Sheraton Vistana Resort Questions

[AUTUMNSAM]

Originally Posted by BKMETV

Got home today...I have a few pics of my cascade villa and the cascade pool. Would highly recommend the resort. Was there anything in particular you wanted to know?

Where can I view the pics? I would love to see them.

[KBecks]

I did not research this to death, but it seems like a very nice resort and we got a good price through Travelocity. We are hoping for a wonderful family holiday trip!!!

[BKMETV]

Originally Posted by AUTUMNSAM

Where can I view the pics? I would love to see them.

Still unpacking this morning I'll try and post a few later this afternoon.

[BKMETV]

Cascade Building #4 (top floor)






Master suite:






Second Bathroom:


Cascade Pool:

[AUTUMNSAM]

Thanks for sharing, that is just what a requested. Looks fantastic! I an not wait 8 more work days!

[Suzyq9241]

Just wanted to say Thank You... for the pictures... I can not wait...

[BrerMama]

Can anyone tell me about the coffee makers in the villas? My teen daughter loves coffee and I'm wondering if we should buy actual coffee or just get some Starbucks Via for her. We have a Keurig at home. Is the coffee pot big, or small enough that it would make sense to actually brew a pot for a couple of cups?

[Detailor]

Originally Posted by BrerMama

Can anyone tell me about the coffee makers in the villas? My teen daughter loves coffee and I'm wondering if we should buy actual coffee or just get some Starbucks Via for her. We have a Keurig at home. Is the coffee pot big, or small enough that it would make sense to actually brew a pot for a couple of cups?

They have Mr. Coffee type coffee makers with a twelve-cup decanter. You can certainly brew a couple of cups in one of those machines. You'll just have extra coffee left over to take home at the end of your vacation.

Dick Taylor

[livysmom]

Wow just found this thread, everyone is so helpful its making me so excited for our trip! This will be our first trip to the Vistana and Disney. Even after all this info I'm still confused on where to request staying. We are arriving on a Sunday in July and are booked through Sheraton. Do they usually put people booked straight through sheraton in a certain area or dispersed through the resort. I liked the sound of the Spas area but not sure if I can request that area. I have a 14yr old and a 6yr old. I rented a 2 bedroom ...my main concern is quiet a nice view and hope to be able to walk to a quiet pool. I would really appreciate any suggestions!

[BrerMama]

Originally Posted by livysmom

Wow just found this thread, everyone is so helpful its making me so excited for our trip! This will be our first trip to the Vistana and Disney. Even after all this info I'm still confused on where to request staying. We are arriving on a Sunday in July and are booked through Sheraton. Do they usually put people booked straight through sheraton in a certain area or dispersed through the resort. I liked the sound of the Spas area but not sure if I can request that area. I have a 14yr old and a 6yr old. I rented a 2 bedroom ...my main concern is quiet a nice view and hope to be able to walk to a quiet pool. I would really appreciate any suggestions!

Booking through Sheraton allows you to request where you'd like to stay. You can request Spas -- I did -- but it is part of the older "deeded week" timeshares, which means that people actually own certain weeks in that section. In order to get your request met, you'll have to hope someone isn't using their week. For someone like me, that isn't staying for a typical week (11 nights) that means hoping that more than one person has given up a week. I'm not too hopeful but that's where I wanted to stay, so I requested it.

From what I understand, almost all the villas have a nice view. Most look out over water. The kitchen and 2nd bedroom usually face the parking lot, the living room/master face a pond or pool. If I were you, I'd do diamond lane checkin (link somewhere in this thread), request Spas, but just tell them that your priority is a nice view and close to the pool. That should give them enough information that they can place you somewhere that meets your needs.

[livysmom]

BrerMama thanks so much for getting back to me, did not realize spas was a deeded area. what other areas are quiet away from highways but could still walk to a quiet pool. I see that some rooms have bathtub in the room do they still have showers in the master bedroom as well. I had a travel agent book this for me due to time constraints, I usually research everything to death so all this info is great, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[bankr63]

Originally Posted by livysmom

BrerMama thanks so much for getting back to me, did not realize spas was a deeded area. what other areas are quiet away from highways but could still walk to a quiet pool. I see that some rooms have bathtub in the room do they still have showers in the master bedroom as well. I had a travel agent book this for me due to time constraints, I usually research everything to death so all this info is great, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I know alot of people say this is a really big resort, but I don't find it very hard to walk to any of the quieter pools from anywhere in the resort. IMO, the quietest pool is usually the Springs area pool (mostly because it is a boring rectangle).

For shower/tubs, this is variable between the sections. All 2BR units (except Courts) will have a whirlpool tub, some are in the bath area, some are in the bedroom area. Courts did not have whirlpool tubs before the renovations only a standard tub in the master; we haven't been back to our unit since the refurbishment project so not sure if they finally decided to add them in Courts or not (management wavered on that a couple of times due to costs.) Falls units have only the WP tub in the master bath with integrated shower. All other units have an additional shower in the master bathroom area.

Larger One Bedroom units will have a whirlpool tub in the bedroom and shower in the bath. Smaller 1BR units will have only a standard tub/shower in the bath.

Caveat: Sheraton has not posted updated floor plans to their website since the refurbishment, but I can't see them having taken OUT showers.

[livysmom]

Bankr63 after reading through this thread you seem to be the expert on all things SVR, I think I remember reading that younown in the courts but you also really like the Spas area. If I booked through sheraton directly it sounds like I prob dont have a good chance of getting the Spas area what would be your second choice if you wanted a quiet area with a nice view not too far to walk to pool with my 6yr old, would really appreciate your advice. I know wont definitely get what I want but worth a try.

[bankr63]

Originally Posted by livysmom

Bankr63 after reading through this thread you seem to be the expert on all things SVR, I think I remember reading that younown in the courts but you also really like the Spas area. If I booked through sheraton directly it sounds like I prob dont have a good chance of getting the Spas area what would be your second choice if you wanted a quiet area with a nice view not too far to walk to pool with my 6yr old, would really appreciate your advice. I know wont definitely get what I want but worth a try.

We do know the resort fairly well. We have owned a week in Courts for a few years, but have also personally stayed in Springs and we sometimes bring others with us, so we have seen some units in Cascades. For this coming year we traded our own unit back into SVR because our owner week didn't align with our March break (it usually does). Our confirmation currently shows us in Spas, which is great, but that doesn't mean that is where we will actually end up, especially since we will arrive late on Friday night. We also have tacked another 2 nights rental onto the end, so we may have to move for those two nights.

My standard line for recommendations is that ALL the sections are really nice, and I mean it! The whole place is a paradise. What I have found is that what "I" like isn't often what the average person likes. I like the oldest sections of the resort. In those days when they built, it wasn't about cramming as many units into as small a space as possible. So I LIKE 2 and 3 story walkups with parking at the door, and a few steps down from the balcony to the back gardens. It seems most people prefer the newer sections with elevators and big expanses of parking out front. Nothing wrong with that, just not my cup of tea!

So with my bias exposed, I personally would avoid Cascades and Lakes because they are too densly populated. They are also the 2 most popular sections. The older part of Fountains is good, but the newer Fountains II section has a few Saturday checkin buildings with backing onto I-4. With a Sunday checkin, Fountains is a pretty good bet for close to pools and not too noisy.

I really like Springs, but you should avoid with a Sunday checkin - the Sunday buildings Mostly front SR535 - better than backing onto I-4 in Fountains II as the better side of the units are in the back, but still not the BEST units for you. Palms units are nice, but the longest walk to the pools. Falls are ALL Sunday checkin; Some are very close to the pools, but not so close as to be noisy. That would be a good one for you. Spas are Friday checkin; you're unlikely to get in there. Same with Courts with only Saturday checkin.

When you rent from Sheraton, you have a higher probability of getting into Lakes and Cascades as the management controls more units in those sections. Fountains and Springs are also a good possibility as those sections are floating ownerships. Courts, Palms, Falls, and Spas are harder gets because the owners there usually hold deeded weeks instead of floating weeks. That means that the resort often holds their units for them even if they are no shows, and they have to do so. Don't always rule those sections out though, anything is possible!

Overall, your best bet is to familiarize yourself with the map back on page 35. Avoid the units directly below the FOUNTAINS II label - that is the I-4 corridor. Avoid the units right along SR535 at the front (bottom of map). Don't worry about the units at the left of the map. It kind of looks like they are on SR536, but there is actually a whole Marriot resort between that edge of the resort and the roadway.

When you get there, they will show you where your building is on the map. If you really don't like the location politely ask for a change. June might be tough though - they are starting into the busier period and may not have many options for swapping units.

Finally follow Brer Mama's advice and ask in advance for what you want. It never hurts, and often helps!

Have a great trip!

[bankr63]

Originally Posted by BKMETV

Still unpacking this morning I'll try and post a few later this afternoon.

BTW - thanks for posting pics BKMETV. It really took me back "home". Can hardly wait to get back again!!

Keep that ticker tickin down there \/ \/ \/ \/ \/