Just Back! Sheraton Vistana Resort

[kathyclownfish]

Hi All, just got back last night (I should be going through mail now and returning phone calls). Stayed in the Lakes section. We LOVED it!!! We had a 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath condo with a jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom and free housekeeping everyday!! We paid $129.00 a night with the ALLEARS promo code rate. I didn't realize that this included housekeeping. We were also told we would have 2 twin beds in the 2nd bedroom......but we were given 2 full beds instead. Just be very friendly at checkin. (My family told me I was over doing it Diamond Lane told us that this area and cascades won't be available. The resort is very family orientated. They give you directions and every type of literature that you would need at checkin.

The pools are very nice. We bought groceries at the General store. They were pretty expense ($6.25 for a small box of Lucky Charms), but it was very convenient. We stayed for 5 nights and then went over to the Royal Pacific Resort in Universal for another 3 nights. Boy, did we miss all the room. My teenager daughter and preteen son, REALLY missed all the room. If you have any questions, let me know!! I would definately stay there again.

Kathy

 

[spiceycat]

you mean FOLE didn't mean more to your kids....

thanks for the great report -- did you take pictures????

 

[kathyclownfish]

SCat,
They definately liked FOTL at Universal. That was really neat. Its too bad, you can't have the best of both worlds. An inexpensive condo at a theme park resort

It was fun, resort hopping but the whole family sleeping in the same room at RPR wasn't! We should have done the RPR first and then went to the Vistana so they could have appreciated the room more!

Hopefully, I will post some pictures soon. (I'm not too technically advanced for that!)

Kathy

 

[kilnmenow]

I was happy to see your post - I just started planning our Dec trip to Disney (I know I'm really late!!!!) Anyway, we are also staying at the Sheraton Vistana - and I was wondering how the shuttle busses run. We have park hopper passes for Disney World, MGM, Animal Kingdom & EPCOT. Can you catch a free shuttle from park to park - or do you just get the option to go from hotel to park and back. Also, are there set times for shuttles? I called the hotel today - but they told me to pick up a schedule when I get there. I'm trying to be prepared and to forwarn the rest of my party how it will work. (There will be 10 of us travelling together).

Thanks!
Susan

 

[spiceycat]

welcome to the Disboards Susan!!!

the shuttle from Sheraton Vistana is not free unless you went through Sheraton to rent your villa.

a timeshare exchange, skyauction or renting from a Sheraton Vistana owner - you will be charged

Once at WDW - then yes their transportation is free. the theme parks no longer offer transportation to DD. You must go through a WDW resort to get to DD using WDW transportation.

if you are talking about getting back to the Sheraton Vistana - then I think they have a schedule.

if you mean the WDW resort hotels - if you visit the MK - then just go get on the resort hotel monrail to visit them.

for Epcot resort - use a Studio bus - then either walk or take the boat to the resorts.

I would get a van with that many people.

 

[kilnmenow]

Thanks Pat,

I guess I really needed to know about getting from the Sheraton Vistana to each park and back and shuttling from park to park.

If I understand correctly, there are shuttles between the parks through Disney (not necessarily your hotel shuttle). And there are shuttles from the hotel and back from the parks. But only at designated times - are cabs and/or other busses available to take you back to the hotel mid-day?

You also said there is no shuttle to Downtown Disney? I guess cabs are an option for going there or a city bus perhaps?

I don't think we'll rent a van b/c we have 3 families going and we will try to work out what park each day and one meal a day together - so there could be times that we are just on our own (dh, ds/5yrs and me).

We are arriving in Orlando at 11am and leaving Orlando at 7pm so I'm assuming that we will have some time our 1st and last day for going to a park. I was thinking perhaps going to Animal Kingdom on those days. Any downside to that??

Thanks for the help!
-Susan

 

[spiceycat]

you can ride WDW buses to DD just not directly - you would need to go to WDW resort (I would pick OKW, SSR, or PO - just because they are closer to DD) - then take a bus to DD.

yes there are cabs - just be careful - some off brand cabs over charged alot.....

as far as your hotel shuttle taking you back mid-day - completely depends upon the schedule.

AK generally closes at dusk - so the animals can sleep.

Don't ask me why during the Thanksgiving week why they have the AK open TWICE to 8:30pm - I certainly don't understand that - but am I going then - you betja....

renting a van makes coming and going to the parks easier. I am so bad that despite me having a car - I am going over to a WDW resort for my WDW part of my trip - only a day or two. but I can then stay as late as I want and not have to worth about transportation there and back.