Shared Pool plus Private Pool ?

[AndyGB]

Hi

I've managed to convince my better half that just because I came down with vertigo 4 days before the end of our first Disney trip last year and had to use a wheelchair to get home it doesn't mean it will hapen every time, so we will be heading back out again in 2008 for 21 nights.

All 4 of us stayed onsite at All Star Movies last time, but we have decided that it was bad enough having four in a room for two weeks and that three weeks would be murder so we have decided to rent a villa.

Having looked at Windsor Hills/Palms I am dithering on wether we want to rent a pool home or simply rent a condo or town house. Our kids will be 13 and 12 when we go, so they are quite keen on having their own pool for the novelty value but would they use it if there is a bigger pool available ? If you have stayed in a villa with a private pool on a resort have you found that the private pool wasn't used or alternatively was it used and the communal pool ignored ? Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks, Andy

[carys]

We only ever use our own pool.

[Serendipity]

We stayed in Windsor Palms in January for 2 weeks and didn't use the community pool once. Both before and since we bought our home we have stayed on the communities with the larger pools and have never made use of the facilities offered. Everone is different though and I know some friends with children who love meeting other children at the larger pools. Personally though, nothing beats having your own pool and our guest book is full of comments about how thrilled the children were to have the facility.

[wombat]

We stayed in Windsor Palms in January for 2 weeks and didn't use the community pool once. Both before and since we bought our home we have stayed on the communities with the larger pools and have never made use of the facilities offered. Everone is different though and I know some friends with children who love meeting other children at the larger pools. Personally though, nothing beats having your own pool and our guest book is full of comments about how thrilled the children were to have the facility.
I agree, everyone is different and it may be that having the option of a shared pool works best for you.

We have been to a number of communities with shared pools and our children have never wanted to go to them. They much prefer to be able to walk out of the villa and fall into the pool, have drinks nearby, not have to pack a bag and walk to the pool. We also find that in reality there is not that much time spent around the pool, certainly not enough for the children to get bored and need other friends.

Happy Splashing.

[das c]

I agree with the other posts its great having a communal pool but these days most people cant be bothered walking a few hundred yards to get to it.

On the villa side you open your door and there it is.

[Twink]

Villa pool is definately best in our opinion especially with the kids, all there own pool toys, no one taking them of them or arguing about who's inflatable it is, villa every time.:wave:

[jdybnsn]

I just wanted to add that if you do go for a communal pool only, you would be hard pressed to beat the one at the Regal Palms resort in Davenport if you have kids. It has a lazy river, chute & jacuzzi and was fabulously warm !

Sorry this isn't a great photo as its not from a digital camera but it might give you some idea ;

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/jdybnsn/CNV00003-1.jpg

We did not want to have to pay out for pool heating in February, and also our kids are very social types and we knew they would prefer having the company of other kids.

We stayed at Regal Palms last year, after previously staying at Disney's Port Orleans RS on our last trip....... I can't tell you how heavenly it was for 2 adults / 2 children to be rattling around in a 4 bed / 3 bath property/ with 5 TVs (!), at half the cost, after being holed up in one Disney hotel room !!!

[deejay]

Go for a pool home on a resort with a community pool and get the best of both worlds!

[speedwayfan]

As a parent who's travelled to Florida since my 3 boys were very small, before and after we owned our villa I would say that a communal pool is good for older teenagers who can perhaps go off alone for a couple of hours but at 13 and 12 you will have to go with them every time they want a swim.

Our boys never wanted too though as being hungry boys they always wanted to be close to food and drink - nothing to do with our company at all!

If you can get both for a reasonable price then great, but I would say a private pool is more important. You will be able to sit and relax by the pool with them with plenty of personal space and privacy.

[AndyGB]

Thanks for everyones input.

I am going to see if I can afford a villa with pool on a resort (Emerald Isle or Windsor Palms are favourite at the moment) and see which pool they use the most.

[kevbrydon]

Hi, we stayed at Regal Palms last Oct and agree it is a FAB Pool...booked from a Dibber ( HOMEOWNER or real name Simon ) just booked Southern Dunes tonite with St Kitts ( Andy ) and will have our own Pool..... like to give my Business to Dibbers ( Nothing to do with the 10% Discount ;) )...like to change every year.....check out the Villa's on Here...Some Fantastic properties....:wavey:

[disney owl]

On our last visit we stayed at Windsor Palms & loved it. Would def stay there again.

We stayed in a villa with 4 teenagers & one of the main reasons we use a villa is that we don't want 2 weeks of bedroom sharing!

We had our own pool which the kids used constantly. They never used the main pool but did use the club house. This was especially useful on rainy August afternoons when we were having a break from the parks. As far as I can remember there were table tennis tables & pool tables. Also a very small movie theatre but I don't think they used that. There was also a gym but again I don't know if they used that. We enjoyed the fact that we didn't have to accompany them!

Even though they didn't use the main pool it looked very nice & clean & never saw it busy.

[AndyGB]

On our last visit we stayed at Windsor Palms & loved it. Would def stay there again.

We stayed in a villa with 4 teenagers & one of the main reasons we use a villa is that we don't want 2 weeks of bedroom sharing!

We had our own pool which the kids used constantly. They never used the main pool but did use the club house. This was especially useful on rainy August afternoons when we were having a break from the parks. As far as I can remember there were table tennis tables & pool tables. Also a very small movie theatre but I don't think they used that. There was also a gym but again I don't know if they used that. We enjoyed the fact that we didn't have to accompany them!

Even though they didn't use the main pool it looked very nice & clean & never saw it busy.

Can you remember how far from the clubhouse most of the villa's were ? I've looked at plans of the resort and am thinking that it might be quite a walk if we were staying at the bottom of Wyndham Palms Way (the bit of the resort which extends southwards).

[Cyclospora]

Hello Andy

Just emailed you with links to a map.

[K Walshe]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/jdybnsn/CNV00003-1.jpg


Omg i think thats were we will be staying in a private villa in highlands reserve, looks lovly

[andyhayley]

We have a private pool, and there are two communal pools on site as well.

Personally we only use the private pool, and its nice to get up in the morning and sit in your PJs round the pool eating breakfast, but the kids love a communal pool, and its nice to go up to the clubhouse and sit round the pool there, grab a drink etc and meet other people.

If you have both, you have the best of both worlds, if you could only have one I would make sure you have a private pool, preferably with a Jacuzi as well to chill out in the evening.

[ORLANDOPAUL]

Yes I Would Only Want My Own Pool

[solo]

We stayed onsite at Disney up untill last year when we had a villa, and there's no way we'd ever go back to staying at a hotel! The villa is so spacious, the kids get their own room, with tv's, the lounge /dinning area's are so peacefull, having a place to cook, and do laundry is invaluble and the best part is having your own private pool, it's worth the money for the pool alone! It's so nice at the end of a long hard day to return to the villa, and relax in and around the pool with the kids! my 2 were like water babies, they were in every chance they got, even before breakfast!! They can't wait to go back this year, I've just requested booking forms from st kitts, his Villa looks lovely and peacefull on the southern dunes estate, just what we're looking for!!:wavey: We had AOA last year with TCD, the villa was nice, but I think we'd prefer to know where we're going in future, so it'll be private owner villa's from now on!(from the dibb villa owners of course);) xx

[Villainlover]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/jdybnsn/CNV00003-1.jpg


Omg i think thats were we will be staying in a private villa in highlands reserve, looks lovly


I am guessing that your villa owner has connections with Regal palms :)
just wanted to point out (to those that don't know) that highlands reserve has no connection with Regal palms, so only villa owners with membership at regal palms would be able to let guests have use of that pool. :)

Oh and I have stayed in a villa on all my 11 trips and have never ventured out to the communal pool.

[K Walshe]

Ya i think they do because they sent us info on that pool and club house aswell as the villa.Just that the pool would be handy for the teenagers. Thanks for the info .

[jdybnsn]

Yes Shelly you are right,

......to use the Regal Palms facilities if staying on Highland Reserves the villa owner must have a prior agreement....and not all do.

[cazkelly27]

we stayed in a condo at windsor palms in february and loved it. we have small children (5 and 2) so was glad we didn't have to worry about having our own pool . the children loved meeting others in the pool and we got to talk to other guests which was fun.
Only slight reservation was that the pool was small and i wondered if it was school summer holidays that it wouldbe too crowded.
am looking to book wither there or windsor hills next year
caz