The Sheraton Vistana Resort Thread (key links on p.1)

Alrighty, I heard back from Kayla (the pre-arrival coordinator) today. Here is what she said:

I am still very much the Pre-Arrival Coordinator though! We’ve had a lot of confusion surrounding the Diamond Lane Program ending because Guests and Owners no longer have me (or anyone else) as a point of contact. All location preferences are just noted in the reservation by Guest Services Team.

For this particular person, their email came in on my days off and I unfortunately wasn’t able to see it until after they arrived. As the only pre-arrival coordinator at this property, I deal with all of the Elite Marriott Bonvoy Members so my email can become a little hectic some days! I do try to get back to everyone who contacts me though, so I don’t want to discourage anyone from reaching out in the future.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you could make a suggestion on the site to try to reach out earlier (a few weeks out) that way we have a little more wiggle room and I have a chance to answer. We also aren’t able to guarantee any location preference outside of units that are under fixed ownership. We can only block people into the room type they have booked (sleep 6, sleep 8, small 1 bedroom, standard 1 bedroom, or the premium one bedroom). There seems to be confusion when people are booking and a specific room type isn’t available to book through Marriott, RCI, or II. If it’s not available to book, it’s not available in our inventory to change the room type.

Let me know if there’s any other information on the site that you may need to update! I’m always happy to help make sure the people using that forum have the correct information!
 
Alrighty, I heard back from Kayla (the pre-arrival coordinator) today.
Thanks for sharing! There's quite a bit to unpack with what she said compared to our experience.
I am still very much the Pre-Arrival Coordinator though!
I'm very glad to hear this! As I mentioned above, the desk was not aware if she was still the Prearrival coordinator and really couldn't give information.
For this particular person, their email came in on my days off and I unfortunately wasn’t able to see it until after they arrived.
I sent an email to her on January 27th. My kids didn't check in until February 1. That was 5 days before check in. Not that I don't appreciate that she's busy, but in 5 days there wasn't one opportunity to respond? My gut feeling.... and going by what she said here:
All location preferences are just noted in the reservation by Guest Services Team.
gives me the feeling that because my request was only a location preference (actually a room preference; one bedroom premium over a regular one bedroom and in Lakes section, if available) that maybe she felt that it was taken care of and therefore no need to reply. Speculating here and hoping I'm not right about it.
I do try to get back to everyone who contacts me though, so I don’t want to discourage anyone from reaching out in the future.
Honestly, even if she didn't see my email until after check in (and going by the assumption that it was my situation that you shared with her and what she's directly responding to) it still would've been professional and courteous to respond at some point. Ignoring a guest, whether an owner or not, is not hospitable nor makes me want to "reach out" with any future requests. Especially knowing that she did in fact receive my email in the first place. The whole thing leaves a very bad taste in my mouth, especially if she feels free to share information on my personal experience, even small, with other guests.

When we worked with Jennifer Bravo when she was in the position she personally came to our unit to meet us. That's going above and beyond in my mind, and was very appreciated. Not even getting belated reply email from Kayla is very different than our experience with Jennifer was.

We also aren’t able to guarantee any location preference outside of units that are under fixed ownership. We can only block people into the room type they have booked (sleep 6, sleep 8, small 1 bedroom, standard 1 bedroom, or the premium one bedroom).

There seems to be confusion when people are booking and a specific room type isn’t available to book through Marriott, RCI, or II. If it’s not available to book, it’s not available in our inventory to change the room type.
There's some confusion in how these rooms are listed in the various companies and it's not always super clear. Especially for skyauction, which we used once. The listing for that was "one bedroom, full kitchen". For Interval, they list by bedroom and you have to be careful to look for the occupancy. And for the one bedroom unit I just booked, it lists "one bedroom, one bathroom, accommodating 4 privately, 4 maximum" Definitely not these three choices :
small 1 bedroom, standard 1 bedroom, or the premium one bedroom

I'm not trying to offend you owners and you know I've been vocal on my positive experiences at the Sheraton on Dis for a while now. I'm just sharing my experience with this particular situation with Kayla. It does weigh negatively that she acknowledged my email to a stranger, but not have any courtesy to actually contact me directly. Especially since I wrote in my email that I was looking forward to booking for May. This is giving me doubts.

Unless I am mistaken and Gina you didn't tell her of my personal experience that I posted on here, in which case just ignore what I wrote!
 
Thanks for sharing! There's quite a bit to unpack with what she said compared to our experience.

I'm very glad to hear this! As I mentioned above, the desk was not aware if she was still the Prearrival coordinator and really couldn't give information.

I sent an email to her on January 27th. My kids didn't check in until February 1. That was 5 days before check in. Not that I don't appreciate that she's busy, but in 5 days there wasn't one opportunity to respond? My gut feeling.... and going by what she said here:

gives me the feeling that because my request was only a location preference (actually a room preference; one bedroom premium over a regular one bedroom and in Lakes section, if available) that maybe she felt that it was taken care of and therefore no need to reply. Speculating here and hoping I'm not right about it.

Honestly, even if she didn't see my email until after check in (and going by the assumption that it was my situation that you shared with her and what she's directly responding to) it still would've been professional and courteous to respond at some point. Ignoring a guest, whether an owner or not, is not hospitable nor makes me want to "reach out" with any future requests. Especially knowing that she did in fact receive my email in the first place. The whole thing leaves a very bad taste in my mouth, especially if she feels free to share information on my personal experience, even small, with other guests.

When we worked with Jennifer Bravo when she was in the position she personally came to our unit to meet us. That's going above and beyond in my mind, and was very appreciated. Not even getting belated reply email from Kayla is very different than our experience with Jennifer was.




There's some confusion in how these rooms are listed in the various companies and it's not always super clear. Especially for skyauction, which we used once. The listing for that was "one bedroom, full kitchen". For Interval, they list by bedroom and you have to be careful to look for the occupancy. And for the one bedroom unit I just booked, it lists "one bedroom, one bathroom, accommodating 4 privately, 4 maximum" Definitely not these three choices :


I'm not trying to offend you owners and you know I've been vocal on my positive experiences at the Sheraton on Dis for a while now. I'm just sharing my experience with this particular situation with Kayla. It does weigh negatively that she acknowledged my email to a stranger, but not have any courtesy to actually contact me directly. Especially since I wrote in my email that I was looking forward to booking for May. This is giving me doubts.

Unless I am mistaken and Gina you didn't tell her of my personal experience that I posted on here, in which case just ignore what I wrote!

The only information Kayla could be privy to is what you have posted publicly here. I don't know you personally, so there's no way I could share anything beyond what you have chosen to share on this public internet forum. I simply emailed Kayla about the fact that her future role at SVR was in question on this thread, and asked her to clarify if the rumor was true. She replied back with much more information than I expected, and honestly I feel she was trying to be helpful in her response (managing expectations, clarifying some restrictions which she must operate under, etc.). I can only assume that your posts here on the Dis were detailed enough that she was able to match them to your correspondence with her in advance of your family's reservation. But that's just a guess.

I'm a seeker of facts (one of the reasons I try to be somewhat active on this thread). I found this thread immensely valuable before our first stay (thank you @bankr63 !) and vowed to pay it forward once we decided to make the resort our home away from home when visiting Orlando. When I can help get an answer to a rumor or question, I like to do what I can to bring others the kind of information that might be helpful on THEIR trips. And even after a plethora of amazing vacations there, this thread STILL has me learning something new from time to time.

Which reminds me.....I forgot to mention.....the Diamond Lane sign WAS still up when we checked in on January 24th. We didn't have reason to go back to the Welcome Center before we checked out on the 31st, so I don't know if it was still there when we left. That said, we didn't use Diamond Lane as there was no line and multiple team members ready and waiting to assist us. Hopefully someone who will be staying in the near future can report when Diamond Lane finally fades into memory, both figuratively and physically.
 


I can only assume that your posts here on the Dis were detailed enough that she was able to match them to your correspondence with her in advance of your family's reservation. But that's just a guess.
I suggest you re-read my posts on the entire DIS to see that they are non-identifying. I am careful of that. I corresponded with her one time prior to an October trip and one time before this latest trip. I highly doubt she:
1. located the DIS and this particular thread in the first place and
2. scoured the DIS for the thousand or so posts I've made over the years to try to find my identity. And either way, and what I mentioned to you in our private correspondence, is that YOU created the connection between a non-identifying post on a public message board to a specific person who has access to my personal information. Kayla is not randomly searching the many, many travel message boards to look for posts on "the pre-arrival coordinator for the Sheraton Vistana" and trying to figure out who is posting and connect them with current customers, and there is nothing else that would've connected my online identity to my real identity. YOU directed her here where she was able to make that connection. That's not ok.

You keep making the point that my posts are on a public forum. I am fully aware of that and which is why I'm careful to never post personal pictures of myself of family, my real name, nor when or how I travel. That is not the issue.
The only information Kayla could be privy to is what you have posted publicly here.
The issue is my post and online identity being connected to my real identity by someone who has access to my personal information (as a consumer and guest of the resort) through your correspondence with her. After your comment of you and her being friends, how am I to know WHAT she shared with you? She obviously felt it important to share with you the reason why she never responded to my email, but never spoke to me directly. That's also not ok.

Thousands of people post reviews, comments, experiences, advice etc. on various forums, message boards, travel sites, etc. every day that are available to the public. But how many of us are offering our personal identity out there, including name, email, address, phone number and children? (this is the information Kayla is privy to) Again, re-read my posts on this thread, which you directed her to, and see that I did not offer my private information on the DIS. She put two and two together based on what you sent her and directed her here. Not because my posts were "detailed enough that she was able to match them to your correspondence with her in advance of your family's reservation". Out of literally hundreds of thousands of travel sites, message boards, posts and Sheraton guests.... do you think she would've been able to identify me by ONE post on THIS particular thread?

To imply that it's the fault of my posts being detailed, therefore she figured it out, is an insult. She would never have been here or known about my post, (which was only to share information on how to contact the Sheraton with requests since I got nowhere with Kayla) if it wasn't for you directing her here. I didn't complain about her lack of email reply, I simply directed people to the front desk, which is what I was told by the person I spoke with.

I have apologized to you if I upset you by bringing it up in a private conversation, but you have not apologized to me at all for contacting her with my post information without my knowing or consent, (which you said that I didn't raise objection to you contacting her when you posted you were going to contact her, as if that's also my fault). If you re-read your own post, which I quoted to you in private, you never said a word about telling Kayla about my experience. You said you were going to ask about HER position. Now all of a sudden I have a Sheraton person explaining to a stranger why she didn't reply to me. ??? I sincerely hope you and others can see why that's a problem.
I will email Kayla this week to see if I can get a better idea of whether or not she anticipates changes to her position in the short term. We chatted several times by email for our most recent trip (we just returned last night from another AWESOME week) and she was very helpful and super responsive. We will be back again in April so I'm sure she will let me know if we should email her with our pre-arrival requests or follow some other protocol. (We have become quite good friends over the last few months! She even has other staff members say hello to us for her when we have opportunity to chat with various other people on her team lol).

The Diamond Lane sign WAS still up when we checked in in the 24th, but no one was using the line.


I also told you in private that I completely understand and respect your position on wanting to share information with people and I did not think for a second that you had ill intent. I am saddened by the fact that you refuse to look at the connection you created by directing Kayla here and sharing my posts, and her subsequently finding out my identity and WHY I'm not comfortable with that, yet also blaming me for it as my "posts were on a public message board". None of that would've happened without your involvement. I'm sure she wants correct information out there and would like to create a positive experience, but this has been the complete opposite.

I have said over and over on this board how much I love the Sheraton and raved about our great experiences here. I've tried to do my part in "paying it forward" and sharing important information, just as you and others have, based on facts. But I'm afraid I'm done now.

As I told you, I don't wish you any ill will and I understand what you were trying to do. I'm only asking that you acknowledge that a line was crossed, which you refuse to do and continue to blame my posting on a public message board as the reason Kayla knows my identity.
 
So I take it from Kayla's message that Diamond Lane is most certainly closed/closing. Glad to hear that she is still continuing in her role in some fashion, although it sounds like it might be more about catering to the Bonvoy Elites than everyday guests. I will update the page one link again to reflect this.

I have often suspected that Sheraton does view this thread from time to time. With (currently) 325,000 views, it is not insignificant. The prior Vistana thread had near 300,000 views as well, so it makes sense to pay attention if a company is interested in its social media profile. Gina has had the opportunity to make direct contact to the resort staff, possibly because they were aware of who she is. I don't think they have ever associated me with an ownership (probably because the ownership is actually in my wife's name), which allows me to be candid with my opinions. Note that most companies that are Web savvy don't go looking for posts like this. They have web crawlers that inform then every time their brand name gets mentioned on the web. I suspect that all the mentions of Sheraton, Vistana, and Marriott here probably draws some interest.

@mckennarose, I don't know if Gina gave any specific information about you or not, but IMO it would not be very hard at all to figure it out if Gina simply said that a post on here mentioned a guest had not received an answer. Pretty easy to figure out which post that was and what the travel dates were then go back through an email backlog to see what happened. As someone who has worked extensively in areas of customer satisfaction that kind of post-incident analysis is something I would do as a matter of course so that I could improve performance in the future. If I was in Kayla's place, I probably would have done the same.

I do find the excuses a little hollow, but not really Kayla's fault but Marriott's. If they are serious about customer satisfaction then they should ensure that they resource a position like this accordingly. I also think that using an individual employee's email is very poor practice; it should be something much more process related like "arrivals@marriotdotcom" so that they can adjust to changes in staff or volumes and have coverage when a representative is away.

One point I would disagree with is that booking through the Marriott site, there is only one type of 1BR and one 2BR listed, both of which are the "lowest common denominator" size. I suspect this is so that they can place you in any 1BR or 2BR type unit on a run of the resort basis. However on II and RCI you have a wider selection of villa types, so you can select your accommodation more appropriately. Skyauction is generally excess inventory from RCI/II, so the unit type restrictions would apply there as well.

@mckennarose you have posted a lot of valuable information here along with all the other regulars. I appreciate your input and insight and am sorry to hear you don't want to participate anymore. Thank you for your contributions to date.
 
@mckennarose, I don't know if Gina gave any specific information about you or not, but IMO it would not be very hard at all to figure it out if Gina simply said that a post on here mentioned a guest had not received an answer. Pretty easy to figure out which post that was and what the travel dates were then go back through an email backlog to see what happened. As someone who has worked extensively in areas of customer satisfaction that kind of post-incident analysis is something I would do as a matter of course so that I could improve performance in the future. If I was in Kayla's place, I probably would have done the same.

Just to clarify (because I feel as if I've been personally attacked enough [not by you, @bankr63] to warrant a clarification on my part ) I did not give any specific information about ANY poster on this thread when I contacted Kayla. I have no knowledge of any other poster's additional personal details to share beyond what someone has chosen to share here, and neither did I reference anyone's personal situation. When I emailed Kayla, I indicated there was a rumor mentioned on this thread that her role was possibly being reassigned or discontinued, and asked her to confirm or deny so that I could keep the information factual for the benefit of those who use this forum as a helpful resource. That was the ONLY question I posed to her. Her reply obviously addressed more than just my original question [it seems likely she spent a little time reading some of the posts that have been shared here], perhaps because she felt the need to justify the comments made about her not responding to another guest. I can't (and won't) speak for Kayla, as our "friendship" is on a very basic business level, but I suppose I would want to explain myself as well, given the opportunity, if my job performance was being discussed in a negative manner on a public internet forum.

@bankr63, you did raise an interesting point about whether the exceptional care we have received from time to time has something to do with the fact that my online presence has already been identified by resort staff. I'd like to think its just good karma ;-) , but Steve has often suggested the same thing ("do you think they know you post a lot of info about the resort on the Dis, so they work extra hard to ensure every experience we have is a positive one?"). It doesnt' really matter to me either way.....I'm totally fine with the resort knowing what I post (there is no expectation of privacy here), and actually hope that they take any of my criticisms constructively for the benefit of future guests. Likewise, I'll continue being supportive of the things they do right, hoping that they listen to that feedback as well.
 


I regularly read all the threads in this forum

Many great people in here that have tried hard to contribute to all the readers!
And many post information that worked for them and might help others

With all the great tips and help I found in this thread, please don’t let it go south

I have found some positive statements by all here

To have the feeling of being attacked is not what anyone should have to go through

It hurts to your core and it is hard to shake off

I’m sure this thread can change direction and pick up more on the positives

Please be respectful and kind to each other and any differences are easier to be worked out

Play Nice
 
I am so interested in staying at at this type of hotel and was told this thread would guide me
(That is how I found this thread earlier)

The hotel looks fantastic!
I can see why it is so popular

My question is, is it difficult to get a last minute booking here?
 
I am so interested in staying at at this type of hotel and was told this thread would guide me
(That is how I found this thread earlier)

The hotel looks fantastic!
I can see why it is so popular

My question is, is it difficult to get a last minute booking here?
Like most of the resorts in Orlando, it depends on season. Prime weeks (holiday and vacations) the villas are pretty full, although they don't seem that way. Lots of units sit idle because owners don't use them, but the resort management (Marriott) cannot rent them out. Surprising how many owners don't use or exchange their weeks, just letting them go to waste.

It is a large resort though, so most of the time there is plenty of availability. You can book through Marriott or a TA, that would be accessing the inventory that is actually held by Vistana/Marriott. It used to be around 10%, but is probably much higher now as they try to convert owners over to points programs. For rental of unused weeks from the major exchange companies, SkyAuction is a good source, and generally has the best rates, especially for shoulder weeks. For rentals direct from owners, check out Timeshare User Group (tug2.net) or Redweek.com.
 
Hello! We are assigned a room in the Springs section (room 813 I think). Does anyone know how long the walk is from Springs to some of the other areas of the resort - mainly the super pool/activity center and the marketplace. Thanks!
 
Hello! We are assigned a room in the Springs section (room 813 I think). Does anyone know how long the walk is from Springs to some of the other areas of the resort - mainly the super pool/activity center and the marketplace. Thanks!
First off, you may NOT be in that specific unit unless you are renting from a deeded owner (and I don't think that Springs was sold as deeded fixed week ownerships). Villas reserved via most channels are not generally fixed until just before check in day, and most channels (II or RCI) don't show you the relation because it causes confusion when parties arrive and aren't in the units they thought they would be in.

That said, if you are in Springs 813 (Springs building number 1) it is a pretty good location. We have stayed in the next building over (Springs #2). You will be backing onto one of the nicest pond vegetation areas in the resort, it is very peaceful and zen back there. You are about a block away from the Marketplace (walking past the ends of Cascades 14 and 15) and another block to Zimmies and the Spas pool. Cascades pool is a little closer than Spas. There are good walking paths/sidewalks throughout the resort and it is an easy walk with a small drinks cooler and some towels.

Follow the link to the map on post #2 of this thread and you can work out where your unit is in relation to the rest of the amenities.
 
First off, you may NOT be in that specific unit unless you are renting from a deeded owner (and I don't think that Springs was sold as deeded fixed week ownerships). Villas reserved via most channels are not generally fixed until just before check in day, and most channels (II or RCI) don't show you the relation because it causes confusion when parties arrive and aren't in the units they thought they would be in.

That said, if you are in Springs 813 (Springs building number 1) it is a pretty good location. We have stayed in the next building over (Springs #2). You will be backing onto one of the nicest pond vegetation areas in the resort, it is very peaceful and zen back there. You are about a block away from the Marketplace (walking past the ends of Cascades 14 and 15) and another block to Zimmies and the Spas pool. Cascades pool is a little closer than Spas. There are good walking paths/sidewalks throughout the resort and it is an easy walk with a small drinks cooler and some towels.

Follow the link to the map on post #2 of this thread and you can work out where your unit is in relation to the rest of the amenities.

Thank you so much for the information! I was checking the maps and everything seems spread out so it’s good to hear things are a quick walk (we won’t have a car).

I thought we may have been assigned a unit because I randomly checked my II reservation yesterday (it’s a Getaway) and it says “Unit 0813 (2 bedrooms)” But it seems like your saying that’s probably not our room - we are not going until May.
 
I am so interested in staying at at this type of hotel and was told this thread would guide me
(That is how I found this thread earlier)

The hotel looks fantastic!
I can see why it is so popular

My question is, is it difficult to get a last minute booking here?
In my experience, the one bedrooms fill up first... easier to get two bedrooms. My vacation is in three weeks most of the resort is full.
 
We've used both Uber and Lyft to go to Magic Kingdom (actually the Contemporary resort) and the prices were between $8 and $13 one way. It's important to note that ride share prices fluctuate during the day, based on busy times and that prices are different based on which type of car you request. That's also not including tips, which I like to give cash at the end of the ride. (you can tip through the app, but my understanding is the drivers like cash better) I use whichever app is offering a promo at the time, usually between 5% and 10% off rides for a short amount of time. My most expensive Uber ride home from the Halloween party at MK was $13, not including tip, and only because we requested a "nicer" car.... and I had a promo coupon to use so I figured.... what the heck.... and we sprung for a nicer car.

The price for parking is $25 for the day. If you leave for an afternoon break, you might find parking a cheaper option than using ride share 4 times (two trips up, two trips back)

For us, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the convenience of NOT having to deal with the parking lot, ferry or monorail, and the crowds. Getting dropped at the Contemporary is easy, a quick walk over (with a small security area on the path) and not having to fight crowds at the end of the night. You don't want to get dropped at the TTC, unless you like riding the monorail or ferry. There is a whole Uber/Lyft thread on the transportation board if you have specific questions.

HTH!

Did you have to pick up the Uber from the Welcome Center or just on the street next to an exit from the property?
 
Does anyone know if there are any 2 bedroom units in Fountains I that dont have stairs?

Thanks in Advance
Absolutely they do. Fountains are 3 story buildings, and the ground floor units are at grade, so yes, 1/3 of the units have no stairs.
 
Did you have to pick up the Uber from the Welcome Center or just on the street next to an exit from the property?
I'm not currently subscribed to this thread, but I got the alert that you quoted my post and I'm happy to answer your question and help.

I posted this a few months ago:

We've used both Uber and Lyft from the Vistana and from my conversations with the Sheraton people I gather they recommend Uber over Lyft. For what reasons, I don't know, but I was told at check in that Uber has permission to pick up directly at villas and you need to be very specific on pick up locations when requesting a ride. Meaning noting which section and building number. We didn't do that and opted to be picked up at the welcome center for both Uber and Lyft the times we used them over our past two trips. Some drivers are not familiar with the Sheraton and we had a few who mentioned to us that it was their first time there.

That said, both Uber and Lyft use GPS location for pick up and will come to get you wherever you are. I'm not sure how they get past the gates.... however the times we've been dropped off on Disney property the driver simply tells the gate they are picking up or dropping off and they are let through. It could be the same at the Vistana. I've also seen people picked up directly outside the guard shack for the Fountains/Lakes section on Meadow Creek Drive.

Either way, it's super easy and convenient. Any questions that I can help you with, let me know! I highly recommend using ride share in Disney.

There is an Uber and Lyft thread on the Dis that I suggest you check out for basics on how it works, tipping, how /what to request, drop off locations, etc.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/everthing-you-wanted-to-know-about-uber-lyft-at-wdw.3443634/

We've always been picked up at the welcome center. Uber and Lyft both work great in WDW. I prefer Uber, but sometimes I have a good Lyft deal and will use that. They both will send discounts through the app and I tend to use whichever has the better deal.

While I'm here, and the posts that I can see....
Thank you so much for the information! I was checking the maps and everything seems spread out so it’s good to hear things are a quick walk (we won’t have a car).

I thought we may have been assigned a unit because I randomly checked my II reservation yesterday (it’s a Getaway) and it says “Unit 0813 (2 bedrooms)” But it seems like your saying that’s probably not our room - we are not going until May.
That's very interesting, because every Interval reservation I've made never had a specific unit. My getaways were listed as
"Accommodations: 2 bedroom, 2 bath,
Accommodating: 06 privately, 08 maximum"

HTH!
 
Thanks for responding! It is odd because my original confirmation did not have a unit number but when I went back recently to check something on the website and looked up the Getaway it says:
Sheraton Vistana Resort • VIT
Unit: 0813 (2 Bedrooms)
Week: xx
Odd that it has a unit listed. I guess I could call and ask what it means...
 
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