Planning Orlando with kids is an exercise in managing heat, crowds and the moment somebody announces they are done with theme parks. The resort you pick decides how well that day goes.
Family hotels in Orlando fall into two rough camps. There are hotel rooms close to a park gate, and there are family resorts in Orlando built around villas, kitchens and their own water parks. Which suits you comes down to how many beds you need and how long you are staying.
I compared these on room layout, water features, kitchen access and what actually costs extra.
Key Takeaways
- Westgate Resorts leads for larger families, with villas up to four bedrooms, full kitchens and two on-site water parks.
- Four Seasons is the luxury pick, with a supervised kids club and Disney transportation.
- JW Marriott and Omni ChampionsGate deliver a proper resort pool day away from the parks.
- Gaylord Palms suits older kids who want bigger water features.
- Cabana Bay and The Grove are the practical suite and condo-style options.
1. Westgate Resorts Orlando
Best for: larger families who need bedrooms, a kitchen and a water park within walking distance.
Westgate has been running family resorts in Orlando for over 40 years, and the case rests on space. Villas run from studios to four bedrooms, and Westgate puts the average at around 25 percent more room than on-property Disney resorts for roughly 25 percent less.
The numbers make that concrete. At Westgate Town Center Resort, a two-bedroom villa gives you 690 square feet for six guests, a three-bedroom reaches 1,811 square feet for twelve, and the four-bedroom deluxe hits 2,403 square feet sleeping up to sixteen. Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa offers 1,200 square feet for eight in its two-bedroom, and Westgate Vacation Villas Resort sits roughly one mile from the Disney World main gate with a 1,000 square foot loft villa sleeping ten.
Two-bedroom villas and larger include a fully equipped kitchen, dining area and in-unit washer and dryer. One-bedroom units use shared laundry facilities instead, so check the layout for your room type.
The two water parks
Treasure Cove at Westgate Lakes is the newer of the two, and the wave pool is the differentiator. It runs 41,540 gallons across 258 feet, alongside dual 30-foot slides, the Castaway Creek lazy river and a splash park for younger kids. It opens daily from 11am to 7pm, weather permitting.
Shipwreck Island serves Westgate Town Center Resort, Westgate Vacation Villas Resort and Westgate Towers Resort, all in Kissimmee. It is two levels of pirate theming built around Black Beard’s Pirate Ship, with Cannon Ball Falls dual enclosed tube slides, a lazy river circling the upper deck, the Pirate’s Plunge drop slide and Walk the Plank. Paradise Cove on the lower level handles the smallest children.
What it costs
At the time of writing, nightly rates started at $99 for Westgate Towers and $104 for Westgate Vacation Villas, rising to $109 for Westgate Town Center and Westgate Leisure. Westgate Blue Tree at Lake Buena Vista and Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa both sat at $119.
That pairing is worth a second look. At the same $119, Westgate Lakes includes the spa and Treasure Cove, so it is the stronger value of the two if a water park matters to your trip.
Westgate Palace on Carrier Drive sat well above the rest at $209 and suits International Drive trips, though it has pools rather than a water park.
These are live rates that move with date and season, so check the Orlando collection on the Westgate Resorts family page for your own travel window.
Consider, and this is the important one: water park admission is not included with the room rate for most guests. Westgate states that a separate ticket must be purchased, with your Rate Plan Details confirming what applies to your booking. Children under three are always free, WOW Loyalty Silver and Elite members get complimentary admission, and multi-day passes are available.
There is an upside to that policy worth weighing. Both parks are for resort guests and owners rather than day visitors, so you are not queuing behind the crowds that fill Orlando’s commercial water parks.
One other point, since Westgate is a vacation ownership company. Its own FAQ states you are not required to attend a timeshare presentation when you book a standard rental reservation. Discounted promotional packages are a separate product that do carry that requirement.
2. Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
Best for: the luxury trip where parents want genuine time off.
Kids For All Seasons runs supervised activities for ages four to twelve, and Disney transportation is provided. Explorer Island adds a lazy river, splash zone and slides across five acres, with separate adult pool areas.
Consider: premium positioning throughout, and character breakfast availability is limited enough that it needs booking well ahead.
3. JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes
Best for: a lazy river long enough to justify a full resort day.
The Grande Lakes water complex pairs a quarter-mile lazy river with a slide tower, alongside dining and grounds shared with the Ritz-Carlton next door.
Consider: it is not walkable to any park, cabanas are a paid extra, and a resort fee applies. Ask what the fee covers before booking.
4. Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center
Best for: older kids who have outgrown a splash pad.
Cypress Springs is the high-energy option here, with multiple slides, an action river and a FlowRider surf simulator.
Consider: the complex is large and can feel busy, and FlowRider sessions and premium seating cost extra.
5. Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate
Best for: families who want a wave pool and a golf option on the same trip.
The pool complex includes a wave pool and a long lazy river, with Toptracer, golf and a spa for the adults.
Consider: ChampionsGate means driving to everything, and height restrictions apply on some features, so check before promising anything.
6. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Best for: Universal trips on a working budget.
Family suites sleep up to six with a kitchenette, and Early Park Admission is the real draw. It is a practical base rather than a polished one.
Consider: finishes are basic by design, and bowling and activities are charged separately.
7. The Grove Resort and Water Park Orlando
Best for: longer stays where a kitchen matters more than location.
Condo-style suites come with kitchens and living areas, and Surfari Water Park access is included for registered guests. A FlowRider Double and a long lazy river cover the non-park days.
Consider: it sits west of the Disney area, dining is casual, and cabanas and surf sessions are extra.
How to choose between family resorts in Orlando
Count your beds before you compare anything else. A family of six in two hotel rooms is a different trip, and a different budget, from the same six in a three-bedroom villa with a kitchen.
Then work out what is genuinely included. Water park access, resort fees, parking and cabanas move the real nightly cost more than the headline rate does, and they vary sharply between the properties here.
Finally, plan one non-park day. Every family underestimates how hard four consecutive park days hit, and the resort you choose decides whether that day is a write-off or the one the kids remember.
Timing matters as much as the property. Booking outside the summer peak changes both the queues and the rate, and this guide to planning an Orlando family holiday covers the scheduling decisions that come before you pick a resort.
FAQ
What is the difference between family hotels and family resorts in Orlando?
Family hotels in Orlando are generally rooms near a park, sold on location and price. Family resorts in Orlando are built to be a destination in themselves, usually with multi-bedroom villas, full kitchens and on-site water features. The second type costs more per night but often less per trip once you account for meals and the number of rooms you would otherwise book.
Which family resorts in Orlando have their own water park?
Westgate Lakes has Treasure Cove with its wave pool, and Westgate Town Center, Vacation Villas and Towers share Shipwreck Island. The Grove has Surfari Water Park, Gaylord Palms has Cypress Springs, and Four Seasons has Explorer Island.
Which family hotels in Orlando suit larger families?
Westgate Resorts and The Grove, for kitchens and multi-bedroom layouts. Westgate villas run to four bedrooms sleeping sixteen, which is the largest capacity on this list. Cabana Bay family suites sleep six.
Is water park admission included at Westgate?
Not for most guests. A separate ticket is required unless your rate plan specifies otherwise, though children under three are free and WOW Loyalty Silver and Elite members receive complimentary admission. Check your Rate Plan Details.
Which family hotel in Orlando is best for Universal?
Cabana Bay, for Early Park Admission and family suites at a moderate rate. It is a value property rather than a luxury one, which is the trade.
Do I need a car?
Usually yes, unless you are staying at a Universal property. ChampionsGate and the Kissimmee resorts assume driving, and shuttle schedules where they exist are limited rather than continuous.
