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

[dioxide45]

We are at Vistana Resort right now. A pretty rainy Friday afternoon. We have had a few issues with the Wifi while here in our 2BR in Lakes. We had four nights before this in a 1BR in Lakes without any WiFi issues. Last night the WiFi was pretty much unusable. I suspect everyone got back from being out all day and started using the net or were streaming.

 

[dioxide45]

If we buy, it won't be for a while and it will be resale (one mortgage is more than enough). We plan on renting at Vistana Resort (not sure what phase we'll be in as I am not in charge of the reservations) and Wyndham Bonnett Creek this year to try them out. I also want to try and rent at Vistana Villages and at least one of the MVC properties next year when we visit the in-laws.

I started a database of properties and pros & cons, costs, fees, rules... it's not as extensive as my database for when we bought our house, but it's getting there haha

Definitely try out all the options before buying and truly understand how Vistana works before buying Vistana Resort. We are currently staying at Vistana Resort and I am not knocking anyone who owns there, but to be honest, I would never buy at this property. While the resort and rooms are great, IMO the only added beneficial factor it has is the value in the annual fees. At Vistana Resort you get a great room for lower maintenance fees as compared to Sheraton Vistana Villages or any of the Marriott properties in Orlando. While you can trade Vistana Resort to anywhere else in the world, it does require trading through RCI or II and the additional fees associated with it. Fees are anywhere from $154 to $209 in II and I think more than $250 in RCI to trade out. This is in addition to the annual membership fee for RCI or II. You probably need to be coming to Vistana Resort at least four out of five years to make it worthwhile to buy at Vistana Resort.

If you have read any of the posts in the Vistana forum over on TUG, you will have certainly seen that I am a pretty active member over there. Vistana is a unique system that has certain nuances one needs to be aware of. Vistana Resort is what is considered a voluntary property. Vistana Villages has two phases that are considered mandatory. The difference is that mandatory properties come with StarOptions when transferred in resale. Those StarOptions can then be used to book other resorts inside the Vistana network at the 8 month mark. No need to use RCI or II. There is of course a $155 annual fee associated with VSN membership, but having the additional flexibility to book directly into other Westin and Sheraton properties at 8 months is worth it. Of course, a week at Vistana Villages will probably cost a couple thousand dollars where a week at Vistana Resort can be picked up, most likely, for free and sometimes with the seller giving you a free year of use and paying closing costs. Maintenance fees are also a couple hundred dollars more at Vistana Villages when compared to Vistana Resort.

The mantra of buy where you want to travel is true, but I usually say to buy where you would be okay to travel to if you can't get into the other place you want to go to. We own four timeshare weeks, two Marriotts in Orlando and two weeks at Vistana Villages in mandatory phases. We have always got excellent trades to other properties using our Marriott weeks and have used the StarOptions from our Vistana Villages weeks to go to Hawaii, Cancun and even Harborside in the Bahamas. It is also easy enough to buy an II getaway into Vistana Resort for a few hundred dollars for most weeks of the year. Summer and certain holiday weeks are going to be more expensive, but otherwise it is pretty easy to buy getaways to stay at Vistana Resort. We actually booked a getaway last year for $199 for a week. Do consider that was during COVID, but getaways are usually much cheaper than the same MFs on the week. The only drawback to getaways is you may not have perks as an owner like having higher priority with villa or phase requests, but Vistana Villages gets a large number of non owners booking here, so if you say you are a Vistana owner, you will probably be fine.

 

[Beth D]

Thanks everyone who replied to my earlier questions.

First - the good news! According to the most recent resort updates 2/17- all hot tubs are open again!!

We also decided to try something new- a 2br in the Lakes instead of the Cascades. We anticipate being at the pool a lot this trip and thought these would make it easier for everyone to come & go back to the room throughout the day, instead of hiking it from Cascades to the Super pool. With 5 adults and one teenager we thought the pools in the area would be a nice change.

Any advice or recommendations for our first trip over ot the “ other” side?

I also called the resort and wastold that a 2nd parking pass was no problem, and that ti is also just fine to have other outside guests over. The person I spoke with mentioned several times about the low occupancy when moving our reservation and asking all my questions.

I am so used to a full resort as now that junior is in high school our visits have all been spring break or high season weeks. Looking forward to not fighting over pool chairs!

 

[dioxide45]

First - the good news! According to the most recent resort updates 2/17- all hot tubs are open again!!

When we were at the Spas Super Pool on 2/18, the only hot tub that was open was the large one. As of when we left yesterday morning, I still don't think the hot tub at the Cascades pool was open. The resort update page simply indicates that Hot Tub(s)/Spa(s) are open. That is technically true, but it is still just the large hot tub at the super pool. It looks like they have it sectioned off in to quarters, so four people/families can use it at a time. I can certainly say that it was FULL when we were at the Spas pool.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

Have been looking on sky auction and other places for weeks this fall, but nothing seems available after May so far.... this is unusual compared to years past. Does anyone know what’s up?? We really want to stay at SVR, but wondering if we need to start looking elsewhere...

thanks!!

 

[dioxide45]

Have been looking on sky auction and other places for weeks this fall, but nothing seems available after May so far.... this is unusual compared to years past. Does anyone know what’s up?? We really want to stay at SVR, but wondering if we need to start looking elsewhere...

thanks!!

Perhaps there is some hesitation by Vistana to make these weeks available to outside sources yet. I know they have a lot of owners with banked deposits and points. I suspect there is less inventory available than the number of deposits and points. So they may be holding off expecting owners to try to book them. Just a thought. No other real explanation.

 

[bankr63]

Have been looking on sky auction and other places for weeks this fall, but nothing seems available after May so far.... this is unusual compared to years past. Does anyone know what’s up?? We really want to stay at SVR, but wondering if we need to start looking elsewhere...

thanks!!

I'm not too surprised that you are only seeing 3 months out if you are looking primarily in discount channels like skyauction. I think that Marriott might be banking on a surge in demand this summer. With vaccinations rolling out quickly, and this being Disney's 50th, they might be betting on a busy summer. Why discount if you think you can get full fare? There is probably some pent up demand out there...

 

[kanga5roos]

We will be staying at SVR, on an ENCORE package we bought last year right before everything shut down. I’ve read though everything and tbh - it’s all starting to run together for me. My apologies if these are redundant questions but our priorities will be an elevator and these least crowded/quietest pool. Which section best meets our interests? Are there cabanas available to rent or to use at the pools? (We will be checking in late on a Friday night). Thank you!!

 

[dioxide45]

We will be staying at SVR, on an ENCORE package we bought last year right before everything shut down. I’ve read though everything and tbh - it’s all starting to run together for me. My apologies if these are redundant questions but our priorities will be an elevator and these least crowded/quietest pool. Which section best meets our interests? Are there cabanas available to rent or to use at the pools? (We will be checking in late on a Friday night). Thank you!!

I think Lakes section would be the best. It is close to the Fountains and Lakes pool and is pretty quite. I beleive the Fountains pool has cabanas as does Cascades. Only Lakes and Cascades buildings have elevators. Courts is by far the quietest pool because it is the smallest. I am not sure I have ever seen anyone at that pool before.

I know it is long, but if you want to see a resort tour, I posted a walking tour of Sheraton Vistana Resort from our last two stays on my YouTube channel. It is broken into two parts because when we were there the first time, the north side wasn't open.

 

[kanga5roos]

I think Lakes section would be the best. It is close to the Fountains and Lakes pool and is pretty quite. I beleive the Fountains pool has cabanas as does Cascades. Only Lakes and Cascades buildings have elevators. Courts is by far the quietest pool because it is the smallest. I am not sure I have ever seen anyone at that pool before.

I know it is long, but if you want to see a resort tour, I posted a walking tour of Sheraton Vistana Resort from our last two stays on my YouTube channel. It is broken into two parts because when we were there the first time, the north side wasn't open.

Thank you! I will happily go watch your video now. Your help is very much appreciated.

 

[hopkinsmn27]

Hi everyone. We have 10 nights booked from April 9-April 20. I am trying to figure out where I want to request our room. Right now I am thinking about Spas section with a Skylight if possible. We are big pool people (usually there until close) so we would like to be central to both the Cascades pool and super pool. Are there particular buildings that would be best for us or ones we should try to avoid? Thanks in advance!

 

[dioxide45]

Hi everyone. We have 10 nights booked from April 9-April 20. I am trying to figure out where I want to request our room. Right now I am thinking about Spas section with a Skylight if possible. We are big pool people (usually there until close) so we would like to be central to both the Cascades pool and super pool. Are there particular buildings that would be best for us or ones we should try to avoid? Thanks in advance!

For a skylight, you need to request top floor. As long as you are okay with stairs, any of the sections will be fine. Only Lakes and Cascades have elevators. Spas phase is probably the best location with close access to the Spa Super Pool and the Cascades Pool. Some of the sections have very specific checkin days but since you booked 10 nights, it isn't a weeks based owner reservation. How did you book? Through Marriott.com? Another important factor, are you booked into a two bedroom unit?

 

[hopkinsmn27]

For a skylight, you need to request top floor. As long as you are okay with stairs, any of the sections will be fine. Only Lakes and Cascades have elevators. Spas phase is probably the best location with close access to the Spa Super Pool and the Cascades Pool. Some of the sections have very specific checkin days but since you booked 10 nights, it isn't a weeks based owner reservation. How did you book? Through Marriott.com? Another important factor, are you booked into a two bedroom unit?

We are in our mid 30s so no issue with stairs. My mom booked it through her timeshare for me and the husband. It is a 2 bedroom sleeps 8 I was looking at the locations of Spa 1-4 or 21-22 do you know anything about those units?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hi everyone. We have 10 nights booked from April 9-April 20. I am trying to figure out where I want to request our room. Right now I am thinking about Spas section with a Skylight if possible. We are big pool people (usually there until close) so we would like to be central to both the Cascades pool and super pool. Are there particular buildings that would be best for us or ones we should try to avoid? Thanks in advance!

The upper Spas villas do not have skylights, unfortunately (we stayed in one on our very first visit to SVR in 2013). While we liked that area,, we found the villa to be very dark in comparison to those with skylights. The top floor Cascades unit that we had this past October had a skylight, though, so if you want to be on the south side, that might be a good option for you.

We will be there at the same time as you. We check in on the 17th of April.

 

[hopkinsmn27]

The upper Spas villas do not have skylights, unfortunately (we stayed in one on our very first visit to SVR in 2013). While we liked that area,, we found the villa to be very dark in comparison to those with skylights. The top floor Cascades unit that we had this past October had a skylight, though, so if you want to be on the south side, that might be a good option for you.

We will be there at the same time as you. We check in on the 17th of April.

Thank you for the information. I will look at the Cascade section instead then. Are there specific buildings you would suggest to avoid or ones that are good? We are night people so noise at night isn't an issue but noise before 10am we would like to avoid if possible.

 

[hopkinsmn27]

Gina have you been able to reach Kayla? I sent an email about 2 weeks ago with my request and sent a follow up last week and still have not heard anything.

 

[dioxide45]

Gina have you been able to reach Kayla? I sent an email about 2 weeks ago with my request and sent a follow up last week and still have not heard anything.

I never received a response back when I emailed for our February stay.

 

[hopkinsmn27]

Did they have your request when you got down there?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Gina have you been able to reach Kayla? I sent an email about 2 weeks ago with my request and sent a follow up last week and still have not heard anything.

Yes, Kayla messaged me back at the end of last week (about 6 days after we had emailed her with our pre-arrival requests). I am so sorry she hasn't responded to you! In your shoes, I would send a second message as a follow up, gently referencing that you hadn't received a reply so you just wanted to be sure she received your original note.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Thank you for the information. I will look at the Cascade section instead then. Are there specific buildings you would suggest to avoid or ones that are good? We are night people so noise at night isn't an issue but noise before 10am we would like to avoid if possible.

We have only stayed on the south side twice, and only once in Cascades, so I really don't know enough about that section to give you a knowledgeable recommendation. I can say that we were in building 15 in October 2020, and it had a lovely pond view and was in a great location (a short walk to both the Cascades and Super pools, but not so close you could hear noise from either). I hope that helps a little!