We frogs understand that the pool can make or break a hotel selection. (We’ve even ranked our favorite hotel pools at Disney World resorts. Psst, our No. 1 is on this list, too!) Florida is rightfully called the Sunshine State, and no matter what time of the year you visit, the nearly year-round warm weather will likely cooperate with your pool time. However, some hotels really raise the bar with pool areas that feature lazy rivers, massive water slides or splash pads. If you’re looking for a hotel that goes above and beyond when it comes to relaxing poolside, check out these extra special Orlando water park hotels! We’re not kidding when we think that tadpoles and frog parents alike could spend a whole day swimming and splashing at these spots. Just don’t froget your sunscreen!
The Frog Family’s Favorite Orlando Water Park Hotels
Whether it’s a laser light show or a lazy river, each one of these Orlando water park hotels offers a unique pool experience. Let’s dive right in!
Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites - Waterpark
Formerly known as the Nickelodeon Hotel, Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites - Waterpark boasts two main heated pool areas: the Lagoon Pool and the Oasis Pool. The smaller Oasis Pool offers both family swim and adults-only lounging hours. The Lagoon Pool area is massive, featuring a zero-entry pool and a 4-story water tower with seven slides and a 400-gallon water dump bucket. You can also find fun daily poolside entertainment and activities, such as water balloon toss competitions and live DJ dance parties. On select “Dive Inn” movie nights, you can even watch a family-friendly film on a giant inflatable screen while you continue to swim!
Disney’s Beach Club and Yacht Club
Shared by Disney’s Beach Club and Yacht Club resorts, Stormalong Bay is our No. 1 on-site Disney World hotel pool! This 3-acre, mini water park features a 230-foot-long shipwrecked water slide, a lazy river and three whirlpool spas. The beach theme truly goes the extra mile with a zero-entry, sand-bottomed pool. At this shallow beach area, we don’t have to worry about Lily getting knocked over by a huge wave while making a sandcastle!
Wyndham Bonnet Creek
At Wyndham Bonnet Creek, you have a toadal of five pools and two lazy rivers to choose from. All five are heated outdoor pools, and the lazy rivers have free inflatable tubes that you can ride in. In addition to those pool areas, tadpoles can wade through a kiddie splash pad or zip down a pirate ship-themed water slide. For relaxation, simmer in any of the nine hot tubs or rent out a private cabana.
CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort
From a kiddie lagoon area to thrilling water slides, CoCo’s Water Park has something for every member of your frog family. The canopy-covered Minnows Lagoon features a zero-entry pool, water spouts and mini slides for the swimmers in training. For the more thrill-seeking frogs, there are 14 different outdoor water slides to tackle, including Boomerango, which shoots a two-rider tube down a two-story chute and up a nearly vertical wall. Great for any age, the Parrot’s Perch is an interactive water playground that features smaller slides, water cannons and a huge water dump bucket.
Disney's Port Orleans - French Quarter
At Disney's Port Orleans - French Quarter Resort, the Doubloon Lagoon is a fantastic pool area for families looking to have fun in the sun during their Walt Disney World Resort vacation. This pool area is inspired by the vibrant streets and jazz music of New Orleans, featuring a water play area with water sprays, fountains and a slide for tadpoles under 48". The main pool has a unique 51-foot serpent-shaped slide, and the surrounding deck offers plenty of seating, loungers and shade umbrellas for relaxing in the sun. The pool area also has a poolside bar, offering refreshing drinks and snacks.
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
As one of Universal Orlando Resort’s on-site hotels, Cabana Bay Beach Resort has two main pool areas that fit right in with the resort’s '50s and '60s beach theme. The North Courtyard is home to a zero-entry pool (the bigger of the two), a retro dive tower-themed slide and a splash pad for tadpoles. At the South Courtyard, you’ll find another zero-entry pool and a lazy river with waterfalls and water cannons along the way. You can either bring your own tube, or buy one at The Tube Shack.
The Grove Resort
At The Grove Resort, you can explore the on-site Surfari water park and float down the lazy river or try your hand at the FlowRider® surf simulator. There’s also a pair of water slides (one is fully enclosed while the other is open) that shoot you out into the lazy river. As for the pools, the main family pool has zero-entry access, but the tadpoles also have a separate pool with mini slides and water spouts for themselves.
Disney's Art of Animation
Disney's Art of Animation Resort is known for its immersive theming and larger-than-life Disney characters and the Big Blue Pool is no exception. Inspired by the popular Pixar film "Finding Nemo," this zero-entry pool is the largest resort pool in Walt Disney World and features impressive underwater speakers that play music and dialogue from the movie.
In addition to the pool's unique theming, the Big Blue Pool also includes a splash area with interactive water features for your tadpoles and a poolside bar serves up refreshing drinks and snacks. The surrounding deck is lined with lounge chairs and umbrellas, providing ample space to soak up the sun while enjoying the resort's vibrant atmosphere.
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Did someone say #PoolGoals? The water park area at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress actually doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles to offer — just one basic water slide and a water jet splash zone for the tadpoles. However, the pool’s gorgeous aesthetic makes up for only having the bare necessities. Swim through and explore the massive grotto caves that connect one side of the pool to the other. Be on the lookout for a hidden hot tub! Flowing from the rock formations are 12 waterfalls that you can swim underneath.
Orlando World Center Marriott
The Falls Pool Oasis at Orlando World Center Marriott makes quite a splash with its enormous main pool and a water slide tower. The tower boasts two 200-foot winding slides and one 90-foot speed slide. There are also smaller pools to enjoy, including a zero-entry, splash zone children’s pool and an indoor pool. After a fun day of swimming, you’ll want to stay for the nightly 13-minute laser light show.
Plus, there's now even more wet and wild fun to have at this hotel! We're so frogcited to check out the brand River Falls Water Park which opened on March 16, 2022. Designed for frogs of all ages, this new addition features an iconic slide tower with three thrilling multi-rider waterslides and a 575-foot-long lazy river that winds through a tropical paradise. Tadpoles will also enjoy the aqua playground with bubbling nozzles at a zero-entry pool and two tall spraying vertical leaf elements. Frogs now have even more space to soak up the sun and enjoy poolside refreshments with additional lounge chairs, cabanas and a hammock area.
No matter which one you choose, you can’t go wrong with any of these Orlando water park hotels. It all depends if you want to relax in a lazy river or zoom down a thrilling water slide. Let us know below which hotel pool experience you’re dreaming about for a day under the sun!
Related: A Dip Inside the Top Orlando Water Parks
Hoppy planning!
