Disclosure: All opinions are my own. My family received a complimentary weekend stay at Westgate Town Center, along with gift cards for food and fun, for the purpose of this review.
It has been two weeks since our weekend at Westgate Town Center, and boy do I miss that place! We had such a fabulous weekend with awesome accommodations and so many fun things to do, and I think everyone in my family shed a tear or two when we had to leave.
We checked in on a Friday night, and as soon as we walked through the door, I was amazed at how nice our “room” was! I say “room”, because it was way more than just your ordinary hotel room – it was more like a small house. We had a kitchen with full size appliances, cooking utensils and dinnerware, a huge dining table, a living area with two couches (one of which was a sleeper sofa), a giant master bedroom with a king sized bed, an open bathroom area with a large vanity and two sinks, and a massive Jacuzzi tub. There was even a stacked washer/dryer combo in a utility closet in the hallway!
Everything was so nice and clean! I loved the colors and the “homey” feel of the villa. We literally had all of the comforts of home while we were away from home…and then some. My kids immediately started asking if we could move there. I wish!
Of course no “VIP” stay would be complete without a little bag of goodies from the host, so once we got done checking out our villa, we had to see what was in the bag…
There was another door off the back of the kitchen, which was locked. I noticed that our room assignment sheet had the room number with “C-D” after it, so I went outside to see if I could get in that way. The “D” door was right next to the door we came in, and when I opened it, I was shocked to see another full suite that we had access to.
The D side was a little smaller than the C side, but still had most of the same amenities. There was a kitchen equipped with a countertop stove, living area, bedroom and bathroom, and there was a combo washer/dryer in the bathroom. Just like the other side, everything was very clean.
The units are connected in a way that you can reserve between 1 and 5 bedrooms for your stay. This is a great way for multiple families to travel together! Each family has their own space, but everyone is still connected. You can close off your portion, or just leave every space accessible to everyone else.
There are plenty of dining options when you stay at the Westgate Town Center. Sid’s Bistro has breakfast and lunch items available during the daytime hours; Draft’s Sports Bar & Grill has a huge breakfast buffet available, along with a sit-down pub-type restaurant that serves appetizers, burgers and pizza; Cordovano Joe’s serves delicious, authentic New York style pizza available for pick-up or delivery to your villa (or even poolside!). You can also get Krispy Kreme donuts and ice cream, and you can order food at a couple of the pools.
Since all of the villas contain equipped kitchens, guests can also prepare their own food during their stay. If you don’t want to venture off property to search for a grocery store, you can even purchase all of your groceries right there on property! Joe’s Marketplace & Deli has a variety of food and drink items, along with a deli stocked full of fresh meats and cheeses. You will also find sunscreen, pool toys, and even Disney souvenirs.
Now that I have told you how wonderful the accommodations are, let me tell you about how much fun there is to be had at Westgate Town Center. I’ll start with the outdoor activities…
First, there are fourteen pools. Yes, fourteen! We had planned to check out several of the different pools, but we found the one with the bar (for the food, of course!), and ended up hanging out there for the entire day. The water in the pool was crystal clear, and the kids enjoyed swimming around while Mommy and Daddy spent the afternoon relaxing in lounge chairs. There is also a “Jurassic Golf” putt putt course, paddle boats and swans in which you can cruise around the lake, and several play structures for the kids to swing, climb and slide on. Thomas the Train will even give you a ride from one activity to another! You can also rent bicycles and other sports equipment.
If you need a break from the Florida sun (or our daily thunderstorms), there are plenty of indoor activities to keep your family busy. You will find craft workshops, workout classes and other fun things to do on the Activities Schedule, some of which are free, and others that have a nominal fee. We had originally planned to attend several of the craft workshops, but once my kids got in the pool on Saturday, they didn’t want to get out. We did head over to the Activities Center on Sunday, and even though it wasn’t offered that day, the awesome guy running the programs allowed the kids to do the “Stuff-N-Fluff Workshop” and make their own stuffed animals.
There were several animals to choose from, which you stuff with fluff. The kids were more interested in playing with the fluff than actually stuffing it in the animals, so the adults had to assist with the stuffing. Once the animals were all stuffed, the kids got to choose an outfit for their new friends. B chose a superhero outfit for his dragon, and R chose a karate outfit for her giraffe. The kids absolutely loved this activity! You can also make candles, bobbleheads, tote bags and piggy banks!
There is also a movie theater on the property that shows Disney movies at different times each day!
Oh, and I can’t forget my son’s favorite place of all…the arcade! Full of lights and sounds, this is a great place for any video game enthusiast. The kids can also test their skill and win prizes!
If you are visiting Orlando to go to theme parks, the Westgate Town Center is the perfect place to stay! The resort is located just minutes from Disney World and a short drive from both Universal and Sea World. Since we were so close, we headed out to Downtown Disney on Saturday night to visit our favorite restaurant and play at the Lego store.
Trust me when I tell you that the Westgate Town Center is absolutely amazing! We have been to plenty of resorts, and this is definitely one I would go back to over and over again. We had a wonderful weekend, and I would love to return for a longer stay sometime.
You can reserve a one-time rental at the Westgate Town Center, or, you can become a timeshare owner and purchase a week (or more!) per year. Most of the newbies are asking about the question: Are timeshares for life? If you want to know more about timeshare you can book for a timeshare consultant for much needed information. Either way, this resort is an affordable option for anyone visiting the Central Florida area. I highly recommend it for your next visit to Orlando!
It looks really nice but the cost has to be really high (I swear we are cheapskates) Its nice kitchens and everything is there though.
I was actually surprised that the rates weren’t higher, compared to other Orlando resorts. Sure, you will pay more than a regular hotel room, but you get so much more here!
What an awesome place! We are heading to Orlando next month. I want to go to the Rainforest Cafe!
We love Rainforest! Here’s a tip for you…if there is a long wait, go inside to the gift shop and purchase a Landry’s Select membership. It is only $25, and you get a sign up reward, discounts, and best of all, you will be seated right away. My card turned a 2 hour wait into a 2 minute wait. It is well worth the purchase price! You can use it at several Landry’s restaurants across the country.
The Westgate looks like a fantastic place for a family vacation. The villas have everything, I think they would have a hard time getting me out of that gorgeous bath tub. Its great to have the option to cook in the villa or to out to eat nearby.
My kids thought the tub was a small pool! It was not easy getting them out. Haha
That looks like a great hotel. I know my family would enjoy staying there. Nice that it is close to Disney World.
That looks like an AMAZING place to spend some quality family time!!
What a fun place! I love the towel cubbies in the bathroom.
What an exciting place to stay~ This sounds like a great trip.
Looks like a great visit! My son would go crazy over the train!
This place looks amazing! It’s like staying in an apartment.
I miss Florida so much. The Westgate looks like a great place for a family to vacation in central Florida. The rooms look super comfortable.
That place looks amazing! One of these days I will get myself to Florida to enjoy all of these fun family friendly places!
I will have to check this out the next time we visit Orlando. It looks so cozy and I love the movie theater!
What a great Disney area option! I always try to stay in a less expensive place. And I can;t believe you picked the Rainforest Cafe, i wrote a whole unsponsored post about how perfect that place is on these trips!
thanks,
Mitch
This looks like an amazing and stress free time for the family! With twins myself, and two older kids, this is something I need to look into for our next vacation!
that place looks fantastic! I’m definitely going to look into that place next time we go to Florida! 14 pools! Amazing and I love that there is laundry in the villas…cuts down on how many clothes & suitcases we’d need to lug!
Wow, looks amazing! And the room? AWESOME. It isn’t as pricey as others I’ve seen so this is super nice! My boys would get such a kick out of the thomas train!
What an amazing place. Everything you could possibly need to enjoy a vacation away from home. Seems perfect for a family weekend or week a way.
Westgate Town Center looks like a great place to stay! I’ll have to remember them when I travel.
I love when hotels have a full kitchen area. Saves SOOOo much money! What awesome kid activities.
This looks awesome! When we travel we usually get a place with a kitchen due to the kids food allergies! I love how close it is to all the theme parks.
Wow! Abosultely gorgeous space and they offer so many amenities right on site. What a great family vacation.
What an incredible place to stay! You guys must have had a wonderful time there with all of those fun things to do and see. Love that they have a store there so you don’t have to leave if unfamiliar with the are and the washer/dryer combo in the unit is awesome! No heading out to do laundry. Next time I’m in Orlando I’m going there 🙂
it looks so gorgeous. I’d love to plan a getaway for this summer
Wow! What a really nice place to stay for the Weekend. I would love to stay here and relax and take in the sites. The room looks very comfortable. I like that it is close to the theme parks.