FL USA, Would love your responses you be interested in a convenience service, babysitting, meal prep during your holidays?

[sunchowder]

I would love to get your responses here for an idea that I have been formulating for a while. Please be honest and candid with me and let me know your thoughts.

I live in Florida (Orlando area) and have been toying with starting a business on the side in addition to my full time IT job (something for my British DH to do if he decides to "retire"). The business would be directed at folks who come to Florida and rent the villas in the Kissimmee area. I wanted to understand if the whole point of renting the villa is so that you can get the inexpensive (or less expensive), private type vacation (rather than hotel that might offer these services) and have total choice over what you pay for and expenses you can avoid. If so, this business idea would probably not make much sense.

Would you be interested in the following:

*Ordering Ahead Shopping Service so that items are waiting for you after your 20 hour journey with children - Items like Diapers in your size, food essentials (coffee, tea, half-cream, milk, juice, eggs, bacon, bread, wheetabix or readybrek, etc)--your choice to send list ahead of time before arrival- also choice of staple British Items if you have children that are picky eaters)- Possible Gift Basket sendahead type thing also.

*Touring - out of the way sort of places (not Disney). Either just given ideas or having a tour.

*Chance to Stay over at American Home - Meet other families - see how the "real" Americans live!

*Babysitting Services- for the odd night that you and your DH might just want to sneak out for a dinner on your own while on holiday. Swim lessons, game box, etc for those rainy days or days in-between Disney when you are too knackered to leave the villa.

*Meal at your villa type service - Choice of menu and food either cooked at villa or brought in on nights when you are exhausted. American or British type meals.

It is much cheaper to go out for a meal in the US than it is in the UK, but when you are exhausted with little ones, I wanted to know if this sounded attractive to you.

Let me know your thoughts and ideas. I haven't done any research on this to even see if the Villa places already offer these services either, so forgive me if I am duplicating. We were thinking of possibly buying a property and leasing also. Looking forward to your responses.

Off topic but Florida related... Does anyone know where Kateandthegirls has gone to?

sunchowder, we visit Florida a lot. We would love a decently priced baby sitting service. We paid 70 dollars for 4 hours last time, I was told the sitter was English, in fact she was Irish and the kids found it difficult to understand her.

An order ahead grocery service would be great, don't know if some resorts would let you into the rooms though.

We don't need meals as the eating out choice is vast.

Wouldn't be interested in the meet an American thing or other tours but that's probably because we've done so much of it already.

A taxi service would be great for my girlie shopping trips. To save DH tearing himself away from the pool with the kids, I am not confident driving in Florida.

We don't take much in the way of toys with us but we do go to Walmart and get a few bits when we get there, apart from that it's lilos and goggles.

BTW anyone going to Florida, leave all your toiletries at home, go to Walmart when you get there and fill your trolley with bargains.

Check if you need pool towels as a lot of hotels supply them and obviously villas have them already.

For the first few days your family will wake up VERY VERY early. Take advantage of this and get to the parks. Remember from the time you park your car at WDW it will be another 30 minutes before you go through the main gate. Then run like the wind to Fantasyland.

I would recommend The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2005 book. Fantastic and our 'Bible' when we go to Florida.