Hilton Grand Vacations – Sea World

I’m not sure about you but I’m ready to start dreaming about travel again. Part of the fun of travel for me is the planning and anticipation. I love having something to look forward too. My very last trip in March 2020 was to the Hilton Grand Vacations Sea World.

This is the second time I stayed on this property. Once was in November 2019 on a work trip and I was solo. In March I returned with my two boys.

As the name suggests this is a Hilton timeshare property. What that means is you can book this property if you own Hilton timeshare points or you can book as a regular hotel room as we did. There are pros and cons to staying at a property like this. If you are not a member they are going to try to sell you on the perks of timeshares. We have had a less than a great experience with timeshare pitches, which you can read about here. However, if you want to sit through their schpeel you can walk away with some Hilton Honors points or a really great deal on a room. They may even up their offer if you say no the first time.

The greatest perk, in my opinion, of a timeshare property, is the in-room kitchen. This is the best way to save money on food and drinks during your vacation. We are a big fan of eating an in-room breakfast and having a place to prep snacks before a long day in the parks. More about that in another post.

During this trip, we were spending very little time in the parks as we came to visit friends who had no Disney tickets. This gave me some time to really explore the resort and report to you what they have to offer.

Let’s talk location. If you want to hit Sea World I don’t think you could get any closer. You could walk to the front gates it is about a mile away, or take a shuttle. This hotel is about a 10-12 min drive to Walt Disney property. The hotel also provides a shuttle. We did not take the shuttle so I can’t comment on the frequency of departures. This resort also offers FREE parking!

Both times I stayed here in a one-bedroom suite. Each unit of this size has a full kitchen, washer, and dryer, master suite with a giant tub, pull out sofa, and screened-in porch. Your resort fee includes a combination of 2 drinks each day ( coffee or bottled water from the shop) both excellent perks in my opinion.

The resort grounds here are beautiful. We enjoyed the main pool with multiple hot tubs and a huge pool. It was cold ( for Florida) when we visited but the pool is heated so the kids were ok for a short swim. Adjacent to the main pool is a restaurant and bar. They had some great happy hour specials for food and drink as well as a nice menu for the kids.

We found loads of activities to keep our kids entertained for the day at Hilton Grand Vacations -Sea World. There was a beautiful covered playground with artificial turf and benches for the parents. They had all the outdoor activities we have come to expect at a family-centric resort; ping-pong, shuffleboard, giant Jenga, giant connect four, and poolside games. In the evenings we took advantage of the free DVD movie rental kiosk they had in the lobby. It was a great way to keep the kids entertained while I cooked dinner in the room.

They had a great walking/running path around a lake that I took advantage of on my solo trip. If you want to shoot some hoops they also have a half-court basketball court. In short, they have something to keep everyone entertained.

I feel like this place is a hidden gem. Not too far from Disney property, has reasonable rates, and great amenities. You can book and earn Hilton Honors points at this property. During this time at home we have been racking up 6x Hilton Honors points on groceries with our credit card and they are burning a hole in my pocket!

How do you feel about staying off Disney property? Have you visited this resort? Have I made a compelling case?