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

[bankr63]

If we book a 2 bedroom with a Wed check in, where are we likely to be placed?

Could be pretty much anywhere. Vistana has standard buildings for the main timeshare check-in days (Fri/Sat/Sun). Check in on the other 4 days don't have specific sections.

I would GUESS that if you are checking in on a different date they would probably place you in a section where your departure would match the departure date or mid-week clean date for a section. That way staff would be available in that area on that date to clean and prep the unit for the next occupant. So if you are departing on a Friday/Saturday/Sunday you would probably be put in a building with that day checkin.

 

[bankr63]

A question for everyone!

Does anyone recall if there is a blender and muffin tins in the kitchens of the 2 bedrooms?

I am hoping to make smoothies and homemade muffins for breakfast on our 2 week trip in August....but quite honestly, we made minimal use of the kitchen on our last stay, and I'm not 100% sure which items are in the cupboards.

I don't remember a blender, but according to the unit description on SVN they are there. There used to be a full kitchen inventory list on mystarcentral, but I can't find it anymore. The latest site update seems to have merged content from mystarcentral with SVN (Starwood Vacation Network) site, and a handful of things are missing. On the plus side, I notice that they have FINALLY published the resort map!

As to muffin tins, I'm going to say no. There are baking sheets there, used them many times for heating things in the oven, but almost positive that I have never seen muffin tins. I'll bet you can get some cheap ones at the dollar store across the street tho!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I don't remember a blender, but according to the unit description on SVN they are there. There used to be a full kitchen inventory list on mystarcentral, but I can't find it anymore. The latest site update seems to have merged content from mystarcentral with SVN (Starwood Vacation Network) site, and a handful of things are missing. On the plus side, I notice that they have FINALLY published the resort map!

As to muffin tins, I'm going to say no. There are baking sheets there, used them many times for heating things in the oven, but almost positive that I have never seen muffin tins. I'll bet you can get some cheap ones at the dollar store across the street tho!

Yeah, I kind of thought that I might strike out with the muffin tins. We will be at Walmart loading up on supplies on our arrival day, so I will just make sure to add one of those to the list. I hate those pre-packaged muffins you buy in the store. They are just awful.

I may call and ask about the blender. THAT is one thing I don't want to have to buy. And we are taking a young lady with us that's a smoothie maker extraordinare . I aim to start every morning with a fresh muffin and a homemade smoothie, poolside .

Ugh. 222 more days until I'm at my happy place. It seems like a long wait.

 

[bankr63]

Yeah, I kind of thought that I might strike out with the muffin tins. We will be at Walmart loading up on supplies on our arrival day, so I will just make sure to add one of those to the list. I hate those pre-packaged muffins you buy in the store. They are just awful.

I may call and ask about the blender. THAT is one thing I don't want to have to buy. And we are taking a young lady with us that's a smoothie maker extraordinare . I aim to start every morning with a fresh muffin and a homemade smoothie, poolside .

Ugh. 222 more days until I'm at my happy place. It seems like a long wait.

Wow 222 does sound like a wait. we're about 60 days out from our SC excursion; but that probably means about 425 days until our next Orlando excursion.

If you use the silicon baking cups you could bring them along. They weigh almost nothing and can pack flat. One thing we find is that we do have an odd assortment of must have resort items that we pack down every year, even though we fly. For instance, it took a couple of years before I found out that you can borrow BBQ utensils at the MarketPlace, so I packed my own (a funky 3-in-1 spatu-tong-fork (spatork?, forlipork?) device) until I found out. I can only think what the guys who x-ray my baggage at customs must think...

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

bankr63 (and any of the other SVR owners who might be out there).....I have a question for you.

As an owner, what are some of the resort perks that you receive?

I am thinking specifically of things that might be a cost to guest, but complimentary (or at a discount) for owners. I think the mini golf is less expensive for owners, IIRC, but not sure by how much.

And are there other things that I might not be thinking of, besides the mini golf?

I know one of the things owners don't receive is complimentary shuttle service (which is not an issue as we rent a vehicle).

One of the things I liked about SVR (as opposed to the Westgate timeshare that we stayed at) is that most things around the resort (except for maybe things like tye-dye t-shirts, hair wraps, etc.) seemed to be included. You didn't have to pay to rent a tennis racket or use a basketball (which you did at Westlake).

So at SVR, are there any "owner perks"? (besides getting first kick at the cat for a reservation at the one-year point?)

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

so I packed my own (a funky 3-in-1 spatu-tong-fork (spatork?, forlipork?) device) until I found out. I can only think what the guys who x-ray my baggage at customs must think...

I dare you to tell the TSA that you have a "forlipork" in your bag. Seriously. I totally dare ya .

And BTW....that gave me an incredible laugh on a day where I desperately needed one!

 

[bankr63]

bankr63 (and any of the other SVR owners who might be out there).....I have a question for you.

As an owner, what are some of the resort perks that you receive?

I am thinking specifically of things that might be a cost to guest, but complimentary (or at a discount) for owners. I think the mini golf is less expensive for owners, IIRC, but not sure by how much.

And are there other things that I might not be thinking of, besides the mini golf?

I know one of the things owners don't receive is complimentary shuttle service (which is not an issue as we rent a vehicle).

One of the things I liked about SVR (as opposed to the Westgate timeshare that we stayed at) is that most things around the resort (except for maybe things like tye-dye t-shirts, hair wraps, etc.) seemed to be included. You didn't have to pay to rent a tennis racket or use a basketball (which you did at Westlake).

So at SVR, are there any "owner perks"? (besides getting first kick at the cat for a reservation at the one-year point?)

There are very few owner perks while staying at the resort that I am aware of, and certainly none that are significant; and I'm good with that! Aside from the couple you mention, we do get a discount on the premium "owners" wi-fi network (that everyone can use). That's always grated a bit on me because we paid for the network improvements in our maintenance fees, and now we're paying again top use it, but I digress.

In general, I am quite pleased that Vistana does not differentiate between owners and non-owners. If I exchange, gift, or rent my ownership week to someone else, I expect them to have every bit as good an experience as I would have, and since I have ultimately paid for the services already in my maintenance fees, I am against resorts charging again.

We often exchange into other resorts that charge non-owners fees that owners do not pay, and this kind of double-dipping has always struck me as unethical.

 

[bankr63]

I dare you to tell the TSA that you have a "forlipork" in your bag. Seriously. I totally dare ya .

And BTW....that gave me an incredible laugh on a day where I desperately needed one!

bankr: Are you kidding? Pi** off a TSA agent? That's dumb!

Gina: That's 'cause you know you'll get stuck!

bankr: You're full of it!

Gina: Oh yeah?

bankr: Yeah!

Gina: Well I double-DOG-dare ya!

Narrator: NOW it was serious. A double-dog-dare. What else was there but a "triple dare you"? And then, the coup de grace of all dares, the sinister triple-dog-dare.

Gina: I TRIPLE-dog-dare ya!

Narrator: Gina created a slight breach of etiquette by skipping the triple dare and going right for the throat!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

There are very few owner perks while staying at the resort that I am aware of, and certainly none that are significant; and I'm good with that! Aside from the couple you mention, we do get a discount on the premium "owners" wi-fi network (that everyone can use). That's always grated a bit on me because we paid for the network improvements in our maintenance fees, and now we're paying again top use it, but I digress.

In general, I am quite pleased that Vistana does not differentiate between owners and non-owners. If I exchange, gift, or rent my ownership week to someone else, I expect them to have every bit as good an experience as I would have, and since I have ultimately paid for the services already in my maintenance fees, I am against resorts charging again.

We often exchange into other resorts that charge non-owners fees that owners do not pay, and this kind of double-dipping has always struck me as unethical.

That's what I thought. And I knew you would be the one to know!!!

bankr: Are you kidding? Pi** off a TSA agent? That's dumb!

Gina: That's 'cause you know you'll get stuck!

bankr: You're full of it!

Gina: Oh yeah?

bankr: Yeah!

Gina: Well I double-DOG-dare ya!

Narrator: NOW it was serious. A double-dog-dare. What else was there but a "triple dare you"? And then, the coup de grace of all dares, the sinister triple-dog-dare.

Gina: I TRIPLE-dog-dare ya!

Narrator: Gina created a slight breach of etiquette by skipping the triple dare and going right for the throat!

I am sure it won't surprise you to learn that I have been known to "create a slight breach of etiquette" on a regular basis . Some would say its part of my charm .

 

[kokomos]

Glad I found this tread I've gotten a lot of useful info. Were going in May. Checking in on a Sunday in 2br sleeps 8. Which sections are bigger possibilities? Thanks.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Glad I found this tread I've gotten a lot of useful info. Were going in May. Checking in on a Sunday in 2br sleeps 8. Which sections are bigger possibilities? Thanks.

Sunday check-ins are in the following sections: Falls (Sunday only), Cascades (Fri./Sat./Sun.), Lakes (Fri./Sat./Sun.), Fountains I (Fri./Sat./Sun.), Fountains II (Fri./Sat./Sun.), Springs (Fri./Sat./Sun.), and Palms (Fri./Sat./Sun.).

The remaining sections have the following check-in days:

Spas: Friday
Courts: Saturday

Courts and Falls have the twin beds in the 2nd bedroom so they only sleep 6. If you have a "sleeps 8" villa, you can count those sections out right off the bat.

 

[bankr63]

So I had a PM from a regular reader asking the best way to rent a unit at Vistana. It is a huge resort with literally tens of thousands of owners, so there are plenty of options. Here's what I responded. These are the first ones that come to mind, I'll be happy to update this post if others post good options as well.

There are plenty of options when renting a unit at Vistana, which one you choose depends on factors such as your tolerance for risk, price you want to pay, and how long you want to stay.

First off, you can always rent directly from Sheraton, either on their website or through your local travel agent. Sheraton/Starwood offer nightly or weekly stays with or without housekeeping. They are rarely the least expensive option, but offer a lot of flexibility around dates. The main advantage to going direct is that Starwood Preferred Guest members can use their points for bookings. It is also a convenient way to add a couple of nights on to a full week stay.

Of course if you are using the Travel Agent option, look for Dreams Unlimited Travel, the sponsor of the Orlando Hotels and Attractions forum here on DISboards. Their link is right under the forum link on the main page. They pretty much always have discounted rates for hotel type bookings.

If you are travelling from afar, look at booking a package from a vacation provider. There are often really good deals on air+hotel packages at Vistana.

Now if you want to just book a full week with a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday check-in, it always best to rent from an owner. There are a few options for this, but the risk level varies. The cheapest option is probably to go through eBay, but the risk level can be high there; be sure to investigate the feedback on anyone offering vacation weeks very thoroughly. Safer bets are usually looking online at RedWeek ($15 to register if you want to contact an owner) and Timeshare Users Group (http://www.tug2.net) no fee to look at and respond to the rental ads, but worth the inexpensive membership to see all the great information. TUG does have a “how to tell if a rental is legitimate” post linked through the marketplace.

Of course if you own a timeshare, or know someone who does, Vistana trades on both RCI and II (Interval International). Both of these companies do NOT allow their exchanges to be re-rented out however, so if you are using a friend’s or family’s membership they would have to “gift” the week to you (of course a reciprocal “gift” of equal value could be arranged…)

Finally, there are always a handful of companies out there offering steeply discounted stays if you only agree to attend a timeshare presentation. The biggest issue with these is that they don’t actually guarantee that you will STAY at the resort you are touring, and they require you to attend the presentation or face paying full rack rate for your stay. Personally, I would prefer having a tooth pulled without anesthetic.

A final note on rates. Currently, owners of 2BR units in the resort pay around $1,000-$1,200 per year for a week ownership regardless of season (these rates generally go up every year, sometimes significantly). When renting from an owner, they will usually be attempting to simply cover their maintenance fees. Sheraton doesn’t generally compete with the owners too much, so their prices are generally in line with that number. Owners lucky enough to own or reserve a prime week may charge a bit more than that rate to rent, but it is a good guideline to what a week at the resort should cost.

January 2016 ETA:
Some other sites have been mentioned in conversation on this thread.

A few posters have had great rates reserving through Skyauction bids. Search ahead on this thread for more information.

Other mentions that I do not have experience with as sources would include My Resort Network and VRBO.

eBay gets mentioned here as well and it is always a possibility; but even though I bought both of my timeshares on eBay I would be very cautious about renting a week through eBay. Check out the seller well and be sure you understand the terms and conditions. Almost all sellers are legitimate, but there are stories of scammers on eBay, and the last thing you want to do is show up at the resort and find that the seller never actually made a reservation for you.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

So I had a PM from a regular reader asking the best way to rent a unit at Vistana. It is a huge resort with literally tens of thousands of owners, so there are plenty of options. Here's what I responded. These are the first ones that come to mind, I'll be happy to update this post if others post good options as well.

There are plenty of options when renting a unit at Vistana, which one you choose depends on factors such as your tolerance for risk, price you want to pay, and how long you want to stay.

First off, you can always rent directly from Sheraton, either on their website or through your local travel agent. Sheraton/Starwood offer nightly or weekly stays with or without housekeeping. They are rarely the least expensive option, but offer a lot of flexibility around dates. The main advantage to going direct is that Starwood Preferred Guest members can use their points for bookings. It is also a convenient way to add a couple of nights on to a full week stay.

Of course if you are using the Travel Agent option, look for Dreams Unlimited Travel, the sponsor of the Orlando Hotels and Attractions forum here on DISboards. Their link is right under the forum link on the main page. They pretty much always have discounted rates for hotel type bookings.

If you are travelling from afar, look at booking a package from a vacation provider. There are often really good deals on air+hotel packages at Vistana.

Now if you want to just book a full week with a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday check-in, it always best to rent from an owner. There are a few options for this, but the risk level varies. The cheapest option is probably to go through eBay, but the risk level can be high there; be sure to investigate the feedback on anyone offering vacation weeks very thoroughly. Safer bets are usually looking online at RedWeek ($15 to register if you want to contact an owner) and Timeshare Users Group (http://www.tug2.net) no fee to look at and respond to the rental ads, but worth the inexpensive membership to see all the great information. TUG does have a “how to tell if a rental is legitimate” post linked through the marketplace.

Of course if you own a timeshare, or know someone who does, Vistana trades on both RCI and II (Interval International). Both of these companies do NOT allow their exchanges to be re-rented out however, so if you are using a friend’s or family’s membership they would have to “gift” the week to you (of course a reciprocal “gift” of equal value could be arranged…)

Finally, there are always a handful of companies out there offering steeply discounted stays if you only agree to attend a timeshare presentation. The biggest issue with these is that they don’t actually guarantee that you will STAY at the resort you are touring, and they require you to attend the presentation or face paying full rack rate for your stay. Personally, I would prefer having a tooth pulled without anesthetic.

A final note on rates. Currently, owners of 2BR units in the resort pay around $1,000-$1,200 per year for a week ownership regardless of season (these rates generally go up every year, sometimes significantly). When renting from an owner, they will usually be attempting to simply cover their maintenance fees. Sheraton doesn’t generally compete with the owners too much, so their prices are generally in line with that number. Owners lucky enough to own or reserve a prime week may charge a bit more than that rate to rent, but it is a good guideline to what a week at the resort should cost.

A *great* post Munro. You always give the best advice .

We have another unit to rent (one of our 2013 weeks.....one week has been spoken for so we have one more) and I'm on the fence as to where to list it. My Resort Network? Redweek? TUG? When I have to pay for a membership, I want to be sure I'm making a good choice. Ah, decisions.

 

[bankr63]

We have another unit to rent (one of our 2013 weeks.....one week has been spoken for so we have one more) and I'm on the fence as to where to list it. My Resort Network? Redweek? TUG? When I have to pay for a membership, I want to be sure I'm making a good choice. Ah, decisions.

I've never actually publicly rented one of our units out. Because our 3BR at Silver Lake is a lockout, I always deposit it with our exchange company as it gives us a ton more points value than I would get renting it. If I have excess points I will "gift" them to family members. Our Vistana we either use or rent directly; but since it's a March break week, and DW is a teacher, it is VERY easy to find renters we know and trust.

So, if I were going to list a rental, I would probably go to TUG first because I'm already a member and the listing is free. But the volume is not as high on TUG, so I would also pay the small fee to list on RedWeek which seems to get a lot of traffic. Don't know as much about MRN, so a bit of research might be in order. TUG would be a completely do-it-yourself rental, RedWeek does have some value add services around setting up the rental but that adds some expense to the rental. But then both you and the renter may be more comfortable with an experienced party in the middle handling payment escrow etc.

 

[MrInfinity]

Hi everyone,
We've typically stayed in the Sheraton LBV... but this time around we're trying the SVV in May. There are two resorts that sound very similar:

1) The Sheraton Vistana Villages Resort Villas (12401 I-Drive) <-- We are here
2) The Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas (8800 Vistana Drive)

Are the general posts about specifically one or the other?

EDIT: After digging around a bit, it seems this is only about the Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas... and the "Villages" have much less information posted about them. You can find things with some searching, but not much...

-mike

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I've never actually publicly rented one of our units out. Because our 3BR at Silver Lake is a lockout, I always deposit it with our exchange company as it gives us a ton more points value than I would get renting it. If I have excess points I will "gift" them to family members. Our Vistana we either use or rent directly; but since it's a March break week, and DW is a teacher, it is VERY easy to find renters we know and trust.

So, if I were going to list a rental, I would probably go to TUG first because I'm already a member and the listing is free. But the volume is not as high on TUG, so I would also pay the small fee to list on RedWeek which seems to get a lot of traffic. Don't know as much about MRN, so a bit of research might be in order. TUG would be a completely do-it-yourself rental, RedWeek does have some value add services around setting up the rental but that adds some expense to the rental. But then both you and the renter may be more comfortable with an experienced party in the middle handling payment escrow etc.

Thanks Munro. Turns out a friend of mine Facebooked me this afternoon (what timing!), and decided to take the week off my hands. She and her family (husband and 4 kids from ages 3-12) will be enjoying their first trip to Disney (and first trip to Florida) in late April. So excited for them!!!

 

[bankr63]

Hi everyone,
We've typically stayed in the Sheraton LBV... but this time around we're trying the SVV in May. There are two resorts that sound very similar:

1) The Sheraton Vistana Villages Resort Villas (12401 I-Drive) <-- We are here
2) The Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas (8800 Vistana Drive)

Are the general posts about specifically one or the other?

EDIT: After digging around a bit, it seems this is only about the Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas... and the "Villages" have much less information posted about them. You can find things with some searching, but not much...

-mike

Yes, this thread is specific to SVR only, but in the general sense, alot of what is posted here applies to both. Sheraton runs both properties quite similarly, and they are only a few miles apart. Our very first timeshare stay was at SVV before buying at SVR. We shopped the same grocery stores, and took very similar routes to and from the park. I see you have found a thread about SVV that had gone dormant for a while. That will probably provide a ton of useful information. The design and layout of the rooms at SVV is very similar to the Cascades and Lakes sections at SVR.

 

[bankr63]

Thanks Munro. Turns out a friend of mine Facebooked me this afternoon (what timing!), and decided to take the week off my hands. She and her family (husband and 4 kids from ages 3-12) will be enjoying their first trip to Disney (and first trip to Florida) in late April. So excited for them!!!

And renting to someone you know provides a much greater level comfort for both parties. Hope they really enjoy themselves! I'm sure that Vistana will provide a much enhanced relaxation experience for a family of six; can you imagine 6 in those little Disney hotel rooms?

 

[ZehnJahren]

I'm joining in this thread just because we're staying in October, and if there's any new info I want to be subscribed!

One quick question though - there's a lot of information to read through, was there any information at all about the Disney shuttles? Just wondering a general time frame that they run. We'll have a rental car, but might be that one of us would want to go at a different time than the other.

 

[bankr63]

I'm joining in this thread just because we're staying in October, and if there's any new info I want to be subscribed!

One quick question though - there's a lot of information to read through, was there any information at all about the Disney shuttles? Just wondering a general time frame that they run. We'll have a rental car, but might be that one of us would want to go at a different time than the other.

The shuttle is FREE for most people who book a hotel type stay (through Sheraton or a TA). Free transportation is actually a requirement of the Disney good neighbor program.

For timeshare owners or those staying on an exchange or rental from an owner the shuttles are $9/pp. And again, this is because owners don't want the shuttle cost included in their annual maintenance fees, because most owners won't use the shuttles.

IMO, for regular use the shuttles aren't very convenient because the number of trips is limited and you have to follow their schedule instead of your own. And for us (owners) at $9/pp, our family of four costs $36 which is about the cost of a daily car rental plus Disney parking for the day. Last time we asked, I think they were running two trips to the park in the morning, one trip both ways near noon, and two return trips in the late afternoon/evening.

For what you want to do, the shuttles could be a very handy option however. I would appreciate anyone with more recent information on price and schedule posting an answer here.