you can hop off at the transportation center, three stops away, to catch the monorail to Epcot. Buses take hotel guests to MGM, the Animal Kingdom, Downtown Disney, and the water parks.

The hotel has two pools - the large Courtyard Pool, which is open 24 hours and has a shallow kiddy pool nearby, and the Beach Pool, which has a cool water slide and waterfall.

For other water fun, stop by the marina, where you can rent pontoon boats, two-seater motor boats, and other vehicles to pilot around Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon. Kids 12 and older can drive the boats - with an adult on board, of course! To pilot a boat alone, a driver's license is required. Boaters do not have to be guests at the hotel, but should call in advance to reserve a time.

Dining options at the Grand Floridian include character meals (Mary Poppins at breakfast, princesses - like Cinderella - at dinner) at 1900 Park Faire (breakfast or dinner, reservations required); Grand Floridian Café for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; or high-end cuisine at Citricos, Victoria and Albert's, or Narcoossee's, which offers a view of the Seven Seas Lagoon.

1900 Park Faire also hosts an afternoon tea party for younger guests (ages four to ten, must be potty-trained), featuring favorite Disney Characters from Alice in Wonderland. Children attend the tea without their parents, so be prepared to drop them off.

Off-site guests can reserve tea time with Alice for birthday parties. Call guest services for more information.

Quick take-out meals are offered at Gasparilla Grill & Games, where savvy parents can also pick up breakfast (cereal and pancakes, fresh fruit, and more) to cart back to the room and avoid room service fees.

Evening child care is available in the Mouseketeer Club, open from 4:30pm-12m daily. The club is a small room with four game stations, manipulatives, and a flat screen TV showing Disney movies. The maximum number of children (ages four to 12) is 12, so early reservations are a must. Kids will probably have a better time at the Polynesian Resort's NeverLand Club, though - we recommend trying to book there first if you need a parents' night out.

Spa services are offered for adults, of course, but young guests are not forgotten. Spa fans ages four to 12 can sample selected treatments, including facials, manicures, and pedicures. Guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult during massage and body treatments.