We just got to spend two fantastic nights at the Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive and we had so much fun! The resort is located on I-Drive in the perfect location for visiting all of the Central Florida theme parks as well as other Orlando attractions, restaurants and shopping. Take a look at why we loved the Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive so much.
About Wyndham I-Drive
The Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive is located in the heart of I-Drive, just 12 miles from the airport and close to both I-4 and the Florida turnpike.
Set within beautiful grounds featuring tropical landscaping, the hotel went through a multi million dollar refurbishment of their 613 rooms and suites to become the modern resort it is today.
The rooms are bright and spacious, featuring everything you need for a family vacation. The resort features two pools set in the middle of this beautiful landscaping and onsite eateries.
Being in the middle of International Drive, the Wyndham is within walking distance of some of Orlando’s most popular attractions as well as shopping and dining experiences.
There is a complimentary shuttle available for Universal Resort Orlando and Sea World, and Walt Disney World is a 20 minute drive down I-4.
Not only is the resort super family friendly, but it’s pet friendly too so you can bring your furry friend along on your vacation! I love hotels that allow you to bring your pets with you on vacation, and the dogs we saw all looked super happy to be there!
Current safety precautions
After a brief closure due to the pandemic, the resort reopened again in June with some new safety measures in place to keep you and your family safe.
They are following the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s “Stay Safe” Guidelines as well as current CDC recommendations, and we felt comfortable staying there with the safety measures that had been established.
Employees have received safety and sanitation training and are following CDC Guidelines for PPE recommendations. Every employee we saw was wearing a mask and we saw lots of cleaning going on.
There is currently no housekeeping service to reduce staff entering the rooms, but when we checked in we were told to call anytime we needed extra towels, toiletries, or if we wanted our trash emptied.
The only thing we requested were more toiletries because we forgot to bring ours (and also because they have Bumble & Bumble products, which are amazing!)
Hand sanitizer dispensers could be found throughout the resort, and we used them every time we were in the lobby or anywhere we might be touching surfaces.
We saw hotel staff sanitizing the pool chairs and tables multiple times during our stay. The pool tables and chairs were spread out so you could remain distanced from other families as well.
Masks needed to be worn in all indoor locations, and everyone we saw was complying with this. We wore our masks any time we were in the hotel grounds and saw many other families doing the same.
There was so much space to walk around that we could still easily keep our distance from others as well.
This vacation was the first time I’ve brought my kids to a hotel since February and since we’ve been so cautious with their activities, I’ll admit that I was nervous. As soon as we arrive however we all felt comfortable that everything possible was being done to keep us and other guests as safe.
Rooms at Wyndham I-Drive
Our room at the Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive was an executive suite with a king bed and had more than enough space for our family to spread out.
Upon entry there was a large living space with a sofa and two chairs as well as a large flat screen TV. There was also a large dining room table, a kitchen area with a sink, refrigerator, and Keurig coffee maker.
Having a good sized refrigerator was wonderful! We got take out every night and brought it back to the room to eat, then we were able to put the leftovers in the refrigerator to eat later.
It was also so nice to have a real coffee maker! I’ve been to so many hotels that still offer these awful old fashioned coffee makers that really just produce brown, coffee flavored water – a Keurig with regular and decaf coffee pods (as well as tea) made a wonderful change!
The bedroom had a king bed, another TV (so I wasn’t forced to watch TV with my kids, I actually got to watch what I wanted!) and a large bathroom. There was a second smaller bathroom at the first entrance to the room (there was a second room entrance from the kitchen).
There were large patio doors leading out on to the patio areas which had tables and chairs so we could eat outdoors. I was worried that, being on the ground floor close to the pool, it would be noisy but we didn’t have any problems.
I really loved the room we were in. When I travel alone with kids one of the biggest problems is what to do once they’ve gone to bed; they’re still quite young so by 8pm they’re often asleep in bed and in a regular hotel room, I’m then sat trying to be quiet in the dark with nothing to do!
Having a suite like this made all the difference; the kids were able to go to bed, I could close the door to the bedroom and then I had the whole living space to myself to watch TV or get some work done (or eat the leftover cheesecake without having to share…)
Amenities at Wyndham I-Drive
The Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive has two large pools and we made very good use of them!
The weekend we were there the weather was cooler for Central Florida (and by cooler, I mean less than 80° so not exactly freezing) but it meant there were less people at the pool (we were also there bright and early!)
The pools are really good sizes so it’s easy to create a little space for yourself. The water was warm and the kids loved splashing around in there. We walked past the pools a few times during our stay and even when they seemed busy, there was still plenty of space.
Gatorville Poolside Bar and Grill offers a variety of drinks and poolside snacks literally a few steps from the pool itself. There are outside tables if you want to eat there, or they’ll package up your food to take away with you.
We stopped in one evening for ice cream (because vacation means getting to eat ice cream before dinner!) and a couple of drinks and the menu featured plenty of casual dining favorites (including Harrison’s beloved chicken tenders!)
The options were super family friendly (but there were some delicious cocktails being offered for the adults too!)
One of our favorite things to do was walking around the resort at the sun set. Florida evenings are beautiful and it was so nice to stroll through the tropical landscape around the lagoon.
The resort is really walkable and we got to enjoy some beautiful sunsets as we walked around.
Things to do on I-Drive Orlando
International Drive is a huge entertainment district between downtown Orlando and Lake Buena Vista.
It’s where many visitors coming to Orlando choose to stay because of the sheer amount of fantastic attractions, shopping and dining locations as well as the proximity to the theme parks.
The best thing about International Drive is that it’s so walkable. I hate driving on vacation and being able to walk to so many places from the Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive was wonderful.
It’s especially great for those coming from out of town or overseas since they won’t need to worry about renting a car.
Our absolutely favorite thing about International Drive is ICON Park. A 10 minute walk from the Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive, ICON Park is a 20 acre walkable entertainment district with more than 40 restaurants, bars, shops and attractions.
Our favorite attraction at ICON Park is The Wheel. At over 400 feet tall, this observation wheel offers the most incredible views over Orlando and the surrounding Central Florida area.
The Wheel moves less than 1mph so you have plenty of time to look around at the sights of the city; you can see Universal Orlando Resort, Sea World, and even Walt Disney World on a clear day!
There are screens in each capsule that highlight the main attractions so you know what you’re looking at.
ICON Park also offers some really cool restaurants, including one of the most fun restaurants in Orlando (and home of some of the most Instagrammable sweet treats in Orlando!)
Sugar Factory makes some of the most amazing cocktails, milkshakes, ice cream and desserts (they also serve actual food!) and the restaurant has a really fun atmosphere.
Although ICON Park is a great place to visit during the day, we always love going back at night. The atmosphere is a lot of fun, there’s live music and great places to eat and drink, and so many different things to do.
Face coverings are currently required at ICON Park and social distancing is encouraged with markings on the floor and signs reminding guests to spread out.
It was reasonably busy when we were there but there was plenty of space and we felt perfectly safe.
Things to do in Orlando
There’s a reason that Orlando is one of the most visited destinations in the world! There is so much to see and do here that it’s impossible to see it all on one trip; we live here and we haven’t done it all!
There are world class theme parks (including our favorites Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort) but also so many other things to do in Orlando with kids. If you’re staying in the area for longer, then there are some fantastic day trips from Orlando with kids and you’re just over an hour away from some of the best beaches close close to Orlando.
We were hosted by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts for this trip. As always all opinions are my own.
