Sheraton Vistana Resort - Lake Buena Vista

Our family stayed at the Vistana Resort from April 9-15. We approached the trip with some misgivings because of reviews we read on this website, but we decided to have an open mind - especially since we were traveling with my brother-in-law's family and it was their timeshare points that enabled us to get our condo for a very reasonable price.

Check-in: As it was on a Saturday night, I guess 30 minutes to check in is not too unreasonable.

Condo Conditions: We were given a unit in the Fountains area - not the newest, but probably a little quieter because it was away from the pools. It was definitely "aged" and smelled musty every time we came in. The windows were drafty and it always sounded like they were open. My daughter complained that she could hear people talking in the parking lot below her window at night. The two bathrooms were nice for our family of four, but they only provided soap - no other toiletries. The shower stall in the master bathroom drained very slowly and was of questionable cleanliness, as evidenced by the fact that I got athlete's foot by the second night (icky) - my husband bought some Comet cleanser and we scrubbed it out ourselves!

We were only given one change of towels during our 6 night stay - we were told that they only changed them once every third day, and the first night didn't count! The sheets were not changed during the week and they didn't seem clean; I washed some pillowcases myself because I didn't like the musty smell.

The kitchen was nicely equipped with the basics and it was clean. It was perfect for preparing breakfast before we left for the parks and for making popcorn in the evening. Take your own dishwasher tablets; we weren't given any and my bro-in-law's condo was only given one packet of dishwasher detergent.

The washer/dryer combo was "small capacity", so we did a load of laundry each day. Bring your own detergent and fabric softener because they don't provide either.

Activities/Information desk: The person who was working the day we picked up tickets for the Kennedy Space Center wasn't very helpful and couldn't answer some of our questions - like what time it opened . . .

Proximity to WDW: As other reviewers have stated, you must have your own rental car to get to the attractions, but it is an easy 5-10 minute drive to the parks.

Bottom line: You get what you pay for - what we paid for the entire week at the Vistana was equivalent to what we would have paid for one night at a nice resort hotel.

Four Adults ( wife, son, daughter-in-law, two grandkids).

Kept the little one busy at the Cascades Pool from the time we showed up until we left.

7 days in & out of the park. YOU NEED YOUR OWN CAR OR RENTAL.

Watch your in & out days, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday depending.......

Outlet Mall down the street for the ladies, discount coupons at front desk.

Disney shopping entrance down the street. More than a dozen resturants on "535". Grocery store in "Crossroads" (sp) down the street.

Sheraton quality, Starwood class. Skip the sales pitch unless your good with used car tactics. Only time we wasted was there.

Not perfect but rate 9.8 out of 10 for parties of 6 or more.

Just returned from a 7 night stay at Sheraton Vistana Resort. Our Party consisted of my husband, 15 year old son, and me. Our unit was in the Fountains, and it was absolutely gorgeous!! This unit has been renovated, and to my understanding all the units in the Fountains have been renovated. I requested a unit in the Fountains after reading all the good comments on line, and it surpassed my expectations. Our unit was a 2 bedrm, 2 bath unit. The 2nd bedroom had 2 double beds, and we could have slept another whole family in the unit!! The pool was amazing. My 15 year old loved the fact that the pool was open until 1am. We did not visit any of the restaurants at the resort because there are so many close by...i.e. Bahama Breeze, Red Lobster, TGIFridays, CiCi's pizza. The restaurants that I just mentioned were within a 5 minute drive. Downtown Disney was a 5 minute drive away also. Definitely you will need a rental car! There were several messages from the timeshare folks at this resort. My husband and I attended and the salespitch wasn't bad, but the 2nd guy who tried to get us to get the AMEX card and Starwood preferred guest card was really pushy. If you don't want to hear the salespitch, don't answer the phone in your condo!!! Overall, this was a wonderful resort and I would not think twice about staying here again.

We visited the resort on an exchange program through RCI and was absolutely impressed with the accomodations. We were in the Fountains building 13. Other than the hike up to the third floor, every thing was wonderful. The resort offers so much for the family to do that our 18 and 17 year olds chose to stay at the resort 5 of the eight days we were there other than going to Universal (they had 7 day, 2 park passes-a great deal when purchased online). The mini-golf and waterslide kept the 12, 8, and 6 year old kids busy as well as the shuffle board, basketball courts, tennis lessons, morning water aerobics, arts and crafts, etc, etc, etc. The bar specials for the adults were great during the playoffs. I recommend this place to everyone I can tell....We will be back next year...

My family stayed here June 6th-13th. We were in the renovated "Lakes" section. The rooms were beautifully appointed and the grounds were immaculate. We rented a car as we were planning to go to Clearwater/Tampa and I cannot imagine trying to get around the resort/Orlando area without one. The resort itself is quite large. We didn't find the general store's prices to be that high, rather there was not much of a variety. As others have mentioned there is a Walmart close by (turn right at entrance and go down approx. four lights). We did alot of running while in Orlando and it was so nice to come back "home" to this resort in the evenings. I would highly recommend this hotel!

I stayed with a friend for four days who was an owner (timeshare). We were in the "Fountains" section, building 37, unit #1546. My friend ask for one of the newer updated condos since her regular unit was being refurbished. It was gorgeous! All dark cherry wood furnishings, granite counter tops, travertine tile in the bathrooms. Three flat screen TVs, one in each of the two bedrooms and a larger one in the living room. Very spacious!. From other peoples pictures we definably got many steps above the non-refurbished units.

I didn't go to any Disney Parks except Downtown Disney. I've been to Typhoon Lagoon and loved it, especially the Shark Reef and the Wave Pool.

We ate at Uno's pizza on I-Drive one night. It was wonderful, if you like deep-dish Chicago Sicilian Pizza. I've heard the other Uno's on 525 or Vineland Ave. isn't as good even though it's closer.

Someone complained about the over abundance of rules at Vistana. I saw no such thing, as a matter of fact I saw rules broken a lot, especially around the pool area. People had glass beer bottles, played their loud music so everyone could hear (whether you wanted to or not). Don't expect to have a nice and quite swim at the pool either. I got hit on the head many times with balls of all kind, beach, nurf, football, etc. They were quite unruly. They swam underneath you and would run into all the time without even an "excuse me". One boy about 10 years said, "beep beep" to try to get me to move out of his way. So I just did it right back to him with a grin on my face. He looked at me with such a puzzled face as to say, "how dare you!"

I would recommend staying at Vistana Resort in a refurbished unit. Just remember it is Disney World country (Loads of unruly kids).

. . . I would have had a great time! We were determined to visit as many pools on the property as we could and did manage to get to most of them, but then I fell ill and had to be on antibiotics so could not venture in to the sun very much. Weather in the evenings was typical for Florida with rain coming in. The resort/condo itself was great as most of these reviews claim. My only advice is that if you have any issues with climbing stairs, be sure to mention it so they put you on a ground floor or in a building that does have an elevator. No elevators in the building we stayed in so climbing to the top floor with a bad knee wasn't all that fun!

I was a bit apprehensive after reading all the reports about this complex on this site. i took the advice of reviews and rang the place direct requesting either the lakes or fountains. we arrived mid afternoon. the courtesy bus was waiting to take us to the villa. we stayed, as requested in the fountains, building 31, number 1509. i could not believe my eyes when i walked in. i have stayed in some nice accomodation before but this was amazing. a spacious kitchen with all new appliances. the children had a double bed each with an ensuite bathroom, their own flat screen tv. there was a large lounge with another flat screen tv leading onto a terrace which lead out to the pool. the door on this terrace could only be opened with a key card so it was secure. the "master" bedroom had a king sized bed in and another flat screen tv. we also had an en suite bathroom with a jacuzzi. both bathrooms had walk in showers in. we also had a dressing area with a sink in too. you really could live in this place, there was also a washer/dryer. we did not get hastled by the front desk once we had picked up our welcome pack, before that they rang us every day requesting us to pick it up. it's handy to have because it had a voucher for money off in the on site shop. some people had said they found this shop expensive. i did not think so. i found it reasonable, but was restricted on selection. we took a trip up to walmart and did a "big shop" we didn't have a car and took advantage of the taxi service connected to the complex. they were quite reasonable, $25 to go to universal. the transport desk give you a price and you pay them before you go. the pool area at the fountains is massive. it's clean and you are never short of a sun bed. there are jacuzzis poolside too. they also have poolside towels so you don't need to pack them. the food court is pool side which offers a good selection of food, a bit pricey, but great when you want a quick snack. there is a wallgreens at the entrance of the complex. it's reasonable, once again restricted on selection, except for beer, they stock every beer under the sun!!! the supermarket across the road is VERY expensive. It appears that they only have one price ticket - $4.99. so i would give it a wide berth. it actually seems a shame to go out and eat when you have such fantastic facilities in your apartment and that is what we did for a few nights. we tried bennighans just in front of the complex. if you go in, don't order the ruben. my husband ordered it, thinking he would get a sauerkraut, ham and cheese sandwich, as the menu showed, what actually arrived was said sandwich dipped in batter, deep fried, sprinkled with icing sugar and served with strawberry jam!!! they did not offer to take it away and replace it with what he wanted. should have followed my instincts and walked out, because it smelt funny when we walked in. if you go to the premium outlet mall, go to the transportation desk and get you voucher for the coupons. you get money off at alot of the stores. i got a dkny bag for £30 with the discount!!! All in all we had a fantastic holiday. the accomodation made a great holiday fantastic. i would return here anytime and hope to in the future.

We have just come back from a two week stay at Sheraton Vistana Resort, Orlando. We requested a recently refurbished apartment and got one in the Fountains area of the resort. It was a fabulous apartment, large living/dining area and kitchen (with a dishwasher, no washing up for two weeks, heaven!). A large en-suite bedrooom with a spa bath in the bathroom, unfortunately we didn't have time to use the spa bath. Washer/dryer, very handy. Another bedroom with two double beds, also en-suite. Widescreen TV's in both bedrooms and living room.

It's in an ideal location, near to all the major parks, Disney, Seaworld & Universal. A car is definately needed, we had a sat nav which we were very grateful of.

We only used one of the 7 pools, the Fountainds pool, which was practically right outside out apartment. Only used the on site supermarket once but it was ok.

DIdn't see a lot of any staff, the only time we had any contact with staff was at check-in / out and in the Fountains bar, but everyone seemed friendly enough.

Had a lot of phone calls but having read other reviews took their advice and unplugged the phones, only knew about the calls because of the message light flashing on the phone.

All in all a great resort and would definately stay here again.

We had a great week. We stayed in the Fountains section, Building 32, suite 1517. It was one of the recently renovated areas, the room was very spacious, with new furniture and flat screen tvs in the 2 bedrooms and living room. Our screened in patio overlooked the pool and even had a door that went towards the pool which was very convenient. The pool stayed open until 1 am, it didn't bother us, the people in the pool didn't seem to be too rowdy.

One of my few complaints is the cooking utensils and pans were old or have seen lots of usage. We cooked in the room at least once a day to try to save some money, it made it a little difficult to do so with suboptimal cooking utensils.

The resort is huge, you will need a car just to get around, unless you like to walk. It is literally around the corner from one of the outlets, 5 minutes from Disney, and 5 minutes from Seaworld. Universal is a little further down the road...maybe 10 minutes. The location enabled us to go to the parks early in the morning, take a break in the afternoon (we have 2 young ones, 3 and 4 years old) in our room and return to the parks for the evening/night without any worries.

Lots of restaurants minutes away. Really can't review the dining facilities in the resort. We thought that for the money we spent for that food, we could either go to a quality restaurant or cook the food ourselves.

The comments on the sales people are true...very pushy from check in to the point that I went ahead and scheduled an appointment, then on the day of the appointment, cancelled. I have better things to do than sit in a presentation for 2 hours...

We used this as a timeshare that we own. It was an exchange property. The stay was excellent. We have a 1 BR timeshare but we were upgraded to a 2 BR by our timeshare company. We had booked another room for a friend's family who were joining us. We got into the hotel at around 5 PM. Gave my name and the rooms were ready. As we had 2 rooms the reservations were made in different parts of the property. The front desk person was very nice and even upgraded my friend to a 2 BR and put us both in the same building.

Property: It is huge. 9 pools and many different sections. We were given the FALLS section of the property. You need transportation to travel inside the property. We drove to our unit, building 8 in Falls. The unit has 4 apartments. 2 on 1st floor and 2 on 2nd flioor. Parking outside the apartment.

Room: Amazing was the only word. Rooms are newly renovated. We got a 2 BR which has a huge living room with a flat screen TV which is hooked up to a BOSE speaker system. Living room has a large couches which have 5-6 person seating. The couch can turn into a bed. The dining table accomodates 6 people very easy. Maybe even more. Master bed room has a huge King size bed with another flat screen TV. Second bed room has 2 single beds with another flat TV. Kitchen is large with all utensils and appliances. The room even has washer, dryer and dish washer. You can live there for 1 month if you choose to.

The view from the balcony was amazing as it was facing the lake which has a fountain inside it. We could not see much of the property as we were there for only 6 days and with Disney,,,days were just used up.

The biggest dampener for us was the rain. It rained every day and so the kids could not enjoy the pool or anything other facilities.

You need to stay here for 1 week to 10 days if you want to enjoy the hotel as well as the parks. You must request during check in for the refurbished units that are in Falls. They are really great.

...make sure you stay in the new units...older units were just plain hideous...it was necessary to complain to the manager to get our upgrade...Note: this is a timeshare complex as well as a resort...how many times do you have to say "No" politely to the timeshare pitch, before resorting to vulgarity in order to make them understand you don't want to buy one?...the prices at the onsite store were obscene (although the quality of the merchandise was excellent)....location was fine, but the pools were outstanding...overall it was a bit pricey, but very nice...

We stayed here 7th - 21st may and had a great time! we booked a week before we went as our Holiday to Mexico was cancelled at last minute.

The resort is huge and lots to do, to be honest we didnt spend that much time on the resort or using its facilities as we'd already bought tickets for all of Disney, and the Orlando Flex Ticket - Universal Studios, Sea World etc. so we spent most days and nights out doing theme parks etc, was really fun but also very tiring.

we went to Downtown Dvisney quite a few times which is really fun, lots of restaurants shops, 2 cinemas, we ate at Planet Hollywood a couple of times (really good) and the Rainforest Cafe, also check out Disney Quest, lots of arcade games etc, you can make a rollercoaster and then go in the simulator and ride your coaster, really fun!

We did use the KFC take away one night, (on site at the resort) here is also a Pizza Hut and A and W on site, there are lots of activities, 7 pools, basketball court. We did our research before going and stayed in the Falls section as this is the newly renovated section. We has a kitchen fully equipped with everything you can think of, a king size bed, nice bathroom, two flat screen tv's that were pretty big.

When we first got to our room we didnt know how to use the safe as a new password needed keying in, a quick call to reception and security were there to assist us with in 2 minutes, the staff are so friendly and go out of their way to be really helpful.

I went to the supermarket on site one day (at the cascades area) and had about 3/4 bags of shopping, id have been more than happy to walk back to our room but they seemed shocked at the idea of this and they called the shuttle bus for me right away! and it was there within 2 mins to take me back over to the Falls area. They have shuttle busses on the resort to take you over to different parts of it.

they also have security on the resort gates where you show your pass when you go in, so this felt nice and safe. the resort grounds are made up of vegetation and waterfalls, fountains etc, very pretty, they'd often be staff raking leaves etc. There are also squirels, ducks and lizzards on the resort which are nice to see.

this is is great distance to Disney which we had a free shuttle pass to for the 2 weeks we were there. It was $11 round trip to Universal Studios/ Wet n Wild , pp, on the resorts bus that you pay for at reception. This also goes to Seaworld Aquatica etc, cant remember the price for them on the bus, it was cheaper cause they're not as far. There is a $4 round trip pp bus to Premium Outlets for good Shopping, and a free shutle bus to Lake Buena Vista shopping outlets.

We also went to Florida Mall on a Thomas Cook Excursion which is really good for shopping

there is a 'Cici's' on the main road next to this resort, a gift shop, dunkin donuts, crazy golf , little supermarket, etc,. Cici's is an all you can eat pizza buffet for $5.99 per person (but they have buy one get one free leaflets at the supermarket right next door! so get one of them to use) they have pizza, salad, pasta and dessert, we ended up eating here about 6 times in the two weeks we were there as its cheap, and easy and quick after along day out, plus the food is really nice, i loved this place!

i could write lots more, any questions please message me

The check in was easy, friendly and stress free. the rooms were spacious, clean, with king size beds, dishwasher, large fridge and freezer, large microwave, washing machine and dryer,plenty of clean linen, ironing board and iron, hair dryer etc. the kitchen had all the utensils needed. coffee making machine..but ours didnt have a kettle. it was so hot outside i didnt have a cuppa tea for 2 weeks. needed something a little bit cooler. took loads of beers down to the pool or jacuzzi. The balcony was nice overviewing one of the many lakes with fountains in them. The size of the resort was mind boggling. It was hard to choose which pool to go to. i think we managed to visit 5 of the large pools which all had gorgeous red hot jacuzzi's that you could relax in untill 1 in the morning. Karaoke and entertainment was on regularly as well as a poolside bbq. Pools close at one in the morning, but the bars shut at 11. There were tennis courts and basketball courts and volleyball sandpits and crazy golf on site. supermarket and outdoor market on site too. but jus across the road there are more supermarkets, pizza shops, off licences, restaurants, crazy golf etc. we had all the parks to go to but i would come back here just to utilise the resort a little bit more me and my mate had such a fun time. To go a theme park and then come back and get in the 104'f jaccuzzis or the cool refreshing pools it was just a perfect place to stay. Breakfast i suggest Perkins 2 minute drive away. Pizza hut, kfc and all american food are on site and are nice. but try red lobster, tgi fridays, olive garden and hooters! If i come back to florida I dont think i would look anywhere else but the sheraton vistana resort in lake buena vista. Value for money and they will do anything for you. for instance we had beers down at the pool, so a guy that was with us at 11pm used the poolside operator phone and asked for bags of ice to be brought to chill our drinks. 5 minutes later 2 large bags of ice were delivered. This is a great place for families with young children, also for teenagers and adults. Strongly recommend this place.

Being a big Disney fan and never staying out of Disney... I must say The Sheraton vistana seemed like a Disney property. The grounds were just kept clean and had fountains comming from these little like rivers through the resort..... the plants and palm trees were everywhere....

The resort is gated and they check everyone comming in which was very nice and you felt secure.

The pool area that I was in was lovely...Clean, and had a arcade, computer center, fitness room, and a fast food place with a pizza hut...etc, and and a bar with daily specials.....The jacuzzi was up over the waterfalll that fell on the pool.....There were 2 of them and they were spotless and very quiet..... it almost felt like they were secluded from the pool area which was a nice idea......

I stayed in building 20 room 1480 which was very close to the gate and a 5 minute walk to the fountains pool (this was in the fountains area). The unite was bran new.... Great kitchen with granite counter top, 3 flat screen tvs. a king room with jacuzzi and shower. separated from the bed area....a laundry up and down in a closet.... great lighting in the complex... there was a separte bathroom that opened 2 sides one from the other bedroom that had 2 double beds, the other door from the hallway.. The livingroom dining area was great and off of that a small enclosed porch with a table and 4 outside chairs...... with a fiew of a bridge and palm trees so nice.......the back door was there and you can go out the back way and have a nice walk to the pool along this man made river with fountains......so nice....

There is alot of activity to do every day at this resort from morning untill night they keep you going from pool to pool if you want to do everything you never have to spend another penny for the parks.... this has it all... the only money is for crafts for the kids and that is cheep like 2 to 10 dollars depending on the crafts they have to make..... here is a idea of what the scheldue was.......(9am aqua boot camp) (1130 vacation celebration high energy music, lots of fun and few suprises) 1230 to 230 tie die 10 dollars make your own) this goes on and on the close of the night they say (800 to 10 pm casino night entertainmet, games and great prizes for all ages 10$ per person ........every day entertainment.... you need never leave to go to the parks...

I was walking to the walgreens next to the complex and counted the steps from the sighn that says SHERATON TO THE WALGREENS AND IT WAS 210 STEPS. I also want to say that the Dunkin Donuts is across the street and a pizza place (look for the coupons) there is a walmart when you take a right out of the resort down about 4 lights....open 24 hours.. The only thing I did was buy tooo much food which i left behind...It is better if you have a car to shop every other day......not to over buy........

Cooking in and taking it to the pool was great....other tan that you have to spend alot of money on the restaurants........the vacation can become expensive between the parks and food it is a waste to go and eat..... especially breakfast........the kitchen has everything here so why not use the facilities....There is a liquor store right beside walgreens if you want to buy anything......very convienent......

I cannot say enought for the lovation if you take a right then left and go straight under route 4 the gates to the DOWNTOWN DISNEY ARE ON YOUR RIGHT HAND SIDE AND THEY LEAD YOU STRAIGHT TO THE PARKS....iF YOU TAKE ROUTE 4 then you can go about anywhere else......... eaisly...... beware of the toll roads so have your change ready if you get off of route 4......

This resort is great the sevice was good anything you ask for they bring you in minutes.... I got my trip from Expedia and they gave me maid service everyday......which was great.....they took the trash, cleaned the bathroom, new towels, etc......

I would suggest you minimuize your trip to see which park you are going to and look at the cost and then make some schedule...... because the parks can take alll your money and time and you can forget about....what vacation is about......RELAXING AND ENJOYING THE FLORIDA SUN......WITH YOUR FAMILY......SOMETIMES going to the parks can make you forget that ( i have been to disney atleast 30 times since it opened) so this time i created a different trip..... not really leaving disney out I toured the animal Kindom resort again, and the boardwalk, and the downtown at night...... but that was enough..... I finally saw seaworld after going to orlando all these years ...... The shamu show was great......but like everything else it is expensive........

Stay here you will be happy.... it is great, cheep and accommodating for the whole family......I WILL BE BACK HERE AGAIN AND AS SOON AS I CAN AND I NEED NOT HAVE TO SAVE MONEY FOR THE TRIP EITHER IT FITS ALL BUDGETS...........

Just got back from 2 weeks at this resort - and I mean just as in a couple of hours ago and wow - what an awesome place to stay.

I'm amazed that some people have found cause for complaint in the reviews on this site.

First of all we stayed in the Cascades - this is one of the areas that hasn't had a re-furb. Maybe the newer apartments are much plusher, I couldn't really comment as I haven't been in one - however we were VERY happy with our apartment. I think to a degree there's a little bit of over-panic on here about getting a newer apartment.

The pools were absolutely brilliant - we visited all of them. We ate at Zimmies Eatery on site which was very nice and also ordered food in twice from the Fountains Food Court which allows you to mix the menus of KFC, Pizza Hut and A & W - at a very reasonable cost too. I'm not quite sure about a previous reviewers experience in not having food delivered - we had no problems whatsoever.

In regards to the free transport around the resort - yes sometimes you have to wait 15 minutes but hey - it's free and depending on your location on the resort many things are easily walkable.

The grocery store is a little pricey onsite but just outside the resort there's a Walgreens and another supermarket as well as a Cici's Pizza Restaurant across the road which does an eat all you can buffet for $6 ($8 if you want unlimited drinks) and that's the adult price - children are cheaper still.

Every single member of staff was very helpful and friendly especially Elvie at the store and Josie at the Welcome Centre and we are already planning our next visit.

If you're booked to go here please don't waste your time like I did worrying about negative comments on here. Sometimes I think the internet is a far too easy place for the whiny people to find an audience for their grumbles. This resort was truly fantastic, incredibly well maintained and we are already planning our next visit.

I don't know how anyone can say anything bad about this resort. If you don't like it then go pay $500 a night. We were at this resort for 2 weeks and we stayed in a one bedroom villa in the lakes section. It was beautiful and renovated. I recommend a renovated section. The rooms are really clean and there are no bug problems. It had a safe, dishwasher, stove, microwave, flat screen tv's, cherry oak furniture, washer and dryer and so on. House keeping was there everyday and made sure everything was clean. You always have clean towels and never any dirty ones around. We never got bothered by timeshare people. When we checked in we received a welcome package and it gave us free shuttle to the Disney parks plus free shuttle to the outlet malls. Barely any wait to get checked in. Lots of restaurants, grocery stores and gift stores in walking distance. Also, they have KFC, A&W, Pizza Hut and other restaurants on site and they deliver to your room. The food is great. I recommend you rent a car if you have no patience because sometimes you have to wait on the bus longer then you want and it gets hot when your always walking around. If you bring kids with you, they have activities every day and night. They have 5 hour casino cruises for $10 plus $8 port fee, this pays for the ride to the cruise. The pools and hot tubs are beautiful on the resort, lots of fun things to do. They also have shuttles on the resort to bring you around the resort because its rather large. They have bars by the pool if you want to have a drink while you relax by the pool. Disney parks are only 5-8 minutes away, easy to get to. Seaworld is about 25-30 minutes away. Outlet malls are close to the resort. The airport is only 20-25 mintues away. The staff was friendly all the time, always trying to make you happy. I recommend this resort to everyone, any age.

I was at a convention and brought the family. We stayed in the Vistana, which is a Starwood timeshare. Resort was wonderful. Big spacious rooms with a kitchen. The best part is that the village is all enclosed and behind gates. We let our kids walk out to the pool and general store (which we would NEVER do at home in Los Angeles). There is a nice family oriented vibe that was very relaxing. The general store is also very nice and prices are not outrageous, which is what I was expecting.

Only downside is that the units are a little dated -- no flat panel plasma screens or chic decor. Kind of a nice southern flowery look. Not what I would decorate my home in, but perfectly fine for a few days bumming around Orlando.

Sheraton Vistana was just what the Dr. ordered for my family. Absolutely beautiful rooms in the Fountains section with three huge flat screen tv's, granite counter tops in kitchen and bathrooms, very comfortable beds and seating, screened porch and attractive decor.

My kids loved the pool with the slide as well as the one with the water fall.

I worked out most morings and even though the resort was busy, the work out space was never full and no waits.

Very close to Disney and there is every restaurant imaginable in the area.

We saved plently by having food in the refrigerator versus eating out and the kids loved having their regular choices available at home. It also got us to the parks earlier, since we did not have to wait in line for breakfast.

Overall, great experience is a well maintained community.

After reading the conflicting review on this hotel i was a little concerned. I rang the Vistana toas we had 2 weeks RCI swap, and requested the 2 weeks be in the same room, ground floor, a crib and high chair, and in the Lakes or Fountains(as they have been renovated. We arrived at 8.30pm to a smiling helpful receptionist who confirmed all requests hjad been granted. The 2 bed villa in the fountains (1535) was beautiful big lounge and kitchen super king bed with clean on suite double shower and spa bath plus 2nd room 2 double beds and on suite shower. 1 rtow back from the pool which was good as this is open till 1am!! and 2 minutes from the pizzahut etc very useful for a snack. We received answer messages for meet and greets etc but no person rang with hard sell. An excellent resort the pools were great, film nights at the pool once a week, good entertainment if you want it, with Wal mart just right out of the resort and through the lights. It was 5 minutes from the main Disney gates 10 from Sea world and 14 from Universal. The staff even provided an excellent map with directions to all attractionsI would recommend this to anyone

The Sheraton Vistana properties are not just beautiful and large, but very very styllish and comfortable. In most countries where manpower is a constraint, and self service is the way of life, Sheraton Vistana was a pleasant surprise. Not only were they warm in their approach, but made it a point to attend to all our needs.

The rooms are simply superb! Spotlessly clean, and luxurious. we stayed at their two bedroom apartment, and the experience was simply amazing!

the pools are brilliant, and the jacuzzi to die for!

We just got back yesterday from a week long vacation in Orlando. I was a little apprehensive about the stay due to traveller reviews and typically I vacation at all-inclusive resorts so I wasn't sure how roughing it on my own for a week was going to go. It was awesome. First things first:

Transportation: Ensure you get a rental car to fully enjoy the area. There's so much more the area than Disney. I have a teenage son, so you can imagine what has to be involved to keep him entertained. Busch Gardens was about 1 1/2 hours drive away. The Kennedy Space Center was roughly 45 minutes away. We didn't make it to Cocoa Beach but it's the same distance as the Space Center. The proximity to Disney is really close and there's an outlet mall down the street. We enjoyed the House of Blues Sunday Brunch and a couple of trips to Universal (all within a 10 minute drive). You will also need a car to get good food. The seats at the movie theatre at Universal are the most comfortable seats at a venue I've ever sat in. There is a restaurant at the resort; however there was so much to enjoy nearby and a SuperTarget down the street so I could prepare some of our meals that we didn't eat there at all with exception of grabbing the fast food fare once (KFC, A&W and Pizza Hut). If you don't want to clog your arteries you'll need to be able to leave to get healthy food.

The apartment - We were in the Fountains which has been newly renonvated. It was awesome. Master BR had a King Bed, Private Shower and Spa tub. The 2nd bedroom had two double beds. Each room including the living room had large flat screen hd tvs. There is also an enclosed patio that you can enjoy a bug free breakfast or dinner on. We only had one little geiko friend that would come out at night. I don't like lizards but appreciated he or she was keeping all the other creepy crawlers out of our unit. Other than the small little lizard their were not bugs. I think I'm more afraid of spiders than a small geiko. Our room was pretty sound proof. I only heard the occassional door slam of other units and the wonderful waterfall in the pond outside my bedroom. Sleep was very peaceful. There are lots of activites at the resort to keep you occupied if you don't want to leave but if your up to it, I would highly recommend it.

Timeshare Sales - They did ask me to sit through a presentation at check in. They offerred discounted tickets or $50.00. I was there for a week and had a least of couple of hours to burn while I waited for my son to wake up. He slept until noon most days. They do have a strong sales pitch; however I already own a timeshare in Weston, FL and didn't need a second one. If I did I would definitely buy into this program. A lot more flexibility than my current arrangement. If you have a couple of hours to kill sit through it and make $50.00 to supplement a dinner out with the family.

I would definitely exchange to stay at this place again. The accommodations were awesome.

We own in the Cascades but decided that since the Lakes was recently renovated we would reserve our vacation week there. The Cascades will be renovated this year and next... The 2 bedroom Lakes villa in building 10 was close to the pool and the fourth floor unit we had was gorgeous. All new furniture, granite countertops in kitchen, comfortable bedding, and a screened in patio with table and 4 chairs overlooking the lake. Since we were on the top floor, our unit also had a cathedral ceiling with skylight. The four of us had plenty of space to relax and enjoy.. Next to the pool there is a small food court with Pizza Hut, KFC and A and W. There were actually 2 pools close to us but we opted to go to the bigger pool. If you go in the afternoon, you will have to search for seats together and for shade as it gets pretty crowded... There are more amenities on the opposite site of the complex where the Cascades are located but we liked the more subdued area this time around. There were basketball and shuffleboard courts adjacent to the pool also that were kept quite busy....

One thing we will not repeat is to avail ourself of VIP check in. It is basically a phone call a few days before your trip and setting a time for check in which turns out to be a pitch for attending owner meetings, etc. We will do express check in next time. One thing we did is to turn off our phones in our villa so we were not bothered by daily phone calls about activities, sales pitches, etc.

There are shuttles for $9 pp round trip to Disney but we opted to drive and pay the parking fee. We only went to Epcot and were disappointed as it hadn't changed much since we went there about 5 years ago and is in need of new ideas.

Overall, we were pleased with the Sheraton Resort and are looking forward to returning to stay in the Cascades when renovation is complete.

We stayed at The Sheraton Vistana Resort from Mar 21-29, 2009. We had a room in the Fountains section. Everything went very smoothly at check-in and found out we would be staying in the newly renovated fountains section. We had a 2 bedroom villa that was very spacious and very clean. Room service came in once during our stay on Wednesday and changed bedding, towels and did a little clean up. Right across from our room was the Fountains Recreation centre. Here there was a A&W, KFC & Pizza hut. Service was always friendly and usually fairly quick, and the food was quite good. There was also computer access in the recreation centre as well as a bar. The pool always had lots of people and kids but get there early enough and get good chairs. The security at the gates were always very friendly and helpful if you needed any help. This is a great resort and for those of you that are worried about the bad reviews don't be. We never had any problems with any staff- give them some respect and a smile and a please and thank-you and it goes a long way. There was nothing that we didn't like about this resort and would definately return again.

We stayed at the Vistana Resort March 21-28. we were given the week as a gift. The only problem we had was before we arrived our name was not in the computer .. just the owners. But they called at it was all fixed. We arrived and my husband went in to check in . Thanks to all the people who told us to say NO to the breakfast and the money.. boy did they try. We said no and even though they called only once midweek and I really told them We were not intrested and please leave us alone. They did leave tons of voicemails..thankfully the phone did not ring. We actually were in the Fountains section and backed Interstate 4 but you would never know. The room was very quiet and we had 2 cribs in the master suite and my inlaws were in the two double beds in the room in the front. My daughter slept on the pullout in the living room . We did use the pool twice and while it was crowded there really were not alot of people in the pool. There was a sign saying guests were not allowed to reserve chairs but we were there at 8:30 and most of the good chairs were taken. Overall we had a great time and it was nice to have a lot of room and have the full kitchen and they also gave us 2 highchairs to use. There was plenty of room or all 7 of us. Did not go to the resturants, Marketplace or the fastfood on site. Disney was only about 10- 15 minutes away and Downtown Disney was 5 minutes away.

Really enjoyed this lovely resort. Stayed in the fountains/lakes area. All of these units have been refurbished. Brilliant rooms, fantastic service.

Would definitely book again.

BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO STAY. WE WERE THERE ONLY FOR THE WEEKEND but walked around the property and really enjoyed it . We were not harassed to do the tour, signed up for it but was very sick when we checked out and i was not asked anything when we checked out only told to feel better. We ere told no weekend service but when we got to our room beds were maid and room straightened up nice surprise. Can't wait to stayb there again when we are not going to any of the parks and can just enjoy the property. Never wanted to own a time share until now.

Stayed here in April 2008, and wish we were going again this year.

Accommodation was old but clean and tidy, large rooms, all necessary equipment (washer, dryer, fridge etc.) were fine, nice resort with several pools and restaurants.

We has an apartment with our 6 year old and my parents, suited us all.

Just got back from ten nights at Sheraton Vistana. We requested a room in the Lakes or Fountains area at the time of booking as we'd read that these were the best areas on site to stay. Sent them an email beforehand to confirm our request and got an email straight back to say it had been noted but could not be guaranteed. However upon arrival we were given a two bed villa in Lakes area which was perfect. A shuttle bus took us to our room as it was about 7 minute walk from reception, and the room was amazing. Spacious, spotlessly clean with every kitchen utensil you could ever need. Jacuzzi bath in main bedroom,separate shower room, two double beds in room two with separate bathroom area, decent kitchen with washer, dryer and dishwasher, microwave and oven, and large lounge dining area with a great balcony over looking a lake, the balcony also had a top to bottom screen so no worries about being on the 4th floor with two young children. The room was visited every day by cleaning and each time it was spotless. Had the use of two pools, one of which had a bar, poolside shop, two jacuzzis and never any problem getting loungers for the 6 of us. There are 7 pools on site and we managed to see 4 of them, went to the Spa pool two evenings which is right outside Zimmies restaurant and it was open until one am which most of the pools are. The Cascades pool looked fairly busy, and had a poolside bar too.

There are only a few gripes that i have with the hotel. First thing is the shuttle to Disney that the hotel provides. It leaves 3 times in the morning but that's it, so if you want to go to disney in the afternoon you have to get a cab. If you ask reception to book you a cab they will provide one within 5 minutes but as we found out they charge you between 5 and 10 dollars more than you would pay on a metered cab. A few times we had to get metered cabs back from the parks and they were always this much cheaper than the cabs the hotel provided. Plus the guys that the hotel provided were always saying to us to contact them directly but were still quoting prices far higher than your average cab from the street. I would recommend getting the number of a metered cab company and calling them every time. Not a problem back from the parks as they're everywhere up there.

The shuttles back from the parks to the hotel were not at great times either, they could do with being more frequent.

The shuttle drivers and cleaners at the hotel were lovely, always friendly and helpful, but bar staff and reception staff could have done with a few lessons from them. If you want any help from reception with anything Disney it's no problem but if you want to enquire about when your transfer to the airport is arriving, or what the best shopping mall to visit is, then forget it. Very abrupt, and not helpful. And if you lose anything don't even bother with lost property, we lost our parasol for the buggy and the woman couldn't comprehend a word i was saying, kept telling me that no strollers had been handed in, i used every word i could think of, "buggy shade" "stroller umbrella" "stroller parasol" but no good.

Only had one phone call to the room for timeshare too so that was good and they accepted our polite NO without any problem.

Food was fairly expensive we found, especially at the market place shop, but theres a Walgreens on site, we didn't find it until 5 days in as you just wouldn't know it's there but trust me it is and it has everything you need for a good price.

Straight over the road is a Cici's all you can eat pizza place but we didn't go there as didn't feel safe crossing the freeway with two buggies, that road does get busy.

And the bar at the Lakes pool didnt open till 11am so if you want a coffee by the pool before then you either would need to bring one down from your room or walk the 15 mins to the market place and 15 mins back! With a cold coffee. And a couple of nights the Lakes bar was shut early, around 8pm, even though the pool and poolside was full of people, so again we had to walk over to Zimmies bar which fortunately was open.

Overall I would definitely stay here again, i would just remember the metered cabs, find walgreens on the first day and stock up! And try not to lose anything. And hope they end up provinding more shuttles to the parks.

We returned today from the sheraton vistana resort. This was our first visit to orlando and overall I have to say it didn't live up to expectations but the vistana resort certainly exceeded them. I was really disappointed when we arrived not to get a refurbed unit but I honestly cannot now not see what all the fuss was about. We were in a 2-bed unit and it was really, really spacious clean and well equipped. We had a great living area, fully equipped kitchen, 2 big bedrooms with ensuite and a big balcony with steps directly down to the pool( Springs area). The site had numerous pools and we used 3 of them but used the one near us much more, although it was smaller than some of the others it never got crowded had sun loungers, towels, a jacuzzi/steam room/sauna, and had an amusement arcade with free outdoor pool table and table tennis just to the side of it. Our two children loved the pools and wanted to stay in more than go out.

There were 3 TV's with a wide range of channels( not flat screen but fine ).

The only area looking a little dated was the bathroom off the main bedroom, it was very pink! but there was no sign of the normal bathroom aging giveaways such as mould or worn grout etc so we did not have a probelm with it.

The staff on site were all very helpful we were invited to the presentations but we said no and after the second try we got no more requests.

The resort is big which we liked as it gave somewhere to explore on foot and had lots of amenities which others have mentioned, we did not use the on site supermarket as there are lots near by and it did not seem that extensively stocked .

The location is excellent for the theme parks the furthest away being universal and that was only a quick 15 mins up the I 4 Down Town disney was 0.8 miles according to our sat nav.

If we were to return to orlando, although we probably won't, we would definitely stay here again.

On orlando generally I know we are in the minority but it was not what we were hoping.In our view it was overhyped and well over priced quite frankly it felt like every opportunity was taken to get every cent out of you -from the Dollar rip off prices( $ 140 to rent a car seat for a child for 2 weeks..make sure you take your own) as soon as you get off the plane to almost $50 for a game of crazy golf for a family of 4, to the price for the worst $55 worth of junk food in the Disney parks I have ever eaten and the $4.00 for a trolley at the airport on return.

We did love magic Kingdom but I would not bother with any of the other disney parks unless it is very quiet . The fast pass system was limited ( you can only have one active one at any time and some rides ran out early) so we found them over crowded, over priced, and a real disappointment we saw more children over tired and crying stood in long queues than those who seemed to be genuinely loving the experience- the queue just to meet Mickey was over 45 mins and it took us 15 minutes in the queue to get an icecream and 40 minutes to get the grotty pizza in pizzafari in Animal Kingdom when you add together the queues and the walking between attractions you actually fit in very little even though we arrived for opening. We thought we were going with our eyes wide open and expected queues and crowds but thought the atmosphere would make up for all of that, in Magic Kingdom it did, the other Disney Parks not at all.

We much preferred Sea World and did really enjoy an airboat ride which took you out of the tourist centre but overall our view was it was the unanimous view of our family of 2 adults a 12 and 4 year old that orlando really wasn't what we had hoped

We have just spent 2 weeks here and thoroughly enjoyed it. This is the place to be for 2 weeks Disney visiting as they are so close. Rooms were fantastic we are RCI week owners. We had a 2 bed room in the Lakes - we rang in advance asking for a renovated room and it was accepted. The timeshare pitch was irritating - they invite you for breakfast and that is extremely basic! Then you get the usual pitch where they show photos of their family and how wonderful their resort is (and to be fair it really is!!) then you get astronimical price. You say no - you get another price - you say no the Boss gives you another price - you say no she gives you another price. You finally seem to get through that you cannot afford it even if it is only $94 per month (plus all the other fees adds to a lot more than $94 but they won;t accept this arguement), then just as you think you are getting out you get another one pitching for you to come and buy again in the future because you said you liked it and they want you to cough up a retainer fee (that is the best way I can describe it) at which point I hit stroppy mode and got up to walk out! If I could afford this place maybe I would buy a timeshare there but their argument that RCI wasn't as good was a little flawed when my husband pointed out that we were in fact there as RCI members for 2 weeks - the 2 weeks we wanted etc. etc.! Don't buy your food in marketplace it is expensive and not great - there are plenty of decent shops in area. Towels at the pool are a pain if you want to go to the small pool - you have to walk round to the big pool (far side of it) to get them. These are all very minor complaints and other than that it was the nicest place I have stayed in. Fantastic rooms, jacuzzi in main bedroom is wonderful - we cannot return for 4 yrs being RCI not Starwood Timeshare owners but I would certainly return when our "ban" is up!!

We checked in on 22 May thru 25 May 2009 and I was extremely impressed with what was before my eyes. We stayed in a 2 bedroom villa in the Lakes. I had a quest with me that originally was to stay in a1 bedroom, but because we requested to be in the same area...she was upgraded to a 2 bedroom as well in the Lakes. Like WOW!!! Very clean, modern, spacious, and well furnished. I traveled with 2 teenage boys, spouse, and a younger child and was glad that everyone had enough space to not get on each other nerves. I have no complaints with the location and the stay. I liked the granite counter tops in the bathrooms and the kitchen. Loved the whirl pool tub. Enjoyed the bed, and the shower in the master bedroom. I feel that I got my monies worth out of this stay!!!

I was a bit concerned about our accomodation after reading some of the reviews but I need not have worried. Our rooms were still to be renovated but we had no complaints, very clean and everyting you could possibly need was provided for the villa. Although we did not use any of it there seemed to be a lot going on every day as far as activities were concerned. Central location easy access to all the parks.

This was our first visit to Vistana (May 1-8) and I was thankful to have all the T.A. advice from previous visitors. We requested the Fountains via Diamond Lane and got a top floor condo next to the Fountain's Pool and Rec/Fitness Center. The condo was beautifully decorated and very comfortable, spacious. I loved the screened in porch and having an exit both in the front of the condo and off the porch to the pool. Our kids, age 14 and 10 felt safe walking to and from the pool. We even left them alone a few hours one evening when we went to dinner. My daughter and I went walking one night and I was happy to show my room key when the guard requested it in order to re-enter the grounds. We did unplug all of the phones in the condo so we wouldn't get sales calls. I plugged it back in once a day and received up to 3 messages a day from sales staff at 7:45 am/1 pm and 8 pm. Eventually they stopped leaving messages later in the week. We did not pick up the welcome packet when we checked in because we were eager to get settled in our condo. I'd probably recommend taking some extra time to pick up the packet if you're interested in discounts on mini golf and local restaurants and I guess there are other goodies included too. The pollen was very high and I ended up walking to Walgreens for Claritin. I should have started taking it prior to the trip, so allergy sufferers beware. My husband and I used the Fitness Center 3 days, so that was nice to have just a building away. Spent most of our time at the Fountains pool because it was convenient. Spent one day at the Super Pool, by Zimmies and liked that too! Played mini golf and tennis on site for a minimal fee. We shopped for groceries and beverages at Publix and made most of our breakfasts and lunches in the condo or ordered by the pool. Took a cooler to the pool each day. Ate at Margaritaville, Planet Hollywood, Gator's Dockside, ESPN, Rainforest, Bahama Breeze. Some places took reservations or call ahead priority seating which I highly recommend when you have kids along. Spent a day at Aquatica and liked it better than Blizzard Beach. The crowds were pretty minimal wherever we went, so we could cover a lot more ground in a shorter period of time. Did check out a day early and drove to Clearwater Beach to spend our last 2 days there. Loved the beach and seafood! This was definitely one of our best vacations and we'd love to visit again.

The hotel is magnificent and we have never experienced such incredible service before. It was so lovely that it was hard to drag ourselves away from the hotel to go to the theme parks at all. In fact we didn't bother with Disney , having been before and just did a few trips to Universal. It was so hot and busy there, we couldn't wait to get back to the peace and tranquility of the hotel.

I was at the Resort in the month of September,2001, with my wife, as we wanted to visit the Disney World there. It was a pleasant surprise to be at the huge resort, with seven pools, huge landscaped lawns, beautiful studio apartments, and very close to the Disney World as well. There were recreation centres, utility stores and gym etc. One could just stroll around the vast around 400 acres of the resort, relaxing there and indulging in the activities one was interested in. We really enjoyed whatever time we spent in the Resort, after our daily visits to the Disney World for almost five days.

I am a single mom, and took my 4 year old daughter and 12 year old son for a spring break vacation in orlando. I booked this place on hotwire and got a really good deal considering the normal prices online. The thing that popped out at me was the condo style set up, with a seperate bedroom and full kitchen. Our room was in the Cascades section. It was a bit outdated compared to some of the newer renovated units. But it was still very clean and had everything possible you'd need in the kitchen. My kids got a kick out of the hot tub bathtub in the bedroom. One of the things I loved about this place is that you feel very safe and comfortable. There are guards and gates at every seperate section of the resort. The Cascades recreation center was within walking distance to our unit. Loved the fact it had a large section of the pool very shallow with fountains for the little ones. The other part of the pool was deeper and had a huge waterfall which my son loved. There was a poolside restarant and bar, bathroom facilities, and a small pirate playground nearby. The first full day I arrived I had some time to kill, so I decided to attend the breakfast presentation for the timeshares. We got a free breakfast out of the deal, and in the end they paid me $75 cash, discount tix to Sea World & Bush Gardens (a 14 day pass which includes both parks), and two 50% coupons for our next stay should we book there. Wish we were to stay longer because there are tons of things to explore right in the resort, including an arcade room for the kids and you can even pay $20/hour for the "gaming" room which includes a ton of flat screen tv's hooked up to Xbox 360's, PS2's, computer gaming, etc. My son loved that! The area is very convienent, with plenty of restarants to explore close to the resort. However, we could go back and never leave the resort and still have a blast! My kids can't wait to visit again.

Our first stay in our timeshare & what a great place! Our unit had not even been remodelled yet but we were still very happy with it! The staff were friendly & helpful. The pools were great-only made it to 3 of the 7 pools. Would highly recommend it to anyone.

We stayed at the Sheraton Vistana Resort from March 28 - April 4, 2009. I brought my 19 year old daughter and my 14 year old son and his friend. We stayed in the Fountains II area in a newly renovated 2 bedroom condo. It was absolutely gorgeous, very clean and spacious. My one complaint is that our unit was adjacent to the I-4 highway and I could hear the traffic pretty loudly from my bedroom. It was also disturbing when sitting out on the patio. I couldn't seem to find a peaceful place to sit and relax. Several pools were within walking distance, however, there were alot of families and kids, and therefore, pretty noisy as well. We checked out a couple of the other pools, but found the one at the Fountains village the best. They had 2 hot tubs, a pool-side bar, shuffle board, basketball courts, a sand volleyball court and plenty of loungers. However, another disappointment about this resort was that alot of the activities shut down too early. We wanted to rent some bikes at 6:30 p.m. and was told we had to do it at the Kids Mall, but it closed at 5:00 p.m. Same with checking out sporting equipment - after 6:00 pm, you have to get equipment from the Main Activities center, but that was very far from our unit. The boys ended up buying their own basketball, so they could play at night without having to walk so far to get a ball. We were frustrated that with such an expansive resort, there wasn't much to do at night. Although they provided different types of activities throughout the day, not too much was offered after 6:00 p.m. In regards to the dining, the teenagers really liked the Fountains Food Court with KFC, A&W Burgers & Pizza Hut. Those meals were very reasonable. We really liked the location of the Sheraton Vistana Resort - close to Disney, and the entrance to the I-4 which was convenient. Lots of restaurants and malls nearby but definitely needed a rental car. We had no problems at check-in, but was a bit pressured to take the tour, which I ended up cancelling without a problem. Overall, I would stay at the Sheraton Vistana Resort again but would request a unit closer to the pool and farther away from the noise of the I-4 traffic.

Our stay at the Sheraton Vistana Resort, Lake Buena Vista was awesome in many ways. The hotel was spotless. The room was wonderful. The pool was amazing. The service wasn't the best. The guy at the front desk check in was great but when we went to the restaurant, we had to wait 45 minutes for service. The food was terrible and the long wait was not worth it. The waiter was nice but they were way understaffed. Even though, we would still go back. Wonderful experience overall. Oh, and the bedding on the beds was very uncomfortable.

We just got back from one week at the Vistana. I read alot of the reviews (even the bad ones), and have to suggest "do your homework". We stayed in the Cascades. It was nice, not a 5 star, but quiet and roomy and had everything that you need. We have two teenagers (15 & 18) and they loved it. Awesome basketball courts about 100 yds away, surrounded in bushes so that you can't hear the bouncing of balls. Another 100 yds is the pool. I would suggest get there early and grab your chairs. We showed up at 1030am the second day and had to scramble to get four chairs together.

As far as being bothered, be honest when you check in. Tell them that you're not interested, and follow some of the advice, like unplug your phone at night. Our check in went smooth and uneventful. Security guards at the gate are especially friendly and accomodating if you're not sure about something (or directions!).

We will be going back, but this time will try to stay at the Fountains, pool seems more adult oriented.

Don't be surprised by the distance to the parks. Even though we were only 2 miles from Disney, the roads are busy and it can still take 20 minutes to park. We decided to rent a car the day before (good choice). The Publix grocery store is great for stocking up on things and reasonably priced. Everything is within a couple of miles, shopping, restaurants, groceries, pharmacy and gas.

As I said before, we will be going back. This time, no parks. Just lots of R&R by the pool!!

Just returned from a 6 night stay at Sheraton Vistana Resort and again it did not disappoint. Had a third floor 2 bedroom villa in the Fountains section which was renovated with beautiful kitchen, 3 LCD TVs, and very comfortable beds (OK, so the pillows were all of $4.99 and from Wal Mart, but you get over this quickly). Great events planned everyday for the little (and not so little) ones. Movie night and s'mores by the pool was awesome and the weather was perfect. Did I receive a message (NO CALL, just an automated message left) inviting us to an ownership presentation? Yes, just one...didn't respond and didn't receive another call. That said, after 2 great visits here....I'm starting to wonder about this "vacation ownership" thing just a little bit...

You will be impressed with the level of care taken with this property....dozens of groundskeeping staff descend each day to maintain the grounds....security and engeneering are very evident as well. This is a vast property (don't let this worry you), but feels quite cozy with the number of pools and amentiies available.

Difference between renovated and non-renovated is very obvious (I had a non-renovated villa last year). I made my request (renovated villa in the Fountains section) 1 week before my stay and that's what I got (don't really know if that was by coincidence or because of my request). Many villas (in other sections) are currently being remodeled (this has been going on for more than a couple of years now) so there are probably not too many units remaing "non-renovated".

Hope all of this helps you in your planning, drop a line if you have any questions..

Overall our stay at this resort was good. The rooms are a little outdated and needless to say falling apart but the onsite amenties are great. The resort features 7 pools, many restaurants, is very large featuring beautiful gardens and fountains and offers tons of activities for families. The staff is pretth friendly as well. Like I stated earlier, I was a ltitle disappointed in the rooms which were lacking umph but they were spacious. I would stay here again if I needed to but next time I would definitely try some other resorts out as well.

We stayed in Cascades, building 4 for two weeks. I had stayed there before, but now besides it looks very old fashioned it was NOT CLEAN AT ALL... The units at the Falls there all put as new and had plasmas instead of the old TVs.

If you can, don't go to Cascades.

Four of us, 2 couples, stayed at the Sheraton Vistana for the week of Feb 28 to Mar 7. Our 2 bedroom unit with a full kitchen was in the Courts section of the resort. We declined the orientation (sales) presentation and were called during the week, but again declined. Our unit, while clean and well equipped was an older unit on the first floor of a 2 story building. Only one bedroom had a tv, with another in the living room. A nice addition was the washer dryer combo. Free wifi in the units was a big bonus. The rug in the living room had some minor stains. The first floor unit was on the dark side. Upstairs units had huge windows, which must have made them brighter. The units across the street from us were undergoing major renovations., and should be quite nice when completed.

The resort complex is very large, with a number of smaller and larger pools and hot tubs throughout the resort. They have a store and deli (The Market Place) which were close by and reasonably priced. The gym is well equipped, with tv’s built into the screens (bring mini ear buds, but if not, they sell them for a dollar by machine in the gym). A car is a must, with many restaurants and stores within a short driving distance. Disney is 5 minutes away.

We just returned from a week stay and was most dissatisfied especially with the shuttle service. Prior to booking I made sure that free shuttle service was offered since we had not planned on renting a car. We have always stayed at the disney resort and loved the convenience of the shuttle service. But this year since my daughter was taking two friends we needed a larger room but believe me we would have been better staying in 2 separate rooms than staying here. Since they offered free shuttle service I just thought it would be like the shuttle service that disney resorts offer, but was I wrong this service only picks up for the 4 parks 2-4 times per day and only between the hours of 0800 and 1225pm. On the first day we missed the last shuttle and had to take the transportation that was at the resort which was $35 one way, the staff informed us that this was cheaper than calling a cab, I did check with the transportation that brought us from the airport and they were going to charge $70 one way. The second day we did try the shuttle service and when we came back that night it took us 1 1/2 hours to get back from Magic Kingdom because they went to all 4 parks and picked up people. The third day we rented a car. Overall the resort is nice didn't find the staff to be very friendly or helpful, but if you plan to spend more time in the parks your best bet is to stay in a disney resort.

We returned last week from the most disappointing vacation of our lives. Some of the factors were definitely not the fault of the Sheraton Vistana, such as a medical issue, but they did not make anything easier for us. First of all, get a RENTAL CAR. We were told one was not necessary due to the in-house shuttle service. Our villa was in the Fountains (and was beautiful, by the way). It was so far from the front desk that there was no question of our walking, especially considering the medical issue. We spent at least 3 hours waiting on the shuttle in the four days we spent there. The drivers and other staff treated us as a nuisance instead of valued guests. By the last day I was in tears due to our treatment. Even the customer service rep who checked us out did not have a smile for me or a "How was your stay?" Calls to the front desk were sometimes not even answered - the phone would ring for fifteen minutes. The on-resort restaurant and grocery store closed at 9, an hour earlier than their posted 10 p.m. closing times. The first night we arrived at 8:30 and were too late to eat by the time the shuttle driver came. Yes, that's right. Our three kids went to bed with no supper after a long day of traveling. We had just assumed we could eat when we arrived. Not so. Pizza delivery was also not an option as the wait time for that was nearly two hours.

I purposely waited a week after we got home to write this review so I could think it through more thoroughly. Once again, I will say that the resort was beautiful and our room was fabulous.

Just checked in today, May 24th. We were told prior to check in that we were slated for the Lakes section and were very excited about that. Prior to our trip we had sent in an email because we were considering cancelling due to the bad reviews. We were assured by Glen, the GM, that we would be taken care of. Cut to check in...we were advised that no, we were not in lakes, we were in the Cascades. To get an impression of how this left me feeling read some reviews of past visitors in the Cascades. They offered to put us in a Studio in Lakes (we have payed for a one-bedroom). Call me crazy but offering to down grade someone is not my idea of good customer service. So, we are in Cascades. Its decorated in a very 80s/90s theme. The sofa bed is shredded on the bottom. There is no place to put your food in the kitchen. The "pantry" has 0 shelves making it useless. The closest pool (so close we had to drive) was filled with bugs and dirt. The rules clearly state that no diapers are allowed but there appears to be nobody enforcing the rules since there were many toddlers in full diapers in the pool. On the plus side our condo is decent sized and has a small screened in balcony. It also has a washer and dryer. We are not far from local resaurants and grocery stores. Overall I am dissapointed. I was assured if we were not happy we would be moved but so far Sheraton has not lived up to that promise. The lodging we are in is typical of an aging time-share...run-down. Unless something comes along to impress me we will not be staying here again and as this is my first experience in years at a Starwood/Sheraton property...we will definitely stick with Hyatt or Marriott.

Just returned from two weeks at this resort (well not quite as ended up staying elsewhere for 5 nights!!!) We were so dissapointed especially as we had stayed there before and had requested the same villa. We were put in "Cascades" 2262 - It was terrible - 1/4 of the size that we had last time, dark, old fashioned in desparate need of refurbishment and far too small for my family of three. We had requested "Lakes" 1770 but were told that Virgin had not passed on that request and they couldnt move us as owners had priority. Tried for 2 days to contact Virgin Rep but gave up and decided to check in to another hotel after a week to cheer ourselves up. The cleaners here left a lot to be desired and they always seemed to turn up at 4.30 ish just when we would be coming in from a long day out and they wouldn't come back. The only day they came early was checkout day. If you are considering this resort make sure you ask for Lakes or Fountains and email Sheraton directly a few weeks in advance to confirm. We stayed in Lakes last year and it was excellent. Don't go near Cascades until they refurbish - My goodness it needs it!!!!

After hearing about the Vistana for so many years, I was loooking forward to my time there. When booked through RCI, I was informed it was a superior property so one can only book this through timeshare every 4 years.

When we arrived, our room was in the Falls building. it is probably one of the oldest - the units were a nice size - however very tired and run down. There were all the amenities ie washing machine/dryer/dishwasher/full kitchen etc - but it is going back in time from 20 years ago. The beds were not the most comfortable and the pillows left much to be desired.

there are several pools - most of them were under construction -and ALL the pools allowed the guests to be in the pool with alcohol beverages. This place is inundated with kids, so it got a bit rowdy for the children to be swimming against a few disorderly people.

there was entertainment every day/nihgt - but we did not partake in it as our main purpose was to go to Disney. You defintiely need a car to get around.

the restaurants on site - if you can call KFC, Pizza Hut and one other chain restaurants - had one person serving all the people. in the bars - even if you wanted a soda - there was one person serving each area - so be prepared to wait. There is no pool service for drinks or refreshments.

the bathroom tiles were cracked - the one toilet kept breaking down - after having the service men in to fix it, my husband kept fixing it as it got tiring to make a call every time you would go to the toilet.

The other restaurant on site - had very long waits - and the food was only adequate.

would I return - not even if I could. I have stayed in much nicer, cleaner and more modern places. If you should go to the Vistana - make sure to request the Fountains or the Lakes rooms as they are the newest and the pool around that complex is stunning.

Also, all the hot tubs close down at 10 PM but some of the pools stay open till 1 AM

First off, our room wasn't available even though we checked in the day AFTER our checkin date, asked for a manager who denied there were any problems and tried to claim waiting on our room to be cleaned isn't something we should consider a problem. Second, make sure you have a car as this place is MISERABLE if you don't have one. Their charming website claims there are free shuttle buses around the resort, but you better be ready to wait 20 minutes every time you need one, and they charge $9 per person per day for their shuttle to Disney. Also, do not let their staff recommend a taxi for you as the one they called for us ended up viciously overcharging for a very short trip. Finally, since we didn't think we needed a car from their website, we decided to order food delivered one night, but that turned into a debacle since management has forbidden the guards from allowing food delivery, so it was a blast to have the convenience of food delivered but having to walk 3/4 of a mile one way to go pick it up. All this to say, if you enjoy hotel management antagonizing customers and viewing people as profit centers rather than humans, you should be fine here; but if you value customer service on a vacation, stay away from this place.