villa location help ! please folks

[lizbro]

hi all,i know i`m looking into this a bit early as we are going to book for jan 08 but my local travel agents (flightfinders world choice) have strated up a new company called morefloridavillas and i ws wondering where we should be booking for ,i have a choice of
southern dunes
westridge
mariners cray
highgate park
venetian bay
i have checked out the villa map links from here and the southern dunes looks quite far away but i though there must be someone of here who would know more ,i really have to use this company as so far they are the cheapest i can find and are abta ect (i`m looking at 289 p/week for jan!)
so wheres the best out of that lot and is there anywhere in the list to avoid?
thanks in advance
liz

[AndRu]

I've stayed at Westridge (south of the 192 on US27) twice but in my opinion, it's a long way out. Some journeys to / from WDW from Westridge were taking over an hour due to the volume of traffic and road works. Travelling to/from the I-Drive area obviously took even longer - it was a big downside to the holiday but still beats being cooped up inside a hotel room!

Maybe it'll be better by Jan '08 (I hope it is!) but if it was my choice I'd try and avoid US27.

[JohnnySharp2]

Southern Dunes is one of the most southerly developments and in my opinion is too far away from the attractions.
Westridge as AndRu says although a bit further up north is still not one of the ideal locations. Although I have not stayed there.

The remaining 3 you list to be honest I have never heard of them.

Personally Kissimmee I feel is the best location and if you stay at either the Formosa Gardens area or Poinciana Boulevard you are as close as you can get to Disney, the I4 plus restuarants and supermarkets all very nearby too.

[UKDEB]

Highgate Park is on the US27 about 1.5 miles south of the junction with the 192.

Southern Dunes is 7 miles south of the junction of the US27 and the I-4 - that's miles away from anything. Way too far, IMHO. Mariners Cay is brand new, but in the same general area (Haines City).

Westridge is on the US27 midway between the 192 and the I-4.

Venetian Bay is townhomes only (not villas). It's in the opposite direction to all the others (which are all located somewhere on the US27). It's east of Disney just off the 192 near the Osceola Square Mall (a couple of miles east of the Walmart Supercenter). For me, again, this is simply too far away from everything.

Your choice, then, seems to be between Highgate Park and Westridge. The ideal location on the US27, IMHO, is near the junction with the I-4. You can hop onto that for both Disney and Universal and, whilst you might be a bit further away than those communities near the junction with the 192, you can cover distances much faster and so you're looking at shorter travel times.

If you opt for Highgate, you would take the 192 route into Disney. For Universal, you'd have to choose between travelling to the I-4 along the 192, or heading south for 6 miles on the US27 (which is 6 miles in the wrong direction) to get on the I-4 there.

If I was staying at Westridge, I'd be inclined to travel south on the US27 and use the I-4. Again, you'd be travelling in the wrong direction initially, but I'm guessing it could be the quicker option. You'd probably have to try both routes.

[UKDEB]

Oh, I meant to mention that Highgate Park is newer than Westridge.

[JANNYANS]

If you opt for westridge or High gate you can use the Sherberth Road to get to Disney Osceola Parkway and then onto the I-4 which is probably quicker than travelling south to the I-4 and then going North.Or you can go Avalon and thenonot the 429 and use that entrance to Disney.May not be that much quicker but there will be no traffic lights or much traffic either.

[AndRu]

UKDEB - We did try going south down 27 then up the I4 but still hit traffic / roadworks that were a PITA!

JANNYANS - We know the Sherbeth Rd trick but when the 192 is as busy as the M25 it doesn't help :(

We weren't even staying at a busy time, we were there in February, so goodness knows what's it's like during peak season.

[JANNYANS]

thats when the new 429 comes into its own - no traffic lights .

[lizbro]

thanks guys - i knew someone would be able to help!!it might be worth going to the bigger houses as they are not too much more more and better locations!

[lizbro]

ok-how about indian creek?or lindfields?!!!am i getting better areas now!thxs liz

[isla bonita]

Yes much closer to Disney with out so much traffic. Still some at certain times.

Here is a map to show you how much closer.

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/villa/map.htm

If you are looking to get closer this is the area where you would want to be. Generally a little more expensive but I have certainly been proven wrong on many occasions.

[lizbro]

thanks all!! i`m getting there with this trip but it`ll probably be the only time we`ll be able to go so i ant to make it special and properly researched! although i`ve just realised i can get even cheaper with travel city direct but their villas are `disney area`which could be anywhere!!!

[isla bonita]

Your vacation will be wonderful you are putting a lot of work into it.

The homes on 27 are beautiful places. If it is a little less expensive to stay there then by all means save the money there and use it for something else.

The only question I would have is to know where it is so you can get great directions from many on this board and be prepared. You might have to leave a little earlier from your home. Not really a big deal.

Good luck on your planning. Have a wonderful vacation.

[lizbro]

thxs!!can`t quite believe we`re even going to go!!the day i get it booked i`ll get a ticker so big it`ll crash the server!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JohnnySharp2]

ok-how about indian creek?or lindfields?!!!am i getting better areas now!thxs liz

Have stayed at Indian Creek a few times and the location is ideal, easy access to everything including restuarants and a Publix supermarket less than a mile away.

If you want to see any photos of the villas please me know and I will post them on this thread.

[JohnnySharp2]

....in fact here is thread I posted last month which shows some of the photos
I took of Indian Creek.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1214292&referrerid=&highlight=photos

[lizbro]

greta pics johnny- i think that on my first post here i was told the resident villa expert was away and i think they meant you!i can see why so i think indian creek is the one to go for,i`m also hoping that as i know the gut who owns the travel company if i agree to book everything through them i`ll get a discount!i`ll tell em i can get it a bit cheaper through doing it myself and hopefully i could get some knocked off which will outweigh the cost of upgrading to a 4 bed as they only have 4 beds in i.c!!
thxs agian everyone
liz

[paulfoel]

hi all,i know i`m looking into this a bit early as we are going to book for jan 08 but my local travel agents (flightfinders world choice) have strated up a new company called morefloridavillas and i ws wondering where we should be booking for ,i have a choice of
southern dunes
westridge
mariners cray
highgate park
venetian bay
i have checked out the villa map links from here and the southern dunes looks quite far away but i though there must be someone of here who would know more ,i really have to use this company as so far they are the cheapest i can find and are abta ect (i`m looking at 289 p/week for jan!)
so wheres the best out of that lot and is there anywhere in the list to avoid?
thanks in advance
liz

Personally, I try to avoid anything on US27 because it is further out but if you dont mind that...

Take the travel times quoted with a pinch of salt as well.

When they say, 20 mins from Disney they probably mean from a rolling start in a F1 car (not stopping at the traffic lights on 192 !!!)

[AndRu]

Take the travel times quoted with a pinch of salt as well. When they say, 20 mins from Disney they probably mean from a rolling start in a F1 car (not stopping at the traffic lights on 192 !!!)You forgot to mention the anti-gravity induction motors that allows you to float over other traffic at the same time! ;)

Those timings from the villa to WDW make me laugh, probably done at 4am on Dec 25th 1976.

[Merylj]

We drove past the villa`s at Indian Creek and Formosa Gardens this year and they really do have a great location. We were staying in Disney and our time to return back to our resort was very little.
I liked all the shops and restaurants around there too.
Good luck with your decision!

[lizbro]

the plot thickens...............
oh no-now i`ve found a really nice villa at sunset lakes at a very good price for jan2008 i found it through villas200 com and its owned by a british couple who have personally emailed me the quote BUT do i dare diy our first trip ,it seems a bit too adventurous ,what if it all goes wrong,arg......i`m so confused now!
so the next question is anyone used that company and any reports?
oh and are you sick of me yet?!
thxs and sorry for being a pain!
liz

[lizbro]

oh..and i forgot to also ask,how do you do the thing where you check that the villa is owned by who they say it is?i read on here something about county something?sorry its late and my brain hurts !!thxs liz

[Miss Mickey Mania]

hi lizbro,

Haven't got much to add, I just wanted to say hi and hope you're having fun doing all your villa planning. I have stayed in many villas in the past few years. My favourite location is Formosa Gardens area. We avoid the estates on 27 as we don't like the location as it is a bit more out of the way. I know others don't mind though, so each to their own :) .

We stayed this July in Emerald Island and next summer in a different villa in a nearby estate called Rolling Hills.

I wouldn't worry too much about being adventurous your first trip and planning independently. We ALWAYS do it that way, every year without fail and will never use a travel agent or tour operator. We just would not rely on a company telling us where the villa is and having no say in it. If you want some reassurance or guidance, I guarantee you'll get it on this board.

Louise

[Tron[ADS]]

I'm with the anti-US27 gang. Ive never stayed up there, but I was horrifed when I was driving to Cypress Gardens recently to see just how far away the US27 developments are. They do look like nice new estates though. Best location villa ive stayed in so far has been the Terra Verde resort on Poinciana Blvd, and best complex location for me has been the Sheraton Vistana Resort at LBV.

[UKDEB]

Villas 2000 is a web-based 'catalogue' for owners to advertise their villas, so you don't book with them, but directly with the individual owner. It's one of my favourite sites for browsing to see what's around.

We always book directly with owners and we've never had a problem. I'm of the opinion that, even if we book through an agent or a tour operator, something could go wrong and I prefer to have control over the process myself.

You have to trust your own judgement in the way that you do in other aspects of your life. IMHO, you can quickly get an idea of the integrity of the people with whom you're dealing, even by email. I ask certain stock questions. Often I'll get responses confirming availability, but ignoring or skirting around the other questions. Anyone who can't be bothered to answer my questions, or is clearly avoiding them, is immediately struck from the list. Sometimes I can't even put my finger on what's putting me off, but if I feel any disquiet at all, I trust my instincts. Without exception, those we've rented from have been respectful, trustworthy and keen to please. The trust works both ways and, the way I see it, the owners have much more to lose than I do.

We stayed at Sunset Lakes in 2000. The home we stayed in had two enormous master suites and was only about 9 months' old at the time. The age of the community means it pre-dates jacuzzis. Many of the pools there appear to have them, but they're not actually hot-tubs. That's not to say that some owners won't have had them retro-fitted and, of course, it may not even be a consideration for you, but it's important to us, so I would ask the question. The most important thing to bear in mind with the older communities is that the properties get a lot of wear and tear, but the photos they present will have been taken when their property was new. I'd always recommend enquiring about the age of the property and/or when it was last refurbished. I'd also want to know if the keys are available at the property itself (many have lockboxes at the front door). On a couple of occasions, we've had to collect keys from management companies' offices and it's a complete PITA. I'm probably getting ahead of myself and making things even more complicated, so I'll stop now! Sunset Lakes is in a great location.

[JohnnySharp2]

the plot thickens...............
oh no-now i`ve found a really nice villa at sunset lakes at a very good price for jan2008 i found it through villas200 com and its owned by a british couple who have personally emailed me the quote BUT do i dare diy our first trip ,it seems a bit too adventurous ,what if it all goes wrong,arg......i`m so confused now!
so the next question is anyone used that company and any reports?
oh and are you sick of me yet?!
thxs and sorry for being a pain!
liz

Villas2000.com is one of the best villa sites around, we have used it several times.

The best advice for villa searching is to search and search and search until you have found just the right home for you, I would take your time and firstly decide on the location you want to stay and then try and find the right villa.

You really cannot go wrong if you stay close to Formosa Gardens or Poinciana Boulevard.

The other 2 websites I use are:

www.vr360homes.co.uk
www.holiday-rentals.com

[paulfoel]

']I'm with the anti-US27 gang. Ive never stayed up there, but I was horrifed when I was driving to Cypress Gardens recently to see just how far away the US27 developments are. They do look like nice new estates though. Best location villa ive stayed in so far has been the Terra Verde resort on Poinciana Blvd, and best complex location for me has been the Sheraton Vistana Resort at LBV.

Stayed in a villa on US27 once at the start of August.

Trafiic on 192 was awful - used to take up to an hour to get to WDW.

[paulfoel]

hi lizbro,

Haven't got much to add, I just wanted to say hi and hope you're having fun doing all your villa planning. I have stayed in many villas in the past few years. My favourite location is Formosa Gardens area. We avoid the estates on 27 as we don't like the location as it is a bit more out of the way. I know others don't mind though, so each to their own :) .

We stayed this July in Emerald Island and next summer in a different villa in a nearby estate called Rolling Hills.

I wouldn't worry too much about being adventurous your first trip and planning independently. We ALWAYS do it that way, every year without fail and will never use a travel agent or tour operator. We just would not rely on a company telling us where the villa is and having no say in it. If you want some reassurance or guidance, I guarantee you'll get it on this board.

Louise

We're staying at Emerald in two weeks !!!! Whats it like ?

[Miss Mickey Mania]

We're staying at Emerald in two weeks !!!! Whats it like ?

I just sent you a PM :)

[lizbro]

ok-i`ve taken all your advice and got my prioritys on the villa,trawled through all recommended sites and emailed variuos owners and its looks like sunset lakes is athe best!!i think i might possibly have made a desicion!!
oh and bought the brits guide so can i be `officially ` planning now!!
talking of the brits guide just saw it being waved about on thompson tv florida program as the recommended guide!

[wauld29]

Hi
We stayed at Southern Dunes last Christmas/New Year, and it was great. The drive back from Disney in the evening took 30 mins, although it was a bit more going to Disney due to the volume of traffic.
It's about 10 mins along US 27 to junction 55 on I4, and from there a 9 mile journey along I4 to exit 64 so it's realy not as far as it looks.
The villa we had on Forest Hills Lane was beautiful,and there are plenty of restaurants close by and also a huge 24 hour Walmart just at the entrance to Southern Dunes.

[I Love Tigger]

We prefer to stay on the 27 for the location, it is near supermarkets like Winn Dixie, Walmart & Publix plus many restaurants along the 192. We have stayed on Hampton Lakes, Clear Creek, Woodridge and this year a lovely new gated comunity called Solana :thumbsup2

We use the Sherbeth road short cut to WDW and it has only ever taken us 20-25 minutes at any time of year, including Labor day weekend.

Or if we are going to Seaworld or Universal, we use the I4 which takes us approx 30 minutes.