hands up whos used allocation on arrival for villa???

[jasonrat]

hey we are off to disney again next month and have been looking at villas
1st time we had a good deal off of ebay 2nd from a villa website and now looking again for a deal
we are two adults and 2 small children so dont want anything 5 star or with 5 rooms
quotes so far have been in the region of £800-£1300
more often than not over £1000
anyway we feel as a small family that is way over our budget.
We have have been quoted £424 with allocation on arrival
i believe that is a good deal

whats your opinions?
many thanks

[steruth]

I have used AOA once with TCD in 2005 and got a wonderful surprise as it was the most beautiful villa i have been in , mission park on us 27 4 bed exec everything was like new!!
Went last year too booked for calabay parc, was very dissapointed but got moved within 8 hours to a villa with games room, spa, 2 en suite queen bedrooms was lovely....so cant complain..

[paul_sheps]

We did once and ended up in Southern Dunes miles away from everything, never again!

[bob_day69]

How many nights are they quoting £424 for?

You say most responses are £800-£1,300 so I would assume 14 nights.

[jasonrat]

yes its from 16th feb to 1st march
if i include 15% discount it will be about £370-£380
which is cheaper than hotels even.


We did once and ended up in Southern Dunes miles away from everything, never again!

we stayed not far from there 1st time
just off the turn off actually
lovely place
only about half an hour away from everything
we leave in the morning and come back at night so distance really a problem

[bob_day69]

yes its from 16th feb to 1st march
if i include 15% discount it will be about £370-£380
which is cheaper than hotels even.

we stayed not far from there 1st time
just off the turn off actually
lovely place
only about half an hour away from everything
we leave in the morning and come back at night so distance really a problem

So the question was is this a bargain and what sort of villa am I likely to get.

Let me lay out some figures, facts and a touch of reality which may help you answer your own question.

So say £400 for two weeks. Being generous Hotelopia wil take say 10% comission, leaving £360 fro two weeks. At current ex rates that is approximately $702, or $351 per week. If the villa is licensed for STR then sales and tourist tax removes another 11%, so we are left with $312 per week. By the way if the villa isn't fully licensed for STR then the sherriff can sumarrily evict the occupants onto the street with no notice.

Weekly costs of running the villa, and these are very conservative figures:-

Real Estate taxes $80
Villa and liability Insurance $28
Management company fees $75
Villa clean on departure $35 ($70 per let)
Utilities absolute minimum $50 (more likely $100+)

total $268, leaving the owner the princley sum of $44 from which he has to items like HOA fees( probably $300+ per year), STR license fees ($170 per year), and the many other ad hoc costs which occur like appliance repairs, carpet cleans, replacement items and so on and so forth. Nor does this take into account any loan payment the owner may have.

So is this a bargain price, obviously.

What type of villa will you get? Well the odds against it being the luxurious, well maintained, well equipped, legal STR home that you would want to spend your vacation in are pretty slim.

[jasonrat]

that could be used in the same philosophy as cheap charter flights though wouldn't it?
just to fill spaces?

[BevS97]

The point is you could end up anywhere, it might be nice, it might not be. Are you willing to take that risk, or will your holiday be ruined if you end up in a tired looking villa in a poor location? Or doesn't it really matter (and for some people I acknowledge that it doesn't matter).

Personally location is very important to me, so I couldn't take the risk.

[jasonrat]

i think accomodation is a bonus.
take the rough with the smooth
first year we paid £550 for a 5 bedroomed villa about 3/4 an hour from the entrance(why people say its only 10 mins i never know)
fantastic villa at a fantastic price
ok it was a bit far from disney but we slept there thats it spemnt all day out and about.
2nd time paid £650 for a town house closer to disney- regal palms off 192 on highway 27
not brilliant but comfortable

i guess we all take risks looking at glossy photos and magazines and not always as they seem
close to disney is relative

5 min walk could be a 5 minute run

[bob_day69]

that could be used in the same philosophy as cheap charter flights though wouldn't it?
just to fill spaces?


Not really comparable a plane seat is a plane seat and if noone happens to sit in it for a flight the whole plane is still cleaned and serviced.

A villa on the other hand has to be licensed, maintained, cleaned and above all loved for it to stay pristine. Many who accept unviable rents are staring into the foreclosure abyss and simply delaying the inevitable while the villa deteriorates around them.

[Mike]

We had this on our first trip some years ago - never again, as others have said, and essentially for location, not quality or cost. We were about two counties away from WDW and I reckon we spent an extra 75 -90 minutes a day in the car .... it certainly stopped us ever going out again in the evening! When we stayed at Indian Creek, about 5 minuts from WDW a few years later, we went back and forth several times a day.:smile:

Don't do it.

Mike

[simker]

I think AOA is well worth it.

Have done so twice and have never been dissapointed.

[xXxArielxXx]

We did AOA in may with thomas cook which was great, we had a lovely townhouse close to disney! :D

[Magic Mouse]

We've done AOA twice, first time we were at Ridgewood Lakes on the US27 and the second we were at Southern Dunes, again a bit further down on the 27.

Both villas were great - no problems at all. I know others do feel Southern Dunes is a bit far and I do agree, I would prefer to be a bit closer but the estate is beautiful and if it was that or nothing then there would be no choice.

Friends of ours have also done AOA and have been a lot closer to Disney so I suppose it's luck of the draw. IMO, if it's the only way you can afford it, then go for it.

[simba]

we ve done AOA past two years and again this year, both lovely villas, 1st villa was at lakes davenport (needed pool cleanin they done it straight away)
2nd villa hampton lakes

[Iloveflorida]

We used AOA villa the first two times we stayed in Florida then found Southern Dunes and fell in love. I love this villa estate so now we request a villa on there every time at only a small cost extra with TCD

[tiff]

Yay, someone else who likes Southern Dunes. I actually like driving away from the built up areas around Disney etc and all the traffic and enjoy driving down to Southern Dunes. We have booked the same villa for next year as we dont want to take the chance on anywhere else. Plenty of places to eat nearby or eat before you drive back to the villa, thats what we did sometimes.

If it boils down to cost, go AOA.

[jasonrat]

A Hot Special Disney Area Standard HomesAddress 3150 Vineland Road S.R 535 , KISSIMMEE 34746 Located in established sub-divisions, all homes are of a good quality and standard, meeting all the basic requirements for a clean, self-catering holiday home. In short, they are perfect for the budget-minded holidaymaker.

Location
All homes are a short drive from an abundant selection of restaurants and shops and conveniently located between 3 and 20 miles away from Walt Disney World, Sea World, and Universal attraction parks.

Room description
All standard homes feature a direct dial telephone, satellite colour TV, radio, central air conditioning and heating, a washing machine and tumble dryer, an iron and ironing board, and towels and linens. A fully equipped kitchen means that meals can be prepared easily: there is a 4 range oven, a full-size refrigerator with freezer, a microwave, a toaster, a coffee maker, a dishwasher, cooking utensils, cutlery, plates, cups and glasses. Master bedrooms feature either a king or queen-size bed with an adjoining full en suite bathroom. Additional bedrooms have either a double bed or twin beds, with at least one shared full bathroom. 3-bedroom homes sleep up to 8 people; 4-bedroom homes sleep up to 10 people and 5-bedroom homes sleep up to 12 people.

Sports/Entertainment
Each home features a private outdoor pool with a screened-in pool deck, complete with sun loungers and a patio table and chairs.

Observations
Guests should register at the Homes Welcome Center, located at 3150 Vineland Road, Kissimmee, FL 34746. The address of their holiday home will be given upon registration and key collection.

ServicesOutdoor PoolRoom FacilitiesBathroomShowerBathHairdryerDirect Dial telephoneTVSatellite / Cable TVRadioKitchenFridgeOvenMicrowaveTea / Coffee facilitiesWashing machineIron & BoardCarpetedIndividual Air-conditionedIndividual HeatingBook nowRoom typeBoard typeAvg. room/nightTotal priceHOM.B3-ST-WP HOME STANDARD-3 BEDROOM-PRIVATE POOL SELF CATERING£ 35£ 483Select HOM.B4-ST-WP HOME STANDARD-4 BEDROOM-PRIVATE POOL SELF CATERING£ 38£ 532Select HOM.B5-ST-WP HOME STANDARD-5 BEDROOM-PRIVATE POOL SELF CATERING£ 45£ 628Select

[BevS97]

I think you've already made up your mind, but the part that says between 3 and 20 miles away from Walt Disney World that says to me, they can pretty much be anywhere.

You will have to pick the keys up on arrival from an office on the 192 and could then have upto a 20 mile drive from that office to your villa.

However, if you are happy with that, then I doubt you will be dissuaded.

[bob_day69]

They are not very likely to say on their website that they will allocate you an unlicensed, old villa in a rough area, the carpet is dirty, the bedding is worn, the furniture old, damp/mould on some of the internal walls, garden unkempt, pool a little green, broken appliances and only 10 feet from the neighbouring home now are they? :-)

I'm not trying to put a downer on your apparent bargain, simply put it into perspective. Villas cost a lot of money to keep and maintain. If the rental income falls significantly short of the costs then anything other than basic maintenance is unlikely to be carried out. It's simply not a sustainable business model. The bottom line is you get what you pay for in this world. You pay Travelodge rates and can't reasonably expect to get Ritz quality room.

You may strike lucky as some obviously have and I hope that you do, but you really need enter into this with your eyes open and set your expectations accordingly. There are many many beautiful homes in Orlando to rent, but equally there are many that you really wouldn't want to spend a night in.




A Hot Special Disney Area Standard HomesAddress 3150 Vineland Road S.R 535 , KISSIMMEE 34746 Located in established sub-divisions, all homes are of a good quality and standard, meeting all the basic requirements for a clean, self-catering holiday home. In short, they are perfect for the budget-minded holidaymaker.

Location
All homes are a short drive from an abundant selection of restaurants and shops and conveniently located between 3 and 20 miles away from Walt Disney World, Sea World, and Universal attraction parks.

Room description
All standard homes feature a direct dial telephone, satellite colour TV, radio, central air conditioning and heating, a washing machine and tumble dryer, an iron and ironing board, and towels and linens. A fully equipped kitchen means that meals can be prepared easily: there is a 4 range oven, a full-size refrigerator with freezer, a microwave, a toaster, a coffee maker, a dishwasher, cooking utensils, cutlery, plates, cups and glasses. Master bedrooms feature either a king or queen-size bed with an adjoining full en suite bathroom. Additional bedrooms have either a double bed or twin beds, with at least one shared full bathroom. 3-bedroom homes sleep up to 8 people; 4-bedroom homes sleep up to 10 people and 5-bedroom homes sleep up to 12 people.

Sports/Entertainment
Each home features a private outdoor pool with a screened-in pool deck, complete with sun loungers and a patio table and chairs.

Observations
Guests should register at the Homes Welcome Center, located at 3150 Vineland Road, Kissimmee, FL 34746. The address of their holiday home will be given upon registration and key collection.

ServicesOutdoor PoolRoom FacilitiesBathroomShowerBathHairdryerDirect Dial telephoneTVSatellite / Cable TVRadioKitchenFridgeOvenMicrowaveTea / Coffee facilitiesWashing machineIron & BoardCarpetedIndividual Air-conditionedIndividual HeatingBook nowRoom typeBoard typeAvg. room/nightTotal priceHOM.B3-ST-WP HOME STANDARD-3 BEDROOM-PRIVATE POOL SELF CATERING£ 35£ 483Select HOM.B4-ST-WP HOME STANDARD-4 BEDROOM-PRIVATE POOL SELF CATERING£ 38£ 532Select HOM.B5-ST-WP HOME STANDARD-5 BEDROOM-PRIVATE POOL SELF CATERING£ 45£ 628Select

[Villainlover]

just looked on Hotelopia and popped in a fortnight 9th to the 23rd of Feb and the AOA are coming in over £3000 .. what dates are you thinking of? wondering how you got such a cheap quote

[shirley]

WE HAVE A BRAND NEW CONDO FOR 10 NIGHTS AT ROUGHLY £28 A NIGHT SO BARGAINS DONT MEaN YOU ARE GETTING THE RUBBISH SURELY FEBURARY IS a slow month so they would offer low prices to get business. the management company is only concerned with their fees im sure they are not concerned that the vill a owner is getting very little. but is that not a chance you take when you use them rather than getting your own bookings direct.i have always got good price for accom and never had a problem so go for it and i hope you have a fab holiday shirley

[bob_day69]

WE HAVE A BRAND NEW CONDO FOR 10 NIGHTS AT ROUGHLY £28 A NIGHT SO BARGAINS DONT MEaN YOU ARE GETTING THE RUBBISH SURELY FEBURARY IS a slow month so they would offer low prices to get business. the management company is only concerned with their fees im sure they are not concerned that the vill a owner is getting very little. but is that not a chance you take when you use them rather than getting your own bookings direct.i have always got good price for accom and never had a problem so go for it and i hope you have a fab holiday shirley

Absolutely their choice.

Bit of a generalisation here but the owners who place their villas with these travel/management companies generally bought on the promise that the income would be sufficient to cover all costs including mortgage payments and there would be a reasonable capital gain over a number of years. As a rule it's an investment that they rarely visit or get involved in.

Being cheap the Travel companies can fill these villas with back to back rentals resulting in excessive wear, tear and premature aging. The owner isn't getting sufficient income to cover costs and it is easy to figure out the result. As you say all they are concerned with is taking their commission off the top.

[WindwardGal]

WE HAVE A BRAND NEW CONDO FOR 10 NIGHTS AT ROUGHLY £28 A NIGHT SO BARGAINS DONT MEaN YOU ARE GETTING THE RUBBISH SURELY FEBURARY IS a slow month so they would offer low prices to get business. the management company is only concerned with their fees im sure they are not concerned that the vill a owner is getting very little. but is that not a chance you take when you use them rather than getting your own bookings direct.i have always got good price for accom and never had a problem so go for it and i hope you have a fab holiday shirley

February is not a slow month for US Guests as the snowbirds are all there and the kids have a holiday. Also often new properties are on building sites!

[Serendipity]

Lin is right, February is only a slow month for the Brits and even then there are still thousands that come over. This is Disney, it's never empty.

However, there are also thousands and thousands of Americans and Canadians that visit in February and March. If you look at Disney's rates you will see it is classed as High season and Presidents week is almost as busy as Easter and Christmas.

As for AOA - it's pot luck and really down to what you feel is improtant in a holiday. A nice home can make your holiday as much as a dump can ruin it and AOA is purely pot luck - you may end up with a palace with all the bells and whistles or you may end up with a home in desperate need of some TLC.

If you feel that location and a quality home is important then book direct with an owner so you can pick exactly what features you want in which location you want.

If you are quite happy to take a gamble and don't mind what or where you are given, then take your chances and book AOA. It'sd a gamble, some you win some you lose.

[TH1]

We had AOA Villas in 2002 and 2005 ( where the Villas were described as "Disney Area")
Our first was in Southern Dunes which was a fair distance from the Parks but the Villa was fantastic and within walking distance to a Walmart. However, it took around 40 mins to drive to and from the nearest park.
Our second AOA was in Lake Berkeley (near Medieval Times) - slightly shorter drive to the Parks but with a Walmart within driving distance, which helped.
In 2006, we booked a "premier villa" with First Choice (described as "Close to Disney")but (surprise, surprise) there was a mix up in the booking which meant that we ended up at Champions Gate which is a great resort but too far out.
The moral is that your villa will more than likely be great but the location may be further out than you wanted...

[janeprice]

Whilst you need to get something that fits your budget, a villa owner needs to get the price that meets his budget otherwise he/she cannot continue to provide quality acommodation. You may be lucky and get a bargain but you may not. If you are in a home that has been let out at low rental rates for a long time and the owner has not had the funds to maintain it, you will get a 'dog'. On the other hand, if you are lucky, you will get a home that is just at the beginning of it's life of being 'hammered' by the tour operators putting in cheap rentals and it will probably be OK.

At the end of the day it is for you to decide whether you want to take the risk. When we were younger, without children, we would (and did) take last minute deals and accepted the risk. It's your call and if your budget won't stretch far enough that is no crime and you should not worry about that. One less risky choice might be a cheaper hotel but one which would be a better quality than a risk of getting a lower quality villa.

Go for value for money within your budget but accept that at that price you will be taking a risk.

Have a good one!

[Diggity-Dog]

I have been worrying about this (AOA) ever since I booked our holiday with Ocean-Florida, although the agent has assured me that the villa will be within one of the areas on their web-site. Having read this thread it has brought all my fears to the fore!

For us it really did come down to money, when we (2 adults kids 14,8,5) first started looking and getting quotes from the main Agents the prices were so out of our league! I decide to book it all separately and got the cost down significantly. When I got the quote from O-F I was really pleased as the trip became viable. Although, we are flying from Stansted to JFK to MCO
rather than Man (which is So much closer to where we live) direct.

We are all looking forwards to our holiday(fly out Good Friday) but I am concerned that at the end of an epic journey, we might end up in a hole! I suppose I just have to seek solace in the fact the trip is costing about 40% of what we were originally quoted.

DH keeps saying it's only going to be a base but I still can't help being more than a tad concerned...

[apollo163]

as others have said you pay your money and take your chance

[tiff]

Is it possible to ask to be moved if the villa really is under par?

[WindwardGal]

I have been worrying about this (AOA) ever since I booked our holiday with Ocean-Florida, although the agent has assured me that the villa will be within one of the areas on their web-site. Having read this thread it has brought all my fears to the fore!

For us it really did come down to money, when we (2 adults kids 14,8,5) first started looking and getting quotes from the main Agents the prices were so out of our league! I decide to book it all separately and got the cost down significantly. When I got the quote from O-F I was really pleased as the trip became viable. Although, we are flying from Stansted to JFK to MCO
rather than Man (which is So much closer to where we live) direct.

We are all looking forwards to our holiday(fly out Good Friday) but I am concerned that at the end of an epic journey, we might end up in a hole! I suppose I just have to seek solace in the fact the trip is costing about 40% of what we were originally quoted.

DH keeps saying it's only going to be a base but I still can't help being more than a tad concerned...


I think you biggest concern should be that its very normal at Easter for the AOA to run out of villas !
I do not want to really worry you but you should be aware that that happens alot.
Easter is the biggest sell out period of the year.
I worked freelance for many years sourcing villas for various travel companies and the times we got phone calls saying we have 20 families on flights and no villas for when they arrive.
Obviously they will do their best to find something but at that stage they have to take whats left which is often nothing.

You need to try an establish from the company where you will be going before you go. They will have a get out clause in their small print and they will of course always house you in a hotel if the worst comes about.

[solo]

Mt advice would be - contact St Kitts, they have 2 lovely villa's @ southern dunes, and the prices are brilliant, especially for the standard of villa you get!!! we stayed in 1 last year and it was fantastic, plus it worked out cheaper than the AOA we had with TCD the year before!! Southern dunes is a lovely community, very quiet and having Walmart @ the enterance was very handy for picking up essential's on the way back to the villa!! The drive to the park's is very straight forward!:wavey:

[Saratoska]

we did AOA with Airtours 2 years in a row both villas were in the same area at the botton for the 192 , location was fine, second villa wasn't as posh as first but still nice and adequate.

we booked a villa as in fly drive and villa seperate on the 27 and for us it was just too far out, we love going out at night for a meal but if we did this we went out during the day and stayed out. having said that that was in 2005 so there might be more restaurants about now.

maybe we were lucky with the AOA, if I had to to it again I think I would do the flydrive and doublely check where the villa is . as someone said alot of them say 10 mins from disney ours did and it was not where near that and I mean no where.

at the end of the day it all hinges on the cost of it all

[Dopeygirl]

Each time we have been we have had an AOA villa and have to admit that they have been great with the exception of one which was lovely but a bit of a let down compared to the others. We always opt for a superior AOA and even though we get a bigger one than we need purely for the lounge and pool areas the price is far cheaper than booking a private villa. We have booked a villa with Broadway Travel this year and you can choose different option such as Highway 27 South or Highway 27 North or Central Kissimmee and they list the estates that they use which at least narrows it down to where you would be staying. We have got a 4 bedroomed superior villa for £700 for the two weeks which I found much cheaper than booking direct.

At the end of the day its down to personal preference. I would rather save the money and have extra spending money.

[Serendipity]

£700 for a 4 bed villa for two weeks is where the problems arise - once the tour operators and management companies have taken their cut and local & state taxes have been paid from the £350 a week, the villa owner doesn't receive enough revenue to cover the basic running costs and has absolutely nothing left at all for repairs, maintenance and general up-keep.

This is where the 'pot luck' comes into it - you could get a villa that is at the start of it's tour operator life which will be well maintained. On the other hand you could get a very tired villa that has had hundreds and hundreds of people trapse through it and is very worn.

As more and more owners realise they cannot afford to run a villa on tour operator rates, the choices of villas for the tour operators will get less and less.

£350 a week for a 4 bed villa is cheaper than booking direct with the owners because most owners know it is physically impossible to operate a quality home at that rate.

[Dopeygirl]

I understand what you are saying but until the owners take a stand the tour operators will continue to rent villas out at that price and holidaymakers like me will continue to book them. If all the prices were more expensive then I would have no option but to pay the price.

[vinamtaylor]

yeah we've used allocated on arrival before and are again this year. OUr villa was ok on Highway 27. Thats a good price, we are getting a 3 bed villa in June for £504 for 2 weeks. As long as the villa is ok and not miles and miles from anywhere we are happy, but we have got the car at the end of the day, so i wouldn't let it spoil my holiday if it wasn't right where i wanted it to be.

[essexmick]

we had an AOA last trip and it was a beautiful villa the bestr weve stayed at

even if you get a villa right down on the 27 go up I4 and your there dont take long at all

[Sable]

The very first time we went AOA and we really loved the villa to death. It was absolutely gorgeous - a wee bit of a drive from the parks but if you're hiring a car a few minutes doesn't really make too much of a difference anyway IMO. Ours was in Country Creek, close to Bass Lakes off the 192 in Kissimmee. We had paid for a 3 bed and ended up with a really great (and BIG) four bedroom. Hope it turns out really well for you! :thumb:

[cazkelly27]

we did something similar in that we picked which estate we wanted and then the actual condo was allocated on arrival. this was fine although with hindsight a ground floor place would have been better.
Caz

[alim]

We did AOA with Virgin and got West Haven and it was fine. Although we are doing Terre Verde this year, we want to be a bit closer to everything.

[Tony_B]

We did the aoa with First choice last October and we were slightly worried about the villa and potential location (i think the agency was the one quoted above). We ended up in a villa on the remington golf club estate (down where the i4 crosses 192), which was 4 bedroom not the 3 requested.
The villa was clean, everything worked, the pool area was good, yes it may have been overlooked but so what, its a lot worse going to a hotel in the costas. Some of the decoration may have been a little bit tired but for the amount of time we spent in the place (probably no more than 8 hours a day(including sleep time!)) and the price we paid (£750) then it was perfectly reasonable.
Don't stress over the villa, if its rubbish complain to the letting company, don't get fobbed off, state clearly what is wrong with the villa and either get them to rectify it or ask for a move.

[Villainlover]

I guess if location, pool area direction/outlook, bed configurations,decoration, type of pool heating and having a jacuzzi/spa are not important them AOA seems fine..

I personally have lots of boxs to check so AOA would not be for me ..

did a package the first time with airtours and had a basic villa with a north facing pool which backed right onto the neighbours pools, only two bathrooms (one was in the master) and had no pool heating in December :confused2 worked out more expensive than booking seperatley too!

I couldn't take a chance on my pool being right next to a road or looking right into next doors pool area, or not having a jacuzzi and one of my top priorities is having enough double beds for the couples in my group ( don't want those 'princess' rooms with twin kids beds for a married couple lol ) or even worse bunk beds :erm:

the villa I choose is not just a base but our 'home' for two/three weeks ..

now flying I would go with the cheapest every time

[madwife]

We did AOA with TCD in 2006 and though we loved the villa - it was too far out for our liking. For that reason - we wouldn't do it again. :wave:

[disneypars]

Hi

We did AOA the first time we went and were out at Hampton Lakes in a 4 bedroomed villa as opposed to a 3 we had paid for. I think the people doing the allocating will always try and provide you with the best available.

Subsequent visits we have always done plenty of research and now look for one with lake/conservation area views.

It is also possibly down to supply and demand as there always appears to be plenty of new estates going up.

Personally I would prefer to pay the same for a villa in Florida as to what some folk are charging for a 2 bedroomed apartment on any of Spain's Costa lotta's.

Personal preference I suppose.

[Tink_gnr]

we are going to be stayin with Elite Villas, allocated on arrival, 4 bedrooms...1 Queen, 1 double, 2 twins, in the disney area. Has anyone else stayed with Elite Villas?

[WindwardGal]

There are loads of Elite Villa Companies. The name was sold as a franchise.

[alxzar]

we did aoa the first time we went in 2004 noproblems at all , it was a lovely villa , the villas we have had since were on par with that so if you go by that ..i think they all seem to be fab ..i want to live in one when i retire .......love em

[WindsorHillsPad]

I agree with Serendipity. The outgoings on these big villas are big. There are an awful lot of bills to pay. From the termite man to the licences to air con filters. There is always ongoing maintenance to do aswell. I hope you find a home you are happy with.

[forever florida]

..I couldn't take a chance on my pool being right next to a road or looking right into next doors pool area, or not having a jacuzzi and one of my top priorities is having enough double beds for the couples in my group ( don't want those 'princess' rooms with twin kids beds for a married couple lol ) or even worse bunk beds :erm:

the villa I choose is not just a base but our 'home' for two/three weeks ..

Completely agree;)

[leeyates]

Me and my partner have just booked for orlando, we found the cheapest option being booking the villa, flights and car separate, as i will be 23 when I go, we found out (in the small print) that driving a car under the age of 25 in america through a hire company cost you an extra $25 a day (surcharge), we found a company that doesnt do this charge (U-SAVE CAR HIRE) for anyone thats interested, the cost for 2 weeks in June are £222. flights, flying with Thomas Cook on the 18th June were £324 p/p and a Villa booked with cosmos in the disney area AOA was £675, at an average cost of £610.50 I think this is quite good, only problem is im a bit worried about the villa being in a good state and in a good location, the brochure states that the picture shown is a typical villa that they rent, is this too good to be true?? anyone with any information or past experience with booking a villa in the disney area through cosmos would be much appriciated

Thanks Lee :smile:

[bubbalee]

We've just cancelled our 'allocation on arrival' villa with First Choice as we hated the not knowing what villa we'd get! We knew we'd be on Windsor Hills, but thats it.

We've kept our flights with FC and are now in the process of booking the villa ourselves! (well, townhouse) I'm much happier now i know where we'll be staying!! :d: