Orlando Airport Hotels
This ought to be a sticky on the Transportation section as it gets asked so often.
The MCO airport site has a listing and map of local motels with shuttles.
http://www.orlandoairports.net/marketing/hotels.htm
The best bets are in that mass cluster on 436 Semoran Blvd due north of the airport. All are fairly new and it is a quick ride south to the terminal. Some of the ones west on 528 Bee Line are older and the neighborhood is a little dumpier.
Checking into the motel, dropping your bags, and then returning your rental

car and catching the shuttle back to the motel is a great way to knock a day off your car rental

and give you far less to do on departure day especially with an early morning departure.
Note: Some gas stations right near the airport charge MANY

dollars per gallon extra for fools who wait to fill up their rental cars and have a plane to catch. Either get off 526 a mile of so west of this map (if coming from Dis/SW) and fill up, or if staying on 436 head north a mile or so until the gas process are normal and fill up and then return your rental car. You have time to do this if you are returning the car the night before.
Get to the airport early. The TSA screening checkpoint lines are legendary for long long slow lines, especially at busy times like early morning departure. Something to do with those crowds

of infrequent flyers with children and too much baggage who do not know the TSA drill. Oh yes, that's the DIS

folks.