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

[disneyjr77]

As far as I'm aware, he's happy to help ANY guest, regardless of how you book. I've had the chance to speak with him a couple of times now, and he's just a delight. He's very keen to ensure every family has a great stay.

Awesome, thanks!

 

[Trishmickey]

Awesome, thanks!

I have always found building 10 in Cascades to be nice. It has an elevator to bring your stuff up to the room. It is not far from the entrance and it is a short walk to the main pool. Also, if you are looking for a quiet dip, there is a smaller pool across the way in the other complex that I would use while the kids were having a blast in the main pool. It just seemed to have the best of both worlds to me and you can usually request rooms on the top floor without concerns because you do have the elevators. The rooms do have the double beds in the second room also so they have the sleeping capacity of 8. Just a suggestion.

 

[disneyjr77]

I have always found building 10 in Cascades to be nice. It has an elevator to bring your stuff up to the room. It is not far from the entrance and it is a short walk to the main pool. Also, if you are looking for a quiet dip, there is a smaller pool across the way in the other complex that I would use while the kids were having a blast in the main pool. It just seemed to have the best of both worlds to me and you can usually request rooms on the top floor without concerns because you do have the elevators. The rooms do have the double beds in the second room also so they have the sleeping capacity of 8. Just a suggestion.

Ok, great...the resort seems like it's so big and there are so many options. Everytime i think we've narrowed it down, i see something else lol so having specific buildings or areas to look at helps

 

[mckennarose]

Can Ubers pick you up at your villa at SVR?

Uber and Lyft can pick you up at the welcome center. They will be able to drop you off at your villa if you use your keycard at the gate when coming back.

Food delivery will likely go to bell services at the main checkin building.

For the Lakes/Fountains section they can/will drop at the guard shack for that section. We've done it.

As I've done before, I'm giving a notice to newbies on this thread to be very, very careful what potentially identifying personal info. you post on this thread (when you are going, what unit you are staying in, specific situations/questions, etc.) and a reminder that sometimes whatever you post on here can, and has been (!), used by other members, (who are owners and may act as "self proclaimed" Sheraton ambassadors to the Dis.) to create a "real world" identifying situation. Any question about staying at the Sheraton can by answered by calling the Sheraton directly. They are very helpful and more than willing to talk to people staying there. I've stayed here about 10 times now and they've told me this many times. They go above and beyond to accommodate people staying here.

I have also been told by the Sheraton that NO owner who may be a member on the Dis (or any other message board) speaks on behalf of the Sheraton, and whatever they may say may not be 100% accurate or applicable to a current customer's stay. And to contact the Sheraton directly with any questions or concerns. They have been very adamant about this. They have also told me numerous times that contacting the pre-arrival coordinator (a position that changes very, very frequently) is not usually necessary for general questions or room requests. Yes, they can be very helpful with things and are super nice and helpful, but contacting him/her is usually not necessary in general circumstances. They are utilized more by owners. I have been told this by the Sheraton.

One time that I did contact the pre arrival coordinator (not the current one in the position) with some questions, the coordinator NEVER contacted me back, never even acknowledged my email, and when I mentioned it here, a member and regular contributor on this thread, who is also a Sheraton owner, took it upon herself to contact the resort on my behalf. I never asked her to do it, I never gave my permission, I did not even know she did it. She and the pre arrival coordinator (who broke confidentiality, IMO) had a conversation about me, my stay, my problem, why she didn't respond to me, opening a door to my real identity (as the Sheraton had my personal info) and I still never got any response or acknowledgement from the pre arrival coordinator. I don't know what was discussed or what identifying information, if any, was shared. But the coordinator knew enough to speak to the owner about my specific email and questions. Instead, the owner/Dis member came on here to tell me she contacted the pre arrival coordinator on my behalf, and to speak on behalf of the Sheraton as to why I was never answered by the coordinator. Yeah, major issues there. When confronted, the member/owner said that she didn't share anything that wasn't online anyway on this thread and never showed any acknowledgement or empathy as to why I was uncomfortable with it.

So again, be very careful what you share on here, or even ask in an innocent way, because it can be used without your permission or even knowledge. Not everyone understands basic netiquette rules, especially the rule about "respect one another's privacy". I've also been told that the Sheraton does not monitor message boards, so they never would make "real world" connections between the Dis members and Sheraton. This specific member created the connection by overstepping her membership on here and her ownership of a Sheraton timeshare. I hope no one has that privacy violation like I experienced from posting and asking questions on this thread.

I don't come on here except for once or twice a year, as a direct result of what happened to me on here by the member/Sheraton owner. I'm only posting my experience of what happened to me personally.

I love the Sheraton, I will possibly stay here again in the future. We are Marriott people and love staying in those resorts regularly, but the Sheraton Vistana is also very nice and I would not hesitate to stay/trade into here again in the future. We always recommend it as an affordable option for people.

 

[dioxide45]

For the Lakes/Fountains section they can/will drop at the guard shack for that section. We've done it.

Do they have refrigeration at that guard shack for cold and frozen goods?

 

[bankr63]

Do they have refrigeration at that guard shack for cold and frozen goods?

Not at the guard shacks (but I think the OP on that question was talking about take out?), but Bell Services does have this ability at the Welcome Centre. Of course I expect things would have to be appropriately packaged for grocery delivery so that cold products aren't mixed in with others. Others on this thread have mentioned this.

 

[PrincessK&A]

Hello, I read nearly the entire thread and thank you all for your amazing insight and valuable information.
My family (myself, husband, DD16 and DS8) will be arriving from chilly montreal area on March 5th and cannot wait. I have a question regarding Hawks Landing golf course which looks to be right behind the resort. Does anyone know if there is a direct walking path from the vistana property to the Marriott world Center property? Hubby and I would like to squeeze in a game one morning and don’t mind walking over, it would likely be easier.
Thank you

 

[dioxide45]

Hello, I read nearly the entire thread and thank you all for your amazing insight and valuable information.
My family (myself, husband, DD16 and DS8) will be arriving from chilly montreal area on March 5th and cannot wait. I have a question regarding Hawks Landing golf course which looks to be right behind the resort. Does anyone know if there is a direct walking path from the vistana property to the Marriott world Center property? Hubby and I would like to squeeze in a game one morning and don’t mind walking over, it would likely be easier.
Thank you

There is no way to walk between the two unless you can hop a very tall concrete fence. You would need to drive or take some kind of rideshare.

 

[skagway]

Hi.. I am booked for early April in SVR, through timeshare reseller. Can anyone who has been there recently comment on the price of the shuttle. Some places on the interwebs suggest the price is one way, others suggest it is round trip. Most folks (even here) suggest taking Uber/Lyft, when I priced Uber it says around 40 bucks one way, seems high. So I am wondering if anybody has recent pricing on the shuttle and what they may have paid for Uber during morning/evening times.

Also, what is the best way to get from MCO to SVF? I am searching flights the best priced ones are late night.

 

[dioxide45]

Hi.. I am booked for early April in SVR, through timeshare reseller. Can anyone who has been there recently comment on the price of the shuttle. Some places on the interwebs suggest the price is one way, others suggest it is round trip. Most folks (even here) suggest taking Uber/Lyft, when I priced Uber it says around 40 bucks one way, seems high. So I am wondering if anybody has recent pricing on the shuttle and what they may have paid for Uber during morning/evening times.

Also, what is the best way to get from MCO to SVF? I am searching flights the best priced ones are late night.

If you can swing a car rental, that is by far the easiest way to get to the resort and also to the parks. Given all your costs of transportation, a car rental probably won't be much more and give you the most freedom.

 

[Cdn Jeff]

Is there a car rental location on site at SVR?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Is there a car rental location on site at SVR?

There is not.

 

[FrankieDplus3]

Hello all,
I'm looking at returning to SVR this year and will look to book a one-bedroom with a balcony. The last time I booked a one-bedroom it was in Cascades near the pond and across from Springs. That is my hope again.

If I book a one-bedroom with a balcony again this year, is there a good chance I'll be placed in Cascades? We have friends going down at the same time and they are owners and stay in Springs. I know Lakes also has 1BRs, but, my hope is to be close to our friends. If I book online, do I need to call to make the special request? (I"m not sure how to make special requests now. It's been four years since we've been back.)

Also, does anyone know if they still offer non-housekeeping rates?

Thanks!

 

[dioxide45]

Hello all,
I'm looking at returning to SVR this year and will look to book a one-bedroom with a balcony. The last time I booked a one-bedroom it was in Cascades near the pond and across from Springs. That is my hope again.

If I book a one-bedroom with a balcony again this year, is there a good chance I'll be placed in Cascades? We have friends going down at the same time and they are owners and stay in Springs. I know Lakes also has 1BRs, but, my hope is to be close to our friends. If I book online, do I need to call to make the special request? (I"m not sure how to make special requests now. It's been four years since we've been back.)

Also, does anyone know if they still offer non-housekeeping rates?

Thanks!

You will want to call ahead and make a request. I would say chances are good that you could get Cascades by placing a request. I don't think they offer non-housekeeping rates, at least right now. There is no daily housekeeping due to COVID, even with paid cash stays.

 

[bankr63]

You will want to call ahead and make a request. I would say chances are good that you could get Cascades by placing a request. I don't think they offer non-housekeeping rates, at least right now. There is no daily housekeeping due to COVID, even with paid cash stays.

I would suggest you give your reservation number to the owner, and have them ask. Not that owners get better service, but they may resist sharing information with non-owners due to privacy concern. And effectively at the moment, all rates are no-housekeeping rates.

We'll be at SVR a week from tonight, can't wait to be welcomed 'home'.

 

[Cdn Jeff]

Hi everybody.
I just spent a week at SVR and can confirm that Uber is now able to pick you up at your villa. No need to meet them outside the gates. Just text your driver your room number and the gate house will let them in. We did it every day. Same with food delivery. No problem.

 

[disneyjr77]

Hi everybody.
I just spent a week at SVR and can confirm that Uber is now able to pick you up at your villa. No need to meet them outside the gates. Just text your driver your room number and the gate house will let them in. We did it every day. Same with food delivery. No problem.

This is great news, thanks for sharing! We plan on using Uber or Lyft for 2 days on our trip in June

 

[hopkinsmn27]

I know that the 1 bedroom villas are only in the Lakes and Cascades sections but does anyone know which buildings in those sections have them?

 

[dioxide45]

I know that the 1 bedroom villas are only in the Lakes and Cascades sections but does anyone know which buildings in those sections have them?

I think all of the buildings in Lakes and Cascades have 1BR units. They are both the small and large side of the 2BR lock off which are the end units. There are also some dedicated 1BR units, but I think those are only in Cascades.

 

[Inhislove]

We are super excited to have two consecutive weeks in a 2 bedroom unit booked for May, checking in on a Sunday.
Question ONE- We would like to avoid the four top tables I see in some units in videos. Which sections have six chairs at the table? We would love to get one of those vaulted ceiling/sky lights units on the top floor.
Question TWO-
My sister was able to book a one bedroom unit for the second week, but her check-in is Saturday.
Once we have all the reservation numbers, what will be the best way to try to be placed near one another?
I'm guessing Lakes/Fountains would work?