3. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Walt Disney World

Animal Kingdom Lodge© Disney

You don't need to be a hotel guest or even step foot in the Animal Kingdom park itself to enjoy some of the thrills of the safari at Animal Kingdom Lodge. While African art and theming throughout this hotel are spectacular, it's the animals that really steal the show. There are plenty of places on hotel property where you can go to animal-watch rather than people-watch like you would at other hotel lobbies — and once the sun sets, there are even cast members on hand to offer night vision gear to give you good view of the wildlife after dark.

For more organized activities, you can visit the flamingo pond in the mornings to see the flamingos being fed or skip the animals all together and take in an African story at dusk next to Ogun's Firepit.

2. Disney's BoardWalk Inn, Walt Disney World

BoardWalk Inn© Disney

The hotel itself is as charming as any on Disney property, but it's the outside BoardWalk area that makes this a must-visit. Themed like turn-of-the-century Atlantic City, the BoardWalk area offers restaurants, bars, and shops that make it an ideal place to stroll whenever you need a break from the theme parks. For nighttime entertainment, there's a dance hall, a dueling piano bar, and an ESPN Club for catching up on the latest in sports — though some establishments have a cover charge.

If that's not your style, the BoardWalk area is still fun to stroll, with street performers and plenty of window-shopping opportunities.

1. Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, Walt Disney World

Polynesian Village Resort© Disney

If you want something more tropical than Florida, the south pacific vibe — complete with lush greenery and tropical waterfalls in the lobby — of the Polynesian is where it's at. You can get into a Hawaiian state of mind by catching the Spirit of Aloha dinner show, featuring hula dancing and fire-eating, or booking dinner for an all-you-can-eat Hawaiian feast at Ohana (both for a cost, with reservations recommended). If you'd rather learn to hula yourself, you can do that too, with free lessons in the lobby area on most afternoons.

If you're not in the mood for dinner, though, the Polynesian's beachfront is a great place to relax after a long day at the parks and watch the Electrical Water Pageant — a lit-up water parade that passes by the waterfront hotels every evening — float by and stay to catch the Magic Kingdom's fireworks show as a follow-up.

Of course this isn't a comprehensive list of Disney hotels worth visiting, since in our book, all of them are — but next time you're at a Disney theme park, it's definitely worth your while to spend some at any of these hotels.

Have your own favorite Disney hotel? Let us know about it in the comments!