View Full Version : Looking for a villa
Hi
I'm new here, so if I do it all wrong, please don't tell me off [:I]
I am looking for a 4 bed villa somewhere near Disney. Ideally I would like one of the rooms to have 3 single beds in. For 1st April 2007 for 14 nights. Any advice about flights, car hire etc would be great too, as we have never been to Orlando before.
Thanks
alan price
16-03-2006, 14:38
Hi Kate,
Welcome to the forum, happy to have you.[msnsmile2]
I'm sure you'll find the right villa for your family, there's plenty to choose from and they are all lovely.
You can go to the general inquiry section on the home page and make an inquiry and all the villa owners who have availability will get back to you directly.
This sight can also offer you car higher and flights and lots of information to make your holiday succsseful.
Kim
Magical Dreams
16-03-2006, 15:00
Hi Kate
Welcome to the forum
Try the links above for villa searching for villas, the links are also below to make it easy for you.
http://www.orlandovillas.com/
http://www.villasflorida.com/
http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/
Good luck in your search for a home!
[msnsmile2][msnsmile2][msnsmile2][msnsmile2][msnsmile2][msnsmile2]
Cruella DeVilla
16-03-2006, 15:12
Welcome to the forum Kate, as the other have already said try the links above and you will have plenty to choose from.
steph_goodrum
16-03-2006, 15:12
Hi Kate
Welcome to the forum, you're doing everything exactly right so far. Put in an enquiry for your requesred dates and preferences, many people like ourselves, may not have 3 single beds in 1 room but have 1 or more rollaway beds that can be moved into either the parents room or bedroom as often the children do want to share a room, especially if there is one themed room.
Hopefully by the time you come to your holiday you will feel like an expert on FLorida with all the tips and info you've picked up on here.
KarenScott
16-03-2006, 15:21
Hi Kate
Hope you have fun reading your replies when you do your enquiry. You should try and put special requests in your enquiry as that helps filter out homes that can accommodate you.
As Steph says most owners would have a roll-a-way bed that can be used if you want three in one room, I am assumming that it would be for a child
[msnsmile2] Wow thank-you for all your replies and your help
I have had a look at all your villas, they are all beautiful. We have never been to the USA before (have to get passports sorted out)
Going to check with my in-laws to see if they definitely want to come with us, then I will know for sure how many bedrooms I need and can book somewhere.[^]
steph_goodrum
16-03-2006, 16:20
Hi Kate
You mention passports, can I just make a suggestion that even though you are not intending to travel until next year , it may pay to apply for them sometime during the summer this year.
The reason being that in order to travel to the US on the Visa waiver programme, any passports issued after 26th Oct this year must include a chip with biometric information. I'm not sure of the current state of play but the UKPA seems to think there may be trouble implementing this in time for UK passport holders to comply (and even if they can it will complicate getting the passport as you will have to go to a recognised centre to have the information collated as obviously it can't be put on a form).
Any passport issued between Oct last year and this must have a digital photo on the data page but I believe this is automatically done now.
If any of your party needs a Visa for any reason then you should allow pleanty of time to apply for your passport and then your Visa.
Hello Kate a big welcome to the forum [msnsmile]
Kim
Thanks Steph,
I had heard about the passport problem (the new ones will probably be loads more expensive too) I will get them sorted before October this year and then we will be sorted out for the next 10 years!! It might be a long process to sort mine out too, as since my last passport I got married, divorced and remarried, so I hope it's not too complicated.
luckylady
16-03-2006, 17:37
You will have a great choice Kate, if you use the links at the top of this page
You will have more choice than you can ever imagine
[msnsmile2][msnsmile2][msnsmile2]
Hi Kate,
Don't forget if you need car hire or park tickets, you've come to the best place as well[msnsmile2]
www.park-tickets.com
http://www.uscarhire.co.uk/
Dawn
steph_goodrum
16-03-2006, 18:34
Shouldn't be too bad Kate, as long as you have all the relevant certificates, it's just a case of putting in the dates, when you come to do them if you pay a fee (think it is around £10 each but was £5 when I used it) at a main Post Office, they will check the form and all the relevant documents and send it priority and if you don't get your passport back within 10 working days the fee is refunded. It's much easier as you don't have to risk sending off originals of birth/marriage certificates etc. so don't have to worry about them getting lost in the post.
The one stickler at the moments is the photgraphs, my 13 year old nephews passport needed to be renewed for a Rugby club trip he is going on and the UK passport office sent the photo back 3 times before they were happy it met their criteria.
Hi Kate
welcome to the forum can i give you a quick piece of advice when looking for a villa have a look at the 5 bed ones as well as the 4 bed
we had originally planned on getting a 4 bed but a better priced 5 bed villa came back in our search results
sometimes the smaller villa is not always the cheaper option
Mizzy
Ray&Sarah
16-03-2006, 20:29
Have fun planning your trip Kate, you are sure to get a nice lot of villas to choose from once you submit an enquiry.[msnsmile2]
steph_goodrum
16-03-2006, 20:38
"sometimes the smaller villa is not always the cheaper option"
Just to turn it around a little as well Mizzy, sometimes the cheaper option is not necessarily the better villa.
Price is always going to be a factor in most peoples decision making process but, especially for what is often a one off trip in a lifetime for some families, but imo shouldn't be the main criteria.
Just as, when I do any shopping, I look for value for money as much as individual price and where better quality is reflected in a higher price I will pay that to get what I want.
jackie greaves
16-03-2006, 21:01
Couldn't agree more Babblin Boo. You get what you pay for at the end of the day.
E. Cosgrove
17-03-2006, 11:30
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by KateUK
Thanks Steph,
I had heard about the passport problem (the new ones will probably be loads more expensive too) I will get them sorted before October this year and then we will be sorted out for the next 10 years!! It might be a long process to sort mine out too, as since my last passport I got married, divorced and remarried, so I hope it's not too complicated.
[/quote]
All you will need to do is send you marriage certificate Kate, I think it has to be the original and not a copy, but it will say somewhere on the form.
Good luck:)
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by steph_goodrum
"sometimes the smaller villa is not always the cheaper option"
Just to turn it around a little as well Mizzy, sometimes the cheaper option is not necessarily the better villa.
Price is always going to be a factor in most peoples decision making process but, especially for what is often a one off trip in a lifetime for some families, but imo shouldn't be the main criteria.
Just as, when I do any shopping, I look for value for money as much as individual price and where better quality is reflected in a higher price I will pay that to get what I want.
[/quote]
i think there is a little misunderstanding here for which i do apologise, i was NOT saying that the cheaper option is best when looking for a villa
i am well aware that the best villa is the one that suits individual families needs when it comes to facilities, location, criteria, budget etc
i was merely stating that a 4 bed is not always lower in cost than a 5 bed and like me perhaps a lot of families would automatically assume that a 5 bed would cost more
Mizzy
steph_goodrum
17-03-2006, 14:13
Mizzy
You shouldn't feel you need to apologise, and I'm sorry if you felt you should, but just wanted to point out to some that may not realise that they should use other criteria than price to base their final decision.
As you say when choosing a villa to stay in , it's purely personal for the family concerned and what suits some may not suit another, some people for example will pay a premium price for a lakeview, others may prefer not to have another risk nearby to consider if they have inquisitive youngsters. It's not like buying a tin of Heinz beans for example, where it doesn't matter where they come from they will always be the same so you can buy the cheapest and still know you are getting the same end product.
I have to agree with Mizzy I often look at villas with more bedrooms than we require, we have in the past stayed in a three bed and only used the master as we only had a baby with us, now we only really need 4 beds but I look at 5 and 6 bedroomed villas too, however I also have to agree that the cheapest is not in most cases the best, you get what you pay for[msnwink]
I think you need to have a 'wish list' of your requirements and go from there[msnsmile2]
Happy hunting[msnwink]
Speaking as one whose home has a fantastic lake view, and for all owners who do have great lake views, renting a home on/near a lake carries no more of a risk than renting any other type of home. These villas generally have uninterrupted views of a wildlife paradise, which can be enjoyed by all from within the privacy and seclusion of the pool deck screening.[msnwink][msnsmile2][msnsmile2]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by steph_goodrum
... some people for example will pay a premium price for a lakeview, others may prefer not to have another risk nearby to consider if they have inquisitive youngsters. [/quote]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Carla
Speaking as one whose home has a fantastic lake view, and for all owners who do have great lake views, renting a home on/near a lake carries no more of a risk than renting any other type of home. These villas generally have uninterrupted views of a wildlife paradise, which can be enjoyed by all from within the privacy and seclusion of the pool deck screening.[msnwink][msnsmile2][msnsmile2]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by steph_goodrum
... some people for example will pay a premium price for a lakeview, others may prefer not to have another risk nearby to consider if they have inquisitive youngsters. [/quote]
[/quote]
I can only agree with Carla, we have only stayed at villas with lake view for the last 7 years, with 5 children ranging from toddlers up to older teens and love the tranquil settings and watching the wildlife. Children should be supervised constantly around the pool area so a lake carries no added risk what so ever!
This photo taken from Carla's villa which we stayed at in 2004 is one of the best we have ever stayed in!
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/Mach 2/2005917165339_DSCN0002.jpg
steph_goodrum
18-03-2006, 20:16
My observation wasm't meant as a slight against lake views or anything in particular, just an observation that what one finds a premium others would not and that was the first thing that came to mind.
My godson (now 20) is autistic and as a youngster his mum would have had no relaxation at all staying anywhere near a lake or wildlife as he was fascinated by both and on a couple of occasions in the Uk even, escaped from holiday places they were staying at and would invariably be found dangerously near to the water (or in it on at least one occasion). If there was an alligator in the lake he wouldn't worry about signs that said it was illegal to feed them if he wanted to he would. Screens wouldnt help as he would just walk out of the front door and around.
That's the beauty of booking any home yourself you can find out exactly what suits your family rather than have the tour operator do it for you.