Thrifty inns aplenty near Disney World

WITH vacation season looming, finding ways to cut the cost of a trip to Orlando, Fla., is a concern for many families. Adult tickets to Disney World cost $67 a day, and children’s tickets aren’t much less.

And Disney’s value-class resorts (the All-Star Sports Resort, the All-Star Movie Resort, etc.) are often booked; they also now cost a minimum of $79 per room per day.

You can save money at properties away from the theme parks. These acceptable digs cost about $50 a night most of the year. They aren’t sumptuous, but their amenities are nearly identical to those at Disney’s cheapest hotels.

In no order, here are seven inexpensive lodgings in Orlando:

Seralago Hotel & Suites, (800) 366-5437, www.seralagohotel.com, which sprawls around two giant pool areas about three miles east of Disney, has a cheerful personality. A $63 double rate is common. Shuttle vans to the Disney parks are free.

Quality Inn Maingate West, (800) 634-5525, www.qualityinnorlando.com, is well run but none too modern; it is a few miles west of Disney’s main entrance. The motel offers a free continental breakfast, free Disney shuttle and rates of about $45.

Best Western Kissimmee, (407) 787-3555, www.bestwestern.com, is newer and in better shape than most of the motels in the area: Disney shuttle and breakfast are free. Rates start at $69 via the Web. (So that you don’t confuse it with other Best Westerns in the area, this one is at 5196 W. Irlo Bronson Highway.)

Quality Inn Plaza International Drive, (800) 999-8585, www.qualityinn-orlando.com, has 1,020 rooms, so vacationers often can get a deal if they talk to in-house reservations at (407) 996-8585. Double rooms start at $50 a night. It has resort amenities, with multiple pools and a lobby bar. Downside: It abuts Interstate 4, and its A Building is beside a helicopter pad. Its free shuttle goes to Universal Orlando and SeaWorld, but not to Disney World.

Rodeway Inn International, (800) 999-6327, www.rodewayinnorlando.com, the largest Rodeway in America (315 rooms), is well worn but clean, with rates of about $65. It’s close to Universal, boasts a heated pool and in-room fridges and microwaves. A shuttle delivers guests to Orlando attractions.

Days Inn 192, (800) 647-0010, www.daysinn192.com, eight miles east of Disney, the inn charges around $40 because it inhabits an economically depressed stretch of U.S. 192. But management stays on top of things, and a continental breakfast and Disney shuttle are free.

Palomino Suites, (800) 370-9894, www.palominosuites.com, costs a little more, but its 123 units provide fully equipped kitchens, which can cut your food bill. Using the “Manager’s Special” on its website, rates start at $79. Breakfast and a free Disney shuttle are also included.