Booking a Vacation Home or Airbnb Near Disney World: Orlando Options That Work

You’re weighing a vacation home near Walt Disney World against a traditional hotel room and wondering what you really get for the money. Around Disney’s western and southern edges, entire neighborhoods are built for short stays: resort-style communities in Kissimmee and Four Corners with multi-bedroom houses, condo-style suites, and cottage villages that feel like a neighborhood but function like a hotel. The details below are the things guests ask me about after a long day at Magic Kingdom: how far the shuttle runs, whether parking is simple at 10 p.m., and what fees actually show up on the bill.

Where the vacation-home resorts sit and what you actually get

Most vacation homes that visitors use for Disney trips cluster in Kissimmee and the Four Corners area, south and west of the parks, with quick access to US‑192 and Western Way. A few of the most booked options operate like full-service resorts despite being made up of individual homes. Encore Resort at Reunion sits off 7635 Fairfax Drive with 4–13 bedroom houses, a staffed front desk, an on-site water park for registered guests only, and complimentary self-parking around the resort. The resort lists a $500 refundable incidental deposit at check-in and notes county noise rules that require amplified music to end by 10 p.m.

Next door, Reunion Resort & Golf Club is a large master resort with vacation rentals plus hotel-style villas. Reunion charges a daily $40 resort fee plus tax and $20 per day, per unit for parking. Amenity access is tied to who you book with: guests booking through Reunion or one of their named preferred partners in a home that has amenity access get daily entry to the five-acre Water Park included with the resort fee. If you rent a random house in Reunion without that access, you cannot buy day passes to the Water Park.

The Grove Resort & Water Park Orlando is a condo-style resort with multi-bedroom suites and a full on-site water park called Surfari. The Grove posts a $49 plus tax nightly resort fee and $35 plus tax per-vehicle overnight parking. Surfari typically operates 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday–Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday in posted schedules, and the three Springs pools are usually open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wristbands are required in pool areas, and replacements run $35 if you misplace one.

At Margaritaville Resort Orlando in Kissimmee, you can book a standard hotel room or a freestanding cottage through the resort. Hotel guests pay $48 plus tax per night as a resort fee and $20 plus tax nightly for self-parking; valet is $45 plus tax. Cottage guests have two dedicated parking spaces in front of their home per community rules, and the posted cottage resort fee ranges by size from $34.40–$58.50 plus tax per night. The resort also runs scheduled theme-park shuttles and publishes exact times; more on that below.

Finally, there are HOA communities whose listings you’ll mostly see on Airbnb and Vrbo. Windsor Hills Resort in Kissimmee is one of the best known. There’s no hotel front desk in the traditional sense, but the clubhouse does manage community amenities. The main lagoon pool and clubhouse are generally posted 8 a.m.–10 p.m., and Sir Windsor’s AquaVenture water park slides typically run 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Wristbands are free for staying guests and are picked up at the clubhouse; approved day visitors can be asked to purchase bands, currently $10 per person per day when allowed by the host.

Will a vacation home really save money over a Disney hotel for a week?

It depends how you use it. If your group will actually cook breakfasts and share rides, a multi-bedroom place can be cost effective, but you have to include mandatory fees and transportation costs in the math. For example, at The Grove a parked car attracts $35 plus tax each night and the resort fee adds $49 plus tax per night, before you’ve driven to the parks. If you drive to Disney’s lots, standard theme-park parking is $35 per day and covers all four parks on the same day. That means a seven-night stay with a car can easily see several hundred dollars in parking and resort fees before tickets and food.

By contrast, Encore Resort includes complimentary self-parking around the community and runs complimentary shuttle transportation to the parks with reservations, which trims costs if your group plans to ride the shuttle most days. If you’ll split up for rope drop and naps, budget for rideshare or a second vehicle; once you add daily $35 theme-park parking for any day you drive, those savings narrow quickly. Reunion’s structure is different again: the resort fee is $40 plus tax nightly and parking is $20 plus tax per day, per unit, but its on-property 24-hour shuttle is complimentary and the Water Park is included for eligible bookings, so many families trade the higher nightly fees for no water-park add-ons during down days.

Cleaning, pet, and heating fees can surprise. Encore’s homes include private pools; optional pool heat is $40 per night May–October and $60 per night November–April. Pet-friendly policies vary by property. Encore lists a $40 plus tax daily pet fee; Margaritaville posts $75 plus tax per night for dogs in hotel rooms (capped at $300 per stay), while cottage stays list $40 plus tax per night per dog. The Grove does not accept pets, but welcomes service animals.

Taxes also add up. Florida applies a 6% state tax to transient rentals of six months or less. On top of that, both Orange County and Osceola County levy a 6% tourist development tax. If you’re renting in Kissimmee or Four Corners, you’re typically in Osceola County; many properties in the Bonnet Creek or I‑Drive corridor fall in Orange County. Whether you book direct with a resort or via an online platform, these taxes sit on top of rates and most fees.

Which communities make getting to the parks easiest?

Distance matters less than your transportation plan. The Grove’s website lists the resort as roughly six miles from Walt Disney World and runs daily shuttles to the Disney Transportation and Ticket Center, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld. Shuttle seats are reserved up to 48 hours in advance through the concierge; there’s no airport shuttle. If you do drive, the parking garages at The Grove have posted clearances of 8 feet in Building 1 and 7 feet 3 inches in Buildings 2 and 3, which is useful if you’re in a taller SUV or have a cargo box.

Encore Resort at Reunion advertises complimentary theme-park shuttles with reservations and sits within a 10–15 minute drive of the parks outside rush periods. Self-parking around the resort is free, but the community prohibits street parking, so expect to use designated lots if your driveway is full. Check-in is 4 p.m., checkout 10 a.m., and late checkout isn’t guaranteed, which matters if you plan to shower after a pool morning before an afternoon park hop.

Margaritaville Resort Orlando publishes a specific park shuttle timetable. Recent schedules show morning departures to Magic Kingdom at 9:05 a.m., 10:25 a.m., and 12:35 p.m. with returns at 5:15 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. Drop-off for Magic Kingdom is the Transportation and Ticket Center. Epcot returns use the TTC as well, which means a monorail transfer for the ride back. Reservations are handled through the lobby ticket desk, and the shuttle page is marked with a January 2026 update date, so it’s something to check again a week before your trip.

Windsor Hills doesn’t run a resort shuttle, which is why guests pick it when they want a quick drive and control of their schedule. If you drive to the parks, standard theme-park parking at Walt Disney World is $35 per day and your one receipt covers all four parks on the same day. Back at Windsor Hills, the zero-entry pool and slides stay open to 10 p.m., so you can end late nights with a swim if you skip fireworks.

Fees, rules and fine print locals check before clicking Book

Resort and parking charges that don’t show in listing thumbnails

At The Grove, plan for a nightly $49 resort fee and $35 plus tax per-vehicle overnight parking. Reunion’s posted rates add a $40 plus tax resort fee and $20 plus tax per day, per unit for parking. Encore bundles many inclusions into its resort fee, which varies by home; parking is complimentary across the property. Margaritaville Resort Orlando hotel rooms post $48 plus tax nightly resort fees and $20 plus tax self-parking, while cottages carry a posted resort fee band of $34.40–$58.50 plus tax per night and two dedicated parking spaces in front of the home, with overflow directed to the Island H2O lot. If you’re bringing a wrapped or branded vehicle to a Margaritaville cottage, expect to be asked to park it in the hotel lot rather than in front of the home.

Shuttle reservations, timing, and what “included” really means

Theme-park shuttles can save the $35 daily Disney parking charge, but they run on fixed timetables. The Grove requires advance reservations and posts the rule right on its FAQ. Margaritaville lists exact departure and return times on its shuttle page and directs some returns through the TTC. Encore also runs complimentary park shuttles by reservation. Reunion’s on-property shuttle is 24/7 and free, but that’s just around Reunion; the resort also advertises scheduled transportation to Walt Disney World for eligible bookings.

Water parks and pool access

Encore’s Water Park is restricted to registered resort guests and is included with your stay; you can’t buy a day pass if you’re not staying on site. Reunion’s Water Park is included only if your specific booking carries amenity access through Reunion or a listed preferred partner in a home that has access. The Grove’s Surfari Water Park is included for registered guests and posts public hours on the resort’s FAQ; pool and water-park operations pause when lightning is detected within 3 miles. At Margaritaville Resort Orlando, the resort’s homepage notes that guests paying the full resort fee receive complimentary Island H2O admission during the 2026 season; verify operating days if your trip straddles seasons.

Pets, deposits, and small charges

Margaritaville welcomes dogs in hotel rooms for $75 plus tax per night, capped at $300 per stay, and notes $40 plus tax per night per dog for cottages. Encore’s pet fee is posted at $40 plus tax per day. The Grove does not accept pets, but does list a $100 per night incidental hold at check-in, up to $350 max; it also charges $20 plus tax for a pack-and-play for a 7‑day period and $35 for a lost wristband. Reunion requires a 20% booking deposit on resort-managed homes and confirms that golf, cabanas, and some activities carry extra charges even when you have amenity access.

Taxes you will see on any off-site stay

Florida taxes short-term stays of six months or less at 6% statewide, then layers county tourist development taxes on top. Osceola County’s tourist development tax is 6%. Orange County also imposes a 6% tourist development tax in addition to the state rate. Expect the platform or property manager to calculate both; if you’re price-comparing, check whether a quote includes those taxes or adds them in step two of checkout.

Real options compared: what the fees buy you

Key things to know before you book

• Driving to the parks from an off-site rental means paying Disney’s $35 standard theme-park parking each day you drive. One receipt covers all four parks for that calendar day.
• Resort and parking fees vary widely. As examples, The Grove adds $49 + tax per night for a resort fee and $35 + tax per-vehicle parking; Reunion adds a $40 + tax resort fee and $20 + tax daily parking per unit; Encore includes on-property parking and shuttles in its fee.
• Confirm shuttle timing and reservation rules. Margaritaville publishes exact departure and return times. The Grove requires booking up to 48 hours ahead. Encore’s park shuttles also require reservations.
• At Reunion, amenity access is not universal. Only bookings through Reunion or a listed preferred partner in a home that has access include the Water Park; you can’t buy day passes if your home lacks access.
• Budget for incidentals. Encore’s incidental deposit is $500 at check-in. The Grove holds $100 per night up to $350 and charges $35 to replace a lost pool wristband.
• Pets are welcome in some places, not all. Margaritaville hotel rooms charge $75 + tax per night for dogs (cap $300), cottages $40 + tax nightly per dog; Encore lists $40 + tax per day; The Grove does not allow pets.
• Plan for Florida taxes. Expect the 6% state rate plus a 6% tourist development tax in both Orange and Osceola Counties on top of nightly rates and most fees.
• If the pool matters to your downtime, check hours. The Grove posts Surfari’s hours and Springs pool times online; Windsor Hills keeps the main pool open until 10 p.m. much of the year.

Reader Q&A

Do any vacation-home resorts include free parking at the Disney theme parks?

No. Complimentary standard parking at the four Walt Disney World theme parks is a benefit for Disney hotel guests. If you stay off site in a vacation home or condo resort, expect to pay Disney’s posted $35 per day if you drive, or use a resort shuttle on the days it fits your schedule.

We want a water park without buying extra tickets. Which options include it with our stay?

Encore Resort’s on-site Water Park is included for registered guests only. Reunion’s Water Park is included with the resort fee only when you book through Reunion or a named preferred partner and your specific home has amenity access. The Grove’s Surfari Water Park is included for registered guests. Margaritaville Resort Orlando’s homepage notes complimentary Island H2O admission for guests paying the full resort fee during the 2026 season.

How often do the shuttles run, and do we need reservations?

Margaritaville publishes set times, such as Magic Kingdom departures at 9:05 a.m., 10:25 a.m., and 12:35 p.m. with evening returns. The Grove’s shuttles require booking up to 48 hours in advance and run daily to the Disney Transportation and Ticket Center and other parks. Encore’s park shuttles are complimentary with reservations. If you need rope drop, midday breaks, and late fireworks on the same day, plan to mix shuttle and car or rideshare.

We’re comparing an Airbnb inside Reunion to a resort-managed home. What’s the catch?

The catch is amenity access. Reunion ties Water Park and some resort amenities to whether your booking is through Reunion or a listed preferred partner and whether the home itself has access. A random listing may have no Water Park access at all. Resort-managed bookings also standardize fees like the $40 plus tax nightly resort fee and $20 plus tax parking, which helps you budget.

Here’s how I frame the choice after walking these properties with families: decide whether you’ll actually use a shuttle and a water park on site. If yes, pick a resort whose fees clearly include those perks on the dates you’re traveling. If you’ll drive most days, run the totals using nightly resort and parking charges plus Disney’s $35 theme-park parking, then book the address that keeps your commute simple and your evenings by the pool as easy as you pictured.

Published: September 25, 2026 · Reviewed by the Visit Orlando editorial team