You can expect every facility imaginable. Having said that, I'm not sure I've ever had a waffle iron, so edit that to read, "every facility imaginable, minus one!"
There will be a full kitchen with coffee-maker, kettle, toaster, blender, dishwasher, American fridge with ice-maker, cooker, microwave, waste disposal, all cooking utensils, crockery, cutlery, glasses, hoover, hairdryers, washer, dryer, tea-towels, towels, pool towels. All will have air-con, most will have cable TV and DVD players, some will have additional features such as whirlpool baths, games rooms, gym equipment, PCs with free internet access, free long distance phone calls, spa...
What you won't often find are "disposables" such as kitchen towel (although there will be toilet paper), bin liners, washing-up liquid, dishwasher detergent, washing powder, tumble-dryer sheets, hand soap, shower gel, etc. Some do have a small "starter" supply. Sometimes there is kitchen towel and/or coffee filter papers left behind by previous occupants.
The more I talk to friends and fellow DISers about the whole onsite/offsite and/or hotel/villa thing, the more clear it becomes that most of us have a very specific notion of what the Orlando experience is
for us. Sometimes the differences are fairly subtle, other times they can be quite significant, but either way, they are extremely important. More often than not, what Orlando
is for any one of us is that to which we've become accustomed. Until last year, we'd only ever stayed onsite for a few days at a time and invariably in the middle of villa stay (just packing an overnight bag). Last October, we had a week in a villa followed by a week onsite at the BoardWalk. We're just back from 8 nights onsite at SSR followed by 5 nights at the Reunion Grande. Both trips were
fabulous, but unquestionably served to affirm our belief that villa stays are what we prefer. I love,
love, love WDW, and whilst I don't hate being surrounded by it 24/7, without a doubt, I prefer getting out and about. It's what Orlando
is for me. It doesn't follow that I think staying in a villa is better than staying onsite, or in a hotel offsite. It's just better
for us. I
totally understand why many people love to be onsite and why my way of doing it just wouldn't be "Orlando" for them.
What I love about hotels is the ability to shower and change in the evening, walk down for drinks at the bar and then on to dinner. Of course, we still go out for meals when we're in a villa, but it needs more planning and is nowhere near as leisurely an experience. And I hate getting all "creased-up" in the car. Afterwards, too, it's so much more civilised to just be able to stroll back to your room, rather than having to wait for a cab. Having said, that, you wouldn't spend 2 or 3 weeks in Orlando and just eat at your own hotel, so it's a moot point.
I find a villa far more relaxing at the very end of the day. When we get home in the evening, be it from a park or dinner, we love chilling out playing pool, taking a dip and relaxing in the jacuzzi. We've had some of our best laughs around pool tables! I enjoy the space and privacy - for us a hotel room feels very confining after a few days. I never use hotel pools or jacuzzis, but I'm in them morning and evening when I have my own. Having washing and drying facilities means we can take less in our suitcase (although dh would undoubtedly dispute that I actually do) and go home with a suitcase full of clean clothes. Using hotel laundry facilities is such a drag. I love staying in fabulous homes (most of which I could never aspire to) and living the dream for a few weeks each year. Making my own bed and cleaning the kitchen are not chores for me when I'm in them.
ETA: Oops! Methinks I talk too much. There weren't any other repsonses when I started typing
) and if you are travelling as a family or a group of friends it's nice just to have more space around you.
