wasting away in margaritaville orlando resort

Ordinarily, Margaritavillle Orlando Resort would not be my preferred choice of destination. I’m less into resorts and more into adventure vacations. However, Mr PugRunner is my polar opposite and loves gorgeous hotels with all the amenities and appointments. On this Travel Tuesday, let’s take a look at this tropical paradise, settled in the heart of central Florida.

About Margaritaville Resort Orlando

The Jimmy Buffett inspired property can be found about five mile from Walt Disney World, off Highway 192. It’s a slightly less-congested area than the Disney properties or I-Drive, which is definitely a huge benefit. The acreage is split between a multi-towered resort building, as well as sherbet-colored vacation homes and rentals on pretty plant lined streets.

The two entrances are gated, and across the street from the front entrance is a complex called Promenade at Sunset Walk. It’s an easy walk to restaurants, shopping, a comedy club, and small outdoor entertainment venue.

Where To Stay

Margaritaville Resort offers two kinds of accommodations: resort hotel rooms, or cottage/house villas. For larger groups and longer stays, the cottage approach is definitely the way to go, but we were absolutely fine with our pool view tower room.

The lobby and common areas of the hotel are stunning, with large, colorful art installations, and a Key West vibe. It also helped that we were visiting during a quiet weekend, so we had time to take everything in. Everything is themed (yes, those are margarita glasses hanging from the ceiling), and everything caters to even the most discerning Parrothead.

All rooms open with a touch from the wristband issued at check-in. The bands were comfortable, light, and waterproof, so much easier than a key card.

We were stunned to find that the rooms were huge, bright, and spotless. Honestly, this was one of the most spacious, beautiful rooms we’ve ever stayed in. From the comfortable beds to the modern bathroom, to the fabulous view from the balcony, we were blown away.

The resort boasts two pools, a kids’ club, fitness center, spa, and several restaurants and bars. There are plenty of onsite activities and things to do, which makes the hotel a destination unto itself.

If you’re a Florida or Georgia resident, be sure to take a look at the hotel’s special rates. We were able to get a discount on our two night package, as well as two complimentary cocktails from the bar, and these lovely charcuterie board delivered to the room.

Where To Dine in at Margaritaville Orlando Resort

We didn’t have a bad meal the entire weekend, and we made sure to experience it all.

Provisions is a grab and go store, offering quick meals and snacks, as well as drinks and other sundries. We had breakfast one day and lunch another. Both meals were delicious and filling.

Euphoria Fish House is the fine dining restaurant on property. We loved our breakfast the first morning, and we ended up getting dinner there as well. At first, I wasn’t thrilled with the menu, but since it was raining, we didn’t want to venture out. I ended up absolutely enjoying every bite of that meal, as well as the live music coming from the lounge by the bar up front.

We made use of The Salty Rim, the poolside bar and grill, and it was excellent. I couldn’t resist a few margaritas, and I highly recommend purchasing the reusable cups, as they come with discounted refills. It’s a big cost savings if you’re going to order more than two cocktails and they are good for the course of your trip.

The Promenade at Sunset Walk is a quick walk from the resort. Mr PugRunner had a craving for Italian, so we visited Capone’s and gorged ourselves on bruschetta and pasta and good wine. It was totally worth it.

What To Do At The Resort

Since we planned to spend our time at the resort, we tried to take advantage of things the resort has to offer.

Even though the weather wasn’t great, we spent a lot of time at the pool. The water was lovely and I particularly enjoyed sitting out with a book and relaxing.

On our full day at the resort, we rented a cabana, right on the side of the pool. It was perfect, because we had a dedicated server for the day, and when it rained, we were able to chill out inside instead of heading back to the room. I highly recommend it.

There are activities held at the pool during the day, and we participated in a superhero movie trivia contest. There was a three-way tie for first place, and A won the tiebreaker by correctly identifying the theme music to Black Panther (in about five notes). For his efforts, we won a round of frozen drinks (non-alcoholic for him, of course). Some of the other activities were canceled due to storms, but it’s nice they are regularly scheduled for guests.

For those who want to visit the theme parks, take advantage of the resort shuttles to get there and back. We didn’t need to touch our car the entire time we were there, and it was so nice.

Where To Run

Running at the resort was easy as pie. I could choose to run on treadmills at the fitness center (I did not), or weave through the paths and streets of the property.

There was a mix of street and sidewalk, but it all felt very safe and easy enough to stay away from vehicular traffic. I had no problem getting in some decent mileage, and had lots of flexibility to vary things up.

Final Thoughts?

Our family loved our three days in paradise. The service at the hotel was spot on and we enjoyed the royal treatment during our time. There are so many big resorts to choose from in the Orlando area, and I have to say this was probably one of the best we’ve visited. There were a few limitations due to COVID protocols (no room service, housekeeping upon request, and limited hours for some of the amenities), but that didn’t cramp our style. Margaritaville Orlando Resort is perfect for an intimate weekend, or a longer trip with a bigger group.

Have you visited any of the Margaritaville Resorts?

Do you ever take resort vacations where you don’t plan to leave the property?