{"id":380,"date":"2008-05-26T15:30:24","date_gmt":"2008-05-26T20:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2008\/05\/lazy-river-a-highlight-at-omni-orlando-hotel\/"},"modified":"2017-03-20T14:48:23","modified_gmt":"2017-03-20T19:48:23","slug":"lazy-river-a-highlight-at-omni-orlando-hotel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2008\/05\/lazy-river-a-highlight-at-omni-orlando-hotel\/","title":{"rendered":"Lazy river a highlight at Omni Orlando hotel"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Lazyriver\"<\/a>
\nBy Samantha Chapnick<\/em><\/p>\n

“The lazy river!” That was my daughter\u2019s response when asked her favorite part of our 11-day Orlando vacation<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Some time later she added others, but the lazy river at the Omni Orlando Resort<\/strong><\/a> clearly stood out for her.<\/p>\n

The Omni\u2019s pool area was a main highlight for me too, despite some
\nsteep competition among our other Orlando vacation<\/strong><\/a> highlights, including living with zebras and giraffes at the
\nAnimal Kingdom Lodge<\/strong><\/a> at Disney World<\/strong><\/a>, seeing young girls working Diabolos at La Nouba,
\nthe Cirque du Soleil show at Disney World, the playground in Lake Eola park, the pool slide at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa<\/a>,<\/strong>
\nand almost having dinner with Anthony Bourdain.<\/p>\n

The Omni’s pool area was great for our family vacation<\/strong><\/a> because it has something for everyone: an elegant
\nadult-only pool with cabanas that rent for a comparatively reasonable
\n$110\/day; a zero-entry kids pool; a large slide; a water fountain
\nfeature; a hot tub with a waterfall kids love to stand in, and the
\naforementioned lazy river.<\/p>\n

The landscaping was a nice change from most hotel pool areas. Cypress
\ntrees separate the hot tub from the zero-entry pool, extensive shrubs
\ncreate a nice private niche behind the kids pool (not too private, but
\njust slightly more quiet), and tall palms lend some tropical atmosphere.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The hotel staff is always smiling, eager to help and quick to respond. When I needed a chaise lounge and umbrella, it took less than 5 minutes, despite it being a very crowded day. Three or four times a day there are pool activities for kids run by friendly young women who really have a way with the kids. We played bingo, hot potato in the pool and diving for rings, and got an airbrush tattoo. Most of the activities are free, with any projects or services having a minimalfee (the tattoo cost $5).<\/p>\n

The lazy river, though, is really special. Its 850 feet wander behind the adult pool cabanas, next to the kids pool and then next to the golf course. The pace (slow) and depth (3 feet) make it ideal. At times its popularity makes it hard to procure an inner tube, but most of the kids preferred swimming through without one.<\/p>\n

After my 4th trip around, I put a lazy river on my list of \u201cdo this summer\u201d family vacation<\/strong><\/a> criteria.
\nAlas, I wish the water were about 4 degrees warmer, as the 85 degrees was too cold for extensive use in the spring. I also wish there were a path around the lazy river because it is hard to follow your child — most of whom want to stay in far longer than the average parent could handle the not-warm-enough water.<\/p>\n

Related Orbitz resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n