I find it surprising for a number of reasons. First of all, our villas are surprisingly economical. Compared to hotel accommodations, and other types of vacation rentals and short-term rentals throughout the United States, and in particular Florida, they represent an outstanding value. Yes, I know there are lots of
Part 3 – You’re too rigid to relax! • You expect to be out in the country, with no one around you for at least a few miles. That is not what or where our properties are. They’re in a subdivision of 240 homes. All the services you need are
In another post, I explained that the greatest way to save money on a Florida Disney Vacation was to keep food costs down. Here’s how we did it when our kids were young and money was tight! The money you save on food alone can be enough to cover the
Part 2 – You don’t want to play along! • You refuse to read any pre-arrival information, or explanations about the TV or alarm systems, or anything else. Some guests just hate to read, and they don’t… which is perfectly fine, as long as they don’t stay with us. We
This is Part II of a two-part series. Part I discusses Setting a Budget for an Orlando Vacation Rental. Here in Part II we discuss Orlando’s cheap rental rates, how they affect your budget, and why you should care. A great friend of mine in the Orlando Vacation Rental business
Every once in a while, I will get a guest reply back to me in response to a quote that I have provided, saying that our rates are more than their budget. This always leaves me wondering… “How did you set your budget?” This is Part I of a two-part
1) Orlando Museum of Art 2) Kenndy Space Center 3) Madame Tussauds 4) The Orlando Science Center 5) Ripley’s Believe it Or Not! 6) Wonder Works 7) Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
Opportunities abound for Animal Encounters in Orlando! Whether at a theme park, zoo, or simply out and exploring, you’re sure to find and discover many amazing animals! 1) Dining at Animal Kingdom Lodge 2) Sea Life Orlando 3) Manatees 4) Gatorland 5) Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens 6) Driving
Outdoor activities abound in Orlando, FL. From recreational, to athletic, to relaxing, to exploring, there’s something for everyone in Central Florida! 1) The Winter Park Boat Tour 2) Lake Nona Sculpture Garden 3) Lorna Done Park 4) Miniature Golf 5) Orlando Tree Trek Adventure 6) Leu Gardens 7) Swan Boats
If you’re a Water Park fan (and who isn’t?) Orlando has a number of the greatest water parks in the world for you to enjoy. Check out any of the following for a great activity on a hot day! 1) Blizzard Beach 2) Typhoon Lagoon 3) Volcano Bay 4) Aquatica
If you want an interesting or fun place to explore, Orlando has plenty. Check out the following Entertainment Districts for lot of Dining, Shopping and Entertainment possibilities! 1) Disney Springs 2) Disney’s Boardwalk 3) Old Town 4) Pointe Orlando 5) International Drive 6) Universal CityWalk 7) Celebration, Florida 8) Winter
Let’s face it… There’s so much to see and do in Orlando, you just may be gripped by FOMO when deciding what to do. That’s the Fear Of Missing Out for those not in the know. Well, to ensure that you don’t miss out on anything, we present the Breezy
We continue with our Comprehensive Guide to What to See and Do in Orlando, Florida, with our next list: Other Attractions in Central Florida. These are specifically ‘touristy’ things that you will find in Orlando. While a number of other items in our Guide could fall under this category, they’re
Welcome Florida visitors! Are you interested in seeing Florida’s majestic manatees in their natural habitats? You’re in luck, as Florida is the only place in the United States where these gentle giants can be found. Here’s a quick introduction to the manatees of Florida and the best places you can
Here are some things that you may not think to bring with you when packing. While you can purchase them in Orlando very easily, and even many of them at the the theme parks themselves, why bother with that hassle when you can easily bring your own inexpensively? A small
Keeping Disney in Perspective… When thinking about all things Disney, including a Walt Disney World Vacation, it’s important to keep in mind what the Disney Magic runs on! It’s kind of Disney’s dirty secret! And no, it’s not imagination, although there is certainly plenty of that employed in the Disney
Travelling to experience Walt Disney World in Florida? Families (and especially Travel Writers) are doing it all wrong! I understand that many travel writers get free stays and other perks to come to Walt Disney World and write about a trip to the theme park capital of the world. But
No, you can’t “rent my Disney AirBnB”! I don’t have one! I have a beautiful Disney Vacation Rental! I’ll even accept Disney VRBO, because I’m an owner and I rent out my vacation rental. Names are important. They define us, and become recognition cues in peoples minds that help them
Tip #8 The biggest way to save on a Disney World trip is how, where and what you eat! The simplest way to do this is to avoid all of the tourist traps for food… like food in the parks and the hundreds of restaurants in the area, and to
Tip #7 Take a Rain Poncho! Take folded rain ponchos with you to the theme parks. In the summer, you will need them for the frequent but short downpours which happen every day in Central Florida. In the winter, you can use them to keep from getting drenched on many
Tip #6 Save your Feet! This one is simple. Disney World is not the place to be fashionable! Wear good quality, well broken-in running shoes for a day in the theme parks. You will be walking, on average, at least five miles. Bring two pairs from home. You may very
I received an inquiry, from someone asking if the villas are ‘close’ to the Orlando airport. This is one of those situations where the correct answer is “it depends”. Whether or not you consider the villa to be close to the Orlando airport depends upon how you define ‘close’ and
How to find a Great Vacation Rental in the Orlando Area There is a phenomenon in the Orlando Vacation Rental Market where guests find at the last moment that the accommodations they booked have been cancelled. This happens to a surprisingly high number of guests and it can really impact
How to find a Great Vacation Rental in the Orlando Area When looking for a vacation rental property on an online vacation rental listing site, the number of choices can be dizzying and confusing. How do you know which is a good property and which isn’t? Most operators in Orlando
Tip #5 WalMart for Souvenirs! Almost all of the unique theme park merchandise and souvenirs are available at The World of Disney Store talked about in tip #4 and there are some really terrific offerings, but like all things Disney, they are pricey. If you want to save on Disney branded
I received an inquiry from a Snowbird today, which is always an interesting exercise, as many love to stay in the Orlando area over the winter months, but of course, given the length of their stay, want to pay the lowest possible rate they can. This is completely at odds
We occasionally get asked about accepting payment in Canadian Dollars or Great Britain Pounds. All of our transactions are conducted in US$ funds. It really makes no sense for us to accept anything else, as all of our villa expenses and operating costs are of course paid in US dollars.
Tip #4 Don’t Waste Theme Park Time Shopping! Don’t waste expensive theme park time shopping for stuff in stores inside the park (food that you’ll consume immediately, and a few unique demonstration stores are another matter). While this is very tempting, practically everything sold in the parks is available at
As you think about your Florida trip, you may be wondering ‘How soon in advance should I book my villa?’ This really depends upon what season during the year you are planning to come and stay with us. We use information from Disney in reviewing and planning our rate seasons
Tip #3 Take food with you to Disney Parks! Disney allows outside food into the parks in soft-shell containers (not coolers). Freeze plastic water bottles the night before (the soft sided collapsible ones work great because they take less space as they empty), and take snacks (and even lunch), like
