Returned and looking at going back

[Donz1979]

So the once in lifetime holiday looks like it has gave us the Disney bug! Looking at returning 2021. Hubby is keen to stay in a villa rather than hotel. I have never booked a villa holiday before, how do you do this and does it need to be seperate accomodation and flights and car? There is only 2 adults and 1 child (he be 10) would want private pool. Thanks

[thefergies]

You can book a villa holiday as a package via travel agent or tour operator or you can do it all yourself booking the components separately. Whole threads dedicated to DIY with info on flights, entire villa owners section etc. If booking villa, consider going with additional family or friends to share cost.

[mick]

For the last maybe 17 or 18 visits we have always stayed in a 4 bed villa even though there's only the two of us.

You can certainly book a package holiday with the likes of Virgin Holidays which can include flights, accommodation and car hire but unfortunately VH don't own any villas. They can only offer you broad areas such as "Davenport" (which embraces maybe scores of communities) or maybe a named community. What they can't do is offer a specific villa as they are allocated separately by a villa lettings company.

Also you need to be cautious with car hire included in the basic price as it may not include adequate insurance.

We always book the three elements separately. Never booked a DIBB villa but there's loads on here. We always fly direct with either VS or BS (and four times recently with TC ). Car hire is a thread in itself but loads of regular helpful people on here who can give advice.

Good luck with your choices and ultimate decision

Mick

[mick]

I've posted this before a number of times but it may be useful.

Why villa over hotel?


1. Park at your front door not a mile away
2. Lots of space to spread out
3. Own private pool within 20’ of lounge
4. Own spa to watch the sun rise and set
5. Pop back inside any time for drinks – hot or cold
6. Spare bedroom to store shopping
7. Spare bedroom for family occasionally joining us (after notifying owner obviously)
8. Choice of bathrooms if one engaged – including one on the pool deck
9. Eat meals and snacks whenever you like prepared in the full kitchen
10. Listen to your own music without offending fellow guests and neighbours.
11. Watch TV in the lounge or bedroom (s)
12. Watching the mockingbird attack the hawks on the pool screen
13. Separate walk in shower in the master bathroom plus a large tub
14. Ability to keep on top of the clothes washing

Mick

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Mick. You missed the big one off! Probably a lot less than half the price of 1 bedroom in a Disney Hotel.

[mick]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

Mick. You missed the big one off! Probably a lot less than half the price of 1 bedroom in a Disney Hotel.

See more...

Tom

Never done it but I know that's correct. We can also eat perfectly nice $25 fillet steaks at Longhorn which are just as nice as $50 ones from WDW restaurants.

Mick

[mason1]

It depends what you’re comfortable with and what you want. The 1st time we went we did a package through Virgin for flights, villa and car hire. However, since then we’ve done everything separately. We like to know where we are staying, and what’s in the area. Virgin were allocation on arrival, so meant we didn’t know where we could end up - we also had to register at the management company the following morning etc.

If you want to book separately, have a look at the Villa section here on the Dibb to get an idea of locations and costs. It will also help to narrow down any specific requirements you may have - eg games room, themed bedroom, distance to Disney etc.

As you’re planning for 2021 there will be lots of availability for villas.

We tend to book a fly drive with BA, as it’s worked out cheaper than flight and car separately- there are threads on flights etc to help get an idea on costs.

There are other websites available for villa rentals. As a rentor you always have a nagging feeling as to whether everything will be ok - we’ve not had any problems so far, although our last 4 rentals have been through Dibb owners.

[uktigg]

We always now book a flydrive with VH (gives you ATOL protection) and bood villa separately.

In 2012 when we first used VH for everything, we had no end of problems with the Villa (they used Contempo)
Firstly, We paid to have the pool heated for the 2 weeks we were there. Pool heating hadn't been working for months apparently, so we weren't happy about that.
Secondly, the fridge decided to give up the ghost in a very loud and not plesant fashion at 3AM!. Not good with an insulin dependant diabetic with you.
After the 1st week of me going into the office evey day, we managed to get moved to a larger villa, with working fridge and pool heat. However we had added guests of dead cockroaches, as it looked like it hadn't long been fumigated.

It was at this point we decided that we would always get our own villa, which has worked well for us since.

Going back in april and staying at Grand Reserve. Never been so far south, but it's worth it by the looks of the pics.