Windsor Hills Information Station

[Befferk]

Joining this thread just got back from Disney. We have always stayed onsite. But with our family getting larger and free dining promos getting fewer(and possibly non existent now) we will probably start looking for offsite options. May even eventually get annual passes one year So need to find most affordable places to stay so we can do more trips throughout the year. Years ago when doing research Windsor Hills was the place everyone recommended and vacationcentralFlorida was the place to book......it I see things have changed a lot since then

WH is the ONLY place we will stay now when we come to Disney. The cost savings blows me away every time, and you're getting an entire condo/townhouse/house with all the amenities of home for so much less than onsite hotel rooms/suites. I don't miss any of the onsite amenities.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Joining this thread just got back from Disney. We have always stayed onsite. But with our family getting larger and free dining promos getting fewer(and possibly non existent now) we will probably start looking for offsite options. May even eventually get annual passes one year So need to find most affordable places to stay so we can do more trips throughout the year. Years ago when doing research Windsor Hills was the place everyone recommended and vacationcentralFlorida was the place to book......it I see things have changed a lot since then

I am an owner at WH. I started looking into a place to buy in 2018 and it took me a year and visiting around 30 communities before I decided on WH. I completely agree that WH is highly recommended and it was definitely a factor in buying a townhome there. I've also been very impressed with how the community has handled the results of the pandemic (especially as it relates to short term rentals) including increased security. I'm not familiar with the company you mention above so I can't give you feedback but the official Windsor Hills Private Rentals site will get you the best deal. But not all of us owners (in good standing!) are on that site and I know that there are many valuable large and small sites that have reputable WH locations for rent. My recommendation is to get any feedback on the booking company or site from your friends or here on the boards. And then go with your gut. I first rented with airbnb and while I did pay extra fees, I also knew airbnb would take care of me if there was a serious issue. Now I understand a bit more about the smaller sites and am more comfortable booking that way.

If you have any specific questions about WH, ask here! There are a few of us (some owners and some guests) that are keeping an eye out and happy to answer questions.

 

[LaDonna]

I wanted to clarify when I said I guess things have changed I really meant with regards to What place to go thru to Get the wh rental because I haven’t seen vacationcentralFlorida mentioned like I used to years ago
i will look into these other suggestions as well

 

[omniscientmommy]

I wanted to clarify when I said I guess things have changed I really meant with regards to What place to go thru to Get the wh rental because I haven’t seen vacationcentralFlorida mentioned like I used to years ago
i will look into these other suggestions as well

We have used VacationCentralFlorida a few times in the past few years and while they still have good prices the units tend to be dated.

 

[FGT770]

We have used VacationCentralFlorida a few times in the past few years and while they still have good prices the units tend to be dated.

We have also used VacationCentralFlorida for WH rentals and I agree that while some of the units are somewhat dated their prices are excellent and they are very responsive to any needs or maintenance issues that come up. I was saddened to learn recently that VCF‘s owner and founder, Dave Robinson, very unexpectedly passed away in December 2018. Dave was a great person to deal with and he was in the business for the right reasons. I believe his son Daniel is running the operation now.

 

[WH INFO]

Joining this thread just got back from Disney. We have always stayed onsite. But with our family getting larger and free dining promos getting fewer(and possibly non existent now) we will probably start looking for offsite options. May even eventually get annual passes one year So need to find most affordable places to stay so we can do more trips throughout the year. Years ago when doing research Windsor Hills was the place everyone recommended and vacationcentralFlorida was the place to book..

Years Ago I switched over from booking multiple hotel rooms to vacation properties, when staying in Central Florida. They were all nice but with one stay in Windsor Hills I stopped looking for new places to stay. My last vacation I stayed on onsite in WDW for the first time. This wasn’t one of our typical family events so one Bedroom in the BWVs would work great. It was very nice and the World Showcase (back) Gate was great. Staying on site has not changed me to an on site or nothing type of visitor, there is a slight chance I’ll give BLT a try in the future. The only thing that really bugged me was this 1BR cost better than twice as much as a WH 5BR & 5Bath with a screened in private pool & hot tub only steps from the back door.

G’day
Pulsar

 

[LaDonna]

We have also used VacationCentralFlorida for WH rentals and I agree that while some of the units are somewhat dated their prices are excellent and they are very responsive to any needs or maintenance issues that come up. I was saddened to learn recently that VCF‘s owner and founder, Dave Robinson, very unexpectedly passed away in December 2018. Dave was a great person to deal with and he was in the business for the right reasons. I believe his son Daniel is running the operation now.

may he Rest In Peace

Yeah honestly we’re not usually worried about dated anyways as long as it’s clean and well-maintained.....

 

[FGT770]

may he Rest In Peace

Yeah honestly we’re not usually worried about dated anyways as long as it’s clean and well-maintained.....

Agree. Who cares if the countertops are not granite and the appliances are not stainless steel. We’re not buying the place. We’re just looking for a clean place with plenty of room to spend our vacation.

 

[BostonEd]

I was saddened to learn recently that VCF‘s owner and founder, Dave Robinson, very unexpectedly passed away in December 2018.

I *heard* that after his death, the property management suffered. And that, if you read some reviews in 2019, they aren't that positive. Also, I *heard* that they've got their act back in shape after a difficult transition. Please note this is third hand information, so please take with a grain of salt and do your own research. I only wrote this because perhaps someone reading has first hand info about VCF they could share.

 

[FGT770]

I *heard* that after his death, the property management suffered. And that, if you read some reviews in 2019, they aren't that positive. Also, I *heard* that they've got their act back in shape after a difficult transition. Please note this is third hand information, so please take with a grain of salt and do your own research. I only wrote this because perhaps someone reading has first hand info about VCF they could share.

It would not surprise me they may have had some hiccups in the transition. We did rent from them in June of 2019. Had one maintenance issue on a Saturday morning and it was very promptly taken care of. I did not realize at the time of our booking that Dave had passed. We were drawn to VCF because of their video tours of the properties, reasonable pricing and their transparency of what their business was all about. We plan on renting from them again and certainly hope they can continue to offer a quality and affordable option for people who vacation in the central Florida area.

 

[LuvMyEAR]

We started our love affair with Windsor Hills (and Windsor Palms, on occasion) in 2004. We have always had a good experience, and appreciate the value to be found In renting a home vs hotel room(s)!

After holding on to a faint hope that we’d travel from Canada in late November, I finally cancelled this year’s reservation. It was to have been a 2-week stay to celebrate my retirement.

I just wanted to say what a wonderful experience I had booking our selected townhouse, with the extremely helpful And courteous owner. For the first time ever, I took a calculated risk and made a booking that stated very clearly that the deposit was non-fundable. I knew that and accepted what I thought was a minuscule risk. Who knew, right???

When we first started to comprehend that our plans might be derailed, I touched base with our homeowner who lives in the UK just to say I hoped that he and his family were staying well and were not being too negatively impacted by our changed world. Also, I reiterated that I knew our deposit was non-refundable.

His reply pleasantly surprised me, beyond the social amenities. He said he would be happy to apply both deposit and the awesome rental rates for a future booking, in the event we had to cancel. I thought that was above and beyond the call! Fast forward a couple months and we made the hard decision to cancel our travel plans. I notified him right away, in hopes he might be able to find another renter for our dates. He replied back quickly and told me he would refund my deposit! You can imagine my gratitude, And surprise!

f our travel party number stays the same, you can bet I will be looking to book with him again. While I cannot claim first hand experience with the physical property, I have nothing but good to say about this experience with a WH owner.

If anyone wants a specific recommendation for his place, please feel free to PM me.

 

[WH INFO]

We started our love affair with Windsor Hills (and Windsor Palms, on occasion) in 2004.

I really do get that even though I probably only have a “Like a lot affair”. Windsor Hills fills my check list plus offers many other amenities that even if I’m not very interested in them; other members of my family do enjoy them. It’s great that you found one of the many caring WH owners that could make adjustments that met your needs doing this unusual time. Unfortunately there seemed to be a very few owners that were not so caring in the past. Perhaps they moved on to less caring vacation rental neighborhoods.

G’day
Pulsar

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

We are staying in WH for a month and will need a mother’s helper during the day for a few days in January (11am-4:30pm on January 11, 12, 13, 19 and 26th). My husband and I will be home the whole time and we will handle making lunch, putting my toddler down for his nap, and changing diapers. Just need someone to play with my 2 kids and keep them entertained while I’m in school online. If anyone has suggestions for where to look or a person to suggest, please DM me!

 

[omniscientmommy]

We are staying in WH for a month and will need a mother’s helper during the day for a few days in January (11am-4:30pm on January 11, 12, 13, 19 and 26th). My husband and I will be home the whole time and we will handle making lunch, putting my toddler down for his nap, and changing diapers. Just need someone to play with my 2 kids and keep them entertained while I’m in school online. If anyone has suggestions for where to look or a person to suggest, please DM me!

On this past Tuesday's episode of the DisUnplugged 10/13/20 the latter part of the episode was about helping former cast members. Saun was on and mentioned some cast members offered 'babysitting services'. You'd have to go back and watch the episode or look in the show notes. Otherwise there's CARE which is an online site for babysitting or adult care services. I think that's a national company.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

On this past Tuesday's episode of the DisUnplugged 10/13/20 the latter part of the episode was about helping former cast members. Saun was on and mentioned some cast members offered 'babysitting services'. You'd have to go back and watch the episode or look in the show notes. Otherwise there's CARE which is an online site for babysitting or adult care services. I think that's a national company.

I thought about cast members when I was writing that! Hopefully WDW will be rehiring by Jan but I will definitely check out that episode. Thank you!

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I recently returned from staying at Windsor Hills for a few weeks in our townhome. As soon as I left, I missed it! I've already booked a couple weeks in January and am contemplating staying a month. This is not good for getting more bookings But I have to say that I am so glad that I've been able to visit every few months during this pandemic. I love to grab my morning coffee and take a walk around the community with my family, especially when the Sandhill Cranes are walking around. And even with the pandemic, we've been able to meet people - at a distance - and chat outside for a few minutes. We'll head to a park for a few hours and bring back treats then relax in the pool and watch a movie. I've also been able to work remotely and it's been very convenient. Our guests have been great and while it isn't the pre-pandemic back-to-back bookings, everyone has been so happy to get away and enjoy.

 

[chryscrazy]

How is it getting in and out of the community at peak times? Do cars back up waiting to get in and out? Definitely not a deal breaker just want to be prepared.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

How is it getting in and out of the community at peak times? Do cars back up waiting to get in and out? Definitely not a deal breaker just want to be prepared.

New guests and Uber/Lyft use the left lane and once you are registered, you can use the right lane and scan your pass to get in (unless you are in a Uber/Lyft since the pass is for the driver, not a passenger.) It can back up at busy times but typically that happens when someone in the right lane doesn't have their pass or it is an Uber/Lyft. Luckily, they also place attendants there at busy times to get it addressed! Busy times are Friday and Saturday about 4 pm (typical check in time) and when Disney is in full swing, it will be busy about 9 to 11 pm as people return from the parks.
When leaving, there are also two lanes but there isn't a need for people to stop and talk to the attendants. You technically don't even have to scan your pass to leave but its always a good reminder to make sure you have it! I have never waited to leave the resort and have never waited more than a minute to get into the resort, even at the busiest of times.

Hope that helps!

 

[chryscrazy]

Thank you! I was worried about a wait to get out for rope drop!

 

[mamaofsix]

How is it getting in and out of the community at peak times? Do cars back up waiting to get in and out? Definitely not a deal breaker just want to be prepared.

We've been there at busy times. I've never had more than 1 car ahead of me to get out, and never more than 3 cars ahead to get in. If you're going out for rope drop time, it'll be dead with no cars ahead of you. Most don't leave that early...