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

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I ended up booking for our upcoming trip in Oct with the Mousesavers email deal I got the other day. I had planned on staying in Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek but didn't like the extra resort fee's and parking fee's, so I cancelled and we are looking forward to our stay here.

I have a couple questions if someone who has stayed at the resort could help me out.

We are doing an Adults Only trip, which section has the quieter pools? We are ok with kids, just don't want to hear screaming all day.

Are you able to sit on the edge of the pool with your feet in the water and a beer/cocktail in your hand? I hate that the Disney pools don't allow this.

Thanks for helping!

The "quietest" pools tend to be the ones that have less extended hours and no special features. We have always found the Courts pool (which is just a simple rectangle) to be super quiet, and I would guess that Springs would be similar. The Lakes pool is also pretty quiet at most times of the day. The Falls pool is the one with the slide, so it tends to be frequented by the youngest guests of the resort. Cascades, the Super Pool and Fountains are all the largest pools, all have bars adjacent to them, and also have the longest hours (staying open until 1 am). They also feature the special events like poolside movies, karaoke, etc. As a result, they're generally the busiest of the bunch.

Our family (all adults....DH, myself, and our 19 year old son) all overwhelmingly prefer the Fountains pool area. We love that the hours are extended, we love the adjacent Tacky Tiki Bar (great drinks and food, awesome music), and we love the multi-functionality of the pool itself. It has a nice, DEEP section for swimming, an in-water volleyball net, and a cascading fountain. The Cascades pool has the splash fountains so it tends to draw in more little folks than the Fountains pool, and Super Pool also tends to draw a lot of families with its proximity to the mini golf, and tennis courts. Fountains also has TWO hot tubs, and they're both set up behind the pool waterfall (so they're quieter and away from the noise of the swimmers....in fact, at night, their location and design feel very "romantic" if you happen to catch them unoccupied).

We always see many folks enjoying an adult beverage poolside. If its against the rules, its not well policed at all. I would keep any glass containers away from the pool area for obvious reasons (I'm sure that may even be posted somewhere....I've never checked, to be honest) but otherwise you will be fine. There's definitely no pool police lurking around that we have ever seen.

We are headed to SVR in October as well. What are your dates?

 

[jicarv]

We will be going to SVR for the first time in November. I have reserved a 2BR with a King and two twin beds. Based on our check in on a Tuesday, does anyone know which section we are likely to be assigned? Our girls are 9 & 12 so I was hoping to be near the pool with the slide or the one with the waterfall. Thanks!

 

[bankr63]

We will be going to SVR for the first time in November. I have reserved a 2BR with a King and two twin beds. Based on our check in on a Tuesday, does anyone know which section we are likely to be assigned? Our girls are 9 & 12 so I was hoping to be near the pool with the slide or the one with the waterfall. Thanks!

That could be anyone's guess. Note that Sheraton often shows the lowest common denominator on their hotel type reservations, so you may very well end up in a room with full beds in the 2nd bedroom. There is no Tuesday section at Vistana, but I have theorized that they may then put you in a section/building where your departure day aligns with the rest. That is really what they are trying to accomplish for housekeeping anyway.

Now if you do actually get two singles in the 2nd bed, you will be in Falls or Courts (the only 2 with singles). These are both very centrally located and are close to slide (Falls pool) and one of the waterfalls (Cascades Pool). The resort is really quite walkable, and four of the pools in the South (main) section are within about 2 blocks of each other.

 

[CardsFan68]

We are a family of four, arriving on Friday, October 16th. We did an exchange through Interval Intl. for a 2BR. I did the Diamond Lane requests and this was the response.. I gave them the confirmation number, reservation number, and my Interval membership number. I called the resort directly and gave them my requests, and they added them to the reservation, with no guarantees. I was told that I was placed in the Cascades, which is what we were wanting so that is good. Just wondering if this has happened to anyone here?

"Starwood Vacation Network is considered its own unique entity of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and as such, we, at Starwood Preferred Guest, are unable to assist with your specific reservations concerning Starwood Vacation Network.

As a valued Owner, you are invited to contact Starwood Vacation Network online at www.mystarcentral.com, your dedicated owner’s website or toll-free at 888-786-9637, Monday through Friday, 9:00am-9:00pm EST, or Saturday/Sunday, 9:00am-6:00pm"

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We are a family of four, arriving on Friday, October 16th. We did an exchange through Interval Intl. for a 2BR. I did the Diamond Lane requests and this was the response.. I gave them the confirmation number, reservation number, and my Interval membership number. I called the resort directly and gave them my requests, and they added them to the reservation, with no guarantees. I was told that I was placed in the Cascades, which is what we were wanting so that is good. Just wondering if this has happened to anyone here?

"Starwood Vacation Network is considered its own unique entity of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and as such, we, at Starwood Preferred Guest, are unable to assist with your specific reservations concerning Starwood Vacation Network.

As a valued Owner, you are invited to contact Starwood Vacation Network online at www.mystarcentral.com, your dedicated owner’s website or toll-free at 888-786-9637, Monday through Friday, 9:00am-9:00pm EST, or Saturday/Sunday, 9:00am-6:00pm"

After submittting our Diamond Lane request, we rec'd an email from Monica Shaw (the front office manager) confirming receipt of our submission, and directing us to use the check-in desks on the left hand side of the Welcome Center upon arrival as they are reserved for Diamond Lane guests.

But....SVR is our home resort, so perhaps that makes a difference?

 

[RunningAriel]

Question! Will we get still get our Sheraton Points for a stay at SVR?

 

[bankr63]

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone here?

"Starwood Vacation Network is considered its own unique entity of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and as such, we, at Starwood Preferred Guest, are unable to assist with your specific reservations concerning Starwood Vacation Network.

As a valued Owner, you are invited to contact Starwood Vacation Network online at www.mystarcentral.com, your dedicated owner’s website or toll-free at 888-786-9637, Monday through Friday, 9:00am-9:00pm EST, or Saturday/Sunday, 9:00am-6:00pm"

Question! Will we get still get our Sheraton Points for a stay at SVR?

Both of these are probably related to the recent spin-off of the timeshare division of Sheraton. They are now two separate companies, and unlike some of the other recent big spinoffs in timeshare, Sheraton seems to be putting greater distance between the two. The new company is using the Vistana name across all properties, and I expect the Sheraton part will become less prominent fairly soon. Not sure how the relationship will work for SPG and points anymore, owners/exchangers don't get points for stays anyway; I would only get a handful of points for my spend at the restaurants and bars. I expect that if you booked through Sheraton that you would get points still. The SPG reservation request message says to me that they are disconnecting here too.

 

[yxe dad]

[QUOTE="
We are headed to SVR in October as well. What are your dates?[/QUOTE]

We are flying into Orlando on the 14th and staying at Coronado Springs for 2 nights before switching to SVR for 6 nights, the 16th-22nd. Can we use the pools after checkout? We fly out after 9pm on the 22nd. Also thanks Gina and bankr63 for the help!

 

[izzy1070]

Hello,

I am coming to Orlando 11/14-11/21 with 3 other female coworkers for a conference. I am thinking of renting 2- 2 bedroom villas for us, our company is paying for 4 nights of the stay. We are going down early to enjoy the trip more. I am want to get both rooms so that each adult has their own bedroom and bathroom. We will not have a car and be sticking with either the shuttle to Disney or a taxi to the convention center. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions for me? I have not booked yet but want to this week to use the promotion.

Thanks in advance!
Izzy

 

[izzy1070]

Other questions i have...

1. Is there a certain area i should request? Can i request for the double beds, not single?

2. Does the resort have a bell hop or will we be taking our own luggage to our room? Im asking because we will have a taxi dropping us off.

 

[bankr63]

Hi Izzy,
My first question is which convention centre? If it is the main Orange County Convention Centre, then either Vistana (Resort or Villages) makes sense, but it your event is at the Marriott World Centre next door to Vistana Resort, it would probably be easier to just stay at the Marriot Sabal or Royal Palms right on that property.

All of the Vistana 2BR configurations have 2 baths; the second bedroom will use the adjoining main bath, the master will have an ensuite, but both will have shower/bath. If booking through Sheraton you can pretty much ensure that you have the right room if it sleeps eight; that only leaves Upper Townhomes in Courts that would still have single beds. A room that sleeps only 6 has a good chance of having single beds. Note that Sheraton online often only lists sleep 6 configuration so they can place in you in any room in the resort. I am sure that if you are renting as a hotel stay that your TA or the Sheraton reservationist can ensure you have double or better in the 2nd bedroom.
(ETA: consider Sheraton Vistana Villages too. No single beds anywhere, and a few miles closer to OCC, but a few miles further from the Disney parks.)

I always suggest a car for Orlando. I think you will find that taxi fares will quickly add up to more than cost of a rental vehicle. Orlando is very spread out compared to many other urban areas, so getting around by cab gets expensive. The shuttle to the parks is free if booking as a hotel stay, (timeshare stays pay a fee for the shuttle), but the limited number of runs and their times may do make the shuttle very convenient. I have heard good reports from Uber users as well as a less expensive car service.

The resort does have bell hop services, located at the reception centre. They can assist with getting your bags to your villa.

I never recommend particular areas because tastes and wants differ so widely. Vistana offers everything from quiet to active areas. We’ve tried many, and our favorites are often not the crowd favorites. The only areas to rule out are Courts and Falls because of your bed requirement. Lakes and Cascades are better for mobility issues as the buildings have elevators; but the buildings are also bigger/taller so congestion is more of an issue. I don’t mind walking up a flight or two of stairs in the other sections to get the more relaxed vibe of the spread out sections.

Hope you enjoy your event and a bit of fun park time.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

So, apparently they have introduced a bit of a new system at SVR.

Our next stay is rapidly approaching (we arrive on Saturday!! ) and I just received a call from "Sunny", who has been assigned to us as our Personal Concierge for the duration of our vacation. After exchanging some pleasantries, we chatted a bit about our anticipated arrival time and our plans for the week (including whether or not we were visiting any of the parks, which members of our family were coming along, etc.). She tells us that she will be working to ensure our reservation requests are met (and we went over our preferences), and that she will be waiting for us in the Welcome Center with an iPad in hand to personally handle our check-in experience when we arrive.

Apparently, this new and more personal concierge service has been just recently introduced, and they are very excited about the more customized check-in experience. I have to say, she sounds just delightful.

She gave us her personal direct line, so we can reach her directly between now and Saturday with any questions, requests, or otherwise.

I have to say, from a pre-arrival standpoint, this new service is really quite impressive. Talk about making a soon-to-arrive guest feel welcome and important .

 

[Conway733]

What are your dates again? We don't happen to cross over, do we?

No...we don't arrive until Nov 7th!

 

[Hemlock]

Well, I've made it through about 30ish pages of this thread and I just can't wait any longer to ask my question. I'm looking to book a 5 night stay (Friday to Wednesday) in mid March. What are my options for booking? It looks like sky auction only has 7 night stays, as do most booking on timeshare rental sites. Also, should I wait a bit longer to start looking for a rental? I'm so excited to try out this resort!

 

[bankr63]

Well, I've made it through about 30ish pages of this thread and I just can't wait any longer to ask my question. I'm looking to book a 5 night stay (Friday to Wednesday) in mid March. What are my options for booking? It looks like sky auction only has 7 night stays, as do most booking on timeshare rental sites. Also, should I wait a bit longer to start looking for a rental? I'm so excited to try out this resort!

Hi Hemlock,

The vast majority of stays at Vistana are by the week by the nature of it being a timeshare resort. The ownerships are sold by the week, and that is how most are rented out. However, there are a couple of options for those who wish to have a shorter stay.

1. Rent from Sheraton or through a TA. They can book you a "hotel stay" at the resort for a nightly rate.
2. Many owners are in a points based program, and can rent out a shorter stay. This is more difficult to find as most of these owners rent full weeks out as it is simpler, and short stays are generally only allowed on short notice if I recall correctly (I'm a weeks owner, so not 100% certain of the points rules). You might try posting a wanted ad on TUG or Redweek and see if you get a response. Owners won't post short stays as they wouldn't book them in advance, but you might find one willing to book a short stay to use up some points.

The one thing you may find is that nightly stays end up being more expensive than the whole week, especially if you are comparing to skyauction weeks. Pay attention to the total price. We'll often book a whole timeshare week on sale somewhere in the northeast and then only use it for a long weekend stay, just throwing away the extra days, it's still very economical per night even when you check out four nights early.

As to when; start now. Mid-March is a very busy season in Orlando, and Vistana will probably be near capacity. For those who use RCI/II for exchanges, there is often a bit of a bubble of deposits in January as people make their annual maintenance fee payment and then deposit, but if you know your dates, and see availability, I would book it.

 

[Hemlock]

Thanks for the response bankr63. Unfortunately, I'm feeling a discouraged but I'll definitely keep looking and following this thread for great information.

 

[bankr63]

I would not get discouraged at all at this point. There is still time to book, and if you keep an eye on total cost, there are still some great deals for a partial week. Based on some of the deals discussed on this thread, I would think that a 7 day booking, cut down to 5 days is still an amazing deal per night. Even at our full MF, we pay less per night at Vistana than we pay per night for the 2 nights we stay in a hotel (HI Express/Courtyard level) on our 24hr. drive down to Orlando. And the difference in level of luxury, amount of space, quality of amenities absolutely has to be seen to be believed. If you can find a five day booking, you might do even better, but don't overlook the value of booking a full week and leaving a couple of nights "on the table".

March is still months away. Your "right deal" is out there.

 

[CardsFan68]

Does the Cascades section have gas grills? I think I remember reading that they are having them installed. Just wondering if they have been completed..

 

[CardsFan68]

Does the Cascades section have gas grills? I think I remember reading that they are having them installed. Just wondering if they have been completed..

Anyone?

 

[sk8jdgca]

There wasn't any that I could find in August