Sheraton Vistana Villas

[momof2intx]

Hello! We actually have a room booked at ASM, but we are trying to save $ wherever we can and if that means staying off-site, then we will have to. I saw a great deal on Dreams Unlimited (from this board) for a total of $814 for 6 nights in a 2-bedroom suite at the Sheraton Vistana. We are traveling with another party and our ASM rate was $820 PER ROOM....so, we would be saving about $400 each by staying together in a suite at the Sheraton.
I looked at their pictures and the amenities and it looks nice.... I have read mixed reviews about the property but wanted to know if anyone had been there recently??

Also, about their shuttles to the parks.....Dreams Unlimited says it is FREE but on the Sheraton website it says there is a fee -- which is it? We are trying to figure out if we should rent a car. On past trips we have driven to FL, but we are flying this year due to a $3000 transmission problem we encountered last year!!

Any info on this resort would be greatly appreciated! BTW, this is for the Sheraton Vistana Resort by Lake Buena Vista....I know there is one on I-drive as well.

~Jennifer

 

[CoralCayTownhome]

Sorry can't help with details on the Sheraton but you may want to consider a condo or townhome in a resort community instead. This would give you more room than a suite and will more than likely be a good bit cheaper - the savings can then go towards your car rental

 

[MiaSRN62]

Hi Jennifer,

I own at Vistana. The 2 bedrooms are very spacious, but make sure you know which section you are getting into. There are 9 different sections on this resort (it is very large). Some of the villas are on the old side and not quite as modern/fresh as the newer ones. The Courts section was built pre-1980. The older villas do appear a tad dated compared to the newer Lakes and Cascades. I own in the Fountains I/II. We are happy with them, but others have felt even those were dated and they are next newest under the Lakes.

But then you have the newer ones as well (Lakes and Cascades) and there are several in between with varying ages. So ask on the site before you book which section you are getting. The older Courts and Falls section only have 2 "twin" beds in the second bedroom. All other sections have 2 "double" beds. So this could make a difference.

Only the newest Lakes and Cascades have elevator buildings. So if stairs are an issue, you'd need either one of those sections or a ground floor at one of the other sections.

The shuttle is free to those renting. Timeshare owners and exchangers must pay.
Don't expect the shuttle to run anywhere near as well as the disney busses. They are really spaced out and there is only one pickup/dropoff location. This is at the front of the resort. You could have quite a long hike to this area depending on where your room is. Consider the fact that you could get dropped off in the middle of a drenching thunderstorm and still have a 15++ min walk back to your room with kids ? Disney busses tend to drop you off much closer to your room. The Vistana shuttles do not run every 10-15 min like the disney busses do so just be prepared for that. We always rent a car when staying on Vistana property.

So ask Dreams Unlimited which section of the resort you would be staying in.

 

[pewing]

We are booked at Sheraton Vistana Resort...is that different than the Villas?

I did wonder about the buses. We are driving (ugh) so I think we will just plan to drive.

I am trying to decide whether to book a couple of additional days at SVR (we got four on a promotional deal) or if I want to pack up the crew and move to a Disney Resort for the last couple of days.

Thoughts? I told Sue Ellen at DU that moving from a 2 BDR villa to a single room with three kids might be tough We have never stayed offsite before...


I can get the additional nights for $165 without housekeeping. That is half of what I can get the Poly for

 

[kend58]

DU has a good deal listed. I think the Sheraton sight http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/index.html?PS=GWS_aa_YahooSSP_51506 will also offer you Vistana in addition to various offsite sheratons and the Swan and Dolphin - Epcot area on property Starwood owned and operated Orlando offerings. We own in the lakes and have only ever stayed as owners (using our TS weeks) in the Lakes or the Cascades. These are the newest and IMHO best maintained buildings at the resort. I would recommend driving from Vistana as opposed to the shuttle service.

My DW DS and DSBB just returned from 4 day cash rental at Vistana (wife didn't like idea of 1 room and 1 bath with two teenage boys and disney wouldn't rent two rooms at the values without a 2nd adult present at check-in for the 2nd room (per CRO). so we went the Vistana hotel rental route for the space and the price. They ended up in the courts which are the oldest units on property - space was wonderful and everything worked but at 25+ years old these units show their age. I agree with others the key here is knowing what section you are getting. She would have been OK with Courts if she had known going in what she was getting the courts but she went down expecting Cascades or Lakes and got the courts.

We love Vistana and the grounds and pools are beautiful in all sections of the resort - just some differences to be aware of in which section of the resort your villa is in. Even with her disappontments (the 1st night when she called she was really upset because had just come back tired and found out she had courts not Lakes or Cascades) she still said that she was glad they had the Villa as opposed to two rooms because with the Villa during down time you get the Living room and Dining area to spread out in and with two or three TVs no fussing about what who wanted to watch when.

 

[kend58]

We are booked at Sheraton Vistana Resort...is that different than the Villas?

I can get the additional nights for $165 without housekeeping. That is half of what I can get the Poly for

I am realatively certain that you are at The Sheraton Vistana Resort (8800 Vistana Centre Drive) which is where the Vistana TS villas are. The other Orlando Sheraton TS style property is Vistana Villages (on International Drive)

The $165 stay like an owner rate is a really good deal as long as you don't need daily maid service (we actually like that better now) and have a car - the shuttles are to infrequent and IMHO a car is necessary when staying offsite - and sometimes when staying onsite for WDW

 

[MiaSRN62]

I am trying to decide whether to book a couple of additional days at SVR (we got four on a promotional deal) or if I want to pack up the crew and move to a Disney Resort for the last couple of days.

Thoughts?

It would be difficult to move from a villa to a room. But there are "+"'s and "-"'s with each.
True....the disney room would be alot tighter, BUT....you are on wdw property with cool themeing and onsite perks (think EMH's).
The negative to adding on extra nights at Vistana is this......they "could" make u move to another unit. Could be newer or older than the one you're in. But they do require you to actually move out and move in to a different villa on a frequent basis. If this is the case, I might be more inclined to go with a disney room. However, if Vistana can assure you that you will not have to move, I'd probably stay put. We are Vistana owners and they even made us move out for ONE extra night we booked. And we were "downgraded" from the section we own in (the Fountains I/II) to the Spas. I just found it suprising that they could not extend us the courtesy of not moving the last night since we are owners.

Also, the two resorts you are thinking about are : the Sheraton Vistana and the Sheraton Vistana Villages. Both are timeshare resorts and both have villas. The Villages is located further from WDW on International Drive. The main/original Vistana is on SR 535 (2-3 traffic lights away from Crossroads Shopping Center and DD (Hotel Plaza Blvd).