Villa or hotel is one of the biggest Orlando decisions, and we’ve done both plenty of times.
If you asked what we normally choose for a longer family trip, it’s a villa. But there are definitely trips where we’d choose a hotel, and our favourite option can actually be a bit of both.
Why we love villas
Space. Honestly, that’s the main thing.
Separate bedrooms, proper living space, a kitchen, washing machine, somewhere to throw all the shopping bags and, ideally, your own pool. For a family or bigger group, it can make two weeks feel much more like a holiday and much less like everyone slowly losing their minds in one hotel room.
We’ve stayed around Davenport, Clermont and Kissimmee, and for first-time visitors we particularly like the Kissimmee/Four Corners sort of area because there’s loads nearby.
But check the exact location
Do not book purely because a listing says “minutes from Disney”. Florida minutes can apparently operate under a different system of mathematics.
Put the actual address or community into Maps and check realistic driving times to the places you’ll visit most.
When hotels win
If we’re doing a very Disney-heavy trip, staying onsite can be brilliant. We’ve stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Grand Floridian, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Art of Animation, Coronado Springs and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness.
Beach Club and Yacht Club are particular favourites because being able to walk towards EPCOT is just ridiculously convenient.
Universal hotels can make loads of sense too, especially when the hotel includes useful park perks. Always check exactly what your hotel and dates include before assuming.
Our favourite compromise
A split stay.
Do a few nights onsite where you can make the most of the resort and transport, then move into a villa for the space, pool and slower part of the holiday.
You get the fun of staying in the Disney or Universal bubble without paying onsite prices for the entire trip.
If you book a villa directly
We love direct bookings, but verify everything. Check reviews, get a proper contract, make sure you know exactly who you’re paying and use a payment method that gives you appropriate protection.
Also ask about the extras before you compare prices: pool heat, cleaning, security deposits and any resort or community fees.
What would we choose? For a two-week family holiday, usually a villa or a split stay. For a short park-heavy trip, we’d seriously consider staying onsite.