Sheraton Vistana vs. on-site?? thoughts?

[alm1211]

We booked the Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas through Costco in combination with a 3 day pass to Universal/IA (and may add 2 days at Disney). We are staying Th 6/15 - W 6/21. We have never stayed off-site but, with my kids being older, I like the idea of more space, versus 5 of us in one room. My question is more about crowds at Universal for those who have gone this time of year. I'm worried that staying off-site will mess up our chances of seeing much of the Harry Potter areas. This is our first time off-site, and in the summer months. Any ideas are appreciated!

 

[wagman67]

Well, if you were looking for light crowds, you picked the wrong week. Expect heavy crowds every day you are there. Do you have Early Entry? If so, just hit the HP areas first thing.

 

[mjhtvchick]

Any way you could swing 1 night at either RPR, HRH, or PBH? That would give you early entry to WW and 2 days of unlimited EPs - might be worth checking out.

 

[snoopboop]

I have learned the hard way that I will never again stay offsite. Early entry and the Unlimited Express Pass are too valuable to me. I hate wasting time standing in line.... and though obviously the EP isn't valid for FJ, Ollivander's, or Gringotts, the ability to breeze through the lines for virtually everything else really, really helps. And early entry is incredibly valuable too, in terms of seeing everything you want to see in the HP areas.

So... I'm firmly in the "stay in a deluxe onsite hotel" camp.

 

[SuperJ]

We stay at Vistana every year because of the extra space. We don't go in summer, but when we have been, we make sure to get there right a time rope drop for whatever park doesn't have the early entry, do the ride there, hop on HE and then go right to the other ride. If you're going multiple days, do the same when the other side isn't early entry. Then we move on to any other rides based on wait times and go explore the shops, theming, etc when we can - usually mid-day when ride waits are longest - and eat at off peak times. We also always take advantage of single rider lines, which is great if your kids are old enough. If we've missed any rides, we'll line up closer to park close when waits go down. Again, if you're going multiple days, you can always use a morning to get anything you missed due to long lines on a previous day. Since the EPs don't work for HP stuff, we've never felt springing for a room for 1 night to get the EPs was worth the cost. The key is early early early - get there 45 min -to an hour before rope drop (we bring our coffee and our breakfast to eat while we wait - there's a Dublin Donuts across the street from the main Vistana entrance if you prefer to buy rather than make or we usually hit Publix on day 1 and get coffee, disposable to-go cups, and breakfast pastries in our room) so you're at the front to get in.

 

[keishashadow]

We booked the Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas through Costco in combination with a 3 day pass to Universal/IA (and may add 2 days at Disney). We are staying Th 6/15 - W 6/21. We have never stayed off-site but, with my kids being older, I like the idea of more space, versus 5 of us in one room. My question is more about crowds at Universal for those who have gone this time of year. I'm worried that staying off-site will mess up our chances of seeing much of the Harry Potter areas. This is our first time off-site, and in the summer months. Any ideas are appreciated!

We enjoyed our lone stay @ SV. lucky to land in the Cascades section as invited guests/wanted us to purchase a TS there. Short drive to WDW. It was easy to hit traffic heading up to U even if on surface streets. Allow plenty of time if you want to hit rope drop i.e. Parking/security @ garage.

I'd seriously consider doing a night onsite @ Universal (using the prepaid tix there) for 2 days FOTL perk. work in WDW when staying @ SV.

Crowds @ U mid June will be less daunting than you'd encounter end of month thru early August. Check out the various free crowd calendars

 

[rosieposy]

We stay at Vistana every year because of the extra space. We don't go in summer, but when we have been, we make sure to get there right a time rope drop for whatever park doesn't have the early entry, do the ride there, hop on HE and then go right to the other ride. If you're going multiple days, do the same when the other side isn't early entry. Then we move on to any other rides based on wait times and go explore the shops, theming, etc when we can - usually mid-day when ride waits are longest - and eat at off peak times. We also always take advantage of single rider lines, which is great if your kids are old enough. If we've missed any rides, we'll line up closer to park close when waits go down. Again, if you're going multiple days, you can always use a morning to get anything you missed due to long lines on a previous day. Since the EPs don't work for HP stuff, we've never felt springing for a room for 1 night to get the EPs was worth the cost. The key is early early early - get there 45 min -to an hour before rope drop (we bring our coffee and our breakfast to eat while we wait - there's a Dublin Donuts across the street from the main Vistana entrance if you prefer to buy rather than make or we usually hit Publix on day 1 and get coffee, disposable to-go cups, and breakfast pastries in our room) so you're at the front to get in.

We went there last year from June 17-20 and stayed at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. We did many of the same things quoted above and were able to do everything we wanted to rather easily. The key is to get there before park opening. You can get so much done in the first two hours and by using the single rider lines. We would go back to the resort when it got really busy and come back after supper when the crowds die down.