Gaylord Palms - background
Gaylord Palms is a giant Orlando resort, with over 1400 rooms and 2 million square feet, set on 63 acres just a few minutes from Disney World. Signature feature is a 4.5-acre glass-covered atrium with three themed "Best of Florida LIVE!" sections on different aspects of Florida.
The Everglades Atrium has wooden walkways past shanties on stilts; kids will like seeing the alligators. Key West Atrium has a restaurant in a 60-foot sailboat, set on 161,000-gallons of turquoise water over a coral reef. (It even has waves.) St. Augustine Atrium has a "fountain of youth", a replica of the oldest Spanish fort in America, and a separate 362-room luxury portion of the hotel called "Emerald Bay."
Adult pleasures at Gaylord Palms include: Canyon Ranch SpaClub, award-winning restaurants, Falcon's Fire Golf Club.
Gaylord Palms - features for families
- Outdoor Recreation Park - executive putting course, croquet,bocce court, volleyball, family and adults-only swimming pools.
- Marine Activities Pool: for families, with octopus waterslide, zero-entry pool, pop-jet fountains, sand play area.
- La Petite Academy® Kids Station: a large facility for ages 3 to 14; hourly rates, or daily visits. Creation Station for art, Construction Station with LEGO and DUPLO, video game area, soft play zone, and more.*
- Seasonal Events: Gaylord Palms puts a lot of effort into special events. In winter, "ICE!" runs for several months: two million pounds of ice gets transformed into sculptures, ice slides, ice caves and more. ICE is open to the public (--you have to buy a ticket); guests get parkas!
Other seasonal fun has included a Memorial Day weekend "Pirates Treasure Hunt Challenge". Participating families followed clues through the resort; a panel of judges awarded points for the prize.
Find out more about Gaylord Palms:
- read more about Gaylord Palms at About.com
- visit the Gaylord Palms site
- Check prices
- check recent visitors' comments at sites such as TripAdvisor.com
This brief profile is meant to introduce this resort to family vacationers; please note that the writer has not visited in person.
*Always check resort sites for updates.
