Orlando Vacation Homes Rentals

posted by orlandovacationhome on Nov 16

Orlando area vacation rentals include what many refer to as vacation homes, condos and townhomes. Although the differences for each type of product are subtle, this Orlando vacation rentals oriented blog and reviews website is meant to help you understand each type of resort accommodation.

To fully understand all of the numerous options available, you’ll also notice community reviews for most of the various communities in the Orlando area. In fact, over 80 resort reviews and profiles are posted on the website. The amenities in most Orlando vacation rentals are quite numerous and luxurious including washing machines, Wifi, fully equipped kitchens and individual pools.

Although Orlando is the namesake for our vacation rentals guide, the trade area for short term rentals also includes the Florida cities of Davenport, Clermont and Kissimmee. Insiders and locals often refer to this geographic area where vacation homes are very common as the “Four Corners”.

The Four Corners area is actually where the four Florida counties converge (Osceola, Orange, Lake and Polk). The significance in location of the Four Corners is that it is conveniently located south of Orlando and near some of the major theme parks and attractions including Walt Disney World.

Orlando vacation rentals near Disney World  are in high demand. The closest vacation homes to Disney often command premium nightly rates, but it does pay to shop our resort reviews. In addition, the vacation rental inventory available is very diverse and includes condominiums, townhomes and traditional single family homes.

If you desire greater privacy, single family homes will perhaps be the best option for you, although condos often come with extensive common area amenities such as a clubhouse, fitness area, community pool, etc… The diversity of vacation rentals in Orlando is what makes the destination unique.

If you are a visitor in the area, consult our vacation rentals guide including community reviews to assist you. As we state on our main page, we focus on Orlando vacation rentals as the accommodation of choice for all types of resort activities. We do the research so you can fully enjoy your vacation!

Vacation Rentals Near Disney

Tweet This Post

posted by orlandovacationhome on Oct 14

A recent noteworthy article by the Financial Times indicates that the Blackstone purchase of SeaWorld is a marked indicator that the world’s largest private equity firm has now turned optimistic on the economy and the worst is behind us. More specifically, and as the prestigious publication notes, Blackstone is selling assets in other areas to focus on industries and lines of business that could improve significantly in the coming years. This would certainly include theme park attendance, as indicated by its accumulation of $2 billion in assets in this area. Click here for the Blackstone Asset Group’s corporate website.

Why is this noteworthy? This is an important indicator because Blackstone has been traditionally very good as a market barometer, especially when picking companies in improving industries.

All sources acknowledge that Blackstone has been tops at exploiting opportunities and picking market winners before they become apparent. Some indicate that the roughly 2x sales purchae price was very cheap, and that it was simply a “fire sale” purchase. We believe that this purchase might be at a sweet spot - low valuation metrics and at a time when business conditions are set to turn up noticeably for the theme parks. The latter would not only be good for Blackstone, it would also be good for the local economy.

Improved amusement park attendance would certainly bolster occupancy at a time when Orlando hotels and resorts have been struggling. Peak booking periods tend to come around spring break / Easter and a little good news is needed to restore confidence.

Some of the best resorts in the Orlando area are running enticing holiday specials to kick start business moving into 2010. This will hopefully be the beginning of an improved business cycle, and one that the Blackstone Group has presciently predicted by its actions.

This could be great news for Orlando vacation rentals which are typically an outstanding way to stay in Orlando. For reviews on over 80 vacation home communities, consult our unbiased community reviews section. Each community review includes a quality rating, amenity information and distance to major attractions to help you make an informed decision. Our goal is to provide independent research to save you time and ultimately help you enjoy a pleasurable vacation in Orlando. Vacation rentals can provide you an opportunity to do just that.

Aquatica Sea World Orlando

Tweet This Post

posted by orlandovacationhome on Feb 14

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is always a local sports treat. This is one of the Orlando area’s best sporting events and it is coming up March 23rd - 29th at the 7,267 yard Bay Hill Country Club course (www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com). The PGA golf event dates of play are actually Thursday, March 26th through Sunday, March 29th. Purse for the event is $5.8 million with $1.04 million to the winning player. Tickets for the event are $45 for a daily pass and $95 for a weekly pass. Other various special passes for premium amenity areas are also available.

Proceeds for the event benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies (www.arnoldpalmer.org). Arnold Palmer’s greatest lasting legacy will perhaps be the great impact these institutions have had on the quality of life in Central Florida.

Most of the buzz for the tournament has centered around whether Orlando area resident Tiger Woods will finish his rehabilitation in time for the tournament. In fact, the Orlando Sentinel now confirms that Tiger will be competing for his fifth Bay Hill victory. Other Floridians who will compete include Zach Johnson, formerly a native of Iowa, and now maintains a home in the area. Zach is currently in the Top 10 for the race for the FedEx Cup points in 2009. Bay Hill pairings have now been posted on the event website.

Most Orlando area vacation home rentals in Kissimmee and Davenport are about 25 minutes from the Bay Hill Course. One can park at Universal and ride the bus over to the event or purchase an on-site parking pass for the course. Either way, considering the normally beautiful weather and the entertaining golf, this is one of the area’s best events.

Tweet This Post

posted by orlandovacationhome on Jan 19

When evaluating options for your Orlando vacation, don’t forget to look into an Orlando vacation rental. Orlando vacation rentals offer affordable amenities. Affordable vacation home luxuries such as pools, multiple televisions, kitchens and washing machines are all amenities that can be selected at a reasonable rate, especially if you compare a vacation home with multiple bedrooms against one or more hotel rooms for a larger family.

Although hotels have common area laundry areas, schlepping clothes to and from the hotel room is no fun. Vacation homes are normally equipped with appliances that make clean-up after a long vacation so convenient. Many vacation homes also have multiple televisions that make relaxation much easier after a long day at the parks, and no hassles about what to watch with a normal hotel stay.

Other affordable amenities include kitchens that help defray food costs for serving the whole family. Self-catering meals cannot be overlooked in terms of saving money on a tight travel budget. Another convenient item is your own pool which most vacation homes have at your leisure. Once the hot weather returns to the area, a cool pool in your very own residence makes your vacation that more enjoying.

Please consult the exclusive “vacation community review” and opinion section of our website. These reviews are independent and impartial, and can take much of the risk out of selecting your Orlando vacation rental by rating the individual communities and subdivisions.

Tweet This Post

posted by orlandovacationhome on Dec 25

Business conditions in Orlando will eventually improve, but a few opinions are in order for maintaining viability for vacation rentals during these difficult times:

1. Know Your Customer – These times demand changing tactics. As we have indicated on another blog post, international travel may make up a smaller percentage of your overall occupancy than they did in 2008. However, as we write this, the tourism and travel market is very dynamic and always stay attuned to your customers. Always segment your customer base to better understand their tastes and preferences.
2. Emphasize Family Values – Don’t stray from the competitive advantages that vacation homes have over other traditional means of lodging. These include, but are not limited to privacy, value, and quality. A sacrifice in any of these core values will impact your core business significantly. Moreover, referral marketing based on past rental experience is a low cost way to generate value as well.
3. Flexible Pricing Strategies – As we have indicated on other posts(1), the general travel market is quite uncertain moving into 2009. Price cuts may need to be on the table for a temporary promotion to boost the bottom line. However, clearly establishing and communicating a strong value proposition for your rental home should always be the primary and first driver of any strategy.
4. Maintain Marketing Spending – Although difficult to do, it is not advisable to cut marketing spending during a business downturn. It is also not the time to pull support from vacation home management companies who may be able to garner high visibility on the internet which is often the lifeline for Orlando vacation home rentals.

There is possibly no better time for prospective vacationers to visit Orlando than in the coming year. Promotions for area theme parks and attractions abound. As we have established on several other posts(2), there is also no better value for Orlando lodging than renting area vacation homes. As always, do your own due diligence using the appropriate independent professionals when making a decision of any kind.

Tweet This Post