My family of myself, my wife, our 8 year old son, my stepdaughter and her 4 year old daughter stayed at a vacation rental home from just after thanksgiving for a full two weeks. I plan on definately doing it again, so much privacy, security, the quiet, and the luxury. Only bad part of that vacation was the cutbacks at WDW. We had our own private heated enclosed pool. Two big TVs, VCR, washer and dryer and the latest in a fully equipped kitchen that was lavisly supplied with all means of cookware and utensils. I paid $66 a night, but that was a special rate for then because of the downturn in the travel industry after 9/11, normally I think they are $120 a night.
Originally I had completely paid for 10 nights at The Disney Institute for a room with a kitchen, we cannot eat out much because of allergic reactions most of my family can have. That cost me $3906 but then I found out about renting a home, it wasn't far, about 15-20 minutes total to get to the park, i think it was about 5-7 miles away towards Haines City.
I managed to get my refund back from Disney but not until the day before we left, that was cutting it close!
The website is at
Families First
They only require one night prepaid for a deposit, we were never in contact with a salesperson to try and get us to buy a home but after all due thinking I think I may just do that, it would certainly guarantee us a safe and clean place to stay while on our annual Orlando vacation. Plus it might make its own income. But anyway check this one out and also the several other management groups that offer these, IMHO with the massive cutbacks at the resorts it may be the best way to stay from now on.