Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World® Resort — Hotel in Bay Lake

My best friend works at the Four Seasons in Fort Lauderdale and we decided to go up to Orlando this weekend to watch the Little Mermaid Premiere at Disney Springs, so she told us she had a free stay at the FS Orlando and we could all have a fun little girls weekend. That’s exactly what we did!

When my friend told me she could get us a free night at a hotel she works at… I wasn’t thinking much of it, I forgot that the four seasons is a LUXURY RESORT. So when we stepped into the hotel I was gobsmacked, it was beautiful. One of the most beautiful hotel/resort/spas I’ve ever seen, much less been to myself.

We were greeted by valet and walked into the luxurious lobby and were then helped by one of the nicest front desk humans I’ve ever met, his name was Brian (SHOUT OUT TO BRIAN!) He was so pleasant and welcoming, very happy to hear we were from Fort Lauderdale and visiting their location. He notified us that we were upgraded to the two-bed suite that we were hoping for and that we would have a balcony with view of the fireworks from all four parks.

He then walked us past the lobby a little bit to show us some amenities including their café Lickety Split, the restaurants they had to offer (including a Michelin star), their boutiques, and the elevators that would take us to our room.

I had already seen a tiktok of what was to offer in the FS Orlando hotel rooms, but still was amazed at all the small details that I’ve personally never experienced in a hotel. A Nespresso machine?! Luxury. A Walk-in closet with slippers and robes? Luxury. A TV for when you’re soaking in the bath tub?! LUXURY!

I was so impressed and I also loved that you had comfortable seating and a table to watch the fireworks on the balcony. We ended up coming back from the movie post-fireworks, but we did enjoy some tea (courtesy of the hot kettle in our room) on the balcony and chatted it up all night about how beautiful this place was and how grateful we were to be there.

The day we checked in, we had also called ahead to make reservations for the Character Breakfast. Online it didn’t show as much availability, so I recommend just giving them a call and making sure they know you’re a guest.

So the next morning we started with our Goofy & Pals breakfast, it was a lot of fun. I recommend doing this if you have kids, we did not, but nonetheless the food was amazing. It was served buffet style, so you could choose what you wanted—but trust me when I say that did not impact the quality of the food whatsoever. Everything was not just “eh” it was very delicious! I recommend the pancakes with their homemade whipped cream and berry compote— delicious! We also had a server order us coffee beverages that we were all obsessed with and yes they have plenty of alternative milks for my dairy-free folks. (I got a cappuccino and finished it very quickly!)

After breakfast, we put our bags into the spa lockers and headed to the pools. Starting at the lazy river with free cabana offers and an attendant to bring us piña coladas! The lazy river was so relaxing. We then headed to the jacuzzis by the family pool and were able to watch a disney movie on the big screen. After that, we checked out the kids area and I really wanted to go on those water slides, so I did and it was a lot of fun— great for all ages!

We finished our pool day at the adult-only “Oasis” and enjoyed some peace and quiet, until we headed back to the spa lockers to shower and get dressed for check out. Check out was SO EASY, my friend who tagged along even mentioned it as we left… that it was the simplest check out she’s ever been privy to (and she’s from Orlando!)

What’s cool is they were even able to tell the valet to pull our car up as we checked out, so we didn’t have to worry about handing them anything as we exited the hotel. Just get in our cars and go.

All this to say, it will be a weekend to remember for the rest of our lives. We felt so pampered and cared for at this location and would recommend it to anyone considering a...

Nine years after my first visit to Four Seasons Orlando, I returned under entirely different circumstances. Still, the results were the same. Excellent property, impeccable service, and a welcome refuge from all that is contemporary Orlando. Located inside the Disney World perimeter, the hotel is in, but not of, the Disney resort. There’s a convenient, complimentary shuttle to the park, so even those who bring a car need not drive down the street and fight for parking. Or I presume so, as I never made it to Disney or Epcot this trip.||I was consumed by getting to the Orange County Convention Center, where literally hundreds of Puma NXTPro teams had converged for the season-ending AAU basketball tournament to see who was worthy of advancing to the PRO16 stage next year. NB, if you do have commitments beyond Disney, the FS is an easy (if often congested) 20-minute drive up I-4 to Sea World, Universal, and Convention Center venues. The rest of Orlando is likewise a suburban-style drive. (Nine years ago, my 17 year-old was 8: itinerary was park-hotel-pool; park-hotel-pool; repeat).||While we didn’t have the kids’ activities on our agenda this past week, I recall them vividly. Lazy river; fully equipped game room, ice cream shop inside the game room; instructors who will teach your son or daughter how to use any game platform like a boss; breakfast with Goofy for select brunches-in short, a kid’s dream come true.|But if you’re an adult looking for an oasis to unwind with a frozen pina colada by the adult pool, this is also your venue of choice. The several different pools (adult, family, baby), plus the lazy river, all make water the primary relaxant. Of course there are tennis courts, a fully equipped spa, luxurious locker rooms, and access to a premier golf course.||Front door and lobby staff are gracious to a fault, such that valet car retrieval was invariably timely. If you have any concerns, calling the valet desk 10 minutes before departure will assuage any anxiety.||The Lobby Bar is well named and well equipped. Ravello on the lower level is home to one of the finest brunches I’ve ever attended, rivaling the pièce de resistance, otherwise known as Four Seasons Hualalai (Kona, Big Island, Hawaii. IYKYK.) I’ve never tried the Italian dinner fare, but all reports were positive. There are several other fine dining options, including one with a Michelin star, but I’m a plebe. PB&G (open air pub overlooking all watering holes), and Lickety Split (café with premium lattes) satisfied my limited palate. There are multiple retail shops off the lobby, but the kids’ clothing venue also carries those incidentals you left at home.||Rooms are spacious, well appointed, with luxurious bathrooms (it’s Four Seasons, after all), and feature balconies overlooking the pool areas (with a distant view of Epcot). But the other side of the hotel oversees a bucolic neighborhood. If you’re wondering about the higher rates for Epcot-facing views, it relates to the ability to watch fireworks (at considerable distance) from your room. If the fireworks are important, take an elevator to the rooftop bar. But your kids won’t settle for anything less than a close-up view of the castle.||I don’t want to single out any of the fine wait staff I encountered, because I’m afraid I’ll miss someone. If you were assigned to my table, or served me by the pool, your personalities and professionalism were totally appreciated. Likewise, it was refreshing to have skilled housekeeping services for a change. Fresh towels daily and turndown service have become a vanishing extravagance.||Hot humid weather is invariably a challenge in Orlando in July. Thankfully, the Four Seasons staff was there to keep everyone cool. If the opportunity presents itself, this is the only place to stay in Orlando. There’s a reason why Goofy always volunteers for the meet-and-greet. He may be Goofy, but he’s not silly. He knows a good thing...

This is the best FSR in all the USA. Maybe Vail comes close 2nd depends on the weather you prefer and the purpose of the trip. I haven't been to the new Napa that could be a contender. The landscape and architecture are beautifully done. The nature preserve is impressive, and the walking trails mimic ones I’ve seen in Colorado, with crossing bridges that look exactly like the ones over the Rio Grande. If you get lucky, deer will be joyfully running around the back trails on a misty day or before dusk. They avoid the humans but are curious, so they let you watch them. The hotel is spectacular. The drive up through Golden Oak feels like you arrived home in your tree-lined neighborhood. The resort is impressively landscaped, and the colors are light, warm tones throughout. There is a separate adult pool, which I use as my girls became older and can run around the property on their own. Since 2014, my girls grew up making cartwheels on their lawns just outside Ravello and taking the treasure hunt map to get their Lickity Split ice cream while thinking the squirrels were their friends. The rooms are spacious, and as always, FSR bedding and linens are the best in any chain. The bathrooms are large, with a modern soaking tub, tv, and two sinks. Lots of room for luggage and storage. Corner rooms have larger walk-out balconies. I always prefer the lake view and the Disney view. That side of the property rooms has the sunsets. There are connecting rooms with a separate door in the corridor connecting them. I’ve stayed here since their opening many times with my family. I’ve stayed here alone also without family. The property caters to both lifestyles. I’ve also brought my dog, and they offer pet amenities and a menu. The shop in the lobby is by far one of the best, with perfectly selected clothing from various brands. It’s like a mall trip in one small store on sight. So you can basically leave on a whim, pack nothing from home, and get anything you need there. The spa is beautifully appointed and excellent and has complete menu with all the features, hot and cold, as well as relaxation areas. If you want a Thai massage, you must ask for it specifically. It’s not something on the menu, although they have one master therapist that does this. The gym is excellent with everything you need and a beautiful view. The pictures online are accurate or, in my opinion, underplayed because, in person, it’s much more of a beautiful property. They have character breakfast on Saturdays, so there is no need to visit characters in the park. CB is done very tastefully here. Although this property offers so much, they have captured simplicity at its finest. My favorite, of course, is Capa. Please order the churros at the end and ask for the ice cream and 1994 PX over it. Amex FHR offers terrific amenities, and they are great at honoring them. Chase Sapphire also. Tragically, LBC, although it advertises FSR as one of theirs, does not have special amenities with this property. I'm not going to say the other reviews with lower scores are fake but this property is nothing like those described by some reviews with complaints of damp floor, looks dated or bland food. That's not the case at all. The hotel has amazing food throughout, clean, you can eat off the floor, styled traditional modern transitional with European modern influence. There is construction on the Golden Oak side. The staff is fantastic throughout, from the drive-up security, valets, room service and housekeeping, bell, front desk, concierge, Disney desk, hosts, servers, and pool attendants. Everyone is helpful polite and kind. If there is a thing I would change is reduce the night by 10 to 25%. Also, add the amenities Amex FHR offers add a loyalty program for those that book through the...