Windsor Hills vs. ChampionsGate: Which Fits Your Rental?

The short answer

Windsor Hills is one of the closest vacation rental resorts to Disney, about 5 to 10 minutes from Disney property, with condos, townhomes and pool homes. ChampionsGate is farther out, about 13 to 15 miles, but has golf, the Oasis Club and bigger homes. Windsor Hills sells location. ChampionsGate sells the stay.

Side by side

How the two are different

Windsor Hills is about being close. Guests can get from the driveway to a Disney parking lot in minutes, no interstate needed. That makes it one of the most searched resort names near the parks. The catch is that everyone in Windsor Hills is selling the same location, the same clubhouse and the same water park. When every listing makes the same promise, guests decide on the photos and the price.

ChampionsGate is about the stay. It's farther down I-4, but the homes are newer and bigger, every one has a private screened pool, and the Oasis Club and golf give guests reasons to stay put. Groups spend more time at the house, so the house itself carries more of the trip.

The guests are a little different too. Windsor Hills does well with families doing a lot of park days, including smaller families in condos and townhomes. ChampionsGate leans toward bigger groups, multi-family trips and golf groups.

Which owner each suits

Windsor Hills tends to suit you if:

• You want a condo or townhome, or a smaller pool home
• Your guests are mostly Disney families who want short drives
• You're fine competing in a crowded search with a lot of similar listings
• You're buying an older, individually owned unit and plan to update it

ChampionsGate tends to suit you if:

• You want a newer, larger pool home for groups of 12 or more
• You want to reach golf groups as well as families
• You like the Oasis Club as a selling point
• You don't mind being farther from the parks

Ask a local agent and your property manager about prices, HOA fees and rental rules for your exact unit. We focus on the inside.

What it means for the design

Designing in Windsor Hills

• Design against the clubhouse, not alongside it. Guests already get a theater, a games room, a water park and a heated pool with their stay. Don't spend your budget copying that inside a condo. Put it into what the clubhouse can't give them.
• One room they'll remember by name. A themed kids' room is often the best cover photo in a crowded search.
• Real sleep. Quality mattresses, blackout shades and quiet. Park days start early.
• Condos and townhomes need smart space. Sleeper-friendly seating, storage that doubles as decor, and a dining spot where everyone fits.

Designing in ChampionsGate

• Make the house a destination. A finished game room, a dressed lanai and a living room with enough seats for everyone.
• No weak bedrooms. In a 6 to 8-bedroom home, every room gets its own look, and the king rooms should be close to equal for golf groups and multi-family trips.
• Bunk rooms built to last. Big groups bring a lot of kids. We build bunks in our own shop to fit the room.
• A drop zone. Golf bags, pool bags and shoes need a spot by the door.

Where both are the same

In both resorts, guests scroll past a lot of homes that look the same from the outside. The interior is what makes yours the one they click, and the one they review well.

How we help

We've been designing vacation rentals out of Kissimmee since 2004, and our shop at 3401 Commerce Blvd, Suite G, is a short drive from both resorts. We build themed rooms and custom pieces ourselves. A full vacation rental design usually runs $15,000 to $60,000, depending on scope, with a fixed quote after the walkthrough.

Book a Walkthrough Call 689-777-9954

See our Windsor Hills and ChampionsGate pages for more.

Windsor Hills vs. ChampionsGate questions

Which is closer to Disney, Windsor Hills or ChampionsGate?

Windsor Hills is closer. It's on Old Lake Wilson Road at the southwest edge of Walt Disney World, about 5 to 10 minutes from Disney property. ChampionsGate is off I-4 at Exit 58, roughly 13 to 15 miles from the parks, which is about 20 to 27 minutes when traffic is light.

Which resort has bigger homes?

ChampionsGate generally does. Plans in The Retreat run from 4-bedroom townhomes to an 8-bedroom home of about 3,800 square feet, and every vacation home has a private screened pool. Windsor Hills is a mix of condos, townhomes and single-family pool homes, so it has many more small units to choose from.

What amenities does each resort have?

Windsor Hills has a heated zero-entry lagoon pool, Sir Windsor's AquaVenture water park, a 48-seat theater, a games room, a fitness center and a Marketplace and Grill. ChampionsGate's Oasis Club has a lazy river, a water slide, a heated pool, a theater, a game room and a restaurant, plus nearby golf.

Is Windsor Hills or ChampionsGate better for golf groups?

ChampionsGate. It has two Greg Norman courses at the Omni, The International and The National, plus the Country Club course. Windsor Hills has a putting green but no course. If you want to rent to golf groups, ChampionsGate gives you a real reason to market to them.

How should I design a Windsor Hills condo differently from a ChampionsGate home?

A Windsor Hills condo has no private pool and a small footprint, so it needs smart storage, sleeper-friendly seating and one standout room. A ChampionsGate home is bigger and further from the parks, so it needs a full room map, equal king rooms, bunk rooms, a game room and a dressed lanai.

Are both resorts gated?

Yes. Windsor Hills has a gatehouse staffed 24 hours a day, and it's for registered guests only. ChampionsGate has gated entrances, with two staffed around the clock and one electronic. For guests coming back late from fireworks, both give that same sense of arriving somewhere secure.

How much does it cost to design a home in either resort?

A full vacation rental design usually runs $15,000 to $60,000, depending on scope. A Windsor Hills condo or townhome usually sits toward the lower end. A large ChampionsGate home with themed rooms and a game room sits higher. You get a fixed quote after the walkthrough, before anything is ordered.