Why Marriott is the best hotel brand for theme park fans

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.

Convenient locations

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.

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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 discount, but some of the Marriott properties near the parks have consistently lower pricing than you’ll find on-site.

Take the Renaissance Orlando Resort & Spa, for example. This recently renovated Disney Springs hotel has rooms that range from $149 to $189 per night (plus a daily $45 resort fee). The hotel regularly runs special offers that can bring the nightly rate under $130. When redeeming points, you can expect to pay about 30,000 to 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Related: The best Disney Springs hotels with rates as low as $98

This resort’s cash pricing is comparable to a Value Disney resort like Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort or Disney’s Pop Century Resort, where pricing averages between $125 and $200 per night. But the amenities and decor lean closer to a Moderate Disney resort, which you would pay at least $100 more per night for.

Related: Reasons to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort property

But you don’t have to stay on the property to reap these same rewards.

Theme park transportation

Even the major points hotels that aren’t within walking distance of a theme park typically offer complimentary transportation for their guests, just like you’d get if you were staying on-site.

In addition to being walkable to Epcot and Hollywood Studios, you can also utilize the Swan and Dolphin’s water taxi to get to both parks or take the complimentary shuttle to get to Disney’s other theme parks and Disney Springs.

Similarly, despite its walkability, the Sheraton Universal Hotel provides complimentary shuttle transportation to Universal Studios Hollywood. The shuttle picks up at the hotel’s front door about every 15 minutes, which is more convenient than some off-site hotels that require you to make a reservation to use the shuttle.

Fun decor and theming

At theme parks like Disneyland, you can choose from hotels with classic Disney characters, like the Disneyland Hotel, or ones with nods to more modern films, like Pixar Place Hotel. The same is true for hotels in the surrounding area.

At the Fairfield Anaheim, guest rooms have large wall murals depicting iconic pieces of Disney history like Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Walt Disney Studios water tower.

One of my favorite features of the Sheraton Universal Hotel was the vintage photographs of Universal Studios Hollywood and the backlot film studio.

Even though these properties may not have extensive theming, the subtle touches help to keep you immersed in the experience. In addition to artwork, these properties typically have gift shops with licensed Disney or Universal merchandise and ticket desks with associates who can assist with theme park questions and ticket purchases.

Get a head start at the parks

Early entry is typically a perk reserved for on-site hotel guests, but the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels and the Disney Springs hotels are in a unique position of being considered official Disney World hotels when it comes to that benefit.

Related: A magical guide for how to plan a trip to Disney World

That means guests staying at the Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin or Swan Reserve or the Renaissance Orlando can enter any of Disney World’s four theme parks 30 minutes prior to the posted opening time. This benefit can give you a huge advantage over guests who have to wait until the official opening time to start their day.

Family-friendly amenities

If you are planning a theme park vacation longer than two days, I usually advise taking a half day or full day away from the parks to rest and recharge. Even if you prefer to squeeze in as many rides as possible, you may have some extra time on your arrival or departure days to enjoy the resort amenities.

This is one area where Marriott properties really shine … sometimes even brighter than official theme park hotels. The Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance has a kid-friendly water park that rivals that of any official Disneyland hotel, with waterslides, a pool and a splash playground.

Gaylord Palms’ Cypress Springs water park is practically a theme park in and of itself. This 3-acre water park has seven waterslides, a fast-moving “action river,” a massive splash playground, a surf simulator and two swimming pools.

Gaylord Palms offers a whole host of other family-friendly activities, including the brand’s signature holiday event, “Ice!,” a self-guided augmented reality scavenger hunt, and weekly fish and alligator feedings.

Down the road at the Orlando World Center Marriott, you can enjoy the three multirider waterslides and the lazy river at River Falls Water Park, chill out at the Falls Pool Oasis lagoon-style pool and splash pad during the day, and attend poolside movies, pool parties with real mermaids or watch a laser light show from the pool or the comfort of your balcony in the evening.

And the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa (also near Disney World) has two heated pools, a whirlpool, pool cabanas and an “Activity Garden” with minigolf, a rock wall, lawn games, fitness classes, and an indoor kids club.

The best way to reap the rewards of staying at a Marriott property near a theme park is by joining the free Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. This allows you to earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy points when you stay with participating properties and take advantage of discounted rates, the ability to share points between family members, utilize mobile check-in and mobile key, and get your fifth night free on award stays.

While it’s free to sign up for a Marriott Bonvoy membership, you get better perks as you move through the higher elite levels.

As a Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite member, you can get bonus points earnings, designated check-in lanes, a 2 p.m. late checkout (so you can squeeze in just a little more park time), room upgrades, welcome gifts and more. Those are things I’ve never gotten when staying at an official theme park hotel.

Room upgrades are dependent on availability, but I’ve been upgraded from a standard view room to an atrium view at Gaylord and from a standard room to one with a balcony overlooking the resort at the Walt Disney World Swan hotel.

Related: Best Marriott credit cards

You can fast-track your way to elite status with one of several credit cards that come with automatic Marriott Silver, Gold or Platinum elite status as a cardholder perk:

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless comes with an annual 35,000-point certificate that can help to significantly reduce the cost of your hotel stay, and potentially even cover a night at a hotel like the Walt Disney World Swan.

The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful offer a 50,000-point certificate after you spend $15,000 in a cardmember year, which you could use to cover a night at a location like the JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa.