# Star Island or Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort - West Village



## Tinkerbella (Sep 23, 2012)

Do you prefer Star Island or Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort - West Village for an October vacation?  I have two children ages 8 and 12.  

Also, any additional fees I should anticipate?  I have read that OL has wifi and they charge for their lazy river.  Does anyone know the costs?  

Thanks!!!!!!!!


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## Renny30 (Sep 23, 2012)

Tinkerbella said:


> Do you prefer Star Island or Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort - West Village for an October vacation?  I have two children ages 8 and 12.
> 
> Also, any additional fees I should anticipate?  I have read that OL has wifi and they charge for their lazy river.  Does anyone know the costs?
> 
> Thanks!!!!!!!!



 I love Orange Lake. It's been awhile since I've been there so I don't remember what we paid for. We rented and I do believe there were fees for some things. I've seen Star Island. It's on my list of resorts to visit. It's beautiful as well.

You may want to post this on the Florida board.


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## timeos2 (Sep 23, 2012)

Tinkerbella said:


> Do you prefer Star Island or Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort - West Village for an October vacation?  I have two children ages 8 and 12.
> 
> Also, any additional fees I should anticipate?  I have read that OL has wifi and they charge for their lazy river.  Does anyone know the costs?
> 
> Thanks!!!!!!!!



Location wise SI has a big edge. Orange Lake is WAY out and feels removed from everything in the Orlando tourist area except Animal Kingdom.  Otherwise they are about equal as far as units, amenities, etc.  Both can be quite variable as to the unit condition. That is a very common issue in mega resorts.


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## Tinkerbella (Sep 23, 2012)

*Or Sheraton Vistana....it just became available....*

Or would Sheraton Vistana be a better option than Star Island or Orland Lake?

Thanks!!!


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## timeos2 (Sep 23, 2012)

I'd take Vistana over the other two.


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## Renny30 (Sep 23, 2012)

Tinkerbella said:


> Or would Sheraton Vistana be a better option than Star Island or Orland Lake?
> 
> Thanks!!!



I would say it depends on where you are in SV although I think they've just done a big renovation. I stayed in the Cascades a few years back and they needed renovation, which they've had I believe. 

It also depends on where you're going to the parks. Orange Lake is little further out. Star Island as well. If I had to pick I'd probably chose SV just because I'm sour on Orange Lake. Horrible accident there this summer. They are not forgiven for that yet. I know it could happen anywhere, but it happened there, so go for SV.


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## simpsontruckdriver (Sep 23, 2012)

That is correct. Orange Lake is a huge resort, around 1500 acres, including their own private golf courses. They charge around $9 (as of 2010) to use the Lazy River. Other Wyndham resorts, like Bonnet Creek (right next to Disney), do not charge anything to use their lazy river. Their "convenience store" is very expensive, but there's a Publix grocery store at the entrance (regular prices).

Even though I own at Star Island, I've never stayed there. It's pretty far away from the tourist strip (Hwy 192), but there is a TGI Fridays right at the entrance. It looks like a gorgeous resort.

TS


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## vacationhopeful (Sep 23, 2012)

I own and have stayed at Star Island. It is a nice place and has security which actually looks for the hang tag. It is quiet and the full lockoff units are decent size. The "B" unit is the big master 1bdr with the balcony - slps 4 and the "A" unit sleeps 6 with a kitchenette (LR has a door and a sofabed) and bedroom has 2 doubles. Both baths have a jetted tub - "B" has the big jetted tub and a walkin shower.

My brother is law was very unhappy that a delegated him and sis to the "A" unit and I took the "B" --- duh, it was my maintenance fees.


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## CO skier (Sep 23, 2012)

We stayed at Orange Lake for 2 days in a two bedroom (recently renovated) West Village golf villa and 1 week at Sheraton Vistana Resort -- 2 bedroom (recently renovated) in the Cascades section -- this past June.  You can pay for activities at Orange Lakes al a carte (the lazy river is still $9/day/person) or $49/person for a 7-day stay that includes all the activities.  There are definitely more things to do for 8-12 year-olds at Orange Lakes than at Vistana Resort, if you plan to spend any days at the resort.  There are more restaurant opportunities at Orange Lake and nearby versus Vistana Resort.  Both resorts have a variety of pools to choose from.  At the end of the trip, my wife preferred Orange Lakes because of the variety of activities for kids; I preferred the more up-scale feel of the Vistana Resort.

For Orange Lake, I would recommend joining the Holiday Inn Priority Club (free sign-up) and for Sheraton Vistana Resort, joining the Starwood Preferred Group (free sign-up).  At Orange Lake we signed-up for the 45-minute tour (that took 2.5 hours), but as a Priority Club member we received four complimentary $49 activity passes for the whole week as our "reward" for enduring the presentation (it was worth it just for the two days we used them).  There is also a special line for Priority Club members that could save you about a 45-minute wait at check-in.  At check-in for the Vistana Resort, we were assigned a room next to highway 535; when I asked for a different room assignment, they noticed I was a SPG member, and I received a building directly across the street from the main rec center, and was asked, "What floor would you like?"

If you plan to stay in a 1 bedroom unit, Vistana Resort is definitely the better choice, as the Orange Lakes 1 bedrooms in the high rise buildings  apparently are still in much need of renovation (except for River Island).

Avoid the East Village at Orange Lake; it is just across the highway from the water treatment plant.


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## CO skier (Sep 23, 2012)

Tinkerbella said:


> Or would Sheraton Vistana be a better option than Star Island or Orland Lake?
> 
> Thanks!!!



There are two separate resorts -- Sheraton Vistana Resort and Sheraton Vistana Villages.  Which one are you looking at?


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 23, 2012)

*Not All That Far From Rt. 192.*




simpsontruckdriver said:


> Even though I own at Star Island, I've never stayed there. It's pretty far away from the tourist strip (Hwy 192), but there is a TGI Fridays right at the entrance. It looks like a gorgeous resort.


Shux, Avenue Of The Stars (main road through Star Island) is right off Rt. 192.  

Click here for the Google map.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## simpsontruckdriver (Sep 23, 2012)

What I meant is, you turn on Avenue Of The Stars, go to the guard gate, over the bridge, into the resort. Unlike Westgates, which are right on the highway, Star Island is far back.

TS


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## matbec (Sep 24, 2012)

CO skier said:


> You can pay for activities at Orange Lakes al a carte (the lazy river is still $9/day/person) or $49/person for a 7-day stay that includes all the activities.



FWIW, the charges quoted for the lazy river are for the use of the floats. There is no charge to use the pool/water features at River Island (or any of the pools) in the resort.

We've never stayed at Star Island, but have stayed at Vistana (before we bought resale at OLCC) and enjoyed it. The resort layout is much more compact than OLCC, and Vistana was definitely closer to Disney. It depends entirely on what you'll be doing while you're there. 

Hope that helps.


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## simpsontruckdriver (Sep 25, 2012)

To clarify on OLCC's Lazy River, you can't put your own innertubes in there, you can only rent theirs. If you just want to walk the Lazy River, that is free.

TS


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