If you're planning an Orlando vacation and want something beyond the usual hotel pool, The Grove Resort & Water Park might be worth a closer look. Situated on the shores of Lake Austin and surrounded by protected marshlands, this Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel sits just a few miles from the parks — close enough for a quick commute, far enough for a genuinely relaxing retreat.
The centerpiece is Surfari Water Park, a sprawling aquatic complex that includes a zero-entry pool, two water slides, a lazy river, and a FlowRider surf simulator. The FlowRider, for the uninitiated, is one of those wave-machine setups that looks intimidating from the sidelines but is reportedly more manageable than it appears once you're actually on it.
When the splashing winds down, Longboard Bar and Grill handles the food and drink — including frozen treats from Kelvin Slush Co. — while Flip Flop's Family Fun Center offers a 7,000-square-foot indoor arcade and mini golf course just across from the water park.
The resort also runs transportation to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando, making it a workable base for a full theme-park-hopping trip without the on-property price tag. It's equally suited for Orlando locals looking for a staycation that doesn't require a passport or a park ticket.
This spotlight on The Grove Resort & Water Park originally appeared on Laughing Place.
