Disney Vacation ClubGuide to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort

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We stayed at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, a Disney Vacation Club property, for Mother’s Day weekend. It worked out because not only did it give us something special to do for our family matriarch, but also an opportunity to learn more about Disney Vacation Club, something we’ve been on the fence about for the last several years. The trip helped shed light on the DVC, which is what the cool Disney members call it for short.

Vero Beach, Getting There

We visited Vero Beach in the past, a three hour drive from our home in Southwest Florida.  Vero Beach is southeast of Orlando. Floridians are used to driving but people from outside of the state can fly into the following airports:

• 3 miles: Vero Beach, FL (VRB / KVRB) Vero Beach Municipal Airport.
• 43 miles: Melbourne, FL (MLB / KMLB) Melbourne International Airport.
• 77 miles: West Palm Beach, FL (PBI / KPBI) Palm Beach International Airport.
• 99 miles: Orlando, FL (MCO / KMCO) Orlando International Airport.

We checked in on a Thursday night quite late and the girl that checked us in was super helpful and friendly considering it was almost midnight. Rather chipper for the midnight hour, she was super helpful, pulled out a map and ran through all the activities the property has to offer. Feeling a tad overwhelmed, I knew then that the boys were in store for a ton of fun. The fear of boredom quickly left me. I took the information almost a challenge to see if we could cover everything in the four days that we were there. It turns out we were not able to do all that the resort has to offer so plan to return!

Pool, Playground and Mini-Golf at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort

The next day after breakfast we headed straight for the pool. The boys spent the first part of the morning in the splash pool. The attraction is large pirate ship meant for kids 48 inches and below. The water cannons fire off water in different directions so the kids run around and slide down the mini-slides walking the plank.

The mini golf, situated behind the splash pool, gave the kids an opportunity to practice their putting skills. We went to the activity center, which is called Eb & Flow’s, to check out little golf clubs that were for their size. The mini-golf course has 9 holes with the familiar obstacles you’ve seen before, but with a Florida theme. Think alligators and sharks instead of the windmills. There is also a good size playground, similar to what you’d find at a city park with sand as the base for kids to get dispense of their energy.

TIP: Rent bikes from Eb & Flow’s for a nice ride around town on A1A.  

Food and Dining at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort

Treat your family to an unforgettable experience—like a Saturday morning breakfast with character! Parents will appreciate the well-balanced menu, while kids will have a blast participating in a series of fun activities planned just for them.

Seagrape – adjacent to Wind & Waves Grill – features Goofy’s Beachside Character Breakfast each Saturday from 7:30 AM to 11:00 AM. I recommend making reservations for all meals at Seagrape and Wind and Waves Grill to eliminate waits.

 

TIP: Order Disney’s very own soft-serve delight, Dole Whip®, at the Wind & Waves Market! 

We had lunch at Wind & Waves Market right by the pool that serves all the staples like burgers, chicken tenders and grilled cheese. The children’s menu suits the kids’ palette so we lunched there daily. There are vegetarian options and I had a vegan wrap that was quite good and Tara had a mahi mahi sandwich that she approved of.

I can’t comment on Wind & Waves Grill since their kitchen was under a temporary renovation so the food was buffet-style and a limited menu.

Disney’s Vero Beach Resort Child Care Service

On the first night at Disney’s Vero Beach, I chose to take my wife out for a dinner in the town. It wasn’t hard to convince the boys to visit the children’s camp so we could have alone time. The camp runs from 5 PM till 8 PM for children from 4-12 years old. It costs around $35 a kid, a little less if you are a DVC member.

There isn’t an actual children center, so drop-off is in the center of the lobby. The kids and their camp counselors do activities around the property. Mini-golf, basketball, soccer to name a few entertain the kids while you get some adult time. Dinner is included in the evening service – one less worry for you while you’re vacationing!

Campfire and S’mores

After picking up the kids at 8 PM, we went to the campfire where the camp counselors tell stories, sing songs and provide what you need to roast s’mores. Crackers, marshmallows and chocolate is the perfect way to end the night, especially under the light of dancing flames. Good thing the counselors have so much energy, providing the entertainment as you are ready to wind down.

Beach Activities

The next morning, we ate breakfast at Wind & Waves Grill and then went straight to the beach.

TIP: Reserve beach chairs, umbrellas, cabanas and kayaks in advance!

I took my twin 5 year old boys out on a kayak since we wanted to experience the glass bottom kayaks. The sporty boats allow you to see through them due to transparent plastic material. A storm was bearing on Vero Beach causing high waves, so the boys were a bit nervous to voyage out. After a bit of convincing, the activity attendant loaded us in the kayaks and dragged us past the break in the waves.

Due to the impending storm and wind, the ride was quite rocky – we went up and down like floating yoyos. I recommend you do any water sports first thing in the morning to get a calmer experience, though we couldn’t do anything about the inclement weather but literally ride it out. The glass kayaks, albeit see-through, aren’t the most stable, especially when I outweigh the boys’ combined weight by almost 100 lbs!

There’s a ton of sea turtles on this treasure coast but we actually didn’t see any of this trip. I have seen some before on another trip to Vero Beach – not on this trip so we didn’t have that part which is kind of a bummer but I hope to go back and spy for turtles in the future .

You can rent the glass kayaks, regular kayaks, surfboards, paddle boards, boogie boards and waverunners, as well. The guy who runs the water fun is Tino, a super cool very surfer guy. He loves his job, you can just tell.

Indoor Activities

The Spa at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort

I booked my wife a pedicure for Mother’s Day and she really enjoyed it – gents book in advance for extra brownie points!

Make a Reservation

To make a reservation, please call the spa at (772) 234-2050 or press the “Spa” button on your in-room phone. Reservations are highly recommended. Please call as far in advance as possible. Guests under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian permission to dial this number.

TIP: Visit the nearby lending library or checkout boardgames from the front desk.

 

DVD Rentals at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort

The storm hit in the afternoon so we had to come up with an indoor plan. Perusing Island Grove Packing Company, the general store located in the lobby, we discovered an extensive DVD library. In the collection, you will find available movies that you can rent from the store, allowing you to rent movies – two at a time. One set is all the Disney movies you can think of…from Dumbo to Lady and the Tramp. The other set contain more PG-13 type movies. Each room has a DVD player allowing you to entertain the family indoors.

Cocktails at The Green Cabin Room

If you’re looking for a nice bar to unwind later in the day, visit The Green Cabin Room. It’s kid friendly, so you’re welcomed to bring the little ones OR drop them off at the kids camp and enjoy a bubbly in adult-only company. A glass of wine is about $10 a glass, so a little bit on the high end but typical of a hotel bar, with the difference being that the wine is actually good! I had a Francis Coppola Diamond series Merlot and it was worth every cent.

The Westside of Disney’s Vero Beach Resort

Make sure you visit the westside of the property. A tunnel near the security guard stand leads you under A1A, to their basketball court, tennis courts, sand volleyball court, soccer field and a big pond where you can fish! Speaking of fishing, you can check out fishing equipment including bait from Eb and Flo’s. Keep in mind that it’s a catch and release experience.

There is also a butterfly garden, with a walking path through it. My wife and I strolled through this trail before dinner. It’s secluded and serene…for some reason people don’t really go to the westside. Maybe they don’t know about it? Maybe because there are so many things to do at the main property, they don’t have time? Whatever the reason don’t pass it up.

Tennis Lessons

I did manage to take tennis lessons from their resident pro, Jerry. I play a lot of tennis so had high hopes for meaningful instruction. The hourly rate of $70 was well worth it – Jerry was awesome! My current level of play is 4.0 and he had me working on different shots, greatly improving my game. I scheduled the lesson around naptime, in an effort to not miss time with the kids. I highly recommend Jerry! You can get his details from the front desk or at Eb & Flo’s.

#DVCDads Visit Disney Vacation Club Resorts

This trip was one of four dad’s trips to select Disney Vacation Club Resorts, hosted by Disney Vacation Club. I obviously did Vero Beach. Tim Jones with Jones Family Travel explored Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Whit Honea with Family Life on Earth, went on an Adventures by Disney trip – Disneyland Resort and Southern California Short Escape, which you can also book with Disney Vacation Club points. Dave Parfitt, with Adventures by Daddy, went tropical and stayed at the Disney Vacation Club’s Aulani, in Hawaii.