This post was created in partnership with Spectrum Resorts Orlando. All opinions and experiences shared here are my own. This post may also contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of my links, at no additional cost to you.
This summer has been such a busy season of life for us. we have hardly had time to get away or even plan anything between summer camp for both kids, summer classes for Tatiana and extracurricular activities. One of the best parts about living in Orlando, is that you don’t have to go far for a vacation. We have so many options right here in our city. Honestly, sometimes planning a complicated trip can be way more of a hassle and super overwhelming.
All you need is a change of scenery, a comfortable place to stay, and a few days relaxing in the sun and spending quality time with the people you cherish the most.
We recently spent time at Spectrum Resorts, and it reminded me that you can create a real vacation experience without getting on a plane or driving for hours. With a little planning, you can turn a few days at a resort into the perfect family reset.
If you’re a local family looking for a staycation that feels like a getaway, here’s how I’d plan it.
How to Plan the Perfect Orlando Staycation at Spectrum Resorts
Planning the perfect staycation is easy at a place like Spectrum Resorts. There are so many amenities and let’s not forget that you have access to their sister resorts, Reunion Resort and Encore Resort, during your stay.
Plan your staycation itinerary before you arrive
I’m a huge planner and Type A mom. However, I will say that over the years I’ve loosened up on travel itineraries per my family’s request. I used to plan every hour of our trips with no downtime but no longer do that.
I do recommend planning an itinerary before you check in. There have been times when I didn’t plan anything and we ended up having to search for things to do on vacation. Now, I plan an itinerary but it’s very loose and nothing is scheduled in advance unless it’s something that we have to pay for in advance like game or concert tickets.
I typically ask everyone in my family to pick 1 thing that they want to do while we’re on vacation so everyone gets to do something they want and nobody feels left out. This seems to work really well for us and everyone leaves the trip happy. I like having one or two main activities planned for the day and leaving everything else flexible.
Before you arrive, decide:
- Which resort amenities you want to enjoy
- When you’ll visit Island H2O (free tickets are included with your stay and you can visit every day if you want to)
- Whether you’ll visit the sister resorts
- When you’ll spend time at the playground (the playground is a great little activity to burn off energy)
- Which meals you’ll cook
- When you’ll have downtime
Pack Like You’re Going on Vacation
Even though you’re not going far from home, you don’t want to forget anything. Keep a packing checklist on hand and make sure that you’re packing everything that you need. The last thing you need is to get to the resort and realize you’ve left something like pajamas or swimsuits. Packing like you’re going far away on vacation creates a mental separation between being at home and being on vacation.
The great thing about a staycation is that you don’t have to pack as light so your kids can bring books, pool toys or other things to keep them entertained. I like to pack a few of my favorite board games for my family for us to play after dinner.
shop our favorite board games here
Grocery Shop Before You Arrive
One of my favorite things to do if we’re staying at a resort with a full kitchen is to grocery shop so that we have snacks and ingredients for meals. This is one of those little things that can make your entire stay easier especially when you’re traveling with kids.
Because you’re staying in a rental with a kitchen, you have the option to prep some of your own meals instead of eating out. Now, we don’t cook all of our meals because we do still like to eat a meal or two out but breakfast for sure is one of the meals that we cook. Breakfast is just the easiest and honestly most times we’re eating the same thing for breakfast anyways so it makes sense to save money on eating out.
Make a grocery list of everything you need before you leave home and do your shopping on the way to the resort. If you don’t feel like going to the store you can always use grocery delivery. Spectrum Resorts offers a grocery delivery service that is perfect.
Explore Spectrum Resorts and Their Sister Properties During Your Stay
The Spectrum Resorts property is so huge and has so much to offer. One of the best ways to make the most of your stay is to check out the sister properties, Reunion Resort and Encore Resort. You can enjoy the amenities at the sister resorts giving your family even more ways to spend the day without planning a huge outing.
Both Encore and Reunion Resort have waterparks on property. We were able to visit both during our stay and had a really good time. My kids really loved the waterslides at the Encore Resort water park, and the games and ice cream at Reunion Resort.
And don’t forget the playgrounds. When you’re traveling with the kids, it’s easy to think that every activity needs to be a big attraction but sometimes the simplest things are the biggest hits. 30 minutes to 1 hour at the playground is going to be just enough time for the kids to run, climb and play at the playground while you get a chance to slow down and plan your next step.
Schedule Down Time
Down time during a trip whether it’s a staycation or a vacation is something my family cherishes and I try to honor that when creating our itinerary. The last thing that I want is for everyone to be tired and burnt out when we’re supposed to be having a good time. I always try to schedule down time in every day so that we can have time to just relax and enjoy wherever we’re staying.
Everyone can be in their rooms having screen time or we can be together watching a movie or playing a board game. There’s really no rules to what down time looks like but it’s a chance to reset before doing any activities.
Plan a Day at Island H20
One of my favorite parts about staying at Spectrum Resorts is that free admission is included to Island H20 every day during your stay. Honestly we could’ve spent every day at Island H20 because we love it there so much but we saved the best for last. We secured our tickets for the day of checkout because we wanted to spend the rest of our stay enjoying everything that Spectrum Resorts had to offer.
I would highly recommend investing in a cabana for the day at Island H2O because the seating can get packed really quickly. If you’re going during one of the hottest summer months like we did, you are definitely going to need lots of shade and lots of hydration. Reserving a cabana will guarantee that you have access to both of those things. Cabanas have mini refrigerators so you can order as many drinks as you want for them.
Overall we had an amazing time at Spectrum Resorts Orlando. The room was super clean (this is something that I am extremely picky about), and we had access to so many different amenities that make the stay worth it. They have restaurants on site and it really is in a great location. The one thing to keep in mind is that there is a $500 incidental fee so make sure that you plan ahead for that.
10/10 would recommend it and we’re even considering visiting again soon with our family and friends.
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