Why are short term rentals in Central Florida so popular?
When you get tired of the standard hotel or motel room on your Florida vacation, have you ever considered the alternative of short-term rentals in Central Florida for your family? Why are more and more tourists opting for this way of organizing their holiday accommodation?
Probably the main reason is that Central Florida offers the highest quality and variety of short-term rentals in the US. This was brought about first by the demand for lodging fueled by the warm weather and second by Disney World.
Even before Disney came along, Florida was considered a winter getaway for people escaping the cold winter in the northern states (hence the term “snowbirds”). Cities experienced an annual influx of tourists looking for houses to rent as a better and cheaper alternative to living in a hotel or motel. With the development of the Disney empire and other Central Florida theme parks, tourism in Florida enjoyed a great increase.
The State enjoyed higher tax revenues from this tourism. So when property owners embraced the concept of buying a vacation home and covering some of the costs by renting out their homes to snowbird and theme park enthusiasts, Florida enacted a unique licensing system whereby homes Single-family homes and condominiums could be officially monitored and approved, in return for which the houses could be rented by the night, just like a hotel or motel. This created an ideal set of conditions that, in turn, produced premium single-family homes and condominiums operated with a hotel/motel-style approach unmatched in the rest of the US.
Speaking from personal experience, I know that when the whole family spends a week or two sleeping in the same hotel room, it’s hard to get a moment of rest. No matter how well organized you are, there are inevitably times when more than one person insists on being next in line for the bathroom. And privacy is paramount!
I also remember the first time I rented a vacation home for a Magic Kingdom visit because it changed my perspective forever: it was such an improvement that I decided never to use a hotel or motel for a Disney vacation in the future.
That was in 1990 and things have improved tremendously even since then. Short-term rental homes in Central Florida now typically range in size from two bedrooms to six or more bedrooms and most have two or more bathrooms. Most have at least one master bedroom, and in the largest homes there may be up to three master suites. Unlike some holiday homes, especially in the UK, all bed linen and towels are included, so there will be more room in your luggage for your clothes.
The houses have a fully equipped kitchen with stove, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, toaster, coffee maker, blender and enough pots, pans and cutlery for the number of guests that the house serves. Some homes have a separate laundry room, but most offer a washer, dryer, ironing board, and iron for all your laundry needs.
Home entertainment is another area that has seen a lot of development in short-term rental homes in recent years. The owners have added DVD and VCR players (as well as large screen TVs in many cases) and not just in the living areas – look for some homes that have a TV in every bedroom!
Single-family vacation homes in Central Florida usually have their own pool, and many also have a hot tub. To attract and retain the high proportion of tourists who repeatedly visit Disney attractions year after year, more and more homes are adding a game room with a pool table, dart board, foosball and ping pong for guests of all ages. never get bored. . If you’re staying in a condo, the complex will typically have one or two community pools, some have a playground, and others have a gym available to guests.
In my experience, this high level of accommodations and breadth of choice is unique to the Disney area, so the reasons short-term rental homes are so popular in Central Florida are many:
* The wide variety of properties near the theme parks means you can find a place to rent that allows everyone to have their own space, almost no matter the size of your group. This makes a huge difference in family relationships and is much more relaxing, especially after long and exhausting days at the theme parks.
* Children have their own room – no more sharing with parents.
* Competition in the Disney area has kept prices low, so it can be cheaper than hotel or motel rooms, especially for larger family groups. The value for money is exceptionally high
* You can decide for yourself whether to eat out or eat in – the kitchen gives you the choice if you don’t want to use any of the hundreds of restaurants along Hwy 192 south of Disney World or in Lake Buena Vista.
*Everything you could want is provided – it’s like home but with the great Florida weather.
* If the weather isn’t so great (doesn’t happen often in Central Florida), you can stay in and watch a movie or TV in comfort.
So the next time you book your dream vacation and plan the perfect trip to explore the delights of Disney, Universal and Sea World, think about making it even more magical by considering the benefits of short term rentals in Central Florida.