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

[ksawano]

Is Uber/Lyft the best way to travel to the parks?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

AFAIK, you need to be picked up at the Welcome Centre as the drivers don't have cards to open the gates. Security 'might' let them in, others here would have experience. They can drop you off at your villa on the return trip as you will have your room card to open the security gate.

For those who stay on the north side (Fountains, Fountains II and Lakes), you can also just walk to the security gate at the north side entrance and be picked up by a rideshare there. It will save you from heading all the way to the Welcome Center.

 

[dioxide45]

Is Uber/Lyft the best way to travel to the parks?

That, or rent a car.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

For those who stay on the north side (Fountains, Fountains II and Lakes), you can also just walk to the security gate at the north side entrance and be picked up by a rideshare there. It will save you from heading all the way to the Welcome Center.

Can you set the pickup point as that guard gate in the Uber app? I just got my welcome email to the resort and responded by requesting Fountains if available, so I’m hoping to end up there.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Can you set the pickup point as that guard gate in the Uber app? I just got my welcome email to the resort and responded by requesting Fountains if available, so I’m hoping to end up there.

We let the app use the physical location of our villa, then just walked down to the security gate (knowing that the Uber driver would be forced to stop there). Gave them a wave to let them know it was us, and we hopped in.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

We just got back from a week at this resort. It was phenomenal, definitely our new favorite resort in Orlando. We had a third floor 2 bedroom in fountains with cathedral ceilings and a skylight. The accommodations felt gigantic, and the pools and grounds were great. The commute to the Disney parks by car was far quicker and more efficient then staying onsite and using disney buses.

 

[kmack24]

Hi, I'm new here. So I received a letter for 5 days and 4 nights to this resort for $269. Spoke with a representative who said that you aren't required to attend any timeshare presentations or anything like that. I was wondering has anyone else received this deal and if so did they require you to attend a presentation? Or do they just bug you constantly to try and attend one of these presentations, and did anyone refuse and not go?

 

[dioxide45]

Hi, I'm new here. So I received a letter for 5 days and 4 nights to this resort for $269. Spoke with a representative who said that you aren't required to attend any timeshare presentations or anything like that. I was wondering has anyone else received this deal and if so did they require you to attend a presentation? Or do they just bug you constantly to try and attend one of these presentations, and did anyone refuse and not go?

See if your letter has fine print at the bottom that states "This advertising material is being used for the purpose of soliciting the sale of timeshare periods." If it does, you will be required to attend a presentation.

 

[kmack24]

See if your letter has fine print at the bottom that states "This advertising material is being used for the purpose of soliciting the sale of timeshare periods." If it does, you will be required to attend a presentation.

It doesn't have any such fine print on the letter. I searched it through and through and even called a representative to make sure. I know sometimes they lie though, because their main job is to get you to commit and sometimes they don't care what they have to say to have you do it.

 

[bankr63]

It doesn't have any such fine print on the letter. I searched it through and through and even called a representative to make sure. I know sometimes they lie though, because their main job is to get you to commit and sometimes they don't care what they have to say to have you do it.

Yes, this, salespeople always say whatever is needed to hook you, but there are legal requirements for print advertising. This offer came up here on this thread before, and I don't think we ever heard back if they did take it and manage to avoid the presentation. I would be very suspicious and question their motive. Assuming it's a 1BR Villa, that is about 50% of what owners pay for their maintenance fees. They must have some motivation for giving such a great rate; either they are thanking you for being a great Marriott customer (are you?) or they want something from you. The only other thing I can think of is that they are trying to recoup some of their costs for developer owned units (they pay maintenance fees too) if they are having troubles with occupancy right now (COVID driven?) Was there a strict timeframe for the offer?

Vistana is not particularly pushy with their guests about the timeshare pitch unless they have you there on a promotion for sales (which must be disclosed in the advertising). Then they are relentless about the presentation and can usually revert to full rack rate if you fail to attend. As you say there is no fine print though, we would have to assume that is not the case.

If you are concerned, you can probably get a similar nightly average rate through Skyauction.com for a full week in off-peak periods. The skyauction booking does not require a presentation and may be more flexible in dates. The vacations presented on that site are mostly unused inventory from the two largest exchange companies.

If you do decide to try, report back and let everyone know your experience!

 

[erinch]

I just got an email for Vistana VILLAGES for 4 nights and 5 day. It came from Marriott. Nowhere does it say you have to go to a presentation to get the rate. But it does offer Marriott points or a gift card, which will be rewarded during “the sales presentation.” You had to click through to get those details.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Just a heads up for those visiting this month and into early February, the Fountains pool is going to be closed for resurfacing.

We are scheduled to arrive tomorrow and own in Fountains, so we reached out to Joshua (the pre-arrival coordinator) and he is going to place us elsewhere in the resort so we are not next to a construction zone.

If anyone was planning to request Fountains in the next few weeks, just be aware that you will want to check and see if the work has been completed by the time you check in.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We are here now, in a 5th floor villa in Cascades. It may be the middle of winter but the resort is beautiful!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

 

[erinch]

Great pics, Gina!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We found the Springs pool yesterday for the first time. It's a nice little area there, so quiet!

 

[bankr63]

Either @Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina is a very patient photographer, or the resort is not very busy this week. I couldn't make out another person in any of the public area photos!

ETA: Oops, wrong. One head bobbing in the Falls pool.

EATA: Okay, my reading glasses need some adjustment. There were a handful of people at Cascades pool too. Still, it does look quiet!

Springs is a great area for a quiet pool getaway. Not as busy as most of the other pools.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

It does indeed seem quite quiet at the resort. The north side is all but deserted....the Fountains pool is closed (and literally emptied out.....apparently it's getting a resurfacing) so I'm pretty sure most guests have been allocated to the south side. Even so, the south side has been super quiet as well. We spent a couple of hours at the Cascades pool yesterday afternoon and it was crazy empty considering it was 85 degrees and ideal swimming weather.

I am thinking many folks have canceled their trips due to Covid worries, or due to flight issues. And of course, those from out of country still have travel advisories to deal with so I'm sure there's been more than a few vacations ruined that were originally in the works.

We haven't heard so much as a peep from another family while we have been in our villa. I'm not even sure if there's anyone on our floor. It's bizarre but nice. We have friends traveling with us this trip, and it's their first time at the resort. They are IN LOVE. With the Vistana (and each other, I suppose!! lol)

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

And just to demonstrate how quiet it is at the resort today, this was taken at 7:20 pm (Cascades pool):



I'm wondering if it's quiet everywhere, though? there were less than 200 people at Aquatica today.