Reunion Resort Water Park vs Encore Resort Water Park: Which Is Better for Your Family?
When families are choosing between Reunion Resort and Encore Resort for their Orlando villa holiday, the water park question comes up almost every single time. Both resorts have brilliant aquatic facilities. Both are close to Disney. And both will genuinely delight your children. But they are very different experiences, and picking the right one matters more than most people realise before they book.
This guide breaks it all down honestly so you can make the right choice for your family before you commit to anything.
The Most Important Thing to Know Before You Read Anything Else
Before we get into the comparison, there is one thing that every family needs to understand clearly, because it catches people out more than anything else.
You cannot use the other resort’s water park.
Water park access is completely resort specific. If you are staying in a Reunion Resort villa, you use Reunion Resort’s water park. If you are staying at Encore Resort, you use Encore Resort’s. You cannot cross over and use the other resort’s facilities, regardless of how close together they are or how much your children are convinced they want to try both.
There is one more important detail on the Reunion Resort side. Not every villa at Reunion automatically includes water park access. Access depends on the specific membership privileges attached to your villa booking. At Exclusive Private Villas, we will always make this clear when you enquire, so you know exactly what is included before you book.
Right. Now that the important bit is out of the way, here is how the two water parks actually compare.
Reunion Resort Water Park: Relaxed, Upscale, and Genuinely Lovely
The Reunion Resort water park is designed to feel like part of a wider luxury resort experience rather than a standalone attraction, and that is precisely what makes it so appealing to the families who love it.
Guests with eligible villa access can enjoy a lazy river, water slides, a children’s splash play area, a large resort swimming pool, poolside cabanas, sunbathing areas, and food and drink service throughout the day. The surroundings are beautiful, tropical, and well-maintained in a way that feels consistent with the overall quality of Reunion Resort as a whole.
The lazy river is the real star of the show here. After a long day at Disney or Universal, there is something genuinely restorative about floating around a lazy river while the children play on the slides and splash around. It never feels overwhelming. It never feels overcrowded. It feels like exactly the kind of thing a proper luxury holiday should include.
The water park at Reunion is large enough to keep children entertained for hours, but it complements the villa experience rather than trying to compete with the theme parks. Families who want a relaxing base to come back to rather than non-stop stimulation tend to absolutely love it.
Best for: Families wanting a luxury resort feel, guests splitting time between theme parks and relaxation, golfing groups travelling with children, and anyone who values a quieter and more spacious atmosphere.
Encore Resort Water Park: Energetic, Fun, and Built Around the Kids
Encore Resort takes a very different approach. Here, the water park is not just one part of the resort experience. For many families, it is the main event.
Guests can enjoy multiple large water slides, splash zones, children’s play structures, swimming pools, poolside dining, family entertainment, and organised resort activities throughout the day. The atmosphere is lively, social, and unapologetically focused on family fun from morning until late afternoon.
Children who love water parks tend to be absolutely in their element at Encore. Everything is concentrated in one central location, which means families can spend entire days there without needing to go anywhere else. The slides are a step up from Reunion in terms of the thrill factor, and for children who want to ride the same slide fifteen times in a row, Encore gives them exactly that.
The honest truth is that if you have younger children who measure the success of a holiday almost entirely by how much time they spend in the water, Encore Resort’s water park will likely be the highlight of their entire trip.
Best for: Families with younger children, guests who plan to spend significant time at the resort itself, first-time Orlando visitors, and water-loving children who want maximum slides and splash time.
How the Two Water Parks Compare Side by Side
Water Slides If slides are the number one priority for your children, Encore has the edge. It places a stronger emphasis on active water play and has more slide variety. Reunion’s slides are genuinely fun and family-friendly, but Encore is the stronger choice if your children are slide-obsessed.
Atmosphere Reunion Resort feels relaxed, spacious, upscale, and scenic. Encore Resort feels energetic, social, busy, and activity-driven. Neither is better in an absolute sense. It completely depends on what kind of holiday your family enjoys most.
Crowds Reunion generally feels less crowded and more peaceful. Encore has a busier, more resort-like feel, which younger children often love but which some adults find a bit full-on after a week.
Overall Resort Experience This is where Reunion really separates itself. Beyond the water park, Reunion offers three championship golf courses, tennis courts, pickleball, mini golf, multiple restaurants and bars, resort swimming pools, and beautiful walking areas spread across a 2,300-acre estate. Encore’s wider facilities are more focused around the central clubhouse and family entertainment hub. If you want variety beyond the water park, Reunion offers considerably more.
So Which One Should Your Family Choose?
Here is the simplest way to think about it.
Choose Encore Resort if your children are young, water slides are genuinely the thing they are most excited about, you want a lively and activity-packed resort atmosphere, and you plan to spend a lot of your holiday time at the resort itself rather than out at the theme parks.
Choose Reunion Resort if you want a luxury villa holiday with a premium resort feel, you value space and a more relaxed atmosphere, golf or wider resort amenities matter to your group, or you want the water park to be one enjoyable part of a broader holiday experience rather than the centrepiece of every day.
For the majority of our guests at Exclusive Private Villas, Reunion Resort remains the preferred choice. The combination of excellent water park facilities, championship golf, beautiful surroundings, multiple restaurants, and an extraordinary choice of luxury villas makes it one of the finest resort communities in the whole of Florida.
That said, Encore is a genuinely brilliant option for families whose children live for water parks and love that vibrant, all-in holiday energy. There is no wrong answer here. There is only the right answer for your family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Encore Resort’s water park if I am staying at Reunion Resort? No. Water park access is completely resort specific. Guests staying at Reunion Resort can only use Reunion Resort’s water park facilities, and guests staying at Encore Resort can only use Encore’s. You cannot access the other resort’s water park regardless of which villa you are staying in.
Does every Reunion Resort villa include water park access? Not automatically. Water park access at Reunion Resort depends on the membership privileges associated with your specific villa booking. When you enquire with Exclusive Private Villas, we will always confirm exactly what is included with your chosen property so there are no surprises.
Which resort water park is better for toddlers and young children? Encore Resort is generally the stronger choice for toddlers and younger children. The splash zones, play structures, and family-focused atmosphere are designed with young children at the heart of the experience. Reunion is also family-friendly, but has a slightly more relaxed feel that suits a slightly older age range.
Which resort is better for families who also want to play golf? Reunion Resort without question. It has three championship golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, and Jack Nicklaus, making it one of Orlando’s premier golf destinations. Encore Resort does not have its own championship golf facilities.
How do I know which Reunion Resort villas include water park access? Our team at Exclusive Private Villas can advise you on this when you enquire. We will always make sure you know exactly what is included in your villa booking before you confirm anything.
Find Your Perfect Orlando Villa Today
Whether Reunion Resort or Encore Resort is the right fit for your family, Exclusive Private Villas has a hand-picked collection of luxury villas at both resorts. Our team will help you compare your options, understand exactly what is included, and find the perfect villa for your dates and group size.
