Want to escape to a Disney vacation home this January? Well I have some great discount deals for my Windsor Palms and Windsor Hills resort homes for some last minute escapes to Disney World. January is one of the best times to visit Disney World. All the benefits of the Florida weather and the Orlando attractions without the crowds. Personally it is one of my very favorite times to visit. If you need to escape from the cold weather and the snow then there is no better place than Disney World. You can always go to Blizzard Beach if you want to sun bathe in the fake snow!

You can choose between homes on Windsor Palms and Windsor Hills. These are the very closest resorts to Disney World - yes I know that every vacation home owner says their home is the nearest but these really are! Both Windsor Resorts have exceptional facilities including community pool, children’s pool, playground, tennis, pool and table tennis tables, store,huge clubhouses and even a movie theater.

So just what are the January deals for these homes. Well I have 4 bed homes on both Windsor Palms and Windsor Hills to rent. There are last minute deals available for each. The Windsor Palms 4 bed is a discounted $995 for 7 nights and the Windsor Hills 4 bed is $1095 for 7 nights.

I have some limited dates available for my 5 bed conservation view home on Windsor Palms too. This is available at a discounted $1395 for 7 nights.

Limited dates are also available for the 6 bed 4 bath Windsor Hills home. The rates for this home are a discounted $1695 for 7 nights.

Each of the Windsor Resort homes is different but all offer very upgraded features. Some have game rooms, internet access, free phone calls. Just contact me to find out which home will suit your family.

So where is the small print? The rates are good for 7 night bookings Saturday to Saturday in January. Other start and departure dates are available for slightly higher rates - depending on availability. The rates include tax. Pool heat is available at an additional $20 a night for each home. This offer runs to all bookings made before December 31st 2008.

I just had a friend of mine contact me to say that due to a last minute cancellation her beautiful 6 bed 3.5 bath Windsor Palms home is available at Christmas. Now I know that homes are really scarce on Windsor Palms at this most popular time of the year so if you are looking for a last minute Christmas and New Year Disney holiday then you now have a fabulous place to stay. I have so many people contacting me at the last moment wanting to book and I simply have to turn them away. Most Windsor Palms homes book for Christmas over a year ahead. So I am now looking at booking Christmas 2009 and 2010 for my other homes. But due to this cancellation you can now find your dream home for the Holidays on Windsor Palms resort.

Booking a vacation home for Christmas is a great idea. You get to relax in your own private oasis away from the Disney Holiday crowds. Christmas is one of my very favorite times at Disney and Universal Studios but it is nice to be able to come back to a vacation home and take some time out to relax with the family.

This Windsor Palms 6 bed home is close to the clubhouse so you are just steps away from all the facilities. The house has been upgraded a lot recently and is now one of the best available on the resort. The swimming pool and spa are nicely screened with planting. There is that all important games room too!

So if you are planning a last minute Christmas trip and are looking for a Windsor Palms vacation home then contact me and I will send you all the details.

Is Windsor Hills vacation home resort really the closest to Disney World? I get asked this a lot! I have homes available on both Windsor Hills and Windsor Palms so I am in a pretty good position to actually be honest about this question!

So which is closer to Disney World? Windsor Palms or Windsor Hills? Both resorts are just on the edge of Disney World and are uniquely placed to really be able to say they are the closest. The truth is that Windsor Hills probably has a slight edge with Windsor Palms about a minute behind. From both resorts you can travel to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in less than 8 minutes. If you are going to Disney’s Hollywood Studios then the drive time is around 15 minutes. Magic Kingdom and EPCOT are around 20 minutes.

But the drive time also depends of where you are within each resort. Windsor Palms is a relatively small resort so your drive time is only going to vary a little. But Windsor Hills is quite a lot larger so you can add a few minutes onto your drive time if you are far back in the resort. That is why I am pleased to say that I have one of the best locations for a Windsor Hills home for the beautiful 6 bed home that I have available. Not only is it on one of the best lots with no rear neighbors and a beautiful view out onto open space, but it is certainly one of the houses that is the quickest to travel to Disney World from because of it’s great location. Not only that but you can even see the Disney World fireworks from the house. Not surprisingly this is a very popular home so if you have any dates in mind for 2009 then contact me and I will send you more details of availability and pricing. This 6 bed 4 bath home has very upgraded furnishings, games room, internet access, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, beautifully decorated rooms and of course that pool deck which really can’t be beaten. If you want any more information either contact me or visit my other site at Windsor Hills

Tags: windsor hills, windsor hills kissimmee, windsor hills resort

Are you dreaming of a Christmas vacation at Disney World? Where better to spend the Christmas celebrations than at the most magical place on earth?

But is is really a good idea to visit Disney World at Christmas time? Well of course it is one of the most popular times of the year and yes the parks will be crowded. But I think that it is well worth it! Just arrive prepared and you will have one of the best Christmas celebrations you have ever dreamed of.

So what makes Disney so magical at Christmas. We all know that Disney is the master of entertainment and they certainly know how to put on a great show. The Disney Christmas decorations are amazing. From the special Christmas parades and fireworks, to the edible gingerbread house displays Disney creates a wonderful family atmosphere of celebration.

Planning your Disney World vacation becomes even more important at Christmas time. You really do get more out of your vacation if you just spend some time in advance working out what you and your family want to do.

The restaurants get booked up far in advance. If you want to dine at a Disney restaurant you may make Advance Dining Reservations as far in advance as 180 days by calling 407 WDW DINE. Restaurants do get booked up well in advance so it pays to plan. Lots of the Disney restaurants have special Holiday menus.

The parking lots really do fill up quickly at Christmas time and you have to get there early. I know this from experience when I was turned away one Christmas Eve! So arrive as early as you can do and plan to spent a whole day in your chosen Disney park. This is probably not the time for park hopping as if you leave you may not be allowed back in!

But there are ways to enjoy the Christmas celebrations at Disney World without the crowds. One of my favorite times to visit is just after Thanksgiving right up to the week before Christmas. Crowds are generally light so you get to enjoy the rides without a wait, and all the Disney Christmas decorations are already in the parks. If you want to see the special parades and fireworks in Magic Kingdom then you can get a ticket to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

If you can’t make it to Disney World this Christmas then of course you can always bring the celebration home. I love to decorate our home with Disney Christmas ornaments and of course we always watch Disney movies in the build up to Christmas. On Christmas Day don’t miss the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade on ABC. This annual event with Regis and Kelly always features all the big Disney stars - Miley Cyrus and the cast from High School Musical were there last year.

One thing that I plan to do one year is a Disney Christmas Cruise. Disney really is the leader in cruise line vacations and to sail at Christmas must be a truly magical experience. They even make it snow on Castaway Cay!

If you are thinking of booking a Disney vacation home for Christmas then you really do have to plan ahead - usually a year in advance for the very best homes. I am taking bookings now for Christmas 2009 and 2010. Yes, you really do have to think this far in advance for the very best homes!

Are you looking for a last minute deal on a villa near Disney World? Well I have some great news for you. I have some dates available for my Windsor Palms 5 bed and 4 beds, and also Solana and Windsor Hills reserve resort homes.

My Windsor Palms 5 bed conservation view home really is for the guest who is looking for something very special. It has that fabulous conservation view and of course every upgrade you can think of including games room, Disney Princess and Harry Potter themed rooms, TVs in every room including a flat screen in the living area. It has over $10,000 upgraded additions for 2008.

If you are looking for something a little smaller then the 4 bed Windsor Palms home is on one of the very best plots on the whole resort. There aren’t many homes on the resort which you can truly say are not overlooked but this really is one of them. So take you chance and get a last minute deal!

You can’t get any closer to Disney World than Windsor Palms. Unless you are thinking of Windsor Hills of course! Well which is closer? To be honest there isn’t that much in it, and it depends where you are on each resort of course. What I do know is that from each resort you can get to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in less than 8 minutes, Disney Hollywood Studios in 15 to 18 and EPCOT and Magic Kingdom in around 20 minutes.

I have very limited deals on Windsor Hills 4 bed and 6 bed homes for 2008. So if you are looking for a bargain then contact me and see if you are one of the lucky ones!

Last but not least I have my beautiful upgraded Solana 5 bed home. If you are looking for a wonderful resort close to Disney then this is one of my most popular homes. Relax in the huge 36′ swimming pool with spa, and chill out listening to music on the integrated surround sound system. The kids will love the Disney Princess and Disney Cars rooms. You will love the 2 King master bedrooms. And enjoy the facilities on this beautiful resort close to Disney World.

Whichever home you choose then contact me to find your perfect match at a great discount deal for the few remaining dates I have left for 2008.

There are so many Orlando villas to rent - where is the best place to start? Well the first thing that you must do before you even start searching on the internet for your dream Disney rental home, is sit down with your family and work out what you really want from a home.

Do you want absolute luxury, or are you looking for a bargain? Do you want a south facing pool, a spa, games room, internet access? Or is location the absolute key for you - you just want to be close to Disney World? Write down a list of ‘must have’. Include the obvious things like number of bedrooms, bathrooms, bed sizes. But include the extras that really are going to make a difference to your family. Then write down a list of ‘nice to have but not essential’.  This might be things like Play Station 2, Tvs in every room.

Then as soon as you have a sensible wish list you can begin your search. People often ask me if some resorts are better than others in the Orlando area. Do you really get what you pay for? Well perhaps the best way to put it is that there are certain categories of resort. The most sought after homes that I have tend to be on the Windsor Palms and Windsor Hills resorts. You really can’t beat them with their fabulous faclities and great locations. You genuinely can’t get any closer to Disney without actually staying at a Disney propery. So you get the best of everything.

But there are other resorts which are equally as nice. Solana of course ( yes I am biased).  However there are also resorts which I would avoid. These are few and I am not going to name names but there are some resorts you just wouldn’t want to stay in. This was again brought home to me by a guest who ended up moving to my home on Solana this week.  They had arrived from Britain on what should have been a holiday of a lifetime and arrived at a villa on a resort that they just weren’t happy to stay at.  They just didn’t feel safe. So happily they were able to move to my Solana home.

There are a lot of bargain Orlando villas to rent at the moment. You would have to have been on a desert island for the past few months not to realise there is an economic downturn. Unfortunately some Orlando vacation home owners have been hit very hard by this.  Some react by offering low prices. The upside of this is that you can get a bargain. However, you do need to be careful.  There is a difference between an owner offering a good deal, and one offering a ridiculous deal because they are desperate and about to go under. So be very very careful, particularly when booking a long way ahead.  Unfortunately I can see that some home owners will not own those homes for very long if they can’t pay their expenses - and they certainly can’t if they are offering to rent out their homes for less than they are costing them. So do your research properly and talk to the owners themselves.

I admit that I hadn’t really thought too much about this problem before this week. I am lucky as I have a successful business, my homes are very well cared for and I am going to be in this business for a very long time.  So if you want Orlando villas to rent at great rates, well maintained, great locations and resorts then that is just another reason to contact me!

Imagine just stepping out of the back door of your vacation home and diving in to a private swimming pool. One of the best things about renting a vacation home near Orlando is that most of the houses have swimming pools and many even have the luxury of a spa too. When we stay at our vacation homes often my children would rather be in the pool that go to Disney!

Recently I have been thinking of ways that my vacation homes can be more friendly to the environment. I think we are all more aware that we have to play our part in reducing global warming and take whatever steps that we can to be more Green.

So I decided that my two 5br rental houses in Orlando should have solar heating to hear the swimming pool and spa. This will dramatically reduce the need to use the electric and gas pool heaters at the houses. The sun shines most days in Orlando so why not use the power of the sun to heat the swimming pools? Yes, it was a big investment but I see it as something which I really wanted to do.

Guests will find a great benefit as the pool will be heated all year round to a very comfortable temperature. Unfortunately I will still need to use the heaters at certain times of the year, but the solar panels will dramatically reduce the amount of power that is used. Most of the year my Solana and Windsor Palms 5br homes will have the pools heated by solar power.
I am often asked by guests when pool heat is really needed. Well the basic rule of thumb for those without solar heaters is early October until late April. Orlando has the benefit of year around great weather and sunshine, but some of the winter months can be pretty cool’ particularly at night. Now I don’t pretend to understand the finer details of how pool heaters work but I do know that for my Windsor Palms home as well as the solar heater, I have an electric pool heater. For my Solana home I have a gas pool heater.

The gas heater can heat the water to a much higher temperature than the electric one - so if you are visiting Orlando in one of the cooler times of year then you may want to think about my Solana home if you are a dedicated swimmer! On a few days of the year the electric heater is just not going to get the water warm enough for all but the most hardy amongst us!

Fortunately these cooler days are on the whole rare in Orlando so for most guests it will never be a problem. Most of my vacation home guests say that the swimming pool and spa is one of the highlights of their Disney vacation. So check in and chill out by the pool while the kids have fun!

Are you looking for a vacation home or villa for rent near to Disney World Orlando? Well as soon as you start looking on the internet you are going to realise that there are a lot to choose from! Where do you start?

There are many vacation home resorts which are located in the Disney World area.  I know that there is a lot of confusion out there about which homes are closest.  I talk to people every day who are searching for a vacation home - and there is very much a common theme.  They all want to be as close to Disney World as possible.
If you want to be the closest then look first at Windsor Palms and Windsor Hills.  They are without a doubt the closest resorts.  This makes them very popular so if you are thinking of booking a home then try and think ahead as much as possible.  At the moment I am getting many emails every day asking if I have a home on Windsor Palms or Windsor Hills available for Christmas.  Unfortunately I don’t know of anything available there and all my homes on these resorts are booked.  If there are any Windsor Palms or Windsor Hills owners out there with a house available for Christmas then please let me know!

But don’t discount those houses that are a little further out. I have a beautiful home on the resort of Solana which is within 15 minutes of Disney World.  Due to a late cancellation this is available to rent at Christmas and New Year.  So if you are looking then contact me about this highly upgraded resort home so that you can spend Christmas at Disney World!

Now how many websites have you seen with owners claiming to own the closest vacation home to Walt Disney World? A lot. So which one is actually telling the truth? I have seen hundreds, perhaps thousands of websites where everyone seems to be claiming to be 10 minutes, 15 minutes, the closest, the best, the cheapest, the biggest! So where do you start in your search for a great vacation home, and which ones really are the closest?

Well it is pretty easy to answer which the closest vacation home resorts are to Disney World. Windsor Palms and Windsor Hills. There was a reason that I bought a house on Windsor Palms right back when the resort was first breaking ground, and that was because I knew that I could say it had one of the closest homes you possibly could to Disney World without actually moving onto Disney World land ( and we all know that few people get that privilege)!

So how long does it take to get from Windsor Palms to Walt Disney World. Well the answer is it depends on which Disney park you are visiting! But you can step out of your door at my conservation view home on Windsor Palms, get in your car, and be in Disney’s Animal Kingdom parking lot in 8 minutes. I know because I have done the journey many times and timed it down to the last second! Now there are of course things that could get in your way. Like your 2 year old not wanting to get into his car seat, having to go back to collect your Disney tickets that you left on the kitchen counter, or having to wait a while longer while the Disney parking lot guy talks to the other guest holding up the line. Believe me these are all things that have happened to me, but broadly 8 minutes to Animal Kingdom. You can’t get any closer. Or can you?

Is Windsor Hills closer to Disney than Windsor Palms. Now I admit there is some friendly rivalry between the two resorts. Who can claim to be the closest? Well the answer is probably both. What do I mean by this? Well Windsor Palms is a relatively small resort compared to Windsor Hills. With some homes on Windsor Hills it will take you a little while to drive down the street to the exit of the resort. So the answer is - if we are timing this down to the last second, which believe me some people want to do, it really depends on which home within each resort.

But the bottom line is both Windsor Palms and Windsor Hills are so close to Disney that you can almost see it ( in fact from some homes you can see the fireworks).

What about driving time from either Windsor Palms or Windsor Hills to the other Disney parks and attractions. Magic Kingdom are around 20 minutes, Disney’s Hollywood Studios a little less at around 15 minutes. Downtown Disney is around 20 minutes - unless you get stuck at that traffic light just before the turn off which takes for ever - but that is another story!

So if you want to stay close to Mickey Mouse and Cinderella then click on the big envelope and find out more about the homes that I have to offer on Windsor Palms and Windsor Hills.

Tags: windsor hills, windsor palms

Do you really want to know how to make your vacation to Disney World more affordable? I know the secret to finding the very best cheap Disney vacation packages. How about a luxurious place to stay close to Disney World for less than $10 a night. Now that really is the $10 challenge! Too good to be true? Well not if you book my Solana vacation home before October 31st 2008 for certain dates for 2008. Perfect for that last minute vacation to Disney World Florida.

So what is the deal? Well I was inspired when I was watching TV this evening. This doesn’t happen that often - and even less often am I inspired by an advertisement for a fast food chain! But they were offering a $10 challlenge - that it was cheaper to eat their fast food than it was to make it yourself. Now I am not about to tell you whether or not you really can buy a chicken meal or make it at home more cheaply. What I did get to thinking was I should create my own $10 offer. Well $9.95 anyway.

So how does it work? Well you may be thinking that you want to visit Disney World for your next family vacation - but you are not sure how to get the best value out of a vacation package. Well if you are planning on visiting with a large family or have a get together with a group of friends then this deal is going to make lot of sense. You really can have somewhere amazing to stay with it’s own swimming pool and spa, luxury furniture, free wireless internet, Disney Princess and Disney Cars room. Not to mention all the fabulous facilities of the Solana resort.

The deal is that if you book my Solana 5 bed 4 bath home before 31st October 2008 for most dates a minimum of 7 nights with availability remaining in 2008 then the deal is that it is available for just $995 for 7 nights. A big discount on the usual rate. The house very comfortably sleeps 10 people in 5 fabulous bedrooms, including 2 King master bedrooms. So that is a per person per night price of just $9.95. I think that is a fabulous $10 challenge!

Is there any small print? Well some, but not too much. Your stay has to be for a minimum of 7 nights and the $995 rate includes taxes and solar pool heating. If the gas heater is needed to heat the pool then this can be added at a rate of $25 a night.

So now you have your vacation home close to Disney World all booked. Need advice on how to find the cheapest and best Disney World and theme park tickets for you and your family? How to save money on food? Which park should you visit first? Where is the best place to find Cinderella at Disney World. With my other not so secret identity as EverythingMouse you get the best of everything. A great place to stay and great advice from someone who really knows her way around Disney World. What are you waiting for?

Tags: orlando homes specials