A Review of Disney’s Vero Beach Resort: One of Our Most Favorite New Vacation Spots
The main walkway that connects all parts of the resort together. The center building is the hub— the “Inn” part of the property where the ocean-view rooms are located.
Did you know that in addition to the popular Disney theme park resorts in California and Florida, Disney also has two beach resorts? One is Disney’s Hilton Head Island in Hilton Head, SC, and the other is Disney’s Vero Beach Resort in Vero Beach, FL, just an hour and a half drive from Walt Disney World.
My family and I recently had the opportunity to spend four nights at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort earlier in December, as we were looking for a place where we could get sun, relax, and close out 2020 with some vitamin sea. As a travel agent, I consider these kinds of trips my “research trips,” (rough, I know) but at the same time, I’d heard so many great things about DVBR and needed to get there myself to experience it first-hand for recommending to clients. I booked the trip not really knowing what to expect, and was so blown away by everything that the resort has to offer that I quickly made plans to book the same room “same time, next year.”
I wanted to share a thorough review of this property, as I seriously consider it a new top vacation recommendation for several different types of clients:
People who like Disney, but don’t want to spend 7-10 days at theme parks.
People who aren’t ready to go back to theme parks but want to go on vacation.
People who love cruising, but aren’t ready to get back on a cruise yet.
People who like to stay on property and not leave when they vacation.
People who want to be steps away from the beach when they vacation.
People who like to have a lot of options when they vacation of things to do, with a little Disney magic thrown in.
A visit to Disney’s Vero Beach resort could easily be added onto a stay at Walt Disney World (more on that, later), or it could be a vacation in and of itself. If you’re flying, it’s only an hour and a half away from Orlando International Airport. The next closest airport is going to be Melbourne International Airport, but at 45 minutes away from Vero Beach, it would likely be easier just to fly into Orlando for more options. In both cases, you would likely need to rent a car. However, the good news is that a) if you were coming from Walt Disney World, they feature on-site car rental options, and b) parking is free at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.
Lodging
Disney’s Vero Beach Resort features a variety of room types, many of which offer full kitchens and washers and dryers for the vacation home feel. From standard and ocean-view studios sleeping up to four guests, to beachfront cottages that sleep up to 12 guests, there is something for everyone. We stayed in a Deluxe Studio Ocean View Inn room on the 4th (top) floor. These rooms are located in the “main lodge” which is the heart and hub of the resort. However, the property as a whole is small and close together, so even if you are not staying in the Inn itself, you’ll be just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the action. Unlike most Walt Disney World and Disneyland Hotels, Disney’s Vero Beach is more laid back in that they will let us call the hotel directly to make specific room number requests, floor requests, etc., which is a great advantage in being able to secure just what our clients want to experience. The Deluxe Studio room we stayed in was L-shaped, which is larger than other traditional studios— the kitchenette is in the hallway, then it turns to the right and the full room faces the ocean. It had a spacious patio and felt much more open than a traditional studio at a Disney property hotel. All Deluxe Studio rooms at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort come with a kitchenette that includes a microwave, mini-fridge, coffee maker, and a toaster. Some of these studios are in the Inn (this is the only place where you can get a studio with an ocean view) and the standard views rooms are sprinkled throughout the rest of the property. Our room also contained a small sitting table and two chairs, a large bathroom area, a flat screen TV with streaming options, and two (very comfortable!) queen beds. Overall we felt that the space was definitely sufficient for our family of three.
The best rooms on property at DVBR are going to be the three bedroom cabins, which there are only a few of. These are all practically right on the ocean— a few steps to the beach, oceanfront, two stories, completely separate from other rooms (like a traditional beach house), boast full kitchens, washers and dryers, and sleep up to 12. The resort was recently remodeled and our room was spotless. The property also offers one and two bedroom villas— the one bedroom villas sleep up to five guests, and the two bedroom villas sleep up to eight. Both types of villas have full kitchens, as well as full washers and dryers for laundry. Unfortunately there really aren’t great ocean view one & two bedroom villas, though. The information I received from the cast members was that requests can be made for top floor locations of the one and two bedroom villas, which may have a slight ocean view, but they are not guaranteed. The best advice is to enjoy the benefits of a more spacious accommodation that comes with staying in a villa, the opportunity to prepare your own meals in a full kitchen, the ability to wash your clothes in your room, and just go into it knowing that you will likely not have an ocean view. If having an ocean view room is an absolute must for you, there are only two options for room rentals: The Deluxe Studio Inn - Ocean View room, and the three bedroom oceanfront cottage. Otherwise, the villas of course have the added benefit of space, kitchens, laundry, etc., and the resort is so small everything (including the beach) is literally steps away from any location on property.
(From L-R, the three bedroom oceanfront cabin, and the one and two bedroom villa towers located throughout the resort)
One of the biggest things that surprised me about Disney’s Vero Beach Resort was how much there was to do every hour! It reminded me of a cruise ship, and I liked to call this vacation “a land-based cruise” experience. Seriously— if you wanted to stay busy from sunrise to sunset, there are new and different things for you to do hour by hour! Of course these are all optional (if you’re more of a read-on-the-beach traveler like myself) and there is no pressure to join, but there is certainly something for everyone to do— most of which are complimentary, some of which involve a modest fee.
Upon check-in, you’ll receive the activity guide scheduled for the week of your stay. If you’ve ever been on a cruise before, this is going to look a lot like the daily itineraries you receive at your door to let you know what’s going on by the hour. For example, the resort provides bike and helmet rentals for all ages (there is a 7 mile bike loop adjacent to the property and is absolutely GORGEOUS!), offers a 9-hole mini-golf course next to the pool, hourly pool games and activities, corn hole, bocce ball, frisbee, contests, movies on the lawn, bingo, ping pong, campfires with s’mores, crafts for kids to do, a fitness center, beach activities and rentals like jet skis, body boards, surf boards, and more. They also have beach chair, lounger, and cabana rentals for a small fee down by the beach (we paid $25 for an all-day rental of two lounge chairs, a table, and an umbrella). The water slide is so fun for kids as well. The resort also provides DVD players in the room with free movie rentals down in the gift shop of current and classic Disney flicks (most you can find on Disney+ but still, it is fun) and the TVs let you stream your own channels on it. Additionally, there are some adults-only activities like a wine tasting class or a drink mixing class up on the Green Cabin Room, which I’ll detail below.
If that’s not enough, you can also go kayaking (there is a lake behind the resort that Disney owns), fishing, geocaching, explore the resort on a scavenger hunt, play basketball, tennis, take a long walk on the meandering trails, and more. Sadly, the spa was closed for our visit but we saw photos and it’s beautiful, with a variety of different treatments available.
Moral of the story: There is SO much to do each day, with the added perk of no daily resort fee like some places charge to use these amenities.
Disney’s Vero Beach Resort has a few different options for on-site dining. The first is Wind & Waves Grill, which is a table service restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We had breakfast there once, and dinner twice. Everything we had was excellent, and in fact, I loved the breakfast burrito so much (a HUGE portion for only $10!) that we ordered it to-go each morning of our stay and ate it on our patio. Additionally, the resort features the Wind & Waves Market, which is their to-go service restaurant. We stuck to this for the rest of our trip and had burgers for lunch by the pool one day, a pasta special for dinner on another day, and had pizzas on our final night. The market also has a small grocery section where you can replenish supplies of milk, bread, cereal, microwaveable meals, eggs, and more, and you can also purchase a refillable drink mug here to enjoy unlimited refills of sodas, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. An added bonus for fans of Disney’s Dole Whips is that you can actually get a REAL Dole Whip here as well. My mind was blown. If you’ve ever stayed at Disney’s Polynesian Resort or eaten at the Kona Cafe, DVBR also offers Kona Coffee in addition to French roast as well. I was thoroughly spoiled.
In addition to these restaurant offerings, there are also two on-site bars at the resort: The Wind & Waves Bar, and The Green Cabin Room. The Wind & Waves bar is located near the pool, adjacent to the restaurant and market. It has small couches, a bar counter, and table side heaters when the temperatures drop. They offered a drink of the day each day, and it seemed to be a popular place to go when having a pool day or a pre-dinner drink. Additionally, the property has another private spot called The Green Cabin Room, and this is located on the second floor, inside of the Inn. It is open in the mornings for coffee and pastries for a few hours, closes mid-day, and reopens for a few hours in the evening for happy hour, light appetizers, or an after-dinner drink. This bar has a beautiful ocean view patio off it, or you can sit inside in an intimate brass, mahogany, and leather-wrapped atmosphere. Each night the Green Cabin also had specialty drinks and cocktails guests could make themselves in workshop-style (like on a Disney cruise), and it seemed like a neat place to grab a drink or have a date. Because we had our five year old, we did not visit this particular spot during our stay but it was busy every evening.
If these options aren’t your jam or you’re looking to venture off property, there are many great options nearby (including, according to our poolside neighbors, a fantastic pizza restaurant basically next door) and food delivery services like GrubHub, Door Dash, and Uber Eats also deliver local cuisine to the restaurant.
The Beach
The beach was literally steps from the resort. I mean it: One little ramp from the upper level and you’re there. While not totally private, it is semi-private and requires key card access to both get down to the beach and up from the beach back to the resort. There are all kinds of beach activity rentals available, but and even in December the water was warm and the sand was soft. One of the unique features of this property as well, is that it is one of the main spots of sea turtle hatching during nesting season, which runs from March 1st - October 31st each year. The resort is very strict about the preservation and protection of this beautiful phenomenon, and requires that lights be out at dark so as not to disrupt the migration experience once the baby sea turtles have hatched. More information will be provided upon check-in to ensure that guests who stay during this time comply with the requirements. If you are visiting during these months, you can also go on a sea turtle night walk experience with a tour guide, complete with night vision goggles and more (flashlights are prohibited).
Shopping
As I mentioned previously, you can get many needed amenities at the Wind & Waves Market, which doubles as a grocery store, as well as shop at the Island Grove shop, which is a regular gift shop— similar to what you’d find at a Walt Disney World or Disneyland resort. It features Disney gear, sweatshirts, stuffed animals, toys, mugs, and other items, but this gift shop also sells merchandise that is exclusive to the Disney Vero Beach Resort as well. If you aren’t finding what you’re looking for, Shipt and Instacart also deliver to the resort as well.
Covid-19 Protocols
As of the writing of this blog post, Covid-19 protocols are strictly in place for this resort. Disney takes their Covid-19 protocols very seriously, and this applies for all Disney parks and resorts that are currently open. Face coverings (over the nose and month) are required at all times throughout the property, except for when swimming, down at the ocean, laying on pool deck chairs, and actively eating and drinking (while sitting at a table). The resort has reduced capacity, and so do the restaurants. Tables, pool chairs, and ocean loungers are spaced at least six feet apart, and social distancing is required at all times with guests outside of your immediate travel party. Guests who are exhibiting symptoms of illness or who have fevers are not allowed on property, nor are guests who are required to be in quarantine due to exposure or possible exposure to a confirmed case of Covid-19. Hand sanitizer is available throughout the resort, and the on-site spa is currently closed. For more information, please visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/ (these measures apply to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort as well as Walt Disney World)
Overall, this four night trip to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort was an absolutely fantastic vacation and just what we needed. It truly exceeded our expectations. We played frisbee on the big grassy lawn as well as down by the beach. We slept in, we laid out by the ocean, the weather was perfect, and we were so relaxed. The famous Florida no-see-ums bit us, but that’s our own fault. Disney has gallons of bug spray everywhere and warn you when you check in. The cast members told us the two best times to visit are November - December and March-April because of low crowds, low humidity, and great weather, but I can pretty much guarantee that no matter when you visit this resort, you’ll have a great trip.
If a trip to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort sounds like the perfect vacation destination for your next holiday, contact me for a no-obligation, custom quote. I would be happy to help you plan, at no extra cost to you!
Happy travels!
Megan