Where to stay while visiting Orlando and Disney World

Since Orlando’s inception of Disney World, Orlando has become a mecca for large glamorous hotels, conference centers, and an abundance of lavish outdoor malls and attractions. The restaurants, shopping, and attractions are all world renown, giving everyone in the family plenty to do. In this article we are going to explore the best resorts in Orlando.

JW Marriott Grande Lakes

4040 Central Florida Parkway

JW Marriott Grande Lakes is by far our favorite hotel to stay in when visiting Orlando and the world-famous Disney World. What makes the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes the best hotel in Orlando is that the hotel literally has it all. From luxurious rooms that have balconies overlooking their amazing pool area, to being high up enough to see the Disney World fireworks in the distance.

The JW Marriott Grande Lakes is located on a private 500-acre compound that is shared with the Ritz Carlton. The resort compound consists of the Ritz Carlton 18-hole golf course that surrounds the 500-acre property. This hotel compound offers an abundance of amenities including 7 restaurants, 3 pools, a lazy river, kid care, golfing, fishing, bike rentals, and complimentary shuttle rides to Disney Parks, and Sea World.

The resort grounds are exquisite with lush gardens, manicured lawns and the most amazing water features with countless waterfalls, making the pool a tropical oasis. The resort also has many pathways that are surrounded by beautiful tropical flowers and plants. The maintained grounds provide a true tropical vacation feeling and leave you in a relaxed state of mind.

We stayed at the JW Marriot for three nights prior to heading off to our wedding. Upon departure we felt refreshed and recovered from the stressful wedding planning. This place has something about it that can place you in the most relaxing state of mind. It is so relaxing that even little bunny rabbits frequent the resort and help themselves to an enjoyable snack from their onsite gardens.

The relaxing atmosphere makes the stay enjoyable during the day, as well as at night. At night the grounds are illuminated making evening walks around the pool area spectacular. As we went for our evening walks around their pool area we felt a calmness that was worlds away from the hustle and bustle of everyday stresses.

The rooms in the resort also contribute to the relaxed atmosphere. Each resort room is climate controlled with shower tub combos. The bathrooms are extra large, about double of a standard hotel bathroom size. The counters have a marble surface giving it a polished and distinguished look, and the showers are very spacious.

The rooms are carpeted and come with 65 inch HDTVs, which add to the comfort and relaxation you will receive when vacationing here. At night the rooms all have soft lamps, which create a cozy feeling as you look out at the illumined pool and grounds. For a room tour see the video below:

The JW Marriot has a wide assortment of different dining options that will accommodate any palate. From Starbucks to an award winning 2022 Michelin recommended fine dining Italian restaurant, Primo. There literally is something for everyone. The JW Marriott even has their own sustainable farm, garden and apiary that supplies the restaurants at both the Ritz Carlton and JW Marriot.

JW Marriot Citron, an American Brasserie

The JW Marriot Citron is a great early morning option for breakfast as they serve all your favorites. They have a breakfast buffet as an early morning option as well. The breakfast buffet is hands down the best breakfast buffet I have ever been to. The food is delicious and fresh. They have everything you could ever want to start your morning off right. From handcrafted breads and breakfast pastries to chef prepared omelets and waffles right in front of you. This buffet is a little bit on the pricier side but if you have the time to enjoy a sit-down breakfast, this is the spot for you. All items are prepared in house and they offer the best jams and even maple syrup from Vermont. There is something for everyone and sometimes a little too much, so pace yourself.

JW Marriott Quench

JW Marriott Quench is a poolside bar and grill located right next to the lazy river. This tropical setting restaurant offers an open air outdoor seating area next to the pool. The bar and grill has several fans to circulate air and a roof that provides plenty of shade for those warmer days. The restaurant has a full bar with tropical flavored drinks that can be consumed at the restaurant or at the pool with appropriate glassware. This is a lunch restaurant that offers burgers, salads, wraps and other casual fares that can also be delivered to you at the pool.

The Quench Bar and Grill is a great option for families, especially if children get hungry at the pool. Parents can order while the children play in the pool and have the food delivered right to their lounge chair, which will provide convenience and ease for families with little ones. This is the way pool time should be enjoyed. Below are just a few of the enticing options this restaurant has to offer.

Next on our list is the one and only The Ritz Carlton. Just staying at the Ritz makes one feel like royalty or a celebrity. This hotel is located adjacent to the JW Marriott and shares 500 acres of grounds. This hotel will define a whole new level of luxury for you and your family.

Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes

4012 Central Florida Parkway

This upscale resort has a lot to offer its guests. Although it is a bit on the pricey side, you can find deals using Marriott points and booking during the shoulder season months such as May, August, September, October, and November. The resort offers many of the same amenities as the neighboring JW Marriott including daily shuttle rides to and from Disney World, SeaWorld, and other area theme parks. The resort acts as a compound and shares all its amenities and restaurant services with guests from both hotels. This is an added bonus as you can be a guest at one resort and have the opportunity to frequent the other resort as well. This will give you options for pools and more restaurants to chose from daily.

Similar to the JW Marriott, the Ritz Carlton provides a relaxing atmosphere with a spa-like feel. As you frequent the areas of the resort, you will notice the attention to detail in their designs and setup of the resort. As soon as you walk into this resort your mind and senses are transferred to vacation mode. The Ritz Carlton does an exceptional job at making you feel special, and their level of service is phenomenal.

The Ritz has a spectacular pool with pool side dining available. Some of the options the dining service offers would be their poolside restaurant BLEU, which provides its guests with shade and TVs while they enjoy their lunch. In addition, the restaurant can bring your meal right to your lounge chair poolside. Moreover, the pool attendants provide you and everyone in your family with a towel and they will literally tuck you into your chair and provide an umbrella if you so desire. The pool is a lot quieter than the neighboring JW Marriott’s pool, allowing you and your family or significant other to enjoy the lush landscaping.

In addition to pools, the resort offers programs such as the Ritz kids. This program immerses children ages 4 to 12 into environmentally inspired day care activities. The program provides hands on activities promoting conservation and agriculture. Furthermore, the program gives parents the opportunity to have a few hours away from their kids. This amenity comes in handy for couples who are on their anniversary and want to bring their children along.

Overall, the resort and the amenities make for a very restful stay. The service is fabulous, and they do not miss a moment to impress you or pamper you. There is plenty to do and they offer something for everyone. There are numerous restaurants on site and a large room service menu. I would highly recommend this hotel for anyone seeking some relaxation and fond memories.

Marriott Royal Palms

8404 Vacation Way

The Marriott Royal Palms hotel is in the Marriott World Center compound. Although I was only staying at this hotel for a night while visiting family, the room and its size were impressive. This hotel offers 2-bedroom villas that are approximately 1250 square feet. The room rates are very reasonable for its location and size of villa that you receive. This hotel would be ideal for a family of 4 as this villa offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full laundry, and a full kitchen that is stocked with dishware and utensils in case you want to cook. The resort rooms also provide a living room, dining room and outdoor seating “lanai”. The hotel sits adjacent to Hawk’s Landing Golf Club, which is affiliated with the Marriott Orlando World Center.

The pictures below will give you an idea as to what to expect inside the 2-bedroom villas that are offered at Marriott Royal Palms. This is a great option for the small family who wants to be comfortable and spread out. The hotel also offers daily shuttle rides to Disney World, which is provided through the Marriot World Center. This resort is also in close proximity to Disney Springs.

So there you have it the best resorts in Orlando and Disney. Each resort offers free shuttle rides, and plenty of things to do on your day off from the theme parks. The resorts have incredible compounds filled with amazing pools, golf and plenty of entertainment for all ages.

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