There is a new hotel at Walt Disney World!  The 16-floor, 516-room JW Marriott opened July 2020 at the Bonnet Creek Resort. The Bonnet Creek Resort is a 482-acre resort complex surrounded on three sides by Disney. Access to the resort area is via Buena Vista Drive within Walt Disney World. Yesterland.com has an article on the history of Bonnet Creek if you are interested.

JW Marriott is a luxury hotel brand within the Marriott/Sheraton hospitality company. The hotel can stand up against any Disney Deluxe hotel, but at a Disney Moderate price. Even though the hotel is virtually on Disney property, it does not have the perks of staying at a Disney hotel. The only transportation they offer is a shuttle to Disney Springs where you can transfer to other Disney destinations.

The Lobby

The lobby is sleek and modern.  There are many seating areas.

There is a lower level where transporation can be accessed.

The conference center was blocked off during my visit.

Guest Rooms

The guest rooms have all the features a deluxe luxury hotel should have. We had a standard view room with two queen beds. The lighting was excellent and the beds were comfortable.

Each surface had plugs for charging your electronics.

The bathroom is nice with a separate tub and shower. It has a spa feeling that is great for couples but may not be the best design for families since everything is in one room.

Two-Bedroom Suite

At the end of each floor, there is a two-bedroom suite. The suites have wrap-around balconies that can be seen from Interstate 4. The two-bedroom suite sleeps 7; 1 king, 2 queens, and a sofa bed. The suite on my floor was still under construction and the door was open.

Dining

The main lobby has a bar and a grab-and-go coffee bar.  Off the main lobby is Sear+Sea Woodfire Grill. This is their signature culinary steakhouse and is only open for dinner.

Unreserved Food Bazaar, a casual, European-style marketplace offers abundant options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

 

In the picture below, the upper balcony is outdoor seating for Sear+Sea Woodfire Grill. The lower area is poolside and is the Unreserved Beer Garden, which offers wines, local beers, and freshly baked pizzas and pretzels.

Illume was not yet open. (Picture below is from marriott.com)  “Perched on the ninth floor, this rooftop haven serves contemporary cuisine and creative cocktails in a social setting. At night, you’ll enjoy an incredible vantage point for the nearby fireworks displays.”

Outdoors

The hotel has two pools. The smaller of the two is an adult/quiet pool. Between the two pools is Pam Cove, offering poolside drinks and food. Cabanas are available.

 

Besides the pool area, there is not much to the hotel grounds. There is an adjacent expansion pad that could be a future site for another Marriott property.

Teen Club

The teen club was not open during our visit. I could see the miniature golf and rock climbing wall located on top of the parking garage out my room’s window.

Below is another picture from marriott.com.

Spa

The spa was also not open during our stay. Below is another picture from marriott.com.

COVID-19

I visited the JW Marriott within the first 10 days the hotel was open and during a pandemic. Not everything was open and there were still finishing touches that were being worked on. The JW Marriott is primarily a business hotel and convention center… not something that Orlando needs now. The occupancy rate was less than 20% during my stay. This made social distancing very easy. We never needed to share an elevator with another party, but they were prepared.

Modifications were in place due to COVID-19:

• Rooms are deep cleaned between guest visits
• No daily housekeeping
• The remote was in a bag
• Disposable cups replaced glasses and coffee cups
• Extra towels and toiletries
• PPE Welcome Kit
• Restaurant’s hours and offerings were limited

The JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & SPA is a great hotel in a good location. The hotel will not be perfect for everyone. For a family of 4, a single room will feel small and only one person can use the bathroom at a time. There is no Disney theming. If the teen club and the spa are important for you, check to see if they are open before booking.

Would you want to stay at the new JW Marriott?