With the popularity of vacation rentals growing, especially for families visiting the Disney Orlando area, MousePlanet.com’s MouseStation interviewed Fred Zorayq of Advantage Vacation Homes to find out what travelers need to know when they consider renting a vacation home.

According to the site, Fred says, “usually a group of people will rent a home, either a family, a golf outing or (increasingly so) sports teams. Occupancy is governed by the same laws that govern hotels, so it’s generally two people per bedroom, plus sometimes another two for a living room with a sleeper sofa. That gives you a total of generally 4-16 people per unit.

“Vacation homes in the Orlando area are generally located in Kissimmee, Claremont and Davenport, to the south of Walt Disney World. Travel times to Walt Disney World are anywhere from three miles to thirty minutes in heavy traffic.

“You don’t have the amenties of a hotel room such as room service, nightly housekeeping, etc. There are plenty of benefits, though. The smallest units are probably at least 3 times the size of a hotel room. If you’re going to be renting multiple hotel rooms, it can be much cheaper to rent your own place, with a two-bedroom home running in the vicinity of $100/night and a three-bedroom running around $150/night. Having the kitchen gives you the option of making your own breakfasts to save money, heating up late night snacks, etc. You also have communal spaces to socialize together, rather than trying to coordinate visiting among multiple hotel rooms.”

To download the show, visit MouseStation #19.