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

[Biggen]

You are required to do a presentation if you don’t book on the Marriott site?

 

[bobbie68]

You are required to do a presentation if you don’t book on the Marriott site?

Hi, you are required to do a presentation if you a select an offer the company sends you to stay for a few days for dirt cheap. The fine print will say that you have to attend the timeshare presentation. I reserved a regular room through the website with a fall promotion with Sheraton with no commitment to do a presentation. Just make sure you read any fine print to make sure.

 

[Biggen]

Hi, you are required to do a presentation if you a select an offer the company sends you to stay for a few days for dirt cheap. The fine print will say that you have to attend the timeshare presentation. I reserved a regular room through the website with a fall promotion with Sheraton with no commitment to do a presentation. Just make sure you read any fine print to make sure.

Ah ok. Thanks for that information. We have been going to Bonnet Creek for several years now but I'm always on the lookout for other areas just as close. I'll do some more research on SVR.

 

[mckennarose]

You are required to do a presentation if you don’t book on the Marriott site?

I've booked through Interval (my timeshare co) and also skyauction and never had to do a mandatory timeshare presentation. Out of the the three times we've stayed at SVR we've only been asked (politely) one time if we were interested in a presentation, which we declined.

We're booked for SVR again for the end of August! So excited!!

 

[letsgo!]

Hi everyone I just wanted to give a quick review of Vistana. We checked in June 23 for 7 nights. We got to the resort at about 5:00 pm and our room was ready.

Any questions, please ask

We have always stayed at Vacation Village at Parkway but thought we would try something different this year.

1 - how long did the check in process take? We have been lucky at VV with speedy check ins. I also know the timeshare spiel and avoid it (they try to get you to book when you get your parking pass) We will be at WDW during the day and are taking a break to check in and want to get back to the parks ASAP!

2 - Did the kitchen contain all the things you might need for cooking (I know it's hit or miss at VV - cookie sheets, frying pans, etc) and were you provided with laundry soap/dishwasher detergent? Silly question, I know. But just trying to figure out what to pack/bring.

I'm sure I'll have more...but that's what I can think of for now!

Thanks!

 

[letsgo!]

Hi everyone I just wanted to give a quick review of Vistana. We checked in June 23 for 7 nights. We got to the resort at about 5:00 pm and our room was ready.

Any questions, please ask

We have always stayed at Vacation Village at Parkway but thought we would try something different this year.

1 - how long did the check in process take? We have been lucky at VV with speedy check ins. I also know the timeshare spiel and avoid it (they try to get you to book when you get your parking pass) We will be at WDW during the day and are taking a break to check in and want to get back to the parks ASAP!

2 - Did the kitchen contain all the things you might need for cooking (I know it's hit or miss at VV - cookie sheets, frying pans, etc) and were you provided with laundry soap/dishwasher detergent? Silly question, I know. But just trying to figure out what to pack/bring.

I'm sure I'll have more...but that's what I can think of for now!

Thanks!

 

[bankr63]

We have always stayed at Vacation Village at Parkway but thought we would try something different this year.

1 - how long did the check in process take? We have been lucky at VV with speedy check ins. I also know the timeshare spiel and avoid it (they try to get you to book when you get your parking pass) We will be at WDW during the day and are taking a break to check in and want to get back to the parks ASAP!

2 - Did the kitchen contain all the things you might need for cooking (I know it's hit or miss at VV - cookie sheets, frying pans, etc) and were you provided with laundry soap/dishwasher detergent? Silly question, I know. But just trying to figure out what to pack/bring.

I'm sure I'll have more...but that's what I can think of for now!

Thanks!

So for question 1 a lot depends on what day of the week and time you arrive. If you are arriving on Friday/Saturday/Sunday between 2 and 6 it can get busy. Usually all front desks are manned at this time, and the line usually runs pretty fast, but we have had it stall when every party checking in seemed to have some sort of issue coming up. There is no way to predict what exactly the lines will be like at any time of the day; our history over many stays has been very good speed, but lately we tend to arrive around midnight so there is NEVER a line for us. I would not plan to arrive early; if your villa is not ready you will not be able to get the keys until it is ready. IIRC the longest we have waited at reception has been about 45 minutes, but most visits have been much quicker. Others here have reported longer waits at peak times.

Yes, the timeshare ask is exactly the same. Vistana doesn't generally push very hard and a polite but firm no to the presentation offer is generally all it takes. We do generally listen to the rest of the information they are providing; they explain activities at the resort and other local attractions as well. Nothing wrong with the free information.

The kitchens are pretty well stocked with basic kit. Cookie sheets and frying pans are certainly there - and if something happens to be missing a quick call to housekeeping will have a replacement in your hands in short order. There used to be a list of all the stocked items tucked under the cutlery tray in the villa, although I haven't looked for it in years. Dishwasher detergent and dish detergent are both provided. Laundry detergent is NOT provided but small boxes can be purchased at the Marketplace. We just throw a few laundry pods and dryer sheets in a ziplock bag at home and bring along. Prefer it this way as clean clothes don't have any strange smells.

 

[babyruth]

we got the dirt cheap offer in the mail. how long is this "presentation" that you have to go to has anyone ever done it?

 

[bankr63]

we got the dirt cheap offer in the mail. how long is this "presentation" that you have to go to has anyone ever done it?

In general, too long to make up for the lost vacation time. The presentation commitment in the offer will usually say a 90 minute to 2 hour presentation. But, the morning generally includes breakfast, and you may wait for a sales agent before your time starts. And they usually have a magical way of making 2 hours stretch to 3, more if they think you may actually buy something. Even if they don't think you are a good prospect, they will still hit you with a few close attempts after you start trying to make for the exit. Plan on wasting a whole morning on this. And keep in mind that that it is (usually) a 3 night, 4 day offer. So you will be giving up an eighth of your precious vacation time (really more since start and end day require some travel time), all to save a couple of hundred bucks on accommodation over the discounted options that do not require a presentation. If you look at your overall cost of vacation, that couple of hundred bucks savings in NOT equivalent to overall cost of an eighth of your vacation.

I have attended the Sheraton Vistana presentation in the past. They are not particularly high pressure compared to much of the competition. They are very persuasive; but I am hard to persuade considering how little we actually paid for our vacation ownerships on the resale market. Sheraton tends to hire good smart salespeople, not sleazy high pressure sales people. I did attend the Sheraton presentation earlier on in our timeshare journey when we were a little less savvy.

I have attended 4 presentations over the years. My most recent was in Mexico where I got them to cover my SUV rental for the week, a sunset dinner cruise for 2, and the ubiquitous bottle of tequila for a tour of one of the highest end luxury resorts in the area. It was fun to see how the other half live (Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous stuff on the tour), and with the payback it was probably worth the morning we gave up. But for the most part, I do a very careful cost/benefit analysis before I'll give up my precious vacation time to do a presentation. Sheraton would not even come close to making that bar now.

 

[carolynn38]

We have a 5 night reservation in Sept - checking in on a Monday. 2 adults with no children and we have a 2 bedroom booked (price difference with a 1 bed was negligible). Not really bothered about pools as just a base but would prefer somewhere 'quiet' (away from roads and kids areas).

Are there any areas we should be avoiding or requesting? I believe some areas have been renovated recently. We have read that Springs, Fountains or Lakes may be the better option - does anyone have first hand experience?

Also, does anyone have a specific email address / contact to get in touch with the resort rather than the generic one?

 

[mckennarose]

We have a 5 night reservation in Sept - checking in on a Monday. 2 adults with no children and we have a 2 bedroom booked (price difference with a 1 bed was negligible). Not really bothered about pools as just a base but would prefer somewhere 'quiet' (away from roads and kids areas).

Are there any areas we should be avoiding or requesting? I believe some areas have been renovated recently. We have read that Springs, Fountains or Lakes may be the better option - does anyone have first hand experience?

Also, does anyone have a specific email address / contact to get in touch with the resort rather than the generic one?

Rather than email the resort, I would call them directly with any room requests. 407-239-3100 I've done that each time we stayed at SVR and while they can't guarantee your requests, they are very good with following through with them.

My DH and I are empty nesters and have gone to SVR twice in the past year...soon to be third time in Sept... and we like the Lakes section because it is quiet, we love the pool, and it's very close to the Fountains pool which has a bar and quick service restaurant. The amount of kids at the Lakes pool has seemed to less than the Fountains pool, but some of it depends on the time of year. In September there were less kids, I guess because of school, and in mid May there seems to be more because more schools in the South are out by then.

We've also stayed in the Fountains 2 section and liked those units as well, but Lakes has become our preference.

 

[bankr63]

@carolynn38 If you haven't been there before to form your own opinion, then I would suggest going with the flow. The entire resort had a full down-to-the-studs renovation about 6-8 years ago (it took a couple of years to complete). Those of us who own there paid a lot in special assessment fees for the upgrades, but the finishes were worth the wait and cost. Since that time the resort has been VERY good at staying atop of refreshes. This year all soft surfaces in our villas were replaced again (2nd time since the renovation). So I would not say any one section is better maintained than any other.

The one thing I would avoid in your case would be the units backing onto I-4 (some in Lakes and Fountains II). Since the master bedroom is at the back of the unit, noise could be a concern. Some of the Cascades and Springs units face onto 535, another busy road, BUT this is less likely to disturb you as again the master is at the back of the villa unit away from the road side.

Personally we prefer lower rise villa buildings (2-3 storey walk-ups) over the newer Cascades and Lakes sections. Higher density in the those newer sections often means noisier neighbors and longer walks to the car.

 

[likesdisney]

First time staying at Sheraton Vistana through timeshare and very excited. I didn't realize it's a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel. I don't drive so I'll be depending on shuttles etc, which I'm ok with cause I've gotten used to it not driving. I haven't stayed at a good neighbor hotel yet so I'm wondering how the fastpass plus works (they still have that for good neighbor hotels right?) Do I add a reservation number to the app? How does it work?

 

[bankr63]

First time staying at Sheraton Vistana through timeshare and very excited. I didn't realize it's a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel. I don't drive so I'll be depending on shuttles etc, which I'm ok with cause I've gotten used to it not driving. I haven't stayed at a good neighbor hotel yet so I'm wondering how the fastpass plus works (they still have that for good neighbor hotels right?) Do I add a reservation number to the app? How does it work?

Unfortunately I have some bad news.

Yes, Vistana is a Good Neighbor Hotel, but that does not include 60 day fastpass. That is a separate program only for the Disney Springs area hotels and does not include Vistana which is (just) outside that area. So you are still booking FP+ at 30 days.

Another thing to be aware of. If you are booked as a timeshare stay (trading, renting from owner or through sites like SkyAuction) then you can use the shuttle, but there is a cost (think it was $8pp last time I saw). If you have a hotel type stay (generally booked through Sheraton/Marriott or a travel agent) then the shuttles are free as that IS a part of the Good Neighbor program. Shuttle reservations should be made day ahead through the transportation desk, there are a couple of pickup points in the resort.

 

[likesdisney]

No worries, I've got an annual pass so I'm used to only having 30 days to book it. I'll give them a call or visit them when I get there about the shuttle. Thanks for the help.

 

[likesdisney]

I noticed on the map just down from the Sheraton there's a couple restaurants. Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Restaurant & Brewhouse etc, is it safe to walk there/too much of a distance? Doesn't look so far on the map, but that doesn't always mean anything.

 

[mckennarose]

I noticed on the map just down from the Sheraton there's a couple restaurants. Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Restaurant & Brewhouse etc, is it safe to walk there/too much of a distance? Doesn't look so far on the map, but that doesn't always mean anything.

I've seen people walking up and down 535 a lot. I believe there's a crosswalk on the corner of 535 and Meadow Creek Drive (the back entrance to SVR) near Walgreens. I'm not sure there's another place to cross. ??? There are also some restaurants on the Sheraton side of 535 (Bahama Breeze is on the other side of 535). You'll sometimes see some Disney College Program kids walking around Meadow Creek Drive, as that's where the DCP housing is. There's no issue with any of the the kids ever being rowdy or like any other group of young kids. You wouldn't even know they're in the program unless you see happen them in Disney garb, which is very rare. It's not like they're swarming around that area either, I'm just mentioning it so you know that yes, people do walk around there.

As for distance, DH and I have walked that back road a lot to the gas station and Walgreens from our Lakes section condo. We don't find it too long, especially considering you'll be putting a lot of distance just walking in the parks! LOL! We eat at Bahama Breeze pretty regularly when we're down there no matter where we stay, but we've never walked there. For safety....I probably wouldn't be roaming around at night down there. The area is really spread out.

You always have the option of ride shares, like Uber or Lyft. There are TONS of them around. Sheraton likes them to pick up and drop off at the main entrance where the welcome building is, but I've seen them dropping off at night right up to people's condo. Load the apps on your phone, if you haven't done it before and you can actually price rides without committing.

Of note, even though you're super close to Disney Springs, there's no way to walk to it that I'm aware of. 535 goes under I4 and I don't think there are any foot paths.

 

[likesdisney]

Thanks so much for the help. I'll have to download the apps and do some pricing. It's nice to know I'm close enough to walk over somewhere for a meal. Really excited to be staying at SVR for the first time.

 

[mckennarose]

We'll be there in 2 1/2 weeks so I'll double check where the cross walk is. Just be aware that 535 is a super busy, double lane road with a divider in the middle. I wouldn't dare try to cross anywhere but a designated cross walk!
SVR also has a few places to eat and a Marketplace to buy food for your condo. It's more than you would pay at a grocery store, but it's convenient. They have boar's head cold meats, which are really good.

 

[hhhaleybird]

I’m new to this thread...how reliable is SkyAuction on getting reservations for you after you give them your credit card information? I see where I can buy a 7 day vacation now for $375 and put in my dates I want to book. I’d like to book this month. Can anyone give me some insight on the process? How long does it generally take for them to confirm reservations? Am I being scammed? It just seems too good to be true.