International tourism to the United States and Florida has begun to show some life. Back in October of 2009, we blogged about the forecast of inbound international travel for 2010. At the time, it seemed overly optimistic that there was any possibility of improvement. The latest tourism trends continue to show that international travel spending is on the upswing.
The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) reports that international visitors spent 15% more in June 2010 than they did during the same period in 2009. This translates into about $1.4 billion more for June, 2010. Some additional noteworthy points that were part of this travel and tourism report:
This marks the sixth consecutive increase in monthly international tourism growth
Passenger airfares received from international visitors is up 17% from 2009 to 2010
2010 spending by international visitors is up 7% YTD.
Spending by Americans on domestic travel and tourism is only up 2% for 2010 YTD.
For the latest OTTI update with historical spending data, please click here.
This increase in aggregate international tourism would parallel what we are seeing in Orlando. Robust demand for new attractions has helped drive incremental improvements in demand for local lodging including area vacation rentals. International travellers particularly enjoy vacation homes because of the affordable luxuries. For instance, the “Made for Canadians” promotion helped spur renewed interest in Orlando tourism as well as rental homes as the accomodation of choice.
Moreover, due to the longer length of stay, having the comforts of home makes any vacation more enjoyable. These amenities often include wireless internet, game rooms, ample living space and privacy. For reviews on over 80 resort vacation home communities, please click on our profiles located on the main page.
Holidays at Universal Studios® and Walt Disney World® make for the perfect Orlando Christmas. In addition to these great parks, celebrate the season in you very own private vacation home complete with such luxuries as multiple bedrooms and private bathrooms, wireless internet, gameroom and family friendly home theatres. Top notch vacation home communities such as Vista Cay Resort are located just minutes from Universal and Disney..
A sampling of memorable and recommended holiday events in and around Orlando include:
Universal Studios Orlando will feature festive holiday activities such as the Macy’s Holiday Parade with floats and ballons from the namesake parade in NYC. Marching bands from all over the country will also attend making the musical entertainment quite special. Music recorded by Mannheim Steamroller will fill the air with melodic merriment to suit the entire family. The “Holiday Concert Series” and Grinchmas™ at Universal Studios are all fan favorites as well.
Not to be outdone, Walt Disney World® sponsors among others Mickey’s Very Merry Chrismas Party and the Epcot Candlelight Processional during the holidays. Perhaps nowhere else on Earth offers such great family friendly entertainment for everyone to enjoy? Mickey’s Very Merry party will debut on November 8th and run sporadically through December 19th. Click here for specific Disney dates. The Epcot Holidays Around the World – Candlelight Processional is slated to begin on November 26th and delight nightly through December 30th. Consult the Candlelight Processional website for specific times and more information.
Another memorable holiday idea for the family is to stop by the downtown area in Celebration, Fl. The town goes all out to decorate storefronts and beautiful residential homes for a “Christmas in Celebration, Florida” theme. In 2008, the town introduced “snowing” machines which are actually soap bubbles made to look like real snow. This show typically starts at 6 p.m. and runs to 9 p.m. nightly. The town of Celebration is just south of Orlando and is minutes away from most area vacation home communities.
And by the way, if you had the good fortune to be in Orlando on Christmas eve, how would you plausibly explain how Santa would or could visit your hotel room to your kids? Answer: Kids are too smart these days, it cannot be done. The only solution is to stay in your very own Orlando rental home during the holidays. Ole’ Saint Nick will be happy to see you as well. You can bake brownies and cookies for him right in your own self-catering kitchen. Have a great time in Orlando for the holidays!
The 2010 Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando® should be a thrilling monthlong Fall event. Official dates for HHN 2010 on the Universal Studios Orlando website have now been announced. This is the 20th year of this popular holiday happening. The official dates are as follows:
September 24th, 25th, 30th
October 1-3, 7-10, 14-17, 20-24, 27-31
As we have blogged before, this is one of Orlando’s top events for the year. HHN events include a costume parade, spooky haunted areas, and live entertainment. Additional attractions include scary creatures, monsters and hellish beasts during each of the even dates. Due to the frightening theme, this will not be suitable for young children.
Make your Orlando travel plans now and maximize your holiday enjoyment by staying in an Orlando or Kissimmee vacation rental. Vacation homes provide excellent value and are extremely affordable. Luxurious amenities for many homes include wireless internet, private pools and well landscaped resort grounds.
To assist you with your vacation planning and to detail each of the resort communities available, consult our resort reviews on the main page of our site. This detailed research is designed to make planning easier and to better match your expectations with what each community has to offer.
Please Note: Dates are subject to change at any time. Please consult the Universal Orlando website for possible itinerary or event time changes.
You’ve visited multiple sites looking for the best Orlando homes for your vacation. The problem is that many online websites only carry partial information for only a handful of resort communities. They may also only have reviews for only a fraction of rental homes. You need a site that is comprehensive that will save you valuable time with straightforward reviews and information.
Our Orlando vacation home community reviews are designed to be concise, detailed and independent. We rate each community from One to Five Stars utilizing an extensive vacation home evaluation process. Over 80 communities are rated on our main page. Each of the community profiles include pertinent criteria such as location, on-site amenities and upkeep of the resort during the time of the review.
Location- Most of the resort communities are concentrated in Kissimmee, Clermont and Davenport. Insider knowledge of where each community is located relative to one another will save you valuable time waiting in local traffic.
On-Site Amenities – Looking for playable tennis courts or outstanding clubhouse facilities? One of the benefits of a resort community is often the presence of recreational amenities. However, not all communities include these on-site. Each of our resort reviews contains this valuable information.
Resort Upkeep- Most area resorts do a fabulous job with grounds and landscaping. Our video footage and pictures will give you a good idea of what to expect before arrival. Every resort guest wants to feel special and enjoy the marvelous scenery the Orlando area has to offer. Just like visiting the area theme parks, ambiance is a part of the overall experience.
Before you book any vacation home accommodations, be sure to consult our community reviews area. The information mentioned above along with the latest theme park tidbits are posted on the website. Our unique review process is designed to give you insights found on no other website. Have a great time while visiting the Orlando area!
Orlando, Florida is a great place for a family vacation:
World class theme parks
A plethora of kids educational and entertainment options
A bevy of restaurants
A multitude of vacation rental lodging options
Orlando is unique. Unfortunately, many travellers do not consider family friendly vacation rentals as a viable lodging option.
Family vacations in Orlando are made even better by staying in an area vacation rental. Typical rentals range from 3 bedrooms up to 7 bedrooms sleeping a maximum of 17 persons. Villas are an especially good lodging option for larger families with private bathrooms/bedrooms and large living spaces. Just like hotels, there are many rental choices available for every family.
Let’s look in depth at a few reasons why vacation home rentals are such a popular selection for families:
Security and Privacy – Many gated and guarded communities offer the ultimate in security and privacy for your family. Every Mum will be pleased with the safe and secure environment vacation home communities have to offer.
Locationand Convenience- Most rental homes are located in Davenport, Clermont, Orlando and Kissimmee. Many of these neighborhoods and subdivisions are located just minutes from popular Disney and Universal Studios attractions which saves valuable transit time for your family. This will keep any Dad from losing his wits while otherwise driving in traffic.
Space and Size – Instead of staying in a shoebox, why not enjoy the luxury of multiple bedrooms and baths? Large living areas allow your family to spread out and relax. This will keep the siblings from fighting and otherwise jangling the parents’ nerves.
Sun and Fun – Comfy amenities such as private individual pools, home movie theatres and game rooms provide the recreational opportunities that every family will enjoy. Instead of fighting over lounge chairs at a crowded hotel pool, why not enjoy your very own private accommodations?
Resort Amenities- Family oriented playground areas and public area amenities such as tennis, ping pong, arcade games, billiards and more are often available in resort style club communities. This will keep the kids occupied while enjoying good clean fun.
Quality and Value – Rental rates for Orlando vacation homes can vary quite a bit. However, doing your own research can provide you peace of mind and instill confidence in your rental options. We rate most of the existing vacation home communities from 2 Stars to 5 Stars so you can make your own “value” based reservation decision. This is good for Mom and Dad’s overall satisfaction.
Our site is designed to provide you do the tools and details necessary to accomplish just this. Over 80 Orlando resort reviews are exclusively posted on our main page with detailed profiles. Each review includes photos, pictures and video to help you visualize each resort community. We professionally and carefully rate each resort community on attributes and criteria that are important for families. These critiques are designed to give every family a better sense of expectations. You’ll be glad you stayed in an area vacation rental!
Taking a large group on vacation to Orlando can be a challenge and a larger vacation home (or two) may be required.
Such groups can be sports teams, church affiliations, musical groups, or more commonly family reunions. Vacation homes in Orlando can be a perfect choice for these groups from both a functional and value perspective.
Most vacation home communities are a short drive from Walt Disney World® and Universal Studios®. Team sports or cheerleading groups can stay in the comfort of a vacation rental and be at Disney’s Wide World of Sports® in 10-20 minutes. Large families or extended family reunions will enjoy the home comforts of a vacation villa.
As we recently looked at daily and weekly rates for Orlando rentals, let’s sample a few rates for larger vacation homes. This time we polled rates from “Orlando vacation rental by owner” websites. The accommodations we evaluated were 6 bedroom villas and 7 bedroom vacation rentals sleeping a range up to 16 persons.
An average range of rental rates in the off season for larger vacation homes in Orlando, Kissimmee or Davenport with a private pool:
6 bedroom/4 bath rental - $270 to $290 nightly/$1890 to $2030 weekly
7 bedroom/4 bath rental - $300 to $320 nightly/$2100 to $2240 weekly
These accommodations were in highly rated 4 and five Star resort communities such as Emerald Island or Windsor Hills with full amenities.
Orlando vacation home rental rates are quite dynamic, so changes from these averages will occur. Moreover, homeowners with large homes may often place some great deals on the web, although we always recommend renting from a professional management company to reduce the risk of any potential problems.
Large rentals in Windsor Hills are esepcially attractive due to the community amenities most family members enjoy. Consult our photos and review of Windsor Hills to see why the resort is so acclaimed. Additionally, over 80 community reviews are posted on our main page. We do the research for you!
What can you expect to pay for a rental home in Orlando?
We did a quick sample of daily and weekly rates for premium vacation rentals for non-peak periods in 2010-2011. This was designed to help spot deals on vacation rentals during this time period.
The estimated ranges are from posted rates on reputable management company websites. Moreover, we have only included rates on vacation homes located in our top rated Four or Five Star rated communities.
The ranges are only used as a general rule of thumb and to provide rough estimates only for reference. Keep in mind that fees and deposits for Orlando vacation home rentals vary as well. If you have a specific vacation home community or date in mind, call a professional company to discuss quotes. Rates will vary and are quite dynamic.
The following average mid-point ranges were derived for the various sizes of vacation home rental accommodations with a private pool in non-peak periods:
3 bedroom/2 bath – $150 to $175 nightly rates/$1050 to $1225 weekly rates
4 bedroom/3 bath – $280 to $300 nightly rates/$1960 to $2100 weekly rates
5 bedroom/4 bath – $325 to $350 nightly rates/$2275 to $2450 weekly rates
Once again, these are “typical” posted current average rates from management company websites in top rated communities with the listed attributes. All sample rates included rentals with private pools.
Always consult each reservation listing for specific amenities on the rental you are interested in. Amenity choices can also include wireless internet, game rooms, home theatres and more. Rates on homes in good communities without private pools can dip considerably. The choice of amenity and rate options as a consumer is fully in your hands.
We also consulted several “rental by owner” websites and the rates varied widely. Due to the fact that cleaning and maintenance standards vary significantly from owner to owner, we always recommend renting from a good professional management company to ensure quality. Professional management companies may also run specials and discounts on Orlando vacation rentals, so check back with their websites.
Consult the main page of our website for reviews on vacation homes in Orlando, Kissimmee, Davenport and Clermont. In addition to quality reviews for each community, we have video, photos and pictures for many resort communities in Central Florida.
Recently we had a comment about the wide ranging fees and deposits for vacation rentals in Orlando. Since this is an important element of any reservation or booking, we decided to do a little research.
We will assess the typical amounts of vacation home deposits and fees including the range of days allowable for cancellation without a penalty. The purpose of this is to give one a realistic range for funds needed especially those related to fees. Fees and deposits may include a reservation deposit, security deposit and a booking or reservation fee. Special fees for pets are also applicable when you desire a pet friendly vacation home in Orlando.
Although these vacation rental fees and deposits are referred to by various names, the forementioned are the main types of actual booking charges. Moreover, please keep in mind that deposits are different from actual fees, although deposits can lose their status and become a fee if certain contractual provisions are not met by the renter.
Reservation Deposit – To effectively hold your reservation, prospective renters will be responsible for a deposit at the time of booking. This will typically range from a low of $100 to a high of $350. The monetary value of this deposit may be based on a total percentage of your estimated vacation rental tab or a set number of nights (i.e. first night only). As importantly, the cancellation period ranges from 0 days up to 45 days. Some rental sites even clearly indicate that a reservation deposit is totally lost if it is cancelled at any time regardless of advance notice. Always consult the rental company fine print for specifics in this area.
Security Deposit- This deposit is typically charged at the time of booking or closer to the actual vacation date (within 30 days) for potential damages to the vacation home. It may be an actual amount placed on your credit card or simply an authorization for this amount. This deposit fluctuates widely as well. A sampling indicated a low of $200 to a high of $500. The purpose of this deposit serves to protect the homeowner in case of damages, and is a reasonable request of any rental guest. These are fully refundable if no damage to the home occurs. Some vacation companies may also push you to purchase short term rental insurance which covers losses you may suffer while in the home and damage that may have incurred to the vacation rental.
The next area are straight fees for prospective rentals and are billed as such:
Administrative or Booking Fees – Our search indicated that these typically run anywhere from $25 to $35 regardless of length of stay. These fees defray operating costs and go directly to the management company or homeowner.
Pet Fees – Some vacation homes are marketed as pet friendly accommodations. Although this is a great convenience, it will typically cost you between $100 to $200 depending upon length of stay. Note that damages caused by a pet will result in a full or partial forfeiture of the security deposit mentioned above.
Cancellation Fee- Because it is very difficult for a vacation home owner/manager to re-rent a vacation home if you cancel at the last moment, most companies will charge for the entire stay for a late cancellation.
Other Fees
Pool Heat - Pool heat is expensive to the owner and will typically cost an extra $25 – $35 dollars per day.
Cleaning Fees- If your stay is less than 4 nights, expect to pay an additional cleaning fee of $25 to $75 dollars per stay. If requesting additional housekeeping during your stay, expect to pay $75 + for additional full house cleaning. Cleaning is typically included if your stay is more than 4 nights and no additional services are required.
Again, always consult the reservation listing or any prospective agreement. If the admin or booking fees are not properly and openly advertised, consider this a huge red flag. For additional information and details on vacation home communities in the Orlando area, consult the community reviews on our main page. Vacation home rentals offer prospective guests with great value and luxurious amenities.
We wanted to follow-up our recent post on the new luxury villas at Disney with pictures and photos of the 900+ acre Golden Oak Resort. Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort® promises to be a magnificent development with additional details provided on the Disney development website.
Attention to detail is already evident in the care and detail of the new sales and administration center under construction (See brief video, pictures and photos). In case you missed it, prices start at $1.5 million for these exclusive estate resort homes.
According to the website, there will be select choices in four different subdivisions. The four prestigious neighborhoods include Carolwood and Carolwood Reserve which will be ultra-premium estate homes built on up to 3/4 of an acre of land. These estate homes will be golf course or lake views in a private conservation location.
The Silverbrook and Kimball Trace neighborhoods will be premium homesites on up to 1/2 of an acre of land. The architectual styles will be quite diverse and internationally inspired. Mediterranean, Tuscan, Spanish Revival, Italiante and Dutch Colonial home styles should make the resort community quite visually appealing. In all cases, and similar to the Celebration, Fl development, one must use one of the pre-selected homebuilders for the actual construction.
To complete the ambience of this new Disney luxury home community, a full amenity private Summerhouse clubhouse and access to the Four Seasons Hotel amenities. The 450+ homeowners will enjoy personalized services at the parks and resorts with exclusive perks. Check-out our pictures, photos and video of the new exclusive Golden Oak community within the Disney World® theme park. We’ll post additional details as they become available to us.
For details on other private vacation home communities in the Central Florida area, check-out our resort reviews on over 80 communities. These exclusive vacation villas are available for rental in Kissimmee, Orlando, Davenport and Clermont. Many of these rental homes are just minutes from Disney and Universal Studios®.
Eighties British invasion Tears for Fears is scheduled to play in Orlando on August 28th, 2010.
Why is this good to know? Well if you are on vacation here in Orlando, you will be glad to know the concert is in downtown Orlando and FREE. Thus, you can turn this into a fun day out. First visit Downtown Orlando, go to the park, have dinner, and then show up to the City Hall Plaza (actual downtown location may change) which you can find on our map HERE.
This is part of radio station WMMO’s free concert series which has the show scheduled to start at 4.00 PM with various vendors, events, activities an other bands. The main act Tears For Fears does not start till 8.00PM. We recommend you check the WMMO Orlando web site to ensure the location and start time are correct, as they appear subject to change.
The nearest Orlando area vacation homes to the Downtown Orlando area are Vista Cay and the Isle at Cay Commons (condominiums and townhome style complexes) located on Universal Boulevard (just off International Drive near Sea World.
