Who knows about Windsor Hills Resort??

[Yoop33]

I have been really looking for a place to live in the Disney area. I recently ran into Windsor Hills resort (online) and have many questions about this. It appears to be a weekly rental property but I am wanting to know if it is something I can rent for a year at a time. It is one of the most beautiful properties I have ever seen but I dont know much about it. Anyone have any info?

www.windsorhillsresort.com

 

[danipooh]

Hi! I don't know if you can rent yearly, but I wanted to tell you about my experience there. We stayed there for part of our trip in February and were very happy with the entire resort. We rented from the owners of the particular unit we stayed in, and that seems to be the way a lot of them are rented out. I don't know if you can rent directly from the complex. Anyway, the unit we stayed in was extremely nice. It was on Comrow street--one of the buildings that is near the clubhouse and pool. The unit had three bedrooms and two bathrooms, so it was plenty big enough! The clubhouse and pool area was very clean and it's gated so you can't get in without a key card. The whole community is gated too so you have to have a parking pass or else you have to stop at the front gate. So it felt very safe. It's in a good area in relation to Disney. It's only a few minute drive from the front gates. The only thing I would say is there are a lot of tourists who stay there so I don't know if that's what your looking for if you're going to be living there. It might get old after awhile! But all in all, we really loved the place and will always stay there if we don't stay on site. I hope this helps you!

 

[tednvon]

Hi, you are right, WH is a very popular weekly rental resort in a great location...There are many owners that have dropped weekly rental prices to try to get business as competition is fierce for rentals...
Just briefly, we live just a mile south of WH in Indian Ridge 3 months a year and have owned an sold a rental home in Emerald Island, so we do know the area fairlyl well.
I am sure someone would rent to you by the year, as it would give them financial security, frankly no kids for wear and tear, someone to keep an eye on the property, no weekly cleaning costs, and you can do simple maintainance like changing light bulbs.
I would go to:

http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/florida/central-
disney-orlando/kissimmee#2568 ,

http://www.greatrentals.com/windsor-hills/s/2385/fa/find.squery and

http://www.windsorhillsrent.com/

Here you will deal directly with owners...plan way ahead as a few weekly rentals will make it impossible to rent a solid year...Use the AVAILABILTY CALENDAR to see if there are big blocks of open months...

You might be able to find one unit for 3 months or so and another for another 3 months and so on...chances of finding a place totally empty for the year is pretty slim.

These are fully furnished, so you need nothing but your toothbrush and maybe the laptop...I would offer an amount and see if someone will take it...2-3 bedroom condo, I would offer about $1000/month for 3-12 months...remember that is totally furnished with no utilities.

Other condos that are very nice, but not in that fancy a developement that might be of interest are Villas at Island Club and Villas at Sommerset...do a google search and they will pop up...older units, not as fancy a resort, but might go for about $800-900/month on a long term basis...

Have find shopping the internet...there are lots and lots of places to look at...

let us know if more questions...Ted

 

[Yoop33]

Thanks for the help and links. My problem is that I have everything for the house... I just sold my townhouse and now have everything sitting in a storage unit. Getting one of these places already furnished doesn't help that cause to well though.

 

[tednvon]

I understand...of course the weekly rental market is based on turn key furnished by the day or week...The only thing I can suggest is to go Windsor Hills front desk and see if anyone has bought a unit unfurnished and might be looking for a tenant for a year...

Three other thoughts, both trying to save you money. Both still try to deal with owners direct vs. management companies as the companies will usually jack the prices quite a bit...

One...try to contact brand new condo construction sales people at the site of the condo and ask if they have names of new buyers who want to rent out the condo by the week but have yet to furnish it, and before they drop 20-30K on furniture might be interested in a monthly long term rental for a while just to get off the ground and get $$$ coming in..Sales staff may have names for you...there is one big developement on Funie Steed road just past Emerald Island resort on the north side...

Two...go to www.lastminutevillas.com and www.rentalo.com and send a mass email to all owners and tell them what you want (unfurnished long term rental) and see if anyone might just be between remodels or just bought and getting ready to rent...this is a long shot, but what the heck, it is free to do.

Three...stop in at Windsor Hills, Windsor Palms, Emerald Island, Villa at Island Club, Grand Palm, and any other condo units you see around Disney and ask at the desk if there are any open unfurnished units for sale...They are NOT selling right now and someone may jump at the chance to rent it out for a year until the market settles down...IN FACT, THAT MAY BE YOUR BEST BET!
Go to www.realtor.com search zip code 34747 advanced search for condos and townhomes price range from about 150,000 to 250,000 and see how many you find...tons...email any of the realtors and ask about a rental deal...you never know!!....All depends on how much time and energy you ant to put into a search...Good Luck

Ted

 

[Yoop33]

Awesome... Thanks a ton Ted. I have a little bit of time so I will get on it. I really appriciate the help because I obviously dont live there and it is hard for me to get the info I need.
Thanks again

 

[disneypearl]

Does anyone know what the weekly or monthly rates are for Windsor Hills? It looks very nice!

 

[minnie2000]

We stayed there for a week last year in a 3 bedroom condo. It was very nice, new and clean, and easy to get to Disney via Sherbeth Road.

If we went again though, I would prefer a villa as you get your own pool. We only went to the communal pool once, it was OK, but not very deep, and the tube slide is not very strong! My husband came down it, and I thought the whole thing was going to collapse! Also my DD, age 6, came down it, and sort of twisted on the way out, and had a nasty bump to her head. Also, some of the people around the pool were a bit loud, and the language was a bit colourful - I suppose that can happen anywhere.

We rented with someone my husband works with, it cost about £400 a week. The website was closesttothemagic.com

 

[jdvm]

Have you looked at renting a place in Celebration?
John

 

[66Stella]

We stayed there for a week last year in a 3 bedroom condo. It was very nice, new and clean, and easy to get to Disney via Sherbeth Road.

If we went again though, I would prefer a villa as you get your own pool. We only went to the communal pool once, it was OK, but not very deep, and the tube slide is not very strong! My husband came down it, and I thought the whole thing was going to collapse! Also my DD, age 6, came down it, and sort of twisted on the way out, and had a nasty bump to her head. Also, some of the people around the pool were a bit loud, and the language was a bit colourful - I suppose that can happen anywhere.

We rented with someone my husband works with, it cost about £400 a week. The website was closesttothemagic.com

Minnie2000:

Thanks for sharing your experience (sorry to hear your daughter bumped her head on the tube slide), we are going to Windsor Hills (first time for us) for our 15 yr. wedding annviersary in Oct of 2008 and we are staying in a 3 bedroom villa with our own pool. I am a little disappointed to hear the conditions on the main pool as my little girl is looking forward to going on the tube slide; now I know I will have to keep an extra careful eye on her...don't want her bumping her head!