Review Sheraton Vistana Resort Questions

[Bukolo]

We just got back from staying at vistana resort for 9 nights. I booked a one bedroom with no housekeeping through Orbitz and when we arrived they gave me a two bedrooms with daily housekeeping in the Courts section. It was gorgeous even though we didn't have a good view. I love this resort.

 

[cakesnjammom]

so 2bdrm units that sleep 8 are located in every building? I exchanged for Vistana thru II.... can I use the Diamond form to request a building of choice or is that not allowed on an exchange?

great thread, very informative! thank you!

 

[disneymam]

Stayed at SVR the last week of August. We had not one negative thing to say. We truly enjoyed the place! If we ever get to go back to Disney again, we will definitely stay there. Great place and so much room in our 2 bed 2 bath place.

 

[bankr63]

so 2bdrm units that sleep 8 are located in every building? I exchanged for Vistana thru II.... can I use the Diamond form to request a building of choice or is that not allowed on an exchange?

great thread, very informative! thank you!

They could be in any building except the Falls section (only sleeps 6). Anyone can use DL request: owners, exchangers, renters. Just remember that a request is not guaranteed; they can't always give everyone exactly what they want!

 

[Letterhead]

I've stayed at Sheraton Vistana Resort twice, once in a 2BR with my family, and once in a 1BR with DGF. I will happily say that it is the best off-site location I've stayed at.

The rooms were spacious and clean, and had everything we needed (kitchen, washing machine & tumble dryer, ironing board, several televisions etc.).

The resort was large, but everything was walkable.We didn't have to leave the resort if we wanted food or snacks as it was all covered with a food court, restaurant, deli and room service.

We were also impressed by the choice of pools.

The location is perfect is the visit is more Disney orientated as it's less than 5 minutes to the front gate by car (you can actually see WDW from the Western side of the resort). There's easy access to the I-4 and I-Drive to get further North, and there was a Premium Outlets and Publix Supermarket in the area.

 

[korie99]

Hi All - I have specific questions regarding the shuttle service. So far I have read conflicting information as to whether or not the service is complimentary. We'll be staying on a relative's timeshare exchange, does this mean the shuttle service is not free? If so, does anyone know how much it will cost? Also how frequent are the shuttles? We would really like to avoid the added expense of a rental if possible.

TIA!!!

 

[bankr63]

Hi All - I have specific questions regarding the shuttle service. So far I have read conflicting information as to whether or not the service is complimentary. We'll be staying on a relative's timeshare exchange, does this mean the shuttle service is not free? If so, does anyone know how much it will cost? Also how frequent are the shuttles? We would really like to avoid the added expense of a rental if possible.

TIA!!!

There is a charge for owners and exchangers. This is from the owners website:

To make your travel to area attractions easier, we offer shuttle buses for a nominal fee to the Walt Disney World® Resort, Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Disney's Hollywood StudiosTM and Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. Taxi service is available to get you to Downtown Disney® Pleasure Island, Sea World® Orlando, Universal Studios Florida® and Wet 'n Wild.​

We don't take the shuttles, but if I recall correctly (and please someone who has actually taken one correct me if I am wrong!), the "nominal" fee was $4 per person when I asked a couple of years ago (didn't think to ask if that was return price). If it is return trip cost, that is about cost of parking for a family of 4. If that is each way, a rental car is starting to look much better considering the convenience!

If you don't get an answer here, a quick call to the resort should get you the information you want. Just ask for the transportation desk if the receptionist doesn't know. If you do call, don't forget to post the answer here!

 

[korie99]

Hi all - wanted to come back and let you know I did call the resort and ask about shuttle costs. It is $9 per person (gasp!) however I did not think to ask if that is round trip or one way (I certainly hope that's round trip). The schedule changes based on park hours, but right now they start at 7:45am and the last shuttle is at 6:30pm.

 

[bankr63]

Thanks Korie,

This question gets asked a lot, so it's good to have an up to date cost. $9, even for a round trip, does sound like a lot. For a family of 4, that's $36. Take off the $15 for parking at Disney, and there is still a pretty good chunk of the rental car cost covered.

I like the convenience of a car too; you can head back to the resort for an afternoon swim (or nap if you have young'ns) and inexpensive dinner before popping back to the parks for the parades/fireworks.

Note to those who are renting direct from Sheraton; they still (up to now) include the cost of the shuttle in the rental. This extra cost applies to timeshare owners or exchangers only.

 

[Carlo]

Just returned from a one week stay at the resort. We had a 1 BR unit in Cascades section and were very pleased with our stay. The resort is very well kept and safe (we were actually surprised by the amount of security patrols).

Unfortunately, we were not able partake in any of the scheduled activities because of our full plate. Also, a little disappointed that the Cascades pool is currently under renovations but overall very pleased with our stay and definitely would stay again.

The location is ideal as it is not too far from the Disney attractions as well as the outlet malls.

 

[FrankieDplus3]

Just returned from a one week stay at the resort. We had a 1 BR unit in Cascades section and were very pleased with our stay. The resort is very well kept and safe (we were actually surprised by the amount of security patrols).

Unfortunately, we were not able partake in any of the scheduled activities because of our full plate. Also, a little disappointed that the Cascades pool is currently under renovations but overall very pleased with our stay and definitely would stay again.

The location is ideal as it is not too far from the Disney attractions as well as the outlet malls.

Totally agree.
We also had a very enjoyable stay with our 1 BR visit.
Our longest trip to Disney or an Outlet was no more than 12 mins.

Glad you enjoyed your stay.

 

[WeNeedKetchup]

Just returned from a one week stay at the resort. We had a 1 BR unit in Cascades section and were very pleased with our stay. The resort is very well kept and safe (we were actually surprised by the amount of security patrols).

Unfortunately, we were not able partake in any of the scheduled activities because of our full plate. Also, a little disappointed that the Cascades pool is currently under renovations but overall very pleased with our stay and definitely would stay again.

The location is ideal as it is not too far from the Disney attractions as well as the outlet malls.

Do you know how long the pool will be closed? We are going to be staying in the Cascades section in a month & I'm hoping the renovations are done by then!

 

[bankr63]

Do you know how long the pool will be closed? We are going to be staying in the Cascades section in a month & I'm hoping the renovations are done by then!

Hmmm, couldn't find anything about closure in the resort newsletters. Let's hope it's a short one. I did check the activities calendar for next week, and they have "Surf Fitness 101" scheduled at the Cascades Pool for Monday October 3rd. Not proof positive that it will be open, but a good sign!

Note that the Spa Super Pool is only a half block walk away, and that guests can use any of the 6 other pools at the resort. Our family likes to pool hop anyway so we can get the best that each offers...

 

[TheKatie]

Hi ,
we will be going back to Vistana for the second time next April.. in 2010 we stayed in the falls section and LOVED it- right near the Falls pool and quick access to spas super pool...parked right in front of our unit etc..

this time we have a chance to trade into the fountains/lakes section .. just wondering what the pros/cons might be to staying there versus where we stayed the last time -- I liked the access to Zimmies adn the store but know that the the 'other side' has plusses too... thoughts?

 

[bankr63]

Hi ,
we will be going back to Vistana for the second time next April.. in 2010 we stayed in the falls section and LOVED it- right near the Falls pool and quick access to spas super pool...parked right in front of our unit etc..

this time we have a chance to trade into the fountains/lakes section .. just wondering what the pros/cons might be to staying there versus where we stayed the last time -- I liked the access to Zimmies adn the store but know that the the 'other side' has plusses too... thoughts?

This is a really tough question, as my opinion may not match your desires at all. I will say that we like the South Side for most of the reasons you list (plus the fact that we own a week there), and that we have never stayed on the North Side - only visited. I'll try for a list of pro/con:

• South is older but most sections are more recently renovated.
• North is 3 to 5 story buildings; South has more older 2 story, but Cascades buildings are the largest in the resort. Everything under 4 stories in the resort does not have elevators. (IMO - third floor Springs are great units, but some people hate the walkup!)
• South is more spread out, North a bit more compact (with all amenities right in the middle).
• South has more sit down dining options, North has the food court.
• North has two really nice pools, but both seem busy. South has more pools, a couple are really nice but busy too (Spas and Cascades) but the others tend to be quieter.
• South does have additional recreational options (tennis courts, mini-putt, jogging route, bike rentals) and the marketplace.
• A handful of the North side building are quite close to the I-4, but there are also some units in Palms, Springs and Cascades that overlook SR535 as well.

As you stated, all sections are really pretty good, and you need only walk across a very quiet street to enjoy the facilities on the other side. IMO - it really makes little difference which side you stay on. If there is a cost advantage to either, go with that, if not, go with what you know you liked...

Whatever you choose, I know you'll have a great time!

 

[TheKatie]

I think we're going to give the North side a try just to try something different... we started our vacation planning thinking we'd go some place totally different but ended up decided we wanted to go back to some place we knew we loved... so to change it up a little we'll try a new spot within our beloved resort!

 

[korie99]

Hi all - I'm back with a few more questions

1.) We booked through Interval on a relative's certificate that was gifted to us. The certificate was for a 2 br unit but by the time we were ready to book only the 1 br's were left. Is there any chance we could still put in a request for a 2 br and they might fit us in if they have one available?

2.) How can I find out what section of the resort we are booked in?

I know very little about the timeshare ownership world, so forgive me if these are silly questions.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[bankr63]

Hi all - I'm back with a few more questions

1.) We booked through Interval on a relative's certificate that was gifted to us. The certificate was for a 2 br unit but by the time we were ready to book only the 1 br's were left. Is there any chance we could still put in a request for a 2 br and they might fit us in if they have one available?

2.) How can I find out what section of the resort we are booked in?

I know very little about the timeshare ownership world, so forgive me if these are silly questions.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Not silly questions. I would wager that the majority of people on the DIS Board are not TS owners, and don't know the ins and outs.

I can't provide too much specific help for questions 1. DW and I trade on RCI (the other major exchange), so I don't know a lot about the II rules. That said, there is still a chance that a 2BR will come up, but it is not guaranteed. You see most of the units will be deposited with II fairly far out, but owners sometimes deposit their weeks up to the last minute. Since Vistana actually picks the weeks that get deposited in most cases (all owners in Sheraton Vacation Network, and all floating ownerships), the January weeks were probably the first ones to get deposited. But there are several sections of Vistana that are deeded weeks - the owner has the same week every year, and that is the week that would be deposited; and some owners wait until their maintenance fees are due (right around now) to deposit their weeks if they decide not to use them. So again, there is a slim chance that a 2BR could still come available. The question remains as to whether you can wait it out. You run the risk of missing the 1BR units too. From your siggie, it looks like you aren't going during one of the busiest weeks, so a sell out at the resort is less likely.

As to knowing what section you are in, it is really impossible to tell for certain. RCI reservation confirmations do show you what unit you traded for, but the resort still maintains the right to move folks around, just as long as they are in the correct sized unit. Almost all sections have 2BR's that sleep 8/6, (that's 8 max, 6 in privacy), but only Courts (lowers) and Falls units are 6/4 due to singles in the 2nd bedroom. So if you have an 8, you could be placed pretty much anywhere in the resort, but 6's are easier to locate. But as I've said before on this thread, all the sections are really great, with only modest trade offs for each.

Note that if you have your heart set on a specific section, or if you have special needs (access), then be sure to use the Diamond Lane request form in advance. You'll have a much better chance of getting what you want if you ask in advance!

Enjoy your trip!

 

[korie99]

Since we are currently booked in a 1 bedroom w/full kitchen I think that means we are either in Cascades or Lakes, is that right? After looking at the Sheraton website it looks like there are only 1 br units in those 2 sections. And they both look great, so I'd have no idea which one to request ahead of time! The floor plans alone are making me drool - at first I wasn't crazy about staying off property, but knowing that the Vistana is SO nice certainly makes up for that!

Thanks for your help!

 

[bankr63]

Since we are currently booked in a 1 bedroom w/full kitchen I think that means we are either in Cascades or Lakes, is that right? After looking at the Sheraton website it looks like there are only 1 br units in those 2 sections. And they both look great, so I'd have no idea which one to request ahead of time! The floor plans alone are making me drool - at first I wasn't crazy about staying off property, but knowing that the Vistana is SO nice certainly makes up for that!

Thanks for your help!

That is correct, those are the only two sections with 1BR units. The sizes vary a bit, but we brought along DSIL and 2 Nephews last March and they were very comfortable in one of the smaller 1BR's. As long as the kids don't mind sleeping together on the pull-out sofa.

Both sides of the resort are nice. If you think you will use sit-down dining more or the marketplace, go for Cascades. If you think the food court is more your style, try Lakes. Or just let fate make the decision for you. Don't forget to spend some time wandering the resort so you have an idea of what all the facilities are should you decide to return.

Have a great visit!