Vacation Rental homes

[DonaldnDaisy5]

Very early planning stages for a 2 family trip. 4 adults, 2 13 year olds, 2 11 year olds, one 9 and one 7 year old.

Last time we did onsite at Disney. This time we are planning on doing Universal and maybe the beach a day or Sea World. So we were thinking a house could work better and be cheaper. All get along well and have traveled a lot together, planning on eating quick breakfasts and some dinners in house. Would like a pool and bbq.

What are some options? Locations? Ideas on where to start?

 

[BUFtoMCO]

Very early planning stages for a 2 family trip. 4 adults, 2 13 year olds, 2 11 year olds, one 9 and one 7 year old.

Last time we did onsite at Disney. This time we are planning on doing Universal and maybe the beach a day or Sea World. So we were thinking a house could work better and be cheaper. All get along well and have traveled a lot together, planning on eating quick breakfasts and some dinners in house. Would like a pool and bbq.

What are some options? Locations? Ideas on where to start?

We used disneypoolvillas.com . Seems like a property group that owns a bunch of houses. Benefits for us was the pool, had a gas grill, fully equipped kitchen, and the one we rented allowed us to bring our dog. The lady who handled the rental was very responsive. The house we got the first time was about 20 minutes from Disney. We have another with them rented in April.

 

[DonaldnDaisy5]

Thank you! We'll look into that group for sure, sounds like what we are looking for...

 

[Klayfish]

Read through a lot of the posts in this section and you'll see a wealth of info about this very question, as it's quite common. Use a website like VRBO and you'll find endless choices of rental condos and townhouses. You will find lots and lots of 4 bedroom places, which I'd guess you'll want with as many people as you have. As for location, the vast majority of them are very close to Rt 192, which runs along the south side of WDW. Personally, I stay away from the condos owned by rental agencies and go for the ones owned privately (usually by snow birds).

 

[sympatico]

We're staying in Rolling Hills this time, which is very close to the AK side of Disney. The pool is extra huge and the house has been recently refurbished. The owner manages other homes, one of which I rented a few years ago.
https://www.vacationhomerentals.com/Kissimmee/proID-235873/

 

[BUFtoMCO]

All in all I think renting a house is such a great value. Look around with a simple google search or the vbro site and I'm sure you'll find one to suit your needs.

 

[burnsy1888]

We always use www.homeaway.com (not just for Disney rentals but wherever we go in the US). Last time we stayed at Terra Verde which was approx. 20 mins from Disney. This April we are staying at Windsor Hills as we wanted something closer to Disney. A large 7-bedroom villa with private pool, hot tub, cable, games room, etc. will likely be less than $2k a week. Not only is the price a lot better than staying onsite but i also like the extra room compared to staying in a cramped room on-site.

 

[DonaldnDaisy5]

Read through a lot of the posts in this section and you'll see a wealth of info about this very question, as it's quite common. Use a website like VRBO and you'll find endless choices of rental condos and townhouses. You will find lots and lots of 4 bedroom places, which I'd guess you'll want with as many people as you have. As for location, the vast majority of them are very close to Rt 192, which runs along the south side of WDW. Personally, I stay away from the condos owned by rental agencies and go for the ones owned privately (usually by snow birds).

Is there a reason to stay away from rental agencies?

This is outside my current Orlando bubblem our last 5 trips have been onsite. And this would be our first time ever renting a house. We used a timeshare once but that was over 12 years ago. Not even sure that company is still around, as I never see it mentioned.

 

[Klayfish]

No, not necessarily. We just prefer privately owned units because they have a much more vested interest. The privately owned homes are often used by the owners, maybe as snowbirds, so they keep them up to their own standards. The rental units from agencies are there for the strict reason of profit for the company. Doesn't mean they are bad, obviously the company needs the unit clean so that customers come back. However, they may do whatever they can to keep costs down. We've always had wonderful luck with the privately owned ones, and found them to be in great condition. Even when we have had minor issues (and they've been minor...maybe one or two in 10 years), they are quickly and politely resolved. We like the personal touch we get from private units.

 

[gatormom2tots]

We have used VRBO. I generally stay away from any owner that has no or few reviews. Also make sure you read the comments. I agree too to stay away from rental companies as a general rule. Basically the owner has somebody else doing most of the managing- I prefer an owner that is in their unit to really know what is going on and the issues. One rental company I spoke too was unable to even answer simple questions about the resort property- when I asked a specific question about the facilities (we had stayed there before so I was well knowledged in it) they never got back to me. We always stay at Windsor Hills- we can get a 4 bedroom there. I also hear that Wydham Bonnet Creek is really nice- but they are a little more expensive and don't offer 4 bedrooms outside of their "executive" suite.

 

[ParkHopperFan]

I would agree to stay away from rental agencies. Dealing with an owner directly is probably your safest bet on finding a quality, well cared for property. When searching for a property be careful when distance from the parks is quoted. You would want to know in minutes how far the property is not miles. Miles doesn't take into account how long you'll be sitting in traffic to and from the parks.

We have been staying in Windsor Hills the past few years and have really enjoyed the house we rent and the community amenities. It's obviously personal preference and there are plenty of communities to choose from that will suit your taste and budget but I would recommend taking a look. www.windsorhillsofficialrentals.com

Good luck with your search

 

[BigredNole]

Rental agencies add $$$. Finding a private owner that utilizes a management company for any issues is the best way to go. The owner does all the work, the management company is responsible for anything broken or other issues. It will cost less and be more efficient to deal with. Just make sure you go through a payment service that protects you. Do not wire money or it is a scam. Also look at reviews for the home and be sure they are recent. VRBO shows 5*'s but there are no reviews in the last 5 years for the place. Just perform your due diligence before paying.

 

[NH-to-FL]

As others have noted, try VRBO. You will find a large quantity of villas to rent. For the number in your group I would recommend at least a 5 bedroom villa. There plenty of that size and larger to chose from. Almost all vacation rentals have pools. Note that pool heat is extra. Not all villas will have BBQ so make sure to ask.

A number of areas around Disney do not allow short term rentals. You will find that most of the rentals are south and/or west of Disney. The area bounded by going west along 192 and then south along 27 is where many of the rentals are located.

And as others have noted, renting from an owner can improve the probability that the home is furnished and maintained to the owners standards not just as a basic rental. Though I do know owners who have properties just to rent. Look closely at the pictures for a number of villas and you can usually pick out the differences in the furnishings.

Wishing you a magical visit!

 

[DizzyDis]

Okay, this may be a silly question, but for rentals from individuals (as opposed to agencies), are there personal effects in the homes? I am trying to make clear in my mind the line between airbnb and homeaway, which I am researching now.


Thank you!

 

[NH-to-FL]

Okay, this may be a silly question, but for rentals from individuals (as opposed to agencies), are there personal effects in the homes? I am trying to make clear in my mind the line between airbnb and homeaway, which I am researching now.

Not a silly question... most vacation rentals were built with what is know as an owner's closet where owners can lock away their personal effects.

 

[Klayfish]

Yes, they usually leave their dirty underwear in the kitchen sink.

No, there are never any truly "personal" things in the rentals. They're often furnished to the taste of the owner (if the HOA allows them to), but other than that no. They're fully furnished apartments or homes, without any family pictures on the wall or personal clothes in the dressers.