Package Hotel Holiday vs Private Villa Rental

Is a Villa better than a package hotel holiday?

This is a question we have been asked many times and it’s even gone through our own minds before, but you only have to think about the luxury of your own private pool and not having to get fully dressed and join a hustling queue for breakfast (at 8:00 am!) to see why a private villa in Florida is a much more appealing way to spend the holiday of a lifetime with your family!

Spa Jacuzzi and Pool

Would your hotel be this private?

With flights shooting up in price over the school holidays, we have just done our own search on package deals compared to booking everything separately.

OK, we admit we did find one or two hotel packages that were cheaper than booking our villa for a family of 4, but the packages we found meant that your family would be spending 13 nights of their 2 week stay cooped up in a single 900sqft bedroom!

Factor in the costs of eating meals out compared to one or two self-catered meals in a villa, and already the villa is winning hands down.

How about a beer? Pop to the mini-bar and it’ll cost you 5 times more than if you stock up the fridge in a villa.  Forget about the cocktails!

How about a beer as soon as you want it?  Compare the thought of queuing up at the hotel bar with walking to your own kitchen and just getting one whenever you fancy.  Take it to the poolside if you want.  We don’t care, but a hotel would throw the rule book at you.

Just to prove we’re not obsessed with alcohol, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that our spacious 4 bedroom villa would offer loads more space for your money.  More than enough space for all the family to rattle around in, Mum and Dad can have their own King room with en-suite and his-and-hers sinks, and the children can be safely tucked away on the other side of the house.  Or Mum and Dad can have the Queen room next to the children if they want to be nearby.

Early morning trips to put pool towels on the hotel sun loungers?  No need!  Just step out onto your shaded lanai area next to your own private south facing pool to enjoy a drink together whilst the sun sets.

Villa and Pool by night

The sun has set, but who cares?

Forget about just 4 people sharing a hotel room – most Florida holidays are spent with your extended family and friends so you can all have fun together. With a much bigger group you won’t have to be parted into separate hotel rooms if you have a villa – and the cost of renting our accommodation can work out to be as little as £6 per person per night!

We’re biased of course, but we speak from the experience of staying at a lot of American hotels before buying our villa in Tuscan Ridge.  A quick recap of the benefits of our villa over a package hotel holiday:

  • One 900 sqft hotel room to share vs. a spacious 2000 sqft house
  • Shared hotel pool vs. private pool and jacuzzi
  • Coin operated arcade machines vs. your own private games room
  • Busy hotel queues vs. a quiet and relaxing Tuscan Ridge neighbourhood
  • Restaurant times vs. pick your own time to eat
  • Fight for a lounger vs. not a care in the world

 

You decide!

 

The Vacation Villa FAQ

Vacation Villa FAQ for our home in Tuscan Ridge

Often our guests ask similar questions about our villa in Tuscan Ridge, so we’ve created an in-progress FAQ for our home.  You can find the link here – Vacation Villa FAQ.

In our guide there are all sorts of answers to frequently asked questions, including the rental process, deposits and payment, the villa, our south facing pool and spa, how it all works, and some links to general good advice about staying in Florida.

US Customs and Border FAQ

For more specific advice about how to get into the USA with regards to crossing the border, we recommend you visit the US Customs and Border site because this information is constantly being updated.

If you have any other suggestions for the vacation villa FAQ guide please contact us and we will add the content as soon as we can.

Thanks,

Dave and Donna (and Rowan)

2014 Orlando Attractions

New Orlando Attractions in 2014

Theme Parks

If you need something to look forward to in 2014, how about checking these new thrills and attractions out?  The are loads of exciting events coming – here are our top picks in the 2014 Orlando Attractions line-up.

Busch Gardens – Falcon’s Fury, climb nearly 300 feet, then pivot 90 degrees in mid-air to a daring dive position, eyes fixed on the ground far below. Plunge at 60mph straight down to where you started – a ride like you’ve never experienced before.

Duplo Valley at Legoland Florida. Visit the newest and most splashtastic place to play and explore for the littlest tots in your party.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando Resort, the new land will boast a Hogwarts Express train to carry you from the existing Hogsmeade land to the new Diagon Alley.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

No official date yet, but the final phase of New Fantasyland at Walt Disney World with the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is one to look out for.

Ihu’s Breakaway Falls at Aquatica. The drop slide will be the tallest, steepest and only multi-slide ride of its kind in Orlando.

I-Drive Indoor Kart Racing, Vanguard Street, Orlando. state-of-the-art, eco-friendly electric karts for the whole family to enjoy.

Downtown Orlando

For those taking a trip out to Orlando, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando is a great place to visit.  They are giving the community a “sneak peek” at the much-anticipated 2014-15 inaugural Broadway Season, by announcing the Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical smash, Newsies, as part of their lineup.

Places to stay

More 2014 Orlando Attractions are the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World and Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Four Seasons Resort Orlando – 444 guest rooms, a golf course, full-service spa, three restaurants and an elaborate pool area

Cabana Bay Beach Resort – 1800 rooms – the largest on-site hotel inspired by retro resorts of the 1950s and ’60s.

 

Orlando Christmas Guide 2013

Christmas is coming to Florida

As Christmas draws nearer (it’s only 8 weeks away) we thought we’d take a break from work and focus on our Orlando Christmas Guide for Orlando, Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld.  It starts at the end of November in the theme parks so you can have a great time celebrating the festive spirit during your vacation.  Nowhere celebrates Christmas as well as the big names in Florida, you just have to get used to the warm temperature and blazing sunshine!

Here is our favourite selection of Christmas events to look out for as Christmas takes over the theme parks for a crazy month of fun.

Disney Days of Christmas

Disney’s Magic Kingdom Christmas Holiday

The Magic Kingdom will be celebrating Christmas in style with these unmissable events!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – select nights from 7:00 PM to midnight, November 8 to December 20, 2013

  • Castle Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle – festive lights and Disney tunes.
  • Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade – Gingerbread men, elves and others dance down Main Street
  • Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season – Brilliant lights explode in the air above Cinderella’s Castle
  • Totally Tomorrowland Christmas – Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski and Stitch
  • Celebrate the Season Show – Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald and others get into the holiday spirit
  • Meet-and-greet opportunities throughout Magic Kingdom park with some of your favourite Disney Characters
  • Complimentary cookies and hot cocoa
  • A magical snowfall on Main Street, U.S.A.

 

Downtown Disney’s Festival of the Seasons – Holiday carollers, holiday songs, street performer from November 15 – December 29, 2013

Holidays Around the World at Epcot – Epcot celebrate Christmas around the world from November 29 – December 30, 2013

Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade – Animal Kingdom’s festive celebration from November 9, 2013 to January 2, 2014

As well as all these events, each of the Disney Hotels puts on special displays and decorations, as demonstrated by our son in the picture below!

Gingerbread House at the Floridian

Gingerbread House at the Floridian, with little Rowan

SeaWorld Christmas Events

Continuing our Orlando Christmas Guide, SeaWorld always put on a fantastic Christmas display and shows.  They offer some variety to the normal shows and the shops and decorations are fantastic.  This is well worth a visit and the park opens late during the Christmas season.

seaworld sea of trees

SeaWorld sea of trees

SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration – 11/23/2013 – 12/31/2013

  • Clyde and Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas – this is a must see!
  • Elmo’s Christmas Wish – Sesame Street friends have come to SeaWorld Orlando!
  • O Wondrous Night – over 30 carols, live-size puppets and live animals
  • Sea Of Trees – over 100 trees light up to music, as in the picture above
  • Shamu Christmas Miracles – Shamu shows off to a Christmas theme
  • Winter Wonderland on Ice – ice skating extravaganza
  • Holiday Reflections: Fireworks and Fountain Finale – fountains, dazzling lights, and fireworks
  • THE POLAR EXPRESS Experience – where you’ll meet Santa Claus himself.
  • Shamu’s Happy Harbor – Experience the Holly Jolly Railway

 

New Year’s Eve at SeaWorld – 12/31/2013 – 01/01/2014

SeaWorld Holiday Reflections

SeaWorld Holiday Reflections

Santa’s Fireside feast.  Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus at SeaWorld’s Santa’s Fireside Feast, an exclusive dinner featuring an all-you-care-to-eat menu of holiday favourites and delicious desserts.

Universal Orlando Christmas Events

Universal Studios Florida

  • Macy’s Holiday Parade – marching bands, clowns, and an appearance by Santa Claus from December 7, 2013 – January 4, 2014
  • Mannheim Steamroller – select Saturday and Sunday nights in December – December 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22

 

Universal’s Islands of Adventure

  • Grinchmas – Seuss Landing s transformed into a wintry wonderland from December 7, 2013 – January 4, 2014

 

Universal CityWalk

  • Orlando’s Premier New Year’s Eve Party – a party that doesn’t stop until next year. Bid a fond farewell to 2013.  Live entertainment.  Midnight champagne, and more!

 

As well as the theme park events it’s also worth visiting Celebration Town who usually put on a snowstorm every night leading up to Christmas.

We hope our Orlando Christmas guide gives you lots of inspiration when visiting Florida this Christmas, make sure to plan in to your schedule all the fantastic events so you don’t miss out.

 

Stormy UK weather to welcome in GMT

Escape the stormy storms and fly over to Florida!

windy-waether-in-the-uk

Watch out for the storms

As if to commemorate the clocks being moved back an hour for GMT, there’s a storm approaching the UK today.  It’s as if someone has flicked a switch and officially declared summer over.  I guess it is November next week after all, so stormy weather should be expected.

storms-in-uk-gmt

What windy weather looks like in GMT

We’ve had a great 2013 summer in the UK, officially declared as the 2nd warmest on record.  Nearly 600 hours of sunshine recorded by the MET office in June, July and August.

Compare this to Florida, where (on average) 280 hours of sunshine are recorded in June, 302 hours are recorded in July, and 286 in August to make a total of 868.  This is the average for the area, not to mention what a sunny year is like!

However, where Florida really excels is the comparison of its weather against the UK in the winter months.  The winter brings the coolest and driest months in Florida compared to stormy weather in the UK.  If we look at January then on average the sunlight reaches the ground for over 200 hours.  The average high temperature in the day is 25C and the average low is 16C.  That’s like a typical UK day in the summer!

So next time the UK nights are drawing in and the clocks go back, how about considering a flight to Florida and booking a week in our villa in the midst of the UK winter and its stormy weather?