Each Epcot world international pavilion features daily beer, wine and food tastings. The food portions are appetizer-sized and run anywhere from $2 to $7. The festival also boasts professional culinary events managed by Disney Chefs along with visiting Guest Chefs as well. This year Cat Cora, Warren Brown, Jeff Henderson, Jacques Torres, Alan Wong and other professional culinarians will be attending. The event welcome center will also showcase book signings, food oriented seminars and wine classes.

Along with great food, one can enjoy music at the themed events (“Eat to the Beat”). The musical performances will be held at the American Gardens Theater at the American Pavilion. Times for the afternoon and evening performances will be 5:45, 7:15 and 8:30 p.m. Scheduled muscical acts for 2009 include Richard Marx, Sister Hazel, Taylor Dayne and Los Lobos. Consult the Disney schedules for specific dates and times.

Book a vacation rental in Orlando to enjoy this great Epcot special event. Consult our extensive community reviews for ratings and reviews of over 80 short term rental subdivisons in Orlando, Davenport and Kissimmee, Florida.

Epcot Food and Wine Festival

After our recent post on monitoring Orlando vacation home community ratings, we were curious to see how stringent some travel review websites are for evaluating Orlando area vacation home communities.

 After evaluating several travel website’s vacation home rating systems, here are our conclusions:

• Some sites need to be more comprehensive. We evaluate over 80 communities on our site based on various factors. Other travel review websites typically have less than half that number evaluated.
•   Some sites could rate vacation home communities much more stringently. Our quality breakdown is roughly 25% Good or Best, 50% Average and 25% Value. Some other review based sites tend to be far more lenient with 35% 4 or 5 star and 65% 3 star on average. None rated communities at the 2 star level or less which seemed unusual.
•  The other striking takeaway is the fact that some smaller vacation home communities are at a big disadvantage on major vacation home review sites. Many of the best vacation home communities near Disney are some of the smallest, at least in terms of the quality of the facilities. In fact, many of our readers often prefer the smaller communities.

Our conclusion after reviewing some of the travel review websites is a need to be far more comprehensive in terms of the number of communities evaluated, more stringent regarding quality designations, and to be more inclusive of the smaller vacation home community resorts.

We always strive to continuously improve the website, our blog and our evaluation opinions. If you do have any elements or areas you wish to see added, please provide us your feedback and ideas.

Vacation homes and rental homes in Fl are an important part of travel to Florida.

In a landmark 2008  study commissioned by the Kissimmee Convention and Visitors Bureau, research indicates that vacation home owners and guests spend over $384 million in one county (Osceola) alone.

Vacation home rentals continue to be a more accepted means of accomodations and gain market share, but the industry has no formal organizational means of tracking economic impact statewide.

There are three major vacation homes markets in FL. These markets include Orlando, Miami and Destin/Panama City. There are also two secondary markets for rental homes in FL including Tampa/Clearwater and Jacksonville. It is difficult to extrapolate the total number of vacation home visitors statewide, but based on the report mentioned above, Osceola County drew 1.2 million visitors staying in vacation homes alone.

Although awareness of vacation homes for travel to Florida is on the rise, more consumer and economic data and information is needed. Holiday rentals in Orlando are a great way to enjoy the area.

Vacation Rentals in FL

This website focuses specifically on the Orlando vacation homes market to disseminate that needed consumer information. Over 80 resort communities have been independently rated and profiled which should give consumers a greater sense of trust for what they are booking. These vacation reviews are viewable on the main page of this website. The reviews section includes such premium resort communities as Emerald Island Resort and Windsor Hills Resort. Orlando FL is a great destination for theme parks, golf, restaurants and other attractions.

Rental Homes in FL

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According to the OTTI, Florida had a 20.7% market share for all international tourists to the United States. This represents about 5.2 million total travelers. Florida ranks #3 just behind New York and California. Moreover, Florida narrowed the total international visitor gap with California and now only lags California by 50,000 international visitors annually. Of all US cities, Orlando ranks #5 just behind New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami (in that order) for international travel. Of note is the fact that Miami and Orlando combined represent about 95% of all international traffic to Florida with a total volume of approximately 5 million annual global vacationers.

The OTTI also made some forecasts for international visitor volume to the US for 2009 and beyond:

• OTTI forecasts international travel volume to decline 6% and 11% for 2009
• Europe is projected to decline 9% in 2009, but to resume increases out to 2013
• Asia is forecasted to drop 5% in 2009, but rise 21% out to 2013
• South America is projected to decline 4% in 2009, and improve by the largest percentage amount out to 2013
• As we have blogged about in the past, Brazil is projected to rise significantly longer term and is forecasted to move into the 7^th spot for international tourism to the United States.

As we have indicated before, Orlando area vacation rentals represent a significant value for overseas vacation travelers to the United States and to Florida. Most homes have such luxurious amenities as pools, self catering kitchens, community facililities and other great options and most are located near Disney. This website is dedicated to blogging about reliable consumer information that helps sort out all the various communities, resorts and subdivisions for various factors including quality, location, and amenities.

Premium Group (Summer golf rates in Orlando, Fl for this group tend to run from $40 to $65 depending upon the time of day)

• Falcon’s Fire Golf Club 3200 Seralago Boulevard; Kissimmee, Florida 34746 Phone: 407-239-5445
• Mystic Dunes Resort 7850 Shadow Tree Lane; Celebration, Florida 34747 Phone: 407-787-5678
• Orange County National Golf Club 16301 Phil Ritson Way; Winter Garden, Florida 34787 Phone: 407-656-2626
• Orange Lake Resort and Country Club 8505 W. Orlo Bronson Memorial Highway Kissimmee, Florida 34747 Phone: 407-905-1050

Value Group (Disney area golf rates for this group tend to run from $25 to $40 depending upon the time of day)

• Highlands Reserve Golf Club Club 500 Highlands Reserve Boulevard; Davenport, Florida 33897 Phone: 863-420-1724; We profiled this course in a previous post.
• Ridgewood Lakes Golf Club 200 Eagle Ridge Lane; Davenport, Florida 33837 Phone: 863-424-8666

Disclaimer: Please call course golf shops for specific rates and tee times for your Orlando golf vacation. This information was gathered from diligently reviewing websites and visiting with golfers in the area. Summer greens fees in Orlando quoted for all courses can change at any time. Always inquire about condition of course greens due to occasional drought and damaging heat conditions.

Orlando Golf Course

Orlando Golf

A typical hotel hotel room runs approximately 325 square feet in size. The average nightly rate in Orlando for that hotel room runs around $80 per night depending on the time of year or .25 cents per square foot if you are evaluating a cost average based on size. Two hotel rooms could tightly accommodate eight people for a total of $160 per night.

For a three bedroom vacation villa in Orlando that will sleep eight to ten persons, it will run around the same amount ($160/night) depending on time of year, amenities and subdivision. Such a vacation home/villa will be roughly 1,800 square foot on average. Therefore, for a much larger home, your per square foot cost is .09 cents per square foot, plus you get the use many amenities that typical Orlando hotels do not have such as a fully equipped kitchen, private garage and private pool.

In summary, Orlando vacation homes/villas represent significantly better value than hotels if you are traveling with 4 or more persons. Based on our caluclations, hotel rental rates run around .25 cents per square foot while vacation homes are in the .09 cents per square foot range on average.

Why would you book a hotel in Orlando? Please consult our blog postings for helpful tips, consumer information and community reviews.

Windsor Hills – Best Community Award Winner 

Based on our Windsor Hills Orlando reviews, the resort is the # 1 Overall Vacation Home Community in the Orlando/Kissimmee area. Windsor Hills Resort was built in 2005 by Pulte Homes and is considered by many guests and travelers to be the best overall vacation home community in and around the Central Florida area. Windsor Hills Resort is located southwest of Orlando in Kissimmee, Florida.

The community pool at Windsor Hills Orlando is one of the better community pools in the Central Florida area. The pool has a zero/sloped entry as well a great water slide and toddler kid’s pool. In addition, alongside the pool you”ll find a hot tub and plenty of seating to relax with other vacationers while enjoying the Orlando and Disney area. Of all the Orlando vacation home rentals to choose from, Windsor Hills is perhaps one of the most family friendly.

Windsor Hills Kissimmee also offers a large clubhouse that includes a retail shop, concierge and information desk, attraction tickets desk, game room, premium fitness center, billiards, wireless internet and movie theater. On the grounds of the resort, there is a volleyball and tennis court plus kid’s playground.

Another great benefit of these vacation rentals is the fact that they are located approximately 5.9 miles (35km) from the main entrance of Disney’s Magic Kingdom ®. Windsor Hills villas are also a short 5 minute drive to the major shops and restaurants located on Highway 192 -Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway. The resort entrance is gated and guarded for safety.

For additional security, access to the clubhouse areas and community areas in the Windsor Hills Resort Kissimmee is by a special magnetic card which you obtain from the information center at the clubhouse.

The Windsor Hills rentals includes these types of villa accommodations:

• Townhomes – Typically offer more of a uniform attached style 2 story accommodations, typically 3 and 4 bedroom villas with exterior parking.

• Condos – Typically 2 & 3 bedroom condo rentals close to the community pool and clubhouse area offering exterior parking.

• Vacation Homes – The traditional detached single holiday homes in Windsor Hills Orlando are typically larger and offer homes of 4, 5, 6 and 7 bedrooms. Most of these vacation home rentals come with a private pool, so be sure to request when making a reservation.

To learn more about the Windsor Hills community, peruse our Google® interactive Windsor Hills map, video tour, reviews and photos of Windsor Hills villas.  The video clips from this resort will give you a good idea of why Windsor Hills holiday rentals are so popular. Consult our Windsor Hills Resort reviews for more descriptive details:

View Larger Map of Windsor Hills Resort

Windsor Hills Orlando Florida

Windsor Hills Reviews - Great Pool & Water Slide

Windsor Hills Pool and Recreation

Windsor Hills Resort Orlando Fl

Windsor Hills Kissimmee Fl

Windsor Hills Vacation Homes Kissimmee Florida

When we do rate/critique vacation home subdivisions, we are completely independent and unbiased. We have no vested interest in either renting you a home or promoting one community over another.

We have placed vacation home subdivision and community ratings on our blog to help guide you through the maze of different vacation home communities in the area. Our efforts are based on an evaluation of the common areas and general upkeep of the grounds, amenities and community club. Obviously the quality of an individual vacation home from a maintenance and cleanliness standpoint will be home specific.

If you see a community that is not rated, email us at economist@orlando-vacationhomerental.com and we will make every effort to rate the community.

CLICK ON A COMMUNITY BELOW – See them all on the right hand ——>

Kissimmee Area

#1 Windsor Hills Resort Vacation Homes

#2 Emerald Island Resort

Orlando Vacation Home Rental Reservations

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By now you have probably logged on to numerous orlando vacation home websites and “for rent by owner” websites, and looked at hundreds or even thousands of photos.

To simplify the process is a great reason to work with a credible and professional vacation home management company.

When choosing a vacation home management company look for professional organization memberships and the company is in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. You can also review many such companies on travel sites such as Flipkey ® by Tripadvisor ®.

Before making a reservation for a particular home one should note:
1. Location
2. Type of Home
3. Type of Community

It can be difficult to know where to book a vacation rental if you don’t know the Orlando area and are booking via the internet.

It is nice to know the locational proximity of your vacation rental to selected attractions as well as the type of community and home.

Once again, we recommend you use only the most credible and professional vacation home management companies.

The level of foreclosures in the Orlando vacation home market are now at or near record levels. As many vacation homes in the Central Florida are second homes and many were bought by speculators, the prices in many communities have dropped significantly. It would seem that many owners have simply walked away due in part that the rents from such homes are not enough to cover their expenses.

Some of the communities hardest hit are those that saw the greatest appreciation. Unlike regular homes, vacation home communities tend to have less permanent resident owners that can help stabilize the area or neighborhood.

Many banks are also being tough when lending on vacation homes which can further hold demand down. In effect, this means that many homeowners who bought a property over the prior three years could now face significant losses they sell today.

We are not real estate professionals, as we had to go through online public records, and methodically pull sales along with calling a few local realty offices in the Orlando and Kissimmee area. Our information may not be perfectly accurate so, as always, consult a real estate professional in the area and have them pull the data for you.

So what will happen to the Orlando vacation home market in the future? No one knows, and it is pure opinion and speculation at best. If we knew, we would be sitting on an island in Tahiti sipping a beer rather than worrying about the general state of the market.