If you've spent any time near the practice facilities at Reunion Resort this summer, you've probably noticed something. More golf bags with unfamiliar club logos. More languages drifting across the driving range before 8 a.m. These observations sit alongside the resort's recent awards and new junior programming.
Walk the property in September and you'll see the other half of it. In September 2026, the Tennis Centre adds a new Saturday morning block built entirely around kids who can barely see over the net. The awards Reunion has picked up since June 2025 and the new programming on the calendar offer a view of the resort beyond the exclusivity story often associated with its Palmer, Watson and Nicklaus golf address.
The Three Wins, And What They Actually Measure
Reunion's press page lists three recognitions earned between June 2025 and June 2026. Read them closely and they have something in common that's easy to miss.
| Recognition | What It's For | Who Decides | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenTable Diners' Choice, Best Scenic View & Outstanding Dining Experience | Eleven, the rooftop restaurant atop the Reunion Grande's 11th floor | Diners who booked and reviewed through OpenTable | 2025 |
| People Love Us on Yelp | 7593 Chophouse, the steakhouse formerly known as Forte | Yelp's consumer rating history and review volume | 2025 |
| Travelers' Choice Award | The resort as a whole | Guest reviews and ratings collected over a 12-month period, placing Reunion in Tripadvisor's top 10% of listings worldwide | 2026 |
None of these are critic awards. There's no James Beard nod, no Forbes Travel Guide star rating bump, nothing from a food or hospitality publication with an editorial board behind it. Every one of these three wins is a consumer-review platform tallying up what regular guests said after they stayed, ate, or booked a table. That's a different kind of recognition than the AAA Four Diamond rating Reunion has carried for years, which comes from a professional inspection process rather than a review count. The resort's older prestige marker was earned by an inspector. Its newest wins were earned by volume, by thousands of ordinary guests deciding to leave a five-star review.
These awards reflect guest reviews, and Eleven's chef Robert Gioia, Director of Food & Beverage, and Executive Sous Chef Sergio Rosa are among the resort's dining leaders. Sergio Rosa said when the Yelp award came through: "Guest feedback is at the heart of how we grow and evolve."
A Junior Golf Sponsorship Adds Another Dimension
Reunion has always leaned on its golf pedigree. Three championship courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus is a genuinely rare lineup for a Central Florida resort, and it's the reason most people first hear the Reunion name. But the golf headline from this year isn't about adult members or a private tournament. It's about kids.
Reunion Resort & Golf Club announced a multi-year partnership as official sponsor, not just host venue, of the Under Armour Junior Golf World Championship for 2026, 2027, and 2028. The resort hosted the tournament in prior years, including 2025, but this marks the first time it's stepped up from venue to sponsor. The event itself is not small. More than 700 elite junior golfers from over 50 countries compete across 54 holes for a world title, held annually during the summer.
"Reunion Resort has long been a destination where championship golf and unforgettable experiences intersect," said Haley Hall, Resort General Manager of Reunion Resort & Golf Club.
That quote is worth sitting with. Sponsoring a junior tournament for three consecutive years places junior golf alongside the resort's established championship golf identity.
A New Junior Tennis Block
The tennis side adds another example. The new Saturday block will run Tiny Tennis for ages 4 to 7 from 9 to 10 a.m., followed by Junior Tennis for ages 8 to 12 from 10 to 11 a.m. Space is limited. It's a dedicated weekly block built around kids who are just learning the game.
The instructor is Marcelo Gouts, who has spent 35 years teaching tennis in Central Florida and currently sits on the USTA Florida Board of Directors, where he's served for the past five years. That experience is a notable qualification for a clinic aimed at young beginners.
Together, the Under Armour sponsorship and junior tennis clinics show recent programming in both golf and tennis for young players.
What This Actually Means If You're Already Here
None of this requires a decision from you. But it changes a few practical things about living on property, especially heading into the fall and next summer's tournament window.
- Book tee times further ahead during peak junior tournament weeks. With a multi-year sponsorship now locked in through 2028, expect the Under Armour Junior Golf World Championship's footprint on the courses to grow rather than shrink each summer.
- If you've got kids or grandkids in the 4-to-12 range, get on the clinic list early. Reunion's own materials note that space is limited, and a program built around a 35-year veteran instructor tends to fill.
- Give 7593 Chophouse or Eleven another look if it's been a while. Both picked up real recognition in the past year, and both are the kind of on-property dining most residents default to only for special occasions.
- Watch the driving range population as a rough barometer. More international junior players in the summer months is now a structural feature of Reunion's calendar, not a one-off.
The resort still markets itself around the Palmer, Watson and Nicklaus name, and that pedigree isn't going anywhere. But there's more to Reunion than its course credits. The dining wins came from guest reviews, not critics. The golf programming includes a junior sponsorship. The new tennis block will teach four-year-olds to hold a racquet. Together, these details highlight junior golf and tennis alongside Reunion's championship golf courses.
If you're weighing a move to Reunion Resort, or you already own here and want a clearer read on how these shifts affect resale value, rental demand during tournament season, or which villa communities sit closest to the Tennis Centre and practice facilities, the Suzanne and Chad Team tracks this market closely and can walk you through what it means for your specific situation. Start Your Home Search when you're ready.
