Reunion Resort vs Encore Resort: Which Orlando Resort Is Right for Your Family?
So you have narrowed it down to two brilliant Orlando resorts and now you are stuck. Reunion Resort or Encore Resort? Both are fantastic, both are close to Disney, and both have the kind of private villas that make a Florida family holiday genuinely special. But they are actually very different places, and the right one for your family depends on exactly what kind of holiday you are looking for.
We have put together this honest, straightforward comparison to help you decide. No fluff, just everything you need to know.
Location: How Close Are They to Disney?
Good news on both fronts here. Neither resort is going to have you stuck in traffic for an hour every morning.
Reunion Resort sits around 10 to 15 minutes from Walt Disney World, spread across a vast 2,300-acre gated community in the Kissimmee area of Orlando. It is a proper residential resort feel, with wide open spaces, mature landscaping, and three championship golf courses winding through the whole estate.
Encore Resort is around 10 minutes from Disney and sits in the same Kissimmee area. It was purpose-built as a holiday resort, which means the whole layout is designed specifically around short-term stays and family convenience. Everything is a little more compact and a little more concentrated in one place.
On pure location, it is essentially a tie. Both give you easy access to Disney, Universal, EPCOT, and everything else Orlando has to offer.
The Villas: What Can You Actually Expect?
This is where things start to get a bit more interesting.
Reunion Resort has been developing over many years, which means the variety of properties available is extraordinary. You can find golf-front villas overlooking the fairways, enormous custom-built mansions sleeping 30 or more guests, modern luxury homes with private pools, and properties with everything from private cinemas to bowling alleys and sports courts. If you have a specific vision for your ideal Florida holiday home, Reunion almost certainly has it.
Encore Resort villas are generally newer and benefit from very clean, contemporary interiors with open-plan living spaces that families love. They are well designed, comfortable, and feel fresh and modern. The trade-off is that there is less variation between properties, so if you are after something completely unique or over the top, Encore has fewer options in that direction.
For sheer variety, luxury, and the wow factor, Reunion Resort takes this one.
Resort Facilities: Where Will Your Family Spend Their Time?
Both resorts have a strong set of facilities, but they go about it in quite different ways.
Reunion Resort spreads its amenities across the whole estate, giving it that exclusive residential feel. Depending on your villa, you can access a water park, multiple restaurants and bars, three championship golf courses, tennis facilities, pickleball courts, mini golf, and a fitness centre. It genuinely feels like a small luxury town rather than a traditional holiday resort.
Encore Resort concentrates everything around a central clubhouse, and at the heart of it all is a brilliant large water park with splash zones and kids activities that younger children absolutely love. There are also restaurants, sports courts, and fitness facilities all within easy walking distance of each other.
Here is the honest answer on who wins this one. If you have younger children who are going to spend hours every day in the water park and love that buzzy, active holiday atmosphere, Encore has a slight edge for pure family entertainment. If you want a broader luxury resort experience with more variety and a more relaxed feel, Reunion is the one.
Atmosphere: What Does It Actually Feel Like to Stay There?
This is something that matters more than people realise when they are booking, and it is worth thinking about carefully.
Reunion Resort feels like an upscale, peaceful community. The golf course views are beautiful, the landscaping is mature and well-kept, and the whole place has a calm, unhurried feel to it. Families who want to relax properly between theme park days love it for this reason. You come home, you sit by your private pool, and the world feels very far away in the best possible sense.
Encore Resort has a livelier, more traditional holiday resort energy. There is more activity, more families around the central areas, and a more social, holiday-park kind of vibe. For families with younger kids who want that full-on holiday atmosphere from morning to evening, it works brilliantly.
Neither is better than the other. It genuinely comes down to the kind of holiday your family enjoys most.
Golf: Is This a Factor for Your Group?
If anyone in your group plays golf, this one is very straightforward.
Reunion Resort has three championship golf courses designed by three of the greatest golfers of all time. Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, and Jack Nicklaus each designed one of the courses, and they are genuinely world-class. Reunion is one of Orlando’s premier golf destinations, full stop.
Encore Resort does not have its own championship golf courses.
If golf matters to even one person in your group, Reunion is the clear answer.
Which Resort Is Best for Your Family?
Here is a simple way to think about it.
Choose Reunion Resort if you want a luxury villa holiday with a wide choice of incredible properties, you value space and privacy, you enjoy golf, you prefer a quieter and more upscale atmosphere, or you want that feeling of staying somewhere genuinely special and prestigious.
Choose Encore Resort if you have younger children who will love the water park, you want a lively and active holiday atmosphere, you prefer newer and more uniform villa designs, or the resort facilities are going to be a big part of how your family spends their time each day.
Our Honest Recommendation
At Exclusive Private Villas, Reunion Resort is our most requested and most recommended resort, and it is not hard to see why. The combination of extraordinary villas, three championship golf courses, beautiful surroundings, world-class facilities, and that unbeatable location close to Disney makes it one of the finest villa communities in the whole of Florida.
That said, Encore Resort is a genuinely brilliant choice for families with younger children who are going to spend plenty of time in the water park and love that activity-filled holiday feel.
The best resort is simply the one that fits how your family likes to holiday. And whichever one you choose, a private villa is always going to be a better experience than a hotel.
Find Your Perfect Orlando Villa Today
At Exclusive Private Villas, we handpick every property in our collection. Whether you are drawn to Reunion Resort, Encore Resort, or any of our other fantastic Orlando communities, our team will help you find the perfect villa for your family, your budget, and your dates.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Reunion Resort or Encore Resort closer to Disney World? Both resorts are in the Kissimmee area and are similarly close to Walt Disney World. Encore Resort is around 10 minutes away, while Reunion Resort is around 10 to 15 minutes away. Neither resort is going to add significant travel time to your theme park days.
Which resort has the better water park? Encore Resort’s centralised water park is purpose-built for families and is generally considered the stronger water park experience of the two. Reunion Resort also has water park facilities, but access depends on the specific villa you book.
Are Reunion Resort villas more expensive than Encore Resort villas? Reunion Resort villas tend to be priced at a premium due to the wider variety of properties, larger estate homes, and the overall prestige of the resort. However, pricing varies considerably depending on villa size, season, and specific property. Our team can help you find the best option within your budget.
Can I play golf at Reunion Resort as a villa guest? Yes. Reunion Resort’s three championship golf courses are available to guests, making it one of Orlando’s top destinations for golfing families and groups.
How do I book an Orlando villa with Exclusive Private Villas? Simply use our enquiry form or contact our team directly. We will match you with the best available villa at your chosen resort, confirm availability for your dates, and take care of everything from there.
