Marriott's Grande Vista Reviews

After much research, and the myriad of choices for Orlando, I decided on the Marriott Grande Vista. We stayed in a 2 bedroom with my spouse and three children, ages 8, 5, and 3. Check-in was was very efficient. The male at the counter was very cordial and pleasant.

We stayed in building 97, with a view of one of the four pools at the resort, and the golf course. True to what I was told at check-in, the unit was recently refurbished, and smelled new when we walked in. It was average in size compared to other 2 bedrooms I've stayed in, with a washer and dryer and free w My children stayed in the guest room master bed and seemed very comfortable there, with there own DVD player and LG flat screen TV in the room. As I've experienced with other Marriott timeshares, the mattress seemed rather soft to me. But with the help of lots of pillows, I was able to get comfortable.

This resort is very large and spread out, with multiple 3-4 story buildings on the property. We used the small but very pretty and clean pool right behind our room a couple times. It was not very crowded and had a nice hot tub next to it. It had a small area for toddlers with sprinklers that shot out of the ground. We also went to the main pool one day. The kids enjoyed the multiple water cannons, as they got to shoot their parents with water over and over! The main pool had a baby pool, two hot tubs, and a chldren's area with lots of water jets and water cannons for them to play with. The thing it lacked, which would have been the icing on the cake, would have been some water slides for the kids.

The resort has a very nice workout room located next to the front desk. I've stayed in multiple timeshares, but this was definitely one of the better workout rooms, with the amount of space and the new equipment, both machines and free weights.

There is plenty for the kids to do, with the large play structure for kids 52" and smaller (strictly enforced and socks must be worn), a roomful of video games, an outside ping pong table, fuze ball table, and billiards. Take-out Pizza Hut is also offered on the premises. DVD's can be rented for something close to $6.75 a night, which was too expensive, I thought.

My biggest gripe with the Marriott Grande Vista was the cell phone service. I have Verizon cell phone service, and never, ever have issues making calls. Plus, I updated my cell phone when I landed to find the closest cell phone towers here. However, I could not get cell phone service in my room. I had to step outside, and still had a weak connection. It was really annoying.

To summarize, I believe this Marriott is a solid choice. It's very clean and the grounds are well taken care of. Everything was in very good condition. I would definitely recommend this place to a friend. However, with the amount of competition for timeshares in Orlando, I will check out some other timeshares as well before returning. The two let downs were the cell phone service and the lack of water slides for the kids.

We just returned from a week stay at this resort. We had the 3 bedroom lockoff accomodations. We had a great time, and found everything satisfactory. I thought the beds were very comfortable. Used for a family of four but could have easily accomodated six. I wouldn't recommend 12.

We stayed here over 4th of July weekend. What a terrible accommodation. The rooms were super small, everything is so far apart. We left after 2 days and don't plan on returning.

The Grande Vista was great! My wife, children (15 & 17) and I just got back from a week's stay. The accomodations were very comfortable for four and six would probably have been OK also. The unit was very clean and had everyting necessary for our stay. The front desk and concierge were also very helpful. I didn't play golf, but the course looked terrific. I was a little concerned about the size of the place and that it might seem crowded around the main pools. There were a lot of people, but we always found chairs without a problem. We spent several days at Universal, which was an easy <10 minute commute right down I4. Disney was about the same distance in the opposite direction. If you are going to Sea World, it is less than two miles away. There are two Publix grocery stores a mile away. We will put this on our list of places to return to.

Just returned from a week stay here. We really enjoyed how close it was to Disneyworld, took just under 15 minutes to get to all the parks. Didn't have much time to really enjoy the resort pools and spa but it was very pretty and nice large traditional Marriott villas. It was very convenient to have a full kitchen as eatting at Disney can add up. With being so close we could come back eat something and recharge and go back. FYI we were there in Sept and the parks didn't stay open too late, but there is downtown disney and tons to do. Hope you enjoy your stay.

I just want to comment on Ronald118's review of the Grande Vista.

The sidebar of "how can people schedule their vacation with Disney at the centerpiece", do you not have children? I am not a Disney fan either, but Disney offers more than just rides. There are wonderful restaurants on site. Lots of activities and entertainment for the whole family. Sure I would love to go to Europe for vacations but I prefer to spend time with my children while they're still young and still want to be with me.

Everyone has a different timeline regarding to every aspect of their lives, which includes vacation choices. So please do not impose your preference on others and be so condescending that people like me have to respond.

We have returned from Grand Vista February 27, 2010. We have exchanged to Grand Vista for eight annual business conferences. The location is within minutes of the Orange County Convention Center.

For the first time in a quarter of a century we visited Epcot and Animal Kingdom. To be clear we are NOT theme park fans; however, Grand Vista is a very short drive to Disney. Drive south on International Drive (past Publix's) and junction 536 to Disney.

Is is truly disheartening to discover that certain families structure their vacation in a manner to make Disney the centerpiece of a family vacation. We have to wonder if these people have ever visited Mt. Denali, The Grand Tetons, Breckenridge skiing, Hawaiian volcanoes, Costa Rico rain forests, or any real adventure sites. There are actually books by "experts" who promote family visits to Disney twice a year. Our view is that it is somewhat unimaginative to plan a week of Disney lodgings, meals, and parks. The same economics would easily fund a European holiday.

January through March is the only time we would ever visit Florida, and given the tremendous oversupply of Orlando Timeshares, we are reluctant to own a timeshare near the "mouse." Why own in the Orlando area when instant trades are assured. We find the Florida Keys and beaches to be of much more interest.

The Grand Vista is an aging, but well maintained Marriott property. Marriott should comprehend that the upscale consumer requires Blu-ray and flat-screen HDTV for in-condo entertainment. The wifi is extremely slow.

Given the large size of the Grand Vista, Marriott is expert in check-in protocols. The pubic "beach" and pools offer sun, and a variety of moods from noise to solitude.

If one is on a business or convention trip, the Grand Vista's location near 500+ restaurants, shopping, Publix's, and the convention center is nearly ideal for conference attendance. The Marriott staff is well-trained. This property is appreciated by Marriott owners; non-timeshare owners are better advised to goto a hotel.

If one must goto Orlando, the Grand Vista is fine. We own three Marriott properties, and while we are content to visit the Grand Vista as a base for business conferences, we would never purchase in the Orlando area.

We stayed in a 2 bedroom two bathroom unit Dec 27, 2009 to Jan 3, 2010.We are owners at the Grande Vista and have stayed here before. Staff was helpful and changes to fitness center were well thought out and the place busy. Food and service in Nick's Place was better than before. They now seem to use concerige services to push timeshares but they were polite and left us alone when we declined. Unit was clean and service wonderful. Only sour note: the cheapest bottle of wine for sale in the store was in excess of $23.00.

Stayed at Marriott Grande Vista with grandkids in late May and early June and it was great. Unit was clean and beautifully furnished; lots of activities for the kids and they were treated wonderfully by the staff. We spent couple of days at DisneyWorld and one at SeaWorld, rest of the time at Grande Vista. Our grandkids had just as much fun at GV as they did at expensive theme parks. I wouldn't miss an opportunity to stay at this Marriott resort.

Just returned from a week at Disney with our granddaughter and family. For what I paid for the two bed room it wasn't worth it. Asked to be close to the pool but had to hike to get there, if you were not early ,no room. We didn't ask for a handicapped accessible room with lock out but that's what they gave us. Had to attend the ownership presentation or get charged extra. Was not given any thing for attending, big rip off. Will definitely will not return to the Marriott's locations.

We are marriott owners and own two of their timeshares. We were very dissappointed after exchanging into the Grande Vista for the week of December 27 - January 3. We stayed at this resort in 2004 and found it to be a 5 star and the units were well maintained. The grounds are well maintained but the unit building we stayed in was indeed need of updating. The lockoff in which my daughter and friend stayed in was loaded with small bugs and the vanity door was broken off. They were very quick in repairing the door and spraying for the bugs. The only thing is that the bugs returned after 2 days and I just went to the store and bought our own bug spray to keep it under control. Our unit in Building 87 was also in need of updating. We also had bugs in the kitchen area and we again called maintenance to spray. They promptly came and sprayed but I felt this was an inconvenience as we were constantly calling for them to respray. We also had a problem with the cleanliness of the room. It looked like they were rushing to get the units cleaned and missed what they thought was cleaned. Our bathroom toilet had not been cleaned from our previous tenants. I felt uncomfortable in this unit because I felt it needed a good cleaning. I called to have this unit cleaned every other day for $43.00 a day. I can assure you that I have stayed at many marriott's over the years and never ran into this problem. This timeshare should not be rated a 5 star until they refurbish all the units.

Just returned from a weeks stay and it was fantastic. Every single staff member we encountered was friendly and helpful. The villa was large, clean and very comfortable - the beds were extremely comfortable. Lot of activities for children and adults. Quiet and restful. We will certainly be staying here again!

Spent a week in July 2008 and enjoyed the property. Spent much more time at the local sites (Disney) than on the resort property, but great place to headquarter from for the week. The kitchen allowed for breakfast, lunch and dinner most days. Stayed in building 78 and enjoyed this side of the property as we did not feel that we were on a huge property (also had a gas grill in common area). Pool area was fun (could have been cleaned up better for the next day) and our kids enjoyed the water cannons along with few of the kids activities.

Just came back from a wonderful week in Orlando. We stayed in building 46 which overlooked the west pool area. The rooms are very clean and spacious. The pools are geared towards family fun. Only few restaurants on site and a very limited menu of burgers, sandwiches,pizza. The grounds are well maintained and there are several activities for children as well as kids camp. Workout area is above average. The property is very conveniently located to I4/International Blvd/SeaWorld/Disney/Malls.

Originally put in building 97 which was terrible: smelled of mildew, dated carpet, tile, and showers. Transferred to building 86 after lots of negotiation. Woken up at 3 am the second night by drunk college kids above us. Pools were over-croweded with no seats available by 10:00 am. Grounds are pretty, and well maintained, room in bldg, 86 was very nice with down comforters on bed. Would NEVER buy into a points timeshare due to the uncertainty of accommmodation. Worth the $900 we paid on Redweek for a 2 bedroom. Overall, would not pay more than $1000 for a week, the complex is too large and the staff is too complacent. Best buildings are 81-85, anywhere else is a hike to a pool. Buildings 95-100 are dated and Very far from the pool. DON'T let the front desk fool you into taking a villa in 95-100: I heard 2 separate desk clerks say that area was their favorite to 2 different unsuspecting guests. (a joke considering these are the oldest buildings farthest from the action) I would never buy from Marriot because of the actions of the front desk.

Absolutely gorgeous resort. The rooms are unreal the views are breathtaking the units are pretty large. Its a large resort. Nice golf. Beautiful pool! Will always go back!! To those snobby people who say some people must have never stayed at a 5 star resort to rate this a 5 star. Ive been to some places that couldn't even call themselves 1 star and haved walked out so this is pretty close to perfect. There is no place in the world that can ever be "PERFECT" because certain circumstances do happen sometimes that are not controllable by management.

Lpolmann 1/08

If you've got kids, this is the place for you!!

Great indoor play area with game room - My children spent hours happily playing while my husband and I chatted and read on the comfy couches set up nearby. We had great weather, but it was nice to know that they'd have something to do if not!

Lake with Paddle Boats - paddle boats shaped like pirate ships and ducks which gave us one more thing to do on site.

Events and activities for kids - We didn't take advantage of all of the kid's activities, but my kids absolutely loved making s'mores and singing songs around the campfire on the beach one night.

Pools and Beach - I like the beach, my husband likes the pool. It was nice to have a choice of where to park our lounge chairs.

CLOSE TO DISNEY! - We spent three days at the parks and what an easy 15 minute drive!

Resort Photographer - I loved this service because who has time to schedule family portraits?!!! We took advantage of the service and got some really nice shots.

Nice units - Our two bedroom unit was very spacious which allowed our three little ones to stay in one bedroom with two queens sized beds and my husband and I got our own room with a separate screened in porch and jacuzzi tub. The furnishings were beautiful -nice furniture and granite countertops throughout. The pools were warm and the grounds were gorgeous.

But what sold us most on this resort is the fact that the staff was very "kid friendly." They went out of their way to accomodate children. My daughter had an accident while in the game room and was crying because she was so embarrased. A Marriott employee saw what had happened and gave her a handful of tokens because she felt so bad for her!

On a separate occasion, I took my three kids to the on-site rock climbing wall. My 8 year old and 6 year old were big enough to do it themselves, but my three and a half year old did not quite meet the weight restriction. The Marriott employee in charge of the wall could have just said, "Sorry, she's too small" and left me to deal with the temper tantrum to follow. Instead, he actually climbed up the rock wall with her to ensure her safety and lift her spirits, referring to her as "princess" the whole time.

Grande Vista may not cater as well to those who want to be served drinks at the pool, but they sure do a great job catering to families with young children! :)

My only complaint is that they don't have a full service spa for us tired moms to pamper ourselves in!!!! (though they do have massage rooms).

Good luck!

My family just spent two nights at the Grande Vista. We had a two bedroom and three bedroom villa. I had called ahead to request units close to the main pool but did not receive them. We had to wait almost three hours (arrived at 2:30 pm) to get into our villas and they were driving distance away from the main pool. The front desk did give us a $100 credit to be used at the resort.

The rooms were in good condition although the resort is over built and I cannot imagine what it would be like during the busy season.

Good location close to sea World and other Orlando locations but I would not chose this resort as a destination vacation.

Stayed there 3 weeks in Feb/March of 07. Locked off our unit plus traded for the 3rd week.

Excellent resort! (If you don't get a new or newly renovated room then go back to the front desk.)

Faldo golf school facility is great! If you are a golfer you can buy a bag of balls then pitch, chip, or hit sand shots to practice greens before you go the the driving range.

Nicks Grill- mediocre at best. I recommend off premises restaurants. There is a pizza hut and small deli for light meals. Light house bar is cool!

Lake is beautiful. The 2 larger pool areas are very nice as well.

Great location near SeaWorld and close to Disney as well.

In response to user Riggins review, this is not a hotel. If it were a hotel then room service, etc. would be an expectation. Daily maid service is available if you want to pay for it. Timeshare resorts are not service oriented to the degree of hotels and one shouldn't expect such. Pool service was available be the pool nearest to where we stayed. The resort and facilities are very nice and it is a great location. As stated earlier in my review the restaurant is not first class but everything else about the resort is, for a timeshare. (I have stayed at a number of timeshares including other Marriott's, as well as a number of top notch hotels with work travel.)

Im a Marriott owner and love Marriott but this is not a 5 star resort. There are close to 2000 total units. Its a very large resort but there is only 1 restaurant and they dont do room service. The only place that does room service is an onsite Pizza Hut, which is ok but I dont want pizza every day. Also, I never once saw any sort of pool service. If you want a drink then youll have to go get one. (not 5 star service).

I requested a high floor with a lake or pool view weeks in advance and got a low floor with a view of power lines. There is also no maid service at all during the stay.

On a positive note, the rooms are clean and there are many places to eat within a few mile radius, but I was very dissapointed in the lack of facilities at this resort. People who rated this a 5 star resort have never been to a true 5 star resort. Trust me, read the other reviews

My family loved it. Especially the restaurant on grounds. The mellow pool in the back with the bar is beautiful. Great for kids.

The Grande Vista was awesome, from check-in to check-out! The 3 bedroom villa was huge, with two balconies and an efficiency kitchen in the lock-off bedroom, in additon to the full kitchen in the 2 bedroom section. The villa was extremely clean, as were all the common areas. This resort has fantastic pools for both children and adults. The Copa Loca bar and grill served decent food and drinks, reasonably priced. The activities for kids were plentiful and well organized. We would stay here again in a heartbeat!!!

Stayed in a 2/2 (Unit #3131) bottom floor unit during Spring Break.

Pro's: 1. Rooms were in great shape and had a lot of room for our family of 5 (could easily accomodate 8). Everything was in working order. 2. Parking right outside of the unit 3. Kids enjoyed the activities 4. Very close to Sea World and Universal; 10- 12 minutes from rest of the Disney parks. 5. NO BUGS! Don't know how they are able to minimize the amount of bugs with all of the water they have on the property.

Con's: 1. Pool service was lacking to non-existent. If you wanted a drink you went and got it yourself; 2. Golf course. You would think they would provide you with transportation/shuttle service to their "on-property" Faldo golf course or across the street Grande Pines GC. 3. Small washer and dryer. Dryer took forever to dry. 4. The DVD player needed to be controlled by hand (universal remote didn't cut it). There is a blockbuster 2 miles from the property. 5. Would have liked to have a walk out patio instead of a screeneed in one.

Overall a good property and we would stay here again.

Great Resort! We have stayed at lots of Resorts in ORLANDO and we had the best time ever on Grande Vista! Food is Great, Customer Service ROOMS are Excellent!!! Pools are very clean and well kept, Hey tell me about the pina coladas! ther ROCK! We loved it! and will be back soon! AAA+++ GREAT JOB MARRIOTT!!

We had a 2 bedroom in a newer building and it was very nice. I have been traveling by timeshare for 8+ years and let me give you some advice. You don't have to take the first unit assigned to you. Ask the front desk if you can see the unit first, if it is not what you want ask for another until you like what you see. The people that complain about units or unit location don't play the game the right way. If you don't own at that resort of course they are going to give you run of the house rooms. Just be polite and ask for the key to inspect the room, view, location etc. The Grande Vista is a spectacular resort in Orlando. The rooms are spacious and well appointed.

Here is the deal! I know someone that use to work at Grande Vista and has provided the inside track on this Marriott Property.

Yes, it is nice. When you enter the resort with the tree-lined promenade, then see a grand vista at the lake and fountain, then see the Faldo Golf Institute -- yes, this is going to be wonderful. And it is.

But, the Resort is a total of 900 Villa's = 46,000 weeks. Some of the buildings are 10 years old. Some of the units are in dire need of being redone. So if you are an Owner, then you have priority for view and villa condition. If you are a trader or Timeshare Sales preview package, then you are at the bottom of the list. People complain about: limited parking, slow elevators, VCR's not DVD's, some wear and tear, and some FL mildew. But when they go to the timeshare presentation, they are shown a full blown Tuscan, Italian Renaissance 3 Bedroom Lake-View model. By no means are they all like that. And, if they did not have Nick's Grille, they would be in a world of hurt, with very limited restaurant facilities.

As a Redweek Trader or Renter, you will be called to view a sales presentation. For the most part, they are Marriott, so you don't get the horrific Westgate-like, beat them up before they can even think of leaving, presentation. Go to the presentation, tell them no, thank them, and then use the $100+ voucher for Disney, Universal, Seaworld, golf or dinner.

Whatever, you will have a Grande Vacation -- no matter what happens it is more relaxing than WORK.

jkmk

We stayed in a 3br - lots of room! Resort has plenty of pools, and activities for the kids.

I am an Marriott owner in Absecon. I found this resort to be disappointing. We were given a ground floor unit in an older building. While it was a "lake view", it wasn't too exciting. The unit (2 BR) was tired and desperately needed updating. At least they have DVD players now compared to the post from July. Like everyone else we fould the pull out sofa to be uncomfortable to the point of unusable. The resort is huge and there is not enough parking. We witnessed many people circling the lot looking for a spot. Pools were nice, the kids said it was warm. We enjoyed an hour renting one of the resorts four person bicycles for $18. Food at Nick's Grill was good and the service above average. The front desk staff was average, but the concierge was very helpful in planning some events. We took a day off from the parks and took an Airboat ride about 45 minutes away. That was a real highlight.

We spent a week here in late March in a one bedroom. In daylight this place is beautiful, but in the dark it was large and confusing.

We arrived in the evening and were given scant directions to our unit, in fact we just seemed to be a bother to the gentleman waiting on us. We could not find the right building and we ended up back out at the gate and the lady there was very helpful.

The unit itself was on the groud floor very near the elevator. We went back to the office and got a different person this time and asked if we could switch to another place above ground level. He quickly made the change and was very pleasant to talk to.

Our one bedroom was clean and very much like the pictures we had seen. The kitchen was well stocked for cooking and dishes.

The little balcony was small, but the 3 of us still enjoyed breakfast out there every morning.

The place is beautiful beyond words, but there are a few things to take note of. Reviews on other sites cautioned about the lack of chairs in the pool area. We found that to be true. We could go out well before noon and still have to scout to find 3 chairs in any of the areas. Highs that week were between 80 and 90 degrees and the water was still very cool in the pools.

And if go out and come back in after 9:00 or 10:00 p.m., good luck parking anywhere near your building. We walked quite some distance back to our building after driving around to even find a place to park 4 of the evenings we were there.

Our king bed was very comfortable, the sleeper sofa left something to be desired. It was great to have free Internet, but could be more up to date and have DVD players instead of only VCPs.

Overall, it was a wonderful week and we would definitely stay there again. I just figure if you share these little things with others and they go in aware of them, then it really won't be that much of a bother to them.

Beautiful location, clean and comfortable resort with lots to do for all ages. Daily activity schedule offers something for everyone. Gorgeous pools. Ask for a unit with a screened in balcony and a lake view.

Had a great week at the Marriott Grande Vista. The 1 bedroom lockout unit was very spacious, clean and beautiful. We saved a ton of money by having breakfast and an occasional dinner in our condo. A great value. Had a wonderful view of the ponds and pool. It is a large resort but there is no reason to get in the car to get around it unless you have a disability. My son and I had a great time at the pools, playing tennis, basketball, ping pong (we joined the tournement). Great planned activities. Paddleboats were fun. Across the street from SeaWorld and a short drive to Universal and Disney in either direction.

We stayed at Grande Vista for three nights on a timeshare presentation package with a round of golf each at Grande Pines. The timeshare presentation was low pressure and generally informative. The course was very enjoyable and the newer nine hole course is also nice.

The Lockout we stayed in was tired and needed updating. We were shown models which were decorated first class and were told they give preference to owners on the upgraded units. The housekeeping staff was exceptionally good and very helpful. One maid even walked to the next building to get me a luggage cart without being asked.

It's a huge resort with about 1,600 rooms so you take your car often. Overall we liked the resort and are considering buying a resale unit at the Resort.

We had stayed 10 nights at the resort, The first 6 days were in the older units, that we were not pleased with. The rooms just were not what we expected.

The remaining 4 days we were moved to the new units, and they were great. The pools are great for the kids,along with the childrens play area. This is a nice resort for the whole family.

Excellent accomodation. Only complain is the pull out sofa is not confortable. The mattress is too thin but as expected in this kind of bed. Otherwise accommodations, entertainment and facilities first class. Staying from Oct.28th till Nov.04th 2005 in a one bedroom unit through exchange.

We've stayed in a 3bd, and a 2bd with 5 children and grandparents. Beautiful, scenic, and Quiet which is vital after a day in the parks! Units are spacious with ALL the amenities of home in the kitchen including Wash/Dryer. We are not golfers, but loved the views, walked the trails, nice exercise area and a fantastic new kids pool area with grill. Comfortable, spacious wouldn't stay ANYWHERE else in Orlando. Drive to Disney easy and Seaworld is literally around the bend!

We were introduced to Marriott Vacation Club through my parents' unit at Cypress Harbour. We bought at Grande Vista because of the lock-off feature. We just had our first week staying there - and had a wonderful time! The kitchen is well-equipped, the pools are great, and the poolside bar makes a great lunch. We used the babysitter referral and got a college graduate with whom our daughter was immediately comfortable, and my husband and I took a lesson each at the Faldo golf school, then played nine holes. Three days of theme parks wore us out, and it was very nice to come back to such a comfortable and quiet place at the end of the day. We had stayed at another resort in the Orlando area, and the difference in quality was enormous - we're very glad we bought at Grande Vista!

We stayed at this resort in April. We had traded our home resort in Aruba for an effiency during Easter Week. The room was spacious and very clean. The resort itself was beautiful with beautiful pools and common areas. We went on the low presure timeshare prenstation which we scheduled at our own request (they didn't even call us) and ended up buying a 2 bedroom. We have plans to go back in November 2005 and April 2006 as owners, which I understand receive preferential treatment.

Spent a week here in April. We found the resort to be too large. We had to get in the car to use the pool, play tennis, etc. Our unit was tired and needed redecorating. We were expecting more beds and were told they were too full to provide us sleeping for 8 persons. We enjoyed the Orlando area, but will not likely return to this resort. Staff at the resort were not particularly helpful. Resort was not Marriott quality.

We visited with friends in early May, 2005. Everyone had a great time! The two-bedroom, two- bath accommodations were very nice and had a nice view of the golf coarse and the Seaworld fireworks. The pool area was also very nice and included a poolside café that served excellent food for lunch.

The onsite 9-hole Grand Vista Golf Course was a welcomed change after playing the challenging 18- hole Grand Pines Golf Course across the street. Since Marriott owns both courses we received a discount at each.

The Grande Vista is close to outlet shopping and Seaworld, but a little drive to Disney. We would not hesitate to stay at the Grand Vista again.

An excellent Resort. I stayed August 2004 and had a fantastic time. I stayed on a timeshare presentation rate ($200 for 4 nights plus 2 disney tickets). The pools are awesome. I can't say enough about it.

We experienced a wonderful vacation at the Marriott Grande Vista. We carried our grown children and grandchildren and there were activities for all at the resort. The villas were beautifully decorated and the service was excellent. The pool areas were so inviting. It was a very special family vacation.

We just spent a week at the Grande Vista, we had just a wonderful time, the one bedroom suite was beautiful and very quiet, it was clean, well furnished and we had no problems during our week there, always got updates daily on what was going on in the hotel itself, most of the staff were very nice to us. Then the day we were to leave Hurricane Frances was sited off the coast and the Airport shut down leaving us stranded, we thought about staying there and waiting it out because the weather was georgeous, went to front desk to explain our delima and asked what the rate would be if we just stayed in the same room for another 2 nights, WOW did they try to stick it to us or what? By then most driving guest were gone, all flights had been canceled coming into Orlando, so I said well since this place is only like 30% occupied you can't give us a better rate, NO, sorry that is the rate. So we drove for 11 solid hours from there to Atlanta, in bumper to bumper traffic and again missed another flight, finally we did get home, and we are glad that we didn't stay, Frances stayed off shore for the day we left then came in the next day. It's still a wonderful location to stay and very convient to all the attractions.

Marriott's Grande Vista is an upscale resort with something for everyone. Great pools, golf and location, location, location. We enjoyed our stay very much. We plan to go back again.

my kids hated me for switching from Marriott Cypress Harbour to Marriott Grand Vista.

No comparison for families -- go with Cypress Harbour next door.

grande vista is good if you golf. period.

We exchanged our week through Interval International. We had a two bedroom unit. I thought this resort was out of this world. When we checked in everything went well. We were assigned to a 1st floor unit and it was ok but I called the front desk and asked if they had a unit that was higher up. We went to the 4th floor. It was beautiful. Freshly refurbished. Everything was brand new. All pools were great for my kids (triplets 11 years old). The staff were for the most part friendly. If given the option, yes, we would go back in a minute.

We booked this resort through Interval International Getaway and got a real bargain. We rented a studio apartment for a week, which overlooked the pool and was convenient for all the amenties. The apartment was small in comparison to Westgate Lakes (where we own) but fine for 2 people. For golfing fans this is a great resort as it has an 18 hole and a 9 hole golf course, and a great bar! This was our first time in a Marriott and we liked it.

Exceptional property. This resort is elegant and inviting. The staff is always helpful - even in situations where the customer is most disagreeable! The indoor playground is a delight for kids. My kids also enjoyed the organized children activities. The main pool has a wonderful water theme. For a secluded feeling, visit one of the other pools. There is a lake with a sanded beach, where you can rent watercraft, or just stroll around the property on the board walk, stopping to swing, or bury your toes in the sand. The outside bar near the lighthouse is very inviting and relaxing. The nine hole on site golf course is great - especially if you are a Marriot owner ($26). The golf club house is a great place for an adult escape, even if you do not golf. This resort is great for both adults and kids. We own here and are very happy.

I'VE BEEN AN OWNER AT GRAND VISTA PRE- CONSTRUCTION. EVERY TIME I GO THERE ,MY WHOLE FAMILY COMES WITH 9 GRANDCHILDREN , WE HAVE A GREAT TIME. SOMEONE MENTIONED THE FRONT DESK WAS NOT HELPFUL . THEY MAY BE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER GRAND VIST BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE GO THERE THEY CANT BE MORE HELPFUL FROM A CHANGE OF ROOM TO EXTRA TOWEL OR ANYTHING. IN FACT I USED TO OWN 2 WEEKS I NOW OWN 5.

Grande Vista is quiet and beautiful..just a few pet peeves that may or may not matter to someone else. The effic portion of 2 bedroom has a slider with no screen, nor screening on porch. If you crave fresh air when escaping from the frozen north, it doesn't allow open windows at night or buggy rainy times. The 1 bedroom portion is screened on most. I wish that you didn't have to pay for everything, or that at least some come ons were offered for owners (e.g. for bicycles or boats) Also watch out when there is rain...there are a couple of places where the rough tile changes to smooth slippery..very much so when wet.

The room two bedroom lockoff was large. However, the room was very dirty. Futhermore, there was no housekeeping with the timeshare. The people at the front desk were not so helpful. My daughter enjoyed the children's program and the very large indoor climbing structure. I did not feel that the marketplace served our needs, they needed a hotdog hamburger place. We enjoyed renting the paddle boats and bicycles. I was a little surprised that this was a Marriot-

We headed down there on Christmas day and actually got there a day early, The day after Christmas, and there was nothing available in Orlando.

DW wanted $785 a night at OWK, and because I have 6 people I needed something that big. I called over tot he Marriott, and explained the situation and they rented me a 2 bedroom unit on the spot for a very fair price the night before my actual check in.

The parks were *mobbed*, and by the 3rd day, my kids (age 2,5,10 and 12) had given up completely so we decided to just stay at the resort and they loved it.

The resort is beautiful (having been a DVC member for years I have high standards), the staff is more than excellent, the pools (5 of them) are all excellent (but kind of chilly), the activities are well thought out and fun., the rooms are clean and well placed, the golf course is an A+ and I have no complains whatsoever.

I've seen some people complain about the cost of the activities but not all of them are charged for. My son spent 5 hours in a "space alien" program of some sort, and they fed him as well as participated with the kids in the Laser Tag game. To have my 12 y/o occupied for 5 hours and fed is well worth $30 to me!. I also took my 5 y/o on a "Blues Clues" Clue hunt for 45 minutes while the family showered and got ready for the day. That was free, fun, and challenging for her because she had to learn to use a map.

I have no complaints at all, and when I decide to purchase my next timeshare, it's not going to be at DW, it will be at Marriott.

Marriott's Grande Vista was awesome!! We are looking forward to making this place a family tradition with our kids!! Highly recommend. Super location to all the attractions and International Blvd.

Great family resort with programs and activities for children, beach, several pools, golf course, equipment to rent, outside bar. Close to all major attractions.

Another fantastic Marriott resort!

This is a wonderful resort. We stayed in a one bedroom unit. Throughout, the unit was well apportioned and tastefully decorated. The kitchen had every convenience. There is a choice of pools and during February, limited activities.

I own a 3bdr and have stayed at GV four times. We have never had a problem with anything. It is a big resort but never feels too crowded. Overall, it's a beautifu resort with a lot to do. Not to mention great access to WDW.

Excellent interiors & exterior studio,1,2,3 bed units. Surround by MAR Falco Golf school. (9 hole training site). Excellent resturant at golf center. Mar International Golf course across street (Golf Discounts) around corne- down street from Seaworld. Publix less than 2 miles. Pay for maid service if T/S exch. Compass Kids Club/Camp. off site activities.

INPORTANT- MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL GOLF COURSE WILL BE CLOSED FROM 1/15/03 TO SOMETIME IN FEB 04. (Across street from Grand Vista- Around corner from HGVC & MAR Cypress Harbor.

THE FALDO (training) COURSE at GRAND VISTA will be open to public (call first to make sure). All MAR T/S owners will get % off all golf games & most instruction.

2/7/02: Just returned from a week in a 3 bedroom. Hosted big party. Marriott supplied additional pots, pans, and other equipment gratus. Could have requested cooks & maids (charge). Rooms were excellent. No mold, mildew, and evcerything shined. One problem- bed (I needed a bed board). IMO- still 5 star.

this is a beautiful resort - no problems with anything.