First Trip: Windsor Hill or Bonnet Creek?

[HaViet]

Hi everyone, I am so glad we've found this site, and mousesavers.com.

So much information here.

This would be our first trip ever to WDW so we're very excited, and a little intimated at the same time. So many hotels, theme parks, attractions it's a daunting task. lol

From our little readings on these forums, it seems that staying offsite would give us the best bangs for our bucks. We plan to visit other attractions as well, such as Legoland and Universal Studios, so staying offsite makes sense for us and also would save us a buck loads of money.

So we have narrowed it down to either the Bonnet Creek or Windsor Hills 3-bedroom condos. We have 3 young children (from ages 3 to 9).

Are there any preferences between these 2 resorts?

Does one offer better rates, closer distance to WDW, more amenities, etc?

Or is it really just a personal choice to go with either?

Thanks much for everyone's feedbacks, it would greatly help us to plan our first trip.

And if you have any horror stories with either resorts, we would like to hear about them too so we can try to avoid it.

 

[HaViet]

So, we've been reading this board for a few more hours and I think we've favored a Windsor Hills 3 bedroom townhouse for the private pool, dedicated parking lot, extra space, and not having to worry about bothering the neighbors with our little kids.

Question: Which site do you go to for reservations? It is better to book directly with the owner, or through a management company?

 

[sympatico]

Try windsorhillsrent.com and vrbo.com or homeaway.com for the Kissimmee area then narrow it to Windsor Hills.
Some info that you may or may not know: WH townhouses are on two levels. Upstairs there's a master bedroom (king) and bathroom, washer/dryer and twin bedroom with bathroom. Downstairs there's a queen bedroom and bathroom, kitchen, dining/living room and splash pool. Didn't know if having one bedroom apart from the others would make a difference to you or not.

 

[HaViet]

Thanks for pointing that out.

Ideally, we would love to have the kids' bedroom next to ours, but I don't think it would be a deal breaker.

Maybe we'll leave the downstairs bedroom vacant, and have the 3 kids stay on the second floor queen bedroom. They're still small enough to share a queen bed.

 

[Pembo]

I used Windorhillsrent.com. We stayed in a 3 br condo and it was very nice. My kids loved the slide at the main pool.

 

[sympatico]

There are a few townhouses that have 3 beds in the twin room upstairs. I posted them on here when someone else was looking. A set of bunk beds and a twin bed for the most of them.
This one has a set of bunk beds and a single:
http://www.vrbo.com/471247
This one has a set of bunks with double on bottom and a trundle bed that pulls out. http://www.vrbo.com/3485442ha
This one has bunk beds and a double bed . http://www.vrbo.com/127608ha

 

[HaViet]

Thanks for the input everyone.

Are there grocery stores near Windsor Hills?

I anticipate we'll do lots of cooking, at the very least breakfast and dinners.

 

[dgr1973]

There are a few townhouses that have 3 beds in the twin room upstairs. I posted them on here when someone else was looking. A set of bunk beds and a twin bed for the most of them.
This one has a set of bunk beds and a single:
http://www.vrbo.com/471247
This one has a set of bunks with double on bottom and a trundle bed that pulls out. http://www.vrbo.com/3485442ha
This one has bunk beds and a double bed . http://www.vrbo.com/127608ha

You are always so helpful with info on rental properties! Your input was great when we rented in June 2012 even tho where we ended up staying I believe you had never been to. We stayed in a 4 bedroom townhouse in Encantada that I found on vrbo.com. We ended up going with that because my parents came along too and they were both able to get their own rooms(my dad snores loud lol) it also had a bigger splash pool then what's offered at WH. It was a bit longer drive to Disney but it wasn't bad at all really.

To the OP, good luck with your planning and enjoy every minute of the first of what will become many trips to Disney!!

 

[sympatico]

You are always so helpful with info on rental properties! Your input was great when we rented in June 2012 even tho where we ended up staying I believe you had never been to. We stayed in a 4 bedroom townhouse in Encantada that I found on vrbo.com. We ended up going with that because my parents came along too and they were both able to get their own rooms(my dad snores loud lol) it also had a bigger splash pool then what's offered at WH. It was a bit longer drive to Disney but it wasn't bad at all really.

To the OP, good luck with your planning and enjoy every minute of the first of what will become many trips to Disney!!

Thanks, I've had Encantada on my list a couple of times but haven't been there yet except to drive around it. We're staying at Crestwynd Bay in Oct for a few nights then on to Naples for the rest of the vacation.

 

[sympatico]

Thanks for the input everyone.

Are there grocery stores near Windsor Hills?

I anticipate we'll do lots of cooking, at the very least breakfast and dinners.

Yes there's a Publix and a Super Target across from each other at Orange Lake. It will be left on 192 about 5 or 6 min.
Here's a map of the area. Windsor Hills is # 1 and the Target is #134 and Publix is #20 . Some of the restaurants have red markers, accommodations have blue markers, Disney markers are pink.
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=...8.272032,-81.608849&spn=0.068335,0.11055&z=13

 

[HaViet]

Thanks everyone.

You're all have been very helpful.

I requested a quote from whrent.com and got tons of emails from owners. I got more emails than I can handle.

To help us pick the right place, could you suggest the best/ideal lot to rent.

I think we would want a unit that's close to the club house and public pool/slide?

Also, a unit that have a clear view of the disney fireworks?

Thanks again.

 

[Zeebs]

When we went for our first time we rented at Windsor Hill, in a condo, I also got sooo many emails.

I set up a spread sheet and then inputed the details

Name, website and cost and then any extra details that might have swung it, like lake view, close to pool etc.

Then I discounted the cheapest and the dearest (was working on the law of averages)

Emailed a few to ask questions and then made a choice.

It was very nice and we loved it. We only used the club house pool once though so the choice of being near it was a bit pointless.

The next time we rented through friends and this time we have a found a 4 bed in Eagle Pointe which looks great, we found we used the pool last time that was attached to the house as we only do the parks until mid afternoon and then the kids spend the rest in the pool so we wanted a slightly bigger pool this time.

We liked Windsor Hills but because of the set up of most of the town houses (and a child with additional needs) we decided to go with one on all levels.

Kirsten

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

After doing my own investigating I think your kids would love Bonnet Creek more.

They have 5 pools with 2 pool slides and 2 lazy rivers. They have ping pong and free putt putt gold. They have daily activities for the kids. They have several game rooms.

And these are bi apartment sized condos. You wouldn't have to worry about the neighbors hearing your kids unless they run wild screaming like banshees in the evening.

I would check into Bonnet Creek a bit more before writing it off.

 

[HaViet]

Thanks. I'll look into Bonnet Creek a little more.

Btw, December travel might not work out for us.

Anyone travels to Disney during the October/

Is it still fun? Is the weather still good for water activities.

Thanks

 

[sympatico]

Thanks. I'll look into Bonnet Creek a little more.

Btw, December travel might not work out for us.

Anyone travels to Disney during the October/

Is it still fun? Is the weather still good for water activities.

Thanks

We usually go toward the end of Oct - mid Nov. Weather is great, not too hot, but still good for water parks. One of the Disney water parks closes at the end of Oct so they'll just be one opened in Nov. In Oct. you get to see the parks decorated for fall/ Halloween. Disney has a separate ticket Halloween party on certain nights: Mickey's No So Scarey Halloween Party (MNSSHP) which is really good for kids, not scarey at all. You can trick or treat, dress in costumes and see the characters dressed up and special parades and fireworks at MK. Universal also does Halloween Horror Nights which I've never been to and don't intend to go to : big scaredy cat It's not for kids at all. It's the type of horror you see in movies: blood, corpses, zoombies etc. Also on certain nights and a separate ticket.
Since we go at the end of Oct we get to do this if we want and also get to see some of the Christmas decorations by staying until around the 12th of Nov. There's also a Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at MK which again is a separate ticket. You get cookies and hot chocolate included plus watch character Christmas shows, parade and fireworks all with a Christmas theme. There's also the Osborne Lights at DHS which is included in regular admission. These usallly start the same night as the Christmas Party in MK.
We've actually gone to both parties in one trip. The last Halloween Party is usually Nov. 1 and the first Christmas party is Nov 8th.
Halloween Party info: http://www.wdwinfo.com/holidays/halloween.htm
Info on Christmas Party: http://www.wdwinfo.com/holidays/mvmcp.htm

 

[HaViet]

Thanks sympatico, you have been really helpful, and others as well.

It's been really hard trying to plan a family vacation with kids, school, and my wife running her own salon.

It seems now we could likely end up going there the 3rd week of September.

Hopefully, the weather won't be so hot and no hurriances.

 

[sympatico]

Thanks sympatico, you have been really helpful, and others as well.

It's been really hard trying to plan a family vacation with kids, school, and my wife running her own salon.

It seems now we could likely end up going there the 3rd week of September.

Hopefully, the weather won't be so hot and no hurriances.

The Halloween Parties start in Sept so you could go to one of those if you wanted. There are lovebugs in Sept. That's when we went in 2006 and I vowed I'd never go back at the time again. You can google lovebugs and florida. They are just a nuisance, they don't bite or sting. The year we went there were millions of them. Some years they're worse than others.

 

[HaViet]

After doing my own investigating I think your kids would love Bonnet Creek more.

They have 5 pools with 2 pool slides and 2 lazy rivers. They have ping pong and free putt putt gold. They have daily activities for the kids. They have several game rooms.

And these are bi apartment sized condos. You wouldn't have to worry about the neighbors hearing your kids unless they run wild screaming like banshees in the evening.

I would check into Bonnet Creek a bit more before writing it off.

After thinking it over a little longer.

I think we'll stick with Windsor Hills townhouses.

Can't beat the convenience of driving up to your own driveway, especially late at nights with kids, and walking only a few steps into your beds.

 

[dcolleenkelly]

Yes there's a Publix and a Super Target across from each other at Orange Lake. It will be left on 192 about 5 or 6 min.
Here's a map of the area. Windsor Hills is # 1 and the Target is #134 and Publix is #20 . Some of the restaurants have red markers, accommodations have blue markers, Disney markers are pink.
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=...8.272032,-81.608849&spn=0.068335,0.11055&z=13

OMG - are you kidding me? I was just thinking to myself, "I wonder which grocery stores are the closest" and I saw this. You are amazing, seriously. This is VERY helpful. Thank you!!!