rental houses v. WDW resorts - VALUE prices?

[LSUmom4kids]

Please explain why during our summer vacation at a WDW resort (8/5 - 8/12) is considered value season and the rental properties (Windsor, etc.) it's the most expensive season. I don't understand.

 

[Brian Noble]

First, each vacation home is owned privately, and has rates set by the individual owner. There really isn't any notion of a single "season calendar" for vacation homes. For our typical week (which is Peak season at Disney), some homeowners have low-season rates, and others have high-season rates. An owner of 1-3 properties isn't always as plugged in to how demand changes over the course of the year as is Disney, with their 28,000 hotel rooms.

Also, the WDW Resort experience is so very different from the vacation home experience that the two markets may well be quite distinct.

 

[5mins2disney]

Summer season, including August, is still a very high vacation demand period. Even if Disney may call it "value", many families are still going on vacation in August since school is still out for the summer. Hence, the rate schedule, I think most every owner of a vacation home would agree that September becomes low season though, once school is back in season.

It's also a function of what people can "get" for their homes, and what consumers are willing to pay. In most cases, there is still a lot of demand for vacation homes in August due to the above mentioned factors, despite what Disney rates say, the parks are still popular and crowded, and so is Windsor Hills. If owners weren't able to rent their homes out at those rates you would see lower prices being offered, for sure! We knew Disney rates become "value" at that time, for example, but have no need to basically "give away" our homes at the lowest rates at one of the highest demand periods of the year!

You can always come in September when the rates are lower and you can have your "pick of the litter" of homes to choose from!

 

[Brian Noble]

The other thing I've noticed is that the "spread" between high season and low season rates in vacation homes isn't very large, while the "spread" between high and low season disney rates is much larger. So, during "expensive" Disney seasons, the rental homes are a better relative deal than during "inexpensive" Disney seasons.