Just back from VISTANA VILLAGES

[MiniMissMinnie]

Hi !

Her's a full report from our stay at the Vistana Villages. We stayed in a two-bedroom appartement for 8 nights ( 1/11-1/19-2002 )

- The appatement was soo beautyful. Nice furniture, big beds! The kitchen was in a class of it's own! Huge fridge, fully stocked kitchenware ( but bring own coffee-filters!!)
There is 3 tv's - one in each room, and one VCR in the livingroom. There a 2 big bathrooms - a huge plus when you're all getting ready in the morning.
The appartement has nice colors - you really don't want to go home!!

- The hotel it-self is also great ! It has a great big pool - heated all the time, and 2 hot-tubs. The pool is open from 8am to 1am. And when we were there in January we had the pool almost to our selves !!
The hotel also has a fitness-room, a steam-room, a sauna and 2 basketballcourts.
There's also a small store - it has magazines, a small stock of groceries, movie-rental, ice-cream. The also have a big menu - they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner - at great prices too!

- The hotel had a shuttle to and from all four Disney-parks, and right outside the hotel, there's a stop for the I-ride trolley - which takes you up and down the I-drive - you can take it to Universal studios, but you will have to walk about 15 minutes.

If you have any questions, please do ask!

Kind regards

Marie Koenig

( mermail@hotmail.com )

 

[Rolo]

MiniMissMinnie,

Hi! I was so excited to hear from someone who stayed at VV. My family will be staying there in several weeks. I have a few specific questions I hope you can answer.

1. Do you need your own pool towels? or do they have pool towels?
2. How was the drive to WDW?
3. Can you tell me more about the I-ride trolley? Cost?


Thanks for your time. I'm glad you had a nice trip.

 

[MiniMissMinnie]

Hi !!

I'll be glad to reply:

1. You can borrow towels from the hotel ( open until 10.pm - after that, you're on your own )

2. The transportation worked without complain - but remember to be back on time ( we missed the bus one time because we were 5 minutes late - the bus will leave without you !)

3. The I-ride is so simple. You either pay for one ride - that's in the bus and it cost 75 cents for adults. I think children under 12 ride free. You can buy a 1, 3 or 7 day pass for $2,$3 and ( not sure --> ) $5. The trolley can take you to: Premium Outlets, Wet and Wild, Pointe Orlando, Wonderworks, Skull-Kingdom, Ripleys and many other things.

Hope you got the answers, you needed

- Marie ( MiniMissMinnie )

 

[Lynnie 2002]

MiniMissMinnie, We will be going to Orlando in March and can't decide where to stay. VV or the V resort are two of our choices. Can you tell me if the VV has internet access? Is there only one restaurant on the grounds? Because there are only 2 pools do they get very crowded? Thanks!

 

[jasper577]

Which floor would you consider to be the best. Do the first floor patios have screens like the upper floor balconies, or are they open (and buggy at night)? We were thinking it might be nice to be at ground level so the kids could walk right out to the lake. But do you think the upper floors are more desirable for the view, privacy, etc?

Also, do you know what time the cafe opens for breakfast if you want to run down and grab some stuff before you head out to the parks?

Thanks a bunch.

 

[MiniMissMinnie]

Hi again !

Here are some answers for the questions ( hope I can remeber them all )

- Don't expect to get online at the Vistana - but I would call and ask about it, because I'm not quite sure !

- The pool is very big. In March there should be no problem getting in the pool !

- There is a net over all patios - also the bottom ones, so I would prefer the top floors - the view is great. I would ask for from floor 3 to 5 !

- Because the hotel is mainly a "Vacation Club" there is just one Restaurant, and it's not a restaurant more like a deli. They are open for breafast and have: eggs, muffins, donuts, toast, bagels and loads more!

Just keep those questions coming - I'm ready !!

Your Disney Friend

MiniMissMinnie

 

[littleducksmom]

minimissminnie,

we will be staying at 2 bdrm vv in june for a week. can you tell me more about the shuttle? we will have some older teens with us, and would like for them to be able to go on their own to the parks a little. can you tell me how often the shuttle runs? does the shuttle go to downtown disney( didn't see you post that it did)? did you take a cab back when you missed the shuttle? and do you remember how much the cab was if you did? did the shuttle go to other resorts too or just vv? was there always enough room on the shuttle or did anyone have to stand?
we will usually be driving to disney, but are wondering about the shuttle for the teens. thank you so much for your time.


debbie

 

[baileybrad]

littleducksmom,
We did not use the shuttle during our recent stay at VV. Our kids are 4 and 22 months. I think that the way that you are attempting to use the VV shuttle service is a good one. As a cash paying customer the shuttle is complimentary. The times when we were there from the 18th to the 28th of January were as follows. 2 morning pick-ups outbound to Disney (the brochure did not specify where you are dropped, but I think that minimissminnie covered some of that. The times were 8:00 am and 9:15 am. You need to pick up shuttle passes prior to boarding. I assume that you could even get them at least the day before. There is a counter at the resort that serves as the Dining-Attractions-Transportation Desk where you obtain the passes. I am sure that the return times might vary during the summer but the ones posted where as follows: MK 7:30 pm nightly, Saturdays at 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm. respectively.
Epcot 7:15 pm & 9:45 pm, respectively. I would assume that the shuttle makes these stops one after another, first at Epcot at 7:15 and then on to the MK for the 7:30 pick-up. The hand out mentions that you need to make a make reservation with the driver for the return trip by giving your name and party size, I would assume that you do this when you are being dropped off in the morning??? For the Studios and AK it indicates that you need to use Disney transportation to get your party back over to the MK or Epcot to return in the evening. No mention of DD was mentioned. I would assume that you could use Disney transportaton from the T&T Center to get to DD. I think that this shuttle service would good to use as a supplement to your transportaton planning where you maybe arrange a predetermine place to pick-up your teens. Hope this helps somewhat without being too confusing.

 

[littleducksmom]

thank you so much baileybrad. great info that you provided....not confusing at all. sounds like the shuttle only goes to mk and epcot directly....that's good to know.

minimissminnie....would still like to hear more about your personal experience with this shuttle...thank you so much.

debbie

 

[MiniMissMinnie]

Hi !!

About the shuttle :

The shuttle is very easy.

At the time we were there, the shuttle left in the mornings at 8 am and 9.15 a, and it drives to all four parks ( but you can only get picked up from MK and Epcot ).

Most of the times me and a friend went alone ( I'm 20 and she's 18 ), and it is really easy ! Just make sure, that you have a watch, cause the shuttle will not wait ! ( We found out the hard way : ) ) If you can't make the shuttle back a cab costs about $20 ( including tips )

We only tried to be picked up at Epcot, and you just go to the bus-park ( where the Disney busses are ), and they have spot no. 29 ( it's writted directly on the road )

You can ask for shuttle to Universal - but it's expesive ( about $11 return per person )! It's very easy to take the I-ride trolley to stop no. 4, and then walk ( or call a cab from a hotel ).

Hope you can use the answers

--> MiniMissMinnie

 

[littleducksmom]

thank you marie.....great info too.

debbie