Living in Orlando, there’s a hotel around every corner! My daughter Charli and I recently had the opportunity to find out what makes the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center different from the rest. We had a fun mother-daughter weekend and we’re bringing you the inside scoop about our staycation.
Resort Accommodations
Our room was perfect for the two of us, but it would also be roomy enough for a family of four. Our digs had two queen beds with a view of the hotel’s huge signature 4.5-acre atrium (If you follow travel Instagrammers you’ve likely seen the atrium pics). Charli loved the birds-eye view of all the action and, of course, the amazing flora and fauna around the atrium, which recreates three Florida environments.
We had friends staying at the resort that same weekend and they booked a family suite, which we were able to check out for comparison. The suite is a great fit for a larger family – or if you are planning an extended stay here. More space? Yes, please! Check out all of the available room options.
Cypress Springs Water Park & Pool
The Cypress Springs Water Park and pool were hands down our favorite part of the stay! All bases are covered for kids and adults. We loved the water slides and the short lines to ride. Win! Visiting Orlando, families wait in enough lines, but not here. It helps that kids of every age had a slide they could enjoy. The Crystal River Rapids, the resort’s lazy river, was the water park highlight for us with a swift current that pushed and pulled us along.
Our pre-booked chairs were right on the bank of the Crystal River. I would recommend this spot for sure! It’s a good location to watch the kiddos circle the river while enjoying a cocktail from the Crystal River Refreshments snack shack. There are different options for securing your spot at the pool – pool chairs, daybeds, and private cabanas.
There’s one large outdoor eatery, the SandBar, with a great menu, but I also loved the little snack shack, near our Crystal River spot. This food location was a bit hidden and where we could order from an abbreviated menu and easily grab cocktails. Have you caught on that I don’t like waiting in lines?
My kids are always mesmerized by those cruise commercials featuring the FlowRider. You know the simulated wave machine you can surf? Gaylord Palms has one in its pool area! No cruise needed.
KidTripster Tip: You can sign up at the main pool entrance or online, but I’d recommend signing up for your spot prior to your visit. We lucked out with an open spot while we were on site, but know others were unable to ride because all slots had been booked in advance. The price starts at $25.
Wild Florida
Outside of the pool, Charli loved walking the resort’s atrium and exploring all of the Wild Florida animals.
Educational and interactive guest experiences onsite in partnership with Wild Florida include:
- 20 alligators that live inside the resort’s St. Augustine atrium
- Six hatchlings, also known as baby gators or “grunts,” that have a home in the Everglades atrium
- Four snakes that guests can see in Sawgrass Place, in the Everglades atrium
- Live gator feedings with a Wild Florida representative at Gator Springs twice a week
- Up-close animal encounters with critters from Wild Florida’s nearby zoological park on select days
Resort Dining
The resort has a lot of options for dining at various price points, making it so you don’t have to venture off property for a meal. Food choices range from the high-end Old Hickory Steakhouse to Mediterranean cuisine at Villa de Flora. There’s also a seafood spot, a Caribbean lounge and a sports bar, too. You’ll find snacks at the Emerald Bay Market Place and frozen yogurt at Honeybells.
KidTripster Tip: Book your dining reservations ahead by calling the resort or reserving online. Be sure to check with the front desk for restaurant hours during your stay. Since we visited outside the height of tourist season, a few restaurants had abbreviated hours of operation.
Holiday Festivities
At almost every time of year, Gaylord Palms Orlando has seasonal festivities. Lucky for us, it was a Goblins and Giggles weekend when we stayed so we were able to take advantage of Ghoul School and the Monster Mash Bash (a costumed dance party), which were spooktacular and a great way to kick off the Halloween season! There are a bunch of events on Goblins and Giggles weekends, many of them are free, but some are at an added cost.
Related: Christmas at Gaylord Palms
We’d also recommend visiting during Christmas at Gaylord Palms. This year’s festivities offer “Mission: Save Christmas Featuring Elf.” Guests get to help save Christmas as part of a multi-sensory experience. Other holiday events include an elf training academy, gingerbread decorating, a Cirque show, ice tubing, and photos with Santa.
Theme Park Shuttle Service
Gaylord Palms Resort is located in Kissimmee, Florida, just minutes from the major theme parks. The resort offers a complimentary shuttle service to the Walt Disney World theme parks and Disney Springs.
The writer received a complimentary stay and activities for the purposes of this review. All opinions are her own.
Amanda Keefer is a mom and travel junkie having worked in the travel industry for 10 years and jumping at the chance to explore destinations near and far. She can be found at the Healthy Family Project developing recipes and hosting the Healthy Family Project podcast. The perfect marriage of food and travel!
