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Thrifty inns aplenty near Disney World

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Special to The Times

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.

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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.)

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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.

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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.

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