Luxury Disney- Golden Oak Vacation Homes: A Virtual Tour

Welcome to Disney’s Golden Oak

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in Walt Disney World? If so, Golden Oak just might be your happily ever after—that is if you’ve got $2 Million to spend on a vacation home. You may be wondering, who on earth would spend that kind of money to live in Disney World? Well, the answer is A LOT of people–these homes are flying off the shelves like cronuts. In fact, phase one and two of the project nearly sold out and they’re about to move into phase three, which is also projected to sell out.

You might ask– who would spend millions of dollars on a Mickey-themed mansion? I know I kind of was… But the truth is that the homes themselves are surprisingly Mickey-free (unless of course you choose certain designs), conveniently located to one of the world’s best entertainment complexes, and Orlando is an up and coming city in Florida (so not a bad place to vacation, even if you choose not to visit the parks).

When we rolled up to the first house we were visiting, we were greeted with freshly squeezed juice and plenty of smiles. We had a classy breakfast served in one of the (enormous) kitchens in a sample home.

We took our breakfast outside where there was plenty of seating by the pool in the home’s courtyard. Yeah, one day I hope to be able to say to someone, meet me outside in the pool courtyard…a girl can dream, right?

In addition to this little seating area there were two others, including an 8-person dining table. The perfect size for entertaining any amount of grandchildren (or freeloaders) you may have.

This first house we saw was a Village home. It sits on 1/3 of an acre of land. The largest homes are on 3/4 of an acre. After a little chat, we began our tour. I spent a large part of it photographing the décor in these homes not for this article but for my future dream home–Pinterest candy if you will! I had a chance to peek inside a few homes. So join me on a virtual tour, won’t you.

I died over this bedroom. Wouldn’t you just love to open your door outside to this? I had one of those Carrie Bradshaw moments:

But I digress, here are a few other (non-master) bedrooms in Golden Oak. Do you see what I mean now about the decorating? They should have their own catalog. If I could afford it, I would have them decorate my entire home.

I thought these phantom screens, which open automatically at the touch of a button to create an instant lanai, were awesome. Voila–now you can enjoy Florida, bug free and with A/C  while you’re semi-outdoors. Just an example of one of the customizable fun features.

This was one of the few Mickey-themed flourishes, which I thought was very tasteful. This wallpaper was in a bathroom and I happen to think that even though it’s Mickey, it’s pretty darn classy and fit perfectly with the home’s contemporary feel.

The kitchens in all the homes were enormous and perfect for entertaining. (Said as I held back my tears since nearly my entire apartment could fit in here)

The Grounds

Membership to this affluent community will buy you gorgeous grounds, a clubhouse to socialize at, and even a concierge.  The clubhouse is called Summerhouse and it features some signature amenities that offer residents a special kind of magic. Residents will enjoy exclusive dining like Markham’s restaurant and Tyler’s lounge (only open to residents), state-of-the-art fitness facilities, a heated outdoor pool (with poolside service), a central courtyard with fountain to enjoy cocktails and a family room with an awesome game and media viewing area. Throughout the year, Summerhouse hosts different events for residents like holiday parties. And I had a chance to dine at Markham’s (which was bittersweet since it was incredible and I can never come back).

The Lifestyle

Plus, as a resident here, you now have a concierge for your life—just think as the staff here as your own Genie from Aladdin. They will do anything that Disney’s Guest Relations can do plus more. Need to get picked up from the airport? Ask your personal concierge to book it for you! Need help organizing a party at your home? Holiday décor? Home maintenance? Dining reservations? Golf tee-times? Move-in services? There’s nothing they won’t happily handle. (Services themselves are of course not included)

Residents here are clearly rockstars, I mean if you can afford a nearly $2 Million vacation home you clearly live life differently than most families who shuffle through the theme parks. So, for the rest of my trip, I was treated like a VIP All-Star just like the residents of Golden Oak. I had to have the whole experience after all!

We got a private VIP guide to tour us around the park–waiting free. More about that later…

We had a private dinner in EPCOT where Chef Mickey made an appearance.

We watched the fireworks at EPCOT from a private viewing area away from the insane crowds. This area was stocked with coffee, cordials, and two chefs who made us homemade gelato on the spot to go with cream puffs, chocolate souffle and an array of other amazing desserts.

Then I came home to my room after a long day in the parks to find this delicious and edible treat!

The Luxury

Here are just a few bits of the finer things in life that I look forward to maybe one day experiencing. Ya never know, I could win the lottery!

Have any questions about Disney’s Golden Oak? Let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer or visit their website.

And don’t forget to check out my article to get an inside look at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort.

*All images here are my own*