Anyone ever rent a home....

[Padre Disney]

We did a little more research. The house is in Orange Tree, off highway 27, north of highway 192. How close is that?
We arrive on a Thursday arfternoon and will spend the rest of the day checking out the WDW resorts. On Friday we will be spending the day at MGM. We currently have 3 hotel rooms reserved at a MCO airport hotel. We know the house is closer to WDW then the hotel but farther from Port Canaveral then the hotel.
The costs for the house is almost the same as the three hotel rooms. 2 couples would be sharing one hotel room and the other 2 couples would be sharing their rooms with children. It would be so nice if we rented the house. The kids could go to bed when they wanted. We could wash laundry before our cruise. Plus everyone would have their own private bedroom. One of the couples has pointed out that we have free breakfast at the hotel. YUCK. Our family would be just as happy with a box of donuts from the store.

Thank you for all the advice. DH would like to know if it is normal for the owners to ask for a check as payment for the deposit? He would rather use a CC if possible so we would have a paper trail? We did notice on the owners private web page that they do accept CC, so we were surprised they asked for a check.

Thanks again

 

[FLeisure]

Didn't realise you were cruising afterwards Padre. I think you'll prefer to stay in the house than go to the hotel though. Orange Tree is about 5 -8 minutes up US 27 from US 192. It will take 20-30 minutes to Disney depending on traffic conditions.

The community was built by Greater Homes who also built Indian Creek, Indian Point, Indian Ridge and Indian Ridge Oaks..all rental communities. The homes are well built and are perfect for families on vacation.

As for checks then this is another thing owners typically require because they don't have credit card facilities. Some owners have arrangements with their MC's to take the payments by credit card and if you can, I would suggest doing it that way. It may not be possible though but it is perfectly normal to send a check. If you are sending a check, you should receive an invoice and booking confirmation anyway so you will have a papertrail. Make sure you get them.

Have a great time...which ship are you sailing on ?

 

[Shutterbug]

I have found a house contacted the owner and they have contacted me back. I have a name and community the house is in.
Can someone tell me whats the website where I can verify this?
I did find this house through orlandovillas.com which they say they verify but for my own piece of mind I would like to verify it myself.

I must say staying in house is much preferable to a hotel.
I just got back from the Outer Banks where our group stayed in a huge beautiful house right on the ocean(this one wasnt blasted by the hurricane) That rental was done by another person of our group who did it through a management company.

This house I'm booking, I'm doing myself through the owner, thats why I'm a bit apprehensive.

Thank to all of you with all your info.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by FLeisure
Orange Tree is about 5 -8 minutes up US 27 from US 192. It will take 20-30 minutes to Disney depending on traffic conditions.

I'll throw in my 2-cents again. For the record, I'm not an owner and I don't work for an MC in the area, so I've got no professional bias. Orange Tree sounds like a perfectly nice place, but IMO its too far away. Why spend 30 minutes getting to Disney when you can do it in 10 for the same cost? We've personally stayed in Lindfields which is on 192 closer than US 27. And we just got back from Windsor Palms which is also just off 192 even closer than Lindfields.

Again, just my opinion, but I think you can easily find a property that would suit you just as well and be half the distance to the parks.

Steve

 

[Lisa AF]

Shutterbug

Here are a couple websites given to me by the auditors office.
http://ira.property-appraiser.org/ira/PASE/presentation/Osceola/index.htm

http://www.osceolataxcollector.com/collectmax/collect30.asp?sid=071420031352000825

We also rent a home on the outer banks. We stay on Holden Beach. It's so beautiful and private!!

 

[Shutterbug]

Fleisure, how far is Westridge from Disney? On the site it states its about 15 min from there. Now does "about 15 min" mean if I speed like I'm on Test Track and get lucky enough to get every light green?

 

[Shutterbug]

Lisa, I tried the sites you posted. Their name did show up but not with the rental they have listed. Is Westridge possiblely not in Oceola county?

 

[FLeisure]

Shutterbug,
Last time I measured it, it was 10.8 miles and 14 minutes from World Drive. This was done at approximately Mid-day a month or so ago.

Westridge is in Polk County.

 

[Shutterbug]

Thanks FLeisure, thats not bad at all

 

[Padre Disney]

FLeisure,
We are on the Disney 7 night eastern cruise. Did the 7 night western last year. As for paying the deposit with a check, We have lost money before when we paid a deposit with a check only to have the business close up and keep our deposit. I was told had I used a CC it would have been easier to get our money back. The business is still open in other states and we wrote letter requesting a refund and didn't get anything. I did notice on the owners private web site that they accepted CC and we would feel much better if we could use one for the deposit.

Shutterbug,
We know exactly how you feel.

disneysteve,
We would love to stay closer to WDW but so far most of the rentals we have came across have a limit of 3 nights (we only need 2) or the cleaning fee for less then a week is terrible.

So if any of you can find me a good deal on a 5 bedroom home close to WDW for 2 nights 3/18 & 3/19 2004 please email me with the info.

Thanks all

 

[FLeisure]

Padre,
Make sure you try Mariner of the Seas next time. It'll knock DCL into oblivion

Credit card should always be the preferred method of payment as you get another level of protection. It's unlikely that an individual homeowner will go bust but you never know. I came across a right crook 5 years ago who came into our office the day before he was due to go back to the UK. He desperately needed management and paid us in cash there and then and we took him on.

The next day I visited the house and discovered the pool wasn't finished and that the guests were due to arrive at 4pm that day ! I felt so sorry for the guests that we sorted them out and managed to get most of the money out of the crook by one means and another. As soon as we had, about two weeks later, we terminated our agreement and reported him to the licensing people and the trading standards folks in UK. The case was heard last year and it cost him quite heavily.

Now this is an exception and not a rule so as long as you have pictures of the house and can verify various other points , as per the the rules I posted earlier, you'll be fine.

I don't know what happened previously to you. Was it a related business or something entirely different? If the owners claim on their web site that they take credit cards, then point it out to them and insist on paying that way...otherwise, find another property.

 

[Lisa AF]

Shutterbug,
I'm sorry, I'm no help when it comes to county borders. Anyone else out there know?

This site might help see the home locations. http://www.orlandovillas.com/map.asp
I've not rented from this company. I can only recommend their very helpful map.

 

[Padre Disney]

FLeisure,
Our DS has been invited on a Mariner cruise over xmas break with his GF and her family all expenses PAID. Also spending 3 days at Portofino and USF. Lucky kid.
Our oldest daugher is sailing on the Mariner over spring break 2004 with her senior class.
We are very jealous and wanting to cruise on the Mariner. After looking at DCL prices for 2005 we might just try the Mariner in 2005.


As for the home rental. We are going for it. It looks like it will take longer for the drive to WDW but it will be worth it because of the extra space our large group will get from renting the home.

The CC deposit we lost was for a birthday party we had booked for our 5 year old daughter. We paid the deposit with a check and sent out the invitations to 10 friends. On the party date we picked up all the girls in 2 different cars. Drove across town and found the business locked up with a note saying it was closed. They didn't even call and tell us. So we had 11 little girls ready for a party and no place to party. We did the best we could and put together a pizza stop. After lots of calls and leter we never got our depoit back even though I had a receipt and the copy of the cashed check. The business is still open in other states.

 

[FLeisure]

Padre,
Sorry to hear about the party. You maybe able to get your money back if this is part of a chain and I would certainly be writing to their Head Office in an effort to get the money back.

If, however, it's a franchise it will be harder but again, not impossible as the main company wouldn't want any bad publicity would they ?

Mariner....this ship is so popular for next year. We have made several bookings on it for different folks and it always seems very busy...right through next year. You'll be fine if you aren't bothered what sort of cabin you want but if you're like me, a bit particular, then booking well in advance is needed. It will be cheaper than Disney for sure but from what I'm seeing the cruise bargains are starting to tail off. Good luck !

Tell your DS that he's a very lucky person. Getting everything paid on a Christmas cruise .