Virgin Holidays Houses

[DisBabesMan]

Has anyone out there stayed in one of Virgin's Holiday homes in the Disney area.
We've been twice but stayed in hotels so this year we are venturing around by ourselves. Where are these homes located and do you get to find out where they are before leaving this country?
I'm asking as you need to put an address on the Green Visa Waiver form. Also any other information would be greatly received.
Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Mpet]

Hi

We stayed in a Virgin Villa in 2001. The one we were allocated was on the US27 - Hampton Lakes.

We were not advised of the location until we arrived at Orlando Airport.

This is not peculiar to Virgin, as we had the same arrangement when we travelled with Airtours. If I don't know the address, I put 'Kissimme Area Villa' as the address - I've never had it questioned yet.


Maxine

 

[JohnnySharp]

We are taking our 9th trip with Virgin this coming May.

I have never booked a home through them , I find the prices excessive.
We would never travel with anyone else, I am not trying to criticise them but the villas are expensive compared to what you can find if you book one yourself.

Try Villas2000.com

The homes are just as good, you can pick your preferred location and you will save money in the process.

 

[MalcolmC]

... or if you want to stay in a specific area, do a search on the internet for that sub-division (as they're called) i.e. Hampton Lakes - where ours is.

Virgin do charge an awful lot for their villas, but I believe the actual home owners only get about £200 - £300 per week out of it!

 

[Disbabe]

Bump

 

[UKDEB]

I agree with Johnny - you will pay through the nose if you book a home through Virgin and there is absolutely no way of knowing where you will be placed until you arrive.

We book flights with Virgin and then book the villa ourselves. Let me know if you need any help or advice. Or have you already booked?

 

[allie5]

Yes, think carefully about renting one from Virgin, as they charge a fortune. Last time I looked, it was around £700 a week. You can rent fabulous 3/4/5 bedroom villas with pools, spa and all facilities for anything from £350-£500 a week. There are available direct from the owners, through a management agency or the best place is an online "villa shop"!! I dont know if we are allowed to post other site addresses on here, but PM me if you want and I will send you about 3 good ones that specialise in late bookings.

Most Villa complexes are located off US 27, which is at the end of the 192. Disney can be reached through "the back door" in about 10-15m.

Locations that are newly built and in nice settings include Highlands Reserve, Indian Ridge, Westridge, Hampton Lakes, Clear Creek, Davenport Lakes and Glenbrook.

There is no need to spend a fortune with Virgin.....a small amount of research will soon show you whats available.

Good Luck!
Allie.

 

[Disbabe]

We thought we would book this years holiday this way as it's easy in making a booking, however, next year we will be doing everything ourselves ie. flights, accomodation and car hire.
We also had quite a big discount so the brochure price isn't what we are paying.
It has cost us £3292 for 2 weeks for 2 adults, 3 children including flights, accomodation in a 3 bed villa, platinum package car hire and personal insurance. I thought this quite reasonable as it has cost us £2600 to stay in a hotel without a car!!

 

[BevS97]

Price it up as a fly-drive for the same flights and see how much they are charging you for the villa. That way you can make a comparison, I've always found villa's to be cheaper than hotels, sometimes by quite a lot.
We are paying £295 a week for our villa, which is only £42/night. You don't get many hotel rooms for that. Admittedly, it's a small villa without a pool in December, but I still think we would struggle to get a decent hotel for the same.

Bev

 

[richard3330]

Our friends stayed in a Virgin Villa in December and theres was in Lake Davenport (about 15-20 minutes from Disney)

 

[allie5]

Disbabe....the price you paid isnt too bad for a Virgin Holiday, but you would be able to do it a lot cheaper if you shop around...and that doesnt always mean booking everything seperately.

For example, this year I was going to book everything "independantly" myself and started my search.... The flights are always the hardest, as I insist on non-stop with early as possible departure out bound and I like an afternoon flight home (fussy, fussy, fussy ). Virgin seemed the best option for price, but only had the 2pm flight left. After ages ferreting around websites I gave Travel City a call......I got 15 nights, BA flights (with perfect times!!), executive 4 bed villa and pool (named location), fully inclusive car insurance for a Full size Dodge Intrepid, for 3 adults and 2 kids for £2300. That didnt include personal insurance, but I have a yearly trip cover so didnt need it. That is for June. A good bargain, and better than anything I could put together myself.

I have used Virgin before, and Im not a big fan. They are pricey for the few extras they provide in my opinion!!

Good luck planning your next trip and ENJOY this one!
Allie.

 

[JANNYANS]

There are drawbacks with booking through an agent mainly the cost and not knowing where you will be staying .It's a real bind having to go to one place to collect keys and directions to your home then finding out your home could be in the opposite direction..Booking direct with an owner is usually cheaper and you will gwt lots of extra info from your owner as well as directions straight to their home.
Malcolm C -you are correct in saying the owner sees very little of what you pay when you book through an agent.By the time the travel company has their share ,the management company has their share,and the cost of utilities and taxes have been taken off the poor owner is sometimes left with just enough to cover costs.I should know!

 

[Disbabe]

OK - thanks for the comments guys n' gals.

Lets leave it the comments about expense, etc as we seem to be getting away from the original question which we were asking which was if anybody had been there and what they thought of them!

 

[BevS97]

Sheila,

I think the problem is that noone knows where they are, as they could be anywhere. I have no doubts that the quality of the villa will be wonderful, nearly all the villas in Orlando are beautiful and I doubt Virgin would put you in anything grotty.
But location wise you could be anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes from Disney.

Bev

 

[allie5]

Sorry to have digressed....thought my post might be HELPFUL

The problem is, even if everyone who has ever been to a "Virgin house" replied to your post, the chances of you staying at the same one are slim. They use about 5 management agencies who, in turn, will operate on about 5 different sites each!! Just because one Virgin customer had a luxury 5 bed villa at Indian Ridge (for example) or another had a poky 2 bed condo in one of the less desirable areas of Kissimee, doesnt mean thats what you will get!!

The point that is trying to be made is that if book yourself (or with another operator) you will know EXACTLY WHERE and WHAT STYLE of property you will get.

Hope that helps in some small way.

Have a great holiday.
Allie.

 

[WDWfan uk]

..... as far as the address goes Sheila, I would put Virgin Villa and the Virgin office address in Orlando - but it is worth asking the Virgin staff what address you should put on the form. I expect this is something that comes up on the plane often but just in case, I think I'd give them a call in case the airline staff or check-in staff can't help you