A visit to Orlando’s theme parks and resorts is more of an immersion into fantasy-land than just a vacation. Even the hotels are now a part of the fantasy, and kids can interact with everyone from Shrek to SpongeBob and a whole list of Disney toons without ever leaving the hotel premises.

Here’s a few of the hotels in Orlando currently offering a themed stay, some that will soon be available in the near-future, and others that are on a lot of wish-lists.

Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Fla.: Shrek will be checking into this hotel later this year because the Gaylord Hotel group just tied up with DreamWorks Animation. So their four hotels will feature live appearances by characters from Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar and other films from the studio.

Shrek checks into Gaylord Hotels

The package stay will include special character breakfasts and fun poolside activities. The DreamWorks Experience will be available starting Nov 2011, and can be booked starting this July.

Walt Disney World Resort: Right now, WDW already offers themed stays such as the pirate themed rooms in Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. These rooms come with 2 double-size pirate ship-themed beds and pirate-themed accessories and décor.

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

To add to the collection of themed rooms and suites, ‘Royal Guest Rooms’ are being introduced at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort. These new rooms are not just lush with thick carpeting and ornate beds, but also have large headboards offering cool fiber-optic special effects. Read More »

Choosing between Hawaii and Disney for a summer vacation has always been difficult. Not so anymore, because Mickey Mouse is now a kama’aina (local) with an address in Hawaii – Disney Aulani in Ko Olina.

The crew just wrapped up the final structural touches a couple of days ago and the resort and hotel is now all set to open on August 29, 2011. To celebrate the completion of the work, the crew and Disney team members got together on the beach and made up shapes like Mickey’s silhouette.

Disney Aulani, Hawaii

Between now and the opening date is the “time to add the magic” with Disney team members doing the theming and landscaping and putting in the magical touches guests expect to find at a Disney resort.

The 21 acre resort adjacent to a crystal blue lagoon and a white-sand beach has a hotel with 359 guest rooms including 16 suites housed in two 15-story towers offering views of the ocean, mountains and the grounds.

Towers of the Disney Aulani in Ko Olina, Hawaii

The resort also has 481 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club villas. The Disney and Hawaii themed hotel rooms have Mickeys hidden within the pineapple-patterned Hawaiian quilts. Turn on the living room floor lamp and a silhouette of Minnie Mouse can be seen surfing a wave on the lampshade.

The Hawaiian touch can be seen in things like the wall mirror framed with what looks like interlocking carved wooden fishhooks. The pillows have retro Hawaiian floral print fabrics known as bark cloth.

The carpets in the corridor are influenced by Hawaiian makaloa mats, and the corridor wall art features everything from poi pounders to fish traps to sea urchins. More Mickeys can be found hidden in the patterned surfaces of the wall coverings.

Guests have access to 4 restaurants and 2 lounges, an 18,000 sq ft spa with 15 treatment rooms, 4 whirlpool spas, a Kids club, conference center and a storytelling fire pit.

That’s apart from the 10 ‘recreation facilities’ which include the beach and a beach house, the Rainbow Reef which is a snorkel lagoon, an adventure trail, and a bucket-load of pools.

Photos courtesy Disney Destinations

More info: www.disneyaulani.com

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Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa: Hawaii Preview Event
Aloha Means Love and Disney

They say there is a place in Orlando where you can camp without being eaten alive by mosquitoes.

They say you can roast marshmallows by a fire and sing campfire songs without worrying about black bears or other creatures that go bump in the night.

They say there is a place in Central Florida where you can spend the night feeling like an honest to goodness pioneer, without waking up in a tent that’s turned into a sauna by 7 in the morning.

Where could such a place exists?

Cabin at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

Disney, of course.

Disney’s Fort Wildnerness Resort is like camping without any of the nastiness of camping.  Secluded cabins allow guests to enjoy the surrounding forests and the modern amenities we’ve become unable to live without.

This is the perfect place to expose children to the camping experience while avoiding having to sleep on the ground.  Enjoy nightly campfire songs with Disney characters, fishing, horseback riding, and bike riding.  And you can also swim in the pools, play video games in the arcade, and play tennis on the courts – bet you can’t get that at your local campground!

Of course, this naturally rustic experience is going to cost you a tiny bit more than a night of tent living – about $300, in fact.

But think of how much you’ll save in bug spray!

Photo from TravelPost.

Star Wars fans will be in Orlando in DROVES from across the world for Celebration V, August 12-15th, 2010. Held over the course of 4 days at the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive, Star Wars Celebration V will host several events and parties, including one in partnership with Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Saturday, August 14th.

Resort Pool at Port Orleans - Riverside; Orlando, Florida

“Last Tour to Endor” at Hollywood Studios will celebrate the closing of the long-lasting Star Tours ride experience to allow for the re-vamping of the ride for a new generation. Together with Celebration V, Disney is offering a special, attendee-only special rate to stay the night after “Last Tour to Endor” at Port Orleans Resort – Riverside. Read More »