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Margaritaville Resort Orlando is a Jimmy Buffett-inspired resort in Kissimmee, a short drive southwest of Walt Disney World’s theme parks, that combines a 265-room hotel, a neighborhood of rentable cottages and villas, Island H2O Water Park next door and the Promenade at Sunset Walk dining district. When the water park is open, you can spend a day on the slides, eat dinner and catch a movie without moving the car.
The details matter, though: the water park is seasonal and opens only on weekends in the fall, free admission depends on paying the full resort fee, and the theme park shuttles run on a fixed, reservation-only timetable. This guide covers each of those, based on the resort’s and the water park’s published terms at the time of writing.
Quick answer: Couples and families of up to four do best in a pool-view hotel room; families of five or six should book the one-bedroom two-queen suite; large families and groups get a full kitchen, a washer/dryer and room for up to 18 guests in a Margaritaville Cottage. The full resort fee covers Island H2O admission on the days the park is open during its March to October season, and guests get free, reservation-only shuttles to Disney, Universal and SeaWorld. If you want early entry at Disney or flexible park hours without a car, stay elsewhere.
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Margaritaville Resort Orlando at a glance
- Area: 8000 Fins Up Circle, Kissimmee, FL 34747, off US-192 near State Road 429, next to the Promenade at Sunset Walk.
- To the parks: Free scheduled shuttles to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando (including Epic Universe) and SeaWorld, covered by the resort fee; reservations required. The resort’s FAQ puts Walt Disney World 10 to 15 minutes away by car and Universal and SeaWorld 20 to 25 minutes.
- Park perks: Listed by the resort as a Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel, but not eligible for Disney’s Early Theme Park Entry; no Universal perks.
- Rooms: 265 hotel rooms and suites (470 sq ft rooms sleep 2 or 4; one-bedroom two-queen suites sleep 6), plus one- to eight-bedroom cottages for 4 to 18 guests and two- to four-bedroom villas.
- Breakfast: Not part of the resort fee; Provisions sells grab-and-go food, and some direct-booking offers (such as Sunrise To-Go at the time of writing) add a breakfast sandwich and coffee per person.
- Pools and water: Three heated pools at the Fins Up Beach Club; Island H2O next door, free with the full resort fee on its operating days during the 2026 season (March 6 to October 31, weekends only in the fall).
- Resort fee and parking: $48 plus tax per room, per night for the hotel (cottage fees vary by size); hotel self-parking $20 plus tax per vehicle, per night, valet $45 plus tax, at the time of writing.
- Check-in: 4 p.m.; check-out 11 a.m. The guest named on the reservation must be at least 21.
- Best for: Water park families, big groups renting a cottage, and anyone who wants restaurants and nightlife next door.
The property has three parts: the hotel around the Fins Up Beach Club lagoon pools, a neighborhood of cottages and villas, and the commercial side with Island H2O and Sunset Walk. Your main decisions are where you sleep and whether the water park is open on your dates.
Margaritaville Resort Orlando photos
A closer look at the hotel’s rooms, lobby, pools and dining from its own photo gallery. Tap any photo to enlarge it, or see the full gallery and current rates on Booking.com.
Hotel rooms vs. Margaritaville Cottages
Hotel rooms and cottages can both be booked through the resort’s website (the cottages are rented through its partners Rentyl and V Stays), and both qualify for the Island H2O perk when the full resort fee is paid. What changes is space, kitchen access and fees.
| Option | Sleeps | Kitchen | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pool view room, 1 king | 2 | Fridge, coffee maker | Couples |
| Pool view room, 2 queens | 4 | Fridge, coffee maker | Families of four |
| 1-bedroom suite, 2 queens | 6 | Fridge, coffee maker | Families of five or six |
| 1-bedroom cottage | 4 | Full kitchen | Longer stays |
| 3-bedroom cottage | 8 | Full kitchen | Two families together |
| 8-bedroom cottage | 18 | Full kitchen | Reunions and large groups |
Hotel rooms and suites
Standard pool-view rooms are 470 square feet with one king or two queens, a furnished balcony or patio overlooking the lagoon pool, and a walk-in shower. The resort lists a refrigerator, coffee/tea maker, safe and free Wi-Fi; its amenity list does not include a microwave or kitchenette. Resort-view king and queen rooms are also available.
The one-bedroom two-queen pool-view suite is the family upgrade: 940 square feet with two queens plus a sofa bed, for up to six. Other options include a one-bedroom king suite, a deluxe king suite with three private balconies, a king studio suite, a Hospitality Suite and a Presidential Suite with a full kitchen. Several room types come in accessible versions.
Check Margaritaville Resort Orlando prices on Booking.com
Margaritaville Cottages and Villas
The cottages are vacation homes, not timeshares; the resort’s FAQ says you rent them for short stays the way you book a hotel. They run from a one-bedroom (at least 660 square feet, king bed plus sofa bed, sleeps 4) to eight bedrooms for 18. The one-bedroom listing includes a fully equipped kitchen, a washer/dryer and, true to the brand, a Margaritaville frozen drink maker. Bigger cottages come in tiers; for three bedrooms the resort lists Premium, Elite (private pool), Water’s Edge (sandy beach access and a lake-view balcony) and Water’s Edge with Pool. Two- to four-bedroom villas sleep 6 to 10.
- Resort fee: Set by unit size and included in the rate shown: $34.40 per night for a one-bedroom, $41.29 for a three-bedroom and $58.50 for an eight-bedroom at the time of writing.
- Housekeeping: Daily service costs extra.
- Parking: Two spaces in front of the cottage, with no separate fee listed. Community bylaws bar street parking, so extra vehicles go to the hotel’s self-parking or valet, where the nightly fee applies.
- Shuttles: The resort’s fee list for hotel and cottage guests includes the theme park shuttles, which you reserve the same way as hotel guests.
Cottages also appear on vacation rental sites. The resort’s water park FAQ says Airbnb bookings generally do not include Island H2O admission unless the unit is managed by Rentyl or V Stays, so if you book anywhere other than the resort, Margaritaville Cottages Orlando or V Stays, confirm the resort fee, water park and shuttle terms in writing before you pay. For other multi-bedroom stays, see our comparison of 2- and 3-bedroom suites near Disney World.
Island H2O Water Park: what’s included
Island H2O is a separately operated water park about 0.2 miles from the resort, with what it calls more than 20 experiences: the Live! Lagoon wave pool, the Chat Creek lazy river, slides such as Reply Racers, Live Streaming and Hashtag Heights, two kids’ areas (Candy Stripe Cove and Pelican’s Paradise), the Level Up sports zone and Private Domain, a pool area for ages 21 and up that opens Fridays to Sundays.
- Who gets in free: The resort says all guests who pay the full resort fee, in the hotel or the Cottages and Villas, receive complimentary admission during the 2026 season, valued at $65.99 per person, per day. The front desk issues one voucher per registered guest for each day you plan to go, including check-in and check-out days, which you exchange for tickets at the park entrance.
- Season: The 2026 season runs from March 6 to October 31, but the park does not open every day: after daily summer hours, its calendar showed Friday-to-Sunday opening only from mid-September through October. It is closed from November to February (the resort’s pools are heated year-round), and 2027 dates had not been published at the time of writing.
- Hours: Opening is 10:30 a.m., with closing between 5 and 7 p.m. depending on the date, and the park says dates and times can change without notice.
- Still extra: Lockers ($14 to $27), cabanas and towels, which the park does not provide. Hotel-stay tickets cover daytime hours only, not night events. No outside food or drinks except for baby, allergy or medical needs.
- Dress code: The park sits within Sunset Walk, so cover-ups and shoes are required when you walk to or from it.
One caution: an older answer in the resort’s FAQ still says passes are bought separately. The homepage, the resort’s water park page and the water park’s own site all describe free admission with the full resort fee, so the perk appears current, but confirm it when you book, especially on discounted or package rates. If the water park is the main draw, compare our list of Orlando hotels with water parks and waterslides.
Pools, restaurants and the lobby
The lobby sets the tone with palm trees under a beamed ceiling and a giant red flip-flop sculpture. Out back, the Fins Up Beach Club has three heated pools: License to Chill (dawn to dusk) and Fins Left and Fins Right (9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday), per the resort’s posted hours. There are private cabanas for rent and surrey bikes from $25 per 30 minutes at the time of writing.
- Euphoria: Upscale seafood with a show kitchen and lounge.
- Tapas by Euphoria: Small plates, cocktails and wine for sharing.
- Salty Rim Bar & Grill: Poolside burgers, hot dogs and margaritas.
- Provisions: Grab-and-go sandwiches, wraps and salads, handy before an early shuttle.
- Room service: Delivered from select nearby restaurants through an ordering platform.
You will also find St. Somewhere Spa, the 24-hour Fins Up Fitness Center, live music at the Euphoria lounge and Salty Rim, lobby music on Fridays and Saturdays, and a Cotton Candy ATM in the lobby.
Getting to Disney, Universal and SeaWorld
The resort runs complimentary shuttles to the four Walt Disney World theme parks, Universal Orlando’s three theme parks and SeaWorld. These are the times the operator, Firefighters All Services, listed in its booking system for October 28 and November 18, 2026, with a $0.00 fare. The resort’s transportation page may still show its schedule updated January 7, 2026 (Disney runs at 9:05, 10:25 and 12:35), so check current times before planning your park days. Note the drop-off points: Magic Kingdom and EPCOT shuttles use Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center, so you finish the trip by monorail or ferry.
| Park | Leaves resort | Returns from park | Drop-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Kingdom | 9:15, 10:40 a.m. | 5:30, 9:15, 10:30 p.m. | Transportation and Ticket Center |
| EPCOT | 9:15, 10:40 a.m. (same bus) | 5:30, 9:15, 10:30 p.m. | Transportation and Ticket Center (monorail to EPCOT) |
| Hollywood Studios | 10:40 a.m., 12:30 p.m. | 5:15, 9:00, 10:15 p.m. | Charter bus parking |
| Animal Kingdom | 9:15 a.m. | 5:45 p.m. | Charter bus parking |
| Universal Studios / Islands of Adventure | 7:20 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | Charter bus parking |
| Epic Universe | 7:20 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. | Charter bus parking |
| SeaWorld | 7:20 a.m. | 6:45 p.m. | Charter bus parking |
- Reservations: Required for every ride, from 24 hours to 1 hour before departure, online or at the lobby concierge desk; you need a voucher to board.
- Capacity and rules: The resort warns that shuttles fill up, and groups of 10 or more cannot use them. Strollers, luggage, food and drinks are not allowed on board.
- Timing: The first Disney shuttle in the operator’s system leaves at 9:15 a.m. (9:05 on the resort’s January schedule), so you will usually arrive after opening, later still at Magic Kingdom once you add the monorail or ferry. Universal, Epic Universe and SeaWorld have one return trip, so staying late means a ride-share back.
- Driving: Disney’s standard theme park parking is $35 per day at the time of writing, so a car makes sense mainly for rope drop or park hopping.
- Airport: The resort says it has no direct airport shuttle and suggests ride-hailing; the concierge can help arrange transportation.
Margaritaville is not among the non-Disney hotels whose guests get Disney’s 30-minute Early Theme Park Entry; see our list of non-Disney hotels with Early Theme Park Entry. For a more frequent park bus, compare our roundup of Orlando hotels with free Disney World shuttles.
Promenade at Sunset Walk
Sunset Walk is the open-air district next to the resort, with more than two dozen restaurants, shops and attractions. At the time of writing they include Estefan Kitchen, Rock & Brews, The Wharf at Sunset Walk, El Jefe, Bahama Buck’s shaved ice, River Street Sweets, Studio Movie Grill with in-seat dining, and the GameTime arcade. The Promenade Plaza Stage hosts live music nightly, and show cars line the Promenade on Saturday evenings. Prices and hours are set by each venue.
Resort fee, parking and other costs
These are the main charges on top of the room rate, as published by the resort at the time of writing.
| Charge | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel resort fee | $48 + tax per room, per night | Covers shuttles, pools, Wi-Fi |
| Cottage resort fee | $34.40 to $58.50 + tax per night | Varies by unit size |
| Hotel self-parking | $20 + tax per vehicle, per night | Valet $45 + tax per night |
| Cottage parking | No fee listed | Two spaces at the cottage |
| Dogs in the hotel | $75 + tax per night | Max $300 per stay |
| Dogs in a cottage | $40 per night per dog | Max two dogs |
| Incidental hold | $50 per night, up to $300 | Card pre-authorization |
Dogs must be 30 pounds or less, and smoking in rooms, on balconies or in cottages carries a $250 fee. If mandatory fees are a dealbreaker, see our list of Orlando hotels with no resort fees.
Best for and not ideal for
Best for
- Families visiting in spring or summer, when Island H2O opens most days, who will use it on several days.
- Large and multigenerational groups who want one cottage with a kitchen and laundry instead of several hotel rooms.
- Travelers with a dog of 30 pounds or less.
- Visitors who want restaurants, a cinema and live music next door after a park day.
Not ideal for
- Rope-drop fans without a car, since the earliest Disney shuttle in the operator’s booking system leaves at 9:15 a.m.
- Universal-focused trips: Universal is about 16 miles away (the resort quotes 20 to 25 minutes by car) and the shuttle has one return time.
- Visitors counting on the water park in winter, when it is closed, or on fall weekdays, when it was closed at the time of writing.
- Tight budgets, once the $48 resort fee and $20 parking are added each night.
Nearby alternatives
- The Grove Resort & Water Park: Suites with kitchens and an on-site water park, west of Disney in Winter Garden.
- Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites – Waterpark: An all-suite resort with one- to three-bedroom suites and the Surf & Splash water park, near Lake Buena Vista.
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Sunset Walk: On the same Sunset Walk site; the water park lists it as qualifying for free Island H2O admission with the full resort fee.
- More options: Our guide to the best hotels in Kissimmee covers other resorts and suite hotels along US-192.
Frequently asked questions
Is Island H2O free for Margaritaville Resort Orlando guests?
Yes, with conditions. At the time of writing, hotel, cottage and villa guests who pay the full resort fee get complimentary Island H2O admission for every registered guest during the 2026 season (March 6 to October 31), on the days the park operates. It is closed in winter and opened only Fridays to Sundays in fall 2026. One older FAQ answer on the resort’s site still mentions buying passes separately, so confirm the perk when you book.
Does Margaritaville Resort Orlando have a shuttle to Disney World?
Yes. Free scheduled shuttles, covered by the resort fee, run to all four Disney theme parks, plus Universal Orlando, Epic Universe and SeaWorld. You must reserve a seat between 24 hours and 1 hour before departure, online or at the concierge desk. For October 28 and November 18, 2026, the operator’s booking system listed the first Disney departure at 9:15 a.m. (9:05 on the resort’s January schedule). Magic Kingdom and EPCOT trips use the Transportation and Ticket Center, and shuttles can reach capacity.
How much is the resort fee at Margaritaville Resort Orlando?
At the time of writing, the hotel resort fee is $48 plus tax per room, per night. It covers park shuttles, pools and towels, Wi-Fi, the fitness center, entertainment and in-room coffee and water. Cottage resort fees are set by unit size, for example $34.40 per night for a one-bedroom. Parking is separate for hotel guests.
How far is Margaritaville Resort Orlando from Disney World?
The resort’s FAQ says Walt Disney World is 10 to 15 minutes away by car, with Universal Orlando and SeaWorld about 20 to 25 minutes away. Its location page lists Animal Kingdom at 3.9 miles and Magic Kingdom at 8.3 miles. It sits off US-192 near State Road 429, and drive times vary with traffic.
Is Margaritaville Resort Orlando pet-friendly?
Yes, for dogs of 30 pounds or less. Hotel guests pay $75 plus tax per night, capped at $300 per stay, and cottage guests pay $40 per night per dog, with a maximum of two dogs per cottage, at the time of writing. Certified service dogs are welcome and are not subject to these fees or restrictions.
Sources checked in October 2026: Margaritaville Resort Orlando FAQ, Margaritaville Resort Orlando terms and conditions, Margaritaville Resort Orlando theme park transportation, Margaritaville Resort Orlando Island H2O admission page, Walt Disney World Early Theme Park Entry.