Renting Emerald Island Vacation Homes - FAQ

Rent our luxury villas in Emerald Island Resort® near Orlando with confidence!

  • What is the location of villas offered on this website?

    All Emerald Island Resort Emerald Island Resort villas are located in Emerald Island Resort Kissimmee in the suburbs of Orlando Florida and less than 3 miles from Disney World. Emerald Island resort community is located between mile markers 3 and 4 on US-192, also known as Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway.

  • Are the homes and villas offered on this website certified/licensed vacation homes?

    Yes, all vacation homes offered for rent are certified and licensed by the Osceola County and the State of Florida. The licenses are displayed in the homes per county and state laws.

  • How can I be assured of my rental being genuine with all the scams out there?

    We strongly encourage all guests to ask questions before making a reservation. Read our blog to know what to consider before you book an Orlando vacation home. All vacation homes offered by Emerald Island Rentals have been verified to be privately owned with state and county agencies. If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at Emerald Island Rentals.

  • Are the villas and vacation homes offered on this site timeshares? Are there any "strings" attached to our villa reservation such as having to attend a sales presentation?

    Our villas and vacation homes are not timeshares. All vacation homes offered on this site are privately owned rentals. You are not required to attend any sales presentations.

  • Will I be staying in the exact villa shown in pictures of this website?

    Absolutely. What You See Is What You Get. The pictures shown on this website are of actual vacation homes that you will be staying in. As part of your reservation, you will be selecting a villa of your choice and that's where you will be staying.

Rental Process

  • We are unsure of how to rent a vacation rental by the owner as we are first-time renters?

    If you are trying to assess your family's vacation home needs in comparison to the villas we offer, we can help you select the ideal villa in Emerald Island. Once you know which villa works for your situation, please follow the reservation steps.

  • What taxes are applicable to our reservation?

    Yes, just like you pay taxes when you stay in a hotel, you will pay taxes when you stay in any licensed vacation rental home in Florida. The tax rate is the same for hotels and vacation homes and is 13.5%. It includes the 7.5% State of Florida Sales tax (as applicable in Osceola County) and 6% Osceola County Occupancy tax (also known as Tourist Development tax).

  • Where do I pick up/drop-off the keys to the villa that I am renting?

    All of our villas have secure key-less entry systems or lock-boxes. We will provide you with villa access instructions prior to your arrival. With the provided instructions, you will be able to gain access to the resort and obtain an access pass for the resort from the clubhouse. So, there is no need to pick up or drop-off keys. That is the last thing we expect our guests to do when they arrive late at night. We don't want you to waste your precious holiday time in the Florida area for trivial things such as visiting a rental agency's front-office to pick-up keys!

  • What are the check-in and check-out times?

    Guests can check-in any time after 04:00 pm on the day of arrival and can check-out any time before 10:00 am on the day of departure. With our self-check-in and check-out, you do not have to schedule your arrival time with us.

  • We assure that we will keep the villa clean. Do we still have to pay the security deposit?

    The security deposit is standard practice when booking any vacation home because it serves as a "safety net" for the owner and as an incentive for the renter to not abuse the property. However, accidents may occur or a very small minority of people may abuse or take things from our home. Therefore, we will not rent our property without this "safety net", and deductions will be made if we find damage or missing items after your departure.

  • How does the security deposit process work?

    In a majority of cases, we hold the security deposit (also known as a damage deposit) on a credit card with an authorization. Once we inspect the homes, we release the damage deposit authorization after charging for any damages. If you pay the damage deposit with PayPal, we will refund the same to your PayPal account. Please note, we are unable to refund to a different PayPal account than from which the payment is made. If you paid the damage deposit with a check or money order, we will mail a check to the address on the Booking Form. Also, for your security, we will only refund the deposit to the name of the primary person on the Booking Form.

  • How much security deposit is required for your vacation homes?

    A Security Deposit will be held in the following amounts when the guests do not purchase the optional Damage Waiver:vacation homes with 6- and 7-bedrooms; vacation homes with 5 bedrooms: $350; vacation homes with 4-bedrooms: $300; vacation townhomes with 3- and 4-bedrooms: $250. These amounts are independent of the duration of your reservation.

  • When will the security deposit be refunded?

    Per the terms and conditions of the rental agreement, your damage deposit will be refunded after accounting for any damages and excess telephone usage or excess cleaning needs at the villa after your departure. In most cases, we refund the damage deposit within 48 hours of departure. It could take us up to 2-3 weeks to refund the security deposit if the guests cause damages.

  • I do not want to hold-up the security deposit amount while I am on vacation. Do you offer any damage waiver options?

    Yes, all our rentals are offered with an optional Damage Waiver. Damage Waiver offerings are as follows: 3-bedroom rentals: $300 coverage for $49.95; 4-bedroom rentals: $400 coverage for $59.95; 5-, 6- and 7-bedroom rentals, $600 coverage for $69.95. Cost of Damage Waiver is nonrefundable under any circumstances. If you purchase the damage waiver, a security deposit is not required.

  • I opted for Damage Waiver. What happens if the damages are more than the coverage amount?

    The Party Lead will be held fully accountable for any damages that are above the Damage Waiver coverage limit or that are not accidental.

  • Can we rent multiple homes together for larger families or family reunions?

    Absolutely. If your party size is large, you can rent any combination of two or more of our vacation homes. Don't forget, all our vacation rentals are in the same great resort community of Emerald Island. We put together some recommendations for you on our Orlando Florida family reunion homes page.

  • What is the maximum occupancy of your vacation homes? Do I pay any per person charges?

    The maximum occupancy of our vacation homes is as follows: 3-bedroom villas: 8; 4-bedroom villas: 10; 5-bedroom villas: 12; 6-bedroom villas: 14; 7-bedroom villas: 16 (including infants for all villas). There are no per person charges. Our prices are for the whole villa.

  • What is the minimum age to rent a vacation home?

    The minimum age to rent any of our vacation homes is 25.

  • Can we have the pool and/or spa heated for our stay?

    Yes, pool and/or spa heating is optional and additional and can be arranged ideally before your arrival for an additional cost as explained in the villa pages and quote emails. We suggest that you opt-in for the pool/spa heating from Oct-Mar. Here is our advice on pool heat options.

  • What are the cancellation policies?

    Cancellation and refund policies are based on the villa size, length of stay and how far in advance you cancel the reservation prior to the arrival date. Please review section #5 under the terms and conditions.

  • Do you provide any travel insurance?

    We do not provide travel insurance. However, there are numerous companies that offer such services. We strongly recommend that you take travel insurance to protect yourself from the happenings of life. Read our blog for additional thoughts on why travel insurance is a must these days. If you would rather have us cover your vacation villa for any unplanned cancellations, please note that we do offer a (CFAR-TCPP) "Cancel For Any Reason – Trip Cancellation Protection Plan". CFAR-TCPP is offered for all weekly and longer rentals and overrides the standard cancellation terms described under terms and conditions. For more details and a custom quote with better cancellation provisions, please contact us. CFAR-TCPP is offered for up to 3 days after a booking is made.

  • What are the payment options?

    We accept payments with personal checks, cashier's checks, money order, Paypal, Venmo, ApplePay, credit/debit cards, Zelle, Wire Transfer, and TransferWise.

  • Can I pay the rent with cash upon arrival?

    Sorry, we do not have a provision to accept cash as payment on arrival. All payments must be made ahead of arrival.

  • What is your privacy policy?

    The information we collect from you is limited to what you provide voluntarily on the inquiry/booking form to ensure that we are able to establish your identity. We will not give, sell, or rent this information to anyone. We will use your information solely to respond to you regarding the reason you contacted us. We will not share your information with any third party outside of our organization, other than to fulfill your request. Our website uses https protocol to ensure the data transmitted with us is secure. When you make payment using your credit card, your credit/bank card information is transmitted to our credit card processor through https protocol using their secure system.

  • Some of the properties listed here do not have many/recent reviews. Why is that the case?

    We do not force our guests to post reviews unlike some agencies that suggest that security deposit will be released after the review process is complete. We encourage our guests to post a review and leave it at that. We understand a return to normal life after a great vacation can be stressful in itself. We hope the guests will remember to come back and post a review.

  • Who owns Emerald Island Resort®?

    Emerald Island Resort is not owned by one person or entity or by any Home Owners Association. The resort is a collection of townhomes and independent villas, each owned by investors or families who love to stay in a central Orlando Florida location near the theme parks. The owners of the units are from all over the World.

  • Who owns this website Emerald Island Rentals?

    Emerald Island Rentals is a privately owned website dedicated to promote the rentals of a small group of independent owners who own one or more rentals in the Resort. When you book a private vacation home from this website, you will Book Direct with one of the owners who has been owning and renting properties in the resort since 2007.

  • What does it mean by Book-Direct? I have seen references to that on this website and elsewhere on the web.

    Vacation rentals are owned by private owners and typically have always been available for rent directly from owners via listings on various websites. With some of the consolidation that happened over the past couple of years, some of these listing sites got greedy and started handling the booking process as middlemen and started adding a Booking Fee which would add about 15-20% fee to the consumer. BOOK-DIRECT was born out of this to increase awareness to the consumer to book their vacation homes directly from the owners or group sites such as this website and not via large Online Travel Agencies (OTAs).

Local attractions and golf courses

  • How far are the villas you offer from each other?

    All of our vacation homes are in Emerald Island resort close to each other. Some of them are next to each other and some are within a few minutes' drive. You can see a custom Google map to be able to better assess the distance.

  • How far are your vacation homes from Walt Disney World and other Orlando, Florida attractions?

    All of our vacation homes are in Emerald Island Resort, Kissimmee, Florida and are less than 3 miles from Disney World, Orlando. It will take between 5-10 minutes to be at the main entrance of Disney World. Our Orlando Florida Vacation Rental Information provided on this site has the shortest driving directions to Disney World and other Florida theme parks and attractions for your convenience. With its close proximity to attractions, it is even possible to plan for an afternoon nap in the villa during your next Disney visit. You can always go back to your favorite park to see the fireworks in the evening.

  • Are there any Golf courses nearby?

    There are many golf courses nearby including Celebration Golf Club, Champions Gate, Falcon's Fire, and Mystic Dunes, which are in close proximity to Emerald Island Resort. In addition, there are several Walt Disney World courses from which to choose. Stop by the Emerald Island Resort clubhouse for discount coupons to some of the area golf courses and other attractions. For additional information, please visit our Orlando Florida Golf Courses and Orlando Florida Golf Villas.

Local shops

  • Are there any shopping centers/restaurants close to Emerald Island Resort?

    There are many shopping centers, grocery stores, restaurants, banks, fueling stations and more just minutes from our villas. The nearest grocery store is less than 2 miles away and the famous Formosa Gardens Shopping center is about one mile away from the resort. Please check the Guest Information section for directions and information.

  • What is the closest grocery store to Emerald Island Resort?

    There is a 24x7 Wal Mart located within 2 miles at 2855 N Old Lake Wilson Road, FL 34747. This store also delivers groceries.

  • We would like to order and have groceries delivered ahead of our arrival. Is it possible?

    It depends. If you are using services such Amazon Fresh or Instacart, the answer is ‘No’. You can have them delivered after you arrive only. Delivery agencies will not have access to the villa and due to heat and wild-life, groceries can’t be left at the door. Alternately, we can arrange with our local manager to shop for you and place the groceries inside the villa.

  • Are there any grocery stores that deliver to the door?

    Yes. Wal-Mart, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, Instacart, Shipt and many other grocery stores deliver to the door. Please arrange to have them deliver after you arrive. Many of the local stores like Wal Mart have curb-side pickup.

Driving and car rental while renting vacation homes and villas

  • Do I need to rent a car while staying at one of your rental villas at Emerald Island Resort?

    We recommend that you rent a car which gives you the flexibility to go shopping or visiting the water parks and theme parks at your own convenience. Some of our guests prefer not to drive and choose to utilize the Uber/Lyft service but realize that this option may end up being more expensive than renting a car if you have to take frequent trips.

  • Do you offer free/paid shuttle services from the airport or to the theme parks/attractions?

    Emerald Island Resort/Rentals does not offer free shuttles. This is consistent with all the area resort homes/villas which are independently owned. You are able to utilize the services of paid shuttles by searching on the internet for independent providers. You can also hire Uber/Lyft for your travel needs.

  • What are the parking facilities at Emerald Island Villas during our stay?

    If you are staying in one of our Emerald Island Resort 3- and 4-edroom condos/townhomes, you can park right across from the villa. If you are staying in one of our villas with a private pool you can park in the driveway. Parking is free for all our guests. Please note that the resort does not permit recreational vehicles, campers, trailers, buses and commercial vehicles of any size and description. If you are unsure about your specific vehicle, please inquire with us

  • My rental car company is offering a Toll Pass to pay tolls easily. Do you recommend that service?

    Rental car companies offer a Toll Pass that gets billed to your rental account for the cost of the actual cost of tolls plus a service fee of about $10/day. In our opinion, there is no need to spend that much money for that convenience as most of the toll roads are staffed to collect tolls. It is a good idea to keep some change as some remote locations may not have an operator. If you are planning to drive extensively within Florida, you may want to purchase SunPass Transponder which costs about $15 (plus cost of tolls) and you can use that to pay tolls. Some freeways in the southern part of Florida exclusively operate on the SunPass system only and are cash-free.

  • Are there any tolls to pay between Orlando MCO airport and Emerald Island Resort?

    There are many ways to reach Emerald Island Resort, however, the common route is to go via FL-528 to I-4 to Osceola Parkway. There are two manned toll booths and you will pay approximately $1.00 each at these booths. Both these toll booths are manned round-the-clock, so you can pay cash. If you take alternate routes, you may be required to pay tolls at un-manned booths, so it is always recommended to keep some change in various denominations. Specific directions to your villa will be provided with your paid booking.

  • Are cabs, limos, Uber taxis and shuttles allowed to enter the community and provide transportation services?

    Yes. Please be sure to provide your party details and address of the villa so that the resort security staff can allow them into the community.

Living in the villa

  • Are pets allowed in your vacation homes?

    Many families rent our villas with little kids who may have an allergic reaction due to pets. For that reason, all the villas listed by us on this website are classified as 'pet-free'.

  • Are your villas smoke-free?

    Yes, for the health and comfort of our guests who do not smoke, all our vacation homes are designated as non-smoking rentals. You can smoke outside the villa.

  • Do you provide BBQ grills for your vacation homes?

    All our luxury 6- and 7-bedroom villas come with gas BBQ grills. In addition, some of the smaller villas we offer also have a grill. Please check the villa specific pages for more details. The grills we provide are completely complementary and all we ask is that you clean them before and after your usage.

  • How can we rent additional strollers or pack 'n plays?

    Please contact us and we will get you in touch with a local vendor who rents them at a nominal cost which you can arrange with them directly. They deliver and pick-up at no cost.

  • Can I receive mail and deliveries to the villa I am renting?

    US Postal Service (USPS) does not serve any short-term rental communities including Emerald Island Resort. Private carriers such as UPS, FedEx, and DHL deliver to the villa. We encourage you to plan in such a way that your packages get delivered during your stay. Owners can't be held responsible for re-directed or lost packages. Packages from Amazon are sometimes delivered with USPS and sometimes via private carriers. Please check with Amazon Customer Service before placing an order.

  • If there is a problem during my stay, who should I contact?

    We contracted with a professional property management company to look after our villas. They are available to assist you with concierge-type services as well as any questions/issues you may have during your stay. The management company also provides a 24-hour contact number should you have an emergency during your stay. Their contact details will be provided to you prior to your arrival as well as are displayed at the villas.

  • What are my responsibilities during and at the end of my stay?

    We ask that you treat our homes like yours and keep them clean and tidy during and at the end of the stay. Please put trash in the outside bins for pick-up. Please tidy the place to facilitate the inventorying and cleanup that will occur after your departure. Please start a load of laundry prior to leaving. When you leave, just lock up the home after ensuring all side entry doors are closed. Apart from these sensible and reasonable details, the whole idea is to enjoy the villa, the resort, and your entire vacation! Read our blog for additional thoughts on how to enjoy your vacation home.

  • What do we do with left-over groceries when we are ready to check-out?

    Unopened packages of left-over food items can bel left behind for the cleaners. Please leave them in the fridge or on the counter as appropriate. Please discard all open food packages.

Access and Facilities at Emerald Island Resort

  • Is Emerald Island Resort a gated community?

    Yes, Emerald Island Resort is a gated resort community with access restricted to approved and registered guests.

  • What are the clubhouse hours of operation?

    The clubhouse with its cyber cafe`, fitness center, and Sauna is open daily from 08:00 am to 10:00 pm.

  • What are the Tiki bar hours of operation?

    The Tiki bar is open daily from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm.

  • What types of food and drinks can be purchased at the tiki bar?

    The Tiki bar at Emerald Island Resort offers beer and wine-based liquors, snacks and hot food for purchase.

  • What do I need to enter Emerald Island Resort?

    If you are staying in one of our pool homes, head to the Club House where you will be asked for some basic details such as your name and address as well as the address of the villa you will be staying at. You will then be issued an access pass for the remainder of your stay. The Access passes are $20 each. If you arrive after-hours, the security guard will write down your information and will let you in. You are then required to stop at the Club House on the following day to obtain a pass for the rest of your stay. The gate-pass is specific to each vehicle that enters the resort, so you need to obtain a pass for each vehicle. If you are planning to drive more than four vehicles per villa, please consult with us.

  • Is there a charge for the Resort Access?

    All guest vehicles needing to stay at the community overnight will need to be registered at the clubhouse. There is a one-time charge of $20 per each vehicle pass. You will need at least one access passs per reservation even if you do not have a vehicle. There is a limit of 6 vehicles per villa.

  • Do I have to return the access pass obtained from the Clubhouse?

    No, you do not have to return the access pass.

  • I will be arriving late at night. Will I have access to the resort?

    Yes, you will have access to the resort 24x7 and this will be facilitated by us ahead of your arrival. If you arrive outside of the clubhouse operating hours, the security personnel will give you a temporary pass for the night and you can get an access pass to the community in the morning. In any case, you will not have an issue to access the resort even if you arrive at night.

  • Does the resort allow golf carts to be used to go around?

    Yes, you can ride golf carts in the community.

  • Is fishing allowed within the community lakes/water bodies?

    Sorry, fishing is not allowed within the community lakes/water bodies.

  • Where can I print boarding passes for our flights?

    Where can I print boarding passes for our flights?

Amenities and facilities at the rental villas

  • Do you provide linens and blankets in all of your vacation villas?

    Yes, all our vacation villas are completely furnished with linens and blankets as well as pool towels for the entire family.

  • Do you provide towels for the entire family?

    Yes, all our villas are stocked with towels for the entire family. Our luxury 6- and 7-bedroom vacation villas with private pool offer pool towels as well.

  • Are there washers and dryers in the villas?

    We have a full-sized washer and dryer in each of the vacation villas we offer.

  • What facilities do you have for small children?

    Depending on the specific villa, we provide some or all of the following amenities for children: full-size crib, pack 'n play unit, stroller, and a high chair, stair gates. For details, please refer to the specific villa pages.

  • Are your homes child-proof?

    All our homes were planned around the needs of kids and with safety in mind, however, any home can't be 100% child-proof and replace parent's supervision. We strongly recommend that parents supervise their kids at all times.

  • Is there air conditioning and/or heating?

    Our homes have both air conditioning and heating for year-round comfort.

  • Is there a bug-screen around the pool?

    Yes, there is a screen surrounding the outdoor pool to prevent bugs from coming-in (applicable to villas with private pool)

  • Is internet available at the villas?

    We provide free secure and unlimited Wi-Fi at our villas. You can also connect with your ethernet cable for those secure transactions that need absolute protection.

  • Are phone calls free from the villa?

    Calls within the US are free from all our villas that are equipped with a free phone. Some of our premium villas provide free calls to many international destinations including but not limited to Canada, Mexico, UK, Ireland, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Australia, Sweden and more. Please visit the Amenities pages of respective villa pages for details. For specific countries that are covered, please inquire with us.

This FAQ is aimed at answering many of the commonly asked questions about the villas listed and for the bookings made on this website only. Enjoy your vacation in one of our villas at Emerald Island Resort Orlando.

Guest Comments

Guest Comments

Villa Review [Stitch's Magic]
Stitch’s Magic is a beautiful home located within a 15 min. drive to the Disney parks. The home was very clean and comfortable and the owner was easy to reach. Emerald Resort is very secure and conveniently located close to many restaurants and shops.
Joan Lobo (Toronto, Canada)
(Feb 15, 2024, Dec 31, 1969)
Villa Review [Emerald Magic]
This was the perfect spot for our family celebration/vacation. The proximity to the parks, shopping and restaurants was awesome. Working with Sri was amazing. He was quick to respond and very helpful. We will definitely be back and highly recommend the property for your vacation spot.
Sara Jones (Boston, MA, USA)
(Feb 10, 2024, Feb 21, 2024)