Five things to consider before you book an Orlando vacation home

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What to know before renting Orlando and Kissimmee area vacation homes and villas near Disney World

The following considerations must be given a serious thought when looking at the many advertised Disney villas, Orlando villas or Florida vacation rentals.

Each vacation home rental owner or agency may have a different pricing structure for base rent and all the extras that are possible including cleaning fee, BBQ grill rentals, linens and towels, pool/spa heat, various taxes, credit card/PayPal fees and processing fees. Please ensure that the price quoted includes all the extras and fees that you are anticipating if not clearly stated. Read the fine print of the rental agreement and ask anything that is not obvious. Most owners are willing to answer any number of questions that you may have. In fact, if the owner you are renting from is unwilling or unable to answer your questions, be cautious!

Another point that may seem like obvious is that you want to find out if the towels and linen are included with your rental or if you need to rent them or bring them with you. These days most owners provide them with the rental, however, it does not hurt to ask. Also, if the linens are provided with the house, ask your responsibilities at the time of your check-out. Some owners ask that you strip-out the sheets and some ask that you wash them for the next guest. Most home owners provide starter pack of supplies though the contents may vary depending on the location and the  individual owner you are renting from. How about hair dryers, cribs, stair gates – confirm these are provided for you.

Key collection and drop-off are other key factors that you must consider. These days most Orlando Florida vacation homes either have a lock-box at the home itself or key-less entry system. If the home you are renting has a lock-box  the vacation home owner provides you with the lock-box combination. If your home has a key-less entry system, you will be given with a code to open the door. Some vacation homes may not have either of the above systems and may have you drive to an office for collecting and dropping off keys. This method is not a preferred method as the collection point could be out of the way from your vacation home and their operating hours might not work with your schedule.

Know where you are going?  Really, do you know the address of the villa you are renting? Ensure that you know the exact address of the villa as well as directions from airport or from major freeways.  Some vacation rental agencies do not disclose the actual vacation villa you are renting until you arrive in Orlando. There are some disadvantages with this scenario as the home assigned upon arrival may not be in close proximity of Disney World and other Florida attractions that you are planning to visit. Also, the home assigned on arrival may not be the one that is shown in the pictures which could disappoint the whole family!  Always know the distance between your vacation rental and famous central Florida attractions such as  Disney Word, Sea World, Universal Studios etc. Some vacation home rental agencies claim that their rentals are “minutes from Disney”. Though that may seem like acceptable, anything less than an hour drive may be considered as minutes. You will be disappointed to drive for hours in traffic while returning from parks after the mid-night fireworks.

Know the standard check-in and check-out times of the villa and be prepared to work-around if your arrival time is sooner than the check-in time or if you have a late flight. Vacation homes adhere to their standard check-in and check-out times as it needs several hours to prepare the homes between guests.  You may also want to keep in mind that it takes much longer to prepare a house in comparison to a hotel room. You can always check with the owners for flexibility with check-in or check-out, though there may be a charge for such deviations.

Pet and Smoking Policies: Most Orlando vacation homes have  no pet policy though some vacation homes allow pets. Also, there might be a charge for bringing pets. If you are bringing pets, let the owners know and know their policies before you reserve your vacation home.  Most if not all vacation homes do not allow smoking inside the villa and may impose severe penalties for smoking inside the villa.

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Vacation Rentals – The New Trend for Family Vacations

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Vacation Rentals – The New Trend for Family Vacations

Vacation rentals are the new trend for family vacation accommodations. It is catching-up fast whether your family includes the just two of you or you have a boat load coming with you on your next vacation. The debate between renting a vacation home vs staying at a hotel is clearly won by the vacation rentals industry which offers plenty of choices for families of all sizes. The only exception might be if you are a solo traveler  Staying at a hotel might be a clear winner if you are alone and are traveling for just one or two nights. In some markets even if you a solo traveler  renting a small 1-2 bedroom home might be cheaper than staying at a hotel. Clearly, vacation rentals are available for families big and small and are far more economical and comfortable than cramped and small hotel rooms that do not offer the freedom and flexibility of vacation homes. Whether your family includes all boys, girls or a combination of both, you can get an accommodation large enough to provide the space as needed without being too far away from each other in different hotel rooms. Here is another article on many savings offered by Vacation Rentals By Owner.

Even if you are renting a vacation home for the first time,  you can enjoy your vacation home with these top 10 tips on how to enjoy a vacation home. The key in all is to keep an eye out for scams and ask the owners a lot of questions before handing over your money. “You get more bang for your buck and impersonal hotel rooms are being ditched for vacation rentals and holiday homes” says another home owner.

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Vacation rental scams – Know how to spot them

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Vacation rental scams – Know how to spot them

Avoid vacation rental scams
Vacation rental scams are becoming as common as the vacation rentals themselves these days. Discerning travelers are demanding more features and facilities in their vacation accommodation and the only way to get something for the entire family without breaking the bank is by renting a vacation home. But, be warned of the scams out there. This article talks about how to pick the clues that the good deal you are about grab is too good to be true.

Vacation Scams - How to Spot Them
Another great article that confirms that any deal “if sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” It talks about how travelers are getting scammed in to paying back-end fees and other hidden costs added to their ‘good deal’.

Tips to Prevent Scams While on Vacation
Tips to Prevent Scams While on Vacation - Even if you’ve prepared everything carefully, scams could still happen. Here are some tips on how to safe-guard your interests when on vacation – starting from the preparation of your trip to coming back home safe.

Scammers Using Real Vacation Rental Info
Ready to wire your hard earned money to a travel agent?  Think twice. Have you done your home work?  Were you able to talk to the travel agent on the phone?

10 Tips to prevent getting scammed when renting a vacation home
Here are very own top 10 tips to prevent getting scammed while renting a vacation home.

Watch out for vacation rental scams
Imagine: You’re planning a getaway for your group of friends, you find a great vacation house at an affordable price, you send a check and when you show up, you learn the property isn’t a rental at all! Believe it or not, I posed as a guest and faced a scammer who was ready to rent me my own home!

How to avoid vacation rentals internet scams?
Advice and tips on how to avoid vacation rentals scams over the internet.

The Craigslist Vacation Rental Scam
If we have not heard enough about scams using the free online classified site Craigslist to operate, there appears to be yet another one. It is called the Craigslist vacation rental scam. Don’t fall for it if Craigslist is the only post where you are able to see the ad for a vacation home for rent.

 

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Florida has more than Disney! A guide to non-Disney activities

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Florida has more than Disney! A guide to non-Disney activities

Have you ever wondered what else is there in Florida besides Walt Disney World, Sea Word and other Orlando area attractions?  Well, look no further as what put together some interesting articles, guides and news that take you beyond the world famous theme parks and water parks in Central Florida.

Visiting Florida is more than just Disney – Florida Travel and Tourism

Every tourist town in Florida has already anticipated the needs of every age demographic in your family. With increasing skill and refinement, nearly every Florida museum, zoo, attraction, restaurant and hotel aims to please …

10 Must-See Attractions on the Beautiful Anna Maria Island, Florida

TravelWires – travel press release and travel news … Turquoise seas and white sandy beaches are the main attractions here and one of the main reasons for the Island fast becoming the ‘Beach Wedding Capital of Florida‘.

Florida Travel Tips: Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park

Florida Travel Tips: Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. Every time I am back in my home state I find new little corners to visit. Places that I, quite frankly, never paid any attention to  when I lived there. I think it’s one of the great …

Kayak and Fish at Cedar Key Natural North Florida

While Cedar Key is the name of the town that actually sits on Cedar Key and Way Key, the vast majority of fishable water flows through an archipelago of tiny unnamed islands between these islands and the mainland. Some of …

Free Florida Travel Guide – North Central Florida

Florida-Backroads-Travel is your free Florida travel guide to North Central Florida. From Monticello to Tallahassee, Gainesville and Cedar Key. Rural, small towns and super college football.

A guide to six non-Disney activities in Florida

If you are looking for activities such as fishing, hiking, kayaking and canoeing like activities, there are helpful resources such as guides and publication pulled together in one convenient spot here.

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10 Tips to prevent getting scammed when renting a vacation home

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10 Tips to prevent getting scammed when renting a vacation home

With the advent of online advertising that has far more outreach, vacation rental industry has become a prominent area for scammers.  Are you concerned about Orlando Florida vacation home scams?  As a provider of premium Orlando area vacation rental homes, we at www.emeraldislandrentals.com want our guests to be aware of various scams out there on the internet. Here are the top 10 tips on how you can avoid getting scammed while renting an Orlando area vacation home for your next Disney trip.

  1. Know who you are renting from. Significant percentage of Florida vacation rental homes are owned by owners who live outside the state or even country. Most of Orlando area Florida vacation villas and homes can be rented from owners or rental agencies.
  2. Verify the ownership of the villa if needed. A genuine owner can verify his ownership in the form of a county license or property utility bill.
  3. If you are renting a vacation home from the management agency, they should be able to verify the utility bill of the vacation villa.
  4. Ask questions and speak to the owners if needed. Scammers tend to send brief emails and are generally unwilling to speak over the phone. Look for clues that suggest that emails are auto-replies. If you are not able to reach the owner by phone, walk-away from the transaction.
  5. Don’t be attracted to very low rates. Scammers want your money and they will lure you by offering “too good to be true” deals. Compare the prices from other villas in the neighborhood and step-away if the price is too low.
  6. It is a common practice for owners to request payment upfront as the home is reserved for you exclusively unlike hotels who book more than their capacity. Scammers do not accept credit cards though some genuine owners also may not accept them due to high cost of accepting the same. Scammers prefer that you send money with Money Order or Wire Transfer and not a personal check. Note that some owners may not accept personal checks if the rental is a last minute transaction as that makes owners vulnerable to “bad checks”.
  7. Ask for guest reviews from past guests understanding that scammers have a ‘short lifespan’. Look for guest reviews that range a period of time on reputable websites.
  8. Ask the owner if they have a personal website.  Verify the ownership of the website and for how long that domain name has existed.
  9. Use caution while renting from leads stemming from free classified websites.
  10. At the end, if you have a bad vibe with more than one aspect of the deal from the above list, you probably are getting a bad deal!

By Sri Gogineni

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Downtown Orlando Partnership presents the annual “Taste of Downtown”

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The Downtown Orlando Partnership (DOP) presents the annual “Taste of Downtown,” a culinary showcase and sampling of downtown’s renowned restaurants.  Local restaurants and caterers showcase their culinary skills for the business community in the heart of Downtown Orlando.

This annual event is scheduled for Sep 26, 2012 from 5:00 – 7:30 pm. Based on annual participation in the past, it is expected that there will be a crowd of at least 500 DOP participants.

When: Sep 26, 2012 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Where: Disney Atrium inside of the Amway Center in Downtown Orlando, 400 W Church St, Orlando, FL 32801.  (407) 440-7000

For more information visit: http://www.downtownorlandopartnership.com. You can also access a printable brochure for this event directly.

 

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Sizzling Summer Activities in Orlando

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Sizzling Summer Activities in Orlando

Summer Nights at SeaWorld Orlando

Summer Nights at SeaWorld is a nighttime spectacular and the best place to be when the sun sets. Celebrate summer with exciting, nighttime shows, including a high-energy, rock ‘n roll Shamu Rocks, the hysterical duo of Clyde and Seamore in Sea Lions Tonite, and Reflections, a spectacular fireworks and fountains finale.

Dates: Saturday, June 23 through August 12

For Information call SeaWorld Orlando at 888-800-5447

Visit SeaWorld at: http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando/Events/Summer-Nights

Sounds Like Summer Concert Series

Now through July 28, Epcot, 407-824-4321 Celebrate summer with the sounds of some of the world’s greatest tribute bands honor U2, the Bee Gees, Bon Jovi, the Eagles and more! Concerts are held lagoonside at the open-air America Gardens Theatre atEpcot.  Showtimes are 5:45 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. (July 4th showtimes are 5:15 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 9 p.m.) Concerts are included with theme park admission.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/special-events/sounds-like-summer-concerts/

 

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Car Rental while visiting Orlando Florida

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Car Rental while visiting Orlando Florida

Traveling around in Orlando and Kissimmee area and being able to visit the various parks and attractions requires some planning with regards to transportation.  Some of the hotels in town provide their guests with shared transportation in vans with service at designated times (more or less). If you are one of those Disney fans who need to cover the parks completely or planning on staying late for the fireworks, you will need your transportation to get to your destination. The one advantage of relying on shared transportation provided by some of the local hotels is that you do not have to drive. This is often countered by the disadvantage of having to wait for your turn and the ride back to your accommodation may take longer depending on who else being transported with you. The other disadvantage is that you may need transportation with little or no notice if you need to make a trip the grocery store or pharmacy in the middle of night.

To counter the above disadvantages we strongly recommend our guests to have their own rental car during their stay in the Disney area while staying in one of the many vacation homes the area has to offer. One such community that offers many outstanding rental homes near Disney is Emerald Island Resort. If you are wondering about renting a vacation home versus hotel or the advantages of renting from owners directly, you have some reading to do.

Once you agree that renting a car is the way to go, the process is quite simple.  Best of all, you can plan your rental car needs and make arrangements even before arriving in Orlando. There are many rental car agencies in Orlando airport and through-out the area. If you are coming to Orlando by airplane, reserve your car ahead of time and be ready to pick-up the keys at the rental agency counter in the airport.  Renting a car gives you’re the freedom to be on your own schedule.

The following are some of the factors that you must bear in mind with respect to renting a car:

Reservations: You will need to reserve a car ahead of time. Rental agencies are frequently sold-out of cars which mean that if you arrive in Orlando without a pre-arrangement, you may not be able to rent a car on the spot. This is particularly true during high and holiday travel seasons. Rental cars can be reserved daily or weekly with weekly rates being cheaper on a per day basis. Also, a weekly rental may be cheaper than renting for five or six days.

Size Classification: Reserve the car that is adequate for your family size.  Based on the rental agency understand the capacity of the car with respect to passengers and baggage it can carry. A full size car may not mean the same depending on the agency you rent from and based on your understanding. The rental car agency’s classification may vary from the country of your origin. Also, if you need a specific make and model of car you may have to ask for the same specifically at the time of pick-up. When you are at the counter to pick-up your car, the agents usually ask if you need an upgrade at extra cost (say $10/day). While this may be tempting, you may want to accept or reject the upgrade option based on your needs. Depending on availability, you may even get a free upgrade at the time of pick-up. This is particularly true if the car classification you reserve is in high demand at the time of your pick-up.

Payment: Payment for your rental car is typically handled with credit card.  Even if you pre-paid for the renal at the time of reservation, you will still need to provide a credit card at the time of pick-up for security reasons.  Your cost of rental includes the base cost and taxes. You may also include insurance, pre-paid tolls and pre-paid gas with the rental.

Options to consider:

  • Insurance: We recommend that you inquire with the credit card companies about the rental car insurance as many of them include it as a card member benefit.
  • Pre-Paid Tolls: Pre-paid tolls are an expense that you can avoid by carrying some change. Most toll-booths are staffed in Orlando area though you may come across one or two that are automated and need you to carry exact change or a Speed Pass.
  • Gasoline: You can rent the car with or without the gas option. When you rent the car with the gas option, you can return the car without worrying about the gas level as you are charged up-front for the full tank of gas.  The only drawback is that you will always lose with this option as it is nearly impossible to plan to use-up all the gas that you paid for.  The other option is to return the car with full tank of gas. The best part is there is a gas station on Tradeport Drive (near airport) where the price is reasonable. Before you head to the airport keep an eye for   the current price as some gas stations close to practice in price gouging by not displaying the price prominently. If you drive up and down the street, you may see another gas station with prices as low as one dollar per gallon cheaper.  Also, beware that if you return the car without refueling when you are supposed to, you will be charged a premium price by the rental car agency.
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Pool Heat Option for Orlando Vacation Homes – Florida Travel Advice

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Pool Heat Option for Orlando Vacation Homes – Florida Travel Advise

If you are looking for a great Orlando Florida pool home for your next vacation one of the key decisions you will make is whether or not to opt for the pool and/or spa heat for your vacation home/villa.  When you rent any Orlando Florida pool homes, as a standard the pool and/spa is not heated. This gives renters control of their options and thereby costs.

As a renter if you are undecided on whether or not the pool and/or spa heating options are to be taken, we hope this article gives you some direction.

Should I opt for pool heating at my Orlando Florida villa?

The decision on whether or not you should opt for the pool heat option is based on two factors. The first factor is the direction of the pool. Orlando Florida south-facing pools are generally warmer than pools that face any other direction and are preferred as explained at Orlando Florida South facing pool villas. The second factor that influences the pool heat option is the month you are traveling. As a rule of thumb, we strongly encourage our Orlando Florida guests to opt for the pool heat option for the first and last three months of the year (i.e. Oct-Mar). If you are traveling in the months of September or April, you may want to consider the pool heat option by reviewing the weather as it gets closer to your arrival date. If the temperatures are 70s or below, do take the pool heat option. Remember, the pool temperature is several degrees cooler than the air temperature. In addition, do consider the overnight low temperatures as that’s when the pool gets really cold and the day time temperatures may not be adequate to heat the water to keep it comfortable for you.

Should I opt for spa heating at my Orlando Florida villa?

When you rent a home that has spa, the decision on whether or not you want the spa to be heated is pretty easy to make. Guests take the spa heating option irrelevant of the month they are traveling if they want to soak in the spa. This is a great way to de-stress yourself a after a busy day at the Orlando area theme parks and water parks. The spa heats up to 102 F. Spa is generally a very significant upgrade for the owners and not all Florida villas may give you this option. We offer three luxury villas in Emerald Island Orlando –  (Disney Magic, 7 bed villa , Emerald Magic, 6 bed villa and Tropical Magic, 6 bed villa) that have a spa in addition to the pool.

If you decide to opt for the pool and/or spa heat option….

If you decide to take the pool and/or spa heat option, one advise we have for you is to have the heat option for the entire stay though it may sound like a marketing ploy for you (*).  By opting for the pool heating for your entire stay, you can enjoy the pool as and when you desire.  Based on the external temperatures, Orlando area pools do take a while (1-2 days) to heat to desired temperatures.  And always remember to cover the pool blanket when the pool is not in use as this preserves the heat.

* Electricity costs are so high these days, owners barely break-even electricity and operating costs arising out of pool/spa heat option.

Here is what our past guest Renee from Waterford, WI had to say on May 04, 2011:

“We heated the pool and spa for the first 4 days. While the pool stayed warm (approx. 87 degrees) we did miss having the heat in the spa the last few days and would pay for the heat the whole week next time.”

Read her complete review along with many other reviews on our Emerald Island Resort Reviews page.
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Activities in Orlando Florida area in April

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Leading Ladies Broadway Show in Kissimmee Florida

Enjoy this hilarious comedy, two English Shakespearean actors find themselves so down on their luck until they devise a scheme to impersonate an old lady’s long lost English nephews.  This show runs from now to April 22, 2012, so take advantage of this limited showing that is fun for the entire family.

Tickets are as follows:

Adults $21; Seniors $18; Students $15

For additional details please visit: http://www.kenludwig.com/

Celebration Art Festial

See the work of more than 100 artists as they take over the streets of downtown Celebration. Bold and vibrant paintings, contemporary and whimsical art, life-size sculptures, photography and jewelry are among the many works of art that will be featured along the quaint brick-lined streets of Celebration Town Center when the city’s annual art festival returns April 21 -22, 2012.  Market Street will be transformed into a gallery style outdoor art extravaganza complete with 100 of the finest artists from thirty different states.  Admission is free and open to the public.

The event runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day from Saturday, April 21-22 at the Market Street in Downtown Celebration, Florida.

For further details, please call 561-746-6615

Whether you are planning to visit the area theme parks, a broadway show or an art festival, you can always rent one of our villas in Emerald Island Orlando.

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