Orlando Vacation Homes Rentals

posted by orlandovacationhome on Feb 3

Kissimmee villas provide some outstanding choices for any vacationer visiting the Central Florida area. Most villas are centrally located to the theme parks, provide an array of amenities, and give any vacationer a high degree of choice for the type of community or resortdesired.

Since there are over eighty resort communities catering to short term rentals in the “Four Corners” area, this site also provides guidance and reviews for most luxury villas specifically in Kissimmee. Kissimmee villas vary greatly in size, location and quality.

The city of Kissimmee, Florida was incorporated in 1883 and has a population of over 60,000 persons. The city’s land area is roughly 17 square miles, and is located south of downtown Orlando and the Orlando International Airport. The city has an active central core area with most Kissimmee villas located west of the downtown commercial area, and adjacent to Highway 192 (Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway).

The westernmost parts of Kissimmee are bounded by the Osceola-Polk County line and the city of Davenport, Florida which is also a popular vacation rental destination. Click here to connetct to the City of Kissimmee, Florida website.

Some of the more popular villa communities in Kissimmee include Emerald Island, Windsor Hills, Windsor Palms, and Terra Verde Resort. Additional high quality Kissimmee villas include Acadia Estates and Bella Vida Resort, although this is only a small sampling of neighborhoods. Any of these communities in Kissimmee provide outstanding accommodations with plenty of amenities to choose from.

The key for any Kissimmee traveler is to do your homework. There are some excellent values and packages available, but one does need to review infomediary websites like this one for resort quality ratings and community reviews.

Specific location and distances to the theme parks should be closely scrutinized as well. A distance differential of 2 to 3 miles, which may not sound like much, may be the difference in driving an extra 30-45 minutes daily during the high season. Consult the community reviews section of our main page for this information and more.

Kissimmee Villas

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posted by orlandovacationhome on Dec 30

Encantada Resort Review Update

We continuously re-evaluate our reviews and ratings. In the case of Encantada Resort, our initial evaluation resulted in a rating of Good/Premium for these villa townhome rentals. We would  like to Reiterate our resort rating for Encantada Resort townhomes in Kissimmee. Less than 20% of our 80+ reviewed resorts reach this prestigious designation.

Encantada Resort is well manicured with lots of aesthetic color and seasonal exterior landscaping. More specifically, our review of Encantada Resort is also a result of several sub-areas which impact the resort’s Overall Rating:

* Cleanliness of Resort Grounds

* Overall Appearance of Resort

* Overall Quality of Resort

The Encantada Resort community has outstanding amenities including dual outdoor pools and spas, a refurbished fitness area, internet room, and gameroom for the kids. For all of these reasons, this resort is a very desirable location for any townhome rental in Kissimmee.

Encantada Resort

Encantada Resort Kissimmee

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posted by orlandovacationhome on Oct 12

One of our favorite family inexpensive Orlando/Kissimmee area attractions is Old Town Kissimmee. Many visitors are enchanted by the local food and inexpensive entertainment.  The Kissimmee resort that stands out as far as convenience and proximity to Old Town Kissimee is Regal Oaks Resort.

Regal Oaks is close to Old Town and is known for its townhome style suites in the heart of Kissimmee. The resort features a small lake and conservation area along with a fun water feature at the pool. The pool is an oasis after a long hot day at the parks.

See a quick video review of Regal Oaks. You’ll notice Old Town at Kissimmee about 1 minute into the video. The exterior of the resort is well maintained and a convenient place to stay if you want a centrally located vacation condo in Kissimmee.

View Larger Map of Regal Oaks

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posted by orlandovacationhome on Aug 17

Community Review Update

As we promise on our home page, we constantly re-evaluate our individual community reviews / opinions. In the case of Cumbrian Lakes, our initial evaluation resulted in a rating of Average-Good for these holiday rentals. We would now like to upgrade our Overall Community Rating to Good for Cumbrian Lakes Villas in Kissimmee. Less than 20% of our 80+ rated vacation home communities reach this distinction.

Although the economy has been tough on a few vacation home subdivisions in the area, it is obvious that the Cumbrian Lakes association has worked very hard to maintain the quality of the common and recreational amenities. Specifically, the upgrade comes in several areas that impact the Overall Rating:

* Cleanliness of Subdivision

* Overall Appearance of Community

* Overall Quality of Subdivision

Cumbrian Lakes does not maintain a community pool or clubhouse, but the ample outdoor recreational areas and quality of homes does make this community very desirable for any vacation rental in Kissimmee.

Cumbrian Lakes

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posted by orlandovacationhome on Aug 7

Those who have enjoyed vacation rentals are amazed that more people do not stay in vacation homes given the size of a typical cramped hotel room.

As we have indicated in prior posts, positive awareness of renting vacation villas spreads primarily through positive word-of-mouth referrals. Although vacation homes continue to become more mainstream, hotels continue to hold market share especially in destination locations such as Orlando. At this point in time, hotel brands are much more recognizable to the American consumer.

Why is this the case? In many foreign countries such as Italy and Spain, vacation villas are the first choice for many travelers. Europeans have been positively exposed to vacation rentals as a mainstream alternative. In America, the power of large household brands through repetitive advertising is very strong. Americans often don’t feel comfortable booking without some reassuring feeling of a brand name. In Orlando and other markets, a major factor people trust when booking a vacation home is the community they will be staying in. Thus, the actual resort community becomes part of the brand for vacation homes in Orlando and elsewhere.

Orlando is a unique market for vacation homes. There are well over 80 community subdivisions, and as we have indicated, the quality can change significantly between communities.

The quality of home maintenance may vary within an individual community, but the location, overall quality of homes, amenities and maintenance of the common areas typically remain constant, positive or negative in effect. Good examples of “vacation home brands” with a strong following include the Windsor Hills Resort , Windsor Palms , Bahama Bay Resort, and the Emerald Island Resort.

This website rates and reviews the major resort subdivisions in the Orlando, Kissimmee and Davenport markets on several important factors. This helps one evaluate the price-value-quality equation to determine what brand (i.e. community) you wish to book. This is a “brand” new way of looking at vacation homes that is unique in the industry.

Vacation Home Brands

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posted by orlandovacationhome on May 18

We have reviewed every major short term rental/vacation home community in Kissimmee Florida.

To further help our readers, we have selected what in our opinion are the top eight Kissimmee vacation rental home communities. 

We define “vacation homes” as detached dwelling structures with multiple bedrooms and are similar, if not synonymous, to single family residential homes. A complete explanation of the various vacation rental options are linked here.

Here we go. The top eight vacation home picks for short term rentals in Kissimmee, Florida based on vacation rental evaluator reviews are (in alphabetical order):

Acadia Estates   

Bella Vida Resort 

Emerald Island Resort 

Formosa Gardens Estates  

Rolling Hills Estates

Terra Verde Resort 

Windsor Hills Resort 

Windsor Palms Vacation Homes  

 Just click on any of the communities above for detailed review scores, video tours, photos and interactive maps.

Best Kissimmee Vacation Homes

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posted by orlandovacationhome on Mar 24

In this post, we take a moment to discuss some of the vacation options we see in the Orlando area vacation home marketplace. There are a lot of new vacation homes in Orlando to choose from.

Many of the new vacation home rental developments in Orlando are becoming much more like full service resorts rather than traditional vacation home communities. These include common area amenities such as spacious clubhouses, large pools, retail shops, game rooms, concierge services and more.

If You Need A Private Pool - Ask

However, some developments do not include individual pools, and the home density (i.e. apartment, condo or townhome style buildings) is typically much higher than traditional single family homes. In other words, although one may get more common area amenities, the trade-off can occasionally be a loss of privacy. You may have to walk to the pool rather than having one attached to your vacation rental or possibly put up with some noisy guests next door.

The great thing about the Orlando market is the variety of choice you do have available depending upon which product you wish to stay in. In some cases, there are vacation homes that combine premium luxury resort type elements in their design and service delivery along with fully functional single family pool homes. These tend to receive the highest overall ratings reviews on our website, as it is geared primarily to the typical family/group on vacation in the Orlando area. 

The key as a consumer is to know what you are booking and what your expectations are during the vacation planning phase. In all cases, and as we stress on our main page, vacation rentals are still superior in value to hotels. This site also gives you the opportunity to view video of most new vacation homes in Orlando.

Consult our website for information on newer vacation resort developments such as Compass Bay, Bella Toscana, Aviana Resort and Watersong. Many are profiled on the website now (Crestwynd Bay, Bella Vida Resort, Encantada Resort and The Shire at West Haven).

Orlando Vacation Homes

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posted by orlandovacationhome on Feb 11

Old Town Kissimmee

Old Town Kissimmee is our favorite inexpensive attraction for the Orlando-Kissimmee area. What makes Old Town great is it’s proximity to many of the vacation home communities we write about.

If you are looking for a way to spend a fun day, evening or afternoon out with your family, Old Town Kissimmee is a great place to start.

Old Town puts on some great events, and is well know for its evening car cruises. In addition, Old Town Kissimmee is full of great shops, restaurants, pubs and has a full amusement park. It makes for a great place to take the family in a fun and intimate setting. Old Town Kissimmee is popular with both locals and tourists.

Friday Night is Friday Nite Cruise night for 1975-1987 vehicles. The Cruise through Old Town starts at 9.00 PM. Bands play on the main stage starting around 7.30 PM.

Saturday is the Saturday Nite Cruise ® This is a classic car cruise through the streets of Old Town. Cars arrive in the afternoon with the main cruise starting around 8.30 PM. There is live 50s & 60s music on the main stage starting around 7.00 PM

Wednesday Night is Wednesday Nite Cruise-In night for cars 1987 and older.

Thursday night is Thursday Bike Nite – see over 700 motor cycles parked along old towns brick lined streets. Great for bikers and none bikers alike if you really want to see some amazing bikes in a relaxed family atmosphere.

Many of our international and local friends alike really enjoy these events, as it gives them a real slice of classic Americana and best of all admission is free.

To view some of the vacation home communities we write about, visit them on the right hand side of your screen.

So if you looking for some fun amusements, great shops and some great vehicles, Old Town is on our recommended list. For groups, call them directly at 407-396-4888 or for a calendar of events visit HERE.

Old Town is located at 5770 W 192 Kissimmee, FL 34746, and can be viewed on our interactive map below. Also, check out some of the video posts.

View Larger Map

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posted by orlandovacationhome on Jan 13

Villas at Seven Dwarfs Lane Vacation Homes - Orlando Kissimmee

Villas at Seven Dwarfs Lane is located a little further away (approximately 7.5 miles) from the Walt Disney World ® property than some communities, but is still within a short drive of restaurant and shops.

The Villas at Seven Dwarfs provides for a great resort type community in a clean, well maintained and pleasant setting.

Review the location on our interactive map below. Also review the video of the Villas at Seven Dwarfs Lane below.

View Larger Map

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posted by orlandovacationhome on Dec 23

Five Guys Burgers

1310 W Osceola Pkwy
Kissimmee, FL 34741
(407) 201-3929‎   

Rating: Best Burger in Orlando

When you have been around Orlando Florida long enough, you get to try every burger joint in town. In our opinion, Five Guys is head and shoulders above the rest. They actually use real fresh meat. The burgers are very simple and offered with a selection of toppings. Other menu items include kosher hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches. A classic case of less is more.

Five Guys Orlando Kissimmee

Five Guys tell you where their potatoes are from on a daily basis. These are then used for their hand cut fries. The fries are cooked in peanut oil and not the chemical type oils used by many establishments today.  

Burger and fries will run you about $6 a person+/- 

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