Meet the family who live INSIDE Disney World, with story-inspired cottages and no tourists - and homes from £1.5million

Frolicking for a few hours in Disney World is the stuff of dreams – so imagine what it's like to actually live there? 

Cristie Anne of The Traveling Red owns a home in Golden Oak, a residential community inside Walt Disney World Resort. 

This neighbourhood is not a fictional location – in fact, it was designed by Disney Imagineers, and each home has its own distinct character. 

Cristie Anne, 39 and originally from Miami, Florida, told the Daily Mail: 'Ours was inspired by Belle's cottage from Beauty and the Beast, with Imagineer-designed details woven throughout the home.'

Cristie Anne's family has spent the last six years living between their primary Miami residence and their Disney cottage. 

She added: 'If you compare the exterior to the cottage from the live-action film, the inspiration is unmistakable. 

'While many homes in Golden Oak incorporate subtle Disney touches or beautifully themed interior spaces, very few are designed around an entire Disney story the way ours is.'

Cristie Anne of The Traveling Red owns a home in Golden Oak, a residential community inside Walt Disney World Resort

Her family home is in one of the smaller home collections within Golden Oak, filled with winding streets and an attention to detail that makes it feel 'like you've stepped into a storybook village. It was one of the first things we fell in love with when we saw the neighbourhood.'

But how did this unconventional living situation arise? 

Cristie Anne explained: 'It actually wasn't something we were searching for. At the time, we were looking for a family vacation home where we could make memories together, and we were mostly looking at beach houses. Disney wasn't even on our radar. 

'My parents were visiting friends who had recently purchased a vacation home in Golden Oak and happened to tour our house, which had just gone on the market that day. They instantly fell in love with it and FaceTimed both my brother and me to show us the house.

'Our daughter was only three years old at the time, so the idea of a Beauty and the Beast-inspired home at Disney sounded like perfection. It felt like the perfect place to watch her grow up while creating family traditions together.'

Currently, other homes for sale at Walt Disney World are on the market for around $8million (£5.9million), while reports of Golden Oak homes suggest that prices can range between $2million (£1.5million) and $20million (£14.8million). The price of this specific property is unspecified.

Naturally, a major perk is how close the property is to the Disney parks. 

Cristie Anne, 39, splits her time between the Disney home and a Miami residence

'Depending on which park we're visiting, we're usually just minutes away by car or our private Disney transportation van, which takes us and drops us right at the front of the park,' Cristie Anne explained. 

'It makes it so easy to decide on a whim to grab dinner at a resort, ride a favorite attraction, or watch the fireworks without turning it into an all-day event.'

The family tends to visit more during the winter months when the weather is especially pleasant. 

'One of the things we love most is that there's no pressure to do everything in a single visit. We can simply enjoy whatever we're in the mood for that day,' she added.

'Back then, purchasing a home in Golden Oak included complimentary park admission for the first few years. After that, we had to purchase annual passes just like other guests.'

Unsurprisingly, Cristie Anne has 'lost count' of the number of times she's visited the parks.

The Disney World homes are each designed with a particular theme - Cristie Anne's is inspired by Belle's cottage from Beauty and the Beast

'I've been visiting since I was a child, and now it's become such a big part of our family's life that it's easily in the hundreds. Every visit feels a little different, which is one of the reasons Disney never gets old for us.'

'The convenience is incredible, but I think my favorite part is that it allows us to experience Disney in a completely different way.

'When you're on vacation, there's often pressure to do everything because your trip has an end date. Living nearby takes that pressure away. We can pop into a park for one ride, have dinner at a resort hotel, or simply stay home and watch the fireworks from our house. 

'It gives us the freedom to slow down, appreciate the little moments, and enjoy Disney at our own pace instead of feeling like we have to fit everything into a single trip.

'It's truly a completely different way to experience Disney, and in many ways, even more magical.'

Surely it's rammed with tourists, though?

'Never,' Cristie Anne admits. 'People are often surprised by how private Golden Oak actually is. Security is exceptional, and only residents and their registered guests are allowed inside the community. It isn't somewhere tourists can simply drive through to see the homes.

'That privacy is something homeowners really value. Homes cannot be used as short-term rentals, which helps preserve the neighborhood as a true residential community.

For Cristie Anne's daughter, it has been a special place to holiday - pictured is one of the bedrooms

'As someone who shares our life at Golden Oak online, I'm also very mindful of respecting my neighbors' privacy. I only ever film or photograph our own home.'

What about daily amenities?

Cristie Anne said: 'There aren't supermarkets or schools on Disney property itself, so for everyday errands like grocery shopping, we simply drive a few minutes off property. 

'At the same time, we have Disney's incredible restaurants, resorts, golf courses, spas, recreation, and entertainment right at our doorstep. 

'It really is the best of both worlds… the magic of Disney whenever we want it, with all the conveniences of everyday life just minutes away.'

It's no surprise, then, to learn that Cristie Anne certainly doesn't plan on selling the home anytime soon.