Narrowed down to two places....

[tiff211]

Okay, I have been searching for a place, getting offers but then falling through. Yesterday I got an offer for a 2 bed condo at liki tiki which I really liked but then owner said interval told her everything was booked. She had offered it for $850. I had already paid thru paypal. She refunded my money and I called someone else who offered the same location and same size condo for $950. I told her I would take it. I have the payment all ready to mail. Then just now, checking my emails, an owner who had never emailed me back last week, told me her place was still available (a 2 bed condo at WP) is available for $600. Dh says we should either take the WP or call the other owner and ask if the price is negotiable because we were able to get a place for a lot cheaper. I do not do negotiations.

I see the reviews for liki tiki are not all that good and WP are very good. I just thought the waterpark and the activites provided at Liki Tiki would make it worth it. But it's $350 more for the same amount of space. DH said we can buy tickets for a Disney water park and still come out ahead. I told him I had to take it to the board. How should I decide which one to take?

 

[spiceycat]

I would go with Windsor Palms - hands down - it is little closer and get much better reviews.

now if you have already send your money to other other lady you might be stuck.

get back to WP as quickly as possible - these go fast - especially for that price.

you know that is a great price - maybe you should get more information from the owner - to make sure she does own the place.

 

[tiff211]

I would go with Windsor Palms - hands down - it is little closer and get much better reviews.

now if you have already send your money to other other lady you might be stuck.

get back to WP as quickly as possible - these go fast - especially for that price.

you know that is a great price - maybe you should get more information from the owner - to make sure she does own the place.

I didn't send it yet, I have the envelope sitting on my desk.

Ugh! I feel so bad, the lady was sooo nice and so happy to be renting to a family. We talked on the phone for 1/2 hour at least.

 

[kilee]

I'd honestly email the first lady and tell her you got a better offer. Just apologize and be honest. Good luck .

 

[Mainebound]

I know how you feel, but you really don't owe that woman anything. It's not a deal until you have made the (down)payment -- at least this is what pool home owners always tell me. Don't consider choosing a more expensive, less nice place that will impact your family in a negative way in order to make some stranger feel better!


Also - for a different view on "negotiating". I understand not wanting to "play hardball". But I have in the past NOT negotiated and chosen a different home (not in Orlando, actually) than the one I wanted. Then the first owner emails to aks why, and I say, well your price was too high. And you know what? They say, "YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD US YOUR PRICE. WE COULD HAVE COME DOWN!". So think of negotiating honestly and fairly as something that benefits both you and the owner. After all, everyone wants to make the deal.

 

[5mins2disney]

I'd go with your best choice, which sounds like WP. Honestly, we get so many 100s of emails, inquiry responses, do literally 1000s of quotes to guests....that to have a guest pick another place and not stay with us...well..you just move on, it's not the end of the world, happens all the time! If you wait around you'll lose that condo too and be back looking again, so I would call that WP owner / condo and book it ASAP! I'm kinda surprised you're still looking to be honest! LOL

Anyhow, don't feel bad about it, even for a second, keep in mind it's also the super high volume holiday period, and the 2nd owner should have NO problems whatsoever booking her place for easter vacation week, if she does, then there's something seriously wrong with how she's marketing her place or along those lines. If you can't book a rental home in Disney in late March / early April then maybe you shouldn't be doing this kind of thing! LOL..seriously...it's the other, slower periods of the year that most people have problems filling, not Easter week!

Just go with what feels right for you, and book it already! You're going to lose it if you don't!

Have a great trip!

- George

 

[5mins2disney]

I know how you feel, but you really don't owe that woman anything. It's not a deal until you have made the (down)payment -- at least this is what pool home owners always tell me. Don't consider choosing a more expensive, less nice place that will impact your family in a negative way in order to make some stranger feel better!

I second that opinion wholeheartedly! We tell potential guests that all the time! Why? Because we never hear back from them a 2nd time in 90% of the cases! People send me long emails and act all interested, then we never even hear another word from them again, most don't even bother to let you know they booked elsewhere or aren't interested, you're being kind enough to let her know, but this is exactly why homeowners tell people you don't have a reservation until there's a payment!

She's right though, you might be tempted to feel bad, but don't! If she can't handle someone booking elsewhere then honestly she shouldn't be doing vacation rentals, like I said, we get 100s or 1000s of emails and inquiries for every person that ends up booking with us, it's a "numbers" thing, so we try and work hard at getting lots of inquiries for this exact reason.

 

[tiff211]

I'd go with your best choice, which sounds like WP. Honestly, we get so many 100s of emails, inquiry responses, do literally 1000s of quotes to guests....that to have a guest pick another place and not stay with us...well..you just move on, it's not the end of the world, happens all the time! If you wait around you'll lose that condo too and be back looking again, so I would call that WP owner / condo and book it ASAP! I'm kinda surprised you're still looking to be honest! LOL

Anyhow, don't feel bad about it, even for a second, keep in mind it's also the super high volume holiday period, and the 2nd owner should have NO problems whatsoever booking her place for easter vacation week, if she does, then there's something seriously wrong with how she's marketing her place or along those lines. If you can't book a rental home in Disney in late March / early April then maybe you shouldn't be doing this kind of thing! LOL..seriously...it's the other, slower periods of the year that most people have problems filling, not Easter week!

Just go with what feels right for you, and book it already! You're going to lose it if you don't!

Have a great trip!

- George

I can't believe I am still looking also, we had two places that feel through. One at WH, the owner didn't know her agent had booked and then another place she didn't have the 1st night available that we needed.

I have emailed the WP owner to find out how to send payment and then I will notify the other owner.


Next year, I will start looking a lot earlier. I honestly had no idea getting a condo or pool home would cost the same as a hotel room. I always thought it was so much more. I do have a hotel suite reserved that I have not cancelled until I found another place.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[5mins2disney]

Next year, I will start looking a lot earlier. I honestly had no idea getting a condo or pool home would cost the same as a hotel room. I always thought it was so much more. I do have a hotel suite reserved that I have not cancelled until I found another place.

Thanks for all the help!

You're welcome! Usually, it's much LESS expensive for much MORE home! Of course it depends on which hotels you would be staying at, but the value to dollar spent ratio is WAY higher when you go offsite.

The funny thing is, most people, especially Americans, still haven't figured this out! I say that because in Europe it's a very common practice, and we have many European visitors (especially UK) to Disney and many of them vacation this way here, but by and large, US vacationers all tend to stick to the onsite WDW resort hotels.

There's a huge supply of offsite housing near WDW in the Orlando / Kissimmee area too, you would only be having a problem if it weren't for the week, otherwise you would have lots of great places to choose from!

 

[Kellydelly]

I can't believe I am still looking also, we had two places that feel through. One at WH, the owner didn't know her agent had booked and then another place she didn't have the 1st night available that we needed.

I have emailed the WP owner to find out how to send payment and then I will notify the other owner.


Next year, I will start looking a lot earlier. I honestly had no idea getting a condo or pool home would cost the same as a hotel room. I always thought it was so much more. I do have a hotel suite reserved that I have not cancelled until I found another place.

Thanks for all the help!

I would go for the cheaper rental ! I splurged a little on our last trip (about $150 worth) and wished we'd rented one of the cheaper villas offered to us instead. You could do a lot more with that extra $350 than sleep on it! Just be sure that $600 rate you were quoted includes taxes, cleaning or any other fees.

By the way, your signature photo makes me smile every time I come across it, your girls are gorgeous!

 

[tiff211]

I would go for the cheaper rental ! I splurged a little on our last trip (about $150 worth) and wished we'd rented one of the cheaper villas offered to us instead. You could do a lot more with that extra $350 than sleep on it! Just be sure that $600 rate you were quoted includes taxes, cleaning or any other fees.

By the way, your signature photo makes me smile every time I come across it, your girls are gorgeous!

Thanks! It makes me smile as well!

I did ask and the rate includes everything! I can't believe I was even pondering it! Even the waterpark isn't worth $350!