**Private Home, Summerfield Suites or.....**?

[alaskantwinks]

I am having a heck of a time deciding where we should stay. Right now I have a house booked with a private pool, I had to put $300 down to reserve it, and it will be an additional $825 for 5 nights in October, which includes taxes and pool heat, its a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom house in the Oak Island Harbor area. Its a beautiful home, and I'm sure we'd love it, but I keep thinking that I could get a "better" deal, and maybe closer to Universal.

Here's the scoop:
1) We are flying from Alaska (don't travel out of state often, every 4-5 years) so we want to get the best deal for our money and time!
2) We will be staying at the Poly for 7 nights after our initial stay of 5 nights either in the house or elsewhere (FTP package!)
3) 3 night cruise following the Disneyworld stay
4) Will not be going to Disney for the first 5 days that we are there, so it doesn't matter if we are so close to Disney, but are considering doing a 2-3 day Universal visit.

I have been checking into numerous other off site resort/hotel options, including the Vistana Resorts or Summerfield Suites, Homewood Suites, etc. Looking for a place with amenities but with kitchen facilities so that we can eat breakfast and snacks in the room. Summerfield is owned by Wyndham, and when I looked online this morning, I found a package that includes Universal tickets for 3 days/2 parks for $946 for all 4 of us. I think its a pretty good deal considering the $825 we would be paying at the house with no park tickets included. Help me make up my mind!! PLEASE!! I'm going crazy and driving my family crazy with my indecision. Thanks!! Any experiences, input, comments, etc. would be helpful. Kelly

 

[disneysteve]

$1125 for 5 nites in October sounds awfully high. I don't know where you booked that, but I'd suggest going to http://www.vrbo.com. Click on Florida, then on Disney area and you'll get a list of all the rental areas in the vicinity. I see 4-bedrooms at Oak Harbor for $110/nite in Oct. There are also many other nice developments. I've personally stayed in Lindfields several times and would definitely recommend it. Also, Windsor Palms is practically new and offers pool homes and condos.

I think a house or condo is nicer than a suite hotel. You have much more space and a full kitchen stocked with supplies. Plus the pool homes have the private screened in pool.

You should definitely be able to get a better deal than the one you've got. Good luck.

Steve

 

[alaskantwinks]

Steve, thanks for your reply. The $300 is just a deposit which is refundable once we leave. It comes out to $165 a night for everything. It still seems high though, huh? I wanted specific things like jacuzzi that is built into the ground (I know, I'm picky) and I preferred a king bed in the master, and either another king or a queen in the 2nd, and 2 twins in the 3rd. I didn't look for a 4 bdrm, that's just what we ended up with. I also want fans in all the bedrooms. I had been looking at vrbo originally, but got overwhelmed. I think I'll go back and look again. Thanks so much for your info. Kelly

Originally posted by disneysteve
$1125 for 5 nites in October sounds awfully high. I don't know where you booked that, but I'd suggest going to http://www.vrbo.com. Click on Florida, then on Disney area and you'll get a list of all the rental areas in the vicinity. I see 4-bedrooms at Oak Harbor for $110/nite in Oct. There are also many other nice developments. I've personally stayed in Lindfields several times and would definitely recommend it. Also, Windsor Palms is practically new and offers pool homes and condos.

I think a house or condo is nicer than a suite hotel. You have much more space and a full kitchen stocked with supplies. Plus the pool homes have the private screened in pool.

You should definitely be able to get a better deal than the one you've got. Good luck.

Steve

 

[zurgswife]

How about Wyndham Palms resort or Cypress Pointe Resort...each has a 2 bedroom Villa, with living room, kitchen, etc. for $88.00 per night in October plus taxes....

I've heard great things about each of them..

Also, you can purchase Universal 3day/2park tickets on ticketmania for 2 adults and 2 kids for $430...

I've stayed at summerfield and while it is quality I think the Wyndahm and Cypress are a little bit higher quality...

 

[alaskantwinks]

With the tickets for 3 days/2 parks included, we could get the Summerfield for $960, all taxes included. I'm wondering if it is worth it to change to another home where we would be paying the same if we had to purchase the tickets for $430 for all of us, that is included in the Summerfield package already.

The two resorts you mentioned, would we get our own pool there? Where did you see the $88 rate for them, I wonder if that includes taxes?

I would like to know the current condition of the Summerfields since the one near Universal (and the Buena Vista one) hasn't been refurbished since 1998. I just joined Wyndham by Request, and I wonder if any of the perks apply to the Summerfields as well as the regular Wyndhams?

Thanks!! Kelly

 

[ScottOKW2K]

The $88 rate for the cypress pointe resort can be found here HotelMartUSA . Do a search in Orlando - it came up as $76 for a 2-bedroom, $86 for a 3-bedroom.

At Summerfield Suites, if you book as a Wyndham By Request reservation , you will be able to enjoy the WBR advantages. Free high-speed internet, no charge for local and long distance calls, etc. It was nice to use these and not see a charge on the resort bill. I can't speak for the quality of the one on International Drive - we've only stayed at the one at Lake Beauna Vista.

 

[montessori]

Hi Alaskantwinks,
You are getting a lot of good advise here and your vacation sounds wonderful!
Also...you are in the Dis Class Yearbook!
The Dis Class Yearbook is on the Community Board, usually on the first page. Your yearbook picture is on page 64.
Have a GREAT Disney vacation!

 

[alaskantwinks]

Hi everyone, thanks for your comments and suggestions. We have decided to stick with renting the home. It just makes more sense, I honestly think we'll be happy in the long run. I looked at the web address again
http://www.disneyworldhouse.com
and decided that it would be best for us to stick with a house rental, especially since I already put the deposit down on it. I think having our own pool and jacuzzi is going to be great!! The previous guest comments and pictures were what sold us in the first place, so I guess the old saying, "be happy with what you have" is true!! Thanks again!! ; ) Kelly

 

[Mr D]

Check out Orlando Villas
I have a 3 bdr. booked for 4 weeks next january, taxes, pool heat and internet acces and puter included about $100 a day.
Its home #3
Also Alaska Airlines just started a RT to Orlando via SEA, its currently $604 per person total.
Private home owned by a family from the UK.
This will be my second trip to WDW, stayed in a rental home last time, btw I'm down in the Mat-Su Valley, drive a concrete mixer.

 

[alaskantwinks]

Hi, I was just in Wasilla at the end of last month/beginning of this month bringing my daughter to GS Camp and visiting my in-laws and niece that live in the area! Love the Mat-Su area! Anyway, if you are talking about the 3 bdroom in Crescent Lake owned by Jeff Myers? I don't know how to get to #3 like you were talking about, but I found this one and thought maybe this was it. Since we only need a place for 5 nights, some owners will tack on another charge for less than 7 nights, so it isn't always a good deal, you have to be careful with that. Not to mention October is not always considered low season like January, I found that out. It is the British school holiday season (Oct.) so sometimes you actually pay higher than value season.l Thanks for the info, though! We got our tickets all free thanks to AK Air's companion program with American. We fly from Bethel to LA w/AK and then AA to Orlando. Then we are heading to Missouri to visit relatives before heading back. My niece and her husband that live in Wasilla also visited WDW in January, and she really liked it. Kelly

Originally posted by Mr D
Check out Orlando Villas
I have a 3 bdr. booked for 4 weeks next january, taxes, pool heat and internet acces and puter included about $100 a day.
Its home #3
Also Alaska Airlines just started a RT to Orlando via SEA, its currently $604 per person total.
Private home owned by a family from the UK.
This will be my second trip to WDW, stayed in a rental home last time, btw I'm down in the Mat-Su Valley, drive a concrete mixer.

 

[FLeisure]

alaskantwinks,

You have done absolutely the right thing in staying with the house on Oak Island. It is a good location and no doubt the home will be very nice. It is one of the really nice communities in the area and much much closer to Disney/Universal than the house Mr. D has rented directly from the owners of Orlando Villas on Crecent Lakes.

The price you are paying is not expensive and believe me, you pay for what you get. In my years on this forum I believe folks are too easily led into believing price is everything..it simply isn't.

You are paying a fair price for what is undoubtably a nice house. Others on here might get a 4 bed home cheaper but is it equipped with everything you are going to get..I suspect not.

You are also absolutely correct in regard to October. The Scottish kids get the first two weeks of October off and the English typically get the second and third weeks leaving only the last week of October relatively quiet.

Have a great time.

PS. I'm hoping to do an Alaskan cruise next June...what are flight prices like then?

 

[alaskantwinks]

Hello...I've done a lot of research on the 'net and some of the other homes that we were considering were already snatched up, so I must have good taste! ha ha!! I like the sounds of the one we are in, it does seem like its in a good location, especially if you read the comments from everyone that wrote in.

The fact that we are first time house renters, it is good to be able to see and read all the pictures and comments on the different websites. Some are better laid out than others, and I think that it may determine how often that house gets booked! I say the more information the hotel/house owner puts on and the easier it is to pull up/look at the pictures, the better! If I were a home owner trying to rent out my house, I would even pay someone additional money to make sure that it looks professional. It really makes a difference.

Thanks again for your comments! Airfare to Alaska changes so frequently, but with advance planning and checking out Alaska Airlines website, you may be able to get a good deal! www.alaskair.com They now fly into Orlando and Miami! ; )

 

[Gutto]

I Read that Hotel has 3 floors but doesn t has ELEVATORS !! Please....is it true ?

 

[wdisneelvr]

Here are a couple of more websites to check out.

I was going to rent a house in Oct as well and decided I didn't need all that much room, so opted out for a villa from Wyndham Palms Resort & Country Club. They have them listed at hotelkingdom.com for a good price.

Look for the last minute deals on houses in Oct. for as low as $450 a week.

Good luck!



http://www.villas2000.com/index.html

http://villas2go4.com/home/homePage.asp

 

[FLeisure]

Whilst I understand the desire to get a good deal I would caution anyone against getting a home for $450 a week. If this kind of deal is being advertised at this time of year, I would suspect something.

Fact is, homes command good rates during October because British schoolkids are on a half term break. This means that the first 3 weeks of October are generally very busy and therefore, rates are far more than $450.

Frankly, $450 is too low a rate for any time of year on a house. The house will have running costs higher than that so anyone doing this, partic. through a tour operator is actually costing the homeowner money.

Again, do your homework, be sure of what you are getting, who you are renting from and make sure all the paperwork is in order.