Frequently Asked Questions
Below are a list of the most frequently asked questions that we receive from our guests. To see the answer to the question, simply click on the question, and the page will scroll to the answer. Of course, if your specific question can't be found below, we'll be happy to answer it individually. To ask a different question by email, click on the Contact Us link and we'll respond within 24 hours.
1. What do I need to bring with me to my vacation home?
2. What will the weather be like when we arrive?
3. How does MainGate Vacation Rentals grade its homes?
4. How does MainGate Vacation Rentals price it's vacation homes?
5. When should I take pool heat as an option/are the pools heated?
6. Is Maid Service included in the price?
7. When do I pay the deposit/final payment/security deposit?
8. How close is my vacation rental property to Disney?
9. Is there a phone at the property? How does it work?
10. How do I book my vacation rental through MainGate Vacation Rentals?
11. How do I find MainGate Vacation Rentals in Kissimmee/Orlando?
12. What is Construction Discount?
Each MainGate Vacation Rentals vacation rental home has been carefully furnished and equipped to ensure that you have a terrific vacation. Amenities included in every vacation home that we provide to guests are:
- Air conditioning
- Quality bedding and pillows
- Private and optionally heated pool on pool homes
- Private and optionally heated plunge/spa pool on town-homes (all have 'hurricane' mesh screens)
- A resort/community pool on all condominiums
- Cable or satellite TV
- VCR
- FREECALL Phone with local, long distance and international calls for free!
- Data Port
- Washer/Dryer
- Garage and/or off road parking
- All linens/towels
- Arrival soaps and tissues
- Fully equipped kitchen including:
- Stove/cooker/range
- Refrigerator and freezer
- Dishwasher
- Microwave oven
- Toaster
- Coffee maker
- Iron and board
- Vacuum cleaner
- Brush and mop
There may be other features and amenities provided.
Unlike many other rental agencies, MainGate Vacation Rentals help you to choose the exact
villa that matches your vacation needs from our extensive portfolio of homes that
MainGate Vacation Rentals manage. To find out exactly what amenities are provided in
the vacation home of your choice, simply go to the description page for that
specific vacation home and there will be a list of the amenities provided.
While we can't guarantee exactly what the weather will be like when you stay at a MainGate Vacation Rentals rental home, we do have a pretty clear idea of how the weather will be for the period that you stay, based on the monthly averages kindly provided by the Weather Channel.
| Month | Low (°F) |
High (°F) |
Rain (in.) |
Snow (in.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
January |
49 | 72 | 2.1 | 0 |
|
February |
49 | 75 | 2.83 | 0 |
|
March |
57 | 80 | 3.2 | 0 |
|
April |
58 | 86 | 2.19 | 0 |
|
May |
63 | 90 | 3.96 | 0 |
|
June |
69 | 91 | 7.39 | 0 |
|
July |
73 | 92 | 7.78 | 0 |
|
August |
73 | 92 | 6.32 | 0 |
|
September |
70 | 91 | 5.62 | 0 |
|
October |
61 | 87 | 2.82 | 0 |
|
November |
54 | 76 | 1.78 | 0 |
|
December |
51 | 75 | 1.83 | 0 |
Please note that, because of the sub-tropical nature of Florida's climate, rain storms can be sudden and heavy. So in the peak months of rainfall (June through September), rain typically falls daily in the afternoon for a short period before clearing to give superb weather.
MainGate Vacation Rentals uses a star rating system to grade the homes that we manage. This gives a simple and easily recognized method of determining which home you want to stay in.
Our lowest grade, 3 star vacation homes are equivilent to most 4 star vacation rentals. Our Diamond grade homes are simply unequalled and all offer incredible quality at affordable prices.
Quality, quality, quality. Unlike other management companies, some travel agents and tour operators, MainGate Vacation Rentals allows and encourage you to select the vacation home that perfectly matches your needs and budget. Because we allow you to select the villa of your choice, MainGate Vacation Rentals has to be certain that you'll be happy and satisfied with the property that you stay in every time. We thoroughly clean and inspect the villas after every stay, and our owners agree to our maintaining their homes in the peak of condition at all times, so they accept the additional costs involved. Quite simply, we don't use 'stock' homes that have problems like other companies.
Each of our vacation rental homes has to be in 'tip-top' condition before we'll rent them to guests. Even then, MainGate Vacation Rentals rental home rates are only a fraction of the cost of staying at one of the Theme Park resorts, which are comparable in quality - but can never compare with ease of access, privacy and space!
Many of the MainGate Vacation Rentals property owners opt to include the cost of pool heat within their rental charges - so you don't have to pay a separate fee. Some MainGate Vacation Rentals properties offer pool heat as a separate chargeable option, which is clearly shown on the price grid for each property. Pool heat is not inclusive on these properties.
Many of the properties that are offered also feature spa pools, and this additional amenity is identified in the description. Guests should note that a spa pool (or raised spa) is not a hot-tub. The temperature of a spa pool is typically set at the same level as the main pool. Guests should not expect hot-tub like temperatures to be available on spa pools.
We recommend that pool heat is chosen (if you intend to use the pool) between October and May. Pool heat is preset to the desired temperature for that particular property and cannot be adjusted. A pool blanket is provided as standard on heated pools, which should cover the pool when not in use to retain the heat (especially overnight!). All properties that have pool heat as an option show the charge on the pricing grid on the property description page.
Please note that, in extreme weather conditions (below 55°F), electrically heated pools will not operate. While we take every precaution to ensure that pools are heated as specified, weather conditions may (rarely) affect the temperature of the pool. Please see the Terms and Conditions page for more details concerning Pool Heat charges.
MainGate Vacation Rentals properties are rented to guests on a "Self-catering" basis. Each and every MainGate Vacation Rentals property is cleaned on departure of every guest party, and inspected prior to your arrival. For your convenience and hygiene, each home is provided with a dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, mop, brush and pan for maintaining the property cleanliness during your stay. All homes are treated regularly for insects, and the pools are treated to maintain their cleanliness.
Some guests that stay for a longer period (over 10 days) request a mid-term clean, which can be arranged in advance through our office for a standard fee.
A full set of MainGate Vacation Rentals terms and conditions of rental can be found by clicking here..
In brief, your deposit payment is due at the time of booking, to confirm and hold the reservation. Final payment of all rentals, options, and taxes are due 60 days prior to the arrival date. The Accidental Damage Waiver is due at the time of your final payment. Payment for tickets, car rental, groceries, and/or baby equipment hire is due at the time of purchase.
To help you decide which of our fabulous properties is right for your family vacation, MainGate Vacation Rentals provides information about the proximity of your property to the major attractions in Kissimmee and Florida. On the property description page, that you reach from the search results page, you will find a description of the property and its location, miles to Disney or nearest attraction center. You'll also find a link button on each property description page to show the location of the property on a map. MainGate Vacation Rentals has selected a fixed point on Disney property to help us to accurately calculate the number of miles to all vacation homes consistently. The actual mileage to your specific home may differ slightly, owing to the direction taken to reach that point.
All MainGate Vacation Rentals properties are equipped with at least one phone for outgoing and incoming calls. Our arrival pack provides the telephone number of the property that you are staying at for your use. Many of our 4 star and Diamond homes also offer an answer-phone as standard in the property.
All telephones in every property use the FREECALL system. The system allows you to make local, long-distance, and international calls AT NO CHARGE during your stay. Don't worry about how long your teenager is on the phone - we'll "pick up the tab"!. The FREECALL telephone service provides free international calls to over 170 countries, but is not available to all countries, especially those where telecoms fraud is prevalent. The small list of international countries that are excluded can be provided to you by requesting the list in writing before your stay. If you dial an international number which is not included on the available list during your stay, then the call will not go through, and you may receive a message, or an operator may come on the line. You will not be charged for a call to an excluded country, unless you call the operator and place a credit card call.
The main telephone in each home also provides a speed dial system for services and products regularly used by our guests, like, pizza delivery, dry cleaning, taxi services, calls to our office, etc.
The main telephone at each property also has a data port on the side. Please note that connection to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) must be made through this port in order for FREECALL to apply. If you try to connect to an ISP directly through the wall outlet, your connection will not work.
Please see the How to Book page accessible via this link or select How to Book from the guest menu.
Maingate provides check-in and arrivals instructions 7 days prior to arrival.
The Construction Discount is offered by MainGate Vacation Rentals against each property where there is current building work in progress within 300 feet (91.44 metres) of the property (in any direction) that may possibly affect your stay.
The discount is shown and deducted automatically from the on-line quotation, or will be explained verbally when making a telephone reservation.
The company has sole discretion as to the dates when this discount will be applied, and the extent of the construction, i.e., the company will determine if the discount applies. Guests who choose to book this property will receive the Construction Discount as the sole compensation for any inconvenience caused. No further compensation, moves to different properties, or other remedies will be offered to the guest. In many cases, the construction works nearby will not effect your vacation stay at the property, but the MainGate Vacation Rentals policy is designed to advise guests prior to arrival of such potential for inconvenience.