Your perfect Orlando vacation starts here—just 3 miles from Disney’s magic, yet worlds away from the chaos. Emerald Island Resort delivers spacious vacation homes with private screened pools, surrounded by 300 acres of serene conservation wetlands. While other guests wrestle with hotel check-in lines, you’re floating in your own pool. While they’re eating overpriced theme park food, you’re grilling on your lanai. This is the smarter way to do Orlando.
Most Orlando resorts promise “close to Disney.” Emerald Island delivers it—3 miles to the gates means you’re first in line, not stuck in Highway 192 traffic. The 300-acre conservation area wraps the resort in nature trails and lakes, offering peaceful morning walks that feel nothing like tourist-packed Orlando. Meanwhile, 24-hour manned security at the entrance keeps your family safe in this gated community.
The resort’s spacious vacation homes range from budget-friendly 3-bedroom townhomes with covered patios to executive 7-bedroom villas with south-facing pools, game rooms, and lanais with ceiling fans. Every home includes a fully equipped kitchen (save hundreds on dining out), private laundry, and multiple living areas so parents can relax while kids play.
Emerald Island sits just off Highway 192 West at Mile Marker 4, making it one of the closest resort communities to Disney. Here’s what that means in real time:
Located at 2751 Emerald Island Blvd, the clubhouse operates daily from 8am-10pm and serves as your vacation headquarters. Check in at the reception desk, which stocks sundries, and local information. Cool off in the heated pool and spa (open 8am-10pm), then grab lunch or drinks at the poolside Tiki Bar (11am-10pm). The air-conditioned clubhouse includes a well-equipped fitness center, sauna, steam room, arcade (token-based), and a casual lounge with WiFi.
Emerald Island is surrounded by world-class golf courses. Play Greg Norman’s ChampionsGate Golf Course, home to the David Leadbetter Golf Academy. Nearby options include Mystic Dunes Golf Club (ranked Orlando’s #2 course), Disney Golf, Celebration Golf Club, and Falcon’s Fire Golf Club—all within 30 minutes.
Highway 192 runs minutes from the resort, packed with restaurants at real prices. Find Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Cracker Barrel, plus Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, and Indian restaurants within a 5-minute drive. Or cook in your villa’s full kitchen and save $50+ per meal for a family of four.
Wake up in your villa. Make pancakes in your kitchen while coffee brews—no $6 hotel coffee, no waiting for restaurant tables. Drive a few minutes to Disney World property, arriving before the rope drop crowds. Return mid-afternoon when parks peak. Your kids jump in your private pool while you prep dinner on the lanai grill. After sunset, challenge them to mini golf at the resort or let them burn quarters in the arcade. Later, the adults sip wine on the screened porch while frogs chirp from the conservation wetlands. This is the vacation hotels can’t deliver.
Every villa includes high-speed WiFi, air conditioning, private parking, and access to all resort amenities. Townhomes feature 3-4 bedrooms with 3.5 bathrooms and covered patios or balconies. Luxury villas offer 5-7 bedrooms with 4.5-5.5 bathrooms, private pools with spas, covered lanais, and game rooms. All properties are non-smoking. Resort provides 24-hour security, nature trails, three children’s playgrounds (one at clubhouse, one at La Isla Drive/Lido Key Drive junction, one for Phase 2 townhome guests), and complimentary recreation equipment from the clubhouse.
Emerald Island Resort is located just 3 miles from Walt Disney World (5-minute drive), making it one of the closest resort communities to Disney. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are 18 miles away (20 minutes), SeaWorld Orlando is 15 minutes away, and Orlando International Airport is 27 miles (40 minutes). The resort sits just off Highway 192 West at Mile Marker 4, providing quick access to all major attractions while avoiding heavy tourist traffic.
Emerald Island offers 3-4 bedroom townhomes with covered patios or balconies (sleeping up to 10 guests with 3.5 bathrooms), and luxury 4-7 bedroom villas with private screened pools and spas (sleeping up to 16 guests with 4.5-5.5 bathrooms). All homes include fully equipped kitchens, private laundry, air conditioning, high-speed WiFi, and multiple living areas. Larger villas feature game rooms, south-facing pools, and covered lanais with ceiling fans.
The clubhouse (open 8am-10pm daily) features a heated swimming pool and hot tub, poolside Tiki Bar serving food and drinks (11am-10pm), fitness center, sauna, steam room, arcade, casual lounge with WiFi, and reception desk with sundries and local information. Recreation amenities include two lighted tennis courts, basketball courts, pickleball courts, mini golf course, and three children's playgrounds throughout the resort. Equipment for tennis, basketball, and mini golf can be borrowed from the clubhouse with a small deposit.
Access to most Emerald Island Resort amenities is included with your vacation rental. The heated pool, hot tub, fitness center, sauna, steam room, tennis courts, basketball courts, pickleball courts, mini golf, and playgrounds are all complimentary. You can borrow tennis racquets, balls, basketballs, and mini golf equipment from the clubhouse with a small refundable deposit. The Tiki Bar charges for food and beverages, and the arcade requires tokens from the on-site change machine.
Emerald Island Resort is surrounded by over 300 acres of protected conservation wetlands featuring nature trails, two serene lakes, and 11 wooded areas—offering peaceful natural surroundings just minutes from Orlando's busiest theme parks. The gated community provides 24-hour manned security at the entrance. Despite feeling like a nature retreat, you're only 3 miles from Disney, with easy access to grocery stores (24-hour Walmart Supercenter nearby), restaurants along Highway 192 (Outback Steakhouse just 0.7 miles away), and world-class golf courses including ChampionsGate designed by Greg Norman.
