Gen. opinions wanted and husband leery of villas.....

[mom-o-eb]

We are going in September to WDW. There will be 4 adults and 2 kids aged 20 mos. and 4.

We have reservations at HIFS but I'm not too happy with only one bathroom and just a microwave. I'd prefer 2 BR/2 BA with a full kitchen for a few reasons. I'm not sure how well my son (20 mos.) will travel. I think he needs some "down time" and I think having the option of not eating out and just kind of chilling in a home-like atmosphere will help. I also worry HIFS might just be too much or overwhelming for them after all day at the parks but, at the same time, don't want to rob them of possible fun there that they couldn't get other places.

So I also then made reservations at the Summerfield ($99 AAA rate). Any positives or negatives?

I read a thread here about renting a home and, I must say sometimes it seems too good to be true because you really do get more bang for your buck if the pictures represent the places accurately.

My husband worries about getting scammed and what happens if the place is a dive or the plumbing leaks? I told him, from what I can tell, the reputable places are verified and have local management companies. I've heard orlandovillas.com has a good reputation. Any opinions on that?

I just started researching this and was amazed at the number of properties available. I don't think my husband understands that this is an industry and it isn't like if we rented our home out.

Thanks in advance! I've been obsessing over this! I'll read reviews for hotels that say "Best place I ever stayed!" and then the next one says "I'll never go there again."

 

[JANNYANS]

There are checks you can make when looking for a rental home.If you are looking to book direct with the owner ask where their home is and then you can verify the details on the appropriate county web site or ask them for their management company details and speak to them to confirm who owns the house .You could ask for references from previous guests.
When you book through an owner try to remember it is a two way process of trust -we are letting complete strangers stay in our homes and there is always the possibility of the house being trashed.
http://www.orlandovillas.com do have a good reputation and all the homes on it have been verified by the site owners as being genuinely owned by the people who will answer any query you put out.
You have it right when you say it is an industry and one where the owners take great pride in their homes and do all they can to help people enjoy their vacations.
I would say if you need extra space and good value for money then look at a rental home -it is a bit of a daunting prospect first time but those who do it generally don't go back and any owner worth threir salt will "hold your hand" all the way if needed.

 

[antmaril]

I recently returned from our stay at the Wyndham Palms Resort and Country Club, which is about two miles from WDW. I booked this two bedroom two bath villa (condo) for $89 a night through hotelkingdom.com. We did not have to attend a timeshare presentation at this price. I, like you, was apprehensive about this. I kept thinking "you get what you pay for", but I was very pleasantly surprised. The complex was very nice with an 18 hole golf course, mini golf, pools, etc. The building we were in (#26) was only two months old. Everything was brand new. It was quite large (1,500 sf) and had a full kitchen, washer and dryer, 52 inch tv, screened-in balcony and a beautiful bathroom in the master bedroom with jacuzzi tub. It was really a bargain at $89 per night. Just keep researching and I think you will get comfortable with the idea. I had read a number of good reviews about the Wyndham Palms and decided to give it a try.

Good luck to you!

 

[Robinrs]

I do understand your husband's trepidation, I thought the same before I rented a vacation home.

Needless to say, my worries were totally turned into FAITH! The homes I've stayed in were absolutely breathtaking. There is nothing like the space, the convenience and the privacy. I haven't heard any nightmare reviews of vacation homes, I'm sure there is or will be someone who is not 100% satisfied, mainly because the people who rent these homes know their reputation is on the line. I agree with JANNYAMS, the owner is more at risk than the renter, I couldn't IMAGINE renting my home and everything in it to a stranger... ...

On the other hand, I stayed at the Summerfield Suites and I have to say it has most of the plusses of a vacation home PLUS the added benefit of maid service! Their two bedroom is a large comfy room with a full kitchen. They also offer free continental breakfast and a hot one for a few dollars more. I stayed during New Year's week and though it was totally booked, there was a certain peacefulness about it.

Whichever you choose, you really can't go wrong with these choices. PM me if you need some help!

 

[kilee]

I haven't stayed in a vacation home yet. However we do have a 5bed/ 3 full bath one rented for our October trip (we'll have 6 adults and 2 kids). Anyway after tax and pool heating, for 8 nights the total was just a hair over $900.00. I did find them on orlandovillas.com, which came highly recommended. I did a full check to verify the home, the owners, and the local mangament company. Everything came back great. I am really looking forward to this trip.


We have rented luxury cabins in the Smoky Mtns, Hocking Hills, and Lake Placid before from private owners. Thankfully we have never had a problem and everything has always been as represented. It is definetly a trust factor on both parts. As long as you do your research you should be fine. Just don't jump until the homework is done.

 

[FLeisure]

Excellent advice on this thread, I am so pleased to see it

mom-o-eb, most professional MC's and owners will now have pictures of their homes on their web sites. A few even have video tours so you can see exactly what you are getting. Keep searching and then asking the right questions. Eventually one home will spring out and that's the one that will be just right for you.

 

[J&D]

I also suggest the Wyndham Palms. The 2 br villa sounds exactly like what you are looking for. Tell your DH that it has a 52" TV. My favorite amenity is the jacuzzi tub. The $88.90/night rate is still available through hotelkingdom.com.

 

[mom-o-eb]

J&D, your opinion might hold some weight with my husband because he, too, is an Aggie. LOL! (I, on the other hand, went to "that other school.")

I appreciate all of the responses and I'll check out the Wyndham Palms, too.

One plus of the Summerfield is the shuttle service to the parks. We are renting a van but could easily see either the baby getting tuckered out or the in-laws getting tuckered out but at different times so it would be nice to have back-up transportation.

 

[J&D]

J&D, your opinion might hold some weight with my husband because he, too, is an Aggie.

I, on the other hand, went to "that other school."

Oh, I forgot to mention that the WP has a free BBQ on Friday's where, among other things, they serve Bevo burgers!!!

 

[MLindaG]

We have owned at the Sheraton Vistana Resort since my middle son was 18 months old. We had gone when my oldest was 18 months but had stayed at the Contemporary and it was so hard. Getting him to sleep or take naps.....So when my dh suggested a trip with the two boys I just couldn't imagine how we would handle it in a hotel room. One of my friends told me about Vistana and I rented a villa. It was so wonderful!!! Washer and dryer in the unit........room to spread out........hubby and I had privacy.........a place to put the kids down for naps while we had a living room to watch TV or movie....... a full kitchen....we would eat breakfast and lunch in the room.........it was such a relaxing and enjoyable time walking around the grounds and feeding the ducks! (There was only MK and Epcot.......funny to think of that now!!!). We purchased a property and have never been sorry we did it. We added another boy two years later. Now they are 16, 18 and 20.......it is so nice to have all the room!!! I can't imagine how much it would cost to feed three teenage boys staying on WDW property!!! Thank goodness for the taco bell runs on the way home from the park. There are many good villas and have heard good things about the vacation homes. Good luck with your decision!!

 

[Aubrey]

When we are a large, multigenerational group, we have enjoyed the rental homes. When we are just the four of us, mom,dad, 2 kids, we like the timeshare units and we have never had a bad experience. I recently cancelled my Wyndham Palms (although it sounds lovely) in favor of the Tropical Palms because we wanted a more Fort Wilderness type experience with more of an old Florida flavor rather than the modern timeshares that we have been in on recent trips. In both settings, you get the conveniences of home and Wyndham palms is far more luxurious but sometimes it's nice to get closer to the outdoors and go armadillo questing...

 

[FLeisure]

Armadillo's ....hmmmm......you can have the one that is currently residing outside my home wih pleasure

 

[horseshowmom]

My DH loves renting a house instead of having a hotel room (so much more room).

The condos sound beautiful and would probably be great. To me, the main difference is that with a house you have your own private pool (plus, depending on which house you select, sometimes your own spa also). We also enjoy having a garage. Some properties convert their garages into a gameroom (which is great for rainy days), but you're still right there in the driveway, so there's no extra walking after a long day.

 

[dandelion]

We rented through orlandovillas.com in late April and also had a wonderful experience. Our children are 6 1/2 and 4, and even at those older ages they needed the 'down time' (or maybe their parents did ) that a private home can provide. It was actually the first time my son slept in a twin bed - and he loved it! Because the owner provided so many photos I could show him the pics ahead and get him very excited about his own big boy bed. It made the transition quite easy once back at home.

But to stay on topic - though it seemed like I spent a lot on groceries, almost everything got eaten and what didn't we brought home. Definitely cost less that all those restaurant meals. We could put the kids to bed at more or less the usual time, then stay up and watch TV - actually dh used the PS2. We packed half as much as usual and I did a mid-week wash, with quick dips in the pool between loads. It was definitely a much more relaxing experience because we had the house - usually after a night or two in a hotel, dh is ready to head home.

That said, some of the condo experiences that have been mentioned sound pretty good too, and I'm sure we'll look into them when the kids are older.