Marriott Grande Vista Orlando Video Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มิ.ย. 2024
- Ever read a written review of a resort or hotel and still have no idea what to think?! With FitnessN'Beer video reviews we hope to help solve that problem. In our breakdowns we try to focus on the things you really need and want to know. And we like to share our experience in way that helps you understand what the experience would be like for yourself.
This time we're at The Marriott Vacation Club Grande Vista in Orlando Florida.
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We love your videos! Thank you for showing our favorite resort! We did want to mention (if another viewer hasn't already) that there is actually a fantastic, fully fenced playground on site. Our three year old son had a blast playing there and we're looking forward to our upcoming stay when he can play there again. Thank you, again, for your always-great content!
Big thank you for checking out the videos and for this comment!! Your kind words are appreciated.
Yes the playground was installed after our visit. 😕🤣 I’m sure it’s a great addition, the property definitely needed one. Still we enjoyed our visit to the Grande Vista.
Have you tried the Harbour Lake? Great property to visit with a 3 year old. (Can totally understand preferring Grande Vista, but Harbour Lake is really great for the little ones)
Nice job with this video. Property map would be a good addition as well as mentioning the building around main village areas. Your flow and explanations kept my attention, brief and informative. Well done. I gave you a like.
Big thanks for checking out the video, commenting, and giving a like! Much appreciated! I really hope the video was helpful. I do try to make the video useful and pass along the important information. I know they’ve since added a playground.
I hope you enjoy your visit to the Grande Vista.
Hey! I just saw this I enjoyed this video so much! You take us on your journey in such a smooth, fun way!
So glad you guys enjoyed yourselves! 😊
Hey Jennifer! Thanks so much for checking out the video. We liked the Grande Vista, HUGE property. Also thanks for the comment, I try make good videos but it’s tuff.
I hope you’re doing well! And looking forward to vids from your Vegas visit!
Great video! So appreciate the detail and the flow. Just booked a two bedroom villa here for our upcoming family vacation!
Hope it was helpful and thanks for watching! I think the Grande Vista is worth a visit. Have an awesome trip!
Thanks for review. We have considered this property many times and have always been sure. Your reviews always make me feel like I can really see what it would be like. Think we will try it!
Love that!! 🤣👌🏾👍🏾😉
Great concise review that hit all the key points! Video was great and the music was a nice touch.
I do hope it was helpful. Thanks for watching and for your comment!
We enjoyed the Grande Vista and they’ve since installed a playground.
Great video, nicely done! Staying here next month so this was very helpful. Cheers bud!
I’m glad to hear that the video was helpful Hope you have an awesome trip!
Big thanks for watching and commenting.
Thank you so kuch for your videos. We had an interval getaway offer and this video and your vistana comparison helped us decide which resort to stay at.
Glad the videos helped! Thanks for watching and for your comment. I think all of the properties can make for a fun vacation.
Just curious, which resort did you pick?
A good review! Like how you talk! We shall be here in December! Thanks for sharing
Hope you have a great trip! Thank for checking out the video. I think the Grande Vista is cool and worth visiting. The space works out great for families.
great review....
information and to the point
thanks again
Big thanks for checking out the video and I hope it was helpful! I thought the Grande Vista was a property worth visiting.
Thanks for the video we will be staying there some time this summer.
Thanks for watching? Let me know what you think?
This one is our home resort for our timeshare. We love it! We don't get there enough because there is so many other places we want to see, but we are never ever let down!
Yes we enjoyed the Grande Vista too, but agreed, there’s so many great properties to explore, especially in Orlando. Marriott has lots of great options and they’re all a little different.
Thanks a bunch for watching and sharing!
Thanks man! awesome and helpful video
Thanks for checking it out! Def hope it was helpful! And overall we thought the Grande Vista was a cool place to stay!!
This was super helpful thank you!
So glad to hear it helped!👍🏾. Thanks for checking out the video and taking time to comment.
Going in a week so excited!
We enjoyed the Grande Vista and the location is good to the Disney Parks and Seaworld. Hope you have an awesome trip! Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great video!
Big thanks for watching! I do hope it was helpful.
Headin out of WI to this dump tomorrow. Was there last year. Nice place. I’ll be at the pool by 4 and blacked out by 6.
🤣🤣That sounds like a good day! Have a great trip and enjoy the pool weather.
Big thanks for checking out the video and commenting.
Finally, someone who showed the gym. Cheers!
I try to make sure I cover all the significant amenities and that ALWAYS includes the gym.🤣
Thanks for watching and commenting! I hope the video was helpful.
Great review of Marriott Grande Vista! I had to watch a few sections a couple times. Did you have to change rooms? The video of the lock off guest room before decoration looks like it is the "opposite" floorplan of the room decorated by your kids. I never really gave any thought to the resort not having a kids playground and didn't even realise it until you mentioned it at the end. Learned something new! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for checking out the video! You are exactly right. We changed rooms, the elevator stopped working in the first building and my wife had concerns about having a lock-off unit. Ultimately we kept a lock off unit because the front desk said the regular 2 bedroom villas were not renovated (True?). We switched from building 89 to 93.
Also I hear a playground is planned but there isn’t one currently. However overall we enjoyed the Grande Vista.
@@fitnessnbeer9835 There are only four buildings with true two bedroom units, and none of them have been renovated yet. With you being in 89 to start, I beleive that was also unrenovated? 93 has certainly been renovated though. I don't know why I never realized that there was no kids playground at the resort.
@@DestinationTimeshare You share so much great information on your channel, you’re bound to miss something 🤣. And It’s more noticeable when you travel with kids. My girls enjoy the playgrounds so they’re a nice plus!
My mistake, I actually think it was building 82 because the Villa I filmed is not the Villa we stayed in and it was renovated. I know it was 81-83 for sure. I usually film the villa first before we load in. But this time I filmed and the elevator was down when we were ready to load in so we switched.
They have an indoor play area. It's in the same building as the spa or the main check in (one of the two).
Love this!
Big thanks for checking it out, I really hope it was helpful!
We've stayed at this resort about 7 or 8 times since 2011. One of the areas that was closed sits about the Copa Loca. It's a nice and large sitting area and it's covered. You can take the stairs or the elevator. It's a nice place/area to chill. The sauna is nice too. Also, as an update to my previous post, the indoor play area (for kids) is located in the recreation center you said was closed. The renovations should be completed by the end of the year.
Great info. And that makes sense. Renovations were in full force during our visit. The Grande Vista sign was also missing at the time. Good to know they update but also a little disappointing not to be able to take advantage of everything the resort offers. Still we liked the Grande Vista. Are you owners? We’ve visited a few Marriott properties and have generally been happy with them.
@@fitnessnbeer9835 No I’m not an owner but that doesn’t stop them from inviting us to a sells presentation every year. I don’t know why they keep asking us to sit through a presentation knowing that we’ve said ‘no’ every year since 2010 (our first sells presentation). We don’t turn down the presentations because they give us good stuff for those 60-90 minutes of our time. This past summer we got two $250 American Express gift cards.
I put together an Excel spreadsheet to calculate and compare the cost of buying a timeshare verse paying full prices for our stay. Mathematically it’s better to pay full price for your stay, which I call pay-as-I-stay, than to be an owner. Their sells pitch, which is the same for all timeshares, is that it will pay for itself after the initial cost of buying it. This isn’t true. I ran the numbers out to 40 years into the future and it didn’t pay for itself. I went into details about this in another post somewhere. If I find it I’ll post the link here. They have used deceptive computations over the years to show me that it is worth buying but I caught their sleight of hand each time. I told them if they could find an error in my math/calculations I would become an owner on the spot. They couldn’t. No one should ever buy a timeshare. I know they say you can use your points to stay at all their different properties, but guess what, you can stay at all their different properties using Franklins ($$$) too and it would be much better off as far as leaving money in your bank account.
EXCEPTION: The one exception that I have come across to everything that I’ve said about timeshares is Disney Vacation Club (DVC). You will break even owning a DVC vs paying full price. I crunched the numbers years ago so I don’t remember the exact figures, but I believe you would break even at the 25 year mark. If you are rich enough to buy the property without financing it then you would break even in least than half that time. With that being said you have to ask yourself, is it worth it? DVC is expensive. Just because you will come out better buying vs paying full price doesn't mean you should do either one of them. By the way, DVC expires so you can’t pass it on from generation to generation.
Marriott properties are nice and that’s why I always stay with them whenever I’m on travel but run away from the timeshares, not just Marriott but all of them. Don’t even sit through a presentation of a West Gate property no matter what they offer you for your time.
@@theaboveaveragejoe Same here, we also book these properties on a “pay as you go” basis. Sometime we’ll find great deals, especially in Orlando, like a 2-bedroom for between $150-200/nite. Of course that’s depending on the season.
I would love to see that spreadsheet because I’ve always wondered if ownership is worth it? 🤔. It doesn’t surprise me that the money doesn’t quite jive. Normally we don’t do the timeshare pitch but I heard Marriott’s isn’t too bad or high pressure. Unfortunately that’s not what we’ve experienced and they turn kinda crappy when we insist on not buying. Again thanks for the info, much appreciated!
Is the property walkable and easy to navigate (especially with young children) if you do not have a car? Thanks for the video!
Yes it’s a big property but it is totally walkable. The resort map may help, but finding your way around without it is possible.
For a visit with small children I like the Marriott Harbour Lake best, lots for kids to do and overall the property has a good vibe for families.
I hope this helps! Thanks for checking out the video and asking.
We have a three year old son and we absolutely LOVE Grande Vista! They have a great fully-fenced playground that is the perfect size for toddlers and preschoolers (and older kids as well), and it is walkable. This month, we stayed at Marriott's Harbour Lake resort, but we're actually coming back to Grande Vista in a few weeks because we love it the most. Harbour Lake does have a putt-putt course and soccer field, as well as a great splash pad and pirate ship pool, but we think Grande Vista is just as great for families with young children because of the pools and playgrounds. Plus, the resort just feels so peaceful -- the bridge over the lake adds to the ambience! You can't go wrong with either, though. Marriott resorts never disappoint!
@@raykatiandmusic2741 That’s awesome, so you already know 🤣.
Yes I like both properties too. I like the variety of pools and restaurants at the Grande Vista. And the restaurants actually have unique menus. You’ve inspired me to want to go back.
So many great properties to see in Orlando. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!!
You said that they didn't have a playground, however they do have an indoor play area (for kids). Some nights they do S'mores for the kids.
Thanks for sharing! At the time I was there the staff confirmed that there wasn’t a playground but they also said there was intent to install one.
I def missed the indoor play area but I also wonder if it was closed when I was there? I try really hard to give correct and comprehensive info but it’s tough and I could have missed. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Appreciate the video of the Fitness area. Majority of other review videos skip the gyms
Big thanks for checking out the video and taking time to comment!
I def try to capture all of the amenities and the gym is a big one. I’m surprised not everyone includes it. I guess it helps that I often use the gym. 🤷🏾♂️
Last point. We are booked to visit Grande Vista in February 2024 with family for a 3 bedroom and then a week later in a 1 bedroom for wife and me. Don't know which building to ask for if allowed.
I don’t necessarily know a particular section that’s better here but I do know that they renovate in phases. So I typically ask for a more recently renovated unit at check in. Usually the staff is pretty forthcoming about the options.
Hello! We are trying to decide between Sheraton Vistana Resort and Marriott Grande Vista. Which one is nicer? We have a 2-yr old and 6 yr-old. Leaving Monday - worried about MGV being more crowded. Thoughts?? Thanks!
Truly either resort can make for a good trip and you can have a good vacation at either.
In my opinion the Grande Vista is a little nicer but the difference is minimal. However I think the Vistana might have a little more for kids to do.
Honestly with ages 2 and 6 I would go for the Marriott Harbour Lake first then either the Marriott Cypress Harbour or Vistana Resort. Hope this helps. Happy to answer any additional questions.👍🏾
Oh also the crowds aren’t terrible at either the Grande Vista or Vistana Resort. Both properties are big and spread out with multiple pools that the crowd isn’t too impactful.
Thanks very much!
Can you tell me what time the water aerobics are? Thank you!
Unfortunately I don’t know when the water aerobics are but you can get an activity calendar from the desk which gives dates and times for all resort activities for the week. Hope this helps!
Thanks for checking out the video and asking!
Some people have asked me for the spreadsheet. I’m working on making a more “user friendly” version of it then I’ll make it available. The way it is now, it’s a little complex unless I explain some details to you.
Right now I’m going to crunch some real numbers for you.
The spreadsheet takes six variables. 1) the full price plus taxes for regular reservation 2) the current price per point for ownership 3) the maintenance cost per point 4) the total number of points needed for an equivalent stay as the full-price stay 5) the interest rate to finance the purchase of the points and 6) the annual price increase rate for the full-price and the maintenance fee.
In this calculation I’m go to set the full price to increase by 3% per year and leave the maintenance fee set at 0% increase per year (but it’s actually 3%).
I have a 3-bedroom villa booked for one week in July in 2023. The cost with tax is $3,522.
This exact same week would cost me 3,900 points. Last year’s price per point was $16 per point and the maintenance fee was $0.63 per point. Last year's interest rate to finance this purchase was 14.99%. As I previously said, I’m going to leave the maintenance annual increase to 0% and this works in Marriot’s favor when doing the math.
The total cost to by the points is 3,900*16 = $62,400.
The annual maintenance fee is 3,900*0.63=2,457.
If you finance this purchase for 10 years (you can do 10 or 15 years) you would have paid $145,332. This includes the maintenance fee which isn’t financed.
If you pay full price of $3,522 for the first year, and increase this by 3% each year, you would pay $40,376.
That’s a difference of over $105,000.
But wait, wait, wait, the sells pitch goes. After 10 years you would have paid it off and you are staying for free. This is at best a misleading statement. You never stop paying the maintenance fee which $2,457 in this example.
Any who likes to play with numbers knows at some point if the pay-as-you-stay is increasing by 3% per year and the maintenance fee isn’t increasing at all, there must be a point in time where the price of the pay-as-you-stay will be higher than ownership. That is true. If I keep extending the calculations out to 35 years the price for the pay-as-you-stay will reach $212,947 and the total cost for ownership would be $206,757. This would be the breakeven year for ownership.
Now if I calculate the increasing maintenance fee of 3% a year the breakeven year becomes 51 years.
One more thing. The pay-as-you-stay prices do not increase by 3% per year. It’s less than that. As a matter of fact, as I was looking for old receipts on my hard drive to put this post together, I discovered that I never paid full price. I have always gotten some kind of special deal or offer which caused me to pay less than full price.
The bottom line is timeshare ownership is a very bad investment. The salesmen/women play on our emotional nature. They play on people’s desire to want to feel special and to feel upper middle class. The last thing they want us to do is to use our rational/logical minds to think things through.
Here is what going to happen next year, about two weeks before our vacation stay at Marriott. We are going to get a phone call from Marriott Vacation Club. They are going to as us if we would like to sit through an ownership presentation (60-90 minutes) and in exchange we going to get some American Express gift cards or one night price cut in our current stay. And as usual, we are going to say hell yea. Happens every year.
This is a great explanation! Thanks for taking the time to breakdown and provide realistic numbers. I’ve always wanted to see how it breaks down so I can determine if it’s worth it. And no one, including owners, could really ever explain to me how it saves money. This is the best I’ve seen it explained. (It’s also worth noting that it doesn’t save money.) 35 years to break even doesn’t sound like a great investment.
Also lots of times we find fantastic rates on 2-bedrooms for under $150/nite which could increase the variance even more.
I hope more people read this to get a clearer perspective on the long term picture so they can make better informed decisions! Thanks again!!
@@fitnessnbeer9835 Remember, the 35-year breakeven assumes that the maintenance fee never increases. The maintenance fee increases by 3% each year. So, the real breakeven year is year-51.
For an owner to break-even much sooner, the pay-as-you-stay price will have to be substantially higher. Disney owners (they aren’t really owners because they expire) breakeven sooner because the cost to stay at a 2-bedroom villa at regular price is astronomical.
More math: Assuming all variables in my previous post, with maintenance fee increasing by 3% a year, Marriot would have to charge $6,950 for the full-price stay, increasing by 3% a year, for owners to break-even at 20 years vs pay-as-you-stay. Marriot would never charge this outrageous price because no one would pay this price. It’s too much competition in the market so people would stay at a different hotel brand.
Another way for owners to break-even at the 20-year mark is for Marriott to charge $3.79/point instead of $16/point. As a sidenote, I'm not bashing Marriott. All these timeshares operate the same. I really like Marriott. With few exceptions, it's the only hotel I stay at.
Good job joe. We own 4 timeshares every other year and that works out great. We own a Sheraton, Parkway one in Mexico and another 3 star Orlando property. Only Parkway hasn't broken even thus far after 10 years. We have a 5 day package with Marriott Ko Olina in Hawaii, which is an awesome resort, and are debating whether we buy the lowest package or not. One big benefit is that our Sheraton would transfer in for good value, otherwise we would not buy. About maintenance fees going up, so do hotels and no hotel is as good as a timeshare for value, once you are in, in my opinion. Purchase price is the key. Plan on using them or trading up in value as the exchange fee also is a cost. Suggest trying with every other year purchase if the deal is better than their normal price. Selling every other year is often less than half an every year purchase.@@theaboveaveragejoe
Redo the math because you don't break even with timeshares. Also, when I go on vacation, I stay at a timeshare but I don't own one. I book it just like a hotel. So I get the benefits without the maintenance cost. I have the numbers/data going all the way back to 2011 and the maintenance fee/rate is higher than the increase in price of my stay by a SIGNIFICANT amount.@@mick5733
Great video but pleas show the golf course next time
Thanks a bunch for checking out the video! I will say the golf course looked nice or at least the fairways did. Next time I’ll try to get some video of it.
How is the gym there
The gym is a solid but not great, has everything that you’d expect in a hotel fitness center. A decent amount of machines and the usual 5-50lbs set of dumbbells.
@@fitnessnbeer9835 keep rockin man, thank you. You’re killing it, good video😁
@@GL3Clips Thanks a bunch for watching and commenting!.
Best
Bed room
The bedroom is nice and spacious!
Thanks for watching and commenting!