Frequently Asked Questions

We recommend you book direct with a villa owner as you know exactly what you are booking. With an owner you choose the villa, what the pool is like, are the bedrooms Disney-themed, how many bathrooms are there, is there a games room? You also choose the community location. Many tour operators tell you where you will be staying when you arrive. It's pot luck whether you get everything you wanted, or just a representative sample! Booking through an owner gives you control over where you stay, and know what to expect when you arrive.

We accept our prices are not the lowest you'll find out there, we spend a lot of money on the villa to keep it at a level our guests appreciate, but, before you give up on us, maybe you should compare like for like.

We include as much as possible in our rates, many of our competitors charge extra for amenities we include in the price. A BBQ can cost you $50 (we have gas and charcoal BBQs available, you just provide the fuel).

Do you have to call home? Calls on your mobile/cell phone can soon add up and a phone card can be a pain with all those access numbers! Villa Southern Dunes offers free landline calls to more than 60 countries (including the US and UK) and cell phone calls to several countries (including the US and Canada).

Where will you keep your valuables? Oh, another $50 and they'll rent you a safe - ours is ready to go and included in the price. How will you entertain the kids - buy them stuff?

Or maybe they can use our fully equipped games room with 8-foot pool table, air hockey, table football, darts, LEGO, dress-up, cars and dolls. We even have board games, puzzles and books galore! What about the pool? Will you have to pay $25 for pool toys? You can use ours for no extra - we have ride-ons, rings, arm bands, loungers and a squirt gun or two. There's even an electric inflator.

And you want to bring your baby? Well, you'll have to hire all the kit, or bring it with you - how much will that cost? We offer you - for our all-inclusive price - a high chair, two cribs (wooden and travel), a stroller, a changing mat and several Disney baby bathrobes. For older children (4-7ish) there's also a car booster seat.

Then there's the various in case you forgot supplies such as rain ponchos, umbrellas (for adults and children), even sunglasses!

Oh yes, and then there's the cable TV in every living room, we have two separate lounges, two dining areas and three full bathrooms. Are you sure we're more expensive?

We assure you it is, but we would say that wouldn't we? The villa is owned outright (no mortgage) by three related British owners. The villa is fully licensed in Florida and state and local taxes (12% in 2012!) are paid on all bookings taken at Villa Southern Dunes - these licenses are all on display within the villa. The villa has been owned by us since November 2008 and many guests (strangers to us) have passed through since that time.
Think of it another way - while you are risking your cash, we are risking our home, so the risk-taking is not one-sided. To give you confidence in booking with us, you can take out travel insurance, but make sure that if you book with an owner direct your insurance covers independent booking (many do, or specialist policies are available), as booking direct with an owner is not covered by standard "package holiday" insurance. Please ask if you would like more information.

There's no problem at Villa Southern Dunes. We don't have keys! There's no need to take a detour, just drive straight to the villa where your personalised code (sent a couple of days before you arrive) will give you immediate access to your vacation home! The door has an electronic lock and each guest receives their own unique code for the duration of their stay. Just walk in and you are on vacation!

So many villas that sleep more than six still only have a dining table for six - what's that about? We sleep up to ten and make sure you can all dine, relax or swim together, with a large dining table for ten and three sofas in our great room and further dining and seating areas besides. Outside we have two tables and ten chairs, along with four loungers. At Villa Southern Dunes the families that stay together can play (and eat or watch TV) together. For more information, see the photos on our website.

The villa can accommodate up to ten people in two double master suites (one king, one queen), two twin rooms (which can be reconfigured as doubles) and a double sofa-bed in the front lounge area. Florida law requires that no more than ten stay in a villa with four bedrooms - even if they sleep in a crib, this ten is the maximum number that may stay during any vacation. All guests must be declared on the booking form, including babies.

The villa is located in the Southern Dunes Golf and Country Club Community, south-west of Orlando, between the Disney/SeaWorld/Universal attractions and LEGOLAND. From Orlando International Airport, you just follow three highways and you're there. Directions will be sent a couple of weeks before arrival at the villa.

There is a huge 24/7 Super-Wal-mart at the entrance to Southern Dunes, which should cater for all your everyday needs. Also very close by you will find Winn-Dixie, Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, Aldi and Dollar Tree.

The nearest liquor stores (off licences) are next to Walmart and across the US-27, both of which have a good selection, including several British brands. Supermarkets can only sell wine and beer.

There is a variety of family restaurants, bars and take-aways (some deliver) within a short drive (or taxi ride) from Villa Southern Dunes. The Golf Club House, which is within walking distance, serves breakfast and lunch every day, and dinner one or two nights a week depending on the season.

There is a west-facing pool, which is about 26 feet x 12 feet in size within a large pool deck. The pool can be heated (recommended October - March) at additional cost. The pool is surrounded by a privacy hedge meaning your swim will not be overlooked by the neighbours.

The villa has free secure wireless internet access (the WPA key will sent a couple of weeks before arrival at the villa), but you will need to bring your own laptop. If you don't have wireless, you can also connect with an ethernet cable.

There are seven independent cable televisions in all: A 58" smart television with digital cable, soundbar, subwoofer and DVD player in the great room. A 42" television with DVD player in the family lounge. A 40" television with DVD player in the Mickey Master. A 22" television with DVD player in the Donald Master. A 19" television in both the Simba and Nemo twin bedrooms. A 26" television in the games room.

Yes, we have three cordless phones throughout the villa, where you can make free local, national and international calls to non-premium, landline numbers. Calls to mobile/cellular phones are not usually included (they are to cell phones in the USA and Canada, and some others) - specific details can be found in the villa. As the telephone is provided via the internet, it cannot be used if the internet is unavailable (whether you are trying to use it or not), even for emergencies.

There are both charcoal and gas barbeques/grills provided free of charge (charcoal, lighter fluid and gas are not supplied, although a previous guest may have left some). You are responsible for cleaning the barbeque/grill before you leave, otherwise a charge of $50 will be deducted from your security deposit.

Bed linen and towels (including pool towels) are provided, with additional supplies in the family bathroom closet and bedroom closets. There are also infant Disney bath robes for use during your stay. If anyone sleeping in one of the twin rooms doesn't like the Nemo or Simba comforters (how could they not?), plain ones are also available in the family bathroom closet.

The villa is single storey (no stairs), has a safety fence that can help restrict access to the pool and has alarms on each of the sliding doors. A foldaway crib, portable crib, two high-chairs and stroller are also provided, free of charge. The villa is in a cul-de-sac and traffic is light. There is a variety of games, puzzles, books and DVDs for children of all ages. The twin rooms have a strong Disney theme to really get them in the Disney spirit.

The major Disney attractions are just over 20 miles away, with driving times from the villa to the attraction parking lot entrances of around 30 minutes (timed during August 2009). (It is 20 minutes from the Southern Dunes Entrance to Disney exits on the I-4.)

We have tried to think of everything, but occasionally things break down or go wrong. If you have a problem, we would like the opportunity to resolve it before the end of your vacation. Our management company are contactable during normal office hours by telephone or email, and out of hours for EMERGENCIES only. They will do what they can to ensure you have a great time.

Smoking is only permitted outside the villa. Cigarettes must not be stubbed out on the pool deck and all stubbs must be removed to the trash.

We regret that pets are not permitted, with the exception of assistance dogs by prior approval.

The villa does have a safe which is provided for your use free of charge. It is large enough to house a standard laptop and more. We recommend you use it to secure any valuables, extra currency, or passports (if you leave them behind) while you are out. The code for the safe is provided prior to your arrival, but we recommend you try the code once (to lock and unlock it) before placing your valuables inside! The Management Company does have an override key in an emergency, however, a call-out charge may be made if they have to attend.

If you have any other questions or would like to book, please contact us via the form provided.