Villa locations...

[alibeau]

Hi Guys,

So, we have just watched some of the footage we took whilst on our recent trip and have now really started thinking about going back for 3 weeks in Feb 2010.

We originally thought we might do 10 days at disney followed by 10 days at the coast but having had another think about things we are now thinking that we could stay the full 3 weeks at a villa in kissimmee and then we could pick the warmest days to stay at the villa and enjoy the pool/relax and on the cooler days, visit the parks rather then commiting ourselves to 10 days at the coast when the weather could be hit and miss

So my question is regarding villa locations...

Past two trips we have stayed at villas on Formosa Gardens, love the location and the peacefulness, size of plots etc...... have checked out the company we usually use but their smaller villas are booked up for the weeks we are looking for, that's not to say that I won't find availability elsewhere but it has prompted me to think about staying somewhere new.

We would like a gated community and are thinking that whereas in the past we have not felt the need for any communal facilities that next time they may come in handy but not neccesary??!! Always liked the look of Reunion Resort??

Any thoughts/advice gratefully recieved

Problem is, with going for 3 weeks that last thing I want to do is book a location and then be dissappointed that it is not as nice as FG .......

Ali

 

[BRobson]

We have stayed at Formosa Gardens a few times in the past as loved the location but the traffic along the 192 is a nightmare. We love Champions Gate are and have stayed in a gated community there and booked to go back to another house in the same area.

 

[Netty]

we stay in older properties at the other end of the 192, they have a big pool area and more space between the properties. we prefer the Ponciana Boulevard area and now stay at Indian Wells.
If your going for 3 wks then some villa owners give you a discount for this length of time!

 

[Pegasus928]

The villa we have just stayed at was on Ponciana Blvd - Cumbrian Lakes to be precise. We all said that it was the best one so far and we would happily go there again for the following reasons.

1. Lovely big villa - 5 bed/4 bath - even though there was only 4 of us, and a very good price (around 450 per week - if you filled the rooms and shared it out it comes in very reasonable per head)
2. Good sized pool that looked over the lake/fountain and wooded area - making it very relaxing and peaceful, day or night.
3. Best pool and jacuzzi heating we have ever had.
4. Good location - less than 10 minutes to Old Town and not much longer to Disney. Also easy access to I-4 for Universal and I-Drive.
5. Walmart, IHOP and other good restaraunts only a short drive away.
6. Avoiding H27, 192 and I-4 most days proved to make a very relaxing change to our days out.

Please feel free to ask if you have any more questions. I would post a link to this villa but it's in my favourites list back on my laptop in the hotel so I will have to do it later (if I am allowed to do that, that is??)

PS - I am not on a commission for this

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

We have stayed at WH - although the communal facilities are not in the same league as Ginn Reunion. I like where WH is situated, it is also a gated resort.

 

[alibeau]

Thanks for your replies

Can I just ask a couple more questions before I spend hours trawling the net!!??

We are more than happy driving around the area and although FG was very close to Disney (which was great) it really wouldn't bother us if we had to drvie further to get there especially as our next trip may be more 'relaxation' orientated....... but can I ask, of the communites you have recommended, are there places to eat nearby? If we have spent a day lounging around the pool we wouldn't want to drive a great distance when going out for our evening meal??!!

Again, many thanks for your input

Ali

 

[alibeau]

Oh and PS....

What sort of discounts should I be aiming for for a 3 weeks stay? On past trips I have always negotiated a few hundred punds off the villa price and/or got free pool heating etc

What can I expect to receive for a 3 week stay?

Ali

 

[Netty]

the ponciana boulevard area is just off the 192 so yu have plenty of restaurants! also you have super target, walmart k-mart etc. it is just as quick to get to disney as it is from FG.

 

[JulieSharp]

I think a gated community is better these days, although most of our stays have been on non-gated one's.

Piece of mind for that extra security is a nice thing to have.

We have always stayed either close to Formosa Gardens or Poinciana Boulevard.
Our next stay is down PB at Terre Verde, we found a lovely secluded villa there. It has "24 hour gated Resort facilities, these include a 6,000 sq ft club house with internet café (free internet), fitness room, sauna, spa, lounge with complimentary refreshments and big screen satellite TV, resort sized swimming pool with Tiki Bar, large sunning deck and chaise loungers, fishing lake, basketball, volleyball courts, children's play area with climbing rock, sundries shop, concierge desk and games arcade"

It is kind of a contradiction as we have never stayed at a villa development that has clubhouse type facilities - however, now we really want a bit more on offer wherever we stay, even if we don't use them much it is nice to have the option.

I can recommend Terre Verde and also Windsor Hills, Windsor Palms and Emerald Island are all nice, gated and have community pool /clubhouse etc too.
As I say TV is located down Poinciana Boulevard, also one of the closest to the junction of the 192, WP/WH/EI are all Formosa Gardens area.
You mention Reunion which is in a different league to most if not all villa developments, but comes at a price, and I think we would have to put a lead round Joshua if we stayed there in case he broke something!

I think a Kissimmee base gives you convenient access to supermarkets, 3 Publix's down the 192 area, restuarants, WDW closeby and easy access to the I4.

We have driven down the US27 a few times, but never really taken to the area.

My preference therefore would be for a gated community, with clubhouse facilities in the Kissimmee area.

The bottom one in the link below is where we stay in April, the owners would definitely give you a reasonable price - they did us - and the interior is decorated to a very high standard. Feel free to mention my name if you want to contact them.
They are even adding a VCR player just because I said we needed one for Josh.

http://www.sheardale-villas.com/

 

[UKDEB]

We've stayed in various villa sub-divisions over the years and visited many others. Formosa Gardens was our location of choice until we discovered Reunion. I've eulogised about it on many occasions, so rather than challenge my brain to come up with something new to say, here are some links to previous posts.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=24929595#post24929595&highlight=reunion

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=27282981#post27282981&highlight=reunion

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=27697624#post27697624&highlight=reunion

 

[Gaynor]

I too can recommend Terra Verde we stayed there in 2007 and have booked again today for our stay at Christmas this year.
We loved the feel and the facilities of the resort and it's not too far to drive to restaurants at night.

 

[Byron13]

We like Cumbrian Lakes, gated community. The community is well maintained. Most villas overlook a lake or conservation area. We always book a villa overlooking the conservation area, nobody overlooks you. Close to all the shops, restaurants and theme parks.

 

[Cochise]

Heard many good words about Windsor Hills hence us booking there for October.

 

[Pegasus928]

There is quite a good map here showing the locations of the villa communities, along with the locations of nearby attractions as well.

http://www.orlandovillas.com/Map.aspx

 

[alibeau]

OK, had a quick little look over the weekend and the thing that keeps bringing me back to FG is the plot size, especially with us planning to have much more pool time on our next trip and there is also an element of us being familiar with the development but that's not to say that there isn't far better out there!!!!

The company we have used for our villa rental for our past two trips has no availability in his smaller villas, so if we decide on FG again, I will have to go with someone new.

So I have one last question (I promise!) before I start my search.....

Are there any communities that have a good selection of places to eat with easy walking distance? I think a PP mentioned Cumbrian Lakes...... Usually it wouldn't be of any importance as we would be out and about in the car everyday anyway but I'm just thinking, if we were have a relaxing day, it would be nice to be able to walk out for our lunch/snack or evening meal

Anyhoo, your thoughts would be appreciated - as always

Thanks guys,

Ali

 

[JulieSharp]

Hi Ali,

Must admit have never stayed at a villa development that we have felt was in close proximity to restaurants, that we could walk there.
There will be some down the US27 that are I suspect.

You could argue that some within the Formosa Gardens location are 'reasonable distance' from the likes of the Outback restuarant and the junction of the 192. Having only stayed at Indian Creek within the FG area then it would be too long a walk for me that's for sure.

We have stayed at Cumbrian Lakes and it is quite a fair way down Poinciana Boulevard, you would need to drive everywhere if staying here. PB is a long and often busy main road, it's at least a 10 minute drive to CL from the 192 junction.
Terre Verde is a fair bit closer to the 192, but even that is not within easy walking distance of any dining places.

To sum it up - we (when I say 'we' John does all the driving)...go everywhere by car.

 

[alibeau]

Thanks for your reply Julie

So I guess the only alternative then would be to check out communal facilites and see if there are any snack bars/cafes/restaurants etc that we could stroll to if needs be...... or stick with FG

I agree that Outback Steak is just that bit too far to walk with LO's although my Mum and Dad put me to shame as they walked it a couple of times last year but as my Mum said, it wasn't a very nice/scenic walk

Thanks again,

Ali

 

[JulieSharp]

Hi Ali,

When you say FG, do you mean actually stay at Formosa Gardens the villa development or the general area - with several developments such as Indian Creek, Windsor Palms etc ?

We have never actually stayed at a villa development that has resort type facilities, the reason we are this April is purely because we figured having that would be a nice change hence Terre Verde fits the bill. The fact it's gated and has 24 hour security is a plus point too.
I don't think any of them replace or are a subsitute for proper hotel or on-site facilities, but we figure it's nice just to have 'something' there which many of the villa developments just don't have.
Occasionally Joshua may not want to go out later in the day, though we always try and go out together I think John sees having a nice pool bar and an internet cafe on our doorstep a good thing to have. To be fair he rarely goes out drinking socially at home but it's just nice to have the option on holiday - most importantly without having to drive, it's literally a 2 minute walk from the villa.

Unfortunatley I am not aware of any of the gated/resort communties having everything you mention, I don't think Windsor Palms, Emerald Island have restuarants - I know Terre Verde doesn't either and in addition I know WP/EI don't have a bar but TV does! (albeit a pool 'Tiki Bar')- again John checked all this out.

The communal facilities at these resorts tends to consist of large outdoor pool, community clubhouse, health club, internet cafe's and other things.
I guess they all offer slightly different alternatives.

 

[T16GEM]

Hi Ali,

Must admit have never stayed at a villa development that we have felt was in close proximity to restaurants, that we could walk there.
There will be some down the US27 that are I suspect.

.

I agree with that, we have stayed at quite a few villa locations and keep going back to the Eagle Pointe / Chatham Park areas off Ponciana Blvd. They are about 20 minutes from Disney, no places to eat at within walking distance though. I guess that you would need a place with club house facilities for that. One of the reasons that we like Eagle Pointe is that whilst it's not a gated development it is security patrolled 24 hours a day.
We don't mind driving for 10 mins to get to the 192 for food. If you'd like any links to the ones that we have booked previously pm me.

 

[alibeau]

Sorry, I've not been very clear!!!! Just one place onsite to grab food of some type would be good and could be a focus of any stroll's we might take....

We stayed on the Formosa Garden Community itself and I don't know if you are the same but with having LO's, if we want to go for a walk we find that we have to be walking to 'something in particular' ie a cafe/play area etc as the girl's are too young to enjoy just a walk in itself, am I making any sense at all?

What's the betting we end up on FG again? better the devil you know and all that I can't get my head round which is most important, sticking with the community we know we like, or switching to somewhere new to gain some facilites that we may only use on a couple of occasions??!!

Ali