First Time .....................

[Vincent Pybis]

Hi All

This will be my first visit to florida .we cant wait.

We are going in Sept and havent booked anythign yet but the prices look good.
i want to spend a week at the parks and then head down the coast. there are two adults one child in our party but we may meet up with another 3 adults 3 kids .

Whats the best way to go/ Villa or hotel We dont want to stay together so our party will be 3 in total

thaks in advance
Vincent

[christhear]

I would recommend a villa, but then I am slightly biased. There are normally only 3 of us, has been just 2, but it great being in a villa.
So much room to spread out, most villas have games consoles, some have games rooms and there's also the pool.
Use the links at the top to put out a general enquiry for both villas in Orlando and on the coast.
As you're travelling outside the school holidays you should be able to pick up flights at great prices too.

[Paula D-S]

I would not think of anything other than the villa route.
You are going to love Florida and you've come to the right place to find all this wonderful state has to offer.[8D]

[ShirleyD]

You certainly can't beat a villa or condo for freedom. Meaning the kids can take a nap in the day if they want to, without you having to sit with them in a boring room and wait for them to wake up or have breakfast in your own time. If one of you wakes up early, you don't have to lie there awake for hours waiting for everyone to wake up. You say you don't want to share a villa with yor friends, we have done this several times, but kept our holidays separate by having our own cars. We did often start off at parks together, but would go our own ways as something would distract each party. On arrival in the parks we would book lunch, so we could meet up later. Alternately, you could book two homes on a complex or estate

[Ray&Sarah]

We would go the villa route too, and not because we are biased either.[msnsmile] We love the extra freedom a villa gives you, there are some lovely ones on the links attached to this forum in both the Orlando and Gulf Coast areas, you will be spoilt for choice.[msnsmile]

[Vincent Pybis]

Looks like it's a villa then!!!

Now all i have to do is find one?

For what i save on the flights .(as it is out of school time)

I would like a Villa for two weeks but i do intend spending some time down the coast ?

Whats the best bet .use my Orlando one as a base for the two weeks so i can leave my cases and book a hotel on the coast or...........book a villa for one week in each ?

[Magical Dreams]

Vincent

There are owners on the gulf coast too on here!

Spoilt for choice!! :D:D

[Cruella DeVilla]

Oh you are gonna love it, the first time is always magical. Welcome to the forum btw.

[mollymolly]

We would go for a villa every time. The luxury of a private pool, plenty of space, fridge/freezer = cool drinks, BBQ etc. Follow the links and have a look at some of the villas. You won't be disappointed.[msnsmile]

Bernadette & Paul

[Kazzie]

I would recommend that you book 2 seperate villas, rather than use a hotel. Once you have stayed in a villa you wont be satisfied with a hotel[msnwink]

Karen

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Vincent Pybis
Looks like it's a villa then!!!

Now all i have to do is find one?

For what i save on the flights .(as it is out of school time)

I would like a Villa for two weeks but i do intend spending some time down the coast ?

Whats the best bet .use my Orlando one as a base for the two weeks so i can leave my cases and book a hotel on the coast or...........book a villa for one week in each ?

[/quote]

[pepsi]

I too would go for 2 villas. Staying in a villa is so much better than a hotel. You have freedom and space to do as you please. I love getting up in the morning and taking my breakfast and going to sit by the pool - bliss!!

[ShirleyD]

I would go for two villas as well. If you were to have a home in the Disney area and go to the coast for a few days in a hotel, then you would be wanting to get back to the space and your own pool. That could spoil your time on the coast.

[charkyry]

WE USED A HOTEL RECENTLY (booked before i knew about this site)and it was awful i wish i hadnt ended on the last day with my son cutting his foot open on glass in the hotel pool go for a vlla

[Pegasus928]

We have done hotel holidays around Europe, and Florida was the first time we tried a villa.
Now - regardless of where we plan to go in the world - we would never go any other way than in a villa.
I must say though Vincent that if you really do plan on doing the parks for a week you will definately need a week by the coast for a rest.
Have a look through the trip reports on this forum and you will see exactly what people get done during their time there.
Pegasus

[KarenScott]

Hi
Hope you are enjoying beginning planning your first visit to Florida. You can look to this forum to help you organise yourself for your holiday.
I would agree with the other replies you have had, two villas would be ideal, so much more flexible than one hotel room and you are probably going to pay the same[msnscared]
What you need to do is put out an enquiry on the villa links at the top of the page and specify your dates plus any special requirements you may have such as hot tub, games room, lake view etc[msnwink] and then owners will contact you:D
Enjoy the planning[msncool]

[E. Cosgrove]

The first time we went to Florida we did a week in a hotel and a week on the coast, we had a fantastic time and it was the start of our love affair with the US in general and Florida in particular.
It was long before we knew anything about renting villas and 4 of us squeezed into one hotel room.....the only downside to our holiday [msnsad]
Stay in a villa and you will wonder why you ever even considered staying in a hotel!!
Have a great time and have fun planning, it's almost as good as the holiday it'self[msnwink]

[MarkJan]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by E. Cosgrove
The first time we went to Florida we did a week in a hotel and a week on the coast, we had a fantastic time and it was the start of our love affair with the US in general and Florida in particular.
It was long before we knew anything about renting villas and 4 of us squeezed into one hotel room.....the only downside to our holiday [msnsad]
Stay in a villa and you will wonder why you ever even considered staying in a hotel!!
Have a great time and have fun planning, it's almost as good as the holiday it'self[msnwink]
[/quote]

We did exactly the same. No contest really between villa and hotel.
Have a great time.

[jovi]

Word of warning though[:O] <span style="color:red">BEWARE!!!! </span id="red"> Once you have stayed in a villa, that's it, you will <span style="color:red">NEVER</span id="red"> repeat <span style="color:red">NEVER</span id="red"> want to stay in an hotel again.[msneek][msnscared][msnwink][msnsmile2] Have a great time choosing your villa, it's hard beleive me[msneek]. Have fun.

[JoRo]

I agree with all the others! We used to stay in a room with our kids when we first went to Florida - not good when you all wake up at different times.
If you are meeting friends and they want a villa you can probably get 2 close by. Meet up but then have your own space!
Joyce

[TracyAndDean]

Like most of the replies on this thread I agree the villa option wins every time (though I am also biased!). Out with the pokey hotel rooms with out dated furniture, in with the spacious, modern villas with private pools. :D:D:D

[palmvillas]

We agree with the rest of you a villa is best,there is just the 2 of us now the children have flown the nest but we love staying in the villa.We used to syay in the Disney hotels usually the Boardwalk and it is realy great there but i find the villa much more relaxing, when you have had a meal on an evenining you can sit around the pool and have a glass or 2 of wine but in a hotel room you are just back to your room and the T V.
The pool and wine win over the T V every time.
Have a great holiday.

Debbie

[Vanessa]

I agree once you've stayed in a Villa you will NEVER want a hotel again. You will have a great time. Enjoy!

[eastcoastbranch]

I would book a villa in Orlando and a villa on the coast. Have a great time when it comes.
Here are the 3 sites for searching for the villas
http://www.orlandovillas.com
http://www.villasflorida.com
http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com

Don`t forget the great car hire and park tickets
http://www.floridahire.com/
http://www.park-tickets.com/

Hannah.

[mfairhurst]

I would go for the villa everytime plenty of room and sleep in if you want to ,We find that in hotel or motel, Cleaners around very early and people going out at all times to fly back in the early hours so a villa is best for privacy . Your own pool ,Privacy and go out when and if you want ,Hotel you go out because cleaning staff needs to go in everyday , Lots of other reasons too many to write take all day .
Have a great holiday MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas/villas/1683.aspx

[bjpointon]

@Luxury and Freedom in the Sunshine' book villas.

[Albert the Frog]

I'm only repeating what everybody else is saying and I'm a renter not an owner-our first year we did a week in a villa in orlando then a week in a hotel in Clearwater-we have never gone back to a hotel! The difference is hard to put across but just read the comments. For your second week on the coast Clearwater or St Pete's are quite lively depending on what you're looking for-We've also stayed in Naples which is a little further but well worth the effort it's beautiful and we found very quiet and restful giving you a chance to recuperate after the parks.In short though, for me, I'd go 2 villas-parks week 1 and either St Pete's or Naples depending on your kids ages for week 2-Whatever you decide you are in for a treat-I'm addicted. [msncool]

[ShirleyCottam]

I too would go for 2 villas and in fact thats what I hope to do next year. I am going to have 2 weeks in my villa, and then rent a villa from an owner on this forum for a third week near the coast.....magic !

I agree with all the others, after spending time cramped in a hotel room, with my 2 sons, one snoring and the other grinding his teeth I will never stay in a hotel again on a family holiday, a villa is the way to go![msncool]

Enjoy Florida!

[Sazere]

Having experienced many hotel holidays (although not in Florida) I would like to say my first visit to Orlando with my hubby and in-laws was a total revelation! When people say home from home they are joking, as the villas I have stopped in are usually very luxerious with every possible necessity. From washing machine to ice maker, besides where else can you sit in the pool at night and yet still only be a couple of yards from your bedroom, lol! Easy for kids and parents alike.

Having now visited Orlando several times the only difficulty we have is deciding which villa to rent as they all look fab![msnwink]

[lorraine51]

Villa every time,you're your own boss then no need to be timed for anything come and go as you please and its lovely to have the peace and quiet if you want it after the busy times at the parks.