Orlando World Center Marriott [In-Depth Hotel Review] (2024)

^{The author stayed as an invited guest of Orlando World Center Marriott. All opinions are the author’s own, and Orlando World Center Marriott had no input in any part of this review.}

I stayed at the Orlando World Center Marriott on Cinco de Mayo weekend with my best friend. This massive property was packed with amenities and activities, and we enjoyed exploring and eating our way around the resort.

See what’s great about this resort, from its tropical oasis, expansive suites, and numerous dining outlets to its Disney-adjacent location, numerous slides, and the chance to hold a baby alligator.

Booking Orlando World Center Marriott

The Orlando World Center Marriott property is the largest Marriott in the world, spanning 200 acres with more than 2,000 rooms, 28 stories, and over 500,000 square feet of meeting space.

Rates for this hotel started around $300 per night for a Friday to Monday stay like mine.

I stayed in an Ambassador Suite with 2 queen beds and a sofa bed, which goes for $905 per night.

If you’re booking a room with cash, we recommend using one of our favorite Marriott Bonvoy credit cards. If you’re booking with Marriott Bonvoy points, a 1 King Guest Room starts at 83,000 points for a 3-night stay. You’ll also need to pay the taxes and fees, including the resort fee, which comes to $158 for the stay.

Holders of theMarriott Bonvoy Boundless®Credit CardorMarriott Bonvoy Business®American Express®Card can use a 35,000-pointfree night certificate for this property. A single night for a king room is about 25,000 points.

Hot Tip:

Orlando World Center Marriott Location

Orlando World Center Marriott is close to major attractions in Orlando, particularly Walt Disney World Resort. From the balconies in our suite, we could easily see Disney Springs, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT.

The resort is under 4 miles from Disney Springs by car and about 6 miles or less (about 10 minutes by car) from the Disney World parks. SeaWorld Orlando is about 6.5 miles away (about a 15-minute car ride), and Universal Orlando Resort is just over 10 miles (also about 15 minutes by car) away.

Getting There

If you’re flying in, Orlando World Center Marriott is accessible via Orlando International Airport (MCO), Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM), and Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB). Though Kissimmee Gateway Airport is closer (10 miles from the property), MCO (17 miles away) is the airport most visitors fly into. (ISM serves private jets and doesn’t have scheduled passenger service.)

We arrived at MCO in the evening and took a Mears Connect shuttle for about $35 per person round-trip with taxes. Though we had to hike through baggage claim and past the rental car desks to get to the shuttle, it was an easy and efficient ride.

Our shuttle bus was ready and waiting for us and took off just a minute or so after we got on. Mears placed us on a bus with passengers traveling to the same area, so we had just 1 quick stop at another nearby hotel before we were dropped off at Orlando World Center Marriott.

Hot Tip:

Mears Connect was a great way to get from the airport to the resort and back. The customer service was excellent, with regular updates on our driver status and clear communication every step of the way. Our rides were efficient, and the buses were very comfortable.

Checking In

We arrived at the resort a little before 10 p.m., just after the pool’s laser light show ended. The lobby was packed, but checking in took just a few minutes, as the front desk had several agents available.

A separate line was available for Marriott Bonvoy elites.

As we checked in, the front desk agent gave us a quick overview of the property and handed us a dining guide and activity schedule along with the wristbands we needed to get into the resort water park.

Orlando World Center Marriott charged a $42 plus tax daily resort fee, which included Wi-Fi, scheduled shuttle service to Disney parks and Disney Springs, access to River Falls water park and Hawk’s Landing driving range, and 15% off Hawk’s Landing green fees. Note that the resort fee is not waived for Marriott Bonvoy members on award stays.

Lobby

The lobby made a big first impression with a soaring ceiling and a trio of glass elevators in the middle.

Hot Tip:

Wait until the hotel is quiet, either late at night or early in the morning, and take a ride in the glass elevators from the top to the bottom. You’ll feel weightless traveling 28 stories and get a great view of the area.

There was so much natural light from the lobby’s glass ceiling.

The Room

We stayed in an enormous Ambassador Suite. This 1,200-square-foot suite featured a living room with a sofa bed, a dining room, 2 bathrooms, and 2 queen beds. It had 3 balconies — 1 in the bedroom and 2 in the living and dining rooms — with views of the pool and laser light show.

Though it was just me and a friend on this visit, I could have comfortably fit my family of 5 in this room between the beds and sofa bed.

Living and Dining Room

The suite featured a double-door entryway with a closet. The side table with a pair of lamps was a good spot to place keys and other items as we came in and out of the room.

The left side of the closet had an iron and ironing board.

The right side of the closet had a safe and extra blankets.

The living room had a large seating area featuring a sofa bed, chairs, and an ottoman. Beyond that, the balcony doors opened for indoor-outdoor entertainment.

The sofa bed was surrounded by small tables, and we could pull the ottoman over to prop our feet up after a long day!

The entertainment center was well-lit, with an illuminated entertainment center and 2 large floor lamps.

Within the entertainment center were storage drawers and a minifridge.

Beyond the living room into the dining room was a dining table with seating for 8, another TV, and another storage entertainment center. Another balcony was also in this space.

Bedroom

The bedroom featured 2 queen beds, an entertainment center and desk, a chair, a minifridge, a closet, a floor-length mirror, and an en suite bathroom.

The queen beds had a shared main headboard with lighting around it and an additional headboard on the frame. Each bed had a hanging lamp, and a single nightstand was between them.

With their all-white bedding and soft down pillows, we slept great on these beds.

The nightstand between the beds had various papers, including a room service QR code. It also had a phone, an outlet with regular and USB plugs, and an alarm clock with more power and USB plugs. There was a shelf and a good-sized drawer in the nightstand, too.

The entertainment center and desk were across from the beds. An armchair was in the corner near the balcony.

The desk was long with a glass top and a rolling office chair.

The desk had a coffee station with a single-serve coffee maker and a box filled with coffee, cups, tea, creamers, and sugar.

The bedroom had another large, wall-mounted TV, which featured cable channels and streaming. Although we could watch Netflix, YouTube, and Max, Disney+ wasn’t available. We wanted to watch “Avatar” after riding the amazing Avatar Flight of Passage ride at Animal Kingdom. However, we were able to find it on Max.

Below the TV were storage drawers and another minifridge.

Past the TV was a small table with water and ice. The water bottles at the ice bucket were free, but the larger bottles were $6 each.

Toward the master bathroom was a short hallway with a closet and floor-length mirror.

Within the closet was a robe and hanging storage.

The closet also had another luggage rack, a hair dryer, and another safe.

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Bathrooms

The Ambassador Suite featured 2 bathrooms, so my friend and I each had our own bathroom!

Dining Room Bathroom

The first was close to the dining room, not far from the bedroom. It had a toilet, a shower-tub combo, a large countertop with 2 sinks, and an illuminated mirror. A trash can and plenty of towels were under the counter.

Countertop amenities included thisworks soap and body lotion.

The tub combo had an adjustable showerhead, a grab bar, and wall-mounted amenities.

The shower amenities were also from thisworks. featuring shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

This bathroom had a clothesline, a nice feature for hanging wet bathing suits.

Master Bathroom

The master bathroom was down a short hallway connected to the bedroom. It featured another long countertop with 2 sinks, an illuminated mirror, a toilet, and a shower-tub combo.

The vanity area had outlets on both sides. Below the sinks was a stand with numerous towels and a trash can.

The countertop amenities in this bathroom were the same thisworks soap and body lotion. The big dish was nice for jewelry and other small items.

This bathroom did not have a door to close it off entirely as the other bathroom had, but it did have a sliding door to enclose the shower and toilet room for privacy.

The shower had a rainfall showerhead and wavy-textured tile walls. Although I prefer walk-in showers, having 2 bathtubs is a great feature for families with young kids.

This bathroom featured the same wall-mounted thisworks shampoo, conditioner, and body wash as the other bathroom.

Balconies and View

The Ambassador Suite had 3 balconies and an excellent view from each. Whether we were in the living room, dining room, or bedroom, we could slide open the doors, take in fresh air, and peek out at Orlando. Each balcony had 2 chairs.

When we first arrived, the night view of the pool was exciting. We were delighted to see cats climbing the pool’s rock formation and later found out the property cares for outdoor working cats to help with pest control.

The next morning, we were treated to a lovely view of the resort pool and Hawk’s Landing golf course.

Beyond that, we could see more of the resort and the River Falls water park.

From the bedroom balcony, we could clearly see the Aerophile balloon, Planet Hollywood Observatory, and Cirque du Soleil theater of Disney Springs.

Amenities

Orlando World Center Marriott had extensive amenities, including a pool and water park, golf course, miniature golf, arcade, resort activities, and a spa and fitness center.

Pool and Water Park

The major amenity at this resort was the pool. It was divided into 2 spaces: Falls Pool and River Falls water park. Together, the pool and water park had 2 lagoon-style pools, 7 slides (some with their own pools), a lazy river, a splash pad, and a hot tub.

Falls Pool is an enormous lagoon-style heated pool with zero-entry shallows and submerged sun shelves on both sides. It’s open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a laser light show at 9 p.m.

The main pool area was huge, with the lagoon pool, a second level with a splash pad and hot tub, TVs, fountains, slides, and tons of seating with a large pool bar and patio.

With a beach-style entry, it was easy to get into the pool, which featured 3 large screens and several fountains at the edge. These screens showed dive-in movies on select nights.

The pool’s second level featured numerous features, including a splash pad for kids, with a small slide.

Beyond that was a hot tub — which looked Mickey Mouse-shaped to me!

The pool deck also had a chess set.

Cabanas were at the pool level and on the second level. Daybeds and front-row loungers were also available.

Each cabana featured seating, a TV, a fan, a minifridge, and a safe.

The slides, which dropped into separate pools, were on the other side of the rocks. Riders had to be at least 48 inches tall.

Lawn games were in the pool area, including cornhole, checkers, and giant Connect Four. A covered table offered craft activities.

Seating was abundant near the pool, with plenty of loungers surrounding all areas of the pool on the main and second levels.

Some loungers offered umbrellas, too.

Each seat had a tag with a QR code so you could order food to be delivered to the seat.

With heated water and the nightly laser light show, it was fun to visit the pool during the day and at night. The laser light show with music was nightly at 9 p.m.

At the pool entrance, a small shop sold candy and rented tubes for the pool. It also had complimentary chilled water in dispensers.

A towel machine was at the pool entrance. We had to scan our room keys to get towels out. Towels had to be returned to avoid a $25 per towel fee.

Beyond the main pool was River Falls water park, which featured large thrill slides, a splash lagoon, and a lazy river. The park was open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and entry required a wristband that we received at check-in.

The main attraction at River Falls was the large slide tower, which featured 3 innertube waterslides: Boomerango, Tail Spin, and Aquasphere.

Like the main pool, the water park had a beach-style entry and chilled water dispensers. It also had a 575-foot lazy river with tubes below the thrill slides.

An attendant at the entrance helped with life jackets, floaties, and miniature golf supplies.

The water park had plenty of seating, including reserved daybeds and loungers with umbrellas.

Some rooms had patios that led directly to the water park area.

Arcade

Close to the main pool on the first floor was an arcade featuring arcade classics such as air hockey, claw prize machines, and spin games.

The arcade also had Skee-Ball and basketball.

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Miniature Golf

Outside, near the spa, fitness center, and water park, was a miniature golf course. It was very clean and well-maintained.

Golf Course

The on-site Hawk’s Landing Golf Club is a 18-hole championship golf course that is just over 6,200 yards with a par-70 layout.

The resort’s guests get 15% off green fees and can walk to the golf club entrance from the resort’s front and side doors. The resort fee includes a bucket of balls and rental clubs for up to 4 guests.

Spa

Next to River Falls water park was the spa and fitness center.

I didn’t do any spa treatments on this visit, but I was greeted by 2 friendly gentlemen who gave me a quick tour.

The spa lobby had seating and retail shelves.

Within the spa was a locker room. Each locker had a keypad and contained a robe and a couple of towels.

A secondary seating area had complimentary tea with an electric kettle.

A steam room was connected to the locker room and bathroom.

Showers were in the bathroom.

Shelves in the restroom featured additional towels and necessities.

Fitness Center

The fitness center was next door to the spa and was a single large room with numerous treadmills, bikes, weight machines, and free weights.

The fitness center provided lockers, towels, and water.

For outdoor exercise, a running track started at the Hawk’s Landing Golf Club and wound around the property back to the front door. This lovely path was shaded with lots of trees, plants, and flowers.

Parking and Shuttle

Orlando World Center Marriott offered several parking and transportation options, including self-parking, valet, shuttles, and ride-shares.

Parking was $32 per day for self-parking or $50 for valet.

A screen inside the front door offered updates on valet service so guests could wait indoors.

The space had a large, covered drive with at least 6 lanes. These were used for guests unloading and loading, ride-share and taxi pickup, and the resort shuttle.

Ride-shares, taxis, and the hotel shuttle picked up at a covered seating area. Our ride-share drivers had no trouble finding us here.

The resort had a free scheduled shuttle to the Disney parks and Disney Springs. Reservations were required for the shuttle and were available up to 3 days in advance. However, I was able to book the shuttle on the go at Hollywood Studios’ closing time to get back to the hotel.

Hot Tip:

Information Desks

Guests could utilize the local information desk in the lobby to buy tickets to Disney World and other Orlando area theme parks.

Another desk on the pool-level floor had additional information. With signs for vacation packages, this looked like a timeshare desk.

Gift Shops

The property had a couple of gift shops. The small lobby shop featured apparel, small gifts, necessities such as chargers, over-the-counter medication, and snacks.

A larger gift shop downstairs near the pool and pantry had boutique clothing, gifts, bags, jewelry, and more.

Business Center

A small business center near the elevators and close to the conference center had a couple of computer stations, printers, and phones.

Conference Center

The conference center at Orlando World Center Marriott has 500,000 square feet of conference and event space, which is part of what makes this the largest Marriott in the world.

The property has numerous ballrooms, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, more than 100 meeting and event rooms, and outdoor event spaces.

The main conference center space was just off the lobby along a naturally lit hallway.

Among the meeting rooms and ballrooms was a central bar that could be used for events.

Additional meeting and ballroom space was in the North Tower.

Activities

A standout feature at Orlando World Center Marriott was the numerous activities available each day. In addition to the main amenity activities — the pool and water park, golfing, arcade, spa, and fitness center — the resort had daily activities every hour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

When we arrived, we received a schedule detailing the activities available each day for the entire week. There were so many things to do, including aqua fitness, scavenger hunts, movies, arts and crafts, trivia, and fish feeding. Some of the activities required a fee, but there were always at least 4 or 5 free activities available each day.

My favorite activity was the Gatorland Experience. A representative from Gatorland brought a snake, tarantula, baby alligator, and more. My friend had a large ball python around her neck, and we got to hold a baby alligator!

Hot Tip:

There wasn’t a lot of shade at the Gatorland Experience, so arrive early and snag a seat at one of the patio tables with an umbrella!

Margs and Guac Class

In addition to enjoying the restaurants and pantry, we got to participate in the resort’s Cinco de Mayo Margs and Guac class at the chef’s table within the kitchen.

One of the resort’s chefs taught us how to make fresh guacamole. We shook our own margaritas and tasted Lobos Tequila, including the limited-edition anejo and extra anejo aged in sherry barrels.

Food and Beverage

Orlando World Center Marriott has 9 dining options, including a breakfast buffet, room service, pool bar and grill, Italian kitchen, and Japanese steakhouse. We received a sheet at check-in with all of the dining hours so we could keep track of them.

We ate well at this resort, and I was impressed by all of the healthy and flavorful dishes available. It was easy and delicious to eat the rainbow here!

Room Service

Room service is available from 6:30 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily. You can use a QR code on your mobile device to order room delivery.

We arrived late after a delayed flight and had no interest in doing anything but eating and passing out, so room service was perfect for our first night. We ordered a vegetarian banh mi, falafel, and fruit. Although we ordered room service, we didn’t realize until later we could have gone down to the pantry to get these items ourselves — but it was nice to stay settled in the room anyway!

My friend liked her falafel, and we both appreciated the fresh fruit, but I was disappointed by the banh mi. It didn’t have the crusty bread or flavorful pickled and spicy vegetables this sandwich is known for. It was good enough for a late-night meal, but nothing like the banh mi I get at home in the Houston area.

Latitude & Longitude

Latitude & Longitude is the resort’s main restaurant. It offers a daily breakfast buffet from 7 to 11 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a dinner buffet from 5 to 9 p.m. on select evenings.

We could order off the menu or visit the breakfast buffet. There was no question we wanted to hit the huge breakfast buffet! The full breakfast buffet was $34 for adults or $16 for kids 4 to 12. The continental buffet was $24.

A highlight of the breakfast buffet was made-to-order omelets, pancakes, and French toast. At the omelet bar, we could choose a ham and cheddar omelet; a signature omelet with chorizo, bacon, mozzarella, and pico de gallo; an egg-white veggie omelet; or build our own from the toppings available. The Mickey-shaped pancakes were available with or without chocolate chips.

The buffet’s hot items included biscuits and gravy, various sausages, bacon, breakfast potatoes, scrambled eggs and egg bake, and waffles.

The cold buffet featured numerous cut fruits, including strawberries, pineapple, watermelon, grapes, berries, and melons. Overnight oats were also available at this station.

Salads, cold cuts, and cheeses were at what we dubbed the “breakfast charcuterie” station. This station had smoked salmon with tomatoes, red onions, and capers, along with vegetable and pasta salads.

Whole fruits, cereals, fruit water, and yogurt were near the buffet entrance.

The bread station had sliced bread, bagels, English muffins, and pastries including croissants and muffins.

There was a conveyor belt toaster for the bread and bowls of butter and cream cheese next to it. Dispensers contained various jams, jellies, and honey.

We thoroughly enjoyed this breakfast buffet. My friend got a soy milk latte and made a breakfast stack with potatoes, scrambled eggs, cheese, and veggies with fruit and salmon on the side.

I had a delicious breakfast charcuterie plate with fruit, cheese, pasta, salmon, and breakfast potatoes.

A bar was just outside of the restaurant.

Mikado Japanese Steakhouse

Mikado is Orlando World Center Marriott’s Japanese steakhouse with tableside teppanyaki. It’s open daily from 5 to 9 p.m.

Mikado’s menu featured sushi, teppanyaki, and small plates.

The drink menu was just as long as the food menu, with specialty co*cktails, wine, beer, sake, Japanese whiskies, and traditional Japanese Highball.

After spending part of the day in the Orlando heat, I enjoyed the refreshing kappa nomu co*cktail, similar to a mojito, with vodka, aloe liqueur, mint, cucumber, lime, simple syrup, and soda.

Our teppanyaki dishes came with a starter of miso soup served steaming hot.

Another starter was a fresh salad with ginger dressing.

We also ordered a couple of sushi rolls to share. First was a “Beauty and the Beast” roll featuring shrimp tempura, crab salad, and cucumber with eel and tuna. The torched salmon roll featured spicy tuna, salmon, cucumber, spicy mayo, and black tobiko.

Then, the teppanyaki chef fired up the grill with meat and vegetables, putting on a show as he prepared our meals.

I got tuna with noodles, onions, mushrooms, and zucchini. This came out great!

My friend got the salmon, which came with onions and zucchini. She’s allergic to mushrooms, so Mikado prepared her dish separately from the rest of the meals on the grill.

Siro Urban Italian Kitchen

Siro Urban Italian Kitchen is in the lobby and open from 5 to 10 p.m. daily, serving classic Italian food.

We visited Siro for an after-swim snack. With a couple of glasses of prosecco, a beautiful burrata appetizer with heirloom tomatoes, and tiramisu, this was a delicious way to celebrate our last night in Orlando.

Falls Pool Bar & Grill

Falls Pool Bar & Grill is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

As the name suggests, this casual dining outlet featuring tacos and burgers was on the Falls Pool deck. You could order at the shaded bar, from the bar’s patio seating, or from your lounger or cabana at the pool.

The patio was shaded by large umbrellas.

We visited on Cinco de Mayo, so I ordered a classic margarita and chicken tacos to enjoy while watching the laser light show. The chicken tacos didn’t have much flavor, but the margarita was refreshing!

Lobby Bar

The lobby bar is between the front desk and the patio. It’s open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. daily, and sushi is available from 4 to 10 p.m.

The bar had plenty of space, with a long main bar and various seating, including tables and sofa benches.

The seating at the lobby bar extended outside to the patio overlooking the pool, where a few firepits were available.

The sushi bar featured chefs creating sushi rolls, and we could watch it all come together.

High Velocity

The High Velocity sports bar and grill is in the lobby just beyond Siro and is open 4 to 10 p.m. and offers a lunch buffet on select days from 12 to 2 p.m.

Central Pantry

We enjoyed Orlando World Center Marriott’s numerous restaurants, but I was impressed by the huge resort food market featuring shelf-stable and cold snacks, drinks, made-to-order food, and frozen yogurt.

The pantry featured numerous tables with pastries, snacks, and candy, including specialty and allergy-friendly snacks, that could be taken to go.

The cold drink coolers went on forever, with sodas, tea, coffee, kombucha, sparkling water, wines, beer, canned co*cktails, and mixers. In addition to the cooler selection, a few shelves nearby had bottles of liquor and wine.

An open cooler near the drinks had chilled grab-and-go snacks and meals. Another side of the cooler had various sandwiches, including the banh mi I ordered from room service.

Microwaves were available outside of Central Pantry near the arcade for any items guests wanted to heat up.

A hot food menu offered a selection of items that could be prepared hot. At breakfast, this included bagels, eggs, oatmeal, and breakfast sandwiches. Ordering was easy at the kiosk under the digital menu.

I was excited to see ice cream freezers and frozen yogurt in various flavors, perfect for grabbing after swimming at the pool just a few steps away.

Another shelf featured snacks and drinks for Marriott Bonvoy elite members.

A dining area was just outside of the Central Pantry; this is where we could take our food and sit down to eat.

Starbucks

The lobby Starbucks was open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and almost always looked busy!

Service

We felt spoiled rotten at Orlando World Center Marriott. I’m sure some of that had to do with visiting on a media stay, as we were privileged guests and the team made sure we had access to the resort’s best highlights. Still, we experienced great service even when we weren’t being shown around the property. Our front desk experience was efficient and friendly, the bell desk was quick to find bags, the breakfast buffet was always fully stocked, food was delivered quickly and with a smile, and our room was immaculately clean. Every staff member we encountered at the resort was pleasant and helpful.

Final Thoughts

I expected a lot from this massive Marriott resort, and Orlando World Center Marriott delivered. With numerous amenities, activities, dining, and attractions, this was a great place to stay and be entertained. It also had an excellent location, so we were able to take quick trips to Disney parks. This is a great Orlando resort to visit whether you’re hitting theme parks or want to enjoy the pool, water park, and other amenities on the property.