Perched along International Dr. among some of the most popular attractions in Orlando sits Coco Key Hotel and Water Resort, a source of family-friendly vacation accommodations, and an attraction in its own right. With it's 14 slides, 4 heated pools and 6,500 sq. ft. arcade, it's easy to see why families flock to this hotel. From the moment we entered the lobby, the boys were hooked. They ran to the back area where some arcade games and a TV playing kid's movies was held, and I checked in quickly without the hassle of children who are bored and whiny.


The Rooms



There are 391 rooms throughout the Coco Key Hotel, each outfitted with modern decor, a mini fridge, microwave and other amenities you would come to expect in a standard hotel room. There was a small seating area and desk in addition to the two queen sized beds in our room, and the bathroom connected to the adjoining room, which held my fellow blogging friend Deb and her daughter.




When you book a family room at Coco Key Hotel and Water Resort, it will come in the form of two standard connecting rooms like this. In our case, one faced the pool and the other the parking lot. Overall the room was comfortable and it was nice to have a small fridge for keeping drinks and snacks cool during our stay.

The Fun!



Now, let's get into the good stuff. There is an endless amount of fun to be had for families visiting the Coco Key Hotel and Water Resort. Your $22 (plus tax) daily resort fee includes up to 4 tickets daily passes to the on-site water park! This is an actual water park built into the hotel's grounds. There is water fun for everyone in the family here, no matter what your age.


The Minnows Lagoon and Minnows Lagoon Water slides are canopy covered, which is great in Florida's glaring hot sun most of the year, and the perfect place for smaller children to play. There is seating and a tiki bar available for adults to relax and enjoy some time watching the little ones play too. There are plenty of lifegaurds on duty both in and around this area of the water park.



Coral Reef Cove is a great swim area for older children, and is also area partially covered in canopy. Included in Coral Reef Cove is the Cyclone Slide, a great way to get some thrills in the shade.


Perhaps the busiest part of the water park is the Parrots Perch. There are multiple slides here as well as a huge dump bucket that douses the entire area in water every few minutes. Parrots Perch is essentially a water playground, and you'll have a hard time dragging the kids away from this area.


For those who seek more thrills, the Coco Key Water Park has three larger slides, the Over the Falls Body Slide, Surfers Splash Tube Slide and the awesome Boomerango Tube Slide. It was the first time we had seen a slide like the Boomerango, and my 14 year old could not wait to try it out. He found a willing participant to go with him (it is double passenger tubes only) and had an incredible time riding it over and over again.


Another fun feature that you will find at Coco Key Hotel and Water Resort are activities for kids held throughout the day. One afternoon my oldest participated in a water sponge relay race where he won a 15 minute timed arcade card! Another time, I took the boys to make sundaes in the arcade. For just $2 a piece, they could make their own sundae piled high with goodies. When you check in, you will receive a calendar of daily resort activities. It was nice to be able to work some cheap or free activities into our day at the resort.


Coco Key Hotel is home to a 6,500 sq. ft. arcade with everything from state-of-the-art arcade games to carnival ticket giving type games, and even bowling! The rates are really reasonable here compared to other arcades we have visited, and the boys played for hours on their cards, versus just a few minuted elsewhere. It is a great option for afternoons when you are back at the resort for a rest or late nights when the kids aren't quite worn out.



If you are adults traveling alone, or do not wish to visit the water park, there is also a swimming pool area located right behind the lobby at the front of the hotel. It has beautiful seating, a fireplace at night, and is a great place to sit and relax.


With so much to do at the Coco Key Hotel and Water Resort, you may not even need to visit other local attractions, but should you wish to, there is complimentary shuttle service to Universal Orlando®, Wet-n-Wild®, SeaWorld® and Aquatica®. Shuttle service to Disney is available at an additional fee, and there are agents who are able to help you book tickets in the lobby throughout the day.

Other hotel amenities include onsite dining, laundry and a children's center, making Coco Key Hotel and Water Resort a one stop vacation spot in the Orlando area.


If you're planning a visit to the Orlando area with children, there are few better places to stay outside of theme park accommodations than the Coco Key Hotel and Water Resort. With its variety of family-friendly activities, it provides a great value at a budget price. Rates vary throughout the year, so visit CocoKeyOrlando.com to check rates or book your stay today!

We received complimentary accommodations and water park admission for the purpose of review, but all opinions are our own.