Settle dispute: dh says less $$ to rent directly than from TA...

[Sillyminny40]

We are looking at several options: onsite and now the thought of a rental home nearby (our teens are very tall and eat non-stop) anyway the question here is not on or off site but this:

Have you ever got a real quote from Travel agent and then from vacation home company or direct from owner and seen a significant difference in price? (yes I know TAs work hard to make us happy and can be wonderful!)

Thanks my dh says this board will have answers..we live in a small town and have usually gone through TA except with airmiles.

 

[jseuss]

have been the last three years and booked directly with owners each time. can save you hundreds of dollars.but you must do some research to TRY and make sure it is all on the up and up

 

[4Seasons]

It depends on the property and timeframe, but some TA's have great relationships with consolidators that offer fantastic pricing on condos, homes and hotels.

 

[Brian Noble]

I don't know about TAs, but my uncle owns a vacation home in the Orlando area. Booking with him directly is cheaper than booking with his management company.

 

[Sillyminny40]

Yes, sounds like the research is the best route to go.

 

[nurse.darcy]

How many people and why book offsite?

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

How many people and why book offsite?

Lots more space
The convenience of a full kitchen and washer/dryer
Having a real master bedroom/bathroom with a big Jacuzzi
Kids have their own bedroom
Plenty of closets/drawer space.
Waking up to fresh brewed coffee in my jammies
Multiple TVs so we're not stuck watching cartoons always
Huge $$$$ savings
Being able to freeze bottled waters to take to the parks in a little collapsible cooler, cold drinks all day. mmmm....
Being able to only use carry on bags for a full week's trip.
If renting a single home you get your own heated pool right outside your door.

Am I missing anything guys?
I can only stand to have all 4 of us crammed in 1 small room for 3 days max or be on a cruise ship where we're barely in our room. No onsite perks that Disney offers makes it worth giving all of this up. jmho.

 

[jseuss]

no i think you got it all. LOL

 

[dissy_dee]

We are at Windsor Hill right now. I have always stayed onsite and used the Disney Transportation but will not do so again any time soon. I love having the room, the washer/dryer, the car, no cramming in the buses, the small pool out back, the SPACE; it is just so wonderful. We got a great price on this condo with pool heat included.

WE ARE ALL LOVING IT!!!!

 

[KayR]

It will be cheaper to rent directly from an owner rather than via a TA.

TA's usually work on commission charges that may have to be added to the regular rental rates. It can be as much as $300-400 or more additional for a weeks stay.

--Kay

 

[4Seasons]

It will be cheaper to rent directly from an owner rather than via a TA.

TA's usually work on commission charges that may have to be added to the regular rental rates. It can be as much as $300-400 or more additional for a weeks stay.

--Kay

Not necessarily true. An agent that specializes in this type of rental and knows the market well can offer some great deals.

 

[Sillyminny40]

Am I missing anything guys?
I can only stand to have all 4 of us crammed in 1 small room for 3 days max or be on a cruise ship where we're barely in our room. No onsite perks that Disney offers makes it worth giving all of this up. jmho.

Well, that sums that up well! LOL!

Could you pm me with the details of how and who you booked through? I really would ove to know folks' prices.
We have been looking at vrbo as well as TA, sometimes it IS the same price and you get the backing of the TA. Funny indeed how this works.....so I am passing on to DH.

 

[Frothy]

I did a lot of research when I first booked a vacation home and ended up going through a management company as I wanted to be sure of what I was getting. It seemed to me that a lot of the cheaper homes are furnished to the bare minimum and I'm guessing these are homes that are used by tour operators and travel agents.

The homes I have rented have always been nicely furnished and have had big screen TV's, games rooms, good quality linens and have always been worth the extra money I paid. Not all homes are the same so be very careful what you pick. Some owners / management companies do not spend as much money on maintenance as they need to. We always book with the same company now as we know what we are getting and they always look after us well. It's not always about price so good luck finding a great home.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I don't know about booking a home offsite through a TA, but I do know that booking through the owner, I was able to negotiate a better rate.

Has anyone been able to negotiate a better rate through a TA?

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Well, that sums that up well! LOL!

Could you pm me with the details of how and who you booked through? I really would ove to know folks' prices.
We have been looking at vrbo as well as TA, sometimes it IS the same price and you get the backing of the TA. Funny indeed how this works.....so I am passing on to DH.

We now own a 3br timeshare at Summer Bay Resort which we bought in 05. Before that we had rented homes thru VillaDirect.com.

While we had great homes all 4 times we used them, many disers have reported problems with which VD refused to resolve/acknowledge. Maybe they went under new management since we last used them which was Apr. 05. We liked that you could choose the exact house/location you'll be staying in instead of some companies that just put you in say a 3 br home anywhere and you don't know where you'll be until you check in.

After renting a few times we became much pickier about what we liked:

1. location, location, location-this was before Windsor Hills was built but any of the neighborhoods off of Formosa Gardens Blvd. (Formosa Gardens, Rolling Hills, Indian Creek, Emerald Island, Windsor Palms)

2. south-facing pool (so it's not in the shade all afternoon)

3. lounge chairs by the pool that are cushioned (vs. some that have those cheap little molded-plastic stackable chairs)

4. big screen tv (at dh's request)
5. air hockey for kids
6. tv in master BR & kid's room (this is probably standard these days)

good luck and hope you find a great vacation home!

 

[spiceycat]

www.vrbo.com
www.lastminutevillas.net
http://www.windsorhillsrent.com/
http://www.lbvorlandoresort.com/
http://www.allstarvacations.com/
http://www.kissimmee-us192.com/orlandovacationhomes/bassrd.htm
http://www.floridavilla4us.com/
http://www.1stfororlando.com/Location-map.htm
http://thepalmshotelandvillas.com/
http://www.premierdisneyhomes.com/
http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/florida-vacation-rental-1393.aspx
members.cox.net/disneyvacahome/
http://www.mickeyscondo.com/
http://www.jansfloridavilla.co.uk/
http://www.floridahomesdirect.com/book_online.htm
http://disneyvacahome.com/



for travel agency the one here
http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/#wdw-top-Dreams

or a local one you know well.

if you don't know one - then definitely du

 

[Sillyminny40]

www.vrbo.com
www.lastminutevillas.net
http://www.windsorhillsrent.com/
http://www.lbvorlandoresort.com/
http://www.allstarvacations.com/
http://www.kissimmee-us192.com/orlandovacationhomes/bassrd.htm
http://www.floridavilla4us.com/
http://www.1stfororlando.com/Location-map.htm
http://thepalmshotelandvillas.com/
http://www.premierdisneyhomes.com/
http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/florida-vacation-rental-1393.aspx
members.cox.net/disneyvacahome/
http://www.mickeyscondo.com/
http://www.jansfloridavilla.co.uk/
http://www.floridahomesdirect.com/book_online.htm
http://disneyvacahome.com/
for travel agency the one here
http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/#wdw-top-Dreams

Wow, Spicy Cat ... awesome list, thanks. I do have a good TA but Dreams unlimited are wonderful too....our friends in the U.S. book through them.

I have a lot of work to do!