Living out your Disney dreams at the magical Four Seasons

If Disney World is the most magical place on earth for kids, the adult equivalent, for all the family, nestles within its territory.

Four Seasons Resort, Orlando, situated on 26 sprawling acres inside the Golden Oak neighbourhood, offers you the perfect retreat to fully invigorate and enjoy the delights of the high life following a period of long lines, long walks and even longer days.

Drift off as you circumnavigate the magnificent and long, lazy river, watch a film on the big screen while immersed in the pool, fire yourself down one of their frenetic water slides or retire to your room for wine on tap. The Four Seasons has everything — and much, much more.

The problem is trying to pack everything into a short break, especially if you want to return to the Disney parks, which are just a short drive away.

A stunning Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole golf course and tennis academy are on property, along a with basketball court, beach volleyball, gym and numerous swimming pools.

Oh, and if you get bored of just floating around on the lazy river that winds around a ‘ruined’ mansion’, they offer in-pool basketball nets and volleyball, a kids’ splash pool area and two water slides, positioned beside the climbing wall.

While the recreational facilities are there to be extensively utilised, it is the personal touches and attention to detail which make staying at the Four Seasons so special.

Families are welcomed and embraced, with kids adored rather than simply tolerated.

The fun starts immediately at check-in, with the little ones handed the challenge of succeeding in a scavenger hunt.

It’s a great way to find your bearings within the resort, and staff could not be more accommodating or friendly as they stamp the kids’ cards at each location.

When the cards are completed, the prize is ice cream or a muffin at Lickety Split, a fantastic little cafe which is a great spot for a light breakfast but also doubles up as a mini-convenience store.

The resort has a kids’ club called Explorer Island, which provides free childcare (ages four to 12) for different sessions during the day, with an ever-changing timetable of activities. But the area where kids are really drawn to is The Hideout — a place full of video games, table football, pool and interactive machines.

However, with daily gorgeous sunshine almost guaranteed in Orlando and the temperatures high, the pool areas are the place to be. Along with the lazy river and splash pool, there is an inviting family pool. You’ll also have the chance to celeb-watch in the one of the few areas where kids are not permitted, the secluded adult pool, which is surrounded by white cabanas and features underwater audio.

Beers, cocktails and wines, along with heavenly snacks, can be ordered from your sun lounger, or take a seat in PB&G, a laidback bar and restaurant with plenty of screens to watch sport.

Ahead of dinner, the Lobby Bar is a bustling place for a drink, but then you are torn between two fabulous restaurants, and it really depends on whether you want Italian or steak.

Ravello is the Italian restaurant situated on the ground floor, with the head chef insisting the pasta is flown in from the motherland.

Immediately after our visit, my seven-year-old declared it was her favourite restaurant in the entire world, which is some recommendation considering her level of fussiness over food.

While she enjoyed her pizza and pasta dishes, it may have also helped that staff made sure Mya and her brother Jackson were constantly entertained throughout with activity sheets.

The risotto and ravioli dishes were particularly flavoursome and washed down with equally exquisite Italian red wine.

Seventeen floors above Ravello is the Michelin-rated steak restaurant Capa, and it’s particularly important to reserve a table at 8pm.

This will allow you to enjoy your starters before your waiter takes your party out to the restaurant’s balcony, a suitable drink in tow, for the Disney fireworks at Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

Cocooned in such a fabulous resort, it’s often easy to forget you remain in the heart of Disney, but the fireworks soon give you a wonderful reminder.

Back inside for the main course and the steak is cooked and seasoned to perfection — a real culinary delight — while the kids are once again well catered for despite the restaurant being high-end.

There are 443 rooms and suites in total throughout the resort. If you are able to secure a park-view room, you’ll be able to have your own private showing of the fireworks from your fully furnished balcony.

The rooms, as you would expect from the Four Seasons, are exceptional, spacious — the largest in Florida — and extremely comfortable. A family of four can stay in one room with a king bed and queen-size sleeper sofa. The beds are sumptuous, guaranteeing a good night’s sleep, while the bathrooms have double sinks with television, deep bath, rainforest shower and Bose surround sound.

The resort operates 24-hour room service and can fully stock a bar in your room, but there is also a wine machine in the corner of the room with red and white by the glass available.

Even though the Four Seasons is a haven away from the hustle and bustle of Disney, it is also perfectly situated to explore all four parks. An ultra-luxurious coach, decked out with leather seats, can shuttle you between Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios in style.

Back at the resort, and a great way to finish your stay at the Four Seasons is with a Character Breakfast in Ravello, which takes place on Thursday and Saturday mornings.

But this is not your usual high-five or signature meet-and-greet. First of all, the buffet breakfast is an enjoyable feast, but then Goofy and friends, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, could be joining your party or having the kids up and dancing with them. Quality time is spent amusing little ones.

Going the extra mile is all part of the Four Seasons service.

Of course, staying at one of the most amazing resorts in the world comes at a cost, but considering you are unlikely to get much change from £10,000 for a family of four’s two-week holiday to Disney World, a couple of nights at the ultra-luxurious Four Seasons, Orlando, is most definitely worth the splurge.

It’s the most magical way to enjoy a trip to Disney.

Factfile How to get there: Aer Lingus operates regular flights from Dublin to Orlando. See www.aerlingus.com Where to stay: Four Seasons, Orlando. Stay three nights and get a fourth night free until September 30. Rates start at £655 per night. For further deals and to book your stay, visit www.fourseasons.com/orlando/ or call +1 800 267 3046