The Sheraton Vistana Resort Thread (key links on p.1)

[Amied]

I must say a huge thanks to Gina and bankr. We leave in 18 days for our trip and both of you guys have helped answer so many questions from everyone including myself, that I am actually feeling relaxed about going on vacation. The resort sounds amazing and so excited to get there. Will be updating when we get back. Thanks guys again!!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I must say a huge thanks to Gina and bankr. We leave in 18 days for our trip and both of you guys have helped answer so many questions from everyone including myself, that I am actually feeling relaxed about going on vacation. The resort sounds amazing and so excited to get there. Will be updating when we get back. Thanks guys again!!!

I can't wait to hear about your experience. Be sure to pop back and give us a mini-review after your trip. I hope you love it as much as we do!!

We will be there in 22 days (leaving home on April 30th, but not arriving at SVR until May 1st). If you see us in one of the pools, be sure to stop and say hi .

 

[mulanrouge]

I have a quick question about Diamond Lane....I put in my request yesterday and have not had any kind of confirmation. Do they give out confirmations? If so, how long does it usually take for them to "confirm" receipt of the request?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I have a quick question about Diamond Lane....I put in my request yesterday and have not had any kind of confirmation. Do they give out confirmations? If so, how long does it usually take for them to "confirm" receipt of the request?

The first year we stayed at the Vistana, we didn't get a confirmation of receipt of our Diamond Lane requests at all (though they were all honoured).

Last year, I'm pretty sure we received an email 2-3 days after submitting the form online.

 

[minniemouseforever]

With all the refurbishment going on is there still single beds in the the two bedroom units. We booked a two bedroom unit with expedia. We are bringing my mother-in-law with us and it would be great if she had a double bed. She is sharing the 2nd bedroom with my 19 year old daughter. Question #2. We are checking in on Monday April 27th. What does this mean for where we are likely to end up. #3. Since my mother-in-law has been experiencing knee problems recently and stairs are a problem how will that affect where we stay. Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

Hi everyone!! We stayed at the Vistana several years ago and loved it, and will be there again the week of May 3. I think we are scheduled to be in the Falls Section. Any tips/advice?

Thanks!

 

[minniemouseforever]

Which buildings or sections have elevators in the building? Also which pool would a 19 yr old girl enjoy most ( maybe where the guys hang out)?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

With all the refurbishment going on is there still single beds in the the two bedroom units. We booked a two bedroom unit with expedia. We are bringing my mother-in-law with us and it would be great if she had a double bed. She is sharing the 2nd bedroom with my 19 year old daughter. Question #2. We are checking in on Monday April 27th. What does this mean for where we are likely to end up. #3. Since my mother-in-law has been experiencing knee problems recently and stairs are a problem how will that affect where we stay. Thanks for any help you can give me.

The only two sections which have twin beds in the 2nd bedroom are Falls and Courts. The balance of the resort (Lakes, Fountains I and II, Cascades, Springs, Palms, and Spas) all have two double beds in the second bedroom. Does your Expedia confirmation note that your villa sleeps max 6 or 8?

It’s hard to say where you might be assigned, since your check-in day doesn’t align with the general resort check-in dates (resort buildings are coded for either a Friday, Saturday or Sunday arrival). Our resident expert, bankr63, has always suggested in situations like yours that the section of the resort you are most likely to be assigned will probably be determined by your check-out day instead. What day of the week are you checking out?

Many of the buildings only have stair access to the 2nd and 3rd floor villas. Only Lakes and Cascades have elevators. If you have mobility issues which need to be taken into consideration, I would submit a Diamond Lane check-in request two weeks before your arrival which details these concerns, and request either (a) a first-floor villa (which will have no stairs) or (b) to be allocated to a section which would have an elevator within your building.

The Diamond Lane check-in form can be found here:

https://www.mystarcentral.com/services/diamond.jsp?propertyId=01

And yes, it can be used by everyone....not just owners .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Which buildings or sections have elevators in the building? Also which pool would a 19 yr old girl enjoy most ( maybe where the guys hang out)?

Elevators are in the Cascades and Lakes buildings (those are the only sections with 4 or 5 floors in a building....the other sections will only have 2 or 3 storeys).

We have a 19 year old son, and he and his girlfriend both preferred the Fountains pool to any of the others. The Super Pool comes in #2 on their pool favourites list. They are both open late (to 1 am daily) as is the Cascades pool, but draw less little folks than Cascades (as Cascades has the splash fountains). Fountains and the Super pools also have deeper depths than most of the others.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hi everyone!! We stayed at the Vistana several years ago and loved it, and will be there again the week of May 3. I think we are scheduled to be in the Falls Section. Any tips/advice?

Thanks!

Just to have TONS of fun, and say hi if you see us at one of the pools. We're there the 1st to the 8th!

 

[minniemouseforever]

Thanks for all your help Gina. We arrive on Monday April 27th and leave on Monday May 1st. We got better flights from Boston by traveling on a Monday.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Thanks for all your help Gina. We arrive on Monday April 27th and leave on Monday May 1st. We got better flights from Boston by traveling on a Monday.

Well then, its really up in the air to where you might be assigned.

I would have no worries, though. The entire resort is lovely, there are awesome amenities in or near all sections, and there really is no "bad" area on the property (though I wouldn't, personally, want a building that borders either of the two highways for the sole reason it would be very noisy).

Hopefully, you will come back to this thread after your trip and share your experience and thoughts about the resort!

Our stay overlaps with yours a bit.....I'm guessing you leave Monday the 3rd? (not the 1st?) We arrive Friday the 1st, so if you see us at one of the pools or the Tiki Bar, be sure to stop and say hi! We had the chance to meet another Dis family last August in the Fountains pool, and it was a lot of fun to put faces to screen names.

 

[dmc6469]

So glad that I found this. We are staying here in December for our 1st trip and good to see that others have chosen this place.

 

[edk35]

Does anyone know of any vacation homes that are close to Disney and on or close to a golf course??

 

[edk35]

Whoops meant to start a new thread. SORRY LOL

 

[FrankieDplus3]

Just some quick feedback based on a booking I made through 'booking . com' (am I alowed to mention that here?).

When we booked it a couple years ago, our booking details said "Sleeps 6", but, we needed room for 8. So, we submitted a Diamond lane request for Springs section and it was granted. No questions asked.

I'm not sure if that's the norm, but, it worked for us that year.



ps
We're going back!! Checking-in Aug 30th. I used skyauction and got a great deal.

 

[sunnydreams]

We just got back for Sheraton Vistana and had a really nice time! Thank you to Gina and Bankr and others who answered my questions. I really enjoyed lurking around this thread while I counted down the days for our vacation to start!

We took Amtrak down from upstate New York in sleeper cars and had a great adventure. My husband hates to fly and I just wasn’t up to driving this year again, so we made the leap to the rails. I have always loved the train and this time was no different. My kids DS(16) and DD(12) experienced their first long distance ride and enjoyed it. I don’t know if they would say the prefer it over flying- it does take a long time- but there were no complaints. I use it as my time to unwind after a hectic pre-vacation schedule at work and I love it. Just a bit of a shout out for Amtrak- it is a great way to travel!

Anyways, I was very impressed with the grounds at Vistana. I was afraid it would pale in comparison to Bonnet Creek which is the last place we stayed in Orlando, but it was great in a totally different way. I am a runner so I made many loops around the grounds and loved all the different lakes and fountains, lots of animals, really beautiful place! Felt more like a condo complex than a hotel- which I liked.

Check in was a bit chaotic. I don’t think they have their system down yet. Our room wasn’t ready and they called us on our cell phone to come back when it was. When we returned one person told us to stay a really long line again to get our keys. My husband asked around for a second opinion and we found out we could get our keys from the desk outside- no line. Bit confusing. Just an FYI if others find themselves in the same situation. The resort was full which led to some very unhappy people. Two couples were having a heated argument at check in with a manager about not getting the same rooms they have gotten for the last three years and being separated when they asked to be together. It wasn’t pleasant. But, the space was beautiful and I am sure they will get the kinks out soon.

Our room was in Cascades 3 which I was very happy with since I asked to be close to the action! Loved the Cascades pool and I spent time at the super pool and courts pool as well. Great area! DJ playing, trivia, crafts, activities- really festive at the Cascades pool! The new playground was there and super cute- although my kids are way past jungle gym stage. The area was planned out very well.

As for our room, I was very upset. This is partly my fault. I didn’t think to ask for one of the larger one bedrooms because our transfer from RCI led me to believe that we already had it. We were in one of the lock out rooms (do I have that correct?) and it was waaaaayyyyy too small for us. I know I sound spoiled when others are crammed into tiny Disney hotel rooms for the week, but we have come to expect a certain standard for time share exchanges and this did not meet it. At Bonnet Creek, the one bedroom is so large you can do cartwheels and there is space for 8 at the dining room table. We trade from a very high ranked unit in RCI, so with our trading power, we usually do well.

My son is 6’ 2” and my daughter is already almost 5’ 8”. I do not have tiny children. We couldn’t all sit around the TV together. We watched some of the women’s basketball final 4 with 2 of us in the bedroom yelling out to the other 2 in the living room when there was a good play. I brought a blow up mattress for my daughter since she doesn’t like to share with her brother and this was great except there was barely enough floor space to put it down. While it was out we could not open the refrigerator or walk by her to get out the front door. And she always had it out because there was never a spot for her to sit in front of the TV. Just not enough room. Worst of all though was the lack of outdoor space. No balcony or patio. I LOVE TO SIT OUTSIDE!!! This did end up forcing us to go to the pool bar more often, which ended up being nice. But often when I was simply waiting for others to get ready, I couldn’t take off for the pool. More than once I ended up sitting outside on the door mat with my book enjoying the concrete. There was not even a nearby bench to camp out on. I thought about complaining, but after watching the other battle at check in I realized it would be a waste of time since the resort was full and I wanted to start my vacation. Lesson learned- make better requests or trade earlier when there are still 2 bedrooms available.

I just mention it as advice to other families so you do not make my mistake. I think, for my family, if we were in one of the more distant buildings away from the pool (some are very far away!!) it could have really ruined our experience. So I sucked up our tiny space for the week because we had a perfect location for us.

The only other thing is that I think the resort could put some more pool chairs in. There is plenty of space to add them and one day I had to walk to three separate pools just to find a chair to sit in and read (since I couldn’t sit on a patio!!!) I witnessed a fight over pool chairs one day that led to a lot of swearing, an actual injury and security being called. Very exciting! Really could be avoided by adding some extra chairs. I’m sure it only happens when they are at capacity, but it could make a big difference!

In general, it was a very nice resort and we had a great time! Universal was fun, the weather was perfect and I came back relaxed and tan. All good! Thanks again for all the pictures and info ahead of time. I already miss the grounds and wish I was on one of my morning runs as we speak….

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

As for our room, I was very upset. This is partly my fault. I didn’t think to ask for one of the larger one bedrooms because our transfer from RCI led me to believe that we already had it. We were in one of the lock out rooms (do I have that correct?) and it was waaaaayyyyy too small for us. I know I sound spoiled when others are crammed into tiny Disney hotel rooms for the week, but we have come to expect a certain standard for time share exchanges and this did not meet it. At Bonnet Creek, the one bedroom is so large you can do cartwheels and there is space for 8 at the dining room table. We trade from a very high ranked unit in RCI, so with our trading power, we usually do well.

We have a one bedroom for our May trip....like you, we could potentially get the smaller configuration or the larger one-bedroom premium. I plan to request a unit with a balcony when I submit my Diamond Lane form this Friday. I figure it never hurts to ask, and we will be happy regardless (there's just two of us, so space isn't such a big issue). There definitely seems to be a huge difference in square footage from the regular one bedrooms to the premiums.....from 471 square feet in the Cascades smaller configuration up to 920 square feet in the Lakes one bed premiums. Almost double!

 

[sunnydreams]

Gina, space wise you should be fine with 2 people. I think if it was just my husband and I, it would have been much better. But with 4 adult sized bodies it was really difficult. I am not sure why they don't put a balcony or patio in the unit we were in. It was an end unit and there was plenty of room to add it. I think that would have appeased me a bit more. I probably should have gone back to request a change because it really did bug me the whole week. Lesson learned! Again, besides that, it was a great week. I am also thinking you should be fine being there in May. I knew it would be a challenge being there a holiday week. I am guessing that room is often left empty when they aren't at capacity since it is so much smaller than the other rooms.

 

[bankr63]

Gina, space wise you should be fine with 2 people. I think if it was just my husband and I, it would have been much better. But with 4 adult sized bodies it was really difficult. I am not sure why they don't put a balcony or patio in the unit we were in. It was an end unit and there was plenty of room to add it. I think that would have appeased me a bit more. I probably should have gone back to request a change because it really did bug me the whole week. Lesson learned! Again, besides that, it was a great week. I am also thinking you should be fine being there in May. I knew it would be a challenge being there a holiday week. I am guessing that room is often left empty when they aren't at capacity since it is so much smaller than the other rooms.

The reason this small 1BR doesn't have a balcony is because it is the 2nd half of a larger 2BR unit that is locked off. The balcony is on the other, larger half. For the resort developer it never really mattered; these units were always sold as 2BR units, and as a 2BR they had all the amenities the owner could want. It's only when the unit is "locked-off" and deposited by the owner that someone is going to lose the outdoor space. And for owners who use half their ownership and deposit the other half, you can bet they will be using the larger half.

The one thing I always do is compare my unit to what is confirmed on my reservation. Only once has it happened where the unit didn't match the description, and in that case we got relocated (wasn't at a Sheraton resort). If your confirmation said you had an outdoor space, you would certainly have had cause to take it up with the reception and ask for a change (and if not satisfied, I would take it back to RCI, but that's never happened to me).

One thing to keep in mind too, only because you mention it in prior post, is that the resort themselves have no idea what you traded to get into the resort. All they get from RCI is what class of room you are trading for, and your dates. Once the reservations are at the resort, everyone is pretty much equal whether they traded Manhattan Club or a dog week in Outer Mongolia to get there.