Curtis and I are often surprised by how much we’ve enjoyed having Walt Disney World in our back-yard since moving home to the Sunshine State. Growing up we went more than the average person being it was so close, but our families never had annual passes and our visits were usually the bi-product of a conference or youth group trip. When we moved from Texas to Florida last summer we made the decision to get annual passes especially while our girls are younger and their schedules are more flexible. Because our friends have noticed our more frequent trips to see the mouse himself, we’ve found ourselves getting the call for “Disney tips”, from hotel suggestions to packing lists. Fresh off of our most recent visit, I’m excited to share all about our first stay at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando. Curtis and I have found ourselves reflecting on our Orlando and Disney hotel stays with the following factors in mind: park convenience, Disney perks, pool & grounds, guest rooms, dining and extras.
When we attempted Disney for the first time with Margaret, she was 2.5 and then again right at 3 – neither of us had ventured into the parks in over 15 years. Both times we dipped our toes into the magic as an add on to our Florida trips visiting family. We stayed off property, at the JW Marriott and a small Autograph Collection hotel called the Castle. Once we’d moved back to the Sunshine State, we took a risk and committed to an annual pass. During our first year as Florida residents and Annual Passholders we’ve tried a few Disney properties including The Swan, The Dolphin, The Grand Floridian and the Waldorf-Astoria. We’ve also stayed off-property at The Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes and JW Marriott, which adjoins the Ritz.
The drive in to the resort is beautiful – lush landscaping, ponds, fountains, beautiful homes and villas, and it sets the tone for the overall stay. My friend Sarah and I headed up early with our littles in tow (and without the dads) and we were immediately greeted and helped by friendly attendants which when you’re unbuckling multiple preschoolers from car seats and unloading bagsonbagsonbags, you need all the help you can get. At check-in the kids are gifted with a 3-D “treasure map”, glasses and backpack to use for a scavenger hunt that ends with an ice cream reward. They were excited not only by that but the awesome interactive touch map of the hotel they could explore with. The adjoining guest room set-up was perfect for their pajama party, and would be ideal for those traveling with larger families or who find they benefit from extra space while still staying connected.
Once in our room, they were surprised with sweet treats, pirate hats, fairy skirts, and tiny robes. Tiny robes are the way to Margaret’s heart for sure. After the drive up to Orlando with a quick stop at Hollywood Studios to check out Star Wars Land and build some droids, we were all in need of dinner so we headed to Ravello where we were revived! The kids ate and played while we enjoyed our meal and some vino. Kids 5 and under eat free at Ravello as well as a few other restaurants on property.
With a quick text to the Four Seasons app inquiring about the pool hours, we learned we could swim until 9 PM so once we’d changed into our suits we hurried down and I got my first glimpse of the pool area, easily one of the biggest highlights of the resort. The lazy river winds around the property with little nooks that lead to even more of the pool perks like the splash pad and hot tub, plus an infinity edge pool that is zero edge entry and the perfect depth for the littlest travelers. When I was growing up, a hotel night swim was peak vacay mode and that night I learned moms in our thirties felt the same! We tucked into our rooms for the night to rest up for a fun day at the resort. The next day Curtis and baby Catherine, as well as some more friends and their little ones, were coming up to meet us and all I needed to do to make sure the room was ready was shoot off a quick text through the Four Seasons app to request a crib.
We started the day with room service and if breakfast in bed isn’t the best way to begin a vacay day then I don’t know what is! The kids were ready for some playtime at Kids For All Seasons, the complimentary kids camp on property, and the moms were happy to have a chance to check out the gym and spa. The more I explored the more I realized that this resort is the kind I’d need to be dragged away from to make it back out to a park – it is that good. Aside from the beautiful fitness space, various equipment and endless class options, that Sarah detailed in her post here, the bottomless cold towels infused with essential oils were enough to convince me to work out on vacation.
After we picked our littles up from Kids For All Seasons, where they’d played, made crafts, eaten lunch and were begging for more time, we headed to the pool area to enjoy it in the daylight. We posted up in some shaded cabanas by one of the the play rooms filled with games and movies and the kids were entertained literally the entire rest of the day by floating in the pool, playing with the water cannons, hanging in the floating beds, and gaming in the arcade. Catherine and Curtis joined in on this fun and while Curtis put in a few more hours of work in the most luxurious remote office setting you could think of, Catherine enjoyed being spoiled with kisses, cuddles, and poolside french fries by all the moms. She even floated the river with me and after Margaret had conquered her fear of the water slides, we ventured over to the splash pad. Curtis and I could not get over how obsessed baby Catherine was – I don’t know if she would have ever left!
After a packed day of fun at the hotel, we were surprised that Margaret started asking about going into a park so we channeled our best YOLO attitude, hatched a plan to grab a quick bite at Capa and catch the Four Seasons luxury bus over to Epcot to see their new fireworks show. Once again dinner was great and the service quick and pleasant and afterwards, we headed down stairs only to realize we’d misunderstood the bus schedule and missed the Epcot departure. We could have waited a bit for the next one, but the kids were already doing their best to hang on after a big day so we didn’t want to push it. The silver lining of this accident is that we learned they offer private luxury SUV transfers on demand to the parks for 35$. They had car seats ready for us to install for those who needed them and without missing a beat we were quickly on our way and dropped off practically curbside at Epcot. An upside we’ve found of being annual passholders is that you can pop in and out of parks on a whim, but the reality is that if you don’t have fast passes reserved you either have to wait in longer lines or take what is available. Realizing long lines would not be our strength we took what we could get and rode Finding Nemo and played around in the aquarium attractions nearby afterward. Our time was cut short as the drizzles intensified and with a cranky baby who seemed maxed out we made the executive decision to leave early. Disney in a drizzle isn’t terrible, and we maybe could’ve pushed it a bit more, but we called it and decided to take a “Minnie Van” back to the resort. This is our second time using the Minnie Van option and overall it is a great transportation feature, operated by Lyft and partnered with Disney. A word of caution if you’re there with a big party is to know their car seat rules. You cannot have more than two car seats in a single ride and I could see how this would be tricky for parents with 3 young children. We split up our party since we were at the car seat max and headed back to the hotel. After some pajama snuggles while watching Animal Planet, we all tucked into bed – even the droids – and had a great nights sleep.
The next day we were awakened by chants and cheers of the kids yelling that “today is Mickey day”. They were pumped for their Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy and His Pals at Ravellos. With our large party we were seated in a semi-private room which was great for the the abundance of kids 6 and under we had with us who were all hopped up on Mickey excitement. The buffet food is the absolute best I have ever had at a character breakfast and in general was a fabulous brunch buffet. The kids loved meeting Goofy, Mickey and Minnie – baby Catherine we learned has hit her “no character phase” earlier than we thought so she admired them from a distance. The characters are interactive and take their time with each guest. They have photographers ready to capture the moment which takes the pressure off for the parents and everyone can soak in the experience.
After brunch the kids were begging us for more time at the Kids For all Seasons and since it was raining we figured why not? It meant more time for us to enjoy the spa and we knew they’d get tired out before our drive home. Curtis and baby Catherine left at this point to jump on her nap time lining up with the drive home. After a while, we grabbed lunch that we intended to eat on the ride home and went to pick up the kids who begged for us to let them stay for “one more craft”. The weather had changed to the most beautiful Florida day so we agreed and ate our lunch by the pool and finally they were as ready as they’d ever be to leave camp, we gave in to their pleas for pool time and hit the water slide a little bit more before we changed in their convenient departures lounge for those leaving past check out which has showers and lockers.
I’ve been asked a few times about convenience and whether or not it “feels like Disney”. I think you’ll find sweet Disney touches all around, not to mention the on-site character brunch. By and large the “Disneyfication” is subtle – which I think is fine and could even be the preference for some visitors. The other Disney hotel perks like Extra Magic Hours are the same as they would be at any other hotel on property. You can also pick your Fast Passes 60 days before your first trip day, which is the key to doing Disney with as little waiting in line as possible. From a convenience factor, there are a variety of transportation options right at your door but unlike other hotels we frequent – specifically the Swan and Dolphin – you cannot walk to the parks, nor is it on the monorail like the Grand Floridian. Walk-ability has come in easy with a baby, but we would not count as a deal breaker especially when the accommodations are as wonderful as the Four Seasons Orlando. The best sign of a good time is when you’re already plotting your return and our stay at the Four Seasons Orlando is exactly that. I’ve known people to get married there, to have girls trips, our own “friends and family” getaway, and I can even see Curtis and I popping up there for a mom-and-dad break – the only trouble is, we’ll never want to leave the hotel! Curtis and I agree that this property exceeds all expectations in every category. It is a very special place and would be wonderful accommodations for a trip to the theme parks or any fun Florida visit!
