Just back from 1st VB trip

[LisaR]

This was our first trip to VB. We spent 6 nights. It was myself, DH, DS (4) and DD (7). Overall, we really enjoyed our stay. We will go back for sure, however, we will only stay 3 or 4 nights maximum. Here are some of the things we liked and didn't like:

We loved the pool and the slide

We loved the beach

We loved the relaxing atmosphere

We loved the crafts/activities for children. The unbirthday party is MUCH better then both BWV and OKW.

The campfire was great!!

The CM's were SOOOOOO nice

Shutters had good food but we felt it was VERY overpriced. My Dh and I both had a sandwich and soup and both kids had a children's pizza which came with fruit and a cupcake. The kids also had apple juice. My dh and I had water. Our bill was $49 before tip. We went to Chef Mickey's later that week and our bill for all you can eat plus the characters was $50!

We didn't like that they roll the sidewalks up by 9pm all around town! Even the grocery stores close by 9!

Found a great fresh veggie/fruit stand that we went to many times - wonderful!!!

Hale's was excellent!

We didn't find a whole lot to do in town - at least close by.

We were not at all bothered by no-see-ums. I was very concerned because my son swells up and reacts to any bug bite. I packed a ton of skin so soft. I used it on the kids but my Dh and I didn't use any. None of us were bit!

The first night of the campfire a Dune RAT was hanging around. I can handle anything but rodents. Snakes, lizards, spiders, no problem. Rodents.....big problem! I screamed!!! lol My dd cried and we went back to the room. The next day I asked at the front desk what those rodents were and was told they were dune rats. They are a protected species. He said they get a ton of complaints about them and they would love to get rid of them but they can't. The only thing they can do is put out glue traps and then relocate them. I just wish I had read about them before hand and I would have been a little more prepared. When I saw them after that, at least I didn't freak out! lol On the afternoon of the next scheduled campfire, we had a prerecorded message that said the campfire would be on the backporch due to high winds AND an overabundance of rodents!! It ended up being a great campfire.

The sea turtles had two nests when we were there. You could see their big flipper prints in the sand. Pretty cool!

All in all, it was really great.

Lisa

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Thanks for the review, Lisa. I can't wait to go!

 

[PamOKW]

Glad you had a good time.

I've never encountered the dune rats in previous trips and you can bet I'd have been shrieking if one come up on me at the campfire! I make it a general practice to never stick my hand in or walk near at night any vegitation in Florida. This is true at WDW as well. There are all kinds of creepy crawlies from alligators and snapping turtles to armadillos to this new one!

I wish Disney could think of something to spice up the nightlife a bit at the resort. Green Cabin is okay and I really don't know what to suggest but I agree that you need to trek into Vero to get much nighttime excitement.

 

[AMcaptured]

I can handle anything but rodents also. We have been to Vero 4 times and I have, thankfully, never encountered them. Did you only see them at night ? I can't imagine that there were enough rats that they had to cancel the campfire. However, if they are starting to get used to people being around and possibly the smore's the people leave around, they would come from miles away. Yuck!

 

[KNWVIKING]

We chatted with a woman who told us that when she did the camp fire, a little girl got her attention and said "mam,there's a rat sitting next to you". She didn't really comprehend what the girl meant till she looked down and saw a big rat sitting up and looking at her. Freaked her right out. If there are sooo many of them,why are they protected ?

We went to the fire twice,left when the smor's start. It was nice,but we would have liked a campfire that adults could have sat around and just quietly relaxed for a couple hours- like we do when we go camping.

 

[KCritter]

Lisa - I agree with you about Shutters being overpriced. I had the grilled tuna sandwich for $9.50 and all it comes with are potato chips. While it was a good sandwich, it was no way worth that much. We ate most of our meals off site or we cooked in our room.

 

[doubletroublemom]

What month was your trip? Did you have a problem with tar on the beach? Thanks.

 

[Snowgod]

Glad you had a nice trip. Can you give directions to the fruit stand you liked so much?

 

[LisaR]

Did you only see them at night ? I can't imagine that there were enough rats that they had to cancel the campfire. However, if they are starting to get used to people being around and possibly the smore's the people leave around, they would come from miles away. Yuck!

Actually, we saw them during the day and night! The first time was at the campfire. There was only one but he actually seemed friendly - if you like rodents. The next two days we saw two together on a couple different occassions. We never saw any after that. I do believe they are hanging around because people are feeding them. Some guy started throwing pretzels at the one at the campfire and he was laughing about it! Oh well, it was still a great trip and I think as long as I know they exist now, I won't freak out too much!!

Glad you had a nice trip. Can you give directions to the fruit stand you liked so much?

Turn right out of the resort onto A1A. At the first light, turn left. Take that a few miles until you get to Route 1 and turn right. Go down a few miles. The fruit stand is on the left about a mile past Publix. The name of the stand is Jong's. Jong is from Korea and doesn't speak English very well! However, he is super nice. My son is from Korea so he was always joking with him in Korean (my son came here at 9 months and doesn't know Korean but he seemed to really enjoy it). The fruit was SO good and SO cheap. Enjoy!

What month was your trip? Did you have a problem with tar on the beach? Thanks

We just got back a few days ago. I read the post a few days before we left about a bunch of tar on the beach. We were on the beach every single day and never saw any tar.

Lisa

 

[chris1gill]

I think I can honestly tell you we won't be going to Vero To say that I would shriek would be a supreme understatement... I can't even go in the back of pet stores where they keep the pet rodents... Just the thought of it, well, I think I'll go to HH for sure!

 

[CaptainMidnight]

We never saw any tar on the beach either on our recent trip.

By the way, were at teh campfire the night one of the guest caught the rat (or Mickey Mouse who came to visit as we said) in a white bucket? We were there that same night. That little rodent wasn't too afraid of folks, someone must have told him he was protected. That was the same night a little crab was running around the campfire too.

I thought the CMs did a nice job that night. The campfire is a blast. I greatly appreciate thier effort in keeping it going by moving it to the porch when conditions aren't right. It's still fun there.

 

[KimOhio]

how big are these dune rats we have been to vero 5 times and never saw any not that I would want to saw a blue crab on the back patio and I screamed at that LOL

 

[donald@home]

I am curious about the rats also. I have been to Vero every year since it opened, sometimes as long as a week, and I have never seen them. I have seen cute little bunnies (which are also rodents) nibbling grass, but I have never seen these rats. They don't sound very dangerous though, so I won't worry about them.

 

[madcoco]

They are not dangerous and a protected species.which live in the coastal strand which once formed a continuous band up and down the coast, but it is now vanishing quickly due to coastal development. In addition, introduced species (such as house cats) are wiping out beach mice and coastal birds. The coastal strand is now severely fragmented, leading to the loss of several local beach mouse populations.

The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, Sebastian Inlet State Park and Canaveral National Seashore contain some of the last individuals of the southeastern beach mouse, as well as remnants of the coastal strand habitat upon which they depend.Part of which is where the DVC resort is built.
Found only in the southeastern U. S., beach mice are important for maintaining native grasses which help stabilize the dunes.
http://ens.lycos.com/ens/pics18/beachmouse.jpg

 

[DVCinderella]

We were at VB a few weeks ago, and we also saw a dune rat during the campfire. DH and I were watching the campfire from the boardwalk that leads to the beach. The rat came out from the vegitation and ran under one of the benches. It was kind of funny to see everyone picking their feet up and screaming. Some of the kids were laughing so hard at their parents' reactions.

One woman kept her feet up on the bench for quite some time. When she finally started to relax, and put her feet back on the ground, her husband snuck around behind her and tickled the back of her leg with a twig. She freaked! It was like a VB version of "Honey, I shrunk the audience"!

DH and I also saw a snake one day by the pool. I assume it was a garden snake. We also saw a snake on one of the pathways at VWL.

 

[doubletroublemom]

Dune rats and crabs and snakes...oh my!!

Thanks for updating me on the tar situation. It must've been a really bad week when she was there, but she didn't mention the rats. Do you think the tar keeps the rats away?!

 

[KimOhio]

ok I'm sorry when I heard rat I thought bigger then a mouse I am thinking a larger rodent. not that a little thing is not important I still would have screamed I was just thinking a small cat size thing LOL

 

[LisaR]

Madcoco,
The picture that is posted on the link that you provided is NOT what was running around VB when we were there. I showed the picture to my husband and he agreed. That beach mouse was not the same rodent we saw. What we saw was jet black and BIG! I talked to a CM for awhile about this. He claimed they are called Dune Rats. I was even joking with him saying we should call them mice because that would make me feel better. He specifically said these were not mice.

Whatever they are, I agree that they did not seem dangerous. They seem quite tame. I certainally would not let it prevent me from going back to VB. By the third time I saw them, I didn't even scream!! lol

Obviously they haven't taken over the resort. I never saw them after the third day. So many people have been to VB and have never even seen these rodents. Chris, please don't let these things be the reason you never go to VB. I did not post this info to scare anyone away. They honestly seemed harmless. It was just so startling to see them when I hadn't heard anything about them before. I only posted about them to prepare anyone who freaks out easily like me. I always like to be as prepared as possible and figured others may want to have this info ahead of time. VB is a great place. We really enjoyed our trip.

Lisa

 

[madcoco]

LisaR The endangered beach mouse does get darker and bigger than the one in the pic.(there are I believe 5 species in the area). Based on what you said unfortunately, you may have spotted a black or cotton rat. As far as I know the rat is not endangered.Fortunately most folks will go their whole stay in the area without seeing either. Glad your stay wasn't ruined by this.

 

[Patricia]

Add our names to the list of Vero frequent visitors who have never seen any rodents at all. Lots of bunnies, raccoons, bugs of all sorts, but no rodents... I truly consider the wildlife part of the charm of the resort. Reminds me that they were here first and we are the visitors. 29 days and counting to my next Vero trip!!