Anyone stayed at Emerald Island Resport or Windsor Hills?

[aimcat]

My family and I are thinking of doing one of the large rental homes in this community since it will be several of us going....has anyone else done this? If so did it turn out well?

 

[isla bonita]

We have stayed in emerald island resort 2 times a year for the last 6.5 years.

We will be heading back this summer do not know our dates as of yet.

We stay in a 6 bed with friends and family. You will love emereald island!
We do!

May I just make some suggestions that you not use 1 vehicle, all have beds and have no couch sleeping, you not be commited to always being together.

That has worked for us. We may be in the same parks and meet up for lunch and then spend some time with each other but not every moment.

Late at night it is fun we are all around the pool or in it sharing our days.

It can be a very enjoyable experience with some planning.

The memories are priceless!!!!!!!!!!

 

[aimcat]

Sounds great....another question .....where did you book your stay? I have been checking VRBO and found quiet a few but had wondered if they are all legitmate? Most people seem to own the homes from the UK or Japan or China - so Im just making sure its not a scam? Haha

 

[KNJWDW]

We are staying there in June and booked through a management company. This is the one we used: www.ovhfl.com. I haven't used them before, but they get good reviews on these boards. I have also booked through vrbo before and everything was fine.

Good Luck!

Amy

 

[4forMe]

We are staying there in June and booked through a management company. This is the one we used: www.ovhfl.com. I haven't used them before, but they get good reviews on these boards. I have also booked through vrbo before and everything was fine.

Good Luck!

Amy

The management company above is Oasis, and they have a very good reputation on these boards.

Another recommended management company is www.floridasunvacationhomes.com. We booked a 4 BR home in Windsor Hills during our 2008 trip and are staying in the exact same home for our upcoming Spring Break trip. They have homes in both Emerald Island and Windsor Hills. I highly recommend them.

 

[sympatico]

I've stayed at / visited these:
Emerald Island: http://disneyvacahome.com/ 6 bedroom
Emerald Island: http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p253707 7 br
Windsor Hills: http://www.cyberrentals.com/rental/p250801 6 bedroom

 

[mnrose]

http://www.5starvillaneardisney.com/

I rented this one in Feb 2011 in Emerald Island from a UK owner. She was a dream to deal with, and (if anything) the house was better than it appeared in the photos. Very spacious, and clean. Well maintained, and with everything you could possibly need for a great vacation. I highly recommend this place.

We rented with another family. We each had our own rental vehicle, which allowed us to do different things (mainly, we were together, but on several occasions we split up, and it was handy to be able to do so). This house, in particular, is great for a two family split because it has two identical master suites on opposite corners of the second level...so there was no need to discuss who got the "better" room, if you know what I mean. In addition, there were 4 other bedrooms, each of which either had an attached, private bath OR a "jack and jill" bath.

This is the second time we have rented in Emerald Island, and we enjoyed it both times. Convenient location for Disney, yet quiet and peaceful. Los of restaurants and grocery stores (both Publix and Super Target were 5 minutes away) close by. And, prices much more reasonable per square foot and amenities than Windsor Hills.

There are many options. If you check out the tax records to ensure that you are dealing with a legitimate owner, and they have local management, I would not hesitate to rent from a non-US owner. Both times I rented, it was from a UK owner and both times I got excellent value for the money.

 

[snowangel72]

WE have stayed at WH once and EI twice. We much prefer EI. We don't use the community facilities and WH is pretty crazy - loud in the backyards etc. We LOVE EI. It's nice and quiet and they are so nice there. Plus it's much more reasonably priced. And we love that it's close to the Winn Dixie, Target and Giardano's. All imporant for this family.

 

[carter79]

Both these communities are lovely, we have stayed in both. Most recently the Emerald Island Resort, this is really nice, quiet relaxing and close to everything as is WH.

And response to the VRBO, these have been online for years and yes you can book direct with owner (no scam there), we have used several over the years and it's allways best to shop about, we used disneyvillavacations.com for our next trip, never used them before but we got a good deal and they give us BBQ free for a week (BONUS). You will find that most owners are from the UK/US mostly but i dont think this matters as we havnt had any problems with owners...touch wood!!

Well good luck and hope you have a great time....

 

[Dave1234]

Here's two sites i've used to engage directly with owners for quotes at the two resorts. Hope they help:

Windsor Hills:
www.windsorhillsprivaterentals.com

Emerald Island:
www.emeraldislandprivaterentals.com

PM me if you have any specific questions. I have stayed at both resorts in the past.
Dave

 

[country-mom-of-4]

WE have stayed at WH once and EI twice. We much prefer EI. We don't use the community facilities and WH is pretty crazy - loud in the backyards etc. We LOVE EI. It's nice and quiet and they are so nice there. Plus it's much more reasonably priced. And we love that it's close to the Winn Dixie, Target and Giardano's. All imporant for this family.

Giardano's>>>> WHERE oh WHERE is this from EI!>

 

[sympatico]

Giardano's>>>> WHERE oh WHERE is this from EI!>

It's about a mile from EI. Turn right out of EI and then take a left onto Formosa Gardens Blvd. Turn left into the FGVillage shopping area (by Outback Steakhouse) and go to the far end of the parking lot past the MarketPlace and it will be on your right.
Here's an interactive map of the FGVillage.
http://www.formosagardensvillage.com/fgvmap.html

Here's a map of the whole area EI is #15 and the FGVillage is #117
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=...8.272032,-81.608849&spn=0.068335,0.11055&z=13

 

[snowangel72]

It's right at the end of Formosa Gardens...in the Outback plaza where they also have the minigolf with the big giraffe (I am a visual person lol). It's good. You will like it. We don't stay at EI anymore sadly. We stay at Bonnet Creek now.

 

[cantwait101]

I am not going to be much help here...but we are staying for the first time in EI at the Bostonian house with two other families. It seems like a great gated community from everything I see on the boards

 

[isla bonita]

I am not going to be much help here...but we are staying for the first time in EI at the Bostonian house with two other families. It seems like a great gated community from everything I see on the boards

It sure is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[snowangel72]

I have stayed at both. We prefered EI. WH was fine it was just so busy. We never used the community pool anyway so it wasn't a draw for us. I like the quietness of EI. At WH we could hear kids screaming in the pools in the backyards late into the night.

 

[Momma2PrinceNPrinces]

For those of you that have stayed at EI, did you rent a house or a villa (town home)? I have gotten quotes for both and it seems there are a few houses that aren't much more than the villas (and you get the private pool)

 

[sympatico]

We've stayed in 3 pool homes in Emerald Island. Having your own pool is great. When we have kids with us they don't want to go to the community pool, they prefer "their own pool". You'll need pool heat after Sept.

 

[Momma2PrinceNPrinces]

We've stayed in 3 pool homes in Emerald Island. Having your own pool is great. When we have kids with us they don't want to go to the community pool, they prefer "their own pool". You'll need pool heat after Sept.

That was another thing I was wondering about...pool heat. Thanks Wanda!

 

[snowangel72]

house house house, no pool heat needed in the summer!