Walt Disney World The empire, its big and little parks, resorts, restaurants, shops, and assorted trimmings, are scattered across 30,500 acres. The surprising thing to some folks: WDW isn't in Orlando. It's southwest of the city, off I-4 on U.S. 192 west. Stay here and learn that convenience has its price; accommodations run as much as double what they do in nearby Kissimmee.

Lake Buena Vista This is Disney's next-door neighbor. It's where you'll find "official" (though not Disney-owned) hotels. It's close to Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island. This charming area has manicured lawns, tree-lined thoroughfares, and free transportation throughout the realm, though it may take a while to get where you want to go.

Celebration Imagine living in a Disney world. This is an attempt to re-create a squeaky-clean Mickey magic town. Located on 4,900 acres, Celebration has thousands of residents living in gingerbread homes and apartments. The homes start at about $200,000. Celebration's downtown area is, however, designed for tourists. It's architecturally interesting and offers shops, restaurants, theaters, and a hotel. If you're a yuppie, particularly one with reasonably deep pockets, this may be your dream world. Think of an upscale Main Street, U.S.A. (If that doesn't appeal to you, steer clear. It can drive non-yuppies and yesteryear haters nuts.)

Downtown Disney This is more Disney dessert than an actual neighborhood, and, simply put, it's what WDW has taken to calling its two nighttime entertainment areas, Pleasure Island and Disney's West Side, as well as its shopping complex, Downtown Disney Marketplace. We consider this area a part of WDW/Lake Buena Vista.

Kissimmee This once-sleepy city is closer to Disney than Orlando. It's just a few miles from Mickey and has some of the least expensive offerings in the area, but it also has a distinctly tacky side with budget motel chains and every fast-food joint known to civilization. The town centers on U.S. 192/Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, which, as we mentioned earlier, has traffic problems created by perpetual road construction.

International Drive Area (Hwy. 536) Can you say tourist mecca? Known as I-Drive, it extends 7 to 10 miles north of the Disney parks between Highway 535 and the Florida Turnpike. From bungee jumping and ice-skating to dozens of theme restaurants and T-shirt shops, this is the tourist strip in central Florida. It also has numerous hotels and shopping areas, it's home to the Orange County Convention Center, and it offers easy access to SeaWorld and Universal Orlando. The central and northern sections are already packed, but developers somehow manage to shoehorn more in, year after year. The south end is less cluttered and easier to navigate.

Downtown Orlando No, not Downtown Disney, which isn't really downtown. To get to the real thing, you have to travel on I-4 east (it feels more like north, but the road signs say otherwise). This is where you will find less tourist-focused nightlife and attractions, including the Orlando Science Center, a multimillion-dollar complex. Scores of clubs and restaurants are located in the heart of the city, which is one of the fastest growing in the country. Dozens of antique shops line "Antique Row" on Orange Avenue near Lake Ivanhoe.

Winter Park Just north of downtown Orlando, Winter Park is the place many of central Florida's old-money families call home (and new money ones come to shop). It's home to Park Avenue, a collection of upscale shops and restaurants along a cobblestone street that's frequented by the lunch and dinner crowds. With the main attractions being shopping, dining, and small museums, this part of the 'burbs is not a good place for most kids or thrill-ride junkies. But it is a good place to relax and escape the WDW, Universal, and I-Drive crowds -- if you have the wheels to get here.