In a 54,000-square-foot water park, it's too easy to simply cling to a metal banister and slowly descend some stairs into a pool; falling into the water instead becomes an art form. The Boomerango Double Rider, for instance, imitates the flight of its namesake toy: two people hop on a double inner tube, glide down a steep incline, and then immediately up another steep wall before sliding down backward and passing beneath a waterfall. It's 1 of 14 flumes at the canopy-covered outdoor aquatic playscape at CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort, a AAA Three Diamond property. In between splashing around, families can take in sightseeing at Orlando's entertainment district, which is just minutes away.

A large lifeguard staff keeps vigilant watch over CoCo Key's vast water park, which has watery attractions for guests of all ages. You can shoot through oversize tunnel slides, zipping through the enclosed turns and swift drops and then finishing with a resounding splash and a high-five from a team of Olympic lugers waiting in the warm pool below. Parrot’s Perch features a zero-depth entryway to its interactive area with water cannons and climbable structures for youngsters, and the adjacent 6,500-square-foot Key Quest Arcade features more than 50 games (most games cost extra per play).

Spread out between nine buildings, CoCo Key's 391 newly renovated guest rooms come decorated with mahogany furniture, brightly colored walls, and South Florida accents. There's a tropical feel to the resort's signature restaurant, Tradewinds, where chefs prepare American and island fare such as conch fritters. Casual fare, such as burgers and chicken fingers, makes up the menu at family-friendly Callaloo Grill, and at Wet Rooster Bar, guests can sit down poolside to enjoy a snack and sip tropical drinks.

CoCo Key's scheduled shuttle ferries guests to Universal Studios and its affiliated water park Wet 'n Wild, as well as to SeaWorld and Aquatica—all of which reside a few minutes away. Less than a five-minute ride away, Universal Studios is an alternate universe where Hollywood blockbuster films morph into more than 50 interactive attractions such as roller coasters and water rides. At the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, fans can troll through the village of Hogsmeade, sip on a butterbeer, hurtle through the air on a hippogriff-themed roller coaster, and watch author J.K. Rowling write her grocery list.

Orcas regularly perform flips and tricks during daily shows at SeaWorld, which also features more than a dozen exhibits, such as the interactive Dolphin Cove.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

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