Why stay in Disneyl Villa 2004 rather than a hotel?
Staying in a good hotel or motel in the Disney area can prove very expensive for a family and you'll only get one or two rooms to accommodate everything and everyone. There is no real privacy especially when you need to relax. Other guests can be very noisy.
Disney Villa has all the space you could want as well as a wonderful pool, which your family can enjoy in privacy, comfort and peace. Eating in is so easy. The place becomes yours for the whole vacation - a real home from home.
As individual property owners we've set higher standards than you'll find in properties normally managed by a tour or management companies. The value is outstanding when compared to a hotel or motel in price, facilities, space, privacy, convenience and location.
Where is the villa located?
Disney Villa is located in the beautiful Higlands Reserve Golf community on Highway 27 three miles north of the junction with the I4. It is just a 15 minute drive to Walt Disney World.
How many people can stay in the villa?
The villa will sleep two people in each bedroom, plus two people on a sleeper sofa, for a maximum total of 12. This is the maximum number of guests permitted in the home due to Florida State Fire Regulations and includes all people regardless of age or size.
Can two families share?
Absolutely! In fact many of our bookings are for two families. The living accommodation is very spacious with a large family area, a dining room, a fully equipped kitchen, a breakfast area and a games room. Out back is a fully enclosed sun deck and swimming pool.
Is the villa suitable for children?
Almost all of our guests are families with children of all ages. When the youngsters are not out at Disney or Universal all they?ll want is the swimming pool.There is Playstation 2 with lots of games.
The family room contains the entertainment centre with cable TV, DVD player, VHS recorder,but if the kids want to watch something else there is a cable connected TV in every bedroom and the 2 themed kids rooms have video recorders also, with childrens videos.
With a cot, high chair, playard/travel cot, Monitors, baby walker and stroller, we're also well equipped for younger children.
As a safety precaution all of the exit doors to the pool area are fitted with alarms so that you'll know when the children head for the swimming pool.
How do I make a reservation?
Just drop me a quick email and i will reply asap, or if your prefer you can call me or i will call you.To get the reservation confirmed you'll need to pay a non-refundable deposit.
How do I pay for the rental?
We take sterling or dollar personal cheques, cashier's cheques, or money orders. Wired or mailed payments can be sent directly into our bank account in Florida or in the UK. Alternatively, you can pay securely using PayPal in sterling, dollars or euros. Online payments made by PayPal are subject to a 5% surcharge to cover the transaction costs. We will contact you with payment methods as soon as you send the online booking form.
How do I know that this is the villa that I'll get?
We are not a big Management Company with lots of villas. We only rent the villa you see on our web site. We do not promise you one villa and then on arrival put you somewhere else.
What do we do when we arrive?
You will be sent an arrivals pack with everything you'll need to find the property so you can go straight to the villa from the airport and let yourself in.
The pack will contain a unique code, which will open the Security box by the door in there , there will be a key for you to let yourself in. So there is no trip to the Management Company offices to collect door keys when you've just got off the plane!
How does the security deposit work?
Your security deposit is paid on final payment of your booking or to the Managment Company on arrival. This be returned within 2 weeks of your return, subject to confirmation with the Management Company that the villa and its contents are in the same condition as on your arrival. Any damage, breakages, excessive use of utilities and/or leaving the villa in such condition that warrants extra cleaning will be made good from your security deposit along with an administration charge.
What if we get a problem?
We employ a local property Management Company to look after day-to-day villa operations. The one we chose is friendly, helpful and efficient If you get a problem you can call them anytime and make it their problem. That is what they get paid to do.
What do we need to bring?
Just bring the essentials: clothes, toiletries and some favourite toys for the children. Oh! bring lots of money because there is so much that you'll want to see and do.
Towels? What about towels?
Disney Villa is a luxury villa furnished and fully equipped for self catering. The kitchen is fully equipped with all the modern appliances you'll need plus dishes, cookware, cutlery, coffee maker, toaster and even plastic ware for eating out by the pool. It has a washer and dryer, ironing board, vacuum cleaner and hair dryer. There are Spare sheets for each bedroom and extra towels for each bathroom. We do ask that towels are not removed from the villa and if you intend to visit local water parks or beaches you will need your own beach towels.
The cleaning team leave a small bar of commercial soap and a roll of toilet paper in each bathroom for your arrival convenience. Further supplies are your responsibility during your stay. It is not necessary that you replace these items before your departure. Please note that we do not provide dishwasher or laundry detergent although previous guests may have left some behind.
Can we smoke in the villa?
The villa has a strict no smoking policy You may smoke on the sun deck but please use ashtrays from the cupboard and not crokery. Any damage caused by guests smoking will be taken very seriously and will be claimed against the security deposit.
Can we bring a family pet?
Apart from guide dogs, pets are not allowed.
Is the pool heated?
We charge separately for pool heating but you probably won't need it during the summer as the pool will be naturally warm. It is generally advised to have the pool heated from October to April. If you haven't booked this in advance it can be turned on by the Management Company, however even with our fast, efficient gas pool heater the water may take up to 24 hours to heat up to 86 degrees.
Does the villa have a telephone?
Disney Villa has one telephone number for outgoing and incoming calls. Local calls and select 1-800 numbers to local attractions, airlines & rental car companies will be free of charge. Out of area and international calls are blocked, which means they can only be made with a credit card or a telephone card. The telephone cards from places like Walmart and Walgreens are an especially good deal ? calls to the UK from the villa telephone cost just 9 cents a minute with a Walgreen?s telephone card.
Cable television?
The villa has a mid cable package. There are no pay-per-view channels. The villa has a large television in the Family Room plus DVD, VCR and Hifi. Every bedroom also has it's own cable connected television.
Is maid service included?
The villa is 'self-catering'. The home will be clean upon your arrival and will be cleaned once again when you leave. The villa is equipped with a washer and dryer, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner and mop.
What is the swimming pool like?
The sun deck is completely enclosed in mosquito proof screening. The property backs on to natural woodland making the pool and sun deck very private. The large swimming pool can be quickly brought up to temperature by optional gas heating.
With comfortable loungers, table, chairs this is the perfect cool place to watch your children play in the pool while you read a book or relax and take a nap. The barbeque is perfect for an easy meal and a botle of wine by the pool as the sun goes down.
How private is the villa?
Unlike most vacation villas, Our home backs onto natural woodland Although there are villas to the side of you. This gives you a lot of extra privacy but be careful about going naked because you might just make the pool man's day!
What security is there?
The villa includes a built-in smoke detector system plus a fire extinguisher.
All house exit doors and windows to the swimming pool are fitted with an audible alarm but guests are asked to not allow children to use the pool unsupervised at any time. Use of the pool is at each guest's own risk. No diving is permitted. Crockery and Glassware are not permitted in the pool area at any time.
What are the bedrooms like?
The master suite bedroom has a king size bed. A second master bedroom has a queen size bed, The light house room also has a queen bed. The other three rooms have twin beds in each. Every bedroom has closet space, a chest of draws, a cable connected television and a telephone.
Where is the closest Supermarket?
The villa is located in within 2 minutes of a Publix supermarket one mile north on US 27. Although we prefer to drive a little futher to the Walmart Super Store this again is North on the US27 and takes about 7 mins from our home.
How far away are the main attractions?
The villa is only 10-15 minutes from Walt Disney World. There you can visit The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom as well as themed water parks and Downtown Disney with evening entertainment, restaurants and retail outlets. Sea World is about 20 minutes away and Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure 25 minutes away.
About an hour to the East you will find the Kennedy Space Centre and the wonderful Atlantic beaches of Cocoa and Daytona. Head west and within an hour's easy drive you can visit Busch Gardens or historic old Tampa. Drive on further to find the Gulf Coast with its wonderful warm waters, beautiful silver sand beaches and great fishing in the calm waters of the Caribbean.
Shopping is easy and convenient with a great mall only a few minutes away down at the I4 intersection. However if shopping is a more serious occupation then a 30 minute trip to Florida Mall is well worthwhile.
Are there any medical services nearby?
Walgreens drug store and pharmacy is one mile south on US 27. The Heart of Florida Hospital is 5 miles south on US 27 towards Haines City.
What about a round of golf?
If you are coming to Florida for the golf this would be an ideal location for you as golf is on site There are also courses at Champions Gate; a magnificent PGA championship golf course designed by Greg Norman. A couple of miles south on Highway 27 is the highly recommended Ridgewood Lakes Golf and Country Club championship course.
How hot does Florida get?
At the height of the summer it gets very hot and quite humid. We have a great dual system air conditioning and ceiling fans.
With its warm weather Florida is an all round year destination. The busiest time is from October-April when Americans come to enjoy the mild winters. Most will have left well before the summer arrives, when it can be extremely hot.
The spring temperatures in Florida are in the upper 80's, and lows possible in the 50's. There is plenty of sunshine, but spring showers are common. You should be comfortable in swimwear, shorts and light clothing for the day and sweaters for the cooler evenings.
Typical June through September Florida daily temperatures can be in the 90's. Thunderstorms are possible in the late afternoon, but usually last no more than an hour and can be refreshing. Why not return to the villa during the afternoon, or visit the malls, returning to the theme parks or attractions in the evening to view the shows. Remember to cover up with a high factor sun cream and drink plenty of water. Nonetheless, those who aren't used to it may find 90°F and 70%-90% humidity a strain. Careful pacing, loose, light clothing and a hat with a brim will help. Be particularly careful where long waits in line occur: Some of the theme park attractions can have you standing in the sun longer than you might like.
October to December still offers plenty of Florida sunshine with highs in the 80's and lows in the 60's. This is ideal weather for those who don't want the extreme heat of the summer.
The Florida winter temperatures are cooler, but can still be in the 70's during the day with low temperatures in the evening around the mid 50's. You will still need swimwear and light clothing, but take sleeved clothing or jackets for the cooler evenings. The native Floridians will be noticeable for their warm winter clothing but it's more like spring weather for those of us used to the UK weather.
Average Daily Temperatures
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Florida (°F) 72 73 78 84 88 91 92 92 90 84 78 73
London (°F) 43 45 50 56 62 69 71 70 65 58 50 45
Average Daily Hours of Sun
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Florida 7.3 7.7 8.1 9.3 10.0 9.4 8.6 7.8 7.7 7.3 7.5 6.7
London 1.5 2.0 2.3 5.0 6.1 7.2 6.3 6.0 5.2 3.3 2.2 1.5
But I've never driven in Florida before!
The use of a car is essential. But don't worry; driving in Florida is really easy. If you've not driven in Florida before there are a few things to know.
You are allowed (and expected) to turn right on red at most traffic lights if it is safe to do so. When traffic lights continuously flash yellow it is just a warning - you can proceed with caution.
It is quite normal when highway driving to overtake vehicles on the inside which means that you can happily drive in any lane. If you want to change lane, signal, wait for a gap and then go - everybody does it.
Stop signs at junctions mean just that - you must always stop and then proceed if is safe to do. At four way stop junctions everyone stops before proceeding. It is a very egalitarian system as everyone takes turn to move off across the junction. The rule is that cars leave the junction in the same order that they arrived. It works very well; minimising traffic queues and making roundabouts unnecessary. Going out of turn is considered rude, if you do it by accident, wave to apologise.
You must stop behind a school bus when children are disembarking even if you are in a different lane. Stick to the speed limits. Some automated tollbooths are unmanned so it is worthwhile keeping a few dollars worth of quarters in the car. You don't need to use the parking brake on an automatic car - the car won't move if you leave it in Park.
