Booking a group trip to Disney World is a lot of work and a lot of research. And it can easily become more expensive than you imagined.
But if you want to keep costs down on your Disney World vacation, you can stay off-property at the Margaritaville Resort Orlando.
We booked a trip for 10 adults to Disney World for my birthday and I was majorly struggling to find a decently priced hotel on Disney property for us all.
Fortunately, I remembered the Margaritaville Resort we had visited a year prior.
They have several different-sized houses or “cottages” to rent that include all the same amenities as staying at the Margaritaville Hotel.
This post is all about the 8-bedroom Cottage at the Margaritaville Resort Orlando.
Let’s dive into the details!
Location
Address: 8000 Fins Up Cir, Kissimmee, FL 34747
The location was great for staying off property. Mind you, staying off property at Disney World is different than Disneyland.
Disneyland off-property hotels start directly across the street from Disneyland, while Disney World off-property hotels start around 10 minutes off-property.
Disney World in Florida is A LOT bigger than Disneyland in California. It’s not walkable.
Near the Resort, you can find grocery stores, a Target, and a Walmart.
We took a ride share to Walmart on the day we arrived and stocked up for the week.
Neighborhood Around Margaritaville Resort Orlando
The first time we visited the resort the surrounding neighborhood kind of took me by surprise because it’s not all “disneyfied”. It’s a real city.
I know I shouldn’t expect Disney everywhere in Orlando, but after staying on Disney property, the surrounding neighborhoods don’t really measure up.
But honestly, it’s not a bad area. It’s just not living at Disney World lol.
The location was great, and it was less than five minutes from Animal Kingdom. Our farthest trek was to Universal Studios – a 45-50 minute adventure on the bus from Margaritaville Resort.
Our trips to Disney Springs were usually around 20 minutes.
Be prepared, there is traffic in Orlando. And since you’re not on Disney property or on a Disney shuttle, there’s not special lanes for your vehicle.
You will be in traffic. Plan accordingly.
Perks of Staying at the Margaritaville Cottages Orlando
Amenities offered at Margaritaville Resort Orlando.
Shuttle Bus from Margaritaville to Theme Parks
Margaritaville does offer a shuttle service to and from the parks but it does tae a bit of planning to use.
The bus leaves only a few times a day, so it’s not running all day like the Disney property shuttles.
If you’re planning to rope drop or stay super late – I would suggest using a ride share or car service.
We only used the bus once during our stay – since the trip to Universal was a bit longer than we wanted to pay for using a ride share.
The bus does stop at other hotel location too. Which is another thing to keep in mind. It’s not a direct transfer.
You will also need to notify the bus desk area that you will be using the bus the day before. So again, plan ahead.
Dining at the Margaritaville Resort
I do think the Margaritaville Resort could use a couple more dining options – at least more fast casual options.
The market restaurant wasn’t that great. Fine for what it is, but I just wish there was another fast-casual option.
There are a couple of full-service restaurants on property but we were at the parks mostly, so we didn’t have time to enjoy a full-service meal at the resort.
We did make food at our cottage for the evenings when we returned from the Parks, so having the full-size kitchen was perfect.
Pools at Margaritaville Resort
As a cottage guest, you still have access to the pools at the resort. Our 8-bedroom cottage came with a pool that we did use but on the last day we visited the hotel pool after checkout.
The pool area is great! I would definitely love to spend more time here on our next trip.
Spa
We didn’t have time to book services at the spa, but as a guest at the hotel you do have access to it. Even as a Cottage guest.
If you’re looking for some relaxation after all the walking – booking a treatment here sounds perfect!
How we got from Disney World Property to Margaritaville Resort Orlando
Each day we would order two Ubers or Lyfts to get to and from the theme parks. Next time, we we’ll probably rent a car since it would probably come out to the same price or cheaper.
It would also be a lot easier in the mornings and at night, to just hop in your car instead of waiting for your ride to show up.
Margaritaville does offer a shuttle to and from the theme parks, but it doesn’t run very often. You also need to schedule it in advance – meaning, you need to reserve your seat the day before.
Photos 8-Bedroom Cottage at Margaritaville Resort Orlando – REVIEW
Our cottage was better than we could have ever expected. Even now, after the trip, our group still talks about this cottage and how fun it was to be together in this huge house for 5 nights.
We all really appreciated that we were able to spend that extra time together at the house. We had enough space for us all to decompress in our rooms for a bit after returning home from the Parks each day but we all loved to get together each night before bed to watch TV.
We enjoyed late-night snacks, got addicted to this cult show on Netflix, and stayed up super late each night binge-watching it and then each morning we had a quick breakfast together before starting our day.
I personally loved that we didn’t have a long walk back to a small room at a hotel and had to say goodnight to everyone as soon as we returned.
If you have the option to stay at a house or cottage, take it!! It’s so worth it!!
Margaritaville Orlando Resort Cottage Tour
We stayed in an 8-bedroom cottage that overlooked the water. We had the most stunning views of the area and the house had a wrap-around patio too!
We had way more space than we needed – I can’t believe I’m saying that!! But it’s true!!
This house could have easily fit 4-5 more people in it.
Each couple/person had their own bedroom and private bathroom. As adults, this is very important hahaha.
It was very important to me that everyone felt comfortable and relaxed and not crowded or overwhelmed.
They did have laundry in the house too – it was set up in the main bedroom. We did do laundry on the last day and that helped a ton for when we arrived back home.
There was a big kitchen that we filled with easy snacks and meals for everyone. And a giant couch we all relaxed on each night before bed.
We enjoyed the pool on the last night and purchased a bunch of pool toys that we ended up not using and left for the next family to use.
The house was three floors high and the main bedroom was at the top, along with another family room.
There was a ton of space for people to relax. It’s a great spot to stay for a big family with lots of kids or extended family.
Would We Stay Again at Margaritaville Resort Orlando?
Overall Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yes! We would definitely stay at the Margaritaville Resort Orlando again. Everyone loved it. We had so much space and having a house for a vacation, especially a Disney vacation, is a game-changer.
Everyone had their own space to decompress after the long days and we could also all fit around the TV to watch shows late at night.
We made breakfast and hung out by our pool. It was perfect. Even if we don’t go with a group of 10 again, we also liked the smaller cottage options.
I absolutely loved our stay here!
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About the author: Hey there! I’m Julia, a passionate theme park and travel writer. My love for theme parks has fueled my obsession with sharing tips and adventures for years. Join me as I uncover the magic of Orlando and beyond!
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