When visiting Orlando, families tend to spend their days running around from theme park to theme park, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want a fabulous resort to return to at the end of the day. I think I have lost track when it comes to the number of properties in the Orlando area we have visited, but these are some we would recommend for families based on their amenities, location, and let’s be honest, cleanliness. It’s hard to narrow down the properties, but we think these are the best family resorts in Orlando.
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Where should I stay in Orlando with kids?
If you aren’t staying at the Orlando theme parks, you might wonder where to stay in Orlando with kids. These are some of our favorite resorts in Orlando Florida, and they all offer amazing accommodations for families as well as accessibility to the parks.
Marriott’s Grande Vista
Marriott’s Grande Vista might be the perfect place for a large family stay in Orlando. Not only does it offer luxury villas and a terrific location, there are plenty of activities on site to keep everyone busy. The villas vary from studios to two bedroom units and larger villas have more than one bathroom. All of them come with fully equipped kitchens. If you want to save money on eating out, this could be a great option.
Photo credit: Vacatia
The property boasts four swimming pools (including one for children), three restaurants, a multitude of children’s activities, a fitness center, and even paddle boat rentals. Golfers will enjoy having access to the Grande Vista Golf Club and if there is any down time, parents can relax at The Spa at Grande Vista.
BOOK YOUR STAY AT MARRIOTT GRANDE VISTA HERE
Embassy Suites-Lake Buena Vista
Not far from the theme parks is one of the best Embassy Suites in Orlando, an all suite resort that is perfect for families. The spacious two bedroom suites offer kitchenettes and pull out sofas so families can feel comfortable spending time in the room. The complimentary breakfast is a perfect way to start the day (our kids loved the made to order omelette station) and many enjoy the complimentary evening reception with snacks and drinks.
The resort has a putting green, indoor and outdoor pools, a basketball court, beach volleyball court, kids splash pad, dive-in movies and outdoor cabanas with TVs and refrigerators. Our kids enjoyed the live music and food and beverages that were available poolside. This property is a Walt Disney World Good Neighbor, which means they offer complimentary theme park shuttle service to Magic Kingdom and guests can purchase Disney tickets at the guest services desk to save themselves time at the parks.
BOOK YOUR STAY AT EMBASSY SUITES ORLANDO HERE
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
People will ask if it’s cheaper to stay in Disney or outside? And the answer is: it depends. We stayed off property when our kids were younger and we really should have stayed on property at Disney World. There are many reasonable Value resorts (we like Pop Century) and Moderate resorts (we prefer Coronado Springs), but if you can splurge on Deluxe, head to Yacht Club resort.
This New England beach club themed resort is one of our favorite Orlando family resorts. The resort has a three acre water play area with a ship wreck, multiple pools and a lazy river. There are several restaurants on site from casual pool side to the Yachtsman Steakhouse. And you can easily access the back entrance of Epcot and avoid the crowds. Click here for more Epcot tips!
The rooms at the Disney Yacht Club are extremely comfortable and feature garden or water views. Regular rooms sleep four comfortably and there are suites for up to 6 people. There’s also mini golf and an arcade on the property to entertain families on site.
Other Disney resorts we recommend are the Disney Riviera Resort, Disney’s Beach Club (great pool and easy access to Epcot) and Disney’s Grand Floridian (easy monorail access).
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT DISNEY YACHT CLUB
B Resort Lake Buena Vista
Located close to Disney Springs, B Resort & Spa attempts to set itself apart from other properties with its artistic decor and quirky touches. Rooms are spacious and some of the family friendly rooms offer bunk beds as a special treat. There is 24 hour room service and a restaurant on property, but with easy access to all the restaurants at Disney Springs, it is easy to satisfy everyone’s palates. The hotel also offers shuttle service to the Walt Disney World resorts as well as ticket sales for the Disney theme parks.
Photo credit: Kirsten Maxwell
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT B RESORT!
Marriott Royal Palms
Marriott’s Royal Palms and its luxurious 2 bedroom villas are perfect for families. One room is a master suite with soaking tub, and the other is a spacious bedroom with its own bath. A fully equipped kitchen and table is the perfect set up for making meals before or after a day out.
The hotel shares amenities with the Orlando World Center Marriott and guests can enjoy the quieter, private pools at the Royal Palms or take the shuttle to the waterpark at World Center. We enjoyed a nice stay with the grandparents overlooking the Royal Palms golf course. The property is equidistant from Sea World, Universal Studios, and Walt Disney World, making it a solid choice in Orlando.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT MARRIOTT ROYAL PALMS
Hilton Bonnet Creek
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek is conveniently located to all Walt Disney World resorts and is situated on a 482 acre nature preserve. Kids will love the lazy river and water park, parents will love having access to the 12 restaurants shared by Hilton and its sister property, the Waldorf Astoria. Rooms are spacious, comfortable, and well appointed.
Families have access to the Waldorf Astoria kids club and there are plenty of activities throughout the property to entertain children of all ages. The hotel also offers free transportation to Walt Disney World and purchase of WDW tickets. Golfers have privileges at the Waldorf course, and the Waldorf spa treatments are available to Hilton guests as well.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT HILTON BONNET CREEK
Four Seasons Orlando
If you really want to splurge, Four Seasons in Orlando is the place to go. Located within the gates of Walt Disney World near Fort Wilderness, this property is a perfect mix of Four Seasons experiences and Disney. It’s also one of our favorite places in Orlando with a water park.
There are character breakfasts, Disney in-room celebrations for special occasions, and a Disney planning center on site. In addition to everything Disney, guests will enjoy the all day complimentary kids’ camp, dive in movies, splash zone, water slide, and lazy river. Parents will love the spa, golf, and tennis facilities. Rooms are quite spacious and many offer balcony rooms with views of Disney fireworks.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT FOUR SEASONS ORLANDO
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
Swan and Dolphin resort is perfectly situated for accessing all of the Walt Disney World parks. The property is actually two separate hotels, The Swan and The Dolphin connected by a walkway and sharing some amenities.
Rooms come in different sizes, from Standard to Grand Deluxe to Suites. The property has five heated pools, a game room, jogging trails, a spa, and complimentary shuttle service to the Disney parks.
The properties offer 17 restaurants and lounges with a large variety of cuisines. Young guests will love dining with Disney characters at Garden Grove, or even a casual meal poolside.
BOOK YOUR STAY AT SWAN AND DOLPHIN RESORT
Additional resorts in Orlando for families
Other choices for the best resorts in Orlando we have stayed at and enjoyed include: Loews Sapphire Falls Resort (great pool area and proximity to Universal) and Universal’s Cabana Bay (kitschy 1950s fun and a good location for Universal). There’s also Encore Resort in Kissimmee which has a great restaurant and all the amenities of home and a resort in one place. It’s one of the best Orlando resorts for families.
And if you are looking for activities outside the parks, don’t miss our favorite things to do in Kissimmee.
