Anyone use VRBO?

[momto4princesses]

Just wanted to see if anyone has rented a condo/townhome/house in the Orlando area through VacationRentalsByOwners.com? How was your experience? We've never done this before but my daughter has a cheer comp at Disney in March. We are taking our hold family of 6 and she also wants two of her cheer friends and families to stay with us. So we would have 12 and thought that this might be a good option for this trip. Just nervous since we've never done it before.

TIA

 

[DanInMN]

We have not used VRBO before, but are using it for our upcoming vacation in January. The price for this condo in Reunion Resort is 1/3 of what Wyndham would charge!

In September we used eBay to book a condo in Bonnett Creek, no problems at all.

I think you will be fine, especially if you select a unit (and/or management firm) that has good reviews from prior guests.

Off site condos and town homes are great for larger families, and so much less money than Disney resorts.

 

[momto4princesses]

Awesome thanks. I have found many possibilities but I've only messaged one so far because it had a ton of reviews and all were positive.

I'm just curious how it all will work. We were planning to drive in late but I guess that may not be an option doing this? I mean its not like there is a desk clerk on shift til midnight to let us check in. LOL

 

[disneysteve]

We have used VRBO numerous times in Kissimmee. We have also used them in other places like Stowe, VT. It's a great site. Just keep in mind that VRBO is simply a bulletin board. You are renting from individual owners so do your homework, read reviews, ask questions to the owner, and make sure you know the details of the property and the terms of the rental.

 

[momto4princesses]

Steve any advice on what the right questions are? Obviously price, but what specifics should I make sure we are aware of.

Thanks

 

[Itinkso]

We've used vrbo three times for the High Grove/Clermont area and haven't had any problems.

It's best to ask about cleaning fees, arrival and departure time, and laundry concerns as some may want you to only leave one or two loads to be washed after you have left. I always ask to make sure it is a pet-free home. The homes we have rented have had digital codes for entry or the key was in a lockbox. You can arrive at any time of day and let yourself in.

 

[laurielf]

I've used VRBO for a non-disney trip once and it was fine. I use homeaway more often though (and my family booked 3 condos for our upcoming disney trip through homeaway). There are some "scam" listings on these sites, so you do have to be careful, but I've pretty much stopped using hotels since starting to use these types of sites a few years ago... it is SOOOOOO much nicer to stay in a real place, with a washer and dryer! and you get a lot more space for the money (my sister and I and our ton of boys usually travel together, so clothes washer is a HUGE plus).



I've found prices to be a little lower on homeaway - most condos are listed on vrbo, homeaway and airbnb, and the same place can be cheaper on one of those sites, so it's always worth it to check all three (also check for reviews for the same place on the other sites). The most important thing is to not make any payments through any means that would not be somehow refundable (ie: western union) As long as you use a credit card or paypal to make your payments, you can always refute the charges if things go south.

Also, contrary to what you might think - since the prices are all set by different people, better places can sometimes be had for lower prices in the same condo - so if you're looking for a 3 bedroom in Reunion for example, you might just find a 5 bedroom that's nicer and cheaper... so don't put maximums when you search.

Final advice - the farther in advance the better your rates are going to be and unlike hotels, the rates for a particular place will probably stay steady unless it's unrented a few weeks out (and then it may or may not drop) but you are almost always going to get the best deal by booking extremely far in advance (when all the best / cheapest properties are still available)

 

[kalc12345]

I have used VRBO to book Bonnet Creek a couple times. I have also used VRBO for other trips. So far I have not had any problems.

 

[disneysteve]

I'm just curious how it all will work. We were planning to drive in late but I guess that may not be an option doing this? I mean its not like there is a desk clerk on shift til midnight to let us check in. LOL

The property typically has a lockbox holding the key with a combination that the owner will send you shortly before your arrival. Either that or the door will have a digital lock and you'll get the code for that.

Steve any advice on what the right questions are? Obviously price, but what specifics should I make sure we are aware of.

Thanks

It's best to ask about cleaning fees, arrival and departure time, and laundry concerns as some may want you to only leave one or two loads to be washed after you have left. I always ask to make sure it is a pet-free home. The homes we have rented have had digital codes for entry or the key was in a lockbox. You can arrive at any time of day and let yourself in.

I agree with all of this. Also, you want to make sure you read recent reviews and consider asking how old the photos are. In addition to pet-free, make sure the place is smoke-free. Depending on how picky you are, you can also ask stuff like how old the mattresses are.

When renting a condo, if the ad doesn't specify, find out what floor it is on. You don't want to show up and discover that you've rented a place on the 3rd floor where there are no elevators.

If renting a place with a pool, ask about directional exposure. Does the pool get good sun? If there is pool heat, how much is it? There is usually an extra fee for that if you want it turned on.

We have been renting homes in the Disney area for over 20 years and I highly recommend it. Staying in a hotel is no comparison to having a beautiful rental place with all of the amenities of home especially when that rental is cheaper than the hotels. It's a great way to travel.

 

[robinb]

Just wanted to see if anyone has rented a condo/townhome/house in the Orlando area through VacationRentalsByOwners.com? How was your experience? We've never done this before but my daughter has a cheer comp at Disney in March. We are taking our hold family of 6 and she also wants two of her cheer friends and families to stay with us. So we would have 12 and thought that this might be a good option for this trip. Just nervous since we've never done it before.

TIA

I rented a 4-bedroom house through VRBO and the process was VERY smooth!

It does take some work to find the perfect house. You need to decide what area/development you want to stay in (do you want a place with a community pool or will your private pool be enough), how many rooms you need, what the layout of the rooms needs to be (ex, how many king rooms do you need? How many twins?), pool size, other amenities, etc. Will you want one house or would 3 condos be OK?

If you're looking for condos you can look here too: http://www.vacationcentralflorida.com/clickhereforrates.html

You should get the whole price in advance, including any deposit.

 

[robinb]

Final advice - the farther in advance the better your rates are going to be and unlike hotels, the rates for a particular place will probably stay steady unless it's unrented a few weeks out (and then it may or may not drop) but you are almost always going to get the best deal by booking extremely far in advance (when all the best / cheapest properties are still available)

I actually had the opposite experience. I got *great* rates 5-8 weeks out. I rented a 4-bedroom pool home with pool heat for just $800 back in Christmas 2012 and a 2-bedroom condo in Windsor Hills for only $420 for Spring Break 2013. If you're not really picky you can get great last minute deals.

 

[DanInMN]

Final advice - the farther in advance the better your rates are going to be and unlike hotels, the rates for a particular place will probably stay steady unless it's unrented a few weeks out (and then it may or may not drop) but you are almost always going to get the best deal by booking extremely far in advance (when all the best / cheapest properties are still available)

This may depend on the season. We visit off season, when many units sit empty. Owners get desperate and drop the price as the date gets closer. In September we had a 3 bedroom at Bonnet Creek for a week at $499 total! That was booked 2 weeks ahead.

 

[disneysteve]

the farther in advance the better your rates are going to be

I actually had the opposite experience. I got *great* rates 5-8 weeks out.

I agree with robinb. Last minute, you can get great deals. Owners would much rather have the place rented at a reduced rate than sitting vacant earning nothing at all.

I would also point out that the rates posted on websites are negotiable. Particularly if you are booking an extended stay, don't hesitate to ask for a better deal. We've rented several times for 2-week stays and were able to get a nice discount from the listed rate. Also, some owners own multiple properties. If you're traveling with a group and renting 2 or more homes from the same owner, that's another way to negotiate a discount.

 

[robinb]

I would also point out that the rates posted on websites are negotiable. Particularly if you are booking an extended stay, don't hesitate to ask for a better deal.

Yup. When I was looking for houses/condos I wouldn't really look too hard at the asking price. I would look at location, layout, pool size, availability, etc and then contact the owner/management company and ask for their best price. I would file the responses into email folders by price. Those that were too expensive were told "no thanks" right away.

 

[coastgirl]

Agree with all the advice you've been given. I can't honestly remember if we booked through Homeaway or VRBO; they are virtually interchangeable, and I search on both.

Yes to questions about check out rules (I don't want to be doing loads of laundry when I'm trying to get everyone ready for the plane, and I certainly don't want to be surprised with the requirement), and ask how old the pics are. The last place we stayed was nice, but had seen a couple of years of constant use since the photos had been taken, so it was a little more worn around the edges than we expected. Also we have had a couple of hiccups with internet connectivity. Nothing earth-shattering but in future I will ask because it's important to me. Important to know what their local support is--do you have to email someone in the UK to make a contact or is there a local person? And check reviews for the agency if it's a mgmt agency.

It does require more research but IMO totally worth it. We can get a lovely house with a ton of space and a private pool for less than we pay for two beds and maybe a bar-sized fridge in a hotel.

We did get a great deal closer to dates in the past, but it's not a sure thing, so know your tolerance for uncertainty! ;-)

 

[Jetstorm]

I just booked through VRBO but haven't taken my trip yet so I don't have a review for you, but I can tell you the person and company I booked with, Megan Bailey with Endless Escapes, was really good about answering all of our questions and had the lowest rate of any of the quotes I got and I got a lot of them. When I found out this company was located in my area, I even drove to it to make sure it was a real company. Some of the others were much higher and some never answered my quote request at all. I hope this helps you to decide.

 

[Art 1]

Just wanted to see if anyone has rented a condo/townhome/house in the Orlando area through VacationRentalsByOwners.com? How was your experience? We've never done this before but my daughter has a cheer comp at Disney in March. We are taking our hold family of 6 and she also wants two of her cheer friends and families to stay with us. So we would have 12 and thought that this might be a good option for this trip. Just nervous since we've never done it before.

TIA

Never in Orlando since I have a home here but I have in other cities and it's worked well for me.

 

[disneysteve]

For those who want a vacation rental but don't really want a private home or to deal with a stranger, another good option is SkyAuction.com. They rent vacant timeshare units so you get the resort experience and amenities at places like Sheraton Vistana but at a lower price than what folks who own the timeshares are paying. I just checked and a week at Vistana is $725 total. Owners are paying an annual maintenance fee of just over $900 so you save almost $200 by renting instead of owning and aren't locked into that resort.