13 Things To Do at Orlando World Center Marriott

Orlando World Center Marriott is an expansive resort with numerous activities. If you stay there, you can expect enough entertainment and fun to keep you occupied for days!

The resort is in a fantastic location for exploring area attractions, including Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida, and offers a free shuttle to Disney properties. However, there’s so much to do at the resort that you should plan at least 1 resort day between area activities or even consider spending all of your time soaking up everything this resort has to offer. You can shuttle in or park your car once and never need it again until you leave.

See all of the things you can do at the largest Marriott in the world, whether you’re into pool time, golfing, family activities, or interacting with local wildlife.

Staying at Orlando World Center Marriott

Nearly all of Orlando World Center Marriott‘s activities are strictly for guests unless you’re booking a tee time at Hawk’s Landing Golf Club or spa services.

Weekend rates for this hotel generally start around $300 or about 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. If you have a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card, you can use a 35,000-point free night certificate for this property.

Hot Tip:

Check out my full-length review of Orlando World Center Marriott, with complete details on the rooms, amenities, food and beverage, and more!

Events and Activities at Orlando World Center Marriott

If you’re planning a trip to Orlando World Center Marriott, you can check the resort’s events calendar ahead of time. The calendar features recurring and special events, giving you an idea of the best days to plan your visit around things to do at the resort.

When you check in to the resort, you get a list of daily activities for the week you’re visiting. There’s a scheduled activity every hour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most of these activities occur at the Falls Pool area, either in or near the pool on the pool deck or activities lawn.

1. Ride Thrill Slides at the Water Park

Guests of Orlando World Center Marriott can visit River Falls Water Park, which extends the resort’s pool area with thrill slides and a lazy river. The park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Riders 48 inches or taller can ride any of the 3 tube waterslides, which feature drops, turns, and twists:

• On Boomerango, 3 guests ride an inner tube through 425 feet of speedy twists and turns before boomeranging up the launch 20 feet in the air and back down to the plunge pool.
• Double or single tubes take riders through the enclosed Aquasphere, which has 498 feet of dips, sharp turns, twists, and sharp turns in the dark.
• Tail Spin is the longest waterslide in the park at 525 feet. It pushes you through a tailspin before you touch down in the pool.

If you’d prefer to take it easy, hop in a tube and float the 575-foot lazy river or play under the sprinkler leaves.

Hot Tip:

You can’t bring anything with you on the slides — no glasses or phones in particular. Leave these behind in your room or at your seat before you head up to the slide entrance.

2. Chill Out in the Pools and Lazy River

In addition to River Falls water park, Orlando World Center Marriott has Falls Pool, a lagoon resort pool.

The resort pool is an enormous 400,000 gallons, with plenty of space to swim and catch sun. The main pool is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with the kids splash zone and slide tower opening at 10 a.m. and closing at 10 p.m.

This lagoon-style heated pool has a zero-entry edge. Sun shelves along the edges are great for soaking up the sun from the water.

At the body slide tower, you can ride a 90-foot speed slide or either of 2 200-foot twisting slides. Upstairs on the rock ledge, there’s a kids splash zone with 11-inch depths, interactive water play, and a small slide. There’s also a hot tub and chess set on the upper level of the pool area.

The pool is surrounded by cabanas, daybeds, and loungers you can reserve — or just grab a lounger that’s available. The Falls Pool Bar & Grill can deliver food to your seat if you order using the attached QR code.

3. Watch a Dive-In Movie

Every Saturday night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., you can watch a movie at the pool. Movies tend to be family-friendly titles such as “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” and “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” though you may see an occasional PG movie such as “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” on the calendar.

With 4 8-by-10-foot screens at the center of the pool, it’s easy to catch a show whether you’re in the water or hanging out on a lounger or at a cabana. If you don’t feel like hanging out at the pool, you can watch from your balcony if you book a room with a pool view. After the movie, you can stick around for the 9 p.m. laser light show at the pool.

Hot Tip:

Read the events calendar at check-in or look online at the resort event schedule to find out what movie is on. Also, check for additional dates, as some weeks have multiple dive-in movie events.

4. Catch a Laser Light Show

Every night at 9 p.m., Falls Pool presents a 13-minute laser light show. The brightly colored laser illuminations dance in sync with the music and graphics on the pool screens. Every night, there’s a new show with new music and visual effects.

You can watch the show from the pool to see lasers above your head or watch at the pool bar, the lobby terrace, or from rooms with a view of the pool and laser light show. It’s best seen from the pool deck, though.

Hot Tip:

If you want to watch the laser show but need to have kids in bed around the show’s time, book a room with a pool view so you can watch from your balcony.

5. Hold a Baby Alligator at the Gatorland Experience

The Gatorland Experience is available every Saturday at 11 a.m. on the pool deck. Gatorland brings wild animals — spiders, snakes, iguanas, and a baby alligator — for an interactive show. As each animal comes out, a Gatorland representative talks about it, explaining its name, species, and interesting facts about it. The audience can touch some of the animals as they come out, especially the friendly ball python.

Guests can volunteer to hold each of the animals as part of the show, and the entire experience is educational, especially for kids curious about animals. At the end, everyone has a chance to line up and get a photo holding a baby alligator. Don’t worry — the baby alligator (named Willie Bite) has its mouth taped during the show.

Hot Tip:

Established in 1949 as Central Florida’s first major attraction, long before Disney World and Universal, Gatorland features alligators, crocodiles, birds, wild cats, snakes, tortoises, and more. The park is 15 minutes away from Orlando World Center Marriott, but you can meet some of Gatorland’s residents poolside at the resort.

6. Play and Learn Golf

Guests of Orlando World Center Marriott can play at the on-site Hawk’s Landing Golf Club. As a guest, you get 15% off Hawk’s Landing green fees. TaylorMade rental clubs are available. Guests also get access to the driving range with a bucket of balls and rental clubs for up to 4 guests.

Hawk’s Landing Golf Club has a 6,200-yard, 18-hole championship golf course with a par-70 layout. This tree-lined course features water on 15 holes and an island green. Kids under 15 golf for free with a paying adult after 3 p.m., and same-day replays may be available, based on availability.

If you’d like to brush up on golf skills, seek out Orlando Golf Academy at the golf club, offering personalized instruction and group packages for all levels.

7. Play and Sweat

The pool, water park, and golf course offer plenty of opportunities to get active at the resort, but those aren’t your only options. If a miniature golf course is more your speed, there’s a well-maintained course with plenty of shade. Just pick up balls and clubs at the River Falls attendant stand.

You can catch an instructor-led aqua fitness class at 9:30 a.m. every Friday morning and Sunday at the Falls lagoon pool, or join a hip-hop dance class Friday evenings at 6 p.m. on the activity lawn.

The resort’s 24-hour fitness center has 4,000 square feet of cardio equipment, free weights, and more. Outside, the 1.5-mile running track runs around the main building of the resort.

8. Enjoy Art and Family Activities

The activity lawn features numerous scheduled activities. You can do a water balloon toss, play bingo, or test your knowledge at trivia. Challenges such as scavenger hunts and pass-the-balloon are fun for the whole family. Most mornings, you can feed the fish, and afternoons often feature dance parties and game shows.

If you’re feeling crafty, try activities such as tie-dyeing shirts, making slime, or painting ceramics — though some of these activities require a fee. On Fridays and Saturdays, you can pick up a s’mores kit for $6 each.

Hot Tip:

On rainy days, the resort moves these activities indoors so you don’t have to miss out on the fun.

9. Play Games in the Arcade

If you want to beat the heat and prefer to game indoors, the arcade has 2 rooms filled with numerous games and fun activities.

You can try your skills playing air hockey, Skee-Ball, or basketball. Racers can speed along with interactive racing simulators with cars and motorcycles. More classics include Space Invaders, wheel spin machines, and more. There are also claw and ticket prize games.

Once you’re done playing, you can hit the prize selection lockers to go home with your winnings.

10. Learn How To Swim

Kids and adults can learn to swim while on vacation at the resort with Baby Otter Swim School. This traveling swim school offers hands-on lessons that teach new swimmers — even babies — a turn, kick, and reach program for swim safety.

The lessons can take as little as 3 hours across 3 days and are done in the resort’s pool by appointment. You can schedule lessons at the front desk, with pool staff, or by contacting Baby Otter Swim School (888-794-6543).

11. Get Pampered at the Spa

The Spa at Orlando World Center Marriott offers massage, skincare, and salon services. Highlights include custom massages personalized to your wellness goals, premium facials, manicures and pedicures, and waxing.

In addition to spa services, you can spend time in the spa’s meditation and steam rooms with complimentary tea for a quiet retreat. The lobby features a boutique where you can shop for beauty and wellness items or take home the products used during your treatments. The spa is connected to the fitness center, if you’d like to squeeze in a workout, too.

12. Eat and Learn

Orlando World Center Marriott has 9 dining options ranging from a lobby pantry and Starbucks to an Italian kitchen, a teppanyaki steakhouse, and a huge buffet breakfast.

In addition to the always-available dining, Orlando World Center Marriott frequently offers food experiences for guests. For example, the Margs and Guac class held over Cinco de Mayo weekend taught guests how to select tequila and shake the perfect margarita while mixing together prepared guacamole ingredients. A World of Whiskey event features a tasting and lessons about the 30 top-selling whiskies, scotches, and bourbons.

13. Take a Shuttle to Disney World

Though there’s so much to do at the resort, all the Disney World parks are less than 15 minutes away by car and easy to get to. Ride-share is a reliable option, but the resort offers a free shuttle to all of the Disney parks and Disney Springs.

You can reserve your shuttle transportation up to 3 days in advance. Shuttles leave the resort as early as 7:15 a.m. and depart as late as midnight on some nights. The buses pick up at the resort’s front door and have convenient shuttle stations at each of the parks and Disney Springs.

Final Thoughts

Orlando World Center Marriott is a destination resort that offers a wide range of activities and amenities for an enjoyable stay. Thrill-seekers can ride the resort’s 7 waterslides, golfers can take advantage of discounts at the on-site championship golf course, and there’s plenty of relaxation poolside and at the spa. There’s endless entertainment with local wildlife encounters, a laser light show, dive-in movies, and daily family activities. With a convenient shuttle to Disney properties, this resort is also a good home base for exploring nearby attractions.