Villa's

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

We are currently throwing around ideas of our next holiday,and we've decided that we would like to have a villa for our next holiday,but we are totally "new" to it all,and we dont know what/who/where to look.

We want to for for 3weeks also,and would need flights and a car would be ideal? anyone done this before?

I know in the virgin brochure they have a few on offer,but we only want a villa for me,dp and dd any ideas?

Let us know tar

Beth & Family

 

[Scottish_Maleficent]

Hi

We found our villa in a 'Holiday Villas' magazine - you can get this in any WHSmith or similar. There were villas of all sizes in it.

When we went in February this year we stayed in a villa which was part of a little complex called Keston park. We had a 5 bed but there were 2 and 3 bed villas there too, even the 2 beds had a small pool...they were quite reasonable.

As for flights and stuff - booking for next year was our first go at a DIY holiday after previously doing packages, and so far I think it will work out cheaper.
I found the villas in the virgin brochure much more expensive than doing it independantly.

We have our flights with United Vacations, we are taking separate car hire (cheaper) and booked the villa ourselves.

Hope this info helps

 

[Scottish_Maleficent]

Hi

We found our villa in a 'Holiday Villas' magazine - you can get this in any WHSmith or similar. There were villas of all sizes in it.

When we went in February this year we stayed in a villa which was part of a little complex called Keston park. We had a 5 bed but there were 2 and 3 bed villas there too, even the 2 beds had a small pool...they were quite reasonable.

As for flights and stuff - booking for next year was our first go at a DIY holiday after previously doing packages, and so far I think it will work out cheaper.
I found the villas in the virgin brochure much more expensive than doing it independantly.

We have our flights with United Vacations, we are taking separate car hire (cheaper) and booked the villa ourselves.

Hope this info helps

 

[lisag1]

Beth,

This is the way we do it every year!!!

There are a few sites I'll post for both villas and car hire.

My personal faves on the villa front are anywhere around Formosa Gardens Boulevard (just behind Splendid China). These are the nearest to Disney being just 3 miles away plus Formosa Boulevard has loads of restaurants i.e. Giodannis Overstuffed Pizzas, TGI's, The Outback, Subway, Carrabbas, Taco Bell, Goodings, Eckerd, Chinese & Indian takeout etc. If you were feeling particularly energetic you could actually walk from your villa (depending on which development). Those in the vicinity are Emerald Isle Resort, Windsor Palms (we'll be there in November), Formosa Gardens (did that last year!), Rolling Hills (also did that last year!!) and Indian Creek.

I usually book from private villa owners but this year got a cracking deal with a company called www.statesideuk.com. We got a special rate of £350.00 per week to stay at a 4 bed/3 bath villa with pool at Windsor Palms and we could actually choose which villa we wanted from the pictures on their website. Even if you don't get the special rate it's still very reasonable. Windsor Palms (used to Wyndham Palms) and Emerald Isle are resort style developments with a clubhouse, small 70 str cinema, gym, olympic size swimming pools & kiddie pool, Starbucks, small supermarket and play areas (so I've been told!)

We usually hire our car from www.choiceair.co.uk who seem to be one of the cheapest.

Here are a few links....
http://www.florida-villas-select.com/search.taf?function=quicksearch
http://www.florida-dream-villas.com/three.htm
http://www.greatrentals.com/FL/FLCentral.html
http://www.statesideuk.com
http://www.villas2000.com/new.html
http://www.florida-villa.com/
http://www.privatevillas.co.uk/usa-intro.htm
http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/
http://www.florida-thevilla.com/
http://rentingvillas.com/cgi-bin/renting/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?session_key=
http://www.disney-daze.co.uk/
http://www.championvillas.co.uk/page3.html
http://www.vr360homes.co.uk/villas/indian_creek/index.htm


www.choiceair.co.uk
http://www.formosagardens.us/2872oic.htm

also just search on Google for kissimmee villas, disney villas, vacation homes etc

For flights I usually use..

www.airlinenetwork.co.uk
www.expedia.co.uk
www.opodo.co.uk
www.ebookers.co.uk
or just try a couple of flight consolidators from Teletext.


Lisa

 

[vernon]

Looks like your well covered on the villa information now .
As an1 other thought there are some quite good "apartment/townhouse" offerings around that sometime suit smaller parties better. Also you could look at some of the timeshare developments like Vistana which offer some good deals and have the advantage of a large, hotel like, pool. The hotel style pool with the chance of your DD buddying up with some other kids might be an advantage if you think she might get bored on her own with just two adults.

 

[Lakul]

A few more sites to try -

www.a1vacations.com
www.vrbo.com
www.highlands-reserve-vacation-homes.com
www.orlandovillas.com
www.florida-villas-disney.com
www.1stfororlando.com

Renting a villa is great as you have so much more room and the luxury of your own pool.

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

I cant get over how FAB you guys are!!!!!

Me and DP are going to go though all the sites later and have a gander,we definately want to have our own villa this time,the only thing people keep telling us is,cause theres only 3 of us,we may need to pay supplements? or something along those lines? is that true?

Thanx once again!!!
Will let you know how we get on later

Beth & Co xx

 

[athurstance]

Beth,

You'll only have to pay supplements if you go with someone like Virgin. If you book directly with an owner they will give you a price for the villa and it doesn't matter whether there are 2 or you or the maximum occupancy you will pay the same price.

You will be surprised how much you save by going direct and you'll get just as nice (if not nicer) villa - Virgin get their brochure villas from private owners too so all they are doing is adding another layer of cost to make their profit.

Most owners will be more than happy to hold a villa for you while you confirm flights. You can still fly with Virgin - just get a fly drive or flight only deal.

Another site to try is orlandovillas.co.uk - mostly British owners.

Angela

 

[lisag1]

I'm always amazed at the price of the villas from Virgin et al!! And I can't believe that they charge for under occupancy - what a rip off!! I also found a couple of years ago from one of the other travel companies (probably from the likes of airtours etc) that they didn't count children in the head count, just adults!! Is this still correct?

Lisa

ps. Beth, I've also found that US owners charge quite a bit more than UK owners for their villas (I may be generalising here but this is what I've found when searching. Please don't take any offence US owners! )

 

[neilybealy]

i've just returned from a DIY booking which i did for the first time and it was painless

the most time consuming thing is getting prices on the phone and then relaying to the rest of the group travelling

for some companies i found that i could get the prices down even further on the phone than those quoted on their websites so don't rely soley on the web

we had a beautiful villa in Rolling Hills wheich is the next subdivision on from formosa gardens estate and we got that thru http://www.florida-villas-select.com/

i would now even book direct to the owner for future visits - a good tip is to ask what the arrangements are for collecting the key when you arrive - our villa had an electronic keypad which meant not having to drive to a management office (which could be miles away) when you land in orlando

we booked flights with virgin group sales as there was 10 adults travelling

we had 2 8 seater vans and a full size car from http://www.holidayautos.co.uk/ but phone them and get a price as they'll price match so their website prices are slightly higher - also go for "the max" option which gives full insurance and upto 4 drivers on each vehicle

we then got an annual travel insurance policy from nationwide - www.journeywise.co.uk were slightly cheaper though

hope that's enough - it's nice knowing how much money you've saved though when you're there

 

[Lakul]

I would book direct with the owner if possible. You can phone and ask all the questions you want. You'll get to know the owner and them you. All the owners I know are more than happy to chat about their homes and want you to have a fabulous holiday. They can also help with flights, car hire and park tickets.

 

[Tom'sdad]

We stayed in a Townhouse at Emerald Island Resort (3 of us) and it was magnificent. We used private owners try www.emerald-island-resort.com There are a number of Villas/Townhouses on there to choose from.
Ben

 

[USA_mad02]

Hi

We used a villa rental company which is called Ashvillas last year and have booked with them again this year. Their web page is www.ashvillas.co.uk or you can e-mail Mike who we go through on mike@ashvillas.com.

Hope this helps, we were most impressed. They have a good seletion of villas all with pools and 3,4,5 and 6 bed houses all over Orlando and by the coast.

 

[Kevin Gale]

Did anyone mention TravelCity Direct

http://www.travelcity.co.uk

If your looking at Virgin then Travel City Direct should be cheaper for the same location/options.

 

[JohnnySharp]

Hi there,
We have just booked our 9th trip to Orlando with VIRGIN for next May.
Our son is Autistic so we now book a villa also.
This year was our 1st time in a villa and it was horrible, dirty and in need of re-decorating, we stayed there for a week and moved to another one the second week. It was at Loma Linda so avoid this area.

So for our 9th we have searched forever and can recommend this site VILLAS2000.COM, most of the homes are owned within the UK.

There are only 3 of us but by stating that fact we managed to get £100 a week off the full villa rental price and are paying just £850 for 2 weeks, a bargain if you saw the villa.
Check out the above site and look at the homes at Indian Point, we are renting the one with 50 foot garden and massive secluded pool, Indian Point is ideally located near the US192.
If you are looking for a villa insist on one less than 4 years old but do not book one out of the Virgin brochure, so overpriced.
Fly drive booked with VIRGIN TRAVELSTORE on 01493 440239, we got a fly drive price of £424 adult and £253 child, brochure price is a lot more. Plus the rental car, fully inclusive with upgrade and all was cheap too.