types of villa

[daftaboutdisney]

Hi and happy new year :wave:

we're considering booking a villa for later this year although a lot seem booked up already :thumbsdown:

is there an area thats better than others and what should we be looking for when booking a villa

Thanks :yes:

[Britchick]

People have their favourite areas so that's quite hard to answer, i'm sure people will give you their experiences. I have only stayed in the indian ridge area and as we spend most of our time at WDW it works out well for us.


Malcolm is a sponsor on here and has a villa with very reasonable rates, might be worth sending him a pm.

[Ursula]

Rule of thumb... the closer to Disney the more they cost usually. If you can travel for an extra 15 mins you can get an equal standard of villa for abit cheaper.

[Tink]

Hwy 27 (south of the 192 west intersection) is another popular area. It's close without being on top of Disney.

Some areas are less safe than other areas, as is the case anywhere you go. If you start getting toward Kissimmee proper, you'll hit pockets where crime is higher.

Malcolm will be a good resource for you as will other word of mouth recommendations that you will get from folks here who have stayed in villas. :yes:

[Keith]

I'd really like to try one but it would ideally be somewhere we could walk to places :/ perhaps not too far from one of those centres with a few shops and restaurants. Thing is in Orlando there never seems to be any sidewalks :/

[Tink]

That is the truth. The entire Central Florida area is NOT set up for pedestrians. Not even downtown Orlando has much foot traffic once you get out of the immediate congested area.

I think for a villa to work, you'd really need your own transport. Unless you were able to get something near Dr. Phillips, then you could take a cab to DTD (not far) Universal (not far) Seaworld (not far) etc. It's a bit of a centralized area for all the parks and some of the better shopping areas.

Not sure how much rental for visitors they have available in that area though. They tend to be pretty much residential homes and villas.

[Keith]

I was kinda just hoping for perhaps a villa close enough to a walmart or publix or something and perhaps a restaurant or two. We'd do the parks on the second week when we stayed on site and of course we'd get a cab to other places too.

It was just a possibly hopeless thought that we could do SOMETHING without calling a cab :lol:

Someone said I should just get a hotel on idrive for the first week but they all seem so ermmmmm low class? perhaps Im wrong though because I was utterly turned off by our first experience (travelodge main gate east shudder) and havent looked since

[Tink]

Oh goodness, that must have been horrid.

The Peabody and the Rosen hotels are nice. :yes: I don't know what the rates are, but perhaps one of those would work for you for one week. :yes:

There is always the hotel in the Florida Mall. :D Can't get much closer than that, eh? :D To shopping, I mean. :yes:

[Keith]

Oh goodness, that must have been horrid.

She who must be obeyed still shivers when I remind her of it.


The Peabody and the Rosen hotels are nice. :yes: I don't know what the rates are, but perhaps one of those would work for you for one week. :yes:

There is always the hotel in the Florida Mall. :D Can't get much closer than that, eh? :D To shopping, I mean. :yes:

Yes there is indeed! we went there last visit to look around. It would certainly have the shopping taken care off although are there any restaurants around there? I mean I know what they have at the florida mall and its not much, I much prefer the mall at millenia options there.

No idea where the peabody or rosen are but thanks I'll go look :D

[Tink]

Well, not huge restaurant choices. But there are some.

Peabody and Rosen are mid-way along I drive, if that makes any sense? :unsure:

[ukwdwnut]

Oh goodness, that must have been horrid.

The Peabody and the Rosen hotels are nice. :yes: I don't know what the rates are, but perhaps one of those would work for you for one week. :yes:

There is always the hotel in the Florida Mall. :D Can't get much closer than that, eh? :D To shopping, I mean. :yes:

keith outside of disney resorts i really think a car is essential, walking is not a way to go in florida, its jusr set up for cars or cabs if you wanna pay out and not drive

[ukwdwnut]

Hi and happy new year :wave:

we're considering booking a villa for later this year although a lot seem booked up already :thumbsdown:

is there an area thats better than others and what should we be looking for when booking a villa

Thanks :yes:

hi and welcome

ive stayed at 4 different villa resorts and all have been places id stay at again, never had a bad villa at all

[Ursula]

Keith... Regal Palms might be a good set up for you... they do villas as well as town houses and it's right next to a Publix and a little shopping parade kind of thing with some restaurants there... one is Applebees. Regal Palms has it's own clubhouse/restaurant and the food there is good too and not too pricey the thing that pushes the price up is their drinks so beware. There rib roast is popular and is to die for, it sells out quick the night they have it.
Althoogh Regal Palms comes out as one of the cheaper options I can honestly say the townhouse we stayed in was brand new and gorgeous. But next time if we stay there it would have to be a villa for the private pool even though the big pool for the resort is nice.

[Keith]

Keith... Regal Palms might be a good set up for you... they do villas as well as town houses and it's right next to a Publix and a little shopping parade kind of thing with some restaurants there... one is Applebees. Regal Palms has it's own clubhouse/restaurant and the food there is good too and not too pricey the thing that pushes the price up is their drinks so beware. There rib roast is popular and is to die for, it sells out quick the night they have it.
Althoogh Regal Palms comes out as one of the cheaper options I can honestly say the townhouse we stayed in was brand new and gorgeous. But next time if we stay there it would have to be a villa for the private pool even though the big pool for the resort is nice.

ooo thanks for that I'll take a look :yes:

[malcolm]

Hi....Dont realy think that their are some areas better than others as to be honest all have there good points so i am not an owner who says "mine is better than yours".

I just bought a villa that was in a quiet corner of an estate that is not overlooked in the pool area by backing onto other villas or being able to shake hands with your neighbour through the window. I also thought about the area and what it has to offer the guest and we have a shopping mall over the road with Target,JCPenny's,Belks,Bestbuy,Petsworld and others opening soon plus a multiplex cinema in the pipeline and with others like Publix and Walmart a few mins away plus numerouse places top eat....and a pub!

The best thing realy is to make a wish list of what you would want in a villa and then look for those that fit the bill. Some say the closer to Disney the more expensive and this is true and ownrs pay just as dear for it as you do then adding a few minuits for your driving could save you sometimes enough to cover your car hire costs.

Please feel free to ask me any questions even via pm if you wish as i take the attitude that i was new to villas and Disney once (before internet) and there was no where realy i could seek help if i dont know the answer i will find it for you i am sure...

[Mark_W]

Tuscan Hills is nice!
Just south of 192 on Hwy 27, about 10 minutes to Disney.