Sheraton Vistana Resort Questions

[disneyshakeygirl]

I have a question for those who have stayed here:

Are the park shuttles convenient or would it be worth it to rent a car? We have never stayed of-site before, so I feel like a fish out of water.

Thanks for the info

I found both were convenient in their own way. The shuttles are convenient as in they are speedy on getting guests there but you have to pay and they come at a designated time if I remember correctly. Renting a car is also convenient because you can get groceries, come and go to the parks as you please instead of waiting for the shuttle, and go sight seeing etc. You just need to refill for gas in case you get low.

 

[MiaSRN62]

litlpixie....
If you have never stayed offsite before, I would highly suggest a rental car. Vistana shuttles are nothing like disney transportation so you would probably be disappointed. There is only one central place they pick guests up and that is at the very front of the resort. Your room could be a 15 min walk away. Think about hot sun....pouring rain......tired kids. Disney busses drop off closer to guests rooms---they usually have multiple bus stops and run fairly consistantly (every 10-20 min on average). Vistana shuttles have set times---you would need to pick up a schedule and then your days are planned around those shuttle times. When I'm at Vistana---it's a rental car or I won't stay there at all.

Good luck...........
Maria

 

[litlpixie]

First of all, thanks for answering my questions about the shuttles and the convenience of getting a rental car. A few more questions if you dont mind-

Is this resort conveniently located close to the Disney parks? We dont ever stay in a park all day, we tour in the morning and get out by lunch time and go back after dinner. Any parking lot tips?

IS the resort safe enough for my 12yr old and her girlfriend to walk around alone (during the day, of course).

Lastly, am I going to have to sit through a presentation for a timeshare for just staying here?

Thank you again for all your help

-Penny

 

[MiaSRN62]

Penny,
Yes, the main Vistana resort is definitely pretty close to the disney theme parks. You're not more than 10-15 or 20 min away ---depends on which park. I believe Downtown Disney, Hollywood Studios and Epcot are the closest (about 10 min). MK and AK are maybe 15-20 min. Having a car makes it so much easier to zip in and out and back to the resort for a nap or swim. having to depend on Vistana shuttles is just not as convenient.

Yes...this resort is definitely safe...clean...family friendly. The gates all have guards who check cars coming in.

you do not HAVE to sit through a presentation unless you nightly or weekly rate was dependent on it. However, that said, they will TRY and get you to attend. My advice is, after you check in and get your keys, they will suggest you go to another desk to get your free gifts and coupons. Do not. They will try and set you up for a breakfast informational meeting which can be a hard timeshare sell attempt. If you skip the freebie/coupon person, they will call you room DAILY in an attempt to get you to sign up for the "free breakfast" meeting or whatever they're calling it these days. I strongly suggest you unplug ALL phones in your villa as soon as you arrive. Most people use cell phones nowadays anyway. They used to call us at 7-8 am in the morning trying to catch us and woke us all up. All phones get unplugged now.......probably one of the best tips I can give you

The resort itself is very large....nicely landscaped....you will enjoy your time there I hope.

Maria

 

[JoShan1719]

they will TRY and get you to attend. My advice is, after you check in and get your keys, they will suggest you go to another desk to get your free gifts and coupons. Do not. They will try and set you up for a breakfast informational meeting which can be a hard timeshare sell attempt. If you skip the freebie/coupon person, they will call you room DAILY in an attempt to get you to sign up for the "free breakfast" meeting or whatever they're calling it these days. I strongly suggest you unplug ALL phones in your villa as soon as you arrive. Most people use cell phones nowadays anyway. They used to call us at 7-8 am in the morning trying to catch us and woke us all up. All phones get unplugged now.......probably one of the best tips I can give you

When we stayed there none of this happened. We picked up our coupons and stuff and that was the end of it. We did get a lot of phone calls but they all happened after we left for the day and every single one of them was about a certain pool being closed or a certain activity taking place that day. No calls to go to any breakfast, though.

 

[MiaSRN62]

JoShan1719 : we stayed there none of this happened. We picked up our coupons and stuff and that was the end of it. We did get a lot of phone calls but they all happened after we left for the day and every single one of them was about a certain pool being closed or a certain activity taking place that day. No calls to go to any breakfast, though.

Well...very glad you were spared. I've been a Vistana owner since 1994 so I've experienced decades of this harassment. Finally discovered how to get around it. One year (maybe 2007 or 2008 ?), we skipped the coupon desk....unplugged the phones and I guess they were desperate. Actually came back to the villa at the end of the day to a NOTE TAPED on our front door asking us to call their number to set up a meeting. Over the years here on DIS, I've read dozens of people cite the same experiences. Maybe they're backing off a little lately , who knows ?

Maria

 

[mom2m2j]

Can you tell me if they have a playground area that is covered? Is there an area that has sand for the kids to play in?

 

[GetGlowing]

We were in Lakes Bldg 1 and there was a sandy playground pretty close. It wasn't covered, though.

 

[mom2m2j]

Thanks, My youngest loves to play in the sand.
I was able to find a couple parks in the area that have covered play structures. We stayed at a Hilton resort a few years ago that had one, and it was great to get the kids out of the sun for awhile.

 

[GetGlowing]

I called the Diamond Lane request phone number and the agent there was very helpful. She linked our two reservations somehow and made a note of our needs (ground floor or elevator access since someone in our party has a mobility issue). I'm glad I called -- we have a 2BR booked and our other party has a 1BR and the agent said we probably would have been put in different sections. Hopefully we'll be in the same section and not too far apart. I just didn't want to be on the opposite side of the resort.

I see that I never followed up to my post on this topic ....

We placed the above request before we checked in, and we were assigned units right next to each other! A 1BR and a 2BR ground floor. Plus, we were right in front of the handicapped parking that we needed for my dad, and it was so easy to load and unload his scooter every night to charge. It was great customer service.

 

[garrsmom]

I just booked a room for myself and my dh. It has been years since we have stayed off grounds. Two quick questions. If we have a park hopper, can you leave the park and return on the same day without paying an additional parking fee? Also, how much is it for shuttles from the hotel to the parks?

 

[leanne11]

we have been staying at condos in florida for yrs and Maria is right.. we have learned to never go to the "complimentry coupon" desk.. in ron jon,Cocoa beach the tour lady was also the information booth ..so everytime we asked a ? about a restaurant she would see we weren't signed up for the tour...we learned quickly to not go to a "help desk, not answer the phone,,, and always say we're leaving tommorrow..when we eat offsite//because they are at every mcdonalds and souviner store also.. you have to be in florida for 24 hours so saying leaving tom. gets u out of the tour
btway...Hello Maria...nice to see another Lansdale dis nut....

 

[MiaSRN62]

Hello Maria...nice to see another Lansdale dis nut....

Hello Leanne ! Hello right back at ya !

Two quick questions. If we have a park hopper, can you leave the park and return on the same day without paying an additional parking fee? Also, how much is it for shuttles from the hotel to the parks?

Hi garrsmom.....
Yes...you can leave the park and return the same day without paying again. Just hold on to the dashboard card you get.

My computer crashed about 8 months ago and I lost alot of info ---one was the shuttle info. But from what I can recall, it was approximately $10 PER PERSON PER DAY ROUNDTRIP ? And you are given a shuttle schedule. It's not like the disney busses that run every 10-20 min. It's more like 3-4 departures in the morning and 3-4 returns in the evening. So you have to be prepared to plan your day around the shuttle times.

Hope this helps,
Maria

 

[darrius1st]

Does it have a pirate pool

 

[TheKatie]

we just got back from a week in the Falls Section and LOVVVVED it. I don't think i'd like any other section as much - the units were spacious and renovated, we were steps to the Falls pool from our unit in building 21 - and from there it was easy access to the Courts pool, the rec center, the Spas super Pool and Zimmies, the market and a bit further to the Cascades Pool. We ate at the Fountains food court our first day there but never went back over to that side- it seemed very busy and noisy at that pool and we preffered the more laid back nature of "our' pool...the unit was spotless and we loved the big screened porch for morning coffee and evening wine... we ate at the deck at Zimmies' one night and had breakfast at the marketplace one morning -- my dd had her hair wrapped and we enjoyed many drinks pool side at the Spas pool - (darn the Oasis pool bar wasn't open yet at 'our' pool thatwas our one dissapointment) wE only had one message asking us to go to the time share presentation but as my partner is an RCI owner already she shut them down pretty quick.
all in all we really really loved it and loved how FAST it was to get to the parks -- one night we were 15 minutes from Getting off spaceship earth to getting into the pool -- can't beat that!

 

[goofytoo]

We just got back too! We stayed at the Cascades in a renovated unit from May 1- May 8. It was gorgeous!!!!! We were on the 5th floor overlooking the pond I loved watching the baby ducks from the balcony when I drank my coffee. We received many calls from the photographer but only 1 text for owners update they were offering 65$ to come and some points but I can't remember how many. I politely responded No thanks and didn't hear back.
We spent allot of time at the super pool. It is my favorite pool! It seems like there is so much room there and it doesn't seem as crowded as the Cascades pool. I guess the cascades section is about 70% renovated. The only sections now that are not renovated are the courts, the spas and the Palms.
I would imagine the resort will go back to Gold status after they are all finished with the renovations.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Does it have a pirate pool

No pirate pool at the main Vistana resort. Not sure about Vistana Villages resort though. Someone may be able to help you with that one.

Maria

 

[Pedler]

Hi all,

I have a quick question for those that have stayed there recently. What is the smoking policy at the resort. DW is sensative to smoke and I seem to have gotten mixed messages. I called the front desk and the person said smoking was allowed but we wouldn't notice it. From thier site it said it wasn't allowed in the enclosed spaces but was on the balconies and if they detected smoking then you would be charged a cleaning fee.

Our preference is to always be in a non smoking room. Is this something we should be concerned about?

Thanks in advance.

Tom.

 

[TheKatie]

Hi all,

I have a quick question for those that have stayed there recently. What is the smoking policy at the resort. DW is sensative to smoke and I seem to have gotten mixed messages. I called the front desk and the person said smoking was allowed but we wouldn't notice it. From thier site it said it wasn't allowed in the enclosed spaces but was on the balconies and if they detected smoking then you would be charged a cleaning fee.

Our preference is to always be in a non smoking room. Is this something we should be concerned about?

Thanks in advance.

Tom.

I honestly didn't notice anyone smoking when I was there -- and it was very clear it was NOT allowed in the units or balconies. I think ou'll be fine. have a GREAT time - we loved it there!

 

[goofytoo]

Smoking is not allowed in the units or Balconies. There are designated smoking areas around the grounds that are posted as such.


Question...................
Anyone that was there between April 25 and May 8- Did you happen to sign a cow?????