Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the homes located?
 
The homes are located in the Dahlia Reserve section of Crescent Lakes. Driving times are:

• Disney - 10 Minutes depending on traffic so-we highly recommend the use of Osceola Parkway toll road!)
• Universal Studio / Sea World - 20 Minutes
• Orlando Airport - 30 Minutes
• Tampa Airport - 1 hour 15 minutes
• Atlantic Ocean Beaches- 1 hour 15 minutes
• Kennedy Space Center - 1 hour

How much time am I losing by not staying on Disney Property and using their transportation?
 
Interesting question: Disney's own brochures warn sternly and frequently that you must all 1 hr. 30 min. in order to go from one area of their property to another: For example, The Contemporary to Epcot or MGM (which could be worse than 1 hour 30 minutes.) This is because the monorail system operates only between the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and the Grand Floridian, Contemporary and Polynesian AND there are very few monorails -- the worst wait at Disney is for the monorails at closing time -- especially after fireworks and parade. The remainder of WDW's transportation system relies on buses. That's right. According to the WDW schedule and map, you can count on a bus every 20 minutes. Having your own car starts to look pretty smart...
 
Aren't homes located in Celebration closer?
 
No!!!!! BEWARE OF THIS FALSE ADVERTISING!! Celebration is an enclave of residential homes which are not permitted to be used as short term rentals. There are no vacation rental properties, by the governing property management association agreement which all home owners are required to participate with, in Celebration. Our research indicates that most of these properties are located in Davenport, Florida, which is considerably farther away from all attractions than Kissimmee. The proposition that any rental homes are in Celebration is entirely false and by law impossible. (Be especially careful if it is just the rental agent that lives in Celebration but the properties are elsewhere!)

What other aspects of advertising "fine print" would you recommend "watching out" for?

• Home advertising "Communal Pool" -- at this price level with 12+ guests the last thing you want to do is have a communal pool. If the price is lower, by a few dollars, check about the pool. Our guests comment over and over that they love the pool, but they really love the hot tub.
• Homes that advertise that they are the closest in "distance" to Disney. This can be extremely misleading. Many times, the ads are really referring to the location of the Management Company or the distance "as the crow flies". More important is the time from the property to the attractions. Twenty five years of "when will be there, Mom?" has taught us that the length of time to the attractions is the key element. Our properties have access to all the major attractions without the traffic jams by only crossing, not traversing, Route 192.
• Homes that advertise 8 bedrooms. The local county government have passed ordinances that do not allow 8 bedroom properties unless they are outfitted to Hotel Building Codes. The fine print usually indicates that the 8th "bedroom" is really a loft. That's fine, if the person who is going to be using that "bedroom" wasn't expecting a door. Again, over 25 years, we learned that the hard way, so we want to save our guests from that bit of embarrassment.
• Homes that advertise "lakeview". Check the pictures carefully -- we have seen many that you have to walk around several other houses in order to get to the "lakeview". In our opinion, being able to drive by a lake doesn't count.

How old are the homes?
 
All of the homes are less than 3 years old. They are constantly maintained to the highest standards and continually updated to add features, equipment, and make sure that there are enough towels, dishes, glasses, etc. for your large group.
 
Do the homes have cable TV?
 
Of course, many also have DVD's, CD's, Home Theatres, VCR's and Karaoke machines. There is no pay per view. In our 6 and 7 bedroom luxury properties, there are at least 4 televisions in each home, including one 35" in the 2 story great room with home theatre, karaoke, DVD, CD, and game ports.
 
Is maid service included?
 
All homes are self catering. The home will be clean upon guest arrival and cleaned after your departure. We can arrange for midweek cleaning for an additional charge of $85. The homes are equipped with washer, dryer, dishwasher, vacuum, brushes, mops, etc. Homes are stocked with soap, toilet paper and garbage bags upon your arrival.
 
Why aren't the houses decorated in Mickey and Minnie or other Disney Characters?
 
For the same reason that none of Disney's resort hotels are: our guests typically see enough of the characters while they are at the parks. And there is much more to Orlando than Disney. We highly recommend that you explore all that Orlando has to offer including world class golf and premium brand shopping, sports, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure (voted #1 Amusement Park in the US), Sea World, CityWalk and more! There's so much Magic, it will keep you coming back year after year to enjoy your old favorites as well as the brand new improved updated and really super - duper stuff they just thought of.

What is provided in the homes? What should I bring?
 
All homes are completely furnished and equipped with linens, towels (including pool towels), all kitchen utensils including plates, cups, glasses (including wine and champagne), silverware, pots and pans, bake-ware, and pool dishes and a barbecue grill and pool furniture. We have also included a hair dryer in every bathroom, as well as iron and ironing board. Whether or not you cook / eat at home is up to you and there are numerous grocery alternatives close by. You should bring you resort clothes, a sturdy pair of walking shoes, and a big smile to where while you enjoy all the magic around you!
 
What type of phone system do you use for long distance?
 
Another interesting fine print detail, that could cost guests 100's of dollars: the long distance system used in other rental properties. We DO NOT use "Just Like Home Dialing". It is expensive and guests are surprised after their vacation at their long distance bills. We have local phone service and we recommend our guests use either their normal phone credit cards or buy prepaid phone cards which are extremely inexpensive. After using the "Just Like Home Dialing" system at our competitors, our guests are happy to arrive home to a reasonable phone bill, not! a ridiculous after charge.
 
Are the pools heated?
 
All our homes have gas, not solar, pool heat available. Although use of the hot tubs are included in the nightly rate, use of the pool heat is not. Pool heat cannot be switched on until full payment has been made. Pool heat is an additional $20/day. The pool will take approximately 5 to 8 hours to heat up to a temperature of 80-82 degrees. That is why we want to know in advance whether you will want pool heat on, so that we can have it nice and comfortable should you and your guests want to take a dip upon arrival - even if that's late.

Where is shopping/grocery stores?
 
All of our homes are located within 10 minutes of grocery stores, including a huge Albertsons 2 miles east on Orange Blossom Trail and a "Super Wal-Mart" which also carries groceries on Route 192. There is also a Publix and Winn Dixie located on Route 192. Goodings grocery store is also located much farther down on Route 192 as well as in the Disney shopping center, however, we do point out to our guests that it is significantly more expensive.

How many guests does the home sleep?
 

• 5 bedroom homes sleep a maximum of 12 -- 5 full bedrooms plus sofabed in the family room or game room (yes, some of them have game rooms!)
• 6 bedroom homes sleep a maximum of 14 -- 6 full bedrooms plus sofa bed in loft
• 7 bedroom homes sleep a maximum of 16 -- 7 full bedrooms plus sofa bed in loft
• While you can use the loft as a bedroom - we don't count it as such in our pricing or our advertising. Beware of those who do.

What makes Estate Vacation Properties different?
 
These properties feature both significantly larger square footage and upgraded features in comparison to other properties offered with the same bedroom sizes. These homes were built specifically for this purpose and have the largest square footage

• Each Estate Home is on an estate size lot, overlooking a private lake (rather than 5 other adjoining properties within 100 feet -- take a good look at our competitors pictures).
• Our homes feature stand alone hot tubs and gas barbecue grills included in the nightly rate.
• We don't advertise or count the loft as a bedroom.
• All of our bedrooms are full size.
• We provide living space that is needed for the large parties we host.
• We have equipped them intelligently: gourmet kitchens, entertainment centers with karaoke machines, stand-alone hot tubs. (We didn't spend the extra to have designer paint on the walls - but we surveyed our guests and they don't seem to mind.)
• We provide the luxuries you want and need in a way that we can still offer intelligent and affordable pricing.

What happens if I have to cancel my reservation?
 
   Stays of 5 Nights or more: All amounts refundable if cancellation is 45 days prior to arrival. Less than 45 days prior to arrival, deposit is forfeited unless another booking is made.
 
   Stays of less than 5 nights: All amounts refundable if cancellation is 15 days prior to arrival. Less than 15 days prior to arrival, deposit is forfeited unless another booking is made.
 
What happens if I fail to make payment of my balance due within 30 days prior to my scheduled arrival?
 
If payment has not been received either via credit card authorization or check received no later than 10 a.m. on the 30th prior to your arrival, your reservation will be cancelled, and your reservation deposit forfeited unless it is applied to another booking in the future.
 
What if I make a reservation less than 30 days prior to arrival?
 
Your balance is due immediately upon confirmation of reservation. If it is not received within 48 hours of confirmation of reservation, your reservation will automatically be cancelled and your deposit will be subject to the conditions described above.