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

[Caroline NZ]

Hello

Can't wait for our first stay in a couple days do the 2 bedroom units include a toaster?

Thanks

We are here now, and yes they do include a toaster.

 

[delilah18]

Great thanks
Have a great vacation

 

[LumpyHeffalump]

We are first timers to both WDW and Vistana. Thank you all for all the great advice in this thread!

We have booked one Saturday night stay (10/25) thru sheraton followed by a week time share (starting Sun 10/26) thru RCI. I have requested that the two reservations be linked so we don't have to check out Sunday morning and back in Sunday evening after visiting WDW. reservation says they will note the request, but made a point of saying they can't guarantee anything.

We are a family of 4. Would most like a non-highway, non-pool room. third floor would be nice just to avoid noise and help kids sleep. Because of kids, we also hope our second room isn't a lockout. Prefer 2 doubles instead of twins in 2nd bedroom.

Do you think Vistana will be able to accommodate? Any thoughts on which section we will get? do you think it is too much to request a certain section?

I'm hoping the slow time of year may have more flexibility to accommodate us.

 

[bankr63]

We are first timers to both WDW and Vistana. Thank you all for all the great advice in this thread!

We have booked one Saturday night stay (10/25) thru sheraton followed by a week time share (starting Sun 10/26) thru RCI. I have requested that the two reservations be linked so we don't have to check out Sunday morning and back in Sunday evening after visiting WDW. reservation says they will note the request, but made a point of saying they can't guarantee anything.

We are a family of 4. Would most like a non-highway, non-pool room. third floor would be nice just to avoid noise and help kids sleep. Because of kids, we also hope our second room isn't a lockout. Prefer 2 doubles instead of twins in 2nd bedroom.

Do you think Vistana will be able to accommodate? Any thoughts on which section we will get? do you think it is too much to request a certain section?

I'm hoping the slow time of year may have more flexibility to accommodate us.

to the DIS. You've come to the right place for answers. That trip is coming up quickly!

I would recommend that you send a Diamond Lane request as these go directly to the resort. A note on your reservation at Sheraton/Starwood or RCI may not make it through to the booking department. Make sure you provide both the reservation number for the hotel type and your RCI member number so they know which two to link up.

Considering the time of year, there is a very good chance that they can accommodate your request for a single unit for the full stay. But I wouldn't get TOO specific about location or section as you might be tying their hands. Mention that you would like a quiet location, and two double beds in the second bedroom (assuming you have reserved a sleeps 8 configuration), and that you prefer a top floor unit if possible. Vistana always does their best to accommodate; they managed to keep our extended stay in a single unit even over Spring Break.

 

[micheypl]

Hi all We booked through Interval international. Our friends have a timeshare ...so we got a really great deal ... I started out booking one week from December 7 th to the 14th then we were going to spend the next week on Disney but then changed our minds and decided to book another week from dec 14th to the 21st ... The problem I have now is the first week it's 2 bedrooms .. With a king size and two double beds ... But the second week is 2 bedrooms with 1 king size and two single beds..I didn't really notice until after it was booked . What do you think the chances are that they will let us just stay in the room with the two doubles instead of changing after the first week .. Thanks. Oh one more thing ... It doesn't note that there is a daily fee on my confirmation ... But I have read somewhere that there is a fee of 10.00 a day .. Can anyone confirm if there is or not

Thanks

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hi all We booked through Interval international. Our friends have a timeshare ...so we got a really great deal ... I started out booking one week from December 7 th to the 14th then we were going to spend the next week on Disney but then changed our minds and decided to book another week from dec 14th to the 21st ... The problem I have now is the first week it's 2 bedrooms .. With a king size and two double beds ... But the second week is 2 bedrooms with 1 king size and two single beds..I didn't really notice until after it was booked . What do you think the chances are that they will let us just stay in the room with the two doubles instead of changing after the first week .. Thanks. Oh one more thing ... It doesn't note that there is a daily fee on my confirmation ... But I have read somewhere that there is a fee of 10.00 a day .. Can anyone confirm if there is or not

Thanks

I honestly don't know about your first question....I would guess it would depend on just how full the resort is during those two weeks....but I would send in the request via Diamond Lane before your arrival and then hope for the best (like bankr63 has often suggested, be minimal on your other requests to increase the possibility that they will be able to honour the thing that means the most to you. Be flexible on section of the resort, etc. and hopefully they will be able to keep you in the same unit).

As for the second question, there is no daily fee . Basic internet is free (upgrades are available at an additional cost, but we have never needed that), parking is free, and there is no resort fee.

 

[bankr63]

Hi all We booked through Interval international. Our friends have a timeshare ...so we got a really great deal ... I started out booking one week from December 7 th to the 14th then we were going to spend the next week on Disney but then changed our minds and decided to book another week from dec 14th to the 21st ... The problem I have now is the first week it's 2 bedrooms .. With a king size and two double beds ... But the second week is 2 bedrooms with 1 king size and two single beds..I didn't really notice until after it was booked . What do you think the chances are that they will let us just stay in the room with the two doubles instead of changing after the first week .. Thanks. Oh one more thing ... It doesn't note that there is a daily fee on my confirmation ... But I have read somewhere that there is a fee of 10.00 a day .. Can anyone confirm if there is or not

Thanks

That's difficult to say, but we would love to hear back from you if you get an answer either way. Moving about in the same "class" of room is easy for the resort. Moving between the 1BR and 2BR class, I have never heard of happening (that's a pretty big upgrade); but between the sleeps 6 and sleeps 8 units they might consider?

Your second week reservation is in the Falls section (only one with sleeps 6 and Sunday checkin) which is a really nice section location wise. Not sure how you were planning on divvying up the bed assignments, but if the singles work, maybe ask for Falls for both weeks (essentially downgrading week 1 a bit)? The only real negative to Falls is the single beds, otherwise really nice villas, well away from the busy streets, easy access to Falls, Courts, Spas pools and to Zimmies.

We own in Courts which also has singles and the beds still have high quality mattresses and bedding. The only reason that they have not got the larger beds is that the early villas did not have big enough 2nd bedrooms for 2 doubles. They were built in the 70's to a specification more like standard townhomes, where a 2nd bedroom would be about 10X12; but living areas are actually larger in the older builds.

 

[micheypl]

Thanks for your responses. There are only 4 of us; myself .. My husband and our ten year old twins ... I hadn't even thought about the beds until I started reading this fabulous thread .. About the differences in the second bedroom ... It doesn't matter to us about the sizes of the beds in the second bedroom ..I just thought it may be inconvenient to have to switch halfway through our vacation ... But actually it may be ok to experience two different locations
I will definitely let you know what the out come is

 

[ZehnJahren]

I said I'd come back and post some pictures, and I'm now far enough in my TR that I have some to post!





They were moving across the street during a refurbishment the day after we checked in.



We were so close to the exit, the pool, the road, yet it was SILENT in our room!









You can get a sense of how BIG the master bedroom was when you look behind me in this picture!





More of Fountains!













Loved this place and can't wait to return! I think another week here, mixed with a few days onsite again, will be just perfect! I loved doing SVR first and spreading out for the bulk of the trip, then going compact onsite and being immersed in Disney right before leaving!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I said I'd come back and post some pictures, and I'm now far enough in my TR that I have some to post!

Loved this place and can't wait to return! I think another week here, mixed with a few days onsite again, will be just perfect! I loved doing SVR first and spreading out for the bulk of the trip, then going compact onsite and being immersed in Disney right before leaving!

Awesome pictures!!!!

Kind of makes me homesick, though. Your villa was IDENTICAL to ours!!

 

[ZehnJahren]

Awesome pictures!!!!

Kind of makes me homesick, though. Your villa was IDENTICAL to ours!!

I might have just a couple more; have to get a little further into my TR. I know I took some later on; just have to find them!

It was a great villa! We were so happy with everything about it!

 

[pigletto]

I really really want a Fountains room with a skylight now. I won't have a tantrum if I don't get one, but I will request one and try. I just love the vaulted ceiling and the airiness of the room. Between your pics and Ginas I am pretty sure that is the area I will try for.

Vacation can not come soon enough!!

 

[princessand2princes]

Hello all! We arrived on Sunday evening and are having a great time. Our room at the Vistana is beautiful and spacious. We got really lost after check in trying to find our way to Fountains, but maybe that because it was dark and we were tired. The location is perfect for visiting the theme parks- only a 10 min drive maybe? There are also a lot of restaurants and stores nearby, so that has been very convenient. We haven't fine much at the resort yet as our days are spent in the WDW parks, but it looks nice as we drive through late at night/early morning

 

[bankr63]

however out location is very noisy! We are building 29, right next to a Walgreens and bus station, and we hear the busses all night long. So I would definitely be more specific in my request next time. Other than that, all is well!

You know this has me curious. There have been a couple of posts about Disney CM's staying next door, and I am wondering if they are related.

On our last trip, there was only a single Lynx bus route on Meadow Creek (and it didn't run very often), no bus station, and I had never heard of Disney CM's next door. I am kind of wondering if Disney is now renting out the Vista Way complex next door to Vistana for it's CM's? Are the busses that come and go local transit (Lynx) or are they Disney transportation?

I would have previously said that 29 should be one of the quieter locations on the North Side of the resort, because Meadow Creek Dr used to get so little traffic. Maybe this is a new development for the area?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

You know this has me curious. There have been a couple of posts about Disney CM's staying next door, and I am wondering if they are related.

On our last trip, there was only a single Lynx bus route on Meadow Creek (and it didn't run very often), no bus station, and I had never heard of Disney CM's next door. I am kind of wondering if Disney is now renting out the Vista Way complex next door to Vistana for it's CM's? Are the busses that come and go local transit (Lynx) or are they Disney transportation?

I would have previously said that 29 should be one of the quieter locations on the North Side of the resort, because Meadow Creek Dr used to get so little traffic. Maybe this is a new development for the area?

Vista Way is definitely Disney housing for the college program:

The "Living" experience is similar to the original program's "Recreational" experience. Once the student has accepted their position with Disney, they can stay in one of four company sponsored housing units near Walt Disney World Resort during the duration of the program: Vista Way, Chatham Square, Patterson Court, and The Commons (which houses mainly international Cast Members).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_College_Program

It was very busy around that area when we stayed in the Fountains in August. LOTS of foot traffic (all young people), and LOTS of buses coming to and from that complex (I think they were all labeled Transtar? or something along that line) .

We didn't notice any noise in our area of the Fountains, but I could see how building 29 might .

 

[pigletto]

Hi guys
Our trip is in six weeks. Yesterday my 10 yr old ds rolled his ankle at basketball practice and went down like a ton of bricks. He screamed.
He wouldn't put any weight on his foot last night or this morning so we took him to the ER today. Long story short, he has fractured his foot. He's in an air cast and has crutches but we will need a wheel chair for the parks. I can't have him walk on it 8 hours a day when it's only 6 weeks out.

Do you think when I do my diamond lane request I should mention the injury and request one of the sections with an elevator or to be on the ground floor of one of the other units? It would be much easier to not try and navigate stairs a few times a day.

 

[bankr63]

Thanks Gina,

And to think that all these years I've been oblivious to that. According to that Wikipedia article, it has been Disney housing since it was built in 1987. So this is nothing new. I guess I just never noticed on our ramblings about the property; But then we are avowed South Siders, so don't get over there that often.

 

[bankr63]

Hi guys
Our trip is in six weeks. Yesterday my 10 yr old ds rolled his ankle at basketball practice and went down like a ton of bricks. He screamed.
He wouldn't put any weight on his foot last night or this morning so we took him to the ER today. Long story short, he has fractured his foot. He's in an air cast and has crutches but we will need a wheel chair for the parks. I can't have him walk on it 8 hours a day when it's only 6 weeks out.

Do you think when I do my diamond lane request I should mention the injury and request one of the sections with an elevator or to be on the ground floor of one of the other units? It would be much easier to not try and navigate stairs a few times a day.

Oh No!

Here's hoping he's much better by the trip. I fractured a wrist when I was just a bit older than that, and was "on it" a lot quicker than expected. But yes, by all means be sure to request an accessible room. That's the kind of thing that Sheraton is usually pretty accommodating about. Consider working more down time into the schedule as well. Kids will easily push themselves until it's "too late" without thinking of the downstream effects (okay MY kids will do that), so make sure he takes precautions!

Hope this all works out for the best Pigletto!

 

[princessand2princes]

Thanks Gina and Bankr for the info- the busses make more sense now. Yes, there are a lot of them, and they run all day and all.night.long. We love Vistana overall, but I will avoid this building as much as I can next time we visit. Those dang buses are SO loud! Our unit is the one that looks out onto meadow drive where the busses run, so I think that's why it's so loud. It's 9:30pm here, I'm lying in the bed here in the master bedroom, and in the time it took me to type this I've heard 3 busses go by

 

[pigletto]

Oh No!

Here's hoping he's much better by the trip. I fractured a wrist when I was just a bit older than that, and was "on it" a lot quicker than expected. But yes, by all means be sure to request an accessible room. That's the kind of thing that Sheraton is usually pretty accommodating about. Consider working more down time into the schedule as well. Kids will easily push themselves until it's "too late" without thinking of the downstream effects (okay MY kids will do that), so make sure he takes precautions!

Hope this all works out for the best Pigletto!

Thank you bankr. It's hard to know what to expect just yet. Like you said he could surprise us. From what I am reading these fractures take a frustratingly long time to heal because of the weight bearing issue. He's not to put ANY weight on it right now. We were referred to an orthopedic surgeon who booked us in for Tuesday morning. So I will know what kind of recovery/healing time we are looking at then.
I'm relieved that we've booked somewhere that takes requests and is willing to work with their guests. And all the extra space is going to be a real bonus now!!

I think as long as we get into a building with an elevator or on the ground floor of one of the buildings we'll be all set. My husband was saying today that it didn't really matter and he could carry him up and down the stairs.
The kid is 100 pounds. I think Daddy overestimates his strength