5 reasons why Marriott is the best hotel brand for theme park fans

16.12.2024 - 23:15 / thepointsguy.com

Maybe it's just me, but planning my family's theme park vacations brings me almost as much joy as the vacation itself. I don't go overboard planning out a structured itinerary for every minute of our trip, but choosing which parks we will visit each day and where we will stay adds to the excitement of our theme park visits.

When it comes to deciding on a hotel, my first decision is always whether to stay on or off the park property. The benefits of staying at an on-site resort at places like Disney World or Universal Orlando are obvious – proximity to the parks, immersive theming and amenities like complimentary transportation and early theme park entry that further enhance your vacation.

Theme park hotels can be pricey, however. And, except for a few crafty workarounds, it's difficult to earn or redeem points and miles to cover the cost of your stay. However, there are several points properties adjacent to most major theme parks that combine the best of both worlds.

In my extensive experience visiting theme parks (almost too extensive, some may say), I've found that I most often turn to Marriott properties when I choose an off-site hotel. Here are my top reasons for why, along with a few of my favorite Marriotts near Disney and Universal theme parks.

You might be surprised to learn that some off-property hotels are actually closer to the parks than their on-property counterparts. Because of its expansive size, this is particularly true at Walt Disney World.

The Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve hotels are within walking distance of two Disney World theme parks — Disney's Hollywood Studios and Epcot. Outside of the Magic Kingdom and BoardWalk resorts, even Disney's own hotels are not within walking distance of its theme parks.

As an added bonus, some rooms at the Swan and Dolphin hotels even have views of Disney's nightly fireworks shows.

Disneyland has a much smaller footprint than Disney World. All of Disneyland's on-site hotels are within easy walking distance of the parks – but thanks to its small size, so are several properties near the parks.

The Westin Anaheim Resort; Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance; JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort; and Fairfield Anaheim Resort are all a 10- to 15-minute walk from Disneyland's front gates.

Universal Studios Hollywood doesn't have any on-site hotels (yet), but the Sheraton Universal Hotel is just across the street from the walkway that leads to the parks. You can get to the main security entrance in 10 minutes or less and you don't have to deal with finding (or paying for) a parking spot.

I'm not telling you anything you don't know when I say that theme park hotels can carry a hefty price tag. Sure, you can snag the occasional Disney World hotel