First and foremost, you'll need to think about how you'll be using the play yard. If it is strictly functioning as a travel amenity and you are on a tight budget, you can go with a basic model and leave all the extras at the store. For travel convenience, it should be lightweight and fold up quickly and compactly. If you intend to use the yard on a daily basis, you should opt for one that has extras like lights, sounds, and attached toy bars to keep your child entertained.

That was great article by Steve Barlam. It gives a lot of answers!