Review Sheraton Vistana Villages- here now

[dvcnewgirl]

First, I must start off saying I have never stayed off site except for weekends since I am a DVC owner in probably 10 years. We typically stay at the Boardwalk when we are in Orlando. Secondly this is not a Disney trip. We are doing a Sea World, Aquatica last minute getaway. So I can not tell about Disney shuttles etc. That being said this place is WONDERFUL I have fallen in love. It is a gorgeous resort. The pools are great the staff has been above and beyond helpful. The room is very nice and well decorated. I really can not find a complaint. It has been pure heaven since I got here. Would I stay here if I was doing a Disney trip? Yes, if I was paying cash I would, since we usually drive and do not do the bus system anyway. It is really a great place for families with tons of kids activities. Looking forward to enjoying my 2 days that I have left.

 

[lunapnp]

How far of a drive is it from Disney and Sea World? We are revamping our October plans. We were scheduled for a week at Disney, but this year...for whatever reason...I'm a little frustrated with Disney's prices. So, after 9 trips to Disney, we are going to branch out this year! We are doing three days at Disney (# of days left on an AP), then Sea World and Discovery Cove!!! Do these rooms have a kitchen?

TIA and enjoy the rest of your trip!!

 

[madge]

How far of a drive is it from Disney and Sea World? We are revamping our October plans. We were scheduled for a week at Disney, but this year...for whatever reason...I'm a little frustrated with Disney's prices. So, after 9 trips to Disney, we are going to branch out this year! We are doing three days at Disney (# of days left on an AP), then Sea World and Discovery Cove!!! Do these rooms have a kitchen?

TIA and enjoy the rest of your trip!!

we stayed at VV a couple of years ago -- it's a very easy drive to Epcot and the Studios, a little longer to AK and the MK. Seemed much quicker than the WDW buses!

 

[bankr63]

Do these rooms have a kitchen?

2BR units all have full kitchen and laundry (apt size washer/dryer). Smaller half of a 2BR Lock Off (splits into two 1BR units) has kitchenette and no laundry (if memory serves correctly).

 

[RooRach0906]

First, I must start off saying I have never stayed off site except for weekends since I am a DVC owner in probably 10 years. We typically stay at the Boardwalk when we are in Orlando. Secondly this is not a Disney trip. We are doing a Sea World, Aquatica last minute getaway. So I can not tell about Disney shuttles etc. That being said this place is WONDERFUL I have fallen in love. It is a gorgeous resort. The pools are great the staff has been above and beyond helpful. The room is very nice and well decorated. I really can not find a complaint. It has been pure heaven since I got here. Would I stay here if I was doing a Disney trip? Yes, if I was paying cash I would, since we usually drive and do not do the bus system anyway. It is really a great place for families with tons of kids activities. Looking forward to enjoying my 2 days that I have left.

Super excited to here this!! We are trying to trade in here for May!!! Glad to know it is so enjoyable and lots of kids activities as we will have a almost 1 and almost 4 year old with us.
Now just crossing our fingers that we get it.

 

[crazed'boutmaryP]

We are here now, but miss being on Disney. Do you know the back way to Downtown Disney and Disney in general. I had this information from a previous trip and can't find it. Glad you had a good stay.

 

[dvcnewgirl]

Sorry- I was without a computer for the last few days so I will try to catch up!

How far of a drive is it from Disney and Sea World? We are revamping our October plans. We were scheduled for a week at Disney, but this year...for whatever reason...I'm a little frustrated with Disney's prices. So, after 9 trips to Disney, we are going to branch out this year! We are doing three days at Disney (# of days left on an AP), then Sea World and Discovery Cove!!! Do these rooms have a kitchen?

TIA and enjoy the rest of your trip!!

We had a one bedroom it had a kitchenette, ( only 2 burners, and no oven) . I get what you mean about Disney's prices. I really did not miss it at all it was like having an amusement park vacation but then getting away from it all and relaxing at a resort.

we stayed at VV a couple of years ago -- it's a very easy drive to Epcot and the Studios, a little longer to AK and the MK. Seemed much quicker than the WDW buses!

2BR units all have full kitchen and laundry (apt size washer/dryer). Smaller half of a 2BR Lock Off (splits into two 1BR units) has kitchenette and no laundry (if memory serves correctly).

We had laundry in a 1 BR.

Super excited to here this!! We are trying to trade in here for May!!! Glad to know it is so enjoyable and lots of kids activities as we will have a almost 1 and almost 4 year old with us.
Now just crossing our fingers that we get it.

I had a 7yo and an almost 4 yo and they loved it! Your little ones will love the pirate pool.

We are here now, but miss being on Disney. Do you know the back way to Downtown Disney and Disney in general. I had this information from a previous trip and can't find it. Glad you had a good stay.

I don't sorry! We always just used the GPS.

 

[NicolaUK]

We are here now, but miss being on Disney. Do you know the back way to Downtown Disney and Disney in general. I had this information from a previous trip and can't find it. Glad you had a good stay.

Exit the property and turn left on International Drive, turn right in to the Premium Outlets and just drive straight ahead on Vineland Ave skirting the mall, pass the church on the left and you'll come to the exit at the 535, turn right/north and continue on that road - don't go off on to the I4 - for a minute or two and you'll come to the north end of WDW/DtD where the hotels are - the Crossroads shopping/dining area is on the right - enter left, drive past the DtD hotels and you'll come to the Marketplace

 

[crazed'boutmaryP]

Thank you for directions, end of our trip but will save.

 

[bankr63]

Exit the property and turn left on International Drive, turn right in to the Premium Outlets and just drive straight ahead on Vineland Ave skirting the mall, pass the church on the left and you'll come to the exit at the 535, turn right/north and continue on that road - don't go off on to the I4 - for a minute or two and you'll come to the north end of WDW/DtD where the hotels are - the Crossroads shopping/dining area is on the right - enter left, drive past the DtD hotels and you'll come to the Marketplace

For the main Disney Sites, don't turn right on Vineland. Just continue to the end of I-Drive and turn right on World Center Drive, becomes Epcot Center Drive. Signage from there gets you to all parks.

During rush hour I would also avoid Vineland as the right onto 535 gets VERY backed up. Follow directions above, and from World Center either turn first right on 535 (and back past Vineland, staying left to avoid all the traffic backed up trying to get onto I-4), or take first exit after I-4 which will be E. Buena Vista drive. You will be coming into DTd from the other direction then. Both these routes are slightly longer, but during late afternoon will be much quicker.

M Ross

 

[crazed'boutmaryP]

Thanks for the directions. Just wanted to update on our stay. First three nights we were in a 1 bedroom in the new St. Augustine section. Beautiful decor, flat screen TVs and IPod speakers, but had hardwood floors so you heard the upstairs chairs and stools dragging on the floor. Then moved to a 2bdr in Amelia. It was awful. Carpet had black areas, very run down looking. Couch was for 2 people only and looked like it was from the 1970's. Chair had stains where your head would rest, bedding and curtains were a dark color. Immediately requested a move, only thing available was in Key West. Checked out the room, much better. No flat screen TV or IPod dock, but clean, furnishings were well maintained, bedding was just like St. Augustine. Internet was intermittent. Definetely felt cleaner and warmer than Amelia.

I tend to like Key West also since there are less floors than Amelia and St. Augustine. The kicker is that my husband turned down a 2bdr in St. Augustine when we moved initially since he couldn't reach me. I'm sure they are beautiful.

Enjoyed movie night at the pool. Spent a little time at the new St. Augustine pool which has a small waterslide and small pirate ship. The rooms are definetely spacious. Ten to fifteen minute drive to the parks.

We received 2, 7 day Universal Park to Park tickets for doing the 3 night owner's update/sales package. When I inquired about purchasing an additional ticket at the ticket desk, they told me it would be 133.00 (maybe a dollar more or less). Didn't need it, but was wondering-great price.

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

We are staying at Vistana Villages in Dec.! Do they provide towels for the pool in the room or do we get them when we go to the pool? (If it is even warm enough to swim, we are hoping it will be)

 

[crazed'boutmaryP]

We are staying at Vistana Villages in Dec.! Do they provide towels for the pool in the room or do we get them when we go to the pool? (If it is even warm enough to swim, we are hoping it will be)

They give you cards for towels and you exchange them at the pool for towels. When you return the towel they give you the card back. You can also exchange a used towel for a new one.

 

[pmiranda]

Just got back from here. 1Br unit was a dump. Stained carpet, roach in kitchen cupboard, dirty walls, etc...The room was tiny, tiny, tiny. How they call this a villa is beyond me. Embassy suites has bigger rooms. The bed was 12" from slider on one side, and 18" from bathroom door on other side. One sink in bathroom with a counter top that had no more than 6-8" of space around it. No way enough room for everyone's toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other sundries.

No one informed us before or even at check-in that the main pool was having the pipes redone, so the zero entry half was closed off, and the rest of the pool was almost 1 foot shallower, and not cleaned well. Funny that the check-in girl made a big deal about us being in bldg 1 right next to the main pool. We had to walk a ways to the pirate pool, which closed at 7:55pm except for when there was any thunder and then would close for the rest of day, since they would send home the lifeguards.

Workout room was very small.

When we called to check out at 9:30am, literally 5 minutes later the maid shows up the door asking us when we were going to leave! At the same time a couple showed up asking us if this was the model. They were told that our unit number was the model, and they wanted to come in and look at it even though we were in the middle of packing up. Horrible experience, will never return.

 

[PittPantherfan]

Stayed here in 2009 and would go back. This time we are trying out staying on property at Disney. Hope we like it - if not, we will go back to Vistana Villages.

 

[WDWGeek1971]

We just got back after a 9 day trip to WDW. We spent the first 5 nights at the Boardwalk Villas in a one-bedroom apartment and the remaining 4 nights in a one-bedroom apartment in the Key West section of Sheraton's Vistana Villas. The Vistana was the winner in terms of price AND amenities. We had an extra half bathroom, a full formal dining area and better/more convenient drawer/closet space. Parking was also a breeze.

At both hotels we had a pool view--Luna Park at Boardwalk and the Key West quiet pool and water features at Vistana.

We got home yesterday, and today, we were talking about next year's visit for Food and Wine and will probably spend the whole week at the Vistana. We had a good rate ($99/night) using a Dreams Unlimited offer code, so the four nights at the Vistana cost about the same as 1 night at the Boardwalk. I have an annual pass, so I don't have to pay for parking when we drive to Disney ourselves, so no need to add in that as an additional cost.

The advantages to us for staying at the Boardwalk are Extra Magic Hour Evenings (we are lame and never use the Extra Magic Hour Mornings), walking distance to World Showcase and all of the Boardwalk, stumbling distance from the Belle Vue Lounge, Resort delivery of purchases, key to the world for charging to the room, and availability of the WDW resort transportation system.

The downside for staying at the Boardwalk, we've now seen better rooms (at the Vistana), PRICE, $9.95/day for internet, $12/day to valet park, availability and PRICE. Did I say price twice?

The advantages to us for staying at the Sheraton Vistana Villas are easy access to car with free parking, short/direct routes to WDW theme parks, PRICE, easy access to 528 to get to Kennedy Space Center, gorgeous/functional rooms, PRICE, FREE WiFi, and a 24-hour Walgreen's about half a mile down the road.

The biggest downside at the Sheraton Vistana Villas is loss of the Extra Magic Evening hours. This time of year Park Hours are short with closings of the AK at 5pm, Studios and MK at 7pm, and Epcot at 9pm. I travel on business a LOT, so staying in an apartment vs. a standard hotel room is important. An oddity was the extra swampy quality of the tap water at the Sheraton. The Boardwalk required only a single trip through the Brita filter to be palatable. The water at the Vistana Villas took two, and you really need to scent the water in the Jacuzzi there or the whole apartment can take on a swampy odor.

We'll see what next year brings, but until then, Sheraton Vistana Villas is a winner!

 

[sarah4770]

We stayed in a 2 BR and I really like the place a lot. I did miss being at Disney, but I also loved the condo and the pool, and would return again.

 

[alldiz]

Anyone know the difference between
The Sheraton Vistana Villages and Sheraton Vistana Resort??

Also which section to request at the villages for the cleanest newest room. Planning this trip for a friend.....don't want to disapoint
Thanks
Kerri

 

[DanenRox]

We stayed at Sheraton Vistana Resort for 4 nights prior to our DVC stay. After a long and painful check-in (we're not owners, got a great AAA rate), we were tickled pink with the 2 bedroom accommodations. Beautiful, well laid out, spacious, full amenities, large balcony....very impressive! Ultimately we had 2 problems that may affect our choices for future stays....1) no internet service despite advertising internet service. Front desk kept insisting it was unusual to not have service but in the end the manager admitted that service is frequently interrupted but "they're working on it". (we were in the Falls section). Also, I'm something of a noise snob and I don't like hearing people walking around in the room above my head. I can't understand why anyone would build such a beautiful time share and not insulate for noise? We would go back if I can get another great rate but I'd try for a top floor. And I continue to look for other timeshares in the area as well.
p.s. we toured Lake Buena Vista Resort and Spa and while it is nice, in our opinion the Vistana Resort is much nicer.

 

[Taratink]

We have stayed at the Villages many times and we have never had a problem. I absolutely love this resort. I prefer it to any of the WDW hotels. We are trying the Marriott Grande Vista this next trip just to try something different. I hope it's as nice.