Has anyone rented the house called Belle Vue yet?

[cwnhokie]

We have finally decided on a house after looking at thousands of houses. We made the deposit today! Now I am wondering if anyone has stayed there yet. It is relatively new in Windsor Hills, renting from VRBO. Thanks!

 

[missy]

cwnhokie, I sent you a private message

 

[missy]

when are you going? I am interested in knowing how close the home is to the clubhouse/pool area.

 

[cwnhokie]

We are going in February 2006.

 

[djkeenan]

I don't think you can go too far wrong with Windsor Hills. It was our first choice until I got a knock your socks off offer in nearby Rolling Hills. With their pools, playgrounds, etc. you could easily have a great day without even going to the parks.

I know we were considering Belle Vue ourselves. Lovely home! But isn't it a chore to search through all the vacation rentals trying to find the best place and deal? I wish there was a site where rentors could post their requirements and have the owners make us an offer.

Have a wonderful time and please let us know how you liked Belle Vue and Windsor Hills.

 

[mbb]

I don't think you can go too far wrong with Windsor Hills. It was our first choice until I got a knock your socks off offer in nearby Rolling Hills. With their pools, playgrounds, etc. you could easily have a great day without even going to the parks.

I know we were considering Belle Vue ourselves. Lovely home! But isn't it a chore to search through all the vacation rentals trying to find the best place and deal? I wish there was a site where rentors could post their requirements and have the owners make us an offer.

Have a wonderful time and please let us know how you liked Belle Vue and Windsor Hills.

You can do that - kind of - on www.orlandovillas.com

It's called a "General I/Enquiry" (is it I or E??? ), and any owners with the amenities you want, neighbourhoods, availability, etc will get back to you.

Just fill out the form, no obligation, but be prepared for lots of great homes

The sister sites will allow it as well, www.villasflorida.com , and www.onlinefloridavillas.com

I know there are other sites that do this as well, we just like those ones!

HTH!!

 

[cwnhokie]

Missy, I just received an email that they received my deposit and confirmed my reservation. Have you heard anything yet? I'm nervous now with the post having all the trouble.

 

[missy]

I sent another e-mail yesterday and asked if they had received my deposit. Shortly after that they replied and said that they did receive it. So it looks like everything is fine, I don't think there will be any problems.

 

[Mainebound]

I sent another e-mail yesterday and asked if they had received my deposit. Shortly after that they replied and said that they did receive it. So it looks like everything is fine, I don't think there will be any problems.

I think it is important to remember that most people who rent pool homes have other "real" homes, families, and full time jobs. It is not like a WDW hotel where you can call or email 24/7 and get a response. Just as you or I sometimes forget to return a call, or wait to mail a letter, they are regular people trying to juggle a lot of things at once. Obviously, we expect and deserve good cutomer service, but I think it is helpful to remember the difference bewteen a global corporaton and a single family.

I am not a villa owner, but having rented them I now know that my expectations have to be adjusted for these differences. Just my two cents!

 

[kilee]

I've used orlandovillas.com in the past w/ a lot of success. I am currently looking for a smaller house or a condo for our January trip. I'm hoping to keep it under $700 (which so far I have at least 10 replies that fit the bill so I'll be good).

 

[Mainebound]

I've used orlandovillas.com in the past w/ a lot of success. I am currently looking for a smaller house or a condo for our January trip. I'm hoping to keep it under $700 (which so far I have at least 10 replies that fit the bill so I'll be good).

kilee -- Not to take over the thread -- but isn't is just unbelievable that you get a nice house for under $700? One room at Pop for week costs more than that. I often wonder how these homeowners can survive!

To the OP -- Please post our trip report when you return. I would love to hear about Windsor Hills. I have personally been leery of renting on the 27 because it seems a bit far out, but I don't know the area well.

 

[JANNYANS]

Mainebound -you are not alone in thinking that -there are many owners who think it also .The point is there are lots of new owners who have been told it was easy to rent out the homes when they bought and are now learning it isn't but need to get some $$ in and therefore are seriously undervaluing their homes.Polk and Osceola -where most of the homes are have just put the properyt taxes up by 23-28% on vacation homes so owners will need to seriously look at what they charge .JMHO

 

[crjack]

I am also in the process of selecting a rental home in Windsor Hills for our trip next year. I was not under the impression it was out on 27 though. I hope it isn't!!

We have stayed in Windsor Palms before and thought Windsor Hills was very close by.

I actually looked at Belle Vue on vrbo and loved it but unfortunately it is booked already for our timeframe.

We did not expect to be going back to Orlando area next year so we are thrilled to be able to try out Windsor Hills. It looks fabulous.

 

[Mainebound]

I am also in the process of selecting a rental home in Windsor Hills for our trip next year. I was not under the impression it was out on 27 though. I hope it isn't!!

We have stayed in Windsor Palms before and thought Windsor Hills was very close by.

QUOTE]

You are right. It is off 192 on Old LAke Wilson (?) road, 2 miles from WDW. Sorry!

I love that area!

 

[cwnhokie]

I will definately post a trip report when I get back and try to take lots of photos on Windsor Hills. I never got my trip report done for my May trip. It was our first time and I was so overwhelmed and exhausted when I got back that I couldn't even think about Disney. I plan to take it easier with this trip, we'll see how that works out.

Mainebound- I in no way meant to imply that I was unhappy with the customer service I have received. Just nervous because I am planning the entire trip for my husbands whole family. We have never rented a house before and they have never been to disney before.

 

[Mainebound]

I will definately post a trip report when I get back and try to take lots of photos on Windsor Hills. I never got my trip report done for my May trip. It was our first time and I was so overwhelmed and exhausted when I got back that I couldn't even think about Disney. I plan to take it easier with this trip, we'll see how that works out.

Mainebound- I in no way meant to imply that I was unhappy with the customer service I have received. Just nervous because I am planning the entire trip for my husbands whole family. We have never rented a house before and they have never been to disney before.

cwnhokie -- no worries, I thought I would just add my own thoughts on it.

As for the possibility of a relaxing WDW vacaton -- the villa will give that to you. Quiet, calm, spacious. Everyone can get a little down time. Our kids are never happier, sleep better, and better behaved than in a villa. WDW hotels make them insane (in a good way, of course, but still...).

Have a great trip!

 

[djkeenan]

kilee -- Not to take over the thread -- but isn't is just unbelievable that you get a nice house for under $700? One room at Pop for week costs more than that. I often wonder how these homeowners can survive!

The law of supply vs demand works in favor of the consumer during slow times of year when there a far more homes available than there are families wanting to rent them. I've surveyed over 100 vacation home reservation calendars and chatted with many vacation home owners and found 2 equally valid trains of thought on pricing: some people would rather have their house empty than offer a discounted price while others will be happy to offer you a great deal on a week that might go empty since getting something is better than getting nothing.

We were hoping for a 4 bdrm pool home with tax and pool heat included for about $900 a week. We ended up with a beautiful 6 bdrm with everything we wanted plus a game room for substantially less. ( www.sjsvillas.com )

We didn't have to beat anyone up over the price, in fact we didn't have to haggle or even negotiate. We just sent an email and asked for their best price for the week we wanted. Of the 30 or so who replied, the vast majority offered a deal below their posted prices, a few were substantially below and the one we picked was an offer we couldn't refuse.

We are going during a very slow January week, and would expect the results to be far different any time the schools are out. But even at list price I believe a vacation home is a far better value than a hotel room any day!

 

[Mainebound]

We just sent an email and asked for their best price for the week we wanted. Of the 30 or so who replied, the vast majority offered a deal below their posted prices, a few were substantially below and the one we picked was an offer we couldn't refuse.

djkeenan,

I took a look at the villa -- it is beautiful. Did you find it on orlandovillas.com or one of its sister sites? Or someplace else? Itis so tiresome to use vrbo or villas2000, where you have to search individually villa by villa.

 

[djkeenan]

Mainebound;

Actually I found a couple of sites where you can post a general inquiry to a group of homeowners such as all 4 bdrm owners. I sent them a very specific list of what we had to have (king size bed in master, high speed internet etc.) and what we wished we could get (gas grill, etc.).

One is www.windsorhillsrent.com and the other, where we found the house we are renting, is http://www.evilla-rentals.com/ (listing926.htm)

I agree, the process can be brutal: so many really nice homes available! I wanted to be sure we got the most for our money. We only need a 3 bdrm, could make use of a fourth, but ended up with a six.

My sister and her family from Brunswick, ME will be coming with us. Next weekend we'll be going to visit them for some planning and to get a few lobsters. I really miss living on the coast!

 

[kilee]

kilee -- Not to take over the thread -- but isn't is just unbelievable that you get a nice house for under $700? One room at Pop for week costs more than that. I often wonder how these homeowners can survive!

I just counted I have 29 villa's that are what I'm looking for that the owners offered under $700 w/ tax for 7 nights in January. Now, it doesn't include pool heat. On our early Feb. trips we never swam, and then in early March we only went like twice. So, I don't honestly know if we'll spring for pool heat. My mom wants to just in case, so we most likely will.

That is going to raise our price up to about $800/825 for everything in full. Now for 7 nights split by 2-- my mom's paying 1/2 and we're paying 1/2- it comes to roughly $59 a night. You can't beat it. For us it's the best way to go when we travel w/ our family to WDW. When we go alone we usually stay onsite or priceline a room.