Sheraton Vistana Villages - Your reviews, tips & ratings

[DisMomAmy]

I'm glad I found this thread... We're staying at Vistana Villages (2BR) for a week at the end of April. We've stayed at Vistana Resort twice (April 2010 & Feb 2011) and liked it a lot. We exchanged our timeshare through Interval International and only Villages was available this time so we booked it. I'm hoping we like it just as much.

I am going to submit a Diamond Lane form to speed up our check in process and note our room requests. I'm still trying to decide which area we want to request. It sounds like our kids will love the St. Augustine pool so I think that will be our first request. We also like the top floor to avoid having noise above us.

Question about the distances to the pools... I know the resort is significantly smaller than Vistana Resort but how much smaller? Is everything within walking distance? At Vistana Resort we had to take the car if we wanted to go over to the little store or pools in the sections that were further away. If we were in Key West & wanted to visit the St. Augustine pool, how long would it take us to get there?

 

[Detailor]

I'm glad I found this thread... We're staying at Vistana Villages (2BR) for a week at the end of April. We've stayed at Vistana Resort twice (April 2010 & Feb 2011) and liked it a lot. We exchanged our timeshare through Interval International and only Villages was available this time so we booked it. I'm hoping we like it just as much.

I am going to submit a Diamond Lane form to speed up our check in process and note our room requests. I'm still trying to decide which area we want to request. It sounds like our kids will love the St. Augustine pool so I think that will be our first request. We also like the top floor to avoid having noise above us.

Question about the distances to the pools... I know the resort is significantly smaller than Vistana Resort but how much smaller? Is everything within walking distance? At Vistana Resort we had to take the car if we wanted to go over to the little store or pools in the sections that were further away. If we were in Key West & wanted to visit the St. Augustine pool, how long would it take us to get there?

Vistana Villages is a fairly compact resort and everything is easily walkable, in my opinion, from any of the buildings. From the furthest building in Key West I think it would take no more than seven or eight minutes to leisurely walk over to the St. Augustine pool area (it's less than a half mile). If you choose to request St. Augustine, please note that those villas are the smallest at the resort (the Key West regular 2BR villas are the largest).

Dick Taylor

 

[DisMomAmy]

Vistana Villages is a fairly compact resort and everything is easily walkable, in my opinion, from any of the buildings. From the furthest building in Key West I think it would take no more than seven or eight minutes to leisurely walk over to the St. Augustine pool area (it's less than a half mile). If you choose to request St. Augustine, please note that those villas are the smallest at the resort (the Key West regular 2BR villas are the largest).

Dick Taylor

Thanks Dick! Sounds like we'll be happy in any location.

The size of the units is a good point... the two 2BR units we stayed in at Vistana Resort were 1174 sq. ft. (Lakes section) and over 1200 sq. ft. (Fountains section). The largest villas at Vistana Villages (Key West) are 1126 sq. ft. and the smallest (St. Augustine) are only 1070 sq. ft.

For anyone else who is interseted here is the square footage for all of the 2BR villas at Vistana Villages:

St. Augustine: 1070
Bella: 1080
Amelia: 1102
Key West: 1126

Our little 3 bedroom house is only 1300 square feet so honestly, I'm not sure how much the square footage really means to us. Plus, we'll be staying onsite at Disney (Beach Club) for three nights before moving offsite so anything larger than a standard hotel room will be a huge improvement! If there were going to be more than just the four of us, I might think differently.

But again, I think we'll be happy in any location! Thanks!

 

[Ninja Mom]

We stayed at the villages in Jan of 2008 (Building 10) and I have to say that we loved having a whirlpool tub in our room. the family would fight to see who got to use it when we would get back from the parks. In January, when it's a bit too nippy out for the pool, a good soak in the hot tub really took the park out of our tired tootsies.

Our room was really lovely with a screened in patio and a nice view of the pond. Everything in the unit was in good shape and the towel closet was always unlocked so we could swap out linens as needed.

I would definitely consider staying here again. Hopefully 4 years later everything is still as nice as it was 4 years ago. We are planning a December trip and we are trying to decide between SVV and an on property resort. I'll keep my ears open for reports about what this resort is like now. Thanks for all the help everybody!

 

[lindseywithane]

So much great information! I think we have decided that this will be where we stay. I did have a quick question, does anyone know if the pools will be open in October?

Thanks so much!

 

[Detailor]

So much great information! I think we have decided that this will be where we stay. I did have a quick question, does anyone know if the pools will be open in October?

Thanks so much!

All of the pools are open all around the calendar.

In the off-chance that they are refurbishing a pool during your stay, it will only be one of them and the other two pools will remain open.

Dick Taylor

 

[popsynic]

Vistana Villages is a fairly compact resort and everything is easily walkable, in my opinion, from any of the buildings. From the furthest building in Key West I think it would take no more than seven or eight minutes to leisurely walk over to the St. Augustine pool area (it's less than a half mile). If you choose to request St. Augustine, please note that those villas are the smallest at the resort (the Key West regular 2BR villas are the largest).

Dick Taylor

St Augustine Villas are newer than Key West. We used the Key West pool one day, and I just felt that felt like it was almost part of a separate resort. Nothing wrong with that, but that was feeling I got

 

[popsynic]

I'm glad I found this thread... We're staying at Vistana Villages (2BR) for a week at the end of April. We've stayed at Vistana Resort twice (April 2010 & Feb 2011) and liked it a lot. We exchanged our timeshare through Interval International and only Villages was available this time so we booked it. I'm hoping we like it just as much.

I am going to submit a Diamond Lane form to speed up our check in process and note our room requests. I'm still trying to decide which area we want to request. It sounds like our kids will love the St. Augustine pool so I think that will be our first request. We also like the top floor to avoid having noise above us.

Question about the distances to the pools... I know the resort is significantly smaller than Vistana Resort but how much smaller? Is everything within walking distance? At Vistana Resort we had to take the car if we wanted to go over to the little store or pools in the sections that were further away. If we were in Key West & wanted to visit the St. Augustine pool, how long would it take us to get there?

100% everything is walking distance. Once you park your car by your villa block, that's it. You can easily walk the lovely pathways to all pools, main buildings, restaurants, shop and amenities.

 

[lindseywithane]

All of the pools are open all around the calendar.

In the off-chance that they are refurbishing a pool during your stay, it will only be one of them and the other two pools will remain open.

Dick Taylor

Thanks! I figured they would be open year round, but wanted to make sure!

 

[kidsister]

Anyone know the cab fare from Vistana Resort to Downtown Disney?

A friend rec'd I stay in Cascades,but is that section for a Saturday checkin?

Does Cascades have the jacuzz in the master bd or bath?

 

[DisMomAmy]

Just got back from a week's stay at Vistana Villages. Once I get organized at home, I'll post all of my pictures & my thoughts on our stay. We were in a 2BR in the St. Augustine section & really enjoyed our visit.

 

[laliclay]

We are booked for the week of June 19th. getting closer and closer! I noticed at Resort some of the buildings do not have elevators. Is that the same at Villages? My Mom will be with us and her knees aren't the best anymore.

 

[Beccabunny]

We're here now and love it! Wish we didn't have to leave tomorrow. They didn't honor the requests we had noted on our reservation, but it turned out fine. We are in the Amelia section. Carpet is quite worn, but everything is very clean. Beds are comfortable. Grounds are beautiful, pools are warm! Love the waterfall pool! We checked out the pirate ship pool in the St. Augustine section as well, but it seemed most suitable for younger children. I'm a little annoyed that we couldn't get a sharps container. We asked about two hours ago, people at the desk had no idea where to get one, finally said security would bring one right down to us. Hasn't happened. Other than that, we have no complaints. Would stay here again!

 

[Detailor]

I'm a little annoyed that we couldn't get a sharps container. We asked about two hours ago, people at the desk had no idea where to get one, finally said security would bring one right down to us. Hasn't happened.

If they don't deliver on that request you might be able to get one just down the street at the Walgreens store. I suspect that it isn't something that they have in their inventory and security might not even know what it is.

Dick Taylor

 

[Detailor]

We are booked for the week of June 19th. getting closer and closer! I noticed at Resort some of the buildings do not have elevators. Is that the same at Villages? My Mom will be with us and her knees aren't the best anymore.

This is a much newer resort than Vistana Resort, which was built out over twenty or so years. Consequently, the buildings at Vistana Villages are more standardized than those at the sister Vistana Resort and they all have elevators.

Dick Taylor

 

[CdnKayDee]

Thanks for this thread and all the responses!We were finding it super confusing Resorts or Villages they seem to have the same pictures on a lot of websites. Just a few questions, is parking extra? is wifi extra? if so around how much?

 

[Detailor]

Parking comes free as does WiFi. The WiFi coverage is a bit spotty and sometimes slow but as long as you're patient you'll get online.

Dick Taylor

 

[DisMomAmy]

We stayed at Vistana Villages for the first time from 4/22-4/29/12. Here is a map of the resort. They are still giving out maps showing construction in the St. Augustine section. I believe the St. Augustine section is complete. There was construction going on behind St. Augustine (to the left of the section of the map that currently shows construction).

We had requested the St. Augustine section, top floor. That's exactly what we got! We were in building 26, top floor, villa 26612 (first three digits of the villa number indicate building 26, floor 6). We had spent three nights at the Disney Beach Club before checking in at Vistana Villages. We arrived around 3:00 on Sunday 4/22. Here is the first round of pictures from our arrival day:

View of our building from the pool & some pool pictures:

Pictures of our 2BR villa:
Kitchen:

Laundry room off kitchen (it had a pocket door that you could close if it was too loud, there was also an iron and ironing board in there):

Second bedroom:

View into bathroom from 2nd bedroom:

Second bathroom:

Balcony (the door is just where the water heater is, not connected to another villa):

View from balcony (sorry picture is bad because camera kept focusing on the screen):

Continued next post...

 

[DisMomAmy]

Living room & dining room:

Master Bedroom:

View from master bedroom:

Master bathroom (there were two smaller sink areas - one between the tub & toilet area (with my junk on it) and the other between the closet & the shower (that DH used)):

Toilet was behind pocket door:

Closet on left, door back to master bedroom on right:

I have more pictures from around the pool & resort that I post when I get to them. I'll also post a review a little later. Please ask if you have any questions in the meantime.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Great pics, DisMomAmy!

I have a question that maybe you (or someone else on this thread) can answer.

Is there a daily resort fee for this property?