15 Best Family Hotels in Orlando, Vetted & Reviewed

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• Pros: Convenient to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, wow factor, a mix of family and fine dining restaurants
• Keep in Mind: It's one of the most expensive Disney resorts.

Just a 15-minute walk or short monorail ride from the entrance to the Magic Kingdom, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa provides an ideal home base for families who need to zip back to their hotel for nap time and return to the park a few hours later, says Testa. In his recent survey of more than 100 hotel guests for The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, 90% indicated that they'd stay at the hotel again.

Besides convenience, the Victorian-style hotel, which opened in 1988, is a foodie favorite. Cítricos, which features Florida cuisine with a Mediterranean twist, is a Michelin-recommended restaurant. Long known for its fine dining experience, the Dining Room at Victoria & Albert's re-opened last summer. Favorites for families with young children include 1900 Park Fare (known for its character dining) and Grand Floridian Cafe (an under-the-radar gem that serves amazing vanilla-flavored French toast and, of course, Mickey waffles for the kids).

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• Pros: Walkable to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, fantastic pool with sandy area, nice and spacious rooms
• Keep in Mind: It's one of four dog-friendly Disney hotels.
  

The recently renovated Disney's Yacht Club Resort is a fantastic pick if you plan to spend more days at EPCOT and Hollywood Studios than the Magic Kingdom.

"My kids loved the resort's pool more than anything else we did," says GH staffer Lexie Sachs, who has visited Walt Disney World many times with her two children. "With real sand at the entry, the kids felt like they were on a beach. They sat in the shallow water and played in the sand for hours." When you are ready to go the parks, EPCOT is a short walk and Hollywood Studios is a doable walk. You can also take Disney's Skyliner, a gondola system that is like a ride in itself!

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• Pros: Near Disney Springs, quieter, spacious, newly remodeled rooms
• Keep in Mind: It's not quite as close to the theme parks as other Disney hotels.

About a 15-minute walk along the water to Disney Springs (the super-fun shopping, entertainment and restaurant area), Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa offers spacious newly renovated rooms and villas.

"For some families, proximity matters more, but if you want to pay less for more space and amenities while still being on Disney property, then this is the best pick," says Sachs. The resort offers multiple pools and playgrounds, plus a great splash area with small slides for the younger kids. "There are lots of good quick-service food places," notes Sachs. "One day, my husband waited with our napping baby while I took my older daughter to the splash area and got a cocktail for myself. I actually felt relaxed while traveling with the little ones!"

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• Pros: Value-priced, easy access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, fun pool with pop-up jets
• Keep in mind: Rooms near the pool area will be noisier.

One of the most beloved Walt Disney World resorts is the lowest priced. In a recent survey of 771 guests for The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, 97% said they would stay at Disney's Pop Century Resort again!

"A lot of people like the decor, and the rooms are modernized with lots of storage and USB outlets," says Testa. Families also noted that they can take Disney's Skyliner from the resort to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. The Pop Century also has plenty of grab-and-go food choices. "Plus you can walk from it to the Art of Animation resort for even more options," says Testa.

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• Pros: Nice location, supervised kids' camp for ages 5 to 12, Mandera Spa, five pools and a waterslide
• Keep in mind: It attracts more corporate and convention business than other resorts near EPCOT.

If you have a lot of Marriott Bonvoy points sitting in your account, you can redeem (and earn) them for stays at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. These sister resorts owned by Marriott are right on Disney property, near Disney's Boardwalk Resort. "I slightly prefer the Dolphin over the Swan because it has better dining," says Testa. Restaurants include Todd English's BlueZoo, which offers a well-rounded kids' menu, and The Fountain, which whips up fab milkshakes, smoothies and floats.

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• Pros: Amazing pool and lazy river, supervised kids' club included in the room price, on-site character breakfasts, shuttle to Walt Disney World, early entry to Disney theme parks
• Keep in Mind: It's one of the most expensive hotels in Orlando.

If you're ready to splurge on a hotel for your Disney trip, you won't regret booking the nearby Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort. "It's one of our most frequently re-booked hotels," says Henley Vasquez, co-founder of Fora, an innovative travel agency.

Vazquez, who recently visited with her family, noted that even the entry-level room has a king bed and a queen size sofa bed so you can fit a family of four. Unlike other Disney hotels, the Four Seasons Orlando offers an adults-only pool, but it still offers all the same perks as other Disney resorts like early park entry and park transportation. "I wanted a little space from the crowds and theme park, and this hotel exceeded my expectations," says Vazquez.

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• Pros: New waterpark, suite-style with kitchen and washer/dryer, good value
• Keep in Mind: There's limited shuttle service to Disney, and you won't get early entrance to the Disney parks or Lightning Lanes.

Two and three-bedroom suites with multiple bathrooms at The Grove Resort & Waterpark Orlando near Lake Austin often go for less than $300 a night — far less than what you'd pay inside Disney gates. Ideal for traveling with extended family, the suites include a full kitchen and washer/dryer.

Families could spend a day or two hanging out at the waterpark, playing glow-in-the-dark mini golf or fishing on the lake. Although there is free transportation to Walt Disney World, it's not terribly frequent, so plan to drive or take rideshares sometimes. "We spent about $100 on Uber during our long weekend," said our tester, "but the room was so much less expensive than a Disney villa, so I'd do it all over again."

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• Pros: On-site bowling alley, retro theming, good value
• Keep in mind: Family suites, which typically cost just a bit more than standard rooms, are worth booking for the kitchenette alone.

Inspired by beach hotels from the 1960s,Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort has a retro vibe and price. "It feels like a deluxe resort, but the rates fall into the value category," says Testa. Families rave about the on-site bowling alley and pools, including a lazy river. Just like the pricier Universal hotels, you'll get early theme park access (including the Harry Potter attractions!) at Cabana Bay.

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• Pros: Shuttles to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld; fabulous pools and a new waterpark; wonderful restaurants; lots of kids' programming; new bunk-bed room category and an on-site Starbucks (priorities, we know)
• Keep in Mind: Plan to spend one or two days at the resort enjoying the on-site activities.

For a chill place to decompress after theme park days, look no further than Grande Lakes Orlando, winner of a 2023 Good Housekeeping Family Travel Award. Grande Lakes consists of a JW Marriott and a Ritz-Carlton connected via an indoor walkway, and guests enjoy the amenities at both hotels. Your family can fish on one of the property's 11 lakes and ponds and sign up for kayaking or an eco-tour. Book yourself a spa appointment while the kids age 5 to 12 play in the supervised club at the Ritz-Carlton.

At the JW Marriott, new Executive Family Suites, available in one- to three-bedroom options, have bunk beds. For its 20th anniversary, Grande Lakes Orlando is leveling up its summer programming. Saturday night fireworks, ice carving and even glow-stick pool parties could be among your family's vacation highlights.

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• Pros: Located inside the airport, heated outdoor pool, day-use rooms, pet-friendly
• Keep in Mind: It can fill up quickly when there are a lot of flight cancellations, so don't wait until the last minute if you want to stay there the night before your trip.

If you have a super-early flight out of the Orlando International Airport or are boarding a cruise the next day, you might find it convenient to spend the night at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport. It's inside the airport between Terminals A and B. "You can get up, take a quick shower and be at your gate within an hour or so, especially if you have TSA PreCheck," says Testa. Or if you're cruising, many cruise lines offer transportation from the airport.

Some of the property's 400-plus rooms have great runway views and outdoor balconies. Plus, everyone will enjoy the heated rooftop pool.

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• Pros: Epic themed kids' activities, waterpark, seasonal spa treatments
• Keep in Mind: The rooms in the new Gulf Coast Tower have the most modern amenities and are close to the waterpark.

Gaylord Palms Resort & Conference Center goes big for the holidays and changes up its family programming every season. Its annual ICE! festivities, running mid-November through early January, are next level. Kids can ice tube, take part in an elf training academy and use snowmaking machines to build and blast snowballs.

In September and October, spooky and silly activities, like a Monster Mash party and Phantom light show, provide thrills for the whole family. The "Summer of More" (May to August) brings special animal encounters, dive-in movies at the pool and treasure hunts.

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• Pros: Spacious villas, pirate ship splash area, good quick-service food, free parking
• Keep in Mind: It's closer to Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld than Walt Disney World.

If your job takes you to Orlando and you want to bring the kids, Marriott's Harbour Lake provides plenty of space for families and fits within many corporate budgets. "It felt like way more space than my family of four was used to on a vacation," says Sachs, who took her two young children on a business trip to Orlando.

"We had a full kitchen, separate dining area, living room and separate bedroom." While Sachs was working, her husband and kids spent the entire day enjoying the pools, splash area and mini golf. "The property was big enough, but not too big that it wasn’t walkable," adds Sachs.

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• Pros: Lots of options for large groups, good value, many on-site activities
• Keep in Mind: There's a three-night minimum stay.

The best of both worlds, Encore Resort at Reunion offers spacious vacation homes with resort amenities. Encore's 4- to 13-bedroom homes with private pools are super spaces to bring the whole family together.

They're budget-friendly too: Even the 13-bedroom home, which sleeps up to 26 people, starts at $819 per night. Located five minutes from Walt Disney World, the resort provides free shuttles to all the major theme parks. But there's so much fun to be had on the property too, including tennis courts, a waterpark with a kids' splash zone and a kids' club.

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• Pros: Beach club with sandy area and lagoon pools, live music, surrey bike rentals, spa
• Keep in mind: The waterpark operates seasonally, March to November.

Suppose you want an island getaway, and the kids beg to go to Disney or Universal. Meet in the middle at Margaritaville Resort Orlando which has an island vibe but is close to all the theme-park fun. The kids will love playing in the sand at the Fins Up Beach Club, and you can order a frosty margarita there, too. Daily activities lean into the chill theme. Beach crafts include sand art, parakeet slime and sugar scrubs.

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• Pros: Several golf courses, nicely designed rooms, adult pool and kids' pool, variety of restaurants
• Keep in Mind: For better rates and tee times, avoid staying when the resort hosts golf tournaments.

If you want to enjoy a few rounds of golf and teach your kids how to play, the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate delivers. You can tee off on two Greg Norman-designed courses. The landscape of the International Course has breathtaking windswept dunes while the National Course offers sculpted bunkers and scenic water hazards. The nine-hole, par-three Champions 9 course is ideal for families who want to golf together. And the mini golf course near the pools is fun for all ages!