which building to request at Marriott Grande Vista?

[lilheathen]

We're going to Orlando June 11 - 18 and will be staying at Marriott's Grande Vista in a 2 BR villa (yay!). I'm looking for recommendations for which building to request.

Here are the important factors:

1. We have 3 boys, aged 13, 12 and 8.
2. I can't walk great distances and will be using an ECV. I don't want to use it to get around the resort itself, so I want to be close to the pool the boys would most likely use (they're psyched about the cannon pool). What is the name of the pool with the cannons? Do they take over the pool or can adults enjoy it too without getting shot at? We want to walk to the pools if we can, but if we need to drive, is there a good amount of parking at each pool?
3. We plan to use the kids' activity center, swim and play at the beach and rent boats on the lake.
4. We plan to take advantage of one of the gas grills (hate charcoal!).
5. I like the idea of a bar or restaurant right by a pool, so we adults can relax with a drink while the kids play in the evenings!
6. I am a light sleeper and want to be in a villa that's reasonably quiet.
7. We want a newer or renovated unit; this trumps virtually all the other requirements!

Do the buildings have elevators? If not we will need to be in a ground floor unit, but I hate having elephants walking above me. How good is the sound control?

Overall, I'd say the main thing after having a newer unit is being within a five-minute walk to a great pool and the activity center, and it would make my day if that pool was also one with a bar/restaurant.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Detailor]

That's quite a list but I'll take a shot at it...

1. We have 3 boys, aged 13, 12 and 8.
They'd probably enjoy any area of the resort.

2. I can't walk great distances and will be using an ECV. I don't want to use it to get around the resort itself, so I want to be close to the pool the boys would most likely use (they're psyched about the cannon pool).
What is the name of the pool with the cannons?
The pool at the West Village has a childrens' pool with the cannons. I'm guessing that it would probably be more age appropriate for the 8 year old than the two older boys. The area that this pool is in is called Plaza del Sol. Buildings 77, 78 and 79 and 84, 85 and 86 are on either side of this pool area.

Do they take over the pool or can adults enjoy it too without getting shot at?
The pool area is irregularly shaped and the short towers with the water cannons is in one area. So adults can avoid this section of the pool if they choose to.

We want to walk to the pools if we can, but if we need to drive, is there a good amount of parking at each pool?
There are four pool areas in the resort - two large pools areas (the West Village and the Village Center area that's next to the Clubhouse) and two smaller areas that are near the resort sections that are furthest from the center of the resort (the Golfside Village behind buildings 91 and 92 and the Clubside Village behind buildings 97 and 98). There's limited parking near the Village Center, Golfside Village and Clubside Village pools - you'd be using spaces that are intended for people staying in those general areas. Buildings 80 (the clubhouse building) and 81 are on either side of the Village Center pool area and 82 and 83 and just beyond 81, 93 and 94 are across the street from this pool area. There's a little more parking available at the Plaza del Sol area as that area of the resort is newer and they planned in a lot more parking there than in older sections. While the rest of the resort always seems to have too few parking spaces the parking for the six newest buildings seems plentiful.

3. We plan to use the kids' activity center, swim and play at the beach and rent boats on the lake.
Swimming isn't allowed in the resort lake, so no swimming from the beach. But the Village Center pool area is across the sidewalk from the beach. The beach is smallish and has a volleyball net and a climbing wall. The activities center and the boat rental area are also near the main clubhouse and Village Center pool.

4. We plan to take advantage of one of the gas grills (hate charcoal!).
Gas Grills are located between buildings 77 and 78 on the west side of the resort, and behind buildings 90 and 91 near the Golfside Pool.

5. I like the idea of a bar or restaurant right by a pool, so we adults can relax with a drink while the kids play in the evenings!
A couple of opportunities for this. The Copa Loca bar and grill is located at Plaza del Sol in the pool area (between buildings 79 and 84). There are several tables, lots of lounge chairs and seating at the bar. For a more formal setting there's Nick's Restaurant near the resort's entrance.

6. I am a light sleeper and want to be in a villa that's reasonably quiet.
This would suggest a building that's not near a pool area and there are several of those. Building 86 on the west side, 87, 88, 89, 99 or 100 though, with the exception of 87, they're all on the golf course so don't plan on quiet if you want to sleep late.

7. We want a newer or renovated unit; this trumps virtually all the other requirements!
This resort's refurbishment was going on a year or so ago and might well be done by now. Buildings that I noted as being on the west side are the newest complete buildings but the refurbed buildings elsewhere in the resort would have newer villas. You probably can't go wrong anywhere for this but should ask the resort if all of the buildings have been completed.

Do the buildings have elevators?
Yes.

If not we will need to be in a ground floor unit, but I hate having elephants walking above me. How good is the sound control?
It really depends on who's up there over you. We've been in first, second and third floor units at this resort and I've been surprised when I've occasionally heard somebody above me.

Go to https://www.my-vacationclub.com/common/respages/pdf/resorts/gv/gv_sitemap.pdf for a resort lay-out map.

Grande Vista is a beautiful resort but we've NEVER had a specific location request honored there. If you're a Marriott vacation club owner elsewhere or are renting through Marriott you may have more pull, but I understand that timeshare exchangers, like me, are at the bottom of the preference totem when it comes to having requests satisfied.

Dick Taylor

 

[lilheathen]

Thanks, Dick! I was hoping you would reply...I have read your great posts about MGV in other threads and have been piecing together various bits of advice from you and others. But it's most helpful to have it all together in one discussion!

I am likely even lower on the totem pole as I am someone who bought someone else's timeshare on a guest certificate, although she's an owner at MGV, so I maybe my being her guest will help?! Who knows, but at least I'll give it a shot!!

Now that I know the cannon pool is over in the new section, which seems to have some great advantages over the others, I'll likely aim for one of those buildings.

Again, thank you so much...fantastic and extremely helpful answer!!

Carole

 

[Detailor]

Carole,

I'm not sure if it's still true, but originally the west side buildings were being reserved for owners. So my suggestion is to ask the MGV owner that you're renting from to call and make the location request for you. That you have a guest certificate doesn't change the fact that the owner made the reservation. The resort generally makes the villa assignments about two weeks before check-in date so that's about the time that a request should be made.

Happy vacationing!

Dick Taylor

 

[lilheathen]

Thanks, Dick. I did call them and made the request for a West Village unit, preferably one adjacent to the pool, but nearby being okay too. I told them I'll be using an ECV and can't walk far, so hopefully that will aid in my request! The clerk did tell me those are the two most frequently requested buildings (79 and 84), so we'll see. And I did mention we were a guest of the owners...whatever helps, right??

 

[Detailor]

Great. Good luck with that request.
If you get to Orlando earlier than the 4 pm check-in time I'd encourage you to go directly to the resort and do a pre-check in. You should reiterate the request that you made by phone. Show up with the ECV, that might encourage them to satisfy your request. They'll take your credit card info and your cell phone number. They will call you when the villa is ready (we've almost always gotten that call close to 4 pm regardless of when we've shown up at the resort). They'll let you use the resort facilities while you wait or you can go off and explore Orlando.
We usually get in mid- to late morning, stop by whatever resort we're staying at for pre-check in and then head off to Disney's BoardWalk for lunch and strolling around before going back to the resort to get our villa. Places like BoardWalk, Celebration or Downtown Disney are good places to spend some vacation acclimation time.

Oh, and on using one of the little boats on the resort lake, note that your boys are not going to be allowed to take one out on their own. Minimum age for boat rental or surrey bike rental is 18.

Enjoy!

Dick Taylor

 

[lilheathen]

Good ideas. My ECV is being delivered there later that night, so I will mention that at check-in. We'll be at my parents' house in the Villages (hour or so north) the night before and that morning, driving down from Virginia, so we probably won't head down to Orlando until 2ish. Unless of course, my parents are driving me nuts more than the kids!!!!

It's been 30 years since I've been to Orlando to hit the parks, so this ought to be interesting!

 

[Rosa]

Do all of the buildings at the Grande Vista contain 3 bedroom units?

We have two 3-bedroom units reserved for our upcoming trip. I wasn't sure if that limited us as to the choices of buildings/areas we could request.