Wow, I need a vacation from my vacation!!!LOL 
I'm just going to post my thoughts about both places. First let me say it was myself, DH, DD 7yo, DS 2yo, and DSIS 13yo on this trip. We drove from NY. We stayed at SSR(studio) for 2 nights followed by Vero(Inn room) for 4 nights.
SSR
We got a huge "welcome home" from the man at the gate. We were so excited about our trip, this started it off right. I have to admit, I went here expecting the worst! After reading so many negative things, and having BW be our favorite resort, I though we wouldn't like it too much. We weren't going to the parks, just 2 nights to enjoy the resort. At check in we received a happy welcome home from Rusty. He was very friendly and sweet. We checked in at about 2:30pm on Fri. the 24th. We were given a choice of area and view. We picked Congress Park.(I had a request for non smoking DtD view, 2nd floor. on my ressie)I got all requests made. We were right next to the quiet pool. Our room was in great shape(#2201). No complaints and the resort is so beautiful. All the CM's greeted us with cheerful welcome homes. We were treated very well. It was my DH birthday and without asking he recieved a card from Goofy and balloons. DH was so happy, he's a big kid! We were so pleasantly surprised that the resort wasn't crowded. The pool area was very enjoyable, and not crowded at all. The lifeguards were on top of the chair situation with them being held with towels. If a chair had a white towel on it, every 30 min. or so we saw them check the area and remove the towels. We had no problem finding a chair by the pool. The Donald play area was a huge hit with the little ones. We really loved it here and would stay again. However, if we were going to the parks I might feel different. We love the BW area and when we go to the parks we like to be in that location.(we are thinking of adding on at BW)
We did eat at Artist Palette. The food was very good and we ate there 3 times. I could see the menu getting old if you were to eat there all week. I also believe they will definately need another food option as the resort grows. We had no problem going to DtD to eat dinner. We thought the walk from our room to the pool was not a long one at all. Also we loved the walk to DtD and found the walkway with no problem. I kept on thinking of all the complaints about the distances and hard to find pathways. I did not find that to be the case at all. We rented the surry bikes, we enjoyed the resort, and we pool hopped to the WL.....
WL
DH wanted to take my DSIS on a water mouse while I took DD to the kiddie pool. This was on Sat. and the pool was packed! There was no room to swim at the main pool. DS was sleeping so I watched as DD played in the kiddie pool. Until a little girl threw up in it!!!
I saw her coughing and I wasn't sure what happened. Her big brother was with her. I asked if she was OK and he said yes and they ran to the parents. Another mom said she saw her throw up. I quickly got my daughter out of there. The other mom who witnessed it told a lifeguard. After 20 mins. I went to the family to ask if the girl was OK and did she really throw up? The parents said nothing and acted like it didn't happen, basically ignored me and the son told me she did. I told a lifeguard and he told me he knew what happened and they were getting someone to "backwash" the pool. No one ever came and I was sitting there chatting with a fellow NYer I met for an hour! The lifeguards looked like they couldn't handle the crowd. There were no chairs available, but also white towels on chairs that no one came back to. When DH and DSIS returned we went to the quiet pool, which had about 10 people in it!! We had a nice swim and left. BTW I did ask if it was OK to pool hop there and was told yes, the restriction started on the 27th.
Vero
The resort is beautiful. We were checked in by Josh who was great! No welcome home, but very friendly and helpful. All my requests were met. The room was pre assigned. Room 2225. Non smoking Inn ocean view. The view was spectacular. It was so peaceful. The room was in OK condition. Meaning it was nice and clean enough, but needing some paint, and other touching up. Our shower drain was clogged and we called the front desk. Within 20 mins. there were there cleaning it out. Sand and seashells!! They also sent a CM to the room with a certificate for DH and a cute little Vero tote bag with one of those can cooler things. I don't know what it's called. Really nice of them!
We ate at Shutters 3 times, and bleachers twice. The food was good. The kids loved their food. DH and I ordered adult portions of the kids grilled chicken and mickey raviolis.(at shutters) We did this all 3 times!! DH had tried the meatloaf which he had to send back because it was hard on the bottom. We bought refillable mugs and they were worth it. We went to the green cabin and had some snacks and a drink for me! We went to the ocean which was clean and refreshing. We had alot of fun with the kids there. We rented chairs and an umbrella and felt it was worth the money. The pool area was very crowded and it was very hot. After 2 days I felt the sun and heat were just too much for the kids. So, that left them feeling there was nothing else to do. I was disappointed that the community hall here is only used at certain times for special events. We loved the one at SSR. DD did enjoy 2 different craft times at the Vero one. After the 2nd night, I could've come home. OK, maybe 3 nights, but not more than that for us. We did venture out to the area. We went to the mall, TGIFridays, the treasure museum, Captain Hariems, just to check it out. I have to tell you the highlight of venturing out of the resort was the Carvel ice cream parlor we found on 60 West!!! It was so nice and clean with friendly servers! They had tables inside it it was a great snack for the kids we went there twice! The campfire was rained out so they did it on the back porch. It was cute. One bit of advice if you go to Vero this time of year and you go outside after 6pm: DROWN YOURSELF IN BUG REPELLENT!!!!! We did and were still bit up. DH got it the worst. Red dots all over from those pesky no see ums!!! It was so bad and itchy he had to buy benedryl.
To sum up Vero, for us we had a great time but don't see a need to go back anytime soon. The heat was too much(I should've know better, but wanted to try it out)we were bored after 3 days. That's not a bad thing, just our opinion.
Sorry this is so long. If anyone has any questions, ask away!!
I'm just going to post my thoughts about both places. First let me say it was myself, DH, DD 7yo, DS 2yo, and DSIS 13yo on this trip. We drove from NY. We stayed at SSR(studio) for 2 nights followed by Vero(Inn room) for 4 nights.
SSR
We got a huge "welcome home" from the man at the gate. We were so excited about our trip, this started it off right. I have to admit, I went here expecting the worst! After reading so many negative things, and having BW be our favorite resort, I though we wouldn't like it too much. We weren't going to the parks, just 2 nights to enjoy the resort. At check in we received a happy welcome home from Rusty. He was very friendly and sweet. We checked in at about 2:30pm on Fri. the 24th. We were given a choice of area and view. We picked Congress Park.(I had a request for non smoking DtD view, 2nd floor. on my ressie)I got all requests made. We were right next to the quiet pool. Our room was in great shape(#2201). No complaints and the resort is so beautiful. All the CM's greeted us with cheerful welcome homes. We were treated very well. It was my DH birthday and without asking he recieved a card from Goofy and balloons. DH was so happy, he's a big kid! We were so pleasantly surprised that the resort wasn't crowded. The pool area was very enjoyable, and not crowded at all. The lifeguards were on top of the chair situation with them being held with towels. If a chair had a white towel on it, every 30 min. or so we saw them check the area and remove the towels. We had no problem finding a chair by the pool. The Donald play area was a huge hit with the little ones. We really loved it here and would stay again. However, if we were going to the parks I might feel different. We love the BW area and when we go to the parks we like to be in that location.(we are thinking of adding on at BW)
We did eat at Artist Palette. The food was very good and we ate there 3 times. I could see the menu getting old if you were to eat there all week. I also believe they will definately need another food option as the resort grows. We had no problem going to DtD to eat dinner. We thought the walk from our room to the pool was not a long one at all. Also we loved the walk to DtD and found the walkway with no problem. I kept on thinking of all the complaints about the distances and hard to find pathways. I did not find that to be the case at all. We rented the surry bikes, we enjoyed the resort, and we pool hopped to the WL.....
WL
DH wanted to take my DSIS on a water mouse while I took DD to the kiddie pool. This was on Sat. and the pool was packed! There was no room to swim at the main pool. DS was sleeping so I watched as DD played in the kiddie pool. Until a little girl threw up in it!!!
I saw her coughing and I wasn't sure what happened. Her big brother was with her. I asked if she was OK and he said yes and they ran to the parents. Another mom said she saw her throw up. I quickly got my daughter out of there. The other mom who witnessed it told a lifeguard. After 20 mins. I went to the family to ask if the girl was OK and did she really throw up? The parents said nothing and acted like it didn't happen, basically ignored me and the son told me she did. I told a lifeguard and he told me he knew what happened and they were getting someone to "backwash" the pool. No one ever came and I was sitting there chatting with a fellow NYer I met for an hour! The lifeguards looked like they couldn't handle the crowd. There were no chairs available, but also white towels on chairs that no one came back to. When DH and DSIS returned we went to the quiet pool, which had about 10 people in it!! We had a nice swim and left. BTW I did ask if it was OK to pool hop there and was told yes, the restriction started on the 27th. Vero
The resort is beautiful. We were checked in by Josh who was great! No welcome home, but very friendly and helpful. All my requests were met. The room was pre assigned. Room 2225. Non smoking Inn ocean view. The view was spectacular. It was so peaceful. The room was in OK condition. Meaning it was nice and clean enough, but needing some paint, and other touching up. Our shower drain was clogged and we called the front desk. Within 20 mins. there were there cleaning it out. Sand and seashells!!
They also sent a CM to the room with a certificate for DH and a cute little Vero tote bag with one of those can cooler things. I don't know what it's called. Really nice of them!We ate at Shutters 3 times, and bleachers twice. The food was good. The kids loved their food. DH and I ordered adult portions of the kids grilled chicken and mickey raviolis.(at shutters) We did this all 3 times!! DH had tried the meatloaf which he had to send back because it was hard on the bottom. We bought refillable mugs and they were worth it. We went to the green cabin and had some snacks and a drink for me! We went to the ocean which was clean and refreshing. We had alot of fun with the kids there. We rented chairs and an umbrella and felt it was worth the money. The pool area was very crowded and it was very hot. After 2 days I felt the sun and heat were just too much for the kids. So, that left them feeling there was nothing else to do. I was disappointed that the community hall here is only used at certain times for special events. We loved the one at SSR. DD did enjoy 2 different craft times at the Vero one. After the 2nd night, I could've come home. OK, maybe 3 nights, but not more than that for us. We did venture out to the area. We went to the mall, TGIFridays, the treasure museum, Captain Hariems, just to check it out. I have to tell you the highlight of venturing out of the resort was the Carvel ice cream parlor we found on 60 West!!! It was so nice and clean with friendly servers! They had tables inside it it was a great snack for the kids we went there twice! The campfire was rained out so they did it on the back porch. It was cute. One bit of advice if you go to Vero this time of year and you go outside after 6pm: DROWN YOURSELF IN BUG REPELLENT!!!!! We did and were still bit up. DH got it the worst. Red dots all over from those pesky no see ums!!! It was so bad and itchy he had to buy benedryl.
To sum up Vero, for us we had a great time but don't see a need to go back anytime soon. The heat was too much(I should've know better, but wanted to try it out)we were bored after 3 days. That's not a bad thing, just our opinion.
Sorry this is so long. If anyone has any questions, ask away!!
Well, the girls had us stopping every hour for the bathroom!! Until they all fell asleep for the night we stopped too many times. Then we got into a ton of traffic, every where we were. Some spots of I95 were only one lane due to construction. DH and I were well rested and took turns driving through the night, but it was tough. We are use to getting there in 18-19 hours tops. This time we didn't get there till 2pm so it took 21 hours. The ride home we did better. We were both well rested and took turns driving. We were on the road by 11:30am. We did stop for lunch and dinner. That probably took 3hrs. We arrived home at 8:30am.
If we go back, I'm planning on the Inn.
