Sheraton vistana resort or orange lake

[sonomom]

Which resort with 5 y/o and 4 y/o. Pros and cons?

 

[maverickj44]

We have stayed at both from the time we were little. As a child I LOVED Vistana~ Great pools, Great activities, and all was close in proximity to our units. Orange Lake, though a beautiful resort I felt was much more adult oriented. The pools were further away, and really focussed on the golf course. They did have some awesome putt-putt course, and always had music by the pool... but Vistana gets my vote.

 

[TheKatie]

Which resort with 5 y/o and 4 y/o. Pros and cons?

Vistana! We're just back from a week and LOVED it - tons for kids - the 'FUn Team" is always out doing things - poolside movies, tie dye tshirts, pool games etc.. and it was very easy to find your way around. if you stay at the Vistana try to get a spot in the Falls section- that pool has a slide and is near the mini golf, rec center and kids corner, and not far from the super pool...
enjoy!

 

[Detailor]

I don't think that you can go wrong with either one. Both are large, well-maintained resorts with terrific amenities. OLCC has better mini-golf and an outstanding waterpark feature but, as otherwise noted in this thread, some of these resort features are far apart and may be inconveniently located depending on where your villa is situated. However, there are pools located in each phase of the resort. At Vistana the amenities and villa phases are more condensed and the pool areas are pretty convenient to each phase, though maybe not as impressive as those at OLCC. There's a resort convenience store at both of these resorts but there's a Target store across the road from OLCC and a Publix store that's at the edge of the OLCC property right at the east entrance to the resort.

So, perhaps, it would be a matter of location. OLCC is located in Kissimmee near the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the AK theme park, the closest park - it's about 5 miles from OLCC to the AK parking lot. The Sheraton Vistana Resort is located on SR 535 on the other side of I-4 from the Downtown Disney area. It's about 5 miles from Vistana Resort to the closest theme park, Hollywood Studios. Vistana is a little bit closer to more Disney theme parks than OLCC is but not by a lot. But OLCC somehow seems further away, at least for me.

For us the Vistana location is better because of the proximity to DTD, the Premium Outlets, several of the area restaurants that we like and it's close to two entrances/exits to I-4.

Dick Taylor

 

[Brian Noble]

Vistana is a little bit closer to more Disney theme parks than OLCC is but not by a lot. But OLCC somehow seems further away, at least for me.

I think the difference is in the road layout; to get from OLCC to the parks, you have to sort of go "around the bend." The route from Vistana seems more direct.

 

[sonomom]

At the Vistana is the new kid pirate ship at the resort or village? Are there good kid pools/ splash areas at the resort?

 

[TheKatie]

At the Vistana is the new kid pirate ship at the resort or village? Are there good kid pools/ splash areas at the resort?

The Pirate ship is at the Villages


At the VistanaThe super pools at Cascades section has a waterfall, zero entry, and splash fountain as does the super pool in the Fountasin Section. The Falls section (where we stayed) has a neat little slide. When we were there last week they also had a huge inflatable slide they ran water down and was all the rage with teenage boys..;-)

 

[sonomom]

Have any pics of the pools?

 

[sonomom]

Can I throw in Summer Bay....thoughts on this one as comparison with small children.

 

[TheKatie]

Have any pics of the pools?

I'm not sure how to post photos here
but there Vistana questions thread up in the reviews section has a bunch