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Universal Orlando Resort: Where to Stay & Play for a Few Days

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My recent stay at Universal Orlando Resort was so much fun and I’m going to share and highlight my favorite moments with you. First and foremost, I stayed at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort on the property which allowed me early access (one hour) to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™. It was my first time experiencing Diagon Alley™. I took advantage of the complimentary shuttle service to Universal Studios Florida and was able to … [Read More...]

Life & Style

Navigating Disney World During a Pandemic

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I recently had an opportunity to visit Walt Disney World as part of my Goofy Getaways FAM Training. It was exciting and I was a bit anxious because even though some restrictions are being lifted, guidelines are more relaxed, and travel is starting to … [Read More...]

Strike a pose at Pose Selfie Studio

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I recently had an opportunity to visit the NEW Pose Selfie Studio in Raleigh, NC with my daughter and it was so much fun. The great thing about this studio is that you have all the tools you need to capture your perfect photos alone or you can go … [Read More...]

Taste the Flavors of St. Thomas USVI

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I am excited to be collaborating with my fellow foodie lover Hannah Victoria on this listing of places to eat in St. Thomas USVI whether you are visiting or local to the island. We are giving you our personal opinions based on our dining experiences … [Read More...]

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Travel

Navigating Disney World During a Pandemic

By

I recently had an opportunity to visit Walt Disney World as part of my Goofy Getaways FAM Training. It was exciting and I was a bit anxious because even though some restrictions are being lifted, guidelines are more relaxed, and travel is starting to … [Read More...]

Taste the Flavors of St. Thomas USVI

By

I am excited to be collaborating with my fellow foodie lover Hannah Victoria on this listing of places to eat in St. Thomas USVI whether you are visiting or local to the island. We are giving you our personal opinions based on our dining experiences … [Read More...]

Food

Rosé All Day at Seasons 52

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I recently had the opportunity to experience the Seasons 52 Summer Menu paired perfectly with Rose cocktails. The menu changes with the season and I can really appreciate that. My reservation was for 7:00pm and it … [Read More...]

What I Wish I Knew Before Booking a Vacation Rental Near Disney World

Booking a holiday home near the magic of Orlando sounded like the perfect plan for our family. We pictured a spacious living area, a private pool, and a full kitchen for quick breakfasts before heading to the parks. What we underestimated were the small surprises that turned our dream stay into a real learning curve. After two trips, I want to share the honest details I wish someone had spelled out for me before I clicked "reserve."

The long-haul flight from Australia makes every detail count. By the time you've endured fifteen-plus hours from Sydney or Melbourne, the last thing you want is a holiday rental that adds friction to your first morning. Subtle things like check-in time, parking arrangements, and resort fees quietly shape how smoothly your trip begins, and I picked up most of those lessons the hard way.

Location and proximity to the parks

The map view on a booking site can be deceiving. A rental marked "minutes from Disney" might be minutes from Animal Kingdom's back gate, but a twenty-minute crawl from your actual park of choice. I now look at the property's location relative to the specific parks I plan to visit, rather than the Disney bubble as a whole.

Kissimmee rentals often look closest on paper, yet traffic on I-4 and US-192 can double your travel time during peak hours. We learned that staying slightly further west near Champions Gate gave us shorter rides to Hollywood Studios and EPCOT in the mornings. That extra five minutes felt like nothing compared to sitting in standstill traffic with tired kids in the back seat.

Hidden fees and the true cost

The nightly price is just the opening chapter. Cleaning fees, resort amenity charges, and community fees quietly add several hundred dollars to a week-long stay. On our first trip, I was so focused on the headline rate that I overlooked a USD 250 cleaning fee and a USD 90 amenity charge for access to the clubhouse pool.

For Australians converting from AUD, those extras sting more than expected. A $400 cleaning fee feels very different when you're mentally converting at the current exchange rate. Always scroll to the full price breakdown before you commit, and budget an extra 20 to 25 percent on top of the nightly rate for the true cost.

The pool situation

Every listing seems to promise a pool, yet the details vary wildly. Some rentals offer a small splash pool attached to the lanai, others have a backyard pool with no fence, and a few include community pools that close at dusk. With little ones in tow, pool safety and privacy were non-negotiables for our second booking.

We also discovered that pool heating in Florida is rarely included, even in the cooler months. January and February evenings can dip surprisingly low for travellers coming out of an Australian summer. Plan on roughly USD 25 to USD 40 per night for pool heat between November and March, otherwise that gorgeous blue water might be too cold to enjoy.

Check-in and arrival logistics

Most holiday rentals handle check-in through a lockbox or smart lock, which sounds easy until you're standing in a dark driveway at 10pm trying to recall which code you scribbled down. Our first property had a lockbox hidden behind a fake rock that blended perfectly into the landscaping, which made the "easy self-check-in" feel more like a treasure hunt.

After a long-haul flight from Brisbane with two cranky kids, the last thing we wanted was to fumble through emails searching for entry instructions. I now save the check-in details in a folder I can bookmark, and I always message the host 48 hours ahead to confirm everything is ready. That small step has saved us from waiting on a maintenance call more than once.

Bedrooms and sleeping arrangements

A rental that sleeps eight doesn't always sleep eight comfortably. We booked what was advertised as a four-bedroom home and arrived to find one "bedroom" was actually a closet with a bunk bed, and another was a sofa bed in the upstairs loft. Reading the bed configuration carefully matters more than counting bedrooms.

Australian families often travel in larger groups than the average US booking, so it's worth confirming whether the property genuinely accommodates your party. We've found homes in the Encore and Solara resort communities tend to have more generous layouts, with proper bedrooms instead of converted spaces. The extra cost per night was worth it for the actual sleep everyone got.

Kitchen and grocery runs

Having a kitchen was one of the biggest perks, especially with kids who get hungry at unpredictable times. Publix and Walmart neighbourhood markets sit within a short drive of most rental communities, and we found grocery delivery through Instacart surprisingly reliable. Two supermarkets carrying familiar brands made the first morning feel almost normal.

Grocery prices in Orlando run noticeably higher than what you're used to back home. A box of cereal that costs AUD 5 at Coles might run USD 6 to USD 7 in Florida. We started packing a few favourite snacks in our checked luggage, which sounds excessive but saves both money and the meltdown that happens when your child can't find their preferred breakfast cereal.

Comparing communities and final tips

If you're torn between a few neighbourhoods, here's a quick comparison based on what I noticed across our two trips:

Community Distance to Parks Typical Home Size Best For Notes
Kissimmee (US-192) 10-15 min to Animal Kingdom 3-5 bedrooms Budget-focused trips Heavy traffic, older homes
Champions Gate 15-20 min to most parks 4-6 bedrooms Golf lovers, quieter stays Newer builds, resort amenities
Encore Resort 10 min to Hollywood Studios 5-8 bedrooms Larger families On-site water park, higher fees
Solara Resort 12-15 min to Animal Kingdom 4-7 bedrooms Active families Surf simulator, community pool

A few final recommendations shaped by everything above:

If you're still weighing a rental against a theme park hotel, the Orlando's best theme park hotels for budget travelers guide compares the options side by side and helped us decide when a hotel made more sense for a short stay. Whichever you choose, the magic of Disney is worth every bit of planning you put in beforehand.