With all the service that you expect, this resort still will surprise and delight the most discerning families.
Combine the Ritz-Carlton’s legendary customer service with America’s family theme park haven, and the result is an unforgettable stay for kids and their parents. The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes is an oasis nestled in the heart of Orlando, just down the road from SeaWorld and about 20 minutes from both Disney World and Universal Studios. While serving as a convenient home base to those surrounding attractions, the sprawling resort serves up its own family playground, so you can soak up a memorable experience without ever leaving the grounds. Whether you’re traveling with toddlers or teenagers, the resort delivers an unrivaled experience that will leave everyone in the family begging for a return trip.
KidTripster Tip: Since the Grande Lakes has so much to offer families, I’d recommend staying here before or after your theme park visits, as you’ll want to get your money’s worth and not be paying for amenities that you’re not using.
Activities at Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes
From the moment you arrive, it’s clear this is a place that specializes in making kids smile. When parents register at the front desk, kids head into a special check-in room next door to answer a few quick computer questions, which triggers a stuffed animal and welcome note delivery to their room. This personalized touch serves as an introduction to Ritz Kids, the resort’s best-in-class program for kids (ages 4 to 12).
Ritz Kids entertains kids day and night, offering afternoon child care and a Kids Night Out evening program from 5 to 9 p.m. My daughter, age 7, was initially apprehensive about going (okay, to be honest, she broke down in tears!), which is exactly why Ritz Kids starts each day with an Open House hour at 10:30 a.m. The drop-in hour features an activity, like sand art, and lets kids explore the club with their parents. The best part: the animals! Ritz Kids is home to a rabbit, a bearded dragon, turtles, chickens, and even baby alligators. The center also has a movie/video game room and an outdoor garden. Let’s just say that it didn’t take long for my daughter to push me out the door and jump at the chance to return the next day!
The daily $35 resort fee includes two hours per day at Ritz Kids for two children; additional time runs $20/hour per child. The complimentary Ritz Kids time doesn’t apply to the four-hour evening program which costs $90/child with dinner included.
The resort fee also covers a daily fish feeding experience for kids and free shuttle transportation to SeaWorld, Walt Disney World, and Universal.
There are plenty of complimentary activities spread throughout the property, including ping pong, air hockey, foosball, shuffleboard, and bocce ball. And, of course, the pool is every kid’s favorite hangout spot.
KidTripster Tip: Check out the lazy river at the JW Marriott next door, as Ritz guests have full access to both the pool and restaurants at the sister property. It’s a fun float for the entire family!
For parents, there’s also a golf course (driving range privileges included in the resort fee), tennis, a fabulous gym, daily fitness classes (extra fees may apply), and my personal favorite: the luxurious spa, which includes a couples lounge and an idyllic, outdoor saltwater pool. While my daughter soaked up her two hours at Ritz Kids, I indulged in the Stress Relief Massage. The spa is truly a parent’s dream escape!
For an additional charge, families may rent a Surrey bike, pedal boat or kayak. There are also adventure experiences, like the Sunrise Safari guided tour around the 500-acre resort ($60/person) and fishing excursions on the stocked ponds and lakes ($70/hour per person by boat and $60/hour per person by shore).
KidTripster Tip: Have your children ask the front desk about the kids’ scavenger hunt. Once they complete the list, they receive a very cool Ritz Kids messenger bag to take home!
Accommodations at Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes
Glamping at the Ritz? Yes, an in-room camping experience is one of the kid experiences available at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes for families staying in an executive suite. While it costs an extra $100, it comes with the tent all set up and includes mementoes for the lucky little one!
The resort has a variety of room options, ranging in price from around $400 to $800/night, depending on whether you opt for a standard room, suite or club level room that includes access to the exclusive club lounge. All rooms look out to sweeping views of the property.
KidTripster Tip: An added perk of the suites and club level rooms? They include extended complimentary access to Ritz Kids from 12 to 5 p.m. for up to three kids.
As a family of three that doesn’t spend much time in our hotel room, a standard guest lake view room was the perfect fit. Instead of getting two queen beds, we opted for a king and had a rollaway bed delivered for our daughter.
The bathrooms are large and feature a soaking bathtub, which provided the perfect home-away-from-home feel for our daughter to wind down each night before climbing into bed.
Dining at Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes
The Ritz Kids menu (ages 4 to 12) is a highlight, as it features a wide variety of choices. The $15 fixed price feels expensive for traditional kid foods, like the hamburgers and mac and cheese, but it’s a great deal for the higher-end options, like steak or salmon – our daughter’s favorite choices for dinner. Each meal comes with the choice of a side dish and drink.
The resort’s signature restaurant is Highball & Harvest, which doubles as a family-friendly dining spot all day and hip meeting place with live music in the lounge at night. The adult menu is rooted in local, farm fresh foods. The house specialty is chicken and waffles and is available all day. I also recommend the scrumptious avocado toast for breakfast and the interesting tomato salad perched on peanut hummus as a starter for dinner.
H&H offers an impressive all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet daily, which is a no brainer for kids at $13. For parents, the steeper price tag of $34 makes it a tougher choice, unless it’s included in your room package.
For lunch, dining poolside at Bleu is the perfect call. There’s also the option of Vitale by the adult-only pool at the spa.
KidTripster Tip: Ice cream for kids is always free with a blue Ritz Kids rubber bracelet. Kids get it at check-in and can present it for a free cup of ice cream, whenever they please.
Our favorite family ritual was to eat in the more casual Lobby Lounge. While it has a limited adult menu (thumbs up for the New York sirloin sandwich and the Caesar salad with chicken), the full Ritz Kids menu is available, and the comfy sofas are an inviting spot for the whole family to unwind.
The swanky NORMAN’S, featuring “New World Cuisine” is also on-site. It caters to the high-end business crowd and is a great choice for date night for Mom and Dad.
KidTripster Tip: Check the lobby for surprise snacks, especially near holidays. We stayed over Valentine’s Day and leading up to President’s Day and were treated to mini cupcakes and self-serve M&Ms and jelly beans in celebratory colors.
Getting to Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes is located about 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport. Car and taxi service costs a flat rate: $60 to $65 from the airport to the resort and $45 to $50 from the resort to the airport. If you drive, self-parking is available for $21/day and valet parking for $29/day. Should you choose to rent a car during your stay, there’s a Hertz Rental Car, conveniently located next door at the JW Marriott.
Katy Brown Troftgruben was bitten by the travel bug in college during a three-month journey around the world on the Semester at Sea program. The trip also inspired a 20-year career in broadcast journalism. She loves living in Oregon, but looks for every opportunity to explore new territory with her husband and their 7-year-old daughter.
This writer received some complimentary activities for the purpose of this review. However, all opinions expressed are solely her own.
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