A Look Inside of the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, Florida
Today, we are exploring the beautiful Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, Florida. The weather has been pretty chilly lately in Central Florida. So Jeff and I decided to have a romantic evening inside of the Gaylord Palms. This resort is known for its lush indoor gardens and winding waterways in its epic atriums. Which makes it the cutest date night spot! Also, they offer a few different restaurants include the MOOR, which we really wanted to check out!
If you are a guest at the Gaylord Palms, you’re only a few minutes away from the best attractions in Orlando. This would include the theme parks like Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, Fun Spot America, and more. Plus, guests are only minutes away from popular shopping destinations, restaurants, and nightclubs! Although, the best part about a stay at the Gaylord Palms Resorts is that you don’t have to step foot outside of the hotel at all! If you’re looking for a romantic vacation or staycation, you’re exactly where you need to be!
GAYLORD PALMS RESORT REVIEW
Since the resort is only 40 minutes away from our home, Jeff and I are very lucky to be able to drive over just for dinner. (keep scrolling down for dining review!) This visit was actually my first so we arrived just before sunset to explore before heading to the restaurant. The Gaylord Palms is known for its huge indoor atriums that feature a lush tropical garden with gorgeous palm trees and colorful plants throughout. Guests that stay in the main building are able to keep their patio doors open to hear the liveliness of the hotel, relaxing sounds of waterfalls without worrying about the Florida humidity getting into their room.
The Orlando location recently opened a new water park but since we weren’t guests, we didn’t have access but we were able to grab a little peak while visiting the pool area. The Gaylord Palms really has everything you need to have a fun-filled vacation!
DINING AT THE GAYLORD PALMS
You’ll find a variety of restaurants on site of the resort. Like any resort, food and drinks can get costly.
We decided to dine at MOOR, which is their sailboard-themed seafood restaurant. The menu wasn’t very big during our visit. For starters, Jeff and I enjoyed the Southern Starter ($18) which is their take on a charcuterie board with Smoked Fish Dip, Cypress Point Pimento Cheese, Prosciutto, House-made crackers, house-made pickles, and fresh honeycomb!
For our entrees, Jeff ordered the 8oz. Center Cut Filet Mignon ($45) that was accompanied with aged balsamic and herb butter. Along with the dish, the steak had truffle potatoes, roasted bacon Brussel sprouts & charred Heirloom carrots as the side dishes.
For myself, I’m not a big seafood or Steak girl, so I went with the Shrimp Pasta ($33). While the garlic cream sauce was good, it was too rich for my liking. Therefore, I’ll probably skip this meal during my next visit because it felt like I was eating Shrimp with Mac & Cheese. Since it is.a seafood restaurant, I’ll have to actually try their fish entrees to get the full experience. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my dinner and the ambiance of the restaurant.
On the cocktail list, you’ll find only 3 cocktails. Their Old Fashioned, a citrus Margarita and the Neptune’s Kiss. I ordered the Neptune’s Kiss which was a martini with Elderflower Liqueur. All of the cocktail are $17 during our visit.
To practice safety during the pandemic, tables were spread out, guests wore masks while walking from and to their tables and guests had their temperatures checked at the host stand.
Overall, the experience gets a 2.5 out of 5 stars. It’s good enough to eat again another time but isn’t a restaurant I would be begging to go back too. Jeff gives the restaurant a 3.7 out of 5!
HERE ARE ALL OF THE DINING OPTIONS AT THE GAYLORD PALMS RESORT:
ACTIVITIES AT THE RESORT
As I mentioned, The Gaylord Palms opened up a new water park. Also, you’ll find multiple swimming pools. For rainy days, they have plenty of activities indoors. Some unique activities include a Feeding Show with live gators at the Gator Springs and Fish feeding at the Key West Lagoon! (Make sure to give them a call to find out specific times and days.)
Since we are in the Spring season, the resort offered plenty of family-friendly activities like an Easter Egg Hunt, a Mr. and Mrs. Bunny Easter Hunt, Cookie decorating, a scavenger hunt, plus a painting class. There are so many ways to have fun during a stay during the Spring season for every age! Give them a call for tickets and specific dates, times or to find out about their upcoming events.
AMENITIES AT THE RESORT
Here are a few amenities at the Gaylord Palms!
- State-of-the-art Gym with plenty of machines and free weights available.
- The Relâche Spa & Salon
- Multiple outdoor Swimming Pools
WHAT TO PACK FOR YOUR VISIT
Depending on the time of year you are visiting Orlando does experience very hot weather, rainy days during the summer, and pretty chilly and windy nights during the winter. Although generally speaking, Orlando is a destination that can be as ritzy or as casual as you want I.T to be. There are many high-end restaurants so don’t be shy and pack those cute designer heels. Or if you want a more relaxed vacation, you can get away with wear the same pair of converse the entire vacation.
I would suggest bringing a bright bikini, a pair of shorts for hot days, and a light jacket for unexpected chilly nights. Also, make sure to pack a pair of comfy shoes. There is a lot to explore inside and outside of the theme parks. So make sure the shoes you have been broken into and comfy!
IS GAYLORD PALMS RESORT WORTH VISITING WHEN IN ORLANDO?
If you are looking for a relaxing and luxurious stay that is also very family-friendly, definitely consider the Gaylord Palms resort! The resort is gorgeous and you can have fun no matter what the weather is since they have so much to do inside and outside.
Happy Vacationing!
