Orange Lake and Vistana Resort ?'s

[JenDaveBrendan]

We will be heading off next Sunday for a 2 week trip, staying at Orange Lake our first week, then Vistana the second. We have stayed at both before - Vistana in the Cascades section (a few years ago just me and DH), and Orange Lake last year in the North section. I have a couple of questions-
Orange Lake:
Is the East section open now??? Is there a pool nearby or is this where the water park area is still being built? Thinking of requesting this section since it is newer, but I don't want to if there is no pool yet in the area. We liked the North section last year and were within walking distance to Splash lagoon.
Vistana:
The last time we went we stayed in the Cascades (very nice) didn't have DS5 with us though, so it was a different kind of trip. Is another section better for families with little ones, or is Cascades pretty much the same as other areas?? I know the water slide is in the Falls section, but I don't really want to request that section. We would like to be in a "newer" section.
Also, we are checking into both on a Sunday - does this determine what sections you get at these places?
Thanks in advance everyone!!

 

[lawgs]

are you exchanging into orange lake...if so, the new policy might mean you cannot get other than the West Village ( as told to us by the tour guide when we were there in December ) of course, having a policy and implementing it are two different things....

the East village is on a golf course, do not think they have a large pool complex there ( the newest one with the water park is river island and it is not open yet, although it is near the East Village....according to the guide .....not much chance of getting into this section unless you own there although those staying onsite can use it .....there was something about an owners only club house there also.....should be interesting to see how they check out ....who or who is not an owner unless they issue some sort of wrist band at check in )

do not think the check in date has much to do with which section you are put into...there seems to be some "front desk" leeway here....

 

[JenDaveBrendan]

are you exchanging into orange lake...if so, the new policy might mean you cannot get other than the West Village ( as told to us by the tour guide when we were there in December ) of course, having a policy and implementing it are two different things....

the East village is on a golf course, do not think they have a large pool complex there ( the newest one with the water park is river island and it is not open yet, although it is near the East Village....according to the guide .....not much chance of getting into this section unless you own there although those staying onsite can use it .....there was something about an owners only club house there also.....should be interesting to see how they check out ....who or who is not an owner unless they issue some sort of wrist band at check in )

do not think the check in date has much to do with which section you are put into...there seems to be some "front desk" leeway here....

We are going on an "extra vacation" through RCI (we are not RCI members, my parents are, so we have "guest certificates") - don't know if that would be considered the same as exchanging in.
Thanks also for the info on East Village.
I guess I will try and request the North section, and see how it goes........... Is the West section the one floor ones that seem to go on forever when you drive in?? Those are the oldest ones, right?

 

[lawgs]

yes the single level buildings are West Village and are the first phases built there...they are the units that seem to get the negative review, although for the fees that members pay they are suppost to keep the units "refurbished" on a regular basis

do not know how they view extra vacations ....but the form you got is the same as if you were exchanging....you can only hope they will give you a request, it does not hurt to try....

the north village with splash lagoon is a nice area ....

 

[MiaSRN62]

The last time we went we stayed in the Cascades (very nice) didn't have DS5 with us though, so it was a different kind of trip. Is another section better for families with little ones, or is Cascades pretty much the same as other areas?? I know the water slide is in the Falls section, but I don't really want to request that section. We would like to be in a "newer" section.

Don't know how many children you have or how old they are, but the Cascades is the newest section and seems to be just as good for kids as any other section. The only thing with the Cascades section, is, that because it's so large and spread out, some buildings are quite a hike from the Cascades pool. The Lakes, which is the second newest section, has buildings that are more centrally located to the Lakes pool. The Lakes villas, while not as new as Cascades, are larger. Both pools have zero depth entry and fountains.
Have a great trip.

 

[Suzyq9241]

We stayed in 87000 when we were there for Thanksgiving and the water park is not opened till spring of 06 though. Oh and there is a pool there but its a small one with a jacuzzi - the pool is heated too but not like the one up at the beginning - where it is too warm.

 

[riu girl]

Oh and there is a pool there but its a small one with a jacuzzi - the pool is heated too but not like the one up at the beginning - where it is too warm.

Suzyq9241:
Are you saying that the pools are not all heated to the same temp? If this is the case, could you pelase tell me whick is the warmest pool?
Thank you

 

[IAMNEWATTHIS]

We are also staying at Orange Lake for the first time, this March. My father has been there quite a few years ago, but not recently. I spoke to the resort, and was told all the pools were heated. Maybe not at the same temp. though. We have a 3 Bedroom, was wondering if anyone has stayed in a 3 Bedroom? Which village would be the best, we have a 5 year old and was thinking about the North Village. Has anyone had a bad experience with a lot of noise with floors above them? Just wondering, would appreciate any info. Thanks

 

[KPtoys]

We just got back from OLCC 2 weeks ago.

The water park in the East Village is not open for a few more months.
The West Village units are OK, nothing special. Our slider was broken and the window in the bedroom closes on its own
We requested the North Village but since we exchanged they stuck us in the West Village unit 2066. It could have been worse but I heard the North Village is BEAUTIFUL!!! Going on exchange and sticking people in the older units when there is space in the newer ones is NOT a good way to get people to spend $$$. IMO.

 

[riu girl]

We have confirmed a 2 bedroom unit at OLCC. Since we are RCI (guest certificate) extra vacation guests, I assume that we will be placed in the west village.
My question:
Where are the 2 bedroom units located in the west village?

Are they only located in the one level buildings or elsewhere as well?
In the west village, where would the nicest 2 bedroom units be located?

Thank you

 

[gjw007]

We are also staying at Orange Lake for the first time, this March. My father has been there quite a few years ago, but not recently. I spoke to the resort, and was told all the pools were heated. Maybe not at the same temp. though. We have a 3 Bedroom, was wondering if anyone has stayed in a 3 Bedroom? Which village would be the best, we have a 5 year old and was thinking about the North Village. Has anyone had a bad experience with a lot of noise with floors above them? Just wondering, would appreciate any info. Thanks

The three-bedrooms are in the North and East Villages (maybe in the Tennis Villas in the West Village but these have the same design as the North/East Village and there will be in the units at River Island). I've never had a problem with noise. The 3-bedrooms are the end units on each floor of the hirise in the East Village and the ground-floor end units on the 6-plex in the North Village.

 

[gjw007]

We have confirmed a 2 bedroom unit at OLCC. Since we are RCI (guest certificate) extra vacation guests, I assume that we will be placed in the west village.
My question:
Where are the 2 bedroom units located in the west village?

Are they only located in the one level buildings or elsewhere as well?
In the west village, where would the nicest 2 bedroom units be located?

Thank you

The golf villas (West Village) units are one level buildings with some exceptions. The 2-bedroom units would be scattered throughout the area. There are some 6-plexes toward the north end of the West Village and some hirise near Magnolia and the Tennis Villas. The units in the Tennis Villas and the North/East Villages have the same design. I'm not sure about the hirise units near Magnolia but I think they have the same design as the East/North Village as well. Last September I stayed in a 6-plex in the West Village (Cyress Drive I think - I'd have to look it up on a map). One of things it had that some of the other units in the West Village didn't have was a whirlpool tub (regular tub size not the oversized units in the East/North Villages). If you define nicest in terms of when it was built and design, then the Tennis Villas are the newest units in the West Village built around 1997/1998 but OLCC goes through every 6 years to replace the soft items (cushions, etc) and repaints the units so unless they are approaching the major rennovation (every 18 yers), they should be in good shape (the unit that I stayed in September was about 13 years old and was in good shape but it should be scheduled for major rennovation in a few years). OLCC has a fairly aggressive schedule for updating its units but wear-and-tear are different for the units.

 

[riu girl]

gary, thanks so much for the info. I have the OLCC maps so will look for these areas you mentioned.

If by chance I am lucky enough to secure a 2 bedroom unit in the north village, where would you reccommend I request? I assume we would want to be as close as possible to the Splash Lagoon area. Looking at the map of the north village, I assume that the mid rise by Splash lagoon are one bedroom units and all of the smaller units are a mix of two and 3 bedroom units (with the 3 bedrooms being on the end of the units)????

Thank you

 

[gjw007]

gary, thanks so much for the info. I have the OLCC maps so will look for these areas you mentioned.

If by chance I am lucky enough to secure a 2 bedroom unit in the north village, where would you reccommend I request? I assume we would want to be as close as possible to the Splash Lagoon area. Looking at the map of the north village, I assume that the mid rise by Splash lagoon are one bedroom units and all of the smaller units are a mix of two and 3 bedroom units (with the 3 bedrooms being on the end of the units)????

Thank you

If you would like to be near Splash Lagoon, I think the units 3501 to 3506 would be closest (I believe 3501 and 3504 would be 3-bedroom units and the others 2-bedroom units) to Splash Lagoon without walking through the golf course.

Some of the difference in layouts between the golf villas and the villas in the North/East Village.

In the North/East Village, the master bedroom, the master bathroom, and the balcony take up one side (1/2) of the unit space. The living room, kitchen, 2nd bathroom, 2nd bedroom, and the washer/dryer section take up the other half.

In the golf villas, the master bedroom, the master bathroom, the quest bathroom, and the 2nd bedroom take up one side (1/2) of the unit. The kitchen (with the washer/dryer) and the living room take up the other half. In addition, whereas the North/East Village balcony only is as wide as the master bedroom, the balcony in the golf villas is the entire width of the unit (both the living room and the master bedroom).

The results of this layout difference is; 1) the master bedroom and master bathroom are larger in the North/East units, 2) because of the enlarged size, the master bathroom in the North/East Village has an oversized whirlpool tub, 3) some units in the West Village have a regular size whirlpool tub but many (maybe most) don't have whirlpool tub, 4) the living room area in the golf villas are larger, 5) the 2nd bathroom in the golf villas include a bathtub whereas the 2nd bathroom in the North/East Village has only a shower, and 6) you can drive up to your door in the golf villas and North Village (some exceptions such as the Tennis Villas and the mid-rise units (1-bedroom units) in the North Village) whereas in the East Village you park in the parking lot in front of the hirise building.

I have a drawing of the various layouts if that would be helpful.

 

[riu girl]

Gary,
Thank you so much for all of the detailed information. And thank you for the layout pictures. They are super pictures.

I can hardly wait to see this resort.
It looks fabulous.

Have a great evening.