Orlando hotels and resorts that cater especially to families with special children's areas, supervised activities, family-friendly room layouts and suites, and fun kid-friendly theming. It seems you can't throw a rock in Orlando without hitting a kid-friendly place, so these are my picks for the best bets when traveling with kids.
Formerly the Holiday Inn Family Suites, this hotel was reinvented as the first Nickelodeon-themed hotel. Two- and three-bedroom suites feature bunk or twin beds, video games and murals depicting Nick favorites like Spongebob Squarepants and Jimmy Neutron. Two outdoor swimming pool playgrounds include water slides, sandy play area and water flumes. Kids 12 and under eat free. A 3,000 square foot arcade with redemption tickets, a kids' spa and character breakfasts add to the fun.
All two dozen of the Disney World Resorts are kid-friendly, so you can't go wrong with any of them. Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom have rooms with bunk beds available. The All-Star Resorts and Pop Century feature larger-than-life icons like 101 Dalmatians and Mr. Potato Head that will delight younger children. Polynesian, Contemporary and Grand Floridian are a short monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom.
This Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel is less than a mile from Disney World with a free shuttle. Rooms include kitchenettes and Kidsuites with one or two sets of bunk beds, with themes like igloos, space and treehouse. Kids eat free and have free movie screenings. Camp Holiday is a supervised kid's program for ages 4-12. Highchairs, cribs and child-proof outlets are available on request.
Guests stay right in the middle of the Universal Orlando resort area, and can bypass the regular attraction lines with "Universal Express." Kid suites are 800 square feet with twin beds, table, chairs and TV just for kids. Camp Lil' Rock is a supervised children's program. Outside, a 12,000 square foot swimming pool includes a sandy beach, water slide and interactive fountains. A water taxi takes guests to the theme parks.
One of the best swimming pool areas in Orlando, the half-acre lagoon-like setting includes an 800,000-gallon swimming pool, twelve waterfalls, two water slides and a swimmable "cave" that connects one side of the pool to the other. Kid's Suite connect two adjoining rooms with a door. Kids under twelve eat free, stay free, and can join Camp Hyatt, the supervised children's program, for one day, free. "Dive-in movies" are shown over the pool area.
One- and two-bedroom villas with sleeper sofas, separate dining areas and kitchens. The main swimming pool covers a quarter of an acre, and a children's pool has interactive fountains. A supervised children's program plans activities such as pizza making and scavenger hunts. The resort is located about halfway between Disney World and Universal Orlando.
Kids as well as adults are pampered at this luxury resort about twenty minutes from Disney World (and about five minutes from SeaWorld). The supervised kids' program, Ritz Kids, is appropriate for ages 5 to 12. Kids Suites are available, and come equipped with board games, movies and books. Kids' night out, every night at 6:00 p.m., is only $10. Rooms can be childproofed upon request.
This all-suites resort is just outside Universal Orlando, about a block from International Drive. Kids' Suites are themed to characters like Scooby Doo and Woody Woodpecker. Kids have bunk beds and their own bathroom.
This former Holiday Inn is right outside of Disney World at Maingate East. Kid' suites include a separate bedroom with bunk beds and a twin bed, TV with video games and CD player and a "fun phone." Each suite includes a mini fridge, microwave and coffee maker.
An Official Hotel of Walt Disney World, in Downtown Disney, this hotel provides free transportation to Disney World and Disney character dining. Kids' suites include three single beds or bunk beds, and have video games.
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