Orlando didn’t become one of the country’s best family vacation spots for no reason. If it seems like just about everything in this giant amusement park of a city is geared toward families, that’s because it is—right down to the theme parks, water parks, and family resorts. So when it comes to hotels with pools in Orlando, you can forget all about basic rectangular pools with no bells and whistles. Orlando hotels with pools tend to be more like fully immersive water parks.
The best Orlando pool hotels have multiple swimming spots, splash zones, and pool areas, including heated pools, indoor pools, family pools, and quiet adults-only pools. Throw in a whole bunch of giant water slides, lazy rivers, and fun extras and you can see why many Orlando hotels are almost as much of a vacation destination as Disney World and Universal Studios!
MAGICAL STAYS: 12 Best Disney World Hotels for Every Age Group and Interest
Best Hotel Pools and Water Parks in Orlando
Whether you’re vacationing with toddlers or traveling with teenagers, the best pool hotels in Orlando have something to please everyone in the family. Here are the top Orlando hotels with pools.
1. Orlando World Center Marriott
Located just minutes from Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, and all of the other Orlando theme parks, Orlando World Center Marriott isn’t just the biggest Marriott property in Florida, it’s the largest Marriott resort in the world. And it has exactly the kinds of outdoor pools, water slides, and lazy river options befitting an Orlando hotel of its size and stature.
SAVE MONEY: 9 Cheap Theme Park Hotels in Orlando Near Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld
Kids adore the hotel’s Falls Pool Oasis pool complex, which features a 400,000-gallon zero-entry lagoon-style heated pool, a 90-foot speed slide, two traditional winding waterslides, and a toddler-friendly splash zone. And the pools at this Orlando hotel don’t stop there: Its River Falls Water Park includes a 575-foot-long lazy river accessed by a zero-entry pool alongside three different multi-rider water slide experiences. Once the sun goes down, this Orlando hotel’s nightly laser light show gives its pool area a whole new look.
2. Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World
It should come as no surprise that the 443-room Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World doesn’t skimp on its pool area for its guests. This Orlando hotel’s five-acre Explorer Island family-oriented water play area includes an expansive 7,590-square-foot beach-entry family pool complete with underwater sound system and a lazy river with a nine-foot waterfall and “rapids” section. Every Saturday evening and some Thursdays, you can even catch a movie on the hotel’s Starstruck Dive-In outdoor screen.
ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything You Need to Know about Disney Genie and Genie+
If that’s not high octane enough for your family, head to The Drop and take on two twisting water slides, or run through the fountains in a kids’ splash zone that looks like it was lifted straight out of ancient Rome. Grownups can escape all the activity at the adults-only Oasis pool.
3. Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center
The sprawling Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando features all kinds of unique amenities indoors and out, and its three-acre Cypress Springs Water Park is a major draw for families. Soak in the relaxing vibes at the South Beach Pool or hit the zero-entry family pool for a wet-and-wild basketball game or one of the periodic “Dive-in Movies.” There’s no indoor pool here, but the outdoor family pool is heated.
FAMILY FUN: 12 Best Things to Do in Orlando (Besides the Theme Parks)
This Orlando hotel’s seven water slides include the Florida Free Fall, which drops riders 35 feet through a trapdoor, as well as the twisty-turny Tamiami Twister racing slides. The Wake Zone FlowRider helps guests hang ten (for an additional fee), while the Crystal River Rapids “action river” winds through waterfalls and caves via a current that moves at nearly four feet a second. A lazy river, this is not!
4. Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
Two of Disney’s deluxe-level Orlando hotels, Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, are adjacent to each other and share access to the three-acre, 795,000-gallon Stormalong Bay pool area. Little ones can walk right in from the “beach” at the edge of the resorts’ much-loved sand-bottomed pool.
SOMETHING EXTRA: 19 Cheap Theme Park Hotels That Come with Magical Perks
After taking a dip, young swimmers can try the mini water slide at the Shipwreck Pool, while older guests can splash down the 230-foot-long slide that takes off from the mast of a life-sized replica shipwreck—one of the highest hotel water slides at Walt Disney World Resort. The whole family will enjoy a trip or two around the lazy river, and there are also three other pools (some of which are heated) at the two hotels that offer a quieter swimming experience.
5. Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate
The Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate is home to Orlando’s only resort wave pool, filled with more than 131,000 gallons of water for a truly swell time. The zero-entry family pool area and water park includes a 125-foot-long corkscrew water slide, a splash area, and a family Jacuzzi, while the kids-only pool features water slides that are just the right size for little swimmers.
HOTEL DEALS: 12 Best Hotel Booking Sites for Cheap Prices
All resort guests can relax for a spell in the 850-foot-long lazy river (just watch out for the shooting water cannons) while guests aged 18 and older can soak in a Jacuzzi at the hotel’s adults-only pool area. There are also eight private cabanas at the adult pool.
6. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
A Universal Orlando hotel oozing with retro charm, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort offers not one but two different pool areas. The Cabana Courtyard and Pool features a dive tower-themed water slide plus fun extras like a fire pit, poolside bar, and cabanas for rent with personal LCD TVs and fridges.
WHERE TO STAY: 8 Best Universal Studios Orlando Hotels for Every Age Group and Interest
At the Lazy River Courtyard and Pool, guests can float around the lazy river and then hit the poolside bar or the two fire pits there. If you want to make even more of a splash, the hotel is within easy walking distance of Universal’s Volcano Bay water park. (Another perk: Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort guests also get early admission to Universal’s Harry Potter theme park areas in Orlando as well.)
7. Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
A popular family hotel pick in Orlando, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress features an 800,000-gallon free-form lagoon-style outdoor swimming pool that offers a great way to escape the Florida heat. Kids love speeding down the pool’s water slide, swimming through rocky caves, and splashing under the complex’s 12 waterfalls.
LEADERS OF THE PACK: 12 Best Great Wolf Lodge Locations in North America
Reserve a private cabana for some shade and a little peace and quiet, or refuel after a day of swimming at the On the Rocks poolside restaurant. Like many Orlando hotels with pools, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress also offers complimentary shuttle service to and from the major Orlando theme parks.
8. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Offering an island-themed escape in the middle of Orlando, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort features a lively main pool area (called the Fuentes del Morro Pool) that resembles an old Spanish fort. The zero-entry pool complex dotted with squirting cannons is great for little ones, who can also enjoy a shipwreck-themed play area with three kiddie water slides, a crow’s nest, and a water-filled barrel that just might tip over while they’re playing.
WHAT TO PACK: The Ultimate Disney Theme Park Vacation Packing List
Daredevils can climb the spiral staircase leading to a waterslide that zips down from the top of a turret. The hotel also has five leisure pools for a swim with a little less activity; each of these pools is located in one of the Orlando hotels themed villages (Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica, Martinique, and Trinidad). There’s also a spa pool that fits up to a dozen guests.
9. Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek and Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek
The sprawling 500-acre Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek and Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek resort area offers lots of options for guests, who can choose from one- to four-bedroom vacation rentals at Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek or traditional hotel rooms (some with bunk bed alcoves) at the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek.
SPLASH ZONE: 13 Most Thrilling Outdoor Water Parks in the U.S.
No matter which of the two properties you choose to stay at, you’ll have access to an array of amenities that includes five pools (some with water slides), eight hot tubs, and two lazy rivers. A walking trail circling a 10-acre lake provides access to all the fun, which also includes a playground and mini-golf course.
10. Westgate Vacation Villas Resort
At Westgate Vacation Villas Resort, the pirate-themed Shipwreck Island water park and pool area stretches out over two impressive levels. On the upper level, a lazy river circles Black Beard’s Pirate Ship water playground, where guests can get splashed by fountains, water cannons, and a giant water bucket that tips over from time to time.
SMALL THRILLS: 14 Best Amusement Parks for Little Kids and Toddlers
On the lower level, reachable by Cannon Ball Falls’ two tube slides and the Pirate’s Plunge Drop Slide, little ones can enjoy the Paradise Cove kids’ area. And those aren’t ordinary “palm trees” at Shipwreck Island—they have jetted fountains to help guests stay cool. There are also 14 heated outdoor pools and 14 hot tubs located throughout the resort.
11. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
You can have a wild time at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, where some of the guest rooms have savanna views for observing more than 30 species of African wildlife. The outdoor swimming pool options at this Orlando hotel are pretty wild, too. In fact, there are two distinct pools to choose from during your stay.
WHEN TO GO: What Is the Best Time to Visit Disney World?
The tree-shaded 11,000-square-foot zero-entry Uzima Springs pool evokes the feeling of a natural watering hole and features a 67-foot-long water slide with views of the resort’s Uzima Savanna. There’s also a wading pool for younger kids and two whirlpool spas. The zero-entry Samawati Springs pool has a 128-foot-long water slide and an animal observation site-themed water playground with a rope bridge, water cannons, and three zones for children of different ages.
12. Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort
Channel your inner rock star at the music-themed Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort, where the 12,000-square-foot pool is surrounded by palm trees and the beat goes on thanks to an underwater sound system. A 260-foot-long water slide provides thrills, while two hot tubs offer soothing spots for relaxing.
YEAR-ROUND FUN: 14 Best Indoor Water Park Resorts in the U.S.
A regular schedule of ping-pong tournaments, water balloon tosses, and other poolside fun and games—plus a real sand beach and volleyball court—will keep the whole family entertained.
13. Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa
Swimming meets swashbuckling at Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa, where the popular Pirate’s Plunge themed pool is a family favorite. The seahorse-shaped zero-entry Orlando hotel pool offers shallow waters and themed water features for little ones and a “shipwrecked” pirate ship for bigger kids, complete with a water slide and shooting water cannons. When it’s time to take a breather, there are lounge chairs, hammocks, hot tubs, and a poolside bar serving food and drinks.
BIG FAMILIES: These Are the Best Disney World Hotels for Families of 5+
For a quieter (and pirate-free) outdoor pool experience, head to the resort’s relaxation pool, heated seasonally so the water is always pleasant. Surrounded by tropical plants and palm trees, it’s a relaxing spot to start or end your day.
14. Universal’s Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
At the Italy-inspired Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort, you’ll have access to three pools with European flair. For families, the star attraction is the bustling Beach Pool area, which has a water slide modeled after a Roman aqueduct, an adjacent children’s pool, two Jacuzzis, and a sand beach area. You can also rent a private cabana at the Villa Pool, which comes with a ceiling fan, refrigerator, and plasma TV, or take a quiet dip at the tranquil Hillside Pool.
WATER WORLDS: 12 Best Beach Resorts in the U.S. for Families
Another perk when you stay at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel? Complimentary Universal Express Unlimited skip-the-line passes for rides and attractions at Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Guests are also eligible for free early admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
15. The Grove Resort and Water Park Orlando
The all-suite Grove Resort and Water Park is known for its Surfari Water Park, which offers a zero-entry pool, two water slides, and a 695-foot-long lazy river. Water park entry is free for guests, while add-on experiences include premium pool seating, private cabana rentals, and stints on the FlowRider Double surf simulator. (You can also pay extra for a “splash pass” that provides faster entry into the water park.) At the lakeside Springs Pools area, you’ll find three full-sized heated pools (kept at 83 degrees year-round), an oversized hot tub, and a children’s splash area.
