Hi, Tarah! My family and I have stayed everywhere from a $29 a night place on 192 through some of the best hotels in Orlando. My general rule of thumb is stick with the big chains. We've had the best success with the Marriott chain of hotels. There is a nice group of Marriott hotels - a Fairfield Inn; a Courtyard; and a Springhill Suites - and they call it Marriott Village. At the Village, you'll also find a gift shop, Pizza Hut, hoagie shop/deli, and a coffee bar that sells Starbucks coffee. They have transportation to Walt Disney World via shuttle every day for an additional cost, and if you reserve a day ahead, you can also book space for a fee on a shuttle to Universal, Sea World, and the Kennedy Space Center.
The Springhill Suites and the Fairfield Inn both offer complimentary continental breakfast; and the Springhill Suites has a microwave and small refrigerator in the room. I also like the Springhill Suites because the kids sleep on the pull out sofa, and my husband and I sleep in the bedroom, so we can watch a little television without disturbing the sleeping kids.
You will often find online deals for these hotels.
www.mousesavers.com usually has an offer that includes free shuttle service to Walt Disney World or a free breakfast buffet at the Courtyard.
We also have enjoyed the Sheraton Safari, just a short drive from Downtown Disney, and they have recently done some renovations. We find that if we stick to big name chains when we are not on Walt Disney World property, if anything goes wrong, the chain usually stands behind their brand and will do what they can to make it right for you.