Wondering what the best hotel pools in Orlando are? We’re sharing the very best hotel pools near Disney World you need to know.
Nothing makes a Disney Dad like me dream of summer like a wintry cold snap. Daydreaming about hot weather sent me reeling through memories of a favorite vacation playground – the hotel pool! We all know that there are great pools to be found in Disney resorts, but what about wandering further afield?
When I was a kid on family road trips, you just hoped the hotel had a pool at all. That wouldn’t fly in Orlando, where expectations are raised at every turn by some of the world’s greatest theme parks – a challenge that Orlando-area hotels have met like champions! You’ll be tempted to forgo some of your precious park time to play and cool off in these amazing pools. Here are some of the best hotel pools in Orlando!
Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites – Waterpark
Located on Continental Gateway, this All-Suite Orlando Resort hotel is a five-minute drive from Walt Disney World,12 minutes from Sea World Orlando, and 17 minutes from Universal.
The amazing thing about this pool is how effortlessly they balance the grown-up desire to occupy one of a seemingly limitless sea of poolside lounge chairs beside a beautiful, restful Lagoon pool with a younger person’s need to get soaked, get other people even more soaked and ride 2 awesome waterslides with a fraction of the line-up you would expect at a theme park. There is also a splash pad, as well as a playground, a 9-hole miniature golf course, a laser challenge, and a screening room for family movie night.
Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
Located on Disney property within the gated luxury residential neighborhood of Golden Oak, the Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort is fancy… but that’s no reason it can’t also be fun! Home to Explorer Island, a private five-acre water park with a complimentary kids club, this is a resort that takes pools seriously so you don’t have to!
Splash Pad at Four Seasons. Photo by Morgan Flaherty
Enjoy the massive (7590 square foot) Family Pool, the most aesthetically pleasing Splash Zone you can imagine, a Lazy River you could happily spend a day in, two thrilling 242-foot water slides, and more! Or, pack the kids off for supervised fun with the Explorer Island Takeover while Mom and Dad enjoy tennis, golf, or a spa treatment. Is it crazy to be this close to Walt Disney World and not want to leave the hotel?
Hilton Orlando
Located on Destination Parkway in Orlando, the Hilton Orlando is just minutes from Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, and all of the attractions on International Parkway, and offers complimentary transportation to and from your theme park destinations… but first, you’ll have to extract yourself from some serious aquatic fun!
Photo Courtesy of the Hilton Orlando
The Hilton Orlando’s pool complex is tremendous, including a waterslide, a splash pad and play area for the kids, a hot tub, and a lazy river with waterfalls and water cannons to ensure that no one stays dry for very long (as if you would try).
CoCo Key Hotel & Water Park
CoCo Key Hotel & Water Park is located on International Drive, just minutes away from all of the big-ticket theme parks and attractions you’ve been dreaming of, but you may have trouble pulling the kids out of these excellent pools.
Photo Courtesy of CoCo Key Hotel & Water Park
There is nothing subtle about CoCo Key’s 54,000 sq. ft. canopy-covered and outdoor water park, from the bright colors to the swinging splash buckets, to the 14 thrilling waterslides. Your Water Park passes are bundled with your hotel reservation, and the fun starts whenever you’re ready to play! Definitely a family destination, and one of the best hotel pools in Orlando.
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is one of the best family golf resorts in Orlando, but how do you keep the family happy while all of that golf is happening? How about having one of the best hotel pools in Orlando?
Located on Cypress Boulevard, the hotel is just minutes away from all of the major theme park attractions and offers complimentary shuttle service to and from the resort, but there is plenty of fun to be had without leaving the hotel. It starts with an 800,000-gallon lagoon-style pool and continues with a dozen waterfalls, a splash pad for the kids, a waterslide, a system of grottos and caves, and a hot tub.
Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center
Located near Champions Gate, Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center is just minutes from Walt Disney World and is home to the Cypress Springs Water Park and South Beach Pool. The South Beach Pool is a “quiet” pool, ideal for actual swimming – but don’t fear, the Cypress Springs Water Park is where the action is! This 3-acre water park includes seven awesome water slides, plus four more aimed at younger kids, who will also enjoy the multi-level splash pad.
Photo Courtesy of Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center
Bigger kids (and Dads!) will make a splash on the FlowRider surf simulator and everyone will enjoy the “action river”, a brilliant innovation that turns up the speed on the classic “lazy river” concept, dialing the fun up to eleven in the process!
Orlando World Center Marriott
Located on World Center Drive, less than ten minutes from Walt Disney World, Orlando World Center Marriott is not shy about claiming the title of the best Orlando waterpark hotel, and we are not disputing it!
River Falls Water Park features a 400,000-gallon lagoon-style pool, three thrilling water slides, a 575-foot lazy river, and a splash and play area for smaller kids. Over at Falls Pool Oasis, you will find ample seating for relaxing. You can also enjoy more waterslide options and choose between a 90-foot speed slide or two 200-foot twisting slides.
Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate
Just ten minutes from Walt Disney World on Masters Boulevard in ChampionsGate, the Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate boasts two championship golf courses, but there are some pretty magnificent aquatic attractions ready to keep the rest of the family happy!
Photo Courtesy of Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate
A quiet adults-only pool, a family pool, including a 125-foot corkscrew waterslide, and a kid-friendly pool complete with three waterslides, each wide enough for two! If that isn’t enough fun at your fingertips, there’s also an 850-foot lazy river and a wave pool, a feature not found anywhere else on this list!
Play Where You Stay
These Orlando-area hotels are terrific at providing a home-away-from-home during your theme park adventures, but more and more they are meeting the challenge of being a fun attraction in their own right, making it a great option for Disney-bound families to also play where you stay!
