Vistana Villages vs Resort

[siki]

Hello all,

My family and I will be visiting the Orlando area in May 2012. We own a Marriott, but are considering one of the Sheraton resorts. I have it narrowed down to 3 resorts - Vistana Villages or Resort and Marriott Grande Vista.
What are the differences between the 2 Sheraton resorts? It is my understanding that all the rooms at the Resort have been refurbished, is this correct?
How are the pools at these resorts? How many at each? Do they have pool bars?
By the way, it will be 8 adults traveling in our party. The youngest being 20.
Any other info is appreciated too.
Thanks!
Michelle

 

[Sea Six]

Vistana Resort is a campus of many construction phases built over the last 30 years or so. Most of the phases are two story buildings with 2 BR villas. The Fountains phase is 3 story buildings with no elevators, and all units are 2BR without lock-offs. The Lakes phase is 4 story buildings with elevators, and the Cascades phase is high rise with elevators and the more modern lock-off style units. Vistana Villages is all high rise, more modern style buildings, pretty much all the same. Both are convenient to Disney via SR536/EPCOT Center Drive. I like them both, but the Resort depends which phase best suits you.

We'll be at the Vistana Resort in May 2012 - going to see Peter Noone at the Flower and Garden festival. We were just at the Villages last month to see Air Supply at the Food and Wine Festival. We like both resorts.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Vistana Orlando Is Great. Vistana Villages Is Outstanding.

Any other info is appreciated too.

Vistana Orlando has a bunch of different sections or phases, each on its own renovation schedule. The overall resort, taking in all the various phases, is humongous.

The 2BR unit we got on RCI exchange in 2003 was in a newer section, with elevators in the condo buildings & everything. Very strong Wow! factor at the time. Nice pools. Very nice timeshare resort.

Vistana Villages wowed us even more than Vistana Orlando. The buildings & landscaped grounds were all beautiful. The original waterfall pool is exotic & striking. The newer sections with their own pools are nearly as attractive as the original.

Our niece & nephew & 2 grandnieces couldn't believe how fabulous it was when we snagged them an Instant Exchange reservation at Vistana Villages. The kids liked the resort so much that the family canceled 1 planned day at WDW so the kids could keep on having fun right there at Vistana Villages.

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

 

[DeniseM]

Sheraton Vistana Resort has just finished a complete renovation - all of the phases are finished.

Click on Starwood Owner Resources at the top of the page and scroll down to "Renovations" for pictures.

 

[Mjasp]

I've never been to Vistana Villages, but own at Vistana Resort.

I love that pretty much the entire resort although huge is walkable. We've walked from pool to pool to check them all out. We usually hang out at the Super pool at night as it closes at 1 am and there is a bar and music there.
We also like that there is mini golf and tennis on property.

For those who have been at VV is it a walkable resort? I know that when we went to Orange Lake it was so huge that we had to drive our car to the main pool

 

[Sea Six]

VV is smaller than the Resort, so you can easily walk it. It's just not as interesting as the resort to walk around the Villages. The older Vistana Resort is actually a much more interesting place, with so much more to see and do. It's really a matter of personal taste which you like more. We find they are so different, yet we like them both for different reasons. Most years we spend time at both resorts because we like them so much. Anything is better than Bonnet Creek.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Anything is better than Bonnet Creek.

I am not a big Bonnet Creek fan either. I chuckled at this comment, because I would rather stay at Vistana (now that it is refurbished), or the Marriotts, or the Hiltons, than Bonnet Creek.

I saw Bonnet Creek is like 12 TPU's for June and July, while DVC is 52 for a 2 bedroom for the same time of year. Sad for Wyndham's flagship resort. :rofl:

 

[Sea Six]

I'd rather stay at a motel than Bonnett Creek. I will NEVER waste my time there again. I really appreciated your response.

 

[Antonio 8069]

SVR vs. SVV

SVR has more pools (7) and bigger suites.
SVV has more convenient access to the I-4 & Universal (aka Harry Potter!)

 

[Robert D]

We've stayed at VV's on getaway weeks the last 3 years in May. We own at VR and have walked through the resort but have never stayed there because we thought VV's was newer and nicer. Now that the renovation is complete at VR, I'm not sure that VV's is nicer. We really like VV's but this past May we had a hard time finding a barbeque grill that worked. There are really nice large grills all over the resort but they were not being cleaned and maintained, which I think is unexcuseable for a resort this nice. I'd like to be sure that the grills are fixed and working before we go back.