Guestbook

Dear Gareth & Julie

We have stayed in your holiday home for almost 3 weeks and we really loved it. Our sons (5 & 10 years old) wanted to swim the whole day in the swimming pool. The house has a lot of space and it was lovely inside, we felt at home.

With our fun in the sun pass we’ve been to Disney World a lot of time. When you’re going to see MGM we really recommend the “fantasmic-show”. We have never seen such a laser and light show before. We have also been to Kennedy Space Center, Dali-museum in St Petersburg and the lovely town of St Augustine (unfortunately we had some very heavy showers that day).

There is a lot to see and to do in this area. So I think we will come back some day. We’ve eaten very good at Ponderosa two times. It’s very easy with little children, they can eat whatever they like from the buffet even an ice cream. So thank you for using your holiday home and maybe we will come again sometime.

Greeting from Jan, Astreid, Niels and Bas from the Netherlands

26.7.03 – 8.8.03

Dear Gareth & Julie

We have had a great time at the villa. Lots of room for all 7 of us! We bought tickets for Disney very reasonably priced. Adults $50 a day from Ron at Orlando Tickets ‘n’ tours (at Chevron Garage – turn left at T junction as you leave Town Center – there 8.30 – 12.3- daily).

We’ve eaten at buffets at Ponderosa and Golden Corral. Uno was our favourite place to eat. Denny’s has a great breakfast. Vouchers in leaflets can save 10% at most places. The Chinese takeaway near Publix is very good (large portions) and will deliver. Food in Disney is surprisingly good and not too expensive. The nearest supermarket if Publix (open until 9 pm daily). Rubbish is taken on Mondays and Thursdays (put it out night before, it is collected early!

Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and Sea world (make sure you queue up as you go in on the left to get a second day free) were great!

Thanks

Jill, Andrew, Amy, Katie, Kathy, Stuart & Lauren

9 Aug-22 2a2ug 2003

Thank you Gareth & Julie for allowing us to rent you holiday home. We have had a wonderful time in superb surroundings. The villa is very welcoming and like home from home – very comfortable. Eventually I think it would be very helpful to have a file I the villa with restaurant recommendations, emergency no.s doctors, hospital etc. and general info. As previous guests have found Publix is very good – even has a “Brits” section with juice/squash, PG Tips and Dairy Milk!! Shop at garage also very good. Publix open 8 am til 9 pm everyday including Sunday. When you put your bin out the night before make sure it is all in the bin as critters get in to it in the night and rubbish ends up everywhere – not ours but witnessed lots of neighbours with trash problems!

Recommendations – The Mythos Restaurant at Universal Islands of Adventure – very good – lovely/original surroundings – excellent food - $60 for main meal and dessert for 4, similar meal in London would cost £100. Don Marino’s at Point Orlando also novel idea and excellent food and service. Cinema also at Point Orlando. There are lots (hundreds) of restaurants along the 192 off I4.

Publix and Garage also sell Daily Mail, printed in the USA, so its up to date for news and spots results (sorry, sad Brit abroad but if you watch the news on TV it’s like nothing happens in the world outside of Orlando!!)

As well as the tiny Brit section at Publix it also does great glazed doughnuts (mm doughnuts, is there anything they can’t do??)

If you like aircraft, Fantasy of Flight is well worth a visit (about 20 minutes east on the I4 from here).

Great holiday although extremely we (hope you all have better weather!)

Pool a big hit with everyone. Great and Comfy house.

Thanks

The O’Sullivans, Essex, K

Owners reply: We have now supplied a detailed information book for all our guests

29 AUGUST – 12 SEPT 03

Dear Gareth & Julie

We have had a wonderful time in your villa and spent many fun filled hours in the pool. Jack has especially enjoyed the pool. As Jack is now only 12 months old we have not really been able to eat out in the evening as the restaurants menus don’t really cater for 12 month old toddlers with 4 teeth, so we have had our evening meals in the villa and as it has just been like home from home except you can have a quick dip in the pool before tea, we like others, have found Publix very good and reasonably cheap and can get anything you need. After tea we have sometimes gone back to Disney to watch the evening shows, Fantasmic at MGM studios is a good show, atmosphere there is great. On the evenings we have stayed in, we have rented a video from “movie Mania” this is round the corner from Publix (same complex). All you need to open a temporary account with them is a driving licence and credit card. We have been to the 4 Disney parks and enjoyed them. Magic Kingdom and MGM we liked the best. Jack enjoyed Magic Kingdom as he got to go on many rides. We visited Seaworld on our last 2 days, here the entrance fee was $54 each (per adult). If you were planning on doing any of the other parks like Universal Studios or Busch Gardens it would be cheaper to buy the Orlando Flexi ticket. Anyway, thank you for letting us use your villa and hope we can come back again in a few years time. We promise not to break anything next time. Enjoy your stay in November, weather has been great, we have only had one tropical storm which lasted roughly 2 days.

Thanks

Andrea, Warren and Jack, Wigan

27 – September – 11 October 2003

Dear Gareth & Julie

Thank you for letting us stay in your wonderful, luxurious and well equipped villa. We have had a wonderful time. We nominate Denny’s Dinner as the very best place to eat breakfast & dinner, good variety of delicious food at reasonable prices. We had a really good day out at Clearwater Beach, about 1 ½ hours on the I4 through Tampa, lovely clear silver sands, safe shallow bathing, we saw dolphins swimming in close, pelicans and flock of parrots. Postcards and stamps can be purchased at Publix, then posted in the mailbox at the side of Subway Sandwich Bar. Enjoyed the parades of classic cars at Kissimmee Old Town at 8.30 pm on Friday and Saturdays, junction 64a on the I4. We are sat here on the last night of our holiday 11 pm on the pool deck enjoying Buds, G & T and Vodka Ice. We would like to take all your efficient appliances home with us (i.e.) washer, dryer, cooker, microwave, we couldn’t manage to pack them.

See you soon.

Jen, Alan, Barry & Jean

Dear Gareth & Julie

We found the house was really nice, well equipped etc. We visited in December and found the pool heating couldn’t cope with the cooler weather, sorry to whinge but we feel you should tell people that, when they pay for a heated pool that it would only actually get warm when the air temperature outside is above a certain heat. When people pay for a heated pool they assume it will be hot enough for us. We used it for 4 days out of a 2 weeks stay (sorry). On a more positive note, we also found Denny’s good for a cheap and cheerful meal. We also found ourselves using TGI Fridays a lot cheaper than TGIs in the UK. Everyone has to go to Wallmarts along the 192 and the Flea markets along there are good also. The Flea market next to the Giant Orange has a stall that sells ciggys really cheap. K-Marts is the place for shoes, we had to buy another case to get all our new shoes and stuff home. Beltz outlet is also good for clothes.

Thanks for the use of your house, we had a nice time.

Andy & Jan, Southampton

Owners comment: We have consulted with our management company regarding the pool heat comments from this booking. They advised us that the only way of keeping the pool heat in when the outside temperature drops is by purchasing a pool blanket. We have now purchased a pool blanket to prepare for the next winter season, to prevent this problem from happening again.

31st Dec 03 15th Jan 04

Thanks for the use of your villa. Very good standard. Great to have use of the washer and dryer. Wouldn’t recommend Ponderosa, food not good, very much like a café.

Went to all Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom very good for young children. MGM studios recommend Fantasmic Show – Islands of Adventure very good and don’t miss the firework show at Magic Kingdom. Would also recommend Golden Corral for somewhere to eat.

Well- thanks again, we have had a lovely time.

Paul, Tina, Barry, Linda, Craig and Children from Devon

18th Feb – 3rd March 04

Thanks for the use of the villa. Gave kids home comforts with added bonus of swimming pool! Wish that the extra we paid for heated pool meant that we got a warm pool everyday, but we now know. Would have been good if the agent told us about this!!!!

Great idea leaving DVDs and games for the kids – nice touch.

Could go on about the Theme Parks – but you’ve heard it all before.

EAST enjoyed Dunkin Donuts, Ponderosa, Golden Corral good value.

Clearwater Beach a MUST, easy to get to – I4 to Tampa, then follow signs for St Petersburg and you get there. Wanted to try the sea fishing but family wouldn’t give me a day to myself!!

SHOPPING TIPS FOR ANYONE NEW TO ORLANDO Before you start shopping got to:

a. Wal-Mart (192 east for ages and your there)
b. B. Flea market (192 east till you get to the big orange on your left)

Belts outlets good – International Drive.
Florida Mall EXPENSIVE

We have left a kids stroller in Garage for next people with kids (save going hiring in Disney).

KOTECHA FAMILY from CHELTENHAM (UK)
Kids age 7,5 and 2.

Owners comment: We have rectified the problem with pool heat for the next winter season by purchasing a pool blanket which can be put on the pool in the evening to save the heat escaping.

4.3.04 – 21.3.04

It is a year now since we bought the villa and we are very happy that it has been treated respectfully by all our guests.

Again we have had another great holiday, have done a combination of days out and villa maintenance.

We can strongly recommend the Butchers Shop in the Mercado Center on International Drive for a special night out, the steaks are fantastic (expensive compared to Denny’s etc. but excellent) about $24 a steak. The Cricketers Arms is also in the Mercado Center and we like it there for good old English meals and beer!!

Our favourite find has to be the Mall at the Millennia – fantastic shopping Mall and a definite must is a meal at the Cheesecake Factory – you will not be disappointed – the portions are huge and really tasty.

We also tried out Melbourne Beach this time – that was really nice. Weather has been good – can’t wait to come back.

Gareth, Julie, Joshua and Fraser

Ps. Please look after Barry – he lives in the twin bedroom wardrobe – we won him at Seaworld.

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