I won Vistana Villages on SkyAuction!

[laurabelle]

Woops, boy it's easy to get those 2 mixed up! It took a couple of days for the actual reservation to be confirmed. Then you just print out the voucher they email you. I got the first date I requested. I'm not sure if you know this, but they have this diamond lane check in you can join, just wait until a day or two before you go (it doesn't help to do it earlier) and you can make your requests for a certain section there, and supposedly check in faster (if that line isn't long too!).Diamond Lane

 

[ushkina]

laurabelle, thanks for the tips. I checked the link to DiamondLane and it seems to be offered to Vistana Resort guests only. When I choose Vistana Villages, this link does not come up. Not a big deal though, we are arriving late, so I think the line won't be long. Thanks again!

 

[LoveToDisney]

Hi. I wondered what the difference was between Vistana Villages and Vistana Resort? I see Vistana Resort listed in the ICE Gallery getaways a lot. If you wait until the last month, you can get a 2BR for $499/wk, but that's the best I saw. Sounds like you got a great price.

 

[ushkina]

LoveToDisney,
I don't know much about the Vistana Resort, but here are some threads about it:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=455932&highlight="Vistana+Resort"
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=488495&highlight="Vistana+Resort"
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=468498&highlight="Vistana+Resort"

And here there are some photos of the resort:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=389992&highlight="Vistana+Resort"

I vaguely remember reading that there are some old sections of the resort that people did not like and that one should request a new section..

 

[lawgs]

SRUAlmn


Hilton Grand Vacations Club (Sea World)

definately a good place to stay if you can get it....

we stayed there last november on an exchange, you could walk to sea world but it would be about a mile or so walk.....

very well appointed accomodations

no need to take a time share tour with skyauction, but the resort while they have a captive audience " will ask you to preview" the property ( which might be the newest grand vacations club just down the street from vistana villages )

you cannot go wrong with the hilton vacation experience


smilawgs

 

[Amirah95]

I went to Skyauction today and saw some really great deals...how does the booking dates work? Do you pick after the auction is over and how long does it take for them to confirm your dates?

 

[laurabelle]

Yes, you pick your dates after you've won, just be careful and certain of your travel dates, once they are confirmed supposedly there's no changing. They do say on the website's FAQs that if you run into trouble with your dates, they do their best to accomodate you. There's also an option to Buy Now Travel Later, or something like that, where you pay for it now, but pick your dates later. I don't know anything more about that because I didn't use that option. When you give them the dates and payment info, it takes a day or so to get confirmation.

 

[KerriKaden]

SRUAlmn,

You would love HGVC Sea World. We stayed there last January. It was awesome. We got a 2 BR for like $270. We are going again in a few days, but we are staying at the new HGVC Tuscanny. I think it will be awesome, too! We had to pay $360 this time, but that's CHEAP!! We were never even asked to do a tour when we were there. I was afraid they might pester you alot about doing a tour , but... we were'nt! Good luck!! I hope skyauction never ends!!

Cheryl

 

[Straitlover]

SRUAlum,

The Bid per Night Auctions (Hotel Royal Plaza, Radisson, Rosen Center) are usually not good deals. You have to add $32 per night to your bid price. Lots of times, you can end up booking the same hotel for the same or less on your own. Just be careful if you decide to bid on any of those.

 

[SRUAlmn]

Thanks everyone for your help! Waiting on this 7 for 5 deal to come out so I can compare what would be cheaper!

 

[ushkina]

I finally received the voucher by email and the voucher says:
"Fees and Assessments: When you utilize the RCI Exchange system, you are responsible for all taxes, surchages or additional assessments assessed from the resort".

Does it mean I might have to pay some extra fees/taxes in addition to whatever I paid to skyauction (195$ + bid + 15$)?

Btw, when I check out of the resort, do I pay to the hotel or everything is already prepaid to the Sky Auction?
Thanks!

 

[Straitlover]

Some resorts do charge extra daily resort fees, energy fees, etc, and you would ahve to pay those. I don't know if Vistiana does or not. i would just call them and ask. There should be a phone number on your certificate. Just tlel them you are trying to plan everything and needed to know if they charge any extra daily fees. Regular taxes are included in your bid.

If there are no extras, you don't pay anything when you check out. Sky Auction charges your CC when you win the auction.

 

[ushkina]

Straitlover,
Thanks, I 'll call them.

 

[lawgs]

unless something has changed....

we were not charged extra fees when we stayed there a couple of years ago...

that statement just covers RCI's butt.....

we were told the auction we had won at a resort in Las Vegas would include "taxes to be paid at the resort approx 60$"....

but we were not charged anything extra when we checked OUT....

lawgs

 

[ushkina]

lawg, thanks! Good to hear that there were no extra fees.

 

[JudyS]

Vistana Villages is basically a new "phase"of Vistana Resort, although I'm not sure how close together they are.

Vistana Villages is said to be very nice. Vistana Resort has some nice new areas, and some older run-down units. Read the reviews on www.tug2.net (you have to pay the $15 membership fee) to find out which are the new areas.

Orlando has surplus availability during several months of the year, plus there are often last-minute cancelations. That's why these rentals are so cheap. My understanding is that you are getting surplus availability from RCI, the big timeshare exchange company.