February 7 is Book Direct Day!
Today, we celebrate and encourage the savvy vacationer’s practice of booking direct.
In a world of big booking platforms, dominated by the likes of Vrbo, AirBnB and Booking.com, its easy to think that these technology giants offer the best way to book a vacation.
However, that’s simply not the case! There are many powerful reasons why you should book a vacation direct with the vacation company. The best deals and the most unusual and treasured experiences are often only accessible when you book direct.
Here’s our top eight reasons why you should always book your vacation home direct.
#1. Save money
Often, the best prices are only available when you book direct. They won’t be found on the booking platforms because these booking platforms charge additional fees which are added into the overall price.
Vacation rental property management companies can offer much better prices when they don’t have a factor in these additional fees and charges. So you get the best price when you book direct.
#2. Get extra rewards
Many vacation rental businesses, including Ellis Exclusive Villas, offer special discounts for repeat bookings. This way, you can save even more money every time you book direct. Your loyalty is rewarded directly.
#3. Support the local economy
Most vacation rental businesses are small businesses and an important part of the local economy. By booking direct, you keep the revenue directly in the local economy, helping to support the places you visit. It’s great to be part of a more sustainable and local approach to booking your vacation.
#4. Personalised service and local travel tips
When you book direct, you will be in touch with the people responsible for managing the property in which you stay. They’ll be able to tell you all about the property and the local area. For example, you can find lots of tips for Florida events and attractions, including making the most of your time in the theme parks, on the Ellis Exclusive Villas Blog.
Plus, you can talk to our team direct to ask for advice. We’re always happy to answer your questions, share our tips and tricks so you can benefit from our experience and local knowledge to get the most from your vacation.
#5. Faster and better responses
Because you are dealing directly with the team responsible for managing the property in which you stay, you are going to get better and faster responses to any queries or complaints.
Instead of sending messages to bots, you can reach a real person on the ground where you are staying. You won’t have to wrangle with rigid processes or annoying technology. We’re here to help directly.
#6. More opportunity for custom packages
When you book direct, you can talk to us about your needs and we can build a package especially for you. For example, if you have accessibility needs we can direct you to the properties that would be most suited to your needs.
If you want to arrange multiple stays or longer stays, for example, booking direct enables to offer the most flexibility and the most competitive pricing.
#7. Your data stays with us
Your personal information and browsing history isn’t going to be sold and shared with multiple platforms, boosting your data privacy.
#8. Feel like a VIP
When you book direct, the personalised service you receive is a step up from the generic, automated messages of the big platforms. You’ll enjoy a much more memorable, personalised and authentic stay.
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The holidays are here! What a wonderful time of year! And, for Disney fans, there is nowhere better to celebrate the holidays than Walt Disney World Orlando.
There are plenty of other wonderful events happening across the Central Florida area too, so don’t think it is all mouse ears… you can seek out Christmas carollers and even snow in Florida if you know where to look!
Here’s the Ellis Exclusive Villas guide to getting the most out of your Orlando vacation when you stay with us in December.
The Theme Parks
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, opened its doors in early November, so celebrations at the Magic Kingdom are already well underway by the time December arrives.
Holidays Around the World at Epcot is also a wonderful Christmassy experience, where you can discover seasonal traditions from around the globe.
Inevitably, you can expect the crowds to be in full force by the end of the month. They do drop off for the first couple of weeks in December (compared to the peaks of the late-November Thanksgiving weekend). But by the middle of the month, things are back to peak capacity levels so be prepared for long lines and large crowds.
The usual strategies for dealing with crowds apply: get to the parks early, keep a close eye on children, invest in FastPasses and, if it is your first time to the parks it is well worth thinking about using the services of a tour guide.
You can book Orlando theme park tickets through Ellis Exclusive Villas. KSG guarantee you won’t get a better price.
Get some advice from our professional ticket partner to make sure you get the best prices on all your excursion and park tickets. As well as guaranteeing you won’t find tickets cheaper (and offering a money-back guarantee), their advice can also help you to work out what the best deal will be and the best days to go.
The Weather
In Orlando in December, the average daily temperatures will typically be in the low seventies ˚F/ low twenties ˚C, with lows dropping to around 50˚F/ 10˚C.
Although low by Florida standards, this still counts as winter sunshine for me! You can expect around seven hours of sunshine per day. This means it is still very pleasant.
What’s more, the humidity also drops around time of year so you can enjoy getting out and about a bit and exploring without getting too hot.
By the end of the month we’re out of the official storm season too, although showers are always a possibility.
Wider Central Florida
There are so many wonderful Christmas/ holidays events happening in and around Orlando in December, so don’t confine yourselves just to the parks.
Highlights include the Orlando Ballet’s annual performance of the Nutcracker at the Dr Phillips Center.
The Christmas at Bok Tower Garden Holiday Home Tour: at Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales (in the direction of Legoland).
Light Up UCF features a giant ice skating rink at University of Central Florida’s CFE Arena.
And – my personal favourite – the picture-perfect town of Celebration will be decked out for the holidays, with roving carollers and “real” snow!
Since we’re rapidly approaching Christmas, Orlando’s shopping malls will be busy but if you do need to do some Christmas shopping, you’ll find whatever you need in one of Orlando’s numerous shopping malls.
If you want to plan some other lovely treats, get in touch with the Ellis team, we can happily arrange in-home treats.
For other treats away from your vacation home, such as an unforgettable hot air balloon ride about Orlando, please get some advice from our ticket partner, Kissimmee Guest Services, who can offer great advice about slightly more unusual treats and ways to experience Florida.
Your vacation home
If you are staying at an Ellis Exclusive Villas in December we will try to add a bit of holiday magic for you. If you have a specific treat in mind – perhaps a personal chef for the night or spa for the day – then please give us a call and we can make a booking for you.
During December, if you want to use the pool in your vacation home we strongly recommend that you book and pay for pool heat.
Let us know before you go so that the pool is warm from the beginning of your stay (otherwise it can take a few days to warm up if we come and switch the heater on after you’ve already arrived). Please be aware that pool heat won’t heat the swimming pool (or the integrated spa pool, if you have one) up to the temperature of a warm bath. However, what it will do is take the chill off the water.
If you have paid for pool heat and your home has a pool blanket, we strongly recommend you use the pool blanket – they do keep the warmth in overnight. The standard pool heaters that are fitted in most of our vacation homes are only designed to run eight hours a day – so the pool blanket does help significantly in retaining some of the heat you’ve paid for.
Finally, if you have any questions then please contact us on the usual numbers. And, most of all, enjoy your vacation!
In USA: 321 710 8779
In UK: 0333 332 1411