I have it narrowed down... to only 25 homes!

[aprilfoolwed]

I think I am going crazy!

We will be in the WDW area from June 12-20. There are 5 of us (2 adults, kids ages 10, 8, and 5), and there is a slight (very slight) possibility that (if we have the space) that my in laws may join us for part of the trip.

I seriously emailed over 50 home owners this week, and have a list of 25 possibilities at this point. I have a spreadsheet (I told you I am crazy!).

At a minimum, we want a 3BR townhome with a pool. Need to have the private pool! We're also looking at 3BR & 4BR pool homes as well.

The quotes I have gotten back range from $520/8 days to $1000/8 days.

The lowest quotes are for 3BR homes at Encantada, but there are a few older reviews on Trip Adviser that scare me. The actual unit I am looking at does not have any reviews on VRBO either (also scares me).

So I am trying to decide townhome vs. single home. And I am looking in all of the following communities:

Encantada
Windsor Palms
Windsor Hills
Indian Ridge
Indian Ridge Oaks
Indian Creek
Emerald Island
Oak Island Cove
Sunset Lakes
Lindfields

Can anyone help guide this decision? $500/8 days is cheap, but that also worries me. The bulk of the homes came back in the $700-800 range. But that's a big difference in price, and could pay for lots of meals while we are down there. But I don't want to pick a mistake.

Once I narrow down the community, I can focus on individual homes.

Thanks for any input!

 

[mbb]

Gas pool heat does it for us.

We like our pools warm...although in June, electric pool heat would definitely work reliably

Any of those communities are lovely...Indian Ridge and IROaks are a little older, but benefit from having HUGE lots and lovely mature trees...and *generally* larger pool areas.

I have spreadsheets too, so no worries about OCD
There are others just like us too!! LOL

25 homes...I would look at the following:
BBQ included? This can be $100/week if you want one...if it's included, bonus!
Internet access?
Keyless entry? Or do I have to drive somewhere else to get a key?
Bedding arrangements?
Games room?
Little amenities? ie, books, movies, baby stuff - if you require
The communication from the owner?
Payment arrangements?
Do they take cc? paypal?
Long distance phone?
Ceiling fans in the bedrooms? (You'd be surprised at how much more comfortable this makes sleeping in Florida in summer...it's a little thing, but important for us)

Out of it all, the communication from the owner scores highest for us.

No reviews...that would give me pause.

And as you have so many options, I would eliminate the ones that don't have feedback. (tip for owners...leave a guestbook in your home..lots of folks will fill out a guest book, but won't write a review online. Add the GB feedback to your website)

Then, once you've narrowed it down a little more, have a "Florida Fun Planning Evening!
Get everyone to come for dinner, and have a vote on the house!

Part of the fun of vacation is in the planning, and if someone doesn't like the accomodations, oh well, they were a part of the picking process!! LOL!!

HTH!!
Let us know!!

 

[aprilfoolwed]

Thanks!

Glad I am not the only OCD planner with my spreadsheet (you should have seen the look my DH gave me when I showed him last night!).

I have most of what you mentioned on my spreadsheet. I agree with you about the comments - I don't know that I want to risk renting a place that has no reviews just to save $100 for the week.

Do you think it's better to deal with large rental companies, or small family-run places? It seems I have found a bit of both. The rental companies seem to dot all the i's and cross all the t's, but the family-run places come across much more personal in the emails.

It's so easy to just look at price, but there's so much more to it than that. I am hoping that I can cut my list in half, and then take a closer look at it.

I'll keep you all posted on what we come up with.

 

[mbb]

We've dealt with both...companies and individual owners.
And have nothing but good things to say about both.

Honestly, we've never had a *bad* rental experience.

Sure, sometimes stuff happens that isn't the greatest, ie, the dryer in the house goes on the fritz, and it takes a couple of days to remedy...but that's what could happen at our own home, and the MC was quick to fix it as they could (after an attempt at repair, they got another dryer from a vacant property for us to use)

And sometimes, the carpets aren't as spotlessly clean as I would prefer, but again, it's a rental. For some owners, more of a business (non-emotional investment), and they aren't replacing the carpet as quick as owners that are a little more emotionally invested in their property.

I'll vacuum it, and forget about it...as long as I've notified the owner/MC as soon as we arrive that the stains are there already, and we didn't create them.

It's vacation, and it's a house...lots of room to celebrate our precious family/extended family, everyone has opportunity for quiet time in their own space, and we're not a squishied in together when we are all together!! LOL!!

HTH!

 

[7165red]

Ask yourself if you want a pvt. pool without neighbors to your right and left of you. We have rented a pool home in Lindfield and we found that their homes are on larger parcels. Several of the newer homes are very close to each other. I first look at the pool and if it isn't pvt. it's off my list.