Oh, The Places We’ll Go! From the “stars” to the “sea”: Universal, SeaWorld & beyond - Spring 2016

[sdoll]

I have read every one of your reviews! I had been looking for your latest installment. You are such a good writer I could read your reports all day! Who am I kidding I did when I first found you... Thanks for your reviews.

 

[dixonsontour]

The accomodation looks lovely and glad the manager contacted you. I'm sure october will be a whole different experience.

 

[VacaPlanner2012]

Unfortunate check in, major blah! We stayed at Vistana one time in early 2000's and it was great! We still laugh to this day about maintenance. We checked in and the batteries in the remote control did not work, no big deal. We called and within minutes the maintenance guys shows up with boxes of every battery ever made in the history of the world. No exaggeration, he had to have over 500 batteries!!!! Changed every battery in the unit, it was hysterical. I just wanted to be able to change channels...

I am sure October will be great. Can't wait to hear what you think of Red Robin, another staple in our household!

 

[dixonsontour]

Sorry to jump ahead can I ask if you did the sweet tomatoes breakfast and if it was good? Hoping to go 29th May.

 

[Lynne G]

At least they contacted you and told of corrective actions being done. Place looks very nice. Thanks for all the pictures. And ducks are always cute.

We are big fans of RR. They also give a military discount, so we are thankful for that. Plus, we are big burger fans, so everyone can get the burger with what toppings. We each have a different burger, and have been known to get two more servings of their unlimited fries. My guys can eat.

 

[Kivara]

Caught up again! I can't believe how terrible your check in was; it sounded like a hidden camera prank show. I mean, at some point I'd be looking for cameras and thinking, "It's not possible for people to be this bad at their job and not on purpose!"

Hopefully he lives up to his word and your next stay is MUCH better!

 

[pigletto]

I'm sorry to hear about the maintenance issues, and hope that the rest of the stay was smooth. I know those kinds of things aren't typical for Vistana so it sounds like they were off their game this time unfortunately.
Your pictures always make me want to stay again! In fact it's a front runner for the March break 2017 trip that I started to cook up in my vacation addicted brain this weekend.

 

[squirrel]

Which Cici's on I-Drive is better? We won't have a car so both are easy to get to from our two hotels (Cabana Bay and Springhill Suites at SW). Any other recommendations on food places that we can easily get to?

 

[toystoryduo]

I'm so sorry to hear about your VIP check-in experience. I'm glad that the manager reached out to you to discuss the whole thing. I hope things go much more smoothly for your VIP check-in in October!

I am always impressed at how nice the Vistana looks. It is definitely on our Florida bucket list of places to stay one day! I'm sorry about the maintenance issues that you experienced on this trip though.

My DDs are soooo looking forward to going to the Nike Clearance Store! I hope they have some great deals when we go in Aug/Sept!

Looking forward to hearing more about your trip!

 

[tortilla24]

Just playing catch-up now after a busy weekend. So annoying about VIP check-in but also that the room wasn't ready. At least Vistana is very pretty - love it!

I'll admit, buffet chain restaurants don't really appeal to me in the slightest, but when I was in undergrad, a Cici's opened up near campus and I went on opening day (dragged by my friends) and got a coupon for free Cici's once a month for a year. I used it the first 3 months but then never again. I guess I'm just not a huge fan.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We've never had an issue at Bonnet Creek (the only one we've stayed at in Orlando). However, one in Myrtle Beach, SC and one in Pigeon Forge, TN it was never ending (and they continued to call our room and "stop by" at the one in TN! ). I usually just nip it in the bud now with "we bought into Bonnet Creek for $500 off eBay". Then they push us out the door before any other guests can overhear .

LOL, I will have to remember to try that!

We are at Wyndham Cypress Palms for a week in October (before our week at the Vistana). I am expecting there will be a strong effort made at check-in to get us to commit to a timeshare presentation while we are there. I am going to research resale prices before we go just in case.

Dang! That is some check-in experience! I can't believe how long you had to wait

As for CiCi's...there are 5 in my immediate area, and I've found that some are better than others

I think that, like most any chain, the management and staff can make or break a restaurant. You can definitely tell there is pride of ownership in some locations and complete disregard in others.

That villa is nicer and larger than my apartment Can I just move in?

I know! The accommodations are so spacious and well appointed, its one of the reasons we love it there so much. Steve always jokes that if we win the lottery, he just wants to buy 50 more weeks at the Vistana and we will live there full time .

I have read every one of your reviews! I had been looking for your latest installment. You are such a good writer I could read your reports all day! Who am I kidding I did when I first found you... Thanks for your reviews.

Aw, thank you for that! So very kind of you to say .

Glad to have you reading along and joining in . Hopefully another update will be posted later today if all goes well!

The accomodation looks lovely and glad the manager contacted you. I'm sure october will be a whole different experience.

I am confident about that as well. The manager was a great fellow and really did seem apologetic for the whole process going off the rails.

Unfortunate check in, major blah! We stayed at Vistana one time in early 2000's and it was great! We still laugh to this day about maintenance. We checked in and the batteries in the remote control did not work, no big deal. We called and within minutes the maintenance guys shows up with boxes of every battery ever made in the history of the world. No exaggeration, he had to have over 500 batteries!!!! Changed every battery in the unit, it was hysterical. I just wanted to be able to change channels...

I am sure October will be great. Can't wait to hear what you think of Red Robin, another staple in our household!

Maintenance and housekeeping were very, VERY responsive to our calls, so I definitely can't complain at all about that. As owners, we do like to ensure the villas are kept in good shape, so if we see something amiss there is no hesitation in reporting it. Especially when its something like a leaky faucet which can add big $$ to the bottom line.

Sorry to jump ahead can I ask if you did the sweet tomatoes breakfast and if it was good? Hoping to go 29th May.

We did, and it was! That meal was toward the latter part of our trip, though, which means I probably won't get to that part of my trip report before you leave for Orlando. If you more any specific details prior to your departure, feel free to PM or Facebook message me .

At least they contacted you and told of corrective actions being done. Place looks very nice. Thanks for all the pictures. And ducks are always cute.

We are big fans of RR. They also give a military discount, so we are thankful for that. Plus, we are big burger fans, so everyone can get the burger with what toppings. We each have a different burger, and have been known to get two more servings of their unlimited fries. My guys can eat.

I am so glad we gave Red Robin another try after our less-than-stellar first visit. It has redeemed itself 10 times over! My burger loving men absolutely love it there.

Caught up again! I can't believe how terrible your check in was; it sounded like a hidden camera prank show. I mean, at some point I'd be looking for cameras and thinking, "It's not possible for people to be this bad at their job and not on purpose!"

Hopefully he lives up to his word and your next stay is MUCH better!

I agree....it was so bad, it was almost comical now that the trip is over!

I'm sorry to hear about the maintenance issues, and hope that the rest of the stay was smooth. I know those kinds of things aren't typical for Vistana so it sounds like they were off their game this time unfortunately.
Your pictures always make me want to stay again! In fact it's a front runner for the March break 2017 trip that I started to cook up in my vacation addicted brain this weekend.

I think some of those maintenance and housekeeping issues can happen just about anywhere. Perhaps we were kind of hypersensitive to the issues as well after such a dreadful check in experience. Either way, it was good to know they were all resolved prior to the arrival of the next family .

And yay to already planning the next, NEXT trip! We haven't booked anything for 2017 as of yet, but the discussions are already underway for us as well. Thinking of a split stay sometime in spring.....maybe a week in Orlando and a week in Tampa.

Which Cici's on I-Drive is better? We won't have a car so both are easy to get to from our two hotels (Cabana Bay and Springhill Suites at SW). Any other recommendations on food places that we can easily get to?

Definitely not the ones north of Sand Lake. Stay more toward Seaworld......I think there is one on the west side of I-Drive, just south of where the Eye is located. It would probably be your best bet in that area.

I'm so sorry to hear about your VIP check-in experience. I'm glad that the manager reached out to you to discuss the whole thing. I hope things go much more smoothly for your VIP check-in in October!

I am always impressed at how nice the Vistana looks. It is definitely on our Florida bucket list of places to stay one day! I'm sorry about the maintenance issues that you experienced on this trip though.

My DDs are soooo looking forward to going to the Nike Clearance Store! I hope they have some great deals when we go in Aug/Sept!

Looking forward to hearing more about your trip!

Your girls will LOVE the Nike Clearance Store.....and I definitely think the secret is getting out that its a great place to shop (LOL, I guess I am definitely contributing to that in my reports!!). It was PACKED in there each time we went, and merchandise was being hauled out by the bag full.

If you ever can swing it, the Vistana is an absolutely marvelous resort to stay at. I wholeheartedly recommend it for a future stay!

Just playing catch-up now after a busy weekend. So annoying about VIP check-in but also that the room wasn't ready. At least Vistana is very pretty - love it!

I'll admit, buffet chain restaurants don't really appeal to me in the slightest, but when I was in undergrad, a Cici's opened up near campus and I went on opening day (dragged by my friends) and got a coupon for free Cici's once a month for a year. I used it the first 3 months but then never again. I guess I'm just not a huge fan.

My family loves a good buffet. Jake and I are fairly picky eaters, and Steve and Jake are both BIG eaters, so buffets lend themselves well to those two specific qualities. We also don't have a lot of buffet options here at home (other than Chinese) so they are quite novel for us when we are vacationing in the USA. I can understand why they aren't for everyone, though!

 

[heaven2dc]

That villa is nicer and larger than my apartment Can I just move in?

I know you were directing your comment to the OP but I agree. It is bigger than my apartment too! I would love to move in - so pretty!

 

[Portugal1000]

Great pictures, reminds me of Bonnet Creek. Its so nice to stay somewhere fantastic on holiday. For me its a big part of the holiday. The problem is to get the same type of accommodation in a resort in Europe would cost an absolute fortune so I make the most of it whilst in Florida. Although on our most recent holiday to Rome we stayed at the Waldorf and my husband did utter his famous words that are usually reserved for our Florida holiday which are " You have outdone yourself this time Sarah"!
Looking forward to the next installment and wondering what Red Robin is?

 

[tortilla24]

My family loves a good buffet. Jake and I are fairly picky eaters, and Steve and Jake are both BIG eaters, so buffets lend themselves well to those two specific qualities. We also don't have a lot of buffet options here at home (other than Chinese) so they are quite novel for us when we are vacationing in the USA. I can understand why they aren't for everyone, though!

Totally makes sense. I definitely see how you get your money's worth with two big eaters in tow. I may end up eating my words and heading to a buffet if it turns out that I have a big eater in my group. Now Red Robin, I LOVE!

Looking forward to the next installment and wondering what Red Robin is?

Mmmm a terrific burger place with bottomless fries!

 

[bankr63]

And so now I know. When asked when we expect to be arriving, the answer will be around 3:00A.M. Voila, no VIP check-in.

I seriously suspected this was just another opportunity to make a sales pitch, although I had heard otherwise. I can't think of anything else that would keep Mark busy for 3 hours other than a hot sales prospect and a fat commission.

 

[bankr63]

We are at Wyndham Cypress Palms for a week in October (before our week at the Vistana). I am expecting there will be a strong effort made at check-in to get us to commit to a timeshare presentation while we are there. I am going to research resale prices before we go just in case.


I know! The accommodations are so spacious and well appointed, its one of the reasons we love it there so much. Steve always jokes that if we win the lottery, he just wants to buy 50 more weeks at the Vistana and we will live there full time .

We've stayed at a few Wyndham's on exchange. They have pretty much the same sales playbook as Sheraton. Now Wastegate (I mean Westgate) is a different story...

And you can certainly move in. Rent will be $4,000 per month please...

 

[dixonsontour]

Thanks Gina, if sweet tomatoes was rated good by you we will go

 

[JaxDad]

And you can certainly move in. Rent will be $4,000 per month please...

Canadian? $4,000 CAD, utilities and all amenities included, not too, too bad...

 

[Kivara]

Mmmm a terrific burger place with bottomless fries!

Took me a second to realize you meant endless fries...I was thinking, why would someone eat the bottoms of my fries?!

 

[ArwenMarie]

That "VIP" experience is crazy! Did you tell them how much you promote the Vistana on the Disboards?

We have stayed at almost all of the Marriott timeshares (for cash/points through Marriott directly) and we have never once gotten contacted to try to sell one to us. We're almost wondering what's wrong with us! LOL.

Pretty view out the window...ahh, wish I was there.