Is It Possible to Visit Vero Beach Resort?

[tarheelmjfan]

DH & I will be in the area tomorrow. We've never seen the resort & wondered if it's possible to visit for a meal, just to check it out.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yes, it’s just like the other Disney resorts that way! Enjoy, it’s beautiful there.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Yes, it’s just like the other Disney resorts that way! Enjoy, it’s beautiful there.

Thanks. We've driven by the exit many times, but we're always on the way home or have a long drive ahead of us. I told DH this is the perfect time to check it out.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Food is good in the quick service restaurant. We liked eating right out on the porch overlooking the pool.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Food is good in the quick service restaurant. We liked eating right out on the porch overlooking the pool.

That sounds perfect.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

When you check in at the guard station, you may be asked to park in the lot adjacent to the tennis courts on the opposite (west) side of highway A1A. There is a convenient tunnel under the road for the walk back to the resort proper.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

When you check in at the guard station, you may be asked to park in the lot adjacent to the tennis courts on the opposite (west) side of highway A1A. There is a convenient tunnel under the road for the walk back to the resort proper.

Thanks for the tip. How far is the walk? It won't work if I have to walk a long way. I use a cane and have a handicap parking placard.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

We decided to make a reservation at the full service restaurant hoping that will help with parking. If not, we'll just ask them to cancel the reservation and go elsewhere. It's worth a try.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We decided to make a reservation at the full service restaurant hoping that will help with parking. If not, we'll just ask them to cancel the reservation and go elsewhere. It's worth a try.

Let us know how it went! I didn’t love the menu at the full service restaurant.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Thanks for the tip. How far is the walk? It won't work if I have to walk a long way. I use a cane and have a handicap parking placard.

Ah, that will make it easier. There is handicap parking right outside the entry to the main building where the restaurant is located. The guard should direct you there instead of across the street.

 

[Beachyrock]

Alternatively, if you turn left before you get to the guard station there is a small parking area that you can access without going through the guard. Enjoy your dinner! You will love the resort!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I really hate to post this, but a couple of you asked for a review. Suffice to say that we should have gone with counter service.

Parking wasn't a problem. We mentioned to the guard that I had a handicap placard & he pointed us in the right direction. I don't really think it would be a problem for anyone though. The guard was very laidback. The entire atmosphere fit the location well. After dinner, we stopped at the gift shop to buy an ornament for our travel tree. The two ladies working there couldn't have been nicer.

Now to the food. First we were served a bread basket with rolls & cornbread. The rolls were plain rolls that were soft & warm. I enjoyed them. The cornbread was sweet. DH enjoyed those more than I did, so that worked out well for us. The butter was whipped, soft & seasoned, which is always a plus. Honestly, this was the best part of the meal.

We ordered two entrees to share:

Shrimp & Grits (Spiced Shrimp, Andouille Sausage Cream, Cheddar Grits, Scallions) - This was the better of the entrees (more on that later). The shrimp were large & the grits were creamy. I've had better, but it was good.

Peach-glazed Pork Tenderloin (Oak-grilled Pork with Sweet Peach Glaze, Cheddar Grits and Bacon-braised Greens) - We don't normally make substitutions, but asked for mashed potatoes with the pork. We always share & didn't want grits with both meals. In the end, it didn't matter. The pork was inedible. We did another thing we never do & returned it. The server asked why we were returning it, so she could tell the kitchen. I tried to not be too negative in my response & suggested she try to cut it & she'd know. It was like cutting & trying to chew rawhide. That was too bad, because the sides sounded good. Alas, they went back with the meat. Not wanting to chance ordering it again, we chose something different to replace it with.

Oak Grilled Ribeye (Korean BBQ Glaze & Stir fry noodles) - I'll give the kitchen credit on this one. We order our steak rare & it was cooked perfectly. The glaze gave it a good flavor. Unfortunately, it was a little tough as a cheaper cut of meat can be. There's nothing the kitchen can do about that though. The noodles were good, but I'm not sure they were freshly made onsite.

Unfortunately, we didn't make it to dessert. The service was very slow & the food was disappointing to say the least. We were ready to go. I wish I had a more positive experience to share, but the only thing we ordered that I would even consider ordering again was the shrimp & grits.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Aww, I’m sorry the TS food was disappointing. That’s sort of how we felt, too. Six of us had dinner there one night and it was just ok. They had a several-course dinner special for Valentine’s Day coming up when we were there that sounded really good, but it wasn’t available yet.

We really liked the quick service, though. Everything was good and reasonably priced, we especially liked the nightly dinner specials. If I recall they had meatloaf, and I forget what else, but all were good, and DH is still talking about them, lol. Maybe next time? Did you get to look around the resort?

 

[tarheelmjfan]

We did look around the resort. I can definitely see the appeal for families. It had a very relaxing, beach vibe. I told DH we could lay in the hammock all night. We were surprised by the lack of ocean view rooms, but I suppose owners expect that. As I mentioned above, the CMs in the gift shop were wonderful. We didn't try to experience any of the other amenities, because we weren't staying there. We'll definitely try the CS, when we're in the area again.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

The food at Wind & Waves… sucks.
And is way over priced.

That’s about the nicest language I can use.

 

[Cfabar1]

We love Wind & Waves meals. Have not had a bad one, but some have been better than others. A few favorites:

1. We had a wonderful Swordfish which was a special
2. Fish & Chips are very good - have had them several times
3. They had a seafood stew/bisque which was lovely

We tend to prefer breakfast to dinner there though. Very good omelettes, the avocado toast is good, the skillet is a favorite, lots of nice options.

The head chef at Disney Vero Beach has recently come there from Aulani. A very good sign in my view.

Have not done character dining.

The buffets we have felt are not as strong as the buffets at Cape May or Grand Floridian both in terms of selection and quality.

 

[Stargazer65]

Yeah, we didn't do too much Wind & Waves when we stayed last year. Had two breakfasts, I think that was about it. It was generally okay, nothing to write home about. But I do remember the bacon fried rice that came with Loco Moco was incredibly salty. Steamed rice would have been better.

 

[mort1331]

So if not Waves,,,where would you recommend for dinner in the area. We are going for the 1st time next March

 

[Beachyrock]

So if not Waves,,,where would you recommend for dinner in the area. We are going for the 1st time next March

It depends on your party makeup. If you have younger kids with you we always enjoy Riverside Cafe, Mulligan's, and Capt Hiram's. For a nicer meal try Citrus Grillhouse, The Tides, or Cobalt. But...the classic Vero restaurant is Ocean Grill--it's an experience unto itself and will make both kids and adults happy!! Enjoy your trip

 

[Stargazer65]

So if not Waves,,,where would you recommend for dinner in the area. We are going for the 1st time next March

Squid Lips is one of our favorites. If you are not opposed to driving you should go to Marsh Landing in Fellsmere (half-hour away).