Arrival, grocery shop, Windsor Hills...

[Hopeful8]

We arrive around 1pm and check in is 4pm at our townhouse at Windsor Hills...after we get our luggage, car and eat lunch, it will still be a bit early for check in...has anyone done their groceries for the week first and then checked in to their rental? Is getting into the rentals an easy and smooth process at WH? (I like to be organized and do not want to be trekking about with two little kids for groceries at 5pm...) Thanks!

 

[sympatico]

It usually goes smoothly. And yes, we've done the grocery shopping first and will be doing it this time also since we get in about the same time so will have a couple hours to kill. Get to the WH gate 3:45 ish to get your parking permit. Getting into your house by a lock box / coded entry on the door is the quickest. Going to a management company to pick up the key will take a bit longer but most of the man. co. are in that same area so not much longer.

 

[Hopeful8]

Thank you, Wanda, so glad to hear it's a smooth process!

 

[Amanda999]

OP does your rent at WH have an electronic lock? (Versus picking up the keys at a realtor's office somewhere.)

Remember to print out at home and bring with you (and screen save to your phones) the info for the guard at the front gate to WH. They are nice - you will only spend a couple of minutes with them. Have a map of the roads at WH so you can easily find your unit.

FYI The nicer Publix (less tourist-filled, more items, larger than Orange Lake Town Center Publix) is in Davenport (a bit farther drive than Orange Lake Publix (which is fine too, but you have time to kill), but no traffic):
Publix Super Market at Ovation, 7800 Lake Wilson Rd. Davenport, FL 33896

 

[CanadianChickie]

We usually get our groceries first. The first time we had to go to a 2nd location to pick up a key. The second time we just went to the gate for our parking pass then directly to the condo which had an electronic punch pad. Both were easy to do.

 

[Hopeful8]

OP does your rent at WH have an electronic lock? (Versus picking up the keys at a realtor's office somewhere.)

Remember to print out at home and bring with you (and screen save to your phones) the info for the guard at the front gate to WH. They are nice - you will only spend a couple of minutes with them. Have a map of the roads at WH so you can easily find your unit.

FYI The nicer Publix (less tourist-filled, more items, larger than Orange Lake Town Center Publix) is in Davenport (a bit farther drive than Orange Lake Publix (which is fine too, but you have time to kill), but no traffic):
Publix Super Market at Ovation, 7800 Lake Wilson Rd. Davenport, FL 33896

Not sure if our rental is with keys or code, will find out when the owner sends us the arrival info.

Thanks for the tips, very helpful!

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

If coming from the airport you could use the 417, get off at exit 2 (Celebration), eat lunch there and then shop at the Publix there before making the short trip on the 192 to WH. We have always been able to go straight to our property with the keys being in an electronic key box so hopefully you won't need to visit a management company

 

[richmo]

OP does your rent at WH have an electronic lock? (Versus picking up the keys at a realtor's office somewhere.)

Remember to print out at home and bring with you (and screen save to your phones) the info for the guard at the front gate to WH. They are nice - you will only spend a couple of minutes with them. Have a map of the roads at WH so you can easily find your unit.

FYI The nicer Publix (less tourist-filled, more items, larger than Orange Lake Town Center Publix) is in Davenport (a bit farther drive than Orange Lake Publix (which is fine too, but you have time to kill), but no traffic):
Publix Super Market at Ovation, 7800 Lake Wilson Rd. Davenport, FL 33896

All excellent points in the above. The electronic lock method can save quite a bit of time.

Upon arrival at Windsor Hills, the guard will look over your documentation, as mentioned above and give you a card that will open the gate for subsequent entrances. If your reservation starts Saturday afternoon, if you hit it wrong, there could be a lengthy line for the guard checks. Each car takes a few minutes and I've seen over 10 cars in line at times on Saturdays. Potentially not great if you have groceries that need to get in the refrigerator.

I also prefer the Publix mentioned above. Its a few miles away, so its slightly longer in distance than a couple of the Publix's on 192, but its a quick ride. Leaving Windsor Hills, you'd just make a right on Old Lake Wilson Blvd and go until you get there...it's on the right just past a traffic light. 10 minute ride, if that.

 

[Candleshoe]

Not sure if our rental is with keys or code, will find out when the owner sends us the arrival info.

Thanks for the tips, very helpful!

You can ask the owner now if you want to.

One of my criteria for picking which home to rent from was keyless entry. For me it's important because we have two families sharing the home.

 

[richmo]

You can ask the owner now if you want to.

One of my criteria for picking which home to rent from was keyless entry. For me it's important because we have two families sharing the home.

Keep in mind it could be both. Last place we rented, we still had to go to a real estate place a couple of miles away to get paperwork, etc. The townhouse itself had keyless entry. Your idea of asking the owner in advance of renting is a good one.

 

[Hopeful8]

All excellent points in the above. The electronic lock method can save quite a bit of time.

Upon arrival at Windsor Hills, the guard will look over your documentation, as mentioned above and give you a card that will open the gate for subsequent entrances. If your reservation starts Saturday afternoon, if you hit it wrong, there could be a lengthy line for the guard checks. Each car takes a few minutes and I've seen over 10 cars in line at times on Saturdays. Potentially not great if you have groceries that need to get in the refrigerator.

I also prefer the Publix mentioned above. Its a few miles away, so its slightly longer in distance than a couple of the Publix's on 192, but its a quick ride. Leaving Windsor Hills, you'd just make a right on Old Lake Wilson Blvd and go until you get there...it's on the right just past a traffic light. 10 minute ride, if that.

Thank you so much for this helpful info. Our reservation begins on a Saturday at 4pm and we were hoping to get there a bit prior to that (like 3:30pm), now I am wondering if most people would be thinking the same thing.

I'm fairly certain it's a keyless entry -I think I remember reading that somewhere, will double check with the owner now.

 

[Lilliputian]

Sometimes you do have to go check in at an offsite office even when you have keyless entry. We had to do that for an All Star home two years ago.

If you do have to go to an office, don't plan on going prior to the earliest stated time on the agreement. The office will likely be closed and locked until that time.