Need help with condo choices

[Greenmom]

I have done a ton of research on the condos. The more I read, the more confused I get. We have a family of 4 and want a CLEAN condo, and good pools. Don't really care about resort "activities" spend most of our time at parks. Would like to stay at Vistana Resort, but paranoid about getting "old" section. But have narrowed it down to Vacation Village at Parkway, Vistana Resort, Vistana Villages (long drive to WDW?) Orange Lake Country Club. Any advice, good and bad would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much. Your time is greatly appreciated!

 

[PoohNPiglet]

We stayed at Vacation Village at Parkway on our last trip. They are new and very clean. We were a little disappointed that they were mostly ceramic tile floors (including the living room) which was not really friendly for DD who was learning to stand at the time. But we liked them. I can't say much for the pools becasue we did not go there, we were at the park all day. But if you are looking for clean this places gets high marks for clean. Oh, it was quiet too.

 

[kilee]

Have you thought of renting privately from an owner? You can usually find something for a lot less money. We've done this in the past for a pool home, and are planning on renting a condo for our upcoming April trip. I'm in the middle of researching for one as well.

Here's 2 sites to check out www.vrbo.com and www.orlandovillas.com

 

[PoohNPiglet]

Have you thought of renting privately from an owner? You can usually find something for a lot less money. We've done this in the past for a pool home, and are planning on renting a condo for our upcoming April trip. I'm in the middle of researching for one as well.

Here's 2 sites to check out www.vrbo.com and www.orlandovillas.com

While I wish I could get the private pool, I have not found prices for these rentals to be less than ~$700/wk. For the Vacation Villas at Parkway, I got the ability to cook and sleep for $261/wk last year. I wish I could have the private pool, but there was such a price differnce I could not justify it. Am I missing some home rentals that would be close to what I paid?

 

[kilee]

There are rental condo's for a lot less than the pool home's. You need to sift through the pool homes to find the condo's. On www.vrbo.com it's about 1/2 condo's/townhouses and 1/2 pool homes. The condo's have the same "resort" pools as hotels and they are about 1/2 the cost of the pool homes.

 

[talicskai]

Vistana Villages is not too far to Disney. You simply turn left out of the complex to the traffic lights at the end of International Drive South (3 minutes) Turn right onto SR536 and it goes directly to WDW. You will be there in less than 10 minutes. Very straight forward and easy. The condos are immaculate and are nicer than my house. I can't imagine staying anywhere else. Vistana Resort is closer to DTD but basically the same drive to WDW - just one street over. I have stayed in the Courts, Fountains I & II, Lakes and Cascades section at Vistana and there is not doubt that Cascades and Lakes are newer and more modern but the Courts and Falls areas are much quieter and still nice. I have always enjoyed my stays there.

Teresa

 

[2gr8teens]

If you don't have small kids Vacation Village at Parkway is beautiful. We stayed there last year and although it was fully tiled it was very clean, friendly and close to just about everything. We enjoyed our stay there. We also stayed at Westgate Villas, these I wouldn't recommend. I found them old, out of date, not completely clean and VERY busy. Good luck.