During a recent visit to the Conrad Orlando at Evermore, my 6-year-old twins spent the afternoon hunting for buried treasure in the sand and building forts on a breezy shaded patio, while their 9-year-old sister crafted a colorful suncatcher and sent marbles racing down a miniature racetrack.
My children were having a blast in the resort's kids' club. And me? I was enjoying a blissful moment alone, sipping a mocktail beside the property's 8-acre turquoise lagoon as the sounds of "Kokomo" by The Beach Boys drifted across the water from a live band.
Drop-off kids' clubs at U.S. hotels are rare, but a handful of key resorts near Orlando's theme parks have them.
For families accustomed to the ease of kids' clubs onboard cruise ships or at all-inclusive resorts, these Orlando-area hotels offer a welcome amenity: a few care-free hours for parents paired with supervised fun for kids.
Here are six Orlando-area resorts that offer drop-off kids' clubs.
• Kids Club at Conrad Orlando at Conrad Orlando at Evermore: With rotating themes that include reptiles, pirates, space and underwater adventures, the Kids Club at Conrad Orlando offers a thoughtfully curated program inspired by Florida's rich biodiversity, wildlife, history and nature.
Daily activities include crafts, science experiments, storytelling, outdoor games and wellness programming led by trained staff. While the kids' club is reserved for guests of the Conrad (a Hilton property), families also have full access to the broader Evermore resort, including its sizable lagoon and recreation options. This enables parents to enjoy the property's spa or restaurants while kids stay engaged in the club, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for children ages 4 to 12 years old.
The cost is $20 per hour or $150 for a full day with lunch.
Executive chef Fabrizio Schenardi leads a pizza-making class at Kids For All Seasons at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort. Source: Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
• Kids for All Seasons at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort: Kids for All Seasons delivers a full-day, complimentary program for guests ages 4 to 12 -- although younger kids are welcome if they are accompanied by a guardian. It takes place in a bright, spacious clubhouse on Explorer Island, with supervised activities ranging from outdoor games to nature crafts, movies and even swimming.
Kids can drop in for an hour or two or hang out all day, with a lunch option available for those staying full days, for an added cost. Beyond the main club, the resort also offers a separate teen space, The Hideout, with arcade games, billiards and interactive play.
Kids for All Seasons is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It also offers weekly Explorer Island Takeover experiences on Saturdays from 5 to 9 p.m. for $125 (inclusive of dinner).
Kids tend to the Ritz Kids garden and animals at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes. Source: Courtesy of Grande Lakes Orlando
• Ritz Kids at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes and JW Marriott Orlando: Available for guests of both hotels that comprise the 500-acre Grande Lakes resort property, the Ritz Kids program, available for guests ages 4 to 12, blends enrichment with resort-style fun through programming inspired by Florida's environment and culture.
The club is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $99 for a half day and $175 for a full day, which includes lunch. Activities include cooking classes, afternoon tea, nature exploration, scavenger hunts and arts and crafts. The resort also offers themed evening sessions, with activities such as space- and safari-themed games, movies and slime-making; dinner is included.
Ritz-Carlton Club Level stays include one complimentary half-day session per day for up to two children and a complimentary Kids Night Out evening session once per stay.
Kids can climb the walls at Camp Dolphin at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. Photo Credit: Linnea Bailey
• Camp Dolphin at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort: Open daily from 4 to 11 p.m. and serving guests at the three hotels that comprise the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, Camp Dolphin offers a flexible evening program with a mix of arts and crafts, games, movies and themed activities plus dinner and snacks.
Located inside the Dolphin and offered for either two hours (at $60) or six hours ($135), the club's greatest advantage is its location: Parents can leave the resort and head anywhere within the Epcot resort area (including Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios or Disney's BoardWalk Inn). Children from 5 to 12 are welcome.
Parents can also earn a complimentary two-hour session in Camp Dolphin with entree purchase at select resort restaurants.
The Hidden Garden Kids Club at JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa. Source: Courtesy of JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort and Spa
• Hidden Garden Kids Club at JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa: Tucked behind a secret door covered in greenery, the sixth-floor JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa's Hidden Garden Kids Club offers a fun mix of supervised crafts, games and interactive activities.
Evening sessions include movies and dinner. Just outside the club, a rooftop activity garden adds to the fun with minigolf, a climbing wall and an open-air play area.
The hotel also offers popular loft family suites and a central location near Disney Springs. Hidden Garden Kids Club is open Fridays and Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. and priced at $65. Kids Night Out nighttime sessions take place Fridays and Saturdays from 6 to 9 p.m. for $85, (inclusive of dinner). Kids ages 5 to 12 are welcome.
Waldy's Kids Club at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando offers activities like crafts, board games, swimming and roasting s'mores. Source: Courtesy of The Waldorf Astoria Orlando
• Waldy's Kids Club at Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek: Open to guests of both the Waldorf Astoria Orlando and the Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, Waldy's Kids Club offers a classic resort program with both indoor and outdoor activities, including crafts, board games, swimming, poolside games and roasting s'mores.
Located at the Waldorf Astoria, the club welcomes kids ages 5 to 12 and is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and again from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. It has additional sessions on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 to 9 p.m. It costs $20 per hour or $50 for a three-hour session with lunch.
Kids can also join supervised lawn activities on Friday and Saturday afternoons, adding a layer of fun beyond the clubhouse.