Off site suggestions?

[moepanz]

OK my flights are booked for Dec. (great deal $82 each way) but if no discounts are released for WDW I am thinking of booking, oh my I can't believe I am even going to type this but, yes I am considering staying off site.

We are a family of 5 myself DH, ds 8 and b/g twins 5. I know there are houses with pools close to WDW, I guess that is what I would do.

Can anyone recommend any places and let me know ones to avoid.
Car rental too. I have not stayed off site since I was 19 yrs old. I am 41 now so it has been a long time and I am clueless.


TIA.
Maureen

 

[4forMe]

OK my flights are booked for Dec. (great deal $82 each way) but if no discounts are released for WDW I am thinking of booking, oh my I can't believe I am even going to type this but, yes I am considering staying off site.

We are a family of 5 myself DH, ds 8 and b/g twins 5. I know there are houses with pools close to WDW, I guess that is what I would do.

Can anyone recommend any places and let me know ones to avoid.
Car rental too. I have not stayed off site since I was 19 yrs old. I am 41 now so it has been a long time and I am clueless.

TIA.

Maureen

Since this will be your first family trip off-site, I would suggest you choose either Windsor Hills or Bonnet Creek. They are both very popular places to stay and recommended on this board. Here is a link to describe the differences between the two:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2629717&highlight=windsor+hills+bonnet+creek


If you think you would like Bonnet Creek, check out the we love Bonnet Creek thread on this forum. Most people book through ebay or Ken Price at Ken@vacationupgrades.com.

If you want a private pool, then you will have to go with a 3 BR townhouse or 4 BR pool home at Windsor Hills. The 3 BR townhouse has a small splash pool, while most of the 4 BR homes have a larger pool with attached spa/hot tub. We usually stay in a 4 BR pool home in Windsor Hills.

If staying at Windsor Hills, you can rent through All Star Vacation Homes or Florida Sun Vacation Homes (we use Florida Sun). You can also book directly with an owner by going through vrbo.com or homeaway.com.

If you want to go the pool home route, there are communities near Windsor Hills that tend to be cheaper. This thread has good information about pool home neighborhoods near Disney:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2623627

Regarding rental car rates, check www.mousesavers.com. They always have codes listed for the different rental car companies. Also, the transportation forum on this board is wonderful. Usually, there will be a thread about December car rental rates. Subscribe to that thread and keep watching rates. I ended up re-booking our minivan less than a week before our Spring Break trip after finding a code posted on the March thread. Book something now (to have as a back-up), and then keep following rates until you find something cheaper.

Good luck with whatever accomodations you choose. You will have a wonderful time offsite as long as you do your research and determine what would be the best fit for your family.

 

[moepanz]

Since this will be your first family trip off-site, I would suggest you choose either Windsor Hills or Bonnet Creek. They are both very popular places to stay and recommended on this board. Here is a link to describe the differences between the two:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2629717&highlight=windsor+hills+bonnet+creek


If you think you would like Bonnet Creek, check out the we love Bonnet Creek thread on this forum. Most people book through ebay or Ken Price at Ken@vacationupgrades.com.

If you want a private pool, then you will have to go with a 3 BR townhouse or 4 BR pool home at Windsor Hills. The 3 BR townhouse has a small splash pool, while most of the 4 BR homes have a larger pool with attached spa/hot tub. We usually stay in a 4 BR pool home in Windsor Hills.

If staying at Windsor Hills, you can rent through All Star Vacation Homes or Florida Sun Vacation Homes (we use Florida Sun). You can also book directly with an owner by going through vrbo.com or homeaway.com.

If you want to go the pool home route, there are communities near Windsor Hills that tend to be cheaper. This thread has good information about pool home neighborhoods near Disney:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2623627

Regarding rental car rates, check www.mousesavers.com. They always have codes listed for the different rental car companies. Also, the transportation forum on this board in wonderful. Usually, there will be a thread about December car rental rates. Subscribe to that thread and keep watching rates. I ended up re-booking our minivan less than a week before our Spring Break trip after finding a code posted on the March thread. Book something now (to have as a back-up), and then keep following rates until you find something cheaper.

Good luck with whatever accomodations you choose. You will have a wonderful time offsite as long as you do your research and determine what would be the best fit for your family.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! This is exactly the type of info I was looking for.
Off to learn a whole new world of off site for WDW. This might actually be fun!

Thank you again!

Maureen

 

[Planogirl]

I have a question. When people on this forum say Bonnet Creek, they always mean Wyndham Bonnet Creek don't they? I was recently looking at Hilton Bonnet Creek which doesn't have times shares if I'm not mistaken but I want to be sure.

 

[JimMIA]

I have a question. When people on this forum say Bonnet Creek, they always mean Wyndham Bonnet Creek don't they? I was recently looking at Hilton Bonnet Creek which doesn't have times shares if I'm not mistaken but I want to be sure.

Yes, pretty much.

By December there will actually be four properties at Bonnet Creek. Three are hotels: the existing Hilton and Waldorf Astoria, and the new Wyndham Grand Resort and Spa, which is located at one end of the lake in the same location as the Wyndham timeshares. The Waldorf and the Hilton share amenities (including the WA's golf course), I believe, and the Wyndham hotel guests will have access to all of the timeshare amenities and vice versa.

The Wyndham timeshares at Bonnet Creek have about 1,100 villas, ranging from 1 Bedroom to 4-bedrooms. There are six towers in the timeshare project, with five pools, two of which have extensive lazy rivers and two others which have pool slides. Lots of other stuff -- exercise facility, activities center, free minigolf, etc. etc.