Buying vacation home near Disney... any suggestions on location?

[MaryPoppins75]

The world's sweetest husband has finally given his blessing on purchasing a vacation home near Disney to live in from Oct-March to avoid the northeast winters, with the plan of renting it out as a vacation rental home for the remainder of the year (we have three kids who attend an online school and husband has a business he can run from anywhere we have wifi). We are looking to be close to Disney, in a safe area, guard-gated community, 5+ bedroom with a pool, but would prefer a community that is not all vacation rental properties, but rather a mix of vacationers and permanent residents. We like the look of the single family homes in Windsor Hills, Reunion, Windsor Palms, Emerald Island and Bella Vida. We like the look of Celebration and Summerport, but neither allow vacation rentals. Any thoughts or insight into these communities or our plan in general? Are there any other communities that you would suggest that fit our needs? Thanks!!!

 

[mjhtvchick]

The world's sweetest husband has finally given his blessing on purchasing a vacation home near Disney to live in from Oct-March to avoid the northeast winters, with the plan of renting it out as a vacation rental home for the remainder of the year (we have three kids who attend an online school and husband has a business he can run from anywhere we have wifi). We are looking to be close to Disney, in a safe area, guard-gated community, 5+ bedroom with a pool, but would prefer a community that is not all vacation rental properties, but rather a mix of vacationers and permanent residents. We like the look of the single family homes in Windsor Hills, Reunion, Windsor Palms, Emerald Island and Bella Vida. We like the look of Celebration and Summerport, but neither allow vacation rentals. Any thoughts or insight into these communities or our plan in general? Are there any other communities that you would suggest that fit our needs? Thanks!!!

My friends owned a place in Lake Berkley for a number of years...they really liked it there and we stayed there a few times and really liked it. It is about 50/50 permanent residents and vacation homes. It is comprised mainly of pool homes but there are also a number of townhouses without pools.

Its in a goodlocation - pretty close to Bella Vida, actually... https://www.google.ca/maps/place/La...307bb79d!8m2!3d28.2987784!4d-81.4666754?hl=en

 

[MaryPoppins75]

Thanks! I will check it out!

 

[ssei7802]

Lake Berkley is not close to Disney!

 

[MaryPoppins75]

Ok, thanks for the heads up!

 

[writerguyfl]

Lake Berkley is not close to Disney!

Close is a relative term. The location in the map above is roughly 10 miles (17-20 minutes) to Disney's Hollywood Studios.

 

[mjhtvchick]

Close is a relative term. The location in the map above is roughly 10 miles (17-20 minutes) to Disney's Hollywood Studios.

I agree - close is relative and, to me, a totally different perspective if you are looking for a place to vacation vs live longer term.

Having said that, both we and our friends who owned there never had any issues getting back and forth to Disney, SeaWorld, Universal or Legoland! And when we weren't at the parks, it was great to be located close to restaurants, shopping and major highways.

 

[NH-to-FL]

You will find many developments in the northern corner of Polk County that allow vacation rentals. Your desire to have guard gated security reduces the choices quite a bit. One area you might want to check out is the new Champions Gate development off of 27 and Ronald Regan Parkway. I believe that it is a Lennar development consisting of everything from townhouse to large detached homes. A friend of mine stayed in one of the large (8 or 9 bedroom?) homes and liked it. We visited once and security was tight, I had to give up a copy of my license to get in.

One small caution about renting. Make sure you work out the numbers and are happy with the trade off with having people in your home. We took our villa out of the rental market once we started to spend winters there. The costs, wear and tear, and general aggravation of renting was not worth it for us.

 

[Woodview]

Lake Berkley is not close to Disney!

Lake Berkley is within 8 miles of Disney ..... a 10 min drive .

 

[spiceycat]

The world's sweetest husband has finally given his blessing on purchasing a vacation home near Disney to live in from Oct-March to avoid the northeast winters, with the plan of renting it out as a vacation rental home for the remainder of the year (we have three kids who attend an online school and husband has a business he can run from anywhere we have wifi). We are looking to be close to Disney, in a safe area, guard-gated community, 5+ bedroom with a pool, but would prefer a community that is not all vacation rental properties, but rather a mix of vacationers and permanent residents. We like the look of the single family homes in Windsor Hills, Reunion, Windsor Palms, Emerald Island and Bella Vida. We like the look of Celebration and Summerport, but neither allow vacation rentals. Any thoughts or insight into these communities or our plan in general? Are there any other communities that you would suggest that fit our needs? Thanks!!!

if you can afford them would definitely go with Kissimmee - Windsor Hills, Reunion (this was disney build like Celebration) Windsor Palms or Emerald Island - but be aware that since these houses can be rented - they generally will be. Since Celebration is in Kissimmee it should allow rentals - that say it is the county (Orange) who does not. Kissimmee is in Osceola county. One reason went further away. Now sometimes it is just too far - an hour drive to WDW - that say it definitely beats the 9 to 11 hour drive it was

 

[NH-to-FL]

Forgive my manners.... I should have started out my earlier reply by saying
to DisBoards!

and congratulations on your decision to winter near Disney.

We are blessed to have the wherewithal to be able to be snowbirds. We have done two winters in Davenport and thoroughly enjoy our time there. Also happy to be away from cold, snowy New England. And equally happy to be back north in the summer.

 

[Woodview]

if you can afford them would definitely go with Kissimmee - Windsor Hills, Reunion (this was disney build like Celebration) Windsor Palms or Emerald Island - but be aware that since these houses can be rented - they generally will be. Since Celebration is in Kissimmee it should allow rentals - that say it is the county (Orange) who does not. Kissimmee is in Osceola county. One reason went further away. Now sometimes it is just too far - an hour drive to WDW - that say it definitely beats the 9 to 11 hour drive it was

Spiceycat I have no idea of what you are trying to say ........ Your wording does not make sense .

Sorry if I offend you .

 

[spiceycat]

trying again for you Woodview.

that is okay. Reunion, Emerald Island, Windsor Palms (okay might be Hills) are neighborhoods in Kissimmee.
Kissimmee is in Osceola County - this county allows short term renter. Orange County where WDW is locate does not for houses - it only allows long term rentals of the houses.

I like in Lake county (which does allow short term rentals) and while some of Lake County - Clermont is almost as close as Kissimmee - I live much further out.

 

[tellemarie]

I absolutely loved living around the Reunion/Champions Gate area. It's gorgeous and right up the street is Davenport, I was probably about 5 minutes from Reunion and Champions Gate. It was more in development when I was there but I'm sure it's even better now!

 

[NH-to-FL]

I absolutely loved living around the Reunion/Champions Gate area. It's gorgeous and right up the street is Davenport, I was probably about 5 minutes from Reunion and Champions Gate. It was more in development when I was there but I'm sure it's even better now!

We are also in the Champions Gate area, off of Ronald Reagan Parkway on the west side of I-4. It is a nice area but after a long pause during the recession the building is going like crazy. There is a large apartment complex going in right in "downtown Champions Gate" and Lennar has a big development off of Ronald Reagan Parkway and 27. There are also a number of new developments off of both 27 and Ronald Reagan. The traffic through Champions Gate has become quite busy and it will only get worse as these new developments build out.

So it is nice to have the economy pick back up but I am not too sure about the traffic.

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

Champions Gate!

 

[SCSteve]

http://www.mickeyhomesflorida.com/Subdivisions/page_2204645.html