Vacation Homes Advice

[brigadoon]

For our third trip we're leaning towards a villa for the extra space and hopefully a certain standard of furnishings. However, I've been looking at some of the sites suggested on this forum and to be honest I just don't know where to start. The choice is endless! I never knew Kissimmee had so many different areas. Is there some kind of guide/map to where these areas are and is there something that will tell me which areas are "better" than others. All we want is a good quality 3 bedroom with a pool and jacuzzi in a nice quiet area close to the parks and not out in the sticks, but my head's in a whirl. I realise everybody probably wants something similar, so how do you all go about it? I want to get this holiday just right, with no regrets or if only's, so where do I start?

Apologies if this has been asked a hundred times before.

 

[Mudd77]

There are indeed several vacation housing developments in the area. I did a lot of research prior to our trip and we decided that Windsor Palms was the best for us. It is a beautiful community with the features we were looking for. I do recommend you rent directly through the owner for better rates. We did just that and had a wonderful experience. We rented a 4 bedroom pool home and it was beautiful. Here is the link to the community:

http://www.windsor-palms-florida.net/windsorpalmsgallery.htm

Browse the homes and amenities and see if it suites you. Also, if you do a search on these boards for Windsor Palms, you will see only positive reviews. Other communities in the area are Emerald Island, Lindfields, Indian Point, Indian Creek, Formosa Gardens, etc.

 

[tednvon]

Hi..see the posts below from Banshe, Daystar, and ClanHarrison for a good discussion of rental homes....Ted

 

[Banshee]

We found the home we are going to be staying in on www.vbro.com it is a great site! Ted told me about it The owner of the house we picked is from the united kingdom and she is a complete sweetheart as is the management company they use here in the states. There are thousands to choose from, but that is part of the fun! or try www.disneyareahomes.com good luck in your search you will find somethig that you like!

 

[dkal95]

I used www.villadirect.com and am very happy with it so far. Our trip isn't until October.

On their site, you can set it up to search for what is available on your dates and then you can look at each individual home and see what you like about each one.

We got a beautiful 4 bedroom 3 bath home in Indian Creek, in Kissimmee and it has a private pool and hot tub.

 

[brigadoon]

Thanks to all who have replied. I've probably looked at all of the sites mentioned and have seen some great properties, but I'm still totally confused by the locations. Could anybody write up a simple list of locations in order of desirability? By desirable, I mean clean, safe/unthreatening, close to the parks and uncrowded (I think). For example, Windsor Palms, Emerald Island and Formosa Gardens, seem relatively expensive and presumably more desirable, but what about the various Davenports, Lindfields, Indian Creek and heaven knows where else? I like the sound of a gated community, but I don't particularly want to pay towards common pools and recreation areas that I won't use, so I'm tending away from the top 3 above, but I still haven't a clue. What I don't want is to rent a nice-looking villa that is in or near a dodgy crime-ridden area and we all end up wishing we'd spent a few dollars more going somewhere safer and better. I'm sorry for sounding like a pedantic scaredy-cat, but I'm starting from scratch here.

 

[JANNYANS]

I think that any community zoned for short term renting is going to be safe and probably far removed from a dodgy crime-ridden area -not to say these areas do not exist but that they are likely tobe in the downtown areas where the tourist wouldn't stay anyway.
As far as desirabilty goes you need to make a hit list on what you want
if you don't feel like paying towards community features you won't use then may EI WP are not for you as the costs of these may well be reflected in the price you pay .The commnuities along the 192 maywell be closer but again if cost comes into it then maybe a community on the 27 may well be what you need.They are 15-20 mins at top from the parks and will all have community features such as communal pool, tennis ,basketball,childrens play area

As you say the choice is endless and varied as is the cost but to be hoinest I don't think wherever you end up you will be disappointed .
You could try
www.orlandovillas.com
www.Vacation-rentals-orlando.com

both rent direct from owners sites and I haven't come across an owner who won't answer any questions you may have to help you out .

there is a map of the communiites here

http://www.orlandovillas.com/map.asp

although not exactly correct - it will give you an idea of where they all are and there is a little bit about them written by the owners from the various communiites

 

[Mainebound]

Brigadoon,

I am going through the same confusion -- the choices are endless! I am learning that it is important to ask when the villa was built, and when the web pictures were taken, especially when the "private" owner actually owns several villas. Older villas in older communities seem to cost much less. I don't think Formosa Gardens has community facilities like WP or EI, but the costs are higher because the homes are much larger (not just number of beds, but living space) and sit on larger lots (minimum 1/3 acre). I love FG for the space but when I found a 4 bed home there for $900, I had to wonder, when all the other 4 bed homes were a minimum of $1300! I decided to focus on the websites with comments from entered directly from previous guests. One villa owner said she would be "too embarrassed" to supply any references -- I don't know what to make of that!

good luck!

 

[brigadoon]

Hello again. It's like being a kid in a sweet shop - you just don't know which way to turn. My wife's now thinking that a condo or townhouse, possibly without a private pool, in a gated community could be the way to go, as you get the decent area, decent furnishings and space, but a large communal pool and a vaguely resort hotel-like ambiance. It looks like Windsor Palms and Emerald Island are back in the frame. Anyway, I've learnt a lot in the last few hours and am sure that I'm now pointed in the right direction. I now regret staying in hotels the last couple of times!

 

[spiceycat]

you want to send off for the free vacation planning kit

http://www.floridakiss.com/

in the magazine are several maps - that should help alot. remember those - that for the rental agency (where you get the houses) they generally only show where the rental agency is located.

if you have the address of the property you picked you should be able to find it.

 

[tednvon]

Hi...what happened to the good old days when it was either Holiday Inn or Ramada????

If you search these boards you will find very very few horror stories....my advice is pick a place, get it rented and get on with the Disney planning. We have been to Disney 30 plus times in the last 30 plus years and I can say without a doubt that we had just as much fun in 1973 with a 6 year old and a 3 year old in small hotel room as we did in our 7 bedroom home last year.

Truly, if you want the least expensive homes, the closest to Disney then look at Oak Island Cove or Indian Creek. Both are in the same area as FG and Em Island but no gates or clubhouse...just nice houses.

Lindfields is another two miles farther west of Disney and is fine.

Then you get out to highway 27 and hundreds and hundreds of homes from brand new to 15 years old.

I promise you will never get the "best deal" in the history of Disney trips nor will you get the worst deal....If you want to search and search....have a ball.....if enough is enough, rent it and forget it until you go......

YOU ARE GOING TO DISNEYWORLD!!!

GOOD LUCK...TED