Sheraton Vistana- better/Worse rooms?

[05MM08MM]

I would say that Lakes is probably the better bet, pretty sure it is far enough from I-4 to not be a problem. The farthest right Cascades in the photo is very recently completed (was under const when we were last there in March), but it is close to S Apopka-Vineland, fairly busy road. The other two Cascades are on the main through street of the resort; parking is a bit tight, but not really that noisy after dark.

Starbucks is served at the deli inside the resort (brewed coffees, not the fancy stuff), so you may like that news even better. There are toasters - if yours has gone missing, just call the desk, you'll be fixed up within an hour. Closest grocery is Publix on Vineland at I-Drive - really nice clean store. Walgreen's right outside the resort.

Have a great vacation!

Thanks so much, that is very helpful

To request the lakes area, how would you recommend wording my request?

Thanks again

 

[bankr63]

Thanks so much, that is very helpful

To request the lakes area, how would you recommend wording my request?

Thanks again

To be honest, I don't know that there is any particularly successful way to word it. Perhaps a little white lie to grease it along?

"Really liked our last stay in Lakes section, would like to stay there again if possible"
or
"Good friends are Vistana owners and highly recommend Lakes, if possible would like that section" Just consider me your good friend now if that's what it takes.

Vistana is pretty good about honoring requests WHEN THEY CAN. If the resort is fairly full, they may not be able to accommodate. I'm amazed at how the complaints on tripadvisor about not honoring requests go up around busy holiday weeks. There are some limits to what can be accommodated if the place is packed to the rafters, but I really think they do try to satisfy as many reasonable requests as they can. It's in their best interest to have happy satisfied guests!

On the plus side, all of the units you are likely to get are really nice. Even if you don't get your request you should still really like it. We own in one if the older sections that is one of the last to be reno'd - we still love it even if it is a bit tired. I wouldn't worry too much about it, relax and enjoy your stay!

BTW - Cascades units have elevators, so higher up is okay (that building has 10 units/floor, 4floors). I don't remember the Lakes units as well but think they are 3 floor (6 units/floor) so will not have an elevator. Consider how far up you want to carry your luggage when requesting a floor. Note: I'm working out the layout from the map and unit numbers - so may not be correct. In general, 4 storey buildings have elevators, 3 storey are walkups.

 

[05MM08MM]

WOW bankr63,

 

[Azpitts]

I was given a weeks stay at the Resort by a family member (RCI exchange). I will be checking in on a Friday night on the 15th of October. The confirmation has us down for a
Unit: 2BEDROOM
2 Bedroom FULL Kitchen
Sleeps: 8 Maximum/ 6 Private

ANy IDea as to what buildings I might be in?

Should I be worried as to getting an older unit? Just wondering as this being off season and being a Friday check in.. CAn I Do the Diamond check in or does the owner of the RCI week have to online?
Thanks in advance for the help..

 

[bankr63]

I was given a weeks stay at the Resort by a family member (RCI exchange). I will be checking in on a Friday night on the 15th of October. The confirmation has us down for a
Unit: 2BEDROOM
2 Bedroom FULL Kitchen
Sleeps: 8 Maximum/ 6 Private

ANy IDea as to what buildings I might be in?

Should I be worried as to getting an older unit? Just wondering as this being off season and being a Friday check in.. CAn I Do the Diamond check in or does the owner of the RCI week have to online?
Thanks in advance for the help..

That's a tough one to answer; since the exchange is an RCI weeks exchange it can be in any section of the resort, depending on how/what the Vistana owner traded. Points exchanges through Interval International are guaranteed to be in the newer or newly renovated sections of the resort.

All sections of the resort have 8/6 2BR's. Friday check ins are available in all sections except Courts and Falls. Spas is exclusively Friday; Palms, Springs, Cascades, Fountains (I&II) and Lakes have checkins Fri,Sat,Sun.

The good news is that NONE of the Friday buildings abut the major roadways (quiet). You might not want Spas as renovations have not completed; on the other hand, you might want it as it has some of the best located units in the development, central but far enough away from the hustle and bustle. Spas pool is our favorite. Remember, this is a Sheraton, so even pre-renovation the units are very serviceable and they are well kept-up. It's only a worry if you want to make it one. All other sections have completed renovations.

You should be able to access Diamond Lane. Go to the link: http://www.starwoodvacationownership.com/sheraton_vistana_resort/welcome.jsp and click "Diamond Lane" on the right. It's not unreasonable to request a specific section if you have one in mind. That week is after Columbus Day weekend, so it should be the start of a "less busy" week. They are generally more able to honor requests when it is quieter.

Hope you enjoy your stay! We can't wait to get back "home"; March 2011.

M Ross

 

[SweetMimi]

We stay at Vistana anytime we are there for a shorter trip and can't use our full week at Orange Lake. I've stayed in the older sections (Springs and Spa I think) that hadn't been refurbished and they were fine. Always clean and well kept. I also like the fact that they were lower occupancy so parking right near your unit was much easier to find. In both instances we were in a building with 4 units - 2 upstairs 2 down. We requested a quiet area and got a room that had a back door that led down into a very nice garden area with a fountain. Several pools to choose from. In my opinion it's hard to find a "bad" location. The furniture just may be older and not have flat screens however the resort is nice, accomodating staff and very well kept.

 

[Vince P]

Thanx M Ross,

Your reply and other replies in here are very helpful - great forum. My package did not include air but we got lucky when I found roundtrip air from San Francisco (Delta) for an incredibly low $138, plus taxes. Fortunately we knew exactly what days we were going several months in advance, so I searched daily until air prices bottomed out for our dates.

Lol re the “highly addictive” Pin collection and Lanyard. I’ll just hide them from my daughter even though she’s 25.

I booked my package Online/Costco several months ago but noticed this package is no longer available, although they have others.

I like the idea of having a car, but am having trouble justifying the $500 expense when he we already have free shuttle services. I called the Villages and they said they have an 8, 10 and 12 shuttle service in the mornings. Do you know if they have afternoon shuttles to the parks? I was thinking we may come back for a 2-3 hour rest in the afternoon and go back in the evenings, pending park hours.

>>>>>Upgrade your Disney tickets to the "and more" at any Disney park site. The trick is to visit AND ENTER your first park before going to the upgrade window. This first visit locks in the price paid for the ticket, then you just pay the "and more" upgrade price. Can be done any day of your visit (within 14 days of first use). See ticketing forum here for more information.”

Great advice - thanx! We also have a couple of those “never expire” tickets from about 10 years ago but I have no idea what’s left on it.

>>>> “…..we always make breakfast in the unit. BTW, you WILL be invited to a breakfast presentation with an offer of discounts or a welcome package. Do not under ANY circumstance accept and attend this 2 hour waste of time. You do not want to buy a TS unit from the developer under any circumstances.”

Thanks - one of the things I read said to always eat breakfast before you go to the parks for obvious reasons - time and money. As for the Timeshare, yikes! We actually own one in Lake Tahoe, but paid pennies for it when I bought it from my sister who never used hers.

>>>>>> "As I recall, only two pools at the resort, and we only used the main one. It's only okay for lapping as it is free form with a very shallow shallow end. I seem to recall the other pool looking more conventional on the map. Think they open 8:00 - 10:00, but I don't think it is heavily enforced."

I'm an early bird, so I’ll sneak into it at around 5am…..and I’ll blame you if they catch me

Btw, I called my travel rep at Costco yesterday and she said we're in one of the "newer rooms" whatever that means. Should I ask for a specific "new room?"

Vince P (who doesn't know how to quote a quote)

 

[bankr63]

Thanx M Ross,

Always a pleasure. We own at Vistana Resort, and have stayed at Vistana Villages. We love both of these resorts, so I am always happy to answer questions where I can.

Your reply and other replies in here are very helpful - great forum. My package did not include air but we got lucky when I found roundtrip air from San Francisco (Delta) for an incredibly low $138, plus taxes.

I won't mention what I pay for airfare from Canada, but it's a LOT more than that. Of course we always travel on March break (DW is a teacher), so there are virtually NO discounts to be found for the week we travel.

Lol re the “highly addictive” Pin collection and Lanyard. I’ll just hide them from my daughter even though she’s 25.

Make sure you do! She's old enough to have a credit card and use eBay. A deadly combo when you are addicted to the pins.

I like the idea of having a car, but am having trouble justifying the $500 expense when he we already have free shuttle services. I called the Villages and they said they have an 8, 10 and 12 shuttle service in the mornings. Do you know if they have afternoon shuttles to the parks? I was thinking we may come back for a 2-3 hour rest in the afternoon and go back in the evenings, pending park hours.

I have not taken the shuttles, but have never heard much good about them. I would doubt they have an afternoon shuttle, but you can contact the resort to confirm.

Your rental price sounds WAY too high. I usually rent an SUV when there and have never paid that much. There are a few threads here on rental strategies. I watch for the best deal I can find (National often offers standard SUV for a mid-size price). Book the best deal you can find with any rental company online, then add the best discount code you can find to the rental about 30-60 days out. Finally in the week before travelling, try to get the best price you can on Priceline. If you better the deal you already have, cancel your online ressie - there's no penalty. Depending on season, I have heard of cars for as low as $17/day from Priceline - that's less than the cost of leasing a car new!! Note that Costco has pretty good rental discounts too. If you are as good at finding deals on cars as you are on air/travel you should have no problem finding a better deal!

We also have a couple of those “never expire” tickets from about 10 years ago but I have no idea what’s left on it.

Keep reading in the ticketing forum here for tips on how to check what's left on your old tickets.

As for the Timeshare, yikes! We actually own one in Lake Tahoe, but paid pennies for it when I bought it from my sister who never used hers.

We paid pennies for ours as well. We actually have 3 weeks in Orlando annually. Orlando is always an easy trade, so you could consider trading your Tahoe as an option as well. The real trick to owning timeshares is knowing how to use them!

Btw, I called my travel rep at Costco yesterday and she said we're in one of the "newer rooms" whatever that means. Should I ask for a specific "new room?"

Depends on how picky you are. Villages isn't that old overall, so I don't really think there are any bad units in the resort. I have read posts here and on trip advisor about areas that people disliked, but to my standards they are all great. IMHO the "older" buildings are better as they are closer to the amenities. The newer buildings are further out; so there is a tradeoff.

Unless your standards are VERY high, I wouldn't worry too much. Relax and enjoy your vacation!!!

 

[Meteora]

Hi Vince,
As noted, all the sections at the Villages are newish and nice. I believe the newest section currently open is St. Augustine, so if you are interested in having the newest unit, you could request that section.

I haven't taken the shuttles at the Villages, but I have taken them at the original resort. Due to the schedule we would have to go over in the morning, stay all day, and then return between 6 and 8. It will save money to take the shuttle, but it's definitely more convenient to have your own car. Chances are the only afternoon shuttle will be the catching the last morning shuttle on its way back to the resort, if that makes sense. Also keep in mind that the shuttle usually goes to all parks, so depending on what "stop" the park you are going to is, you might have to drop people off at three other parks before arriving to your park of choice or pick people up from three other parks before returning to the resort. It's not awful, but it's important to factor in when planning what time to leave in the morning. Also, if you want to go somewhere other than a park, like Downtown Disney, you will need to either be dropped at a park and take Disney transportation or take a cab from the resort.

 

[Azpitts]

Does the diamond express really shut down after 7pm???

 

[bankr63]

Does the diamond express really shut down after 7pm???

I seem to recall that it does shut down early evening. We generally check in mid-afternoon during the rush, so wouldn't swear to it. Any time I've gone by the lobby in the evening, it has been pretty quiet at the check in desk. I doubt they would need the extra lane open for the couple of late checkins.

You can still put in DL requests, and the reguler desk clerk can access it. You just won't get "priority access" to the clerk. Note that it is always worthwhile to size up the lines when arriving anyway. If the Diamond Lane is busy, you might get through the regular line quicker. There are quite a few more stations on the regular line.

 

[Azpitts]

I was given a weeks stay at the Resort by a family member (RCI exchange). I will be checking in on a Friday night on the 15th of October. The confirmation has us down for a
Unit: 2BEDROOM
2 Bedroom FULL Kitchen
Sleeps: 8 Maximum/ 6 Private

ANy IDea as to what buildings I might be in?

Should I be worried as to getting an older unit? Just wondering as this being off season and being a Friday check in.. CAn I Do the Diamond check in or does the owner of the RCI week have to online?
Thanks in advance for the help..

Just an update, I did diamond online 30 days out, I just called today and am staying in the Fountains section next week.. Which has been renovated!!
Very happy to be staying in a renovated unit!!
Thanks for all your help!!

 

[cruisin' aunt]

I am staying at Vistana for 2 weeks beginning in January with an RCI exchange. I have a different reservation number for both weeks. I have some mobility issues, so I called the resort today (10/28/10). I spoke with a very nice young man who helped me.

He found both reservations and linked them. When I asked for a continuous stay in the same unit, he put that request on the reservation for a first floor unit. He also told me we would be in the Spas section. When I asked if the Spas were still not renovated, he indicated that it is the section currently under renovation and it should be completed by the time we arrive.

Can anyone confirm the renovation information? Otherwise, I'm thrilled!

 

[DLB]

We have stayed in the cascades section our last two trips, they were not updated yet and the rooms were wonderful. Very clean, spacious, and close to the main pool and store! We love it there!

 

[act1980]

Whats the difference between all the different areas in the resort?

Augustine, Cascades etc.. Are they decorate differenty or something?

 

[swilshire]

There is a Cascades section at Vistana, but I don't recognize the other name. Maybe it's at Vistana Villages, which is a different resort.

The names usually refer to a section. They built them one at a time.

Sheila

 

[nmanning19]

Where do I find the Diamond Lane form?

 

[keeperof4]

This can be found on the Starwood Ownership website and then go to Sheraton Vistana Resort. We are at the SVR the last week of February and I submitted my Diamond Lane approx. six weeks ago. We just received confirmation that our requests were received,and they will do there best to fulfill them ,but understand this all depends on how busy the resort is. Diamond Lane is Friday - Sunday only. Although this is my first visit to this particular resort, friends and family verify that Diamond Lane almost guarantees your request. Try to submit 60 days before your visit is the advice we were given.We always call the resort a week before to confirm.We try to arrive early(noon time) and look after check in, then they call my cell when condo is ready. Politely pass on the welcome gift,this is your your time share hook! Counting the days to sun and fun,yesterday it was -34C here in NB Canada.

 

[nmanning19]

I just got confirmation that I will be in Unit 1625, which building is this and will I be happy?

 

[MeTink]

Sheraton Vistana is a wonderful resort. It is close to WDW and they are upgrading many of their suites. Beware, they will ask you to take a tour....