Try Windsor Hills: gated community, 2 and 3 bedroom condos, 3 bedroom townhouses with private splash pools and 4 - 6 bedroom pool homes. There's a huge community pool with waterslide, fitness room, mini theatre, games area etc. We've stayed there 3 times, twice in two different townhouses and just got back on the 15th and stayed in a 6 bedroom pool home. Always had good experiences at WH.
Very close to Disney, takes about 5 min to Animal Kingdom and a little more to the rest of the parks. Very easy drive to Disney and there's lots of restaurants etc within 5 min on 192. We have no problems driving in the area and find it very easy.
The Windsor Hills site is www.windsorhillsrent.com
There's also vrbo.com This is the site listings for WH
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/florida/central-disney-orlando/kissimmee#2568
There's also www.homeaway.com and many others.
Hope this helps.
Here's a map of WH : http://www.windsor-hills-orlando.com/resort.htm
Condo building #8 overlooks the pool and #7 overlooks the lake. It would only take 5 min to walk to the pool even from the furtherest one. We stayed in one townhouse that bordered the Dry Retention Pond near the back and it only took 5 min to walk to the clubhouse from there.
The playground is where you see the green triangle by where it says Danville St. ( should be Dinvill St.). About a 5 min walk from the townhouses but a little longer from the condos.
You probably can rent directly from the owner for less than allstar. But if you're going to use a company that is a good one.
You can usually get spills wiped up before it stains, we had 4 kids 4 yrs and under with us and didn't have any problems. I've noticed that some owners do have a damage waiver fee of about $50. for this but I've never used one that did. We've rented homes lots of times and I've never had to pay for any damage or stains etc. Have fun looking.
Yes, all the pool homes in WH have an alarm on the patio door leading to the pool area and there's also a safety fence around the pool within the screened patio. You just have to open the gate section when you're using the pool and then clip it when you're not. We were there with our 4 grandkids and their parents. The kids are 4ys old and younger and we were really glad for both safety measures.
If anyone opens the patio door without pushing the button which is about 6 ft high near the top of the patio door a LOUD alarm goes off. (Pushing the button will stop it.) So every time you go out the door you have to first push in on the button and then you have about 20 seconds to shut the door before the alarm will sound again. Same routine when you come in from the pool area. Push button first then open door and close it within 20 seconds.
The first few times we forgot to press it but after that we got used to it and did it automatically.
Having the game room was also good for entertaining the kids and their parents.
We just got back from 10 days in a 5 bedroom pool home in Formosa Garden Estates. There was only 4 of us. It was so nice! The owners were great, very nice people and they gave us an incredible price. The pool was the highlite! It was 30 X 17 and had a mickey baby pool and the best jacuzzi ever! The management company was great. It was an very short 2-3 mile drive to WDW and was such an easy drive. Never had any traffic. The neighborhood was very safe and quiet. Here are a couple of pictures. The house was huge with really high ceilings. The master suite was awesome. Very big the bathroom was really great. Let me know if you want more info.
The mickey pool
the lanai
the house
the pooh room
living room
master suite
