WorldQuest Orlando Resort

WorldQuest Orlando Resort is a quiet and modern apartment resort that looks a bit like a condominium complex from the outside. A longish drive leads up to a gate manned by a guard, keeping parking and the resort secure. Large grounds feature a mix of grass and deciduous trees, with a a large lake out back and a lakefront promenade that's god for jogging. Rooms and facilities are housed in the main resort building, a sprawling, vaguely Mission-style complex with salmon and pale-yellow exteriors and tile roofs. Inside, the lobby is simple and homey, with tile floors, a wooden front desk, and an elegant high ceiling with a wrought-iron chandelier suspended from its center. A kitchen area with free coffee and tea at the back of the lobby is a nice touch. The hotel attracts long-term travelers wanting easy access to the nearby Disney theme parks, including plenty of families. Discounts are available for Florida and Georgia residents. 

WorldQuest Orlando Resort is located in the Lake Buena Vista area just south of Orlando, across the Central Florida GreeneWay (toll road 417) from Falcon's Fire Golf Course. There's nothing of interest within walking distance, but the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores and a Walmart Supercenter are about a 10-minute drive away. It's about an eight-minute drive to the parking lot at Epcot, while Disney World takes about 10 minutes by car. Further field, it's a 20-minute drive to Universal Studios Florida. Getting to the Orlando International Airport can take upwards of 25 minutes by car. Factor in at least a half hour to reach downtown Orlando, depending on traffic.

This property offers three types of apartment-style units: Deluxe Two-Bedroom Suites, Deluxe Three-Bedroom Suites, and Superior Three-Bedroom Suites.  Decor is bland, but not unpleasant, with dark-wood finish tables and nightstands, neutral beige-gray carpeting in bedrooms, and tile floors paired with neutral-toned solid and patterned furniture in the open-plan living/dining areas. Art is kept to a minimum, with just a few framed modern prints on the walls that add some much needed color and vibrancy to the spaces. Standard amenities include flat-screen TVs with cable and DVD players, plus fully furnished kitchens with dishwashers, microwaves, ovens, stoves, crockery, and coffee- and tea-making facilities. Living rooms feature pull-out sofas. Washing machines and dryers also come standard, as do iron facilities. Starter kits with dish soap, laundry soap, creamer, sugar, sponges, and coffee, are stocked in units on arrival and can be refilled for an additional fee. All units have master bathrooms with granite double vanities plus jetted tubs and separate walk-in showers; additional bathrooms feature shower/tub combos. Wi-Fi is covered under the resort fee. All of the units have large balconies or terraces complete with their own dining tables, and mostly lovely views of the grounds. Housekeeping packages are available for a fee. Guests can opt out all together or choose from towel services or full cleaning. Garbage removal is offered daily, free of charge. Be aware that a mandatory end-of-stay cleaning fee is added to rooms for stays under four nights…for travelers staying longer, this is waived. 

Amenities at this resort are top-notch for an apartment hotel, starting with a huge lagoon-style heated outdoor swimming pool that gets a good mix of sun and shade throughout the day. The pool is flanked by padded lounge chairs, some with parasols, plus a few shaded patio tables for groups. There's also a small Tiki Bar by the pool with snacks and cocktails, but it's not always open and the hotel has no other dining options or breakfast. A small supermarket sells snacks, cereals, and a few easy-to-prepare dishes, and it's open 24 hours a day. The fitness center offers a couple of treadmills along with an elliptical machine and a rack of free weights, but no resistance-training machines. A gate leads out to a long pathway that runs across a lagoon, good for jogging. The hotel also offers plenty of free on-site parking behind a secure gate manned by a guard, plus a twice-daily free shuttle to and from the nearby Walt Disney World Resort (with drop-offs every morning at EPCOT -- check with the concierge for the most up-to-date schedule). Note that a daily resort is added to room rates and it covers simple things like Wi-Fi, parking, shuttle service, fitness center access, pool toys, and lobby newspapers.