Vero Beach Questions

[FinnFogg]

We’re planning an extended family trip to Florida next March (coming from both British Columbia and Newfoundland), and are thinking of incorporating a stay at Vero Beach into our itinerary. Travel party includes my parents (late 70s), DH, DS(16), DD (14) and DS (12).

Right now, things look like this:

Wednesday to Sunday - WDW (booked at AKL, one of our home resorts, which we really enjoy). My parent will do a resort only stay while we enjoy the parks.

Sunday to Wednesday - DH, myself and the kids will go Universal Orlando (staying at Portofino, which we have done once before and are happy with), while my parents continue to relax at AKL (they are coming from Nfld and just want warm weather, a nice pool and a bus to Disney Springs)

Wed to Saturday - We pick up my parents at AKL and drive to Vero beach. Arrive early evening Wednesday, spend Thursday and Friday in Vero Beach (one resort/beach day and one day exploring the town and surrounding area). Depart for Port Canaveral Saturday morning

Saturday to Saturday - Cruise on the new Disney Treaure

Saturday/Sunday - Kennedy Space Centre

Flights home Sunday night.


We’ve done a few trips to WDW before, and Universal Orlando last year, so we are comfortable with those parts of the itinerary.

Wondering whether Vero Beach is worth it, or whether there is something else we should be doing during that window? I’ve always been interested in checking it out, and I’m pretty sure we will be theme-parked out by that point.

If we go, is arriving Wednesday evening and departing Saturday morning a good amount of time (without feeling rushed or bored)?

What type of accommodations would you recommend? There are 7 of us, and I was going to book a 2 bedroom villa, but I have read that they do not have views and may in fact overlook the parking area? Would it be better to sacrifice the kitchen and living area for that length of a trip and instead book ocean view inn rooms?

Any other tips or suggestions re Vero Beach?

Being from the West coast, most of our DVC trips are to Aulani or Disneyland, although we have been able to squeeze in a few WDW trips. I eventually want to visit all of the DVC resorts and would really like to check out Vero Beach, but also want to make sure that there is something there that everyone in our party will enjoy.

Any feedback or advice appreciated!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We found it different and relaxing! There’s a lot to do around the resort. The beach is nice, as is the pool. We rode bikes and played basketball across the street - going under the Peter Pan underpass. I would recommend sauntering over there, there’s even some benches to just sit and watch the pond life, and there’s a nature trail, as well. My kids (20s) did the bourbon class (VB Lemonade, very good) and DD did some crafts inside when it was raining. In the morning you can watch the sunrise over the water (gorgeous). They also had campfires and singalongs in the evening, etc. (We could see from our room and it looked fun!)

Their quick service meals were pretty good, and we thought, affordable. There is a sit down restaurant and a bar that has appetizer type foods, as well as an outdoor bar. We drove to some towns nearby (Vero Beach, Fort Pierce and Port St Lucie) and found plenty to do. There are some high end type shops in VB that were fun to explore. DH and DS went fishing right on the beach, but there are also places to fish along the Intercoastal Waterway. There is a small airport that has a funky lobby and restaurant, and you can watch planes take off and land.

We were there in the winter and it was pretty quiet around the resort, but we liked it. I think the teens could stay pretty busy with activities. (I think they had some video game stations too.) Staff super nice. If you can get a view of the beach, I think you’d enjoy it. We had a studio which had a peek of the water and I’m glad we had that. Sitting out on the balcony was nice in the evening.

 

[FinnFogg]

Thank you so much for all of the great info!

 

[Judique]

We’re planning an extended family trip to Florida next March (coming from both British Columbia and Newfoundland), and are thinking of incorporating a stay at Vero Beach into our itinerary. Travel party includes my parents (late 70s), DH, DS(16), DD (14) and DS (12).

Right now, things look like this:

Wednesday to Sunday - WDW (booked at AKL, one of our home resorts, which we really enjoy). My parent will do a resort only stay while we enjoy the parks.

Sunday to Wednesday - DH, myself and the kids will go Universal Orlando (staying at Portofino, which we have done once before and are happy with), while my parents continue to relax at AKL (they are coming from Nfld and just want warm weather, a nice pool and a bus to Disney Springs)

Wed to Saturday - We pick up my parents at AKL and drive to Vero beach. Arrive early evening Wednesday, spend Thursday and Friday in Vero Beach (one resort/beach day and one day exploring the town and surrounding area). Depart for Port Canaveral Saturday morning

Saturday to Saturday - Cruise on the new Disney Treaure

Saturday/Sunday - Kennedy Space Centre

Flights home Sunday night.


We’ve done a few trips to WDW before, and Universal Orlando last year, so we are comfortable with those parts of the itinerary.

Wondering whether Vero Beach is worth it, or whether there is something else we should be doing during that window? I’ve always been interested in checking it out, and I’m pretty sure we will be theme-parked out by that point.

If we go, is arriving Wednesday evening and departing Saturday morning a good amount of time (without feeling rushed or bored)?

What type of accommodations would you recommend? There are 7 of us, and I was going to book a 2 bedroom villa, but I have read that they do not have views and may in fact overlook the parking area? Would it be better to sacrifice the kitchen and living area for that length of a trip and instead book ocean view inn rooms?

Any other tips or suggestions re Vero Beach?

Being from the West coast, most of our DVC trips are to Aulani or Disneyland, although we have been able to squeeze in a few WDW trips. I eventually want to visit all of the DVC resorts and would really like to check out Vero Beach, but also want to make sure that there is something there that everyone in our party will enjoy.

Any feedback or advice appreciated!

For your party, you might want the ocean view inn rooms if you want the ocean view. That gives you 4 queen beds. A two bedroom would give you a king, a queen, 2 sleeper sofas and a sleeper chair. At least, that's what it says on the DVC website, unless there is a mistake - it says the dedicated 2 bedroom has 2 sleepers. That surprised me, but I don't go that often and usually get the OV inn room or a 1 bedroom. Full disclosure, haven't been there in quite a few years even though I own there.

It's definitely a relaxing spot. We've made some amazing memories there.

 

[Halle]

I highly recommend booking a Beach Cottage if there is availability and you have the points to do so.

 

[bobbiwoz]

For your party, you might want the ocean view inn rooms if you want the ocean view. That gives you 4 queen beds. A two bedroom would give you a king, a queen, 2 sleeper sofas and a sleeper chair. At least, that's what it says on the DVC website, unless there is a mistake - it says the dedicated 2 bedroom has 2 sleepers. That surprised me, but I don't go that often and usually get the OV inn room or a 1 bedroom. Full disclosure, haven't been there in quite a few years even though I own there.

It's definitely a relaxing spot. We've made some amazing memories there.

Yes,we were very surprised that a two bedroom, even a dedicated one did not have two queens in the second bedroom!

 

[Bluegoat]

We got lucky on our trip in June with a 2-bedroom lock-off. The studio had a queen and a queen murphy bed and we had a partial ocean view. On our previous trip, it was the pull out sofa bed and the view of the parking lot. Requests are always a crap shoot but we were in rooms 1235/1236 which are on the third floor of building 12.

 

[Judique]

Yes,we were very surprised that a two bedroom, even a dedicated one did not have two queens in the second bedroom!

@FinnFogg

Checked out the Vero thread after reading @Bluegoat 's message above.

There was a soft goods refurb late 2023/early 2024. Murphy beds were added - to some rooms. @Bluegoat is reporting a studio with Murphy while another guest is reporting a studio with a sleeper sofa and a living room with a Murphy, so YMMV.

 

[Shellyred8]

I think the amount of time you have allotted for Vero Beach is good. Not too long, not too short. When we stayed there, we actually booked one of the Inn room instead of the Studios. We found it to be very spacious. We also enjoyed their quick service food. They had specials each night that were pretty good. But they are limited in how much is available, so they might run out if you end up going later in the dinner window.

 

[FinnFogg]

We got lucky on our trip in June with a 2-bedroom lock-off. The studio had a queen and a queen murphy bed and we had a partial ocean view. On our previous trip, it was the pull out sofa bed and the view of the parking lot. Requests are always a crap shoot but we were in rooms 1235/1236 which are on the third floor of building 12.

Thanks for the room tip!