We understand that for many people, renting a home over the internet can be scary. That's why we have worked so hard to paint the clearest possible picture to you of our home and all aspects of the rental process - full disclosure or, as some might say, "more than you wanted to know." What you see on this site is what you will get. Our home is fully registered and licensed with the State of Florida, so there will be no surprises. Our experienced and friendly Kissimmee-based professional property manager, Doral Woods Management, maintains the villa to the highest standards. They will take care of any questions you may have during your stay to ensure a carefree vacation. [To top]
Why should I choose a villa and not a hotel?
It comes down to this: cost, space/privacy, and amenities. Take a look at the cost to stay one night at the better hotels in the Disney area, and you will see how inefficient they are for a family. You could pay as much per night for one or two rooms as you would for the entire villa for up to 12 people. Plus, with our villa, one or even two families can stay together and still enjoy their own privacy via our two master suites, four bathrooms, separate family room, dining area, kitchen, and of course your own private swimming pool with covered terrace (lanai). You won't have to endure late night door slamming or noise from nearby rooms. In addition, if you wish to entertain other guests, you also have all the resort amenities to use. Plus, there are also six TVs, VCR/DVD players, a CD player, a Sony Playstation 2, and an entire game room in your own home, so there's plenty of choice for the whole family. A perfect solution to all your vacation needs. [To top]
Why should I choose your villa?
It's not good form to say "because we would be grateful for your business," so… Instead, consider that our villa is brand new and is located in Emerald Island, which continues to be one of the area's most desirable resort communities for its beautiful and unique surroundings, resort amenities and luxury homes. We have equipped this villa to a very high standard so you will be living in luxury throughout your stay. Once you've stayed at the villa, we're sure you'll be back or recommend us to your friends and family - or "all of the above"! [To top]
Does the villa have its own telephone?
The villa does have a phone, and local calls are free. To make a long distance call (even to an "800" number), you will need one of the following:
What can children do for fun in the villa?
Our home is well equipped to keep your entire family occupied - especially your children - no matter what the weather brings. First and foremost, there's our 14 x 30 foot pool with oversized pool deck and hot tub which are always a hit with both kids and adults. Or, just a short walk away, the clubhouse has a community pool as well as a sauna, hot tub, sand volleyball court, and children's playground. In the center of Emerald Island, there are beautiful walking and biking trails as well. However, should you or your children want to indulge in non-weather-dependent pursuits, there are six televisions, video/DVD players, and a Sony Playstation 2 (with games), in our home. If that is not enough, our garage has been converted into a game room, as most people find this is a better use for the space, given the mild climate. The game room includes a ping-pong table (table tennis), air hockey table, board games, and a child-sized table for the little ones. [To top]
Are there provisions for disabled people at the villa and resort?
Although the villa and resort are not specifically designed for the disabled, they are still suitable for most people. The villa is two stories, but everything you need is on the first floor including the kitchen, dining area, two full bathrooms, family room, master suite and second queen bedroom with television. So those with disabilities should not need to use the stairs. In addition, the clubhouse is all one level, and the walking trails have shaded benches on which to sit and rest. [To top]
Does the villa have any safety features?
As the villa is brand new, it has all the safety features required by state law (and more). They include alarms on the pool doors and interior security lighting in case of an emergency. A fire extinguisher is also supplied for your family's safety. We also provide plastic cups, plates etc to be used in the pool area to preclude broken glass or china. [To top]
Is there a BBQ grill at the villa?
For safety reasons, we do not provide a grill at the villa. However, there are several BBQ grills located near the clubhouse for your use. [To top]
Why do I have to pay a 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 do occur, and, even more unfortunately, 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. The deposit ($250 per week) will be returned to you in full within three weeks following your stay, assuming that you leave our home the way you found it. [To top]
Are there any extra costs besides the quoted rental rate?
Everything is included except the security deposit (explained above) and the cost of heating the pool. (Pool heating is addressed in the next Q&A.) Also, if you stay for less than one week, the villa requires an additional post-occupant cleaning, so there is an additional charge of $105 to cover this cost. (If you stay for a week, this charge does not apply.) We supply all bed linens and bath towels at no extra cost, although we do ask that you bring your own pool towels. The clubhouse offers an optional towel service for those enjoying the community pool that allows you to use towels at the pool and then drop them off in a box before you leave the pool area. Because the villa is already equipped with a high chair and pack-n-play/crib, there is no extra charge for these items. If you require additional baby items, i.e., full sized crib or stroller, these items can be brought in by our management company at a minimal extra charge. We ask that you request any extras like these in advance so we can arrange for them to be there when you arrive. [To top]
As far as maintaining the pool is concerned, you do nothing but enjoy it! The pool is maintained weekly by the management company.
Pool heating is generally recommended between October and April. You may want to look at the information about average temperatures and rainfall on the "General Information" page.
We charge just $175 per week ($25 per day), including tax, for pool heating. This is necessary because it's expensive to heat the pool, and we are simply trying to cover our costs. You'll only require heat in the winter months, but we don't build it into the rental rate during those months because you may want to make little or no use of it.
Please note that it takes from 12 to 24 hours to heat the pool, so if you request it on arrival, there will be a delay before the pool is up to temperature. Of course, if requested at time of booking the pool heat will be turned on prior to your arrival. [To top]
Sorry, no pets allowed. [To top]
As is typical in most vacation rental homes, no smoking is allowed in our home. We also find that many guests prefer a smoke-free environment. [To top]
We are the sole owners of the information collected on this site. We only have access to/collect information that you voluntarily give us via email or other direct contact from you. 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. For example, our management company will need your personal information to provide the services for which they were hired.
If we need to collect sensitive information from you (such as credit card data) that information is only handled by us, the owners of Disney Haven Villa, and will be destroyed within one month of the completion of your stay. This is to allow us adequate time to ensure that no charges need to be made to your account with regard to the security deposit. See our policies page for more information regarding the security deposit. [To top]
Are all the resort amenities included in the price?
All resort amenities are free to all our guests at no extra charge. [To top]
Is there a shop on the resort property?
At this time, there is no shop on site. However, the builder's plan includes a Sundry Shop in the clubhouse. [To top]
Is Internet access available at Emerald Island?
Internet access can be found at the Cyber Café in the Emerald Island clubhouse, and it's free to all guests.[To top]
Are any shops and restaurants close by?
Within just a two minute drive, there is a great selection to choose from. And if you can't find what you want here, you're only yards from Highway 192, which has literally hundreds of stores. For specific restaurants, see Information -- Area Attractions. [To top]
How close is Emerald Island to some of the major attractions?
When you stay at Emerald Island Resort, you are in easy reach of some of the primary attractions in the Orlando area. Here are some driving distances from Emerald Island to the entrance gates: Walt Disney World - 3.5 miles; Seaworld - 5 miles; Universal Studios - 7 miles; Splendid China -- 1 mile; etc. For much more information about major attractions, see our Information/Area Attractions page. [To top]
Is there transportation to the theme parks?
Transportation is available at a nominal price and can be arranged at our clubhouse front desk or through our management company. Please visit the clubhouse front desk at any time during your stay or give our management company a call. (The number for the management company will be provided upon your arrival.) [To top]
Is there a golf course nearby?
There are many golf courses close by including Celebration Golf Club, Champions Gate, Falcon's Fire, and Mystic Dunes, which is less than five minutes away. In addition, there are several Walt Disney World courses from which to choose. Stop by our clubhouse for discount coupons to some of the areas courses and other attractions. For more information about area golf courses, see our Information/Area Attractions page. [To top]
How do I book, and what is the cancellation policy?
Here's the short answer: The booking process is simple; the basic steps are: (1) Contact us (usually by emailing the Inquiry Form) to confirm availability. (2) We send a Booking Form to you, which you fill out and return along with a 15% reservation deposit to secure the booking. (3) The balance must be paid at least eight weeks before your arrival at the villa. The refund policy is typical of any standard vacation agreement.
For the long answer, please see the "How to Book" and "Paying & Cancelling" pages. If you have any questions after reading that information, and assuming it hasn't rendered you numb, please feel free to contact us. [To top]
Do you offer any late availability or early booking discounts?
At present we cannot offer any such discounts as a standard practice because we rent out our villa to cover its running costs. However, if you are booking at the last minute (two weeks or less prior to arrival) and we have space, we will offer a last minute discount! Fill out the booking form on our "How To Book" page and make a note about any last minute discounts in the additional questions box. Or you can contact us with your inquiry. [To top]
Will I get a discount if I book the villa again?
If you revisit us any time within the next two years of your original vacation stay, we'll guarantee to offer you the same price as on your first visit. This is to show our appreciation for giving us your business while we grow ours. [To top]
Who looks after the property and handles problems that may arise during my stay?
We employ a professional property management company. They look after the villa and are also on hand to assist our guests with concierge-type services as well as any questions you may have during your stay. The management company also provides a 24-hour contact number should you have an emergency during your stay. [To top]
For your convenience, we provide a keyless entry system to our home so you don't need to collect any keys and won't need to worry about losing them. Many Florida rental properties will require you to stop at their management company's office to pick up your keys, but we believe our arrangement is more convenient for you - which is, after all, what a vacation is all about! Once we have received the full payment and security deposit, we will send you an Arrival Pack which contains your personal code to gain access to the villa for the duration of your stay. All members of the group can use the same code, which is useful if you are arriving separately.
Upon arrival, we just request that you make a quick call to our management company to let them know you that have arrived and that everything is in order. Should you book with us, directions and full details regarding your stay will be sent to you prior to your arrival. [To top]
What are my responsibilities during and at the end of my stay?
During your stay, your only responsibilities are to be kind to Disney Haven and to do whatever housekeeping (making the beds, bringing in any pool toys at night, washing the dishes, etc.) is necessary to keep things as tidy as you would in your own home. It is helpful if you leave things in their proper place to facilitate the inventorying and cleanup that will occur after your departure. When you leave, just lock up the home as you usually do using the access code. Apart from these sensible and reasonable details, the whole idea is to enjoy the villa, the resort, and your entire vacation! [To top]
What methods of payment do you accept?
You may use any of the following means of payment: Credit card via PayPal; wire fund transfer (EFT) to our bank; or personal check or bank/cashier check mailed to us. [To top]
What sort of temperatures and rainfall should I expect?
This information is given on the "General Information" page. [To top]
Are there lots of bugs and insects in Florida?
Like any hot climate, this area does tend to have more insects, though none larger than a small sheep. Just kidding... A pest control company treats the villa every two weeks so there should be no concern. The private pool is also screened so you won't have any unwanted swimming companions during those long lazy evenings. [To top]
We do not have a brochure at this time. Please note that all the information regarding our villa is on this website. We understand, however, that some people do not have permanent Internet access and need to pass details on to friends and family. So, if you request it, we would be happy to provide you with a printout of key parts of this website by mail, free of charge. [To top]
There's too much/little information for me to decide. Can't I just speak to someone?
We'd be only too happy to speak to you. Call us at (860) 872-6791 (dial 001 860 872 6791 international calls), or send us an e-mail and we'll call you back. Just ask for Rhett or Laura when calling. [To top]
Please contact us at rhettandlaura@disneyhaven.com if you have any further questions. We've tried to think of everything but we may have missed something.
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