Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Co.

Decades of savvy marketing has rooted Disney movies, merchandise and theme parks firmly in children's -- and parents' -- imaginations.

But fewer people know that Walt Disney Co. is also a major hotelier. At the 122 sq. km Walt Disney World resort in Lake Buena Vista alone, 22 of the 32 hotels -- some 24,000 guest rooms -- are owned and operated by Disney.

Properties range from buget-friendly Pop Century to moderately priced Port Orleans Riverside to the full service Boardwalk Inn.

That's a lot of checking in and out in addition to the resort's 300 restaurants, four theme parks, two waterparks, six golf courses and the Downtown Disney shopping-dining-entertainment complex, says Jonathan Frontado, a publicist with Walt Disney World.

At every property, Disney's team of "imagineers" -- the artists, designers, craftspeple and techno wizards who design rides and attractions -- have been let loose to give each resort its own personality, which continues from the front desk to the landscaped grounds to the swimming pools, Frontado says.

And while every resort has a unique theme, they do one thing in common: All are designed to please children and parents. Here are a few details on three resorts along with other things to do at Disney World between visits to the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Disney-MGM Studios.

Pop Century Resort

This fun property might be more aptly named Eye-popping Century. A stroll around the grounds is a little like falling through the looking glass into a retro wonderland where colour is king and everything is giant sized.

The grounds are divided into decades -- '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s -- with each area giving a nostalgic glimpse of the pop culture of its time.

The whole family will be dazzled by six-storey-high bowling pins, four-storey-tall Rubik's Cubes, a Big Wheel trike -- "big enough to seat a 402-kilo child," according to the sign -- and an enormous jukebox that sends waves of song over the Bowling Pool.

To keep kids amused between visits to the parks, the three swimming pools open early and close late, and there are playgrounds, lakeside paths and a video arcade. Staying there is a little like going to summer camp.

At the Everything Pop shopping and dining area, even the food is retro. Food court specialties include sloppy joes, fried chicken, peanut butter fluff sandwiches and tie-dye cheesecake.

Designed to accommodate families on a tight budget, the 2,880-room Pop Century is actually one of the largest hotels in the United States.

Most rooms have two double beds and a refrigerator is available for a fee. Rates start at $77 US (about $90) per night, in low season. A special fall deal offers a rate of $89 US (about $104) for a limited time.

Port Orleans Resort

Stately mansions, rustic bayou dwellings and ornate row-house buildings set a southern tone at Disney's Port Orleans. The sister resorts have 3,056-rooms divided between two "regions" -- the French Quarter and Riverside.

A family poses for pictures with giant Mr. Potato heads at Pop Century Resort.

The areas are connected by winding roads and the picturesque Sassagoula River. At Riverside, the Ol' Man Island recreation area has an old-fashioned swimming hole with slides and rope swings. Guests can borrow bikes, rent boats or take a riverboat to Downtown Disney Marketplace, West Side and Pleasure Island.

Port Orleans restaurants serve Cajun-inspired dishes such as spicy chicken on a spit and jambalaya. Lounges include the River Roost and Scat Cat's Club.

Rooms accommodate four. Nightly rates for standard rooms range from $134 -$184 US (about $157 to $216).

Boardwalk Inn

The nautical flavour of the mid-Atlantic coast circa 1930 is recreated at BoardWalk Inn. Built around Crescent Lake, the village has 372 hotel rooms and 383 vacation villas.

Dining options run the gamut from the Mediterranean-inspired Spoodles to the Flying Fish Cafe to the Big River Grille & Brewing Works, where an onsite brewmaster creates five handcrafted specialty beers. Other diversions include the ESPN sports club, the Atlantic Dance nightclub and Jellyrolls piano bar.

Disney's Magical Express waits for guests at the Orlando airport.

Seashore Sweets, the BoardWalk Bakery, buskers, a children's activity centre, health club, tennis courts and swimming pools are also on site. Wyland Galleries sells the whimsical aquatic themed work of renowned artist Wyland as well as other artists. In addition to buses, you can take a launch to the parks or walk to Epcot and Disney-MGM Studios. There's also a good view of Epcot's nightly fireworks.

Rates for a standard room range from $294-$459 US (about $345-$538) per night depending on season.

MAGIC TOUCHES

Stay or go
There is certainly no lack of accommodations around Walt Disney World in nearby Orlando and Kissimme. But there are some advantages to staying onsite at Disney. These include:

Getting around
Boats, buses and monorails provide unlimited complimentary transportation to hotel guests between hotel resorts, theme parks, waterparks and Downtown Disney. Some parks are within walking distance of hotels. Disney's Magical Express provides shuttle service to and from the Orlando airport.

The old fashioned fun never stops at BoardWalk Inn where the Luna Park pool has a 66-metre long water slide and there's a 24-hour playground.

Kidstuff
Children aged 17-and-under stay free in their parents' room (up to the designated room capacity).

Extras
Each day, one of the four theme parks opens one hour early or stays open three hours later for guests at selected resorts. Valid tickets for the park offering Extra Magic Hours and Resort ID are required.

Preferred tee times
Resort guests get preferred tee times at Disney's six courses. Door-to-door transportation is provided between Disney hotels and golf facilities.

Disney World Packages
Until Oct. 22, a four-night/five-day package -- including accommodations at a value resort and theme park tickets -- is going for US $999 (about $1,175) for a family of four. Prices are based on selected dates only for travel before Dec. 25. Magic Your Way packages include a six-night/seven-day vacation -- with accommodation and theme park tickets -- for $1,500 US (about $ 1, 800) for a family of four. For more information, visit disneyworld.ca, call 407-W-DISNEY (934-7639) or see your travel agent.

La Nouba is a top draw at Downtown Disney.

MICKEY'S FAVOURITES

Downtown Disney
Head "downtown" for shopping, dining and nighttime entertainment. Restaurants include Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Emilio and Gloria Estefan's Bongos Cuban Cafe, Planet Hollywood, Portobello Yacht Club, Cap'n Jack's Oyster Bar, Fulton's Crab House and Rainforest Cafe.

House of Blues serves equally generous portions of southern style cuisine and live music while Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba -- which is performed in a purpose built theatre -- is one of the hottest tickets in town.

Words fail me when describing Cirque du Soleil performances -- and La Nouba is no exception -- but they are all riveting and amazing.

Happiest Celebration on Earth
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Disneyland in California, popular attractions have been imported to Disney parks around the globe. The 18-month jubilee began May 5 and continues through 2006.

Upcoming events
- Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party continues on selected dates in October at the Magic Kingdom. Activities include trick-or-treat trails, Mickey's Boo-to-You Halloween Parade, Mickey's Mouse-Ka-Rade costume parties, Halloween storytelling and a fireworks display -- "Happy HalloWishes" -- featuring spooky music and the voices of Disney characters such as Maleficent and Oogie Boogie. Cast members from the Haunted Mansion roam the park. Separate tickets are required.

- The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Guests can hone their culinary skills at a new cooking school, participate in wine and beer tasting seminars or drop by Oktoberfest. The festival continues through Nov. 13.