Marriott Grande Vista

[dancin Disney style]

I'm considering staying at the Grande Vista for the last 2 weeks in August. I've been in contact with a seller on eBay that will book me a 1br for $1000 for 14 nights. I feel confident that this is a good deal for the suite but I know very little about the resort. How does it compare to WBC? We love WBC but would like to do something different. In the 2 weeks will might go to a water park once or twice and maybe a theme park once. This trip is to relax and have a break from my stressful job.

 

[dioxide45]

$1000 for 14 nights in a 1BR is a pretty good price. I can't beat it by booking through Interval International getaways.

We own at Grande Vista and while biased, it is a great resort. Aquatica is literally just up the street, though you would still have to drive. I4 is only a couple miles drive and getting around is easy. I really can't compare it to WBC since we have never stayed there. The pools are fantastic and the villas are top of the line Marriott standard.

 

[redheadedmermaid73]

I just visited some family that stayed there for the weekend. The resort is very nice. The room they stayed in was a 1 br and it was plenty big enough for the 4 of them. I did go with them to the mail pool once and it was really nice. The kiddie pool they have is fantastic, only about 9 inches deep which is deep enough for an adult to sit in while the kids played. We didn't eat at any of the restaurants so I can't tell you about them.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I looked on a map and it appears to be off of I-drive. How is the traffic in that area? My experience with I-drive has been around SandLake Rd. and it's been grid locked traffic....that would drive me nuts for 2 weeks. I'm just very used to the Lake Buena Vista traffic that is busy but ok.

Also, is there a grocery store, Walmart/Target and restaurants near the MGV?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I looked on a map and it appears to be off of I-drive. How is the traffic in that area? My experience with I-drive has been around SandLake Rd. and it's been grid locked traffic....that would drive me nuts for 2 weeks. I'm just very used to the Lake Buena Vista traffic that is busy but ok.

Also, is there a grocery store, Walmart/Target and restaurants near the MGV?

Not sure if its the closest or not, but there is a Super Walmart on Turkey Lake Road that might fit the bill.

The traffic around the SeaWorld end of I-Drive is much more tolerable that the dastardly section around Sand Lake Road . I agree, that area is enough to drive even the most relaxed tourist simply batty.

Congrats on getting such an awesome rate on a villa there!!! We will be in Orlando the same time, but sadly not for as long as you. Have a great vacation!!

 

[Ametista]

I looked on a map and it appears to be off of I-drive. How is the traffic in that area? My experience with I-drive has been around SandLake Rd. and it's been grid locked traffic....that would drive me nuts for 2 weeks. I'm just very used to the Lake Buena Vista traffic that is busy but ok.

Also, is there a grocery store, Walmart/Target and restaurants near the MGV?

There is a really close Publix grocery store

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...Vp4NktmXniDF4M3jwKEHEYA&t=h&gl=us&mra=ls&z=14

I have to say, we have been to Orlando/Kissimmee 12 times now and the 3 Marriott resorts are in the best location you can get. Traffic has only been bad on I4 at rush hour and then IDrive gets busy when Seaworld closes for the night, you probably would never even notice.

 

[Detailor]

There is a really close Publix grocery store

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...Vp4NktmXniDF4M3jwKEHEYA&t=h&gl=us&mra=ls&z=14

I have to say, we have been to Orlando/Kissimmee 12 times now and the 3 Marriott resorts are in the best location you can get. Traffic has only been bad on I4 at rush hour and then IDrive gets busy when Seaworld closes for the night, you probably would never even notice.

Two Publix stores, actually in the general area. There's an older Publix in the Williamsburg Shopping Center on Central Florida Parkway (right out of the resort property to the resort access road, right onto International Drive, then right onto CFP, Publix is on the right) about a mile and a half from the resort. And there's a much larger, newer Publix in a shopping center at the corner of Vineland Avenue and International Drive (right out of the resort property to the resort access road, left onto International Drive, the store is on the right behind a Walgreens that fronts on I-Drive) about 2 1/2 miles from the resort.

The section of I-Drive below Central Florida Parkway (the road that the entrance to SeaWorld is accessed from) is lightly traveled compared with either the Lake Buena Vista area or the more northerly sections of I-Drive, making travel to the theme park areas, I-4, SR 528 or SR 417 (to and from the airport) pretty easy driving.

Two WalMarts fairly close - the one on Turkey Lake Road is about 6 miles from the resort and there's another just off SR 535 to the south toward Kissimmee, about 7 miles away. The one on Turkey Lake Road is the newer of the two. The closest Target is about 8 1/2 miles from the resort, on SR 192 (Irlo Bronson Highway) in Kissimmee.

There's a sit-down restaurant at Grande Vista and a few other food choices on site (Copa Loca Grille at the west village pool area is nice). There's a Benihana down International Drive across from Sheraton's Vistana Village resort. I think there's an Outback Steakhouse and a McDonalds on Vineland Ave. And down further on Vineland, closer to Lake Buena Vista area, there are a Bahama Breeze, a Lone Star Steakhouse, a Landry's Seafood, a Golden Corral, a Carraba's, a Panera Bread, and I think there's a new(ish) Longhorn Steakhouse along that stretch, too.

Dick Taylor

 

[dancin Disney style]

Not sure if its the closest or not, but there is a Super Walmart on Turkey Lake Road that might fit the bill.

The traffic around the SeaWorld end of I-Drive is much more tolerable that the dastardly section around Sand Lake Road . I agree, that area is enough to drive even the most relaxed tourist simply batty.

Congrats on getting such an awesome rate on a villa there!!! We will be in Orlando the same time, but sadly not for as long as you. Have a great vacation!!

Hey Gina....Canadian Dis-meet ?????? We are not able to go at Christmas this year hence the last minute August trip. Darn work is interfering with my life again. I can't take down my ticker yet

I'm still not 100% sure that we are going but I need to work it out today. If we don't go now there will be no vacay time for me until next summer. We'll stay 2 weeks this time as we are driving down. Airfares are just way too expensive being last minute. If I'm going to waste 4 days sitting in the car I better get a goooooood vacay out of it.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hey Gina....Canadian Dis-meet ?????? We are not able to go at Christmas this year hence the last minute August trip. Darn work is interfering with my life again. I can't take down my ticker yet

I'm still not 100% sure that we are going but I need to work it out today. If we don't go now there will be no vacay time for me until next summer. We'll stay 2 weeks this time as we are driving down. Airfares are just way too expensive being last minute. If I'm going to waste 4 days sitting in the car I better get a goooooood vacay out of it.

Boo that your Christmas trip got sidelined but yay for an August getaway!!!

I would love, love, LOVE to do a Canadian Dis-meet that week!!! According to our 2013 roll-call thread over on the Cdn board, there sure is a lot of us there during that final week of the month. If you want to get something set up, my fellas and I are definitely in .

I hear ya on the airfare. Our flights have gone up substantially since we booked in January....so much so that our flight coming home (just the one direction) now costs more than our RETURN tickets did when we purchased them in January .

 

[dancin Disney style]

There is a really close Publix grocery store

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...Vp4NktmXniDF4M3jwKEHEYA&t=h&gl=us&mra=ls&z=14

I have to say, we have been to Orlando/Kissimmee 12 times now and the 3 Marriott resorts are in the best location you can get. Traffic has only been bad on I4 at rush hour and then IDrive gets busy when Seaworld closes for the night, you probably would never even notice.

Great map...thanks

Two Publix stores, actually in the general area. There's an older Publix in the Williamsburg Shopping Center on Central Florida Parkway (right out of the resort property to the resort access road, right onto International Drive, then right onto CFP, Publix is on the right) about a mile and a half from the resort. And there's a much larger, newer Publix in a shopping center at the corner of Vineland Avenue and International Drive (right out of the resort property to the resort access road, left onto International Drive, the store is on the right behind a Walgreens that fronts on I-Drive) about 2 1/2 miles from the resort.

The section of I-Drive below Central Florida Parkway (the road that the entrance to SeaWorld is accessed from) is lightly traveled compared with either the Lake Buena Vista area or the more northerly sections of I-Drive, making travel to the theme park areas, I-4, SR 528 or SR 417 (to and from the airport) pretty easy driving.

Two WalMarts fairly close - the one on Turkey Lake Road is about 6 miles from the resort and there's another just off SR 535 to the south toward Kissimmee, about 7 miles away. The one on Turkey Lake Road is the newer of the two. The closest Target is about 8 1/2 miles from the resort, on SR 192 (Irlo Bronson Highway) in Kissimmee.

There's a sit-down restaurant at Grande Vista and a few other food choices on site (Copa Loca Grille at the west village pool area is nice). There's a Benihana down International Drive across from Sheraton's Vistana Village resort. I think there's an Outback Steakhouse and a McDonalds on Vineland Ave. And down further on Vineland, closer to Lake Buena Vista area, there are a Bahama Breeze, a Lone Star Steakhouse, a Landry's Seafood, a Golden Corral, a Carraba's, a Panera Bread, and I think there's a new(ish) Longhorn Steakhouse along that stretch, too.

Dick Taylor

Thanks so much...that's all great info. It makes me feel better about the location. We have stayed many times onsite at WDW and just started trying WBC last year. I know this area very well and feel comfortable there. When looking at a new place I worry that it won't be nice or there will be something about it that ruins our vacation. As much as I love WDW I want to have a little bit different experience, so that I can still go there but change it up at the same time.

 

[dancin Disney style]

For those that either own or have stayed at MGV ......

I'm in the process of trying to decide on which building to request. It seems to me that we would prefer 80 or 81 as they are very close to the main pool and activities. However, I've read that they are not reno'd and are really outdated. Do you know if this is true? This would not be nice for me. I want something that looks as beautiful as the pics online. I called the resort and spoke with someone who said the newly reno'd suites are in 88/89/90.....for sure that's too far away for us.

What do you recommend?

 

[dioxide45]

I went back through our owner newsletters to find out refurbishment dates. Your best bet may be buildings 77, 78, 79 or 84. They underwent a soft goods refurbishment in the winter of 2010/2011. These are all in the West Village. Keep in mind that 77 and 78 only have dedicated 2BR units. Since you only have a 1BR unit, it will keep you out of those two buildings. 79 and 84 are the two buildings that overlook the lake and the Plaza del Sol pool area and are close to the Copa Loca Bar and Grill. They are close to the center of the action for that area and a short walk across the bridge to the main pool complex.

These used to be two very popular buildings for owners to request as they were the newest in the complex. Though given that they haven't been through a major refurb, excepts soft goods, you may be able to get in if you request one. The pool there is great and the only one with a zero entry area for young ones.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I went back through our owner newsletters to find out refurbishment dates. Your best bet may be buildings 77, 78, 79 or 84. They underwent a soft goods refurbishment in the winter of 2010/2011. These are all in the West Village. Keep in mind that 77 and 78 only have dedicated 2BR units. Since you only have a 1BR unit, it will keep you out of those two buildings. 79 and 84 are the two buildings that overlook the lake and the Plaza del Sol pool area and are close to the Copa Loca Bar and Grill. They are close to the center of the action for that area and a short walk across the bridge to the main pool complex.

These used to be two very popular buildings for owners to request as they were the newest in the complex. Though given that they haven't been through a major refurb, excepts soft goods, you may be able to get in if you request one. The pool there is great and the only one with a zero entry area for young ones.

Do you think that 80 and 81 would be disappointing? Also, are the buildings closer together than they look? I would be very happy to be in 79 or 84 with a water view. We intend to spend more than half our time enjoying the resort so being located in a building that is a very short walk to everything is really important. This is mainly an R&R trip. We might visit one theme park and a waterpark but the rest of the time we will be laying by the pool sipping some fruity drinks

 

[dioxide45]

Do you think that 80 and 81 would be disappointing? Also, are the buildings closer together than they look? I would be very happy to be in 79 or 84 with a water view. We intend to spend more than half our time enjoying the resort so being located in a building that is a very short walk to everything is really important. This is mainly an R&R trip. We might visit one theme park and a waterpark but the rest of the time we will be laying by the pool sipping some fruity drinks

I can't speak specifically for those buildings since we have never stayed in them. Though they are centrally located, they last had a case goods refurbishment in 2008. So they should have recently had a soft goods refurbishment, but I don't know for sure.

We personally prefer 97 which has been recently refurbed. I would probably not pick 80 as that is the main checkin building. If you want to be in the Main Village section, I would go for 81 or 82. 82 has a good lake view.

 

[Detailor]

I can't speak specifically for those buildings since we have never stayed in them. Though they are centrally located, they last had a case goods refurbishment in 2008. So they should have recently had a soft goods refurbishment, but I don't know for sure.

We personally prefer 97 which has been recently refurbed. I would probably not pick 80 as that is the main checkin building. If you want to be in the Main Village section, I would go for 81 or 82. 82 has a good lake view.

We're not owners but have stayed at Grande Vista a few times. Like dioxide, we prefer being a bit away from the center of activity in a quieter section of this resort - we actually like Building 99 that's across the parking lot from dioxide's favorite, 97. The one advantage of building 97, though, is that it's at one of the resort's pool areas - just not one of the two main pool areas - and, when we've been there, it seems to get little use so it's pretty relaxing over there. Only draw-back that I can think of for over in that area is that parking lot, though it's large, seems to fill up pretty quickly and you sometimes have to park a bit of a distance from your building. It's a short walk from those buildings to the village center pool (between 80 and 81) and a bit longer walk from 88/89/90 - there is an area pool over by building 91, though.

For short distance to a lot of amenities, I think you'd be best going with 79, 84, 81, or 82. And I wouldn't necessarily shy away from building 80 that's above the village center marketplace store and food court area - we once had a nice 3BR unit in that building that overlooked the pool area.

Dick Taylor

 

[dancin Disney style]

dioxide....do you happen to know what is supplied in the kitchen or of a site that I can look for it? I've done several google searches and can't find any info. I'm looking to find out about coffee filters, dishsoap, etc. I want to know how much I might need to bring.

I really appreciate you answering all my questions !!!!!!!

 

[dioxide45]

dioxide....do you happen to know what is supplied in the kitchen or of a site that I can look for it? I've done several google searches and can't find any info. I'm looking to find out about coffee filters, dishsoap, etc. I want to know how much I might need to bring.

I really appreciate you answering all my questions !!!!!!!

The kitchen has the basics, plates, flatware, bowls, pots, pans, toaster etc. There is also a blender. As far as supplies, they provide a sponge, dish washing liquid and automatic dishwasher detergent along with trash bags. There is one or two single packs of coffee and perhaps a few coffee filters. Though I always got the impression that these filters were ones that were just left behind by the pior guest, but I suppose the resort provides them. We are not coffee drinkers, so we don't may much attention but I do know that there is also a small supply of sugars, creamers and coffee stirs. Though probably only enough for a single coffee or two.

 

[Belle599]

Not to be a downer....but I was going to book the Grande Vista a few days ago and was reading review on Tripadvisor. There was more than one with Roach reports.

Keep in mind I have never stayed there and since only a few reviews mention this issue, it is probably a low probability that you have that issue in your unit.

I just want to mention this to make sure that you can make an informed decision as I would hate to see a Diser have to face this sort is issue on their trip.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I appreciate the info....it's already booked. I've read many, many Tripadvisor reviews(not just for MGV) that mention roaches. There are a ton of people that don't know about the FL bugs....often what they think are roaches are palmetto bugs. I certainly don't expect bugs of any kind being an issue at a Marriott resort and have every confidence that the resort will take care of me if there is an issue.

I realized years ago that you have to take Tripadvisor reviews with a grain of salt. After you've read enough of them you really can tell which are legit complaints/comments. I'm going to go on there now and scan through some reviews.

 

[summerrluvv]

I appreciate the info....it's already booked. I've read many, many Tripadvisor reviews(not just for MGV) that mention roaches. There are a ton of people that don't know about the FL bugs....often what they think are roaches are palmetto bugs. I certainly don't expect bugs of any kind being an issue at a Marriott resort and have every confidence that the resort will take care of me if there is an issue.

I realized years ago that you have to take Tripadvisor reviews with a grain of salt. After you've read enough of them you really can tell which are legit complaints/comments. I'm going to go on there now and scan through some reviews.

Very much agree with this! I saw the same few incidents, but I'm sure they are few and far between. Marriott's are generally top notch, especially the vacation club resorts.

We are staying here in a few weeks, in a one bedroom. I got a great rate of $95 plus a $30 dining credit each night. We are excited!