The Enchanted Oak restaurant located in the Islands of Adventure across from the Duelling Dragons roller coaster has been demolished to make way for part of the Harry Potter theme park. Rumour has it it may still be a restaurant but with a wizardy theme.

It is a shame as I used to enjoy going to thisd restaurant to eat, we used to sit out the back which had an overlook of the lake and the other islands. If you looked over the side and and dropped some food into the lake you would see masses of fish appear and even some huge Catfish.

Universal have released a preview of what to expect when the build the new 20 acre "theme park within a theme park" It will be built in the Islands of Adventure part of the Orlando theme parks. It is not expected to be finished until 2010. Here is the link for the Harry Potter preview.

So you have decided to rent an Orlando villa for this year's vacation. So what do you do next? First visit a site such as Orlando Villas by Perfect Florida Villas or Florida Villas Elite and take a look at what is on offer. Browse or search the villas to find the perfect villa for your trip. Check to see the distances from the theme parks if this is one of your reasons to visit. Most all of the villas listed are within 10 -15 mins of Walt Disney World. If you have any questions you can ask the owner directly and they will only be too happy to help. Once you have selected the villa or villas you are interested in send out your enquiry. Be sure to list any preferences that you would like, such as, games room or South facing pool etc.

Next you will receive replies form owners meeting your requirements. They will confirm that they have availability and give you a total price for the period. You will see just what good value it represents especially for larger families and groups. Once again, if you have any questions feel free to ask. Once your mind is made up and you have chosen your dream villa contact the owner and let them know. They will ask you to send a deposit to secure the booking. There will be nothing else to pay until the final balance is due. This could be anywhere from 8 - 12 weeks prior to you arriving in Orlando. With the final balance a security deposit is normally required, some owners take a swipe of a credit card to cover this. The security deposit is like a damage bond and if there is no damage the owner will return it shortly after your departure from the villa. The security deposit amount is around $300/£200 for the stay. 

Shortly before you arrive at your chosen villa you will be given the details of how to get to it and how to gain access. Almost all of the villas have a lock box on the outside or an electronic door lock that has a code to allow access. Inside the lock box you will find the door keys after entering a code. This eliminates the need to have to travel to a central point to pick up keys which is great especially after a long flight.

I'm sure you will be sad to leave your new found home and will not be able to wait till you can return. If you do wish to come back in future years contact the owner and ask if they would give you a discount, most owners do give a discount to repeat visitors.

 That's about all there is to it. If you would like to rent the property above visit Orlando Villas.