Higher-End Offsite Condo/Townhouse Near Parks?

[DizzyDis]

Hello all! I am pretty new here and a long-time lurker, planning a stay for next year. We have stayed on-site for our last couple of trips and while we absolutely loved it, we think off-site may be right for us this time. We have young kids and are looking to go down for a week or 2 next year and probably stay off-site to have enough space to accommodate naps and early bedtimes, but are looking for something with very nice finishings/amenities (kitchen/bathrooms/beds, to a lesser extent the hotel/division pool and amenities) so we really feel like we are being pampered while away. I have been looking at several I found through the forum here and many seem to be tired/worn or just pretty cheaply finished. We are willing to pay a bit more for higher end, but am having a hard time finding the perfect place. We are looking for a 2-3 bedroom or even larger as some family may come too. Any suggestions or past experience is GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you all in advance!

 

[greenclan67]

We really like Holiday inn club vacations orange lake. The grounds are beautiful, love the amenities as well. Rooms are spacious and nice. You can go to a signature unit at River Island or to a drive up unit in West Village. If you would like any more info please PM me.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

The Magic Village Resort is just going built (we passed it most days on our way to WDW), the pictures look great, like it will be upscale but I have no idea if it will live up to expectations or if the room rate will be too high. http://www.magicvillageresort.com/en/

 

[DizzyDis]

Thank you both and I agree with both of your assessments from looking at their sites. I think the Magic Village may be amazing, but it looks so new and shiny I can't imagine what kind of prices they will ask for!

The Holiday Inn looks great, modern and clean and their prices seem quite reasonable for what you get. Thanks greenclan and I may message you about who you have booked through in the past, your experience and if the real life rooms look as great as the pictures online.

I really appreciate this help and am still a ways off from booking, so would love to hear what others have seen as there seem to be a ton out there to choose from!

 

[Monykalyn]

We've stayed at many of the Marriott properties around the area. My favorite is Grande Vista (haven't stayed in Lakeshore Reserve yet) but it is a bit further away. Last trip we stayed at Marriott Sabal palms-The decor is more retro but have use of Worldmark amenities and pools. Condos/timeshares but can can get cheaper than onsite properties. I believe people here have used sky auction or redweek to look at weeks (we have a timeshare week so we just exchange). We stay in minimum 2 bedroom 2 bath units that have full laundry, kitchen, eating area, living area and screened lanai (our Sabal Palms lanai overlooked the golf course).

 

[alopez926]

We are renting a 5 bedroom Villa in Windsor Hills. Most of them look nicely furnished, many have recently updated kitchens, private pools with hot tubs. Linens look nice. For 5 nights we are paying $1200. You may not need that much space unless family and/or friends tag along, but I think the prices are very reasonable for what you get. Search VRBO.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Wyndham Bonnet Creek is amazing and sounds just like what you're looking for. Maybe even a Presidential Suite.

 

[cheerky]

I suggest looking at Reunion. There are many lovely properties on vrbo.com.

 

[Dave1234]

I would also recommend Reunion. It has the highest end off site rental properties in Orlando area. Has wide selection of condos and townhouses. Here is some info on condos in the resort
http://www.reunionprivaterentals.com/condos/
Dave

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Sheraton Vistana Resort may have what you are looking for. All kitchens and bathrooms are finished with granite counter tops and ceramic tile. The kitchens are well appointed with a full size refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, and breakfast bar. There is a dining room table that seats 8 in every 2 bedroom villa. The master bath features a stand up shower, jacuzzi tub, and separate dressing area. The guest bath has a full size shower or shower/tub combo. There are flat screen TV's throughout (on in the living room, one in the master, one in the guest bedroom), a Bose sound system in the living area (along with a pull-out sofa), a screened in porch or balcony with a table and seating for 4, and in-suite laundry.

As far as the resort amenities go, there are 7 pools (one with a slide, two with waterfalls, one with multiple splash fountains, two with in-water volleyball, several with separate kiddie pools), 6 outdoor hot tubs, 13 tennis courts, 2 basketball courts, 2 sand volleyball courts, multiple playgrounds (6 or 7 I am guessing?), an onsite general store, several bars/grills, a full table service restaurant, a farmers market, daily scheduled activities (dive-in movies, wine tastings, casino cruises, Gatorland visits, pool parties, etc.) and more.

There are no resort fees, there are no parking fees, and standard wifi is complimentary.

This thread is a great resource and includes a ton of pictures of the various sections:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/the-sheraton-vistana-resort-thread.3148502/

 

[disneysteve]

We've rented multiple times in Windsor Palms. http://www.windsor-palms-florida.net/ We've had everything from somewhat old and tired to recently overhauled rentals that were beautiful and filled with upgrades. You really need to browse the listings, pay attention to the photos, and focus on the descriptions to find places that have been redone somewhat recently. A lot of the area rental communities are at that age where rehabs are getting more common and some owners take the opportunity to upgrade things during the rehab. We stayed in one townhome that had all new appliances in the kitchen, a super comfy leather sofa, top quality dining table, beautiful 4-poster bed, luxurious bed and bath linens, and more. It cost a little more than comparable properties but you were getting a higher grade experience for the dollar. So price matters to. The places that rent for $60/night are not likely to be as nice as the places renting for $100/night (though there can be exceptions to that).

 

[DizzyDis]

Thank you all! I am following D23 right now to decide when we should be heading down due to refurbs and renos, so we may put it off a little bit longer, but I am sure we will be able to find a great place offsite now thanks to you all!!