Why Families Are Choosing Evermore Orlando Over Traditional Disney Hotels

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What is Evermore Orlando Resort?

The name “Evermore Orlando Resort” only hints at the full spectrum of what’s going on here. Picture a suburban neighborhood, complete with homes, shopping, and entertainment. Add a large body of water in the middle and a slew of beaches. Golfing, lounging, dining, swimming, sliding, paddling, and even a bit of partying are all readily available. The gated property is also home to the Conrad Orlando, a high-end hotel that is run separately but that offers access to many of the same amenities. Likewise, Evermore guests can take advantage of the Conrad’s many dining and drinking venues.

Moving about the property is easy via shuttle bus or on foot. Parking is available, but having a car isn’t necessary. The Conrad Orlando offers a complimentary shuttle to all four Disney parks. Evermore guests can call for an Uber or Lyft, as the ride isn’t long and once you’re at one it’s easy to move around via Disney’s transit system. Getting to other area attractions like Universal Epic Universe or ICON Park is about 20 minutes by car.

Accommodations at Evermore Orlando Resort

I stayed in an 11-bedroom house, though that descriptor hardly portrays the property beyond its sheer size. The house, part of the Evermore Residences neighborhood, clocks in at nearly 12,000 square feet spread across three levels. The top floors are built for kiddos – there are retro arcade video games, a pool table, and even a slide that winds its way from the third floor down to the second, depositing riders (which included me, because I couldn’t not try it once) right into the game room.

The top floor consists of bunk bedrooms done Orlando style – think four kids in a room, giggling their way into the wee hours recounting their favorite rides at the parks and their evenings at the pool. By the time the day’s best stories begin circulating, the parents will be two floors down, congregated in the massive living room or outside in the lounge area, telling their own tales with a fruity cocktail in hand.

The open-concept main floor centers around a massive living room and dining area, each with seating for more than two dozen. The kitchen is prepared to serve the same. My room was located on this level and, once I was in there with the door closed, offered the same seclusion as a private hotel room. It featured a large private bathroom with a jack and jill vanity and a jacuzzi tub, in addition to a walk-in shower. My window overlooked the pool, and each morning I could catch the sunrise illuminating the water from above. Not a bad way to wake up.

Back in the common area, I felt a bit like I’d walked onto the set of The Real World – I arrived solo to join 10 other guests in the home, none of whom I’d met before. All of us were here for a press tour. I was the only American in the bunch, and through language barriers and shared meals our cohort of Irish, Argentinian, Brazilian, and American became fast friends. Certainly, a few Epcot rides helped that cause.

Of the three nights on property, I spent an entire evening in the pool, including plenty of time under the waterfall. The outside lounge area is fenced in and also includes patio seating for large groups, a hammock, cornhole, and a barbecue grill. If you’ve ever driven through a neighborhood that’s much nicer than yours and thought, “Man, what would it be like to live here?” a stay at Evermore might be the most attainable way to find out. Our place starts around $3,400 per night. With room for up to 32, that’s just over $100 per person at a full house – not bad for the epitome of luxury. Even at a third of capacity you’re looking at about $300 per night, less than you’d pay for a high-end hotel room elsewhere near the Disney metroplex.

Orlando’s only ‘beach resort’

The heart of Evermore Orlando Resort is Evermore Bay, a large man-made lake in the center of the property. Beaches line nearly the bay’s entirety, with cabanas and hammocks available for rent and plenty of calm, shallow areas for kids to play. Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards can be borrowed for use on the water. At The Blue Hole, a rope swing hurls adventurous travelers into a deeper section of the bay, and the adjacent waterslide is wide enough for entire families to slide down together.

The most unique feature, at least to a high-desert mountain guy like me, was the sunscreen machine. A few of these are located around Evermore Bay. Step in, swim attire still on, and the machine twirls you slowly as you’re sprayed head to toe in sunscreen. My four-year-old daughter wasn’t with me on this trip but I am confident she would find this far more appealing than letting dad lather her face, arms, and legs multiple times a day.

Evermore Orlando Resort positions itself as Orlando’s only beach resort, and I’ve got to give it to them – Evermore Bay is impressive. Strolling around the bay one morning, I thought back to the Disney World trip my parents took my sister and I on when I was 11. Built into our schedule was an “off day” where the only plan was to hang around the hotel. I most certainly protested that plan at the moment, but if we’d been here my argument would have fallen flat. This is the type of place that makes you actually feel good about not leaving the resort all day, even when there’s so much going on beyond it.

Dining at Evermore Orlando Resort

Dining at Evermore Orlando Resort is expansive, headlined by a full-service food hall, The Landing, next to Evermore Bay that offers a burger bar, a pizzeria, and a wrap-focused sandwich shop. There’s also a fully stocked bar, a coffeeshop, and a dessert purveyor. All meals can be delivered to your room or enjoyed near the water. The best meal I had on-property was at Papaya Club, located waterside on the main floor of the Conrad Orlando. The Papaya Poke Bowl made a perfect early lunch the morning after we’d spent the night out at a performance by the Blue Man Group.

Guests of Evermore’s homes and villas can access the Conrad’s restaurants and bars any time they’re open. Villa guests can walk about a quarter of the way around Evermore Bay to the hotel, while guests staying a home can opt for a 15-minute walk or hop on the shuttle bus that picks up near the food hall and golf course offers free service around the property.

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