Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
Gaylord Palms is built around a glass atrium and a water park rather than a lobby, which changes what the hotel is for.
30-Second Verdict
Book Gaylord Palms if you want a hotel that can hold a family for a whole day, including a wet afternoon. Skip it if you want a quiet resort, because it runs conventions alongside families and is rarely calm.
Quick facts
- Area
- Kissimmee
- Property type
- Convention resort
- Star classification
- 4 star
- Guest score
- 9 out of 10 from 1,058 reviews
- Room occupancy
- Standard room sleeps 4; Suite sleeps 6
- Details checked
- August 2026
Best for
- Families who want a water park attached to the hotel
- Trips that need an indoor plan for Florida afternoons
- Disney-weighted itineraries from the Kissimmee side
- Convention travelers bringing family
Skip it if
- You want a quiet or intimate hotel
- Your week is Universal-focused
- You want to walk to a park
- You are staying two nights and will not use the water park
Location and park fit
Gaylord Palms sits on the Kissimmee side of Walt Disney World, close to the southern Disney entrance. Universal and Epic Universe are a considerably longer drive.
Rooms and family fit
Standard rooms sleep four with suites for six. Many rooms look into the atrium rather than outside, which some guests love and others find odd.
Transport and mobility
Shuttle arrangements have varied at this resort, including being charged rather than free. Confirm the current arrangement with the hotel before planning around it.
Park benefits
None. This is an independent resort with no theme park affiliation.
Pool and rest-day fit
Cypress Springs is a water park rather than a pool, with slides and a dedicated area. Combined with the covered atrium, it makes this the strongest hotel near Disney for a day when the weather or the queues rule out a park.
Cost beyond the room
Resort fees and self-parking charges at this property change and are not published here, because an out-of-date figure is worse than none. Ask the hotel for the all-in nightly total before comparing it with another rate.
Water park access arrangements and hours vary by season and by rate. Confirm what is included for your dates.
You get the best hotel water park near Disney and a resort that works indoors. You give up quiet, and you pay convention-resort rates that swing with the events calendar.
Alternatives worth comparing
Book this hotel
Rates in Orlando move constantly and depend on your dates, so check the current price rather than working from any figure on a website. Confirm resort fees, parking charges and any theme park benefit directly with the hotel or the park before you book.
Hotel details and the guest scores on this page were checked in August 2026.
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Common questions
Does Gaylord Palms have a water park?
Cypress Springs is a water park with slides rather than a pool with a slide attached. Access arrangements and hours vary by season, so confirm what is included for your dates.
Is Gaylord Palms good in bad weather?
It is the strongest hotel near Disney for a wet afternoon, because the covered atrium gives the family somewhere to go when the outdoor areas close.
Does Gaylord Palms have a Disney shuttle?
Shuttle provision here has varied, including being charged rather than included. Confirm the current arrangement with the hotel.