You're not being rude at all.....dues depend on what u own. Fixed week, floating week, yearly stays vs every other year stays, 2 bedroom dedicated vs 2 bedroom lockoff. I bought in 1994 and can tell u my yearly dues for 7 nights floating week is (was) about $650. But many of the owners have been assessed extra for big renovations at the resort. So my dues are at $1,000 for 3 years to cover these improvements.
There are also two different kinds of ownership at Vistana. Those who bough a long time ago like me and have the traditional deed where we have 7 nights every year to book stays, vs, the newer owners who bought in Starwood Vacation Network. This ownership (people who own the Lakes and Cascades section), operate on a point basis. There are internal trades to very nice difficult to reserve resorts, such as Atlantis Harborside in Nassau. You purchase a certain amount of points for stays. I am not as familiar with this as I am the traditional ownership week that I own. If u attend the hardsell sales pitch, they will most likely discuss the latter/newer SVN point-based system.
Am I satisfied ? Hmmm.....not really. Now I am saying this having not yet seen these new renovations. Vistana was pressured into doing them because they lost their Gold Crown status which makes the resort a much weaker trade into other resorts. And Vistana (or any Orlando based timeshare except for DVC) is already not the most desirable trade because the Orlando market is just flooded with timeshares. They are a dime a dozen. Also, because I pay top dollar to stay there (paying $1,000 in dues now) and I see people renting and finding websites that offer them a week there for under $500. I've seen other website that offer stays at Vistana for $99/night, daily housekeeping, and 20% discounts on all meals at the resort. Much better deal than we owners get.
If I were to try and sell Vistana, I'd probably be lucky to get $3,000 for it. The demand for Orlando timeshares is just not that strong. I am also not happy with the constant hounding we get every year we stay there. They try and pressure us to buy more time to the point we're unplugging our phones.
We do enjoy our stays there, but liked it more before Sheraton/Starwood took over. It used to feel more close-knit. We used to feel valued as owners. Now we feel like just a number. Last year a couple of the sales people were VERY rude to us. We arrived around 6 pm in pouring rain. We had had a long day after some big flight delays. It was torrentially raining. We were told to do the VIP check-in vs the regular lobby check-in since we were owners. BIG mistake. VIP check-in, is just Vistana's way of cornering owners and pressuring them to attend the high pressure sales pitch....uh, I mean "owner's breakfast" or "owner's meeting update". Don't buy that. When we were told to wait for our VIP check-in person, my husband said, "we would really just like our key and to get checked in". We had been waiting for 20 min at this time. After a biting debate with my husband and one of the Vistana check-in people, we got our key. It was given reluctantly. I should mention, that while we were waiting the 20 min, there were 3 other staffers just sitting there !??? They said they couldn't check us in because we were "assigned" to this one person. Unacceptable.
Anyway...we got our key and got into our room. Our room was clean and in good condition and I own in one of the older sections (FOuntains I and II). Next day we went to the parks and came back to a nasty note taped to our door from our assigned VIP checkin person. She pretty much scolded us in the note for not waiting and not being willing to attend the owner's meeting. She specifically mentioned how "hard she worked to get us our request" !!!! I was like SHE WORKED HARD ???? I think my dh and I work hard all year to be able to afford to vacation there. Our requests were : 3rd floor/water view. That was it. So she worked "so hard" to get us that ????
Anyway....I am venting here. Sorry you asked
I love the beauty of the resort, the relaxing atmosphere, the pretty villas. I do not love the sales people and their constant hounding. I do not like that the resort lost it's Gold Crown status. I am sure it's back or will be with all the remodeling, but I resent that Vistana let it get that bad to begin with.
So Pat.......welcome back ! How was your stay ? Which section were you in ?
coming to wdw on may 9, driving from nj
planning on staying at the sheraton vistana for a night or 2. has anyone stayed here recently or have you heard anything about resort, good or bad? any help or comments would be appreciated. thanx and have magical day
We just booked a room for one night b4 we check into the regal palms for the week. We booked for the price - $145 for 6 of us - 2 bedroom. But then I looked at the reviews online and I noticed the bug thing there too, and then to hear the bug thing on the dis - I'm a little scared. Can we request one of the newer buildings like the Cascade (was that it?) for a 2 bedroom?
