I'm lost! Need help finding a rental please!

linsue

Earning My Ears
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Messages
3
Hello everyone! I'm new here and just happened upon this website. We're going to Discovery Cove/Sea World in July and I'm trying to find a nice place to stay. I like the idea of condo/villa/pool home and am trying to stay under $1,000 for a week's stay. Any ideas? I've been looking at Windsor Hills and filled out a form on their website to inquire...I got 47 replies!! I'm overwhelmed! I'm wondering if we could get a nice pool home further away but I have no idea about traffic or which neighborhoods are good. I'm really struggling here. Does anyone have any specific ideas? Years ago we stayed with friends in their Timeshare (I think it was Westgate or something?) and we had to go to a sales presentation ... we prefer not to go that route again. Thanks so much for all your help!
Lisa
 
hey that is pretty wonderful 47 replies.....

anyway are you only going to SW/discovery cove - or WDW too.

if WDW too I would stay with Windsor.

otherwise
here is a map
http://www.thedibb.co.uk/villa/map.htm - indian wells might be a little closer.

if you rent directly from an owner - you don't need to attend any timeshares presentation - when asked just you aren't interested - or "NO"
hilton grand vacation club at SW - is just across the street - you can rent from an owner
http://www.myresortnetwork.com/Cond...rida/Hilton-Grand-Vacations-Club-at-SeaWorld/

here are few more
http://www.tug1.org/tugads/1-1dname1.html#ad54203
but I really think they are asking too much.

you must remember with that many replies you got room to mark down your offer. It is a nice thing.
 
Well I would have 2 questions for you.... 1) how many people are coming and 2) when are you coming?

You must have put out a "General" inquiry on Windsor Hills or a "3 bedroom inquiry" or something similar!

(I do not recommend people using the "general" inquiry unless you want 100s of emails! LOL)

So at any rate, out of those inquiries, look through them and see which homes you like, which rates, amenities, etc, appeal to you, and go from there!

Take a look at the owners websites, look at their pictures, etc, and narrow it down from there. If rate / price is the most important thing to you, go from there....if decorating / etc is more important for instance, or something like a Disney themed bedroom for the kids.... go from there!

Some people find it helpful to put together a spreadsheet of the various choices / etc and use it to help narrow it down.

Do you want a pool?

Video games / etc for the kids?

Prices will vary slighly from home-home, you do tend to get what you pay for, homes that have better furnishings and amenities will tend to cost slightly more (but not usually much more). Also do you want things like free internet, free phone calls, etc?

Some people truly don't care about any of these things, others do. I can tell you this though.... we've been into dozens and dozens of homes in Windsor Hills (with realtors, looking to buy a place and also with our MC)...and there are almost no homes there that I would have been unhappy with if I'd rented one for vacation!

I would care more about having a good rapport with the owner, making sure they have some good references once we get to that point in the process, and checking to make sure they have a good local MC (mgmt company).

My wife on the other hand, is very picky about the decorating, furniture, amenities, and wants to stay in a place she feels is warm and inviting, like a nicely done up home. We found a really nice place when we were rentors there and then went back to the same home for our 2nd trip on year 2, because we knew we loved the home and the owner was great, why mess with a good thing we figured?

Anyhow, I know it seems a little overwhelming when you're new to it, but trust me, when your family arrives there and sees what a great job you did picking out your vacation home, they're going to think you're a genius! :)

I still tell my DW what a great find she made by making me go there versus staying onsite, and prior to that I was SO convinced we had to stay onsite, boy was I wrong! LOL We had the best vacation we've ever had anywhere! Loved it so much we bought a place there ourselves last summer if that tells you anything!
 
I have to agree with George! Find some homes that you like via price etc... and see what fits in your budget.

I know it takes some time to go through all the homes but it can be fun too to see what's out there and what you like!

I am sure you will find a great homeowner who will give you all the info you would need on the neighborhood and whats around!

Have a great vacation!
 

You might also want to check on properties in Vista Cay. I know there are some listed on www.vrbo.com. At least one of them has been discussed recently on this board, and the owner had lowered his price quite a bit (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1364837).

They have condos and townhouses that are very new and look nice. Since they're located up by the Convention Center, they would be closer to Sea World.

I googled and then copied and pasted some of what I found. You can find lots more by googling it again.

http://www.vistacay-orlando.net/
http://www.vrbo.com/global/siteFrame.asp?mainurl=http://www.bestorlandoresort.com/&returnurl=/91517
http://www.vistacayrent.com/
http://www.vrbo.com/91517
http://www.villadirect.com/glossary/vista_cay_resort.html
 
LOL...she's overwhelmed and you're all posting MORE rental websites for more resorts to look at! I think she needs help narrowing down her choices, not getting more fuel for the fire!

Kind of like throwing water at a drowning man isn't it? hehe
 
I agree with horseshowmom the owner I talked to at vista cay seemed very nice, helpful and a good price she put up the link
maria
 
linsue
I bumped a post I wrote that said I spoke to an owner an vista cay these places are new and look real nice take a look you would be closer to seaworld than windsor hills which by the way I love it there also
maria
www.vistacayrent.com
 
LOL...she's overwhelmed and you're all posting MORE rental websites for more resorts to look at! I think she needs help narrowing down her choices, not getting more fuel for the fire!

Kind of like throwing water at a drowning man isn't it? hehe

LOL! :rotfl:

OP - I sent you a PM!
 
After a lot of searching (quality/price/reviews) I decided on Cypress Point Grand Villas. Lovely place, great reviews, and an excellent price at www.hotelkingdom.com
Good luck!!
 
I sympathize, OP... I'm going through the same.. I'm planning WAY in advance for budget reasons. I found "the perfect home" but prices out there are competitive. Then again they always say "you get what you pay for".

It's very confusing and overwhelming. I'm close to throwing the towel in! LOL!
 
I sympathize, OP... I'm going through the same.. I'm planning WAY in advance for budget reasons. I found "the perfect home" but prices out there are competitive. Then again they always say "you get what you pay for".

It's very confusing and overwhelming. I'm close to throwing the towel in! LOL!

Try not to let that influence you too much. I'm a bargain shopper and price is very important to me. A couple of summers ago, we got a 4BR/3BA house with a screened pool in a gated community on VRBO for $480 total. We were at Cypress Pointe Grande Villas the week before Christmas (16th-23rd) and had three of the 2BR/2BA condos for $300 each for the week.

There are great deals out there, because there are so many properties available. Now, the best deals may not have Disney themes in the bedrooms or multicolored lights in the pool or free international calling, etc., but those aren't issues to me anyway. I want a very nice place to stay at an excellent price (leaves me more money to spend in other ways).

Good luck!
 
horseshowmom... care to share your secret? $300 a week would be a *dream*
 
horseshowmom... care to share your secret? $300 a week would be a *dream*

More than happy to do so. I posted about it (on this board) back in the fall and then around the time we were actually there and some after we got back.

I rented from a Sunterra owner who lists on ebay. Her user ID is jumpbackjack0, and you can look up her auctions that way. She can actually get any Sunterra property. We're probably going to use her again this summer to go to Branson, MO if we don't go to Destin. Unfortunately, she doesn't have access to any in Destin.

You can email her to check on availability and ask for the best price she can give you. If she doesn't have what you want listed, she may be able to list it for you. She takes Paypal, and I also used a credit card to protect myself (everything was perfect though).

She usually lists 1BR with a free upgrade to a 2BR (if your date is available). That made me nervous at first (I did NOT want a 1BR), but she checked on my dates and was able to confirm it. She told me it would take about a week to get into CPGV's system, and that was about right (5 days, I think). I called CPGV directly, and they showed all 3 of my 2BR's confirmed. In fact, I actually called them several times over the course of the fall just to make sure nothing changed! ;)

I was very satisfied with the price and with CPGV.

If I can answer any other questions, feel free to ask.

P.S. Some others on this board have also used another ebay seller with good results (I think a 3BR for $400 or $500). I think the user name was Renting_Resorts. They have 3BR condos available. I have noticed that their price varies a lot.
 
It was about a mile (seems like it was a couple of lights) to the entrance to Downtown Disney. CPGV can't be beat for location. In fact, we always rent houses, and my DH and DD both said they want to stay there when we go back next. We requested ground floor and got it for all 3 units. 2 of the 3 were also poolside even though I didn't think to request that.

We loved being in the Lake Buena Vista area. LOTS and LOTS of restaurant choices. There's a Wal-Mart Supercenter about 3 miles away (straight down 535) for groceries or anything you may have left at home. Their prices were comparable to our prices here at home, so I didn't feel like I was paying "resort" prices.
 











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