# Vistana Courts - how bad are they?



## normalrog (Jan 24, 2008)

Well, my bad.  

I had periodically seen positive to raving reviews of Vistana Resort, and lo & behold, a VR 2BR popped up when I searched with a doggie 1BR for exactly the dates I needed (attending a conference at Marriott World Center right next door).  Seemed too good to be true.  Maybe it was.

So, yesterday, I went to the Starwood website and pre-registered using "Diamond Lane" requesting Lakes or Cascade as many TUGers had recommended.  Got this email today:

_Dear Mr/Mrs E:

Thank you for using the Diamond Lane.

You have been confirmed to a two bedroom sleep 6 by RCI.  The only area where we have 2 bedroom sleep 6 for a Saturday check-in is the Courts area.  The area that you have requested only has 2 bedroom sleep 8 villas.  You will need to talk to RCI and see if they can upgrade your reservation to a sleep 8.  Please note that an upgrade does not guarantee a Lakes/Cascades villa. 

When you arrive at the resort to begin your vacation the front desk team will be awaiting you with a Diamond Lane only, red carpet registration.  Our hours of operation are 11:am to 7m Friday thru Sunday only.  Please bring your reservation number along with a photo ID and credit card.

Thank you again for using the Diamond Lane and for choosing Sheraton Vistana Resort as your vacation destination!  

Warm Regards,

Ada Laureano
Diamond Lane Coordinator_

The Courts.  The only section of Vistana that is universally despised by my TUG Brothers and Sisters.

Now, I would rather drink a warm pitcher of spit than call RCI, so my question is... how bad are the Courts, really?

Thanks...

Roger


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## Robert D (Jan 24, 2008)

I've only seen them from the outside and they don't look very good. Based on the reviews, I'd do anything you can to get out of Courts. Lakes and Cascades are the best but I've heard that Fountains and Springs are also pretty good.  Consensus is Courts is the worst.


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## nodge (Jan 25, 2008)

FWIW, only Lakes and Cascades units at Vistana Resort have elevators.  Units in most other sections require negotiating at least a half a flight of stairs up or down.

If someone in your party were physically challenged and you let the resort know about it ahead of time while mumbling the letters "ADA" (as in the "Americans with Disabilities Act" not the name of your Diamond Lane Coordinator) under your breath, I bet you'd find yourself in either the Lakes or Cascades section. It worked like a charm when I sent my elderly parents there last year (who despite me booking them a cheapo RCI extra-vacation, still received a 2 bedroom / sleeps 6 unit with a Saturday check-in in the Cascades section).

Good Luck,

-nodge


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## MiaSRN62 (Jan 26, 2008)

> If someone in your party were physically challenged and you let the resort know about it ahead of time while mumbling the letters "ADA" (as in the "Americans with Disabilities Act" not the name of your Diamond Lane Coordinator) under your breath, I bet you'd find yourself in either the Lakes or Cascades section. It worked like a charm when I sent my elderly parents there last year


This "could" work for you.....but we had to request this one year when we brought my mil (she was going through chemo and tired very easily), and we got a ground floor instead.  So you could get a ground floor over getting upgraded to an elevator building.  

The Courts do look nice from the outside.  I don't think they're awful, but in comparison to the other newer/more modern looking sections, they do pale.  

I have a link that shows some photos of the Courts from summer of 2005 or 2006 ?  It's from a guy from another message board :
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/showga...&what=allfields&name=booyaa68&when=&whenterm=


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## omahabob (Jul 1, 2009)

All Vistana units are in the process of being remodeled, including the Courts, where we have owned for 27 years. We have a Cascades unit too. The Courts are the largest units in the resort because people used to live in them prior to the property being converted to timeshare. All other phases are 'post conversion'. The Courts are all two story buildings, the smaller units on the bottom and the larger units on top. We have the smaller unit, which is still larger than any other timeshare we have ever stayed in. I believe the Courts remodeling is now complete.


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## Debbyd57 (Jul 1, 2009)

I think that is where we stayed and if so, they are not very nice.  I would not stay at Sheraton's Vistana again if I knew I would be in that section.  They were very old and run down.  However, it did appear to be clean.  They also do not have a balcony/patio.  Just a landing with a chair.  Debby


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## bass (Jul 1, 2009)

We stayed there at the Courts in a 2br townhouse for a week in May.   We really liked it.   It is centrally located in the resort.   We were supposed to go to PV Mexico that week - but then cancelled at the last minute because of the swine flu.   There weren't may choices within driving distance.   We don't usually go to Orlando - but we couldn't have been more pleased.   There's Wi Fi in the unit.

Nancy


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## Linda74 (Jul 1, 2009)

As a Courts owner we have been assessed $1700 for refurbishment.....comes to almost 100K per unit ....the photos they showed of the renovated units looked very nice.....granite counters, etc.  Call and ask if the refurbishment is complete or ask to be in a renovated unit


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