Locations of Vacation Homes closest to Disney

[msr709]

Considering renting a pool home and I need to know which areas are the closest to Disney. The listing are by names I don't know, anyone know of site somewhere that could show me a map of these homes so I can figure this out. They all claim to be "minutes away from Disney" but we all know how ads work. I would appreciate any info on this. TIA

 

[spiceycat]

here is one site

http://www.kissimmee-us192.com/orlandovacationhomes/subdivision_locator.htm

 

[spiceycat]

you can also find Kissimmee on their website

www.floridakiss.com

register

click on 'places to stay'

in type pick - 'vacation rental/homes'

then if you find the one you want - click on 'more' - there should be a little -'map it' icon

 

[Mainebound]

Spiceycat gave you the best map site -- it is so helpful! And I agree -- every pool home claims to be "10 minutes from Disney". Personally, I think you need to know both miles from Disney and minutes to get an accurate assessment.

We are staying in Emerald Island in a pool home in Feb and I have corresponded with a guest who just returned from it. It was 5 minutes to AK by the Sherbeth road shortcut.

I am nervous about staying offsite for the first time, but I have to keep remembering that when we stay onsite we use Disney busses, and it takes a good half hour to get anywhere, usually longer if you include the wait.

I did exhaustive research before we chose our home. I must have looked at 250 of them online. Send me a PM if I can help in any way.

Happy searching!

 

[msr709]

Thanks for all your replies. I don't think I made myself clear though. What I wanted was names of places that some of you have stayed and KNOW for a fact that they are "minutes away from WDW". I've found several sites with beautiful homes but they are sorted by names of places I've never heard of and that's what I was looking for here, names of places really close and accessible to WDW. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I appreciate any help.

 

[torismom]

We own a home in Sunset Lakes so I know that it is very close.We are beside emerald Island. You can be at Ak in 5 mins. Emerald Island, Formosa Gardens Estate, Oak Island Harbor, Acadia Extates, Indian Creek and Windsor Palms are all right together and can be to Ak in 5 mins. Hope this helps!!

 

[Mainebound]

The website we used was orlandovillas.com. You fill out a form and all the owners get back to you. They all seem to know each other and thegroup seems to have very high standards. The web master "verifies" all the villas perosnally. It also has a description of every development along with a map showing where each development is in relation to WDW. Finally, it has very useful discussion boards where owners and renters hang out discussing all things related to renting a villa near WDW. I have found it very helpful. We are renting emeraldfootprints.com. I have not been there yet but another DISer is staying there in a few weeks, and also I have been in contact with previous renters who raved about it.

 

[msr709]

Thank you so much, this is the kind of info I was looking for. I knew I could count on my fellow DISers to steer me in the right direction. Thanks again! Off to doing some research.

 

[jeffreyml]

This map shows you actual locations of subdivisions and where they are located in reference to WDW. http://www.1stfororlando.com/Location-map.htm

 

[JANNYANS]

The 1st for orlando map is not exact for example Highlands on the 27 is south of The Palms Lake Davenport Estates and they have not got Bahama Bay or Vista Park on there both of which are in the same road as The Palms which is only 1 1/2 miles from the junction with the 192 .Other wise it is not bad

 

[eeyore0062]

There are vacation homes on rt 27 just north of 192, as well as south of 192... those are probably the closest. There are some in Davenport, too. Just be careful to do your homework before you make any firm decisions. Many aren't as nice as one is lead to believe.

 

[msr709]

There are vacation homes on rt 27 just north of 192, as well as south of 192... those are probably the closest. There are some in Davenport, too. Just be careful to do your homework before you make any firm decisions. Many aren't as nice as one is lead to believe.

This is exactly the reason I posed this question. Eeyore did you have a bad experience you would care to share? You can pm me if you'd like. I guess what I was trying to get at is recommendations of homes some of you have stayed at that I could look into because I know sometimes the advertisement can be so far from the reality. Please keep the recommendations coming, I really appreciate it.

 

[JANNYANS]

Don't forget that Davenport covers a wide area from Esprit in the north to Thousand Oaks and Southern Dunes in the south and that Davenport itself is way down and probably not the placeyou would want to stay.

 

[eeyore0062]

"Eeyore did you have a bad experience you would care to share"

No, we always stay on Disney property, but I have heard numerous horror stories from guests at WDW. One that stands out....the guest told me that when they went to their house, the toilets were all backed up. The pool had green scum floating on the top and it looked as if it hadn't been cleaned since the previous guests left. They called the place they had rented from and were put on hold forever. When they finally got through, they were told that they had no other houses to move them to, so either stay or leave, but they wouldn't get their money back. Those poor people were over at WDW trying to find a room during Spring Break. It was truly heartbreaking!

 

[maps]

I think if you really do a lot of research you'll find that staying off property doesn't have to be the nightmare that was described.
I've stayed on site as well as off site in a hotel but so far the best vacation we've had is in a rental home.

we've stayed twice at Indian Creek and it was so easy to get to the disney property--even easier than when we stayed in a hotel in lake buena vista.

this coming year we'll be staying in a home in emerald island which claims to be the closest to disney. it is close to indian creek where we've stayed before so we're familiar with the area.

I've dealt directly with the owner but it's also a good idea to get to know the management company since they are the ones you'll deal with once you get to the home.

good luck with your search

 

[MateasMom]

We just got back from a stay at Emerald Island. It was exactly as we had expected. We did have one problem...one of the tubs made water leak in the garage, which I guess was a construction defect (the house was new and all the 'kinks' aren't worked out I guess). Anyways, it was no big deal to us.

We did have a hard time FINDING Emerald Island. Maybe because it was late and it had been a long day, but of the 4 cars trying to find it, ZERO found it on their first try Once we figured it out though, it was easy. Sherberth road was GREAT! Not only was it faster, but it made navigating the roads at WDW less confusing. I didn't have to worry about whether I needed to go east or west, all I had to know to get home was GO TO ANIMAL KINGDOM LOL That was the family joke. If you get lost, go to Animal Kingdom and you can get home from there

 

[Mainebound]

"Eeyore did you have a bad experience you would care to share"

No, we always stay on Disney property, but I have heard numerous horror stories from guests at WDW. One that stands out....the guest told me that when they went to their house, the toilets were all backed up. The pool had green scum floating on the top and it looked as if it hadn't been cleaned since the previous guests left. They called the place they had rented from and were put on hold forever. When they finally got through, they were told that they had no other houses to move them to, so either stay or leave, but they wouldn't get their money back. Those poor people were over at WDW trying to find a room during Spring Break. It was truly heartbreaking!

This is why it is so important to do your research! Yes, there can be bum vacation homes. There can also be bum hotel rooms -- even on Disney property (rooms that smell, are very worn, badly located, loud, hairs in sheets, broken toilets, fire alarms going off, drunks in the hallway banging my door -- all have happened to me over the years on WDW property)! Although I agree when you stay at a known hotel brand, such as Disney, Sheraton, etc. you have a certain level of reliability and trust in the coproate brand which may not exist when renting directly from an individual. Also, with a hotel you can switch rooms no problem.

Still, I was not put off by horror stories because the vast majority of reports are very very positive. You just have to do your research. Make sure it is a new home, check its location on a map, get current complete pictures or a web tour of the exact home (not the model), get references from past visitors and you will be fine. Our 4 bed pool home with spa, games room, free long distance phone, Broadband internet/computer, satellite TVs in every room, PS2, strollers and baby gear, etc. etc, etc. is less per night (for the whole house) than a moderate WDW resort. This time around, travelling with extended family, that looked very appealing to us!

 

[DianeV]

We have relatives staying at Cumbrian Lakes (I think its called) in March. She did a very thorough checking into places and I checked and it seems pretty close, off 192

 

[HappyLawyer]

Spiceycat gave you the best map site -- it is so helpful! And I agree -- every pool home claims to be "10 minutes from Disney". Personally, I think you need to know both miles from Disney and minutes to get an accurate assessment.

We are staying in Emerald Island in a pool home in Feb and I have corresponded with a guest who just returned from it. It was 5 minutes to AK by the Sherbeth road shortcut.

I am nervous about staying offsite for the first time, but I have to keep remembering that when we stay onsite we use Disney busses, and it takes a good half hour to get anywhere, usually longer if you include the wait.

I did exhaustive research before we chose our home. I must have looked at 250 of them online. Send me a PM if I can help in any way.

Happy searching!

That was me the last 2 weeks, this was my first time off property and renting a car, we had so much fun, i plan to say off from now on and use a rental, most hotels and villas have a comp shuttle to disney, you just follow their scedule, we used it once, but when we are ready to go we are ready so we drove the rest of the days, there is no one in the world more nervous then i am so if i tell you not to be you will be fine, trust me.

 

[gabsmom]

We have stayed 3 times off site. Twice at a home in Vista Largo?? off 192, someone who worked with my husband owns there. It was very nice and convenient to everything. The drive to WDW was not bad at all, under 10 minutes. This past April we stayed at Highlands Reserve and really liked it. We had a 3 BR home with 2 baths, private pool, all the amenities you could ask for. Very clean. We had a problem with one of the smoke detectors, and the management company was very prompt in coming over to fix it. A good site to try is VRBO, which is where we found Highland Reserves, and the gentleman we dealt with, Barry, is first class. This area was a little further away from where we had stayed before, but again did not find the drive to WDW bad at all. We are staying onsite for the first time, so it will be interesting to compare.