The Grove Resort & Water Park

[friedela]

Has anyone stayed there? It has great reviews and the property looks like a ton of fun. It looks like it is a Disney Good Neighbour hotel and transportation to the parks is provided.

 

[sanglee23]

We stayed there 2.5 years ago and again this fall. The resort seemed newer than some others so that was nice. The pool area is huge and the slides and lazy river are fun. There’s also a spray park but that section wasn’t heated, and we were there in dec, so didn’t spend much time there. You could also order food and drinks at the pool area which was nice. And they had better options than the standard burgers, chix fingers, etc. I remember the tacos being good.

They also had Santa there when we were there and there was an activity room where my kids made xmas ornaments. Kids could also watch movies and draw, etc there. We also spent some time at the game room which was kind of like a small Chuck E. Cheese-type place where you redeem tickets for small prizes

They also had a couple other restaurants and a cafe on site where we would grab coffee. There was also a small convenience store as well. It took about 15-20 min to drive to Disney depending on where you’re going. We didn’t use the shuttle bc it didn’t run very often.

We liked it overall and our kids loved it, which is why we’re going back. Just a caveat that everything I wrote was true as of 2.5 years ago.

 

[friedela]

We stayed there 2.5 years ago and again this fall. The resort seemed newer than some others so that was nice. The pool area is huge and the slides and lazy river are fun. There’s also a spray park but that section wasn’t heated, and we were there in dec, so didn’t spend much time there. You could also order food and drinks at the pool area which was nice. And they had better options than the standard burgers, chix fingers, etc. I remember the tacos being good.

They also had Santa there when we were there and there was an activity room where my kids made xmas ornaments. Kids could also watch movies and draw, etc there. We also spent some time at the game room which was kind of like a small Chuck E. Cheese-type place where you redeem tickets for small prizes

They also had a couple other restaurants and a cafe on site where we would grab coffee. There was also a small convenience store as well. It took about 15-20 min to drive to Disney depending on where you’re going. We didn’t use the shuttle bc it didn’t run very often.

We liked it overall and our kids loved it, which is why we’re going back. Just a caveat that everything I wrote was true as of 2.5 years ago.

Thanks for your review! I would be interested to hear what your experience is like again. Did you book it as a package? Also, does this resort give you early fastpass + access? I phoned the resort to ask and the lady answering had no idea what a fastpass was. I know fastpass+ is suspended right now, but when you went in the past did you have early access?

 

[sanglee23]

Thanks for your review! I would be interested to hear what your experience is like again. Did you book it as a package? Also, does this resort give you early fastpass + access? I phoned the resort to ask and the lady answering had no idea what a fastpass was. I know fastpass+ is suspended right now, but when you went in the past did you have early access?

Unfortunately we won’t be back until November but if anyone has been there more recently, I’d love to hear their thoughts as well.

I booked it separately through Expedia. They were running a sale that made it a little cheaper than booking directly. Re: fast passes, I don’t think you get early access through the resort. At least you didn’t when I was there last time. For better or worse, you don’t really feel like you’re right next to Disney.

The resort is pretty big. That’s good in the sense that it’s quieter and feels more relaxed than places trying to squish everything into a smaller plot of land. It feels more like a resort than a hotel. It’s bad in the sense that your room could be located far away from where you want to go such as the pool.

 

[friedela]

Unfortunately we won’t be back until November but if anyone has been there more recently, I’d love to hear their thoughts as well.

I booked it separately through Expedia. They were running a sale that made it a little cheaper than booking directly. Re: fast passes, I don’t think you get early access through the resort. At least you didn’t when I was there last time. For better or worse, you don’t really feel like you’re right next to Disney.

The resort is pretty big. That’s good in the sense that it’s quieter and feels more relaxed than places trying to squish everything into a smaller plot of land. It feels more like a resort than a hotel. It’s bad in the sense that your room could be located far away from where you want to go such as the pool.

There doesn't seem to be many people who have heard of it, even when I called Disney to try to book it as a package the cast member had to put me on hold twice to try to find any info on it. I wonder why it isn't as well known.. maybe just because as you said it is father away. Can I ask why you are drawn to The Grove moreso than other good neighbour hotels? You mentioned being farther away from Disney and the hotel property being larger and more relaxed. Do you prefer to be away from the magic?

 

[sanglee23]

There doesn't seem to be many people who have heard of it, even when I called Disney to try to book it as a package the cast member had to put me on hold twice to try to find any info on it. I wonder why it isn't as well known.. maybe just because as you said it is father away. Can I ask why you are drawn to The Grove moreso than other good neighbour hotels? You mentioned being farther away from Disney and the hotel property being larger and more relaxed. Do you prefer to be away from the magic?

Sure. I liked the fact that the property seems newer and fresher than comparable properties. The furniture in the suites, the carpets, the common areas, all seemed a little cleaner and more modern. The grounds are well kept. Of course, it doesn’t compare to the Waldorf or anything but just compared to similar properties.

As for the distance, we love Disney and the magic that you refer to. What I meant was that it just feels spacious and relaxing in a way that might be tougher to find, or at least much more expensive, if you were right next to Disney. Of course ideally I would love it if I could get a place like the grove right next to the contemporary for the same price!

But since we accepted the trade offs of staying off site, the distance really isn’t an issue for us. If we’re going to be driving anyway, it doesn’t really make a big difference to drive 15 min versus 10 min, you know? It’s actually taken me a much shorter time to get back and forth than when I stayed on site and had to rely on Disney buses. We do lose the Disney ambiance on pool days but we usually drive into Disney springs or the boardwalk area in the evenings for dinner on those days just to get more of the Disney vibe.

 

[sanglee23]

Sure. I liked the fact that the property seems newer and fresher than comparable properties. The furniture in the suites, the carpets, the common areas, all seemed a little cleaner and more modern. The grounds are well kept. Of course, it doesn’t compare to the Waldorf or anything but just compared to similar properties.

As for the distance, we love Disney and the magic that you refer to. What I meant was that it just feels spacious and relaxing in a way that might be tougher to find, or at least much more expensive, if you were right next to Disney. Of course ideally I would love it if I could get a place like the grove right next to the contemporary for the same price!

But since we accepted the trade offs of staying off site, the distance really isn’t an issue for us. If we’re going to be driving anyway, it doesn’t really make a big difference to drive 15 min versus 10 min, you know? It’s actually taken me a much shorter time to get back and forth than when I stayed on site and had to rely on Disney buses. We do lose the Disney ambiance on pool days but we usually drive into Disney springs or the boardwalk area in the evenings for dinner on those days just to get more of the Disney vibe.

I also forgot to mention the pool area as one of the deciding factors. The water slides are definitely legitimate slides that are a step up from typical resort slides. And we just really like lazy rivers. With younger kids and the fact that we’re coming from colder climates, a nice pool area is a big plus for us. It might not be as big of a deal for people who are used to being able to swim year round.

 

[keishashadow]

I also forgot to mention the pool area as one of the deciding factors. The water slides are definitely legitimate slides that are a step up from typical resort slides.

The only reason I stumbled across the resort online was searching for a flow rider For GD. It would basically be an ‘add-on’ to existing trip onsite at WDW. My dates there is a two night minimum. Other dates I’ve checked have three at times.

perhaps I was looking at different review sites but, majority I read were non-complimentary. Issues with cleanliness etc, lack of staffing. deal breakers for me, perhaps they are just a bit slow coming back to life after covid???

Gaylord palms is another i’m Watching, new water park facilities there along with the vibe of resort look lovely if you can catch a good rate.

 

[sanglee23]

The only reason I stumbled across the resort online was searching for a flow rider For GD. It would basically be an ‘add-on’ to existing trip onsite at WDW. My dates there is a two night minimum. Other dates I’ve checked have three at times.

perhaps I was looking at different review sites but, majority I read were non-complimentary. Issues with cleanliness etc, lack of staffing. deal breakers for me, perhaps they are just a bit slow coming back to life after covid???

Gaylord palms is another i’m Watching, new water park facilities there along with the vibe of resort look lovely if you can catch a good rate.

Yeah I was there a couple years ago so things could have changed. And I think a lot of places are having trouble staffing so it wouldn’t surprise me to see that being an issue. It seems like the reviews on TripAdvisor are generally still pretty good FWIW.

Oh I would stay at the Gaylord too if that works with your budget. But that’s about twice as much per night for 1 br than a 2 br at the grove. I was just comparing the grove to similarly priced properties.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I have stayed at the Gaylord Palms in Dallas area with grandchildren many times. I live in Orlando area currently ,nearby the Gaylord Palms ... my new favorite:
Recently booked for holidays (My birthday) and Halloween. I meant to visit for Easter.... this resort knows how to theme for year round Holiday events! And the best is booking the interior atrium view with balcony.
A 1 or 2 night stay so fun & relaxing. Lots of families seem to enjoy sitting on balcony , reading or people watching with French Doors open wide and no worries about bugs, storms and nightly rooftop dome light show themed with music .

Anyway my last visit the new water park extension had just opened and I did see the flow rider if that is surfboard simulated waves ? ? Also noticed they have instructor and a special designed board with handle for younger children’s first time...
I guess this place is popular for families that want to staycation too.
Love Gaylord Palms Resort
When do you plan to visit? Hope you find a discount.

Sorry Idont know about the Grove Resort but might just have to check it out with great responses.

 

[MJtwinmom]

I came across this and I’m currently staying at the Grove. My family and I are DVC members but we only use that for our Disney trips in January. We came to Orlando to do Legoland and Sea World. Staying Thursday thru Monday. We booked a 3 bedroom/2 bath for 5 people.... three kids (5, 5, &12) plus my husband and I. Rooms are nice but do have a few lights that didn’t work including the second bathroom. Hallways are very narrow and not air conditioned. Resort layout is a bit funky with some wear. Doing a resort day tomorrow so I can’t speak about the pool just yet. As I stayed we did not do Disney parks but we did go to Disney Springs. Resort is only about a 15-20 min drive. We did rent a car so we stopped at Target to get food and that was only a 10min drive away. Hope this helps.

 

[Belleismyfavorite]

We just came back from a week stay. Overall we were very happy with our choice. We had a 3 bedroom/2 bath for me, DH, DS and DD. The kitchen and living room areas are big with plenty of room to hang out and eat. The kitchen is fully stocked including dishwasher, dishes, silverwear, pans toaster and coffee maker (not Keurig). Washer/Dryer in a small room off kitchen. Screen in tiny porch with room for two chairs. Housekeeping comes by once a day to empty trash and provide new towels, paper towel, TP. Full clean including sheet changes comes mid week. That was fine by us. In fact we threw towels in the washing machine and dryer when they got backed up.

The grounds are lovely and well kept. The pools are clean and heated with plenty of chairs. The only day we had to hunt for a chair was Sunday, the rest of the time the pool was busiest after 6 when people came back from the parks. The water park is very busy but the slides and Lazy river were fun.

Both pool area and Water Park have food and drink service. The food is typical pub style and was good. The restaurant on-site has a very limited menu so after one night you probably will get bored. They have a place that makes sandwiches and pizza along with pre-made salads and coffee drinks. About what you were expect in pricing.

They also have a dock where you can fish and take out Kayaks. DH and DS went fishing a few days and we did a boat tour that was nice. There is also a game room for the kids which includes a mini, mini golf course.

There is a bus that goes to the parks that leaves early and comes back late (different times for different parks) if you need it. There were also lots of uber and lyfts showing up.

The one draw back is the interior of the resort is incredibly difficult to maneuver - like I got lost every single day. They really should do more to let people know where they are going - the signage is small and honestly I felt like a mouse in a maze every time I left the room!