2 Bed @ Silver Lake or Summer Bay or 1 Bed at Vistana

[hellorobbo]

I won a 1 or 2 bedroom auction for Vistana. When I first saw the auction, a 2 bedroom was available for my dates in Aug with an upgrade fee (of $100-125). When I bid my dates were gone but I bid anyway as I could always take the 1 bedroom. I have called and the 2 bedrooms are gone at Vistana.

My options are - take 1 bedroom at Vistana (no upgrade fee) or 2 bedroom at Silver Lake, Summer Bay Resort or Villas at Summer Bay (with $125 upgrade fee). It will be wife and our 2 kids 1 and 4 years old. We will visit WDW and its water parks a few days but also want to relax at the resort a few days - pools and my daughter can enjoy some of its activities. We would prefer a 2 bedroom for sapce but would take a 1 bedroom if the Vistana is that much better then the other two resorts. I also don't want an older unit and in a 1 bedroom would be guaranteed a newer unit at Vistana.

I've read a lot on the DIS but wanted people's opinions. Thanks

 

[crjack]

From all of the posts written on Vistana it sounds as though the activities on-site and it's proximity to WD is better than the others. We are staying in a 2-br villa at Summer Bay in July and although it's further out than we planned originally, the price and space couldnt be beat. (Also won on Skyauction) I'll post a report on Summer Bay when I return. I have read mixed reviews on it but that is true of most places. Vistana would have been my first choice and the overwhelming majority of people here have enjoyed their stays. Good luck.

 

[spiceycat]

any would be fine.

some units at Vistana are older - but they don't have 1-bedroom.

I hate to pay extra for an upgrade - but if that doesn't bother you....

No - I still think I would go with Vistana.

Summer Bay is much further from WDW. Silver Lake is fine for WDW trips - but I think you want something more.

now if you got offer the houses of summer bay - those would be the choice - but those are not in your picks.

 

[hellorobbo]

any would be fine.

some units at Vistana are older - but they don't have 1-bedroom.

I hate to pay extra for an upgrade - but if that doesn't bother you....

No - I still think I would go with Vistana.

Summer Bay is much further from WDW. Silver Lake is fine for WDW trips - but I think you want something more.

now if you got offer the houses of summer bay - those would be the choice - but those are not in your picks.

I hate to pay the upgarde fee as well but it seems that many auctions now have upgrade fees for two bedrooms and my wife really wants two bedrooms if possible.

You are correct in that I want something more from the resort as we will be relaxing at the resort for a few days.

I asked about Houses at Summer Bay and they are not available

Summer Bay looks great and the reviews on the DIS Boards are generally good. However when you look at reviews on Tripadvisor etc the reviews are often pretty bad and this concerns me.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Boy, that's a toughie!

I've only stayed at Vistana, in a 2 bedroom. We really loved it. Ofcourse, your children are small and one is in a crib, right? And you would still have two tv's????

Am I right in understanding you, Spicey, that they are pretty much guaranteed a new section?? Well, then.....I guess I would pick that. Even though I have heard good things about the other two resorts, especially SL, so if your wife is set on 2 bedrooms, I would go with that.

But I really think you would be fine in a one bedroom with the kids that age. Vistana has a great location and it wouldn't cost any extra.

Maybe you could tell your wife that you will take the extra money you saved and she can spend it any way she wants!

 

[hellorobbo]

"Am I right in understanding you, Spicey, that they are pretty much guaranteed a new section?? Well, then.....I guess I would pick that. Even though I have heard good things about the other two resorts, especially SL, so if your wife is set on 2 bedrooms, I would go with that."

We would be guaranteed a new section at Vistana as the one bedrooms are only in Lakes and Cascades.

"But I really think you would be fine in a one bedroom with the kids that age. Vistana has a great location and it wouldn't cost any extra. "

We would be fine, but we've been spoiled the last two tiems with two bedrooms at Vistana Villages and Grande Vista

"Maybe you could tell your wife that you will take the extra money you saved and she can spend it any way she wants! [/QUOTE]"

She'd say she wants to spend it on the 2 bedroom

As I said my only concern is the reviews about Summer Bay I read elsewhere as otherwise the pool, the resort, activities and the units themselves look great and perfect for us

 

[crjack]

When I first won my Skyauction at Summer Bay I was a little nervous too. I also read tripadvisor but sometimes you have to filter through the reviews. We all have different preferences for things and what matters to me may not be a big deal for another family. The reviews here were pretty good and I asked some specific questions on the villas the responses made me feel much better about our trip. Our priority is to be in a clean 2-bedroom unit at a resort with a pool(s) and be able to relax when we're not at a park. I really think SB will give us that. As for the commute..well we live in Boston and we're use to traffic! It's vacation and we dont have any morning PS's so we get there when we get there!

 

[hellorobbo]

When I first won my Skyauction at Summer Bay I was a little nervous too. I also read tripadvisor but sometimes you have to filter through the reviews. We all have different preferences for things and what matters to me may not be a big deal for another family. The reviews here were pretty good and I asked some specific questions on the villas the responses made me feel much better about our trip. Our priority is to be in a clean 2-bedroom unit at a resort with a pool(s) and be able to relax when we're not at a park. I really think SB will give us that. As for the commute..well we live in Boston and we're use to traffic! It's vacation and we dont have any morning PS's so we get there when we get there!

I agree wholeheartedly - you do have to take Tripadvisor reviews (and any reviews on the net) with a grain of salt. Upon rereading them, the bad reviews are generally where people accepted some promotional offer for a dirtcheap vacation at Summer Bay that required listening to the timeshare spiel and they often arrived and were put in a different hotel. If I were to be swayed completely by those reviews I would never even consider SB.

I do trust people opinions here a lot more and that is why I asked the questions here! I am not worried about the commute either and you can use Sherbeth Rd (which I learned about on DIS) to save time.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

"

She'd say she wants to spend it on the 2 bedroom

totally get it. I might feel the same way. I just have never stayed at SL or SB, only Vistana........and I would LOVE to get to stay there again.

 

[spiceycat]

Summer Bay is lovely - but is it worth an extra 15 minutes each way to WDW.

both Silver lake and Vistana you are 3 to 7 minutes away from WDW.

with summer bay even using the shortcut - you are 20 to 22 minutes away (sometimes longer).

However if your wife insist then Summer bay is a better resort than Silver lakes - although Silver Lakes is much closer.

 

[Tiger Fan]

I've stayed at Vistana and Silver Lake, but not ever Summer Bay so can only comment partially, but maybe it will help. Vistana will offer more in the way of activities and the main pool is larger with more than Silver Lake, but you just can't beat the location of Silver Lake. We also have at least one resort day in a week's stay and to us (we have a very active 8 year old DD) the pool at SL is just fine. We love the units at both locations and at Vistana we were in the Springs section, not even the newest, but still it was very nice. The one bedrooms at SL are pretty large and all come with a washer/dryer (a must for us ). Hope any of this helped. Have fun.
Lisa
Tiger Fan