VERO BEACH FAQ
Contributors: starbox, MiaSRN62, mbhoxie, DisDaydreamer, Lisareniff, DVCconvert, Sorcerer's Dad, floridaFam, nzdisneymom
Vero Beach map showing area attractions :
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?clie....774848,-80.439835&spn=0.122722,0.153294&z=13
How do I get to Vero Beach?
Do you have to be a DVC member to stay there?
No you do not. You can make a reservation through a
travel agent or by calling the resort. A Discount Code exists (from Birnbaum's 2007 Guide):Note... These are 2007 dates (waiting for someone to post or send me 2008)
Get 10% off 2/1/07-2/15/07, 2/20/07- 3/24/07.
Get 20% off 1/1/07- 1/31/07, 4/15/07- 5/25/07, 5/29/07-6/28/07, 7/5/07-8/30/07, 9/4/07- 11/21/07, 11/26/07-12/19/07.
When reserving, ask for code BPQ.
What is rack rate for the resort?
Note... These are 2007 rates (waiting for someone to post or send me 2009. I will do some investigating as well)
Value Season (Jan 1-31/Aug 12-Dec 19)
Studio: 175 OVIR: 190 1bd: 265 2bd: 345 Cottage: 745
Regular Season (April 15-May 30) and Summer Season (May 31-August 11)
Studio: 225 OVIR: 270 1bd: 345 2bd: 460 Cottage: 925
Peak Season (Feb 1-March 24)
Studio: 290 OVIR: 325 1Bd: 425 2bd: 630 Cottage: 1015
Holiday Season (March 25-April 14 and December 20-31)
Studio: 309 OVIR: 365 1bd: 440 2bd: 660 Cottage: 1135
What is the difference between an Inn Room and a Studio?
With an Inn room you'll get 2 queen beds and it is about 360 sq ft. You also will have a small frig, wet bar, and microwave. Select corner Inn rooms are slightly larger and L-shaped. So as you enter the room through the door, you see a narrow walk space and the kitchenette is right there. As you turn the corner, you have the main space with the beds.
A studio is about 375 sq ft and also has a frig, wet bar and microwave. The difference is you will get one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa. So if only two people are staying in the room and sharing the bed, you can keep the sofa closed and allows more floor space. The Vero Beach studio room is the same shape as the OKW studio so the floor space is optimized in my opinion.
Studios (particularily ground and 2st floor), don't offer much of a view. There is a lot of very lush tropical foilage surrounding the ground floor studio and larger villas. Ocean View Inn rooms are a reservation option.
What does availiability typically look like?
Peak season at South Florida beaches is in the Spring, with March and April (Spring Break) being the most popular. Summer is typically not as difficult to reserve as Spring is. By calling at 7 months, you can likely get any week you want. I've had luck getting summer time calling only a few months prior.
What is the beach like?
The beach is on the "wild" side, with lots of waves and a pretty sharp drop off. Children should be closely supervised.
Rob describes it here:
"It is not a big beach, but it is never crowded so size, in this case, doesn't matter. Vero beach is an ocean playground. The waves on most days are formiddable and great for boogie or surf boarding.
The sand is brown and coarse, and gets hot in the summer. For me the hot sand is a sensory awakening and I find myself thinking... "yes, I really am here... ouch, damn that's hot... ow, ow, ow".
I love the ocean waves. VB receives the gulf stream flow so the water temps are pretty steady for much of the year. I like to think that sharks don't like waves and stay out further than I venture. I have never seen a shark at VB, but PamOKW posted a story about a shark bite incident at VB in 2006. Thanks, Pam.
Jelly Fish? Hah.... VB has PORTUGESE MAN-O-WAR! Actually, I have been to VB almost all the months from March to November and only once have I encountered these slimey creatures of pain. Yes, I was stung. Not too bad though... just felt like a thousand bee stings.
There is never a problem finding a spot to set up beach camp at VB.
One real nice thing about the beach is the proximity to the Pool bar & grill, and your room. So If you have hankering for a Margarita or a hamburger, OR nature is suddenly calling (#2, you can do #1 in the ocean), your remedy is very close by. We typically will set up early in the morning and go back and forth between the pool, the room, and the beach throughout the day.
The beach doesn't have much in the way of shelling, but it does have turtle nests."
Is there a lifeguard on duty?
There are lifeguards at the pool at peak times, but not on the beach.
Is there internet service at the resort?
Yes. They currently have Wireless in the lobby and sitting areas of the main building. They also have a public access computer off of the lobby area. cost is $9.95/30 minutes. We are supposed to get free wireless sometime in the spring of 2008.
What sort of activities does the resort offer? Is there a fee?
There are a number of planned recreational activities. Some have age-limits and/or fees. These include (but are not limited to):
Fishing Fundamentals (age 7+): 30.00/35.00
Lagoon Adventure (age 7-17): fee ???
Kayak Adventure (age 8+):40.00/45.00
Pelican Island Bike Tour (age 12+) 8.00/10.00
Seaside Chefs (age 4+) fee?????
Unbirthday Parties (age 4-12): No fee
Campfire (all ages): No fee - Monday/Wed/Fri/Sat nights
SnorkelEars: 30.00/35.00
Turtle Troop Adventure 20.00/25.00
Discovery Scuba: 30.00/35.00
Cel Painting: 10.00/15.00
Faux Gyataku Craft: 7.00/10.00
Sand Casting: 3.00/5.00
Tennis Lessons
30 min: 27.00/30.00
60 min: 50.00/55.00
Garden and Museum Tour: 15.00/20.00
Beginning Birding (seasonal): 8.00/10.00
Surf School: 90.00/95.00
What is the temperature like?
Looking for a graphic to post here ! Stay tuned !
Is there a supervised kid's club?
There is a 3-hour 3DC Discovery Club for kids age 4-12 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Price is 35.00 per child for non-members and 30.00 for DVC members. Dinner and supervised activities are included and advance reservations are required.
What is availiable for rental at the resort?
There are a number of items availible for rental. Prices are as follows (DVC Member/Non-Member)
2 Chairs and Umbrella: 24.00/30.00
Umbrella: 10.00/12.00
Beach Chair: 7.00/9.00
Cushioned Lounge Chair: 9.00/12.00
2 Lounges and Umbrella: 28.00/36.00
Body Board: 9.00/12.00
Cabanas: 12.00/15.00
Bikes (hourly): 5.00/7.00
Bikes: 14.00/17.00
Tennis Racket: Complimentary/5.00
Miniature Golf Rental Equipment
Hourly: 1.00/2.00
Entire Stay: 5.00/7.00
Kayak (30 minutes): 20.00/25.00
Jet Ski (30 minutes): 55.00/60.00
What dining options exist at the resort?
VB offers more dining options than most Disney resorts: Shutters is a casual table service restaurant featuring American cuisine, fresh seafood, and a wood-brick oven. Character dining is offered Saturday morning, reservations are suggested. The Green Cabin Room offers specialty drinks, a light lunch and appetizer menu, and both indoor and outdoor dining areas. There is nightly entertainment. Sonya's is open select evening and features signature dining with steaks and seafood. Brunch is availiable on Sunday. Bleacher's offers pool-side counter service with hot dogs, hamburgers, subs, and salads. Alcoholic speciality beverages are also offered. There is also the option of Inn Room Private Dining, including the option to pre-order breakfast with a selected delivery time. Prices seem to be on par with all Disney resorts in terms of CS,TS and Signature Dining experiences. The Disney Dining Experience card (DDE) is accepted at VB.
Please Note: The
DDP is NOT accepted at VB.
Menus: Shutters:
http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_vero1.htm
http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_vero2.htm
http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_vero3.htm
http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_vero8.htm
Does the resort do anything special for holidays?
4th of July is pretty cool. For a while, there were fireworks in Orchid just North of the resort. They were fantastic. There are also fireworks in Sebastian which you can watch from A1A.
VB throws a pool-party on New Year's Eve complete with party hats, noise-makers, live DJ, and guest appearances by the likes of Goofy, Chip, and Dale. There are family activities, dancing, and the night ends with the "Pool Drop" where at the stroke of midnight, everyone who wants to, jumps into the pool.
The resort always does something for most holidays. We really enjoy Halloween at the resort. They have costume contests, pumpkin carving contests, trick or treating, etc.
What are my dining/grocery options outside of the resort?
Orchid Island Pizzeria right next to DVBR on the corner of A1A and 510. They serve a thin crust style pizzia with choice of lots of toppings, pasta dinners, and hot and cold subs. They will also deliver to the lobby of the resort. 772-388-5151
Also :
http://www.boppysbeachmarket.com/
Boppy's Beach Market is located on the corner of A1A and Wabasso Beach Rd. (CR 510) in Vero Beach next to the Disney Resort.
Serves a delicious full breakfast, an amazing lunch and a mouth watering BBQ dinner. We also have a full convenience store full of everything you need for home and the beach. Beach Rentals are also available. We are open at 6:30am to 8:00pm seven days a week.
There is commercial strip in Vero Beach about 11 miles/20 min away. Includes just about everything you can think of - Super
Walmart,
Sams Club, Home Depot, Lowes,
Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, - complete mall. Plenty of places to spend money! The outlet malls are a few more miles past that out to the west.
There is also a Super Walmart in Sebastian approx 9 miles to the north, along with some smaller strip malls - Publix etc. Sebastian is a smaller city, home of Pelican Island, Capt Hirams restaurant and bar (think tables in the sand), Squid Lips restaurant. -
DINING OPTIONS IN THE VB AREA :
Lobster Shanty in Vero Beach (
http://www.verobeachlobstershanty.com/ )
Mamma Mia's:
http://www.mamamiaskitchen.net/
Mr. Manatee's in Vero Beach (
http://www.planetvero.com/mrmanatees.htm ) also, I believe this is the main website for Mr Manatee's : (
http://www.mrmanatees.com/ )
Capt Hiram's for lunch in Sebastian
http://www.hirams.com/
http://www.riversidecafe.com/ (Riverside Cafe)
Ozzie's Crabhouse
6060 US Hwy. 1 South
Grant, FL 32949
(321) 724-0009 -----> what I read was "go for the food...not the decor". So I'm assuming this place is very very casual ? But the food is supposed to be great.
Waldo's at the Driftwood
3150 Ocean Drive
Vero Beach, FL 32963-1954
Phone: 772-231-0550
Fax: 772-234-1981
Website:
http://www.thedriftwoodresort.com/rest.html
http://www.bellanapoli-verobeach.com/
TOOJAYS :
http://www.toojays.com/locationsnew/locationlist_tc.html
Ay Jalisco Inc
1909 20th St, Vero Beach, FL
Tel: (772) 978-0661 (good Mexican food)
Outback Steakhouse
1475 Us Highway 1, Vero Beach, FL
Tel: (772) 567-5222
Patio Restaurant
1103 Miracle Mile, Vero Beach, FL
Tel: (772) 567-7215
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PIZZA :
Orchid Island Pizzeria right next to DVBR on the corner of A1A and 510. They serve a thin crust style pizzia with choice of lots of toppings, pasta dinners, and hot and cold subs. They will also deliver to the lobby of the resort. 772-388-5151
http://www.orchidislandpizzeria.com/
Nino's Italian Restaurant
1006 Easter Lily Ln
Vero Beach, FL 32963
Phone: (772) 231-9311
http://www.verobeachbusinessdirector...uments/118.pdf
Note : Does NOT deliver to VB
Payment options
No credit cards accepted
All checks
Business hours
Sundays: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Mondays: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Tuesdays: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Wednesdays: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursdays: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Fridays: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturdays: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Giorgio's New York Pizzeria
955 17th St
Vero Beach, FL 32960
Phone: (772) 778-3800
NOTE : Does NOT deliver to VB
Payment options
Visa
Mastercard
No checks accepted
Business hours
Mondays: 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Tuesdays: 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Wednesdays: 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Thursdays: 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Fridays: 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Saturdays: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
http://www.verobeachbusinessdirector...uments/107.pdf
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Ocean Grill :
http://www.ocean-grill.com/index.php...WebPageID=7227 (Ocean Grill)
Boardwalk Cafe & Ice Cream CO 4079 Ocean Drive
Vero Beach, FL 32963
Phone: (772) 234-9570
Apples Bakery & Ice Cream Parlor486 21st St
Vero Beach, FL 32960
(772) 567-5877
Squid Lips Grill :
http://www.squidlipsgrill.com/
MoBay Grill in the Publix Plaza near Wal-Mart (Sebastian). A small Jamaican inspired restaurant.
http://www.mo-baygrill.com/
Tangos Restaurant---good for steak :
http://www.realpagessites.com/tangos...ant/page5.html
And not a steakhouse....but another cool sounding restaurant I'd like to add to the list :
http://www.rjgators.com/
also some mentioned on this link :
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1764324
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Where Can I Get A Massage?
Massages are availiable on-site, but there are a few full-service spas in the area:
Studio Gabriel Full Service Salon and Spa
772 -234-8105
http://www.studiogabriel.com/services.asp
Yulin's Day Spa:
http://yulinsdayspa.com/index.php?ac...WebPageID=5761
What is there to do in the surrounding area?
Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge
http://www.fws.gov/pelicanisland/
Sebastion Inlet State Park
http://www.floridastateparks.org/sebastianinlet/
Port Canaveral (where the Magic & Wonder dock)
http://www.portcanaveral.org/cruising/ships.php#disney
Kennedy Space Center
http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (a part of KSC)
http://www.fws.gov/merrittisland/
The Manateer Observation Center
http://www.manateecenter.com/
Mckee Bonatinical Gardens (really cool)
http://www.mckeegarden.org/
Another place to check out..especially with Pirates of the Caribbean being so popular.
It's maybe 15 minutes from the Vero Beach resort. Here's some more info :
http://www.atocha1622.com/mclarty.htm:
Mc Clarty Treasure Museum
13180 Highway A1a
Vero Beach, FL 32963
(772) 589-2147
Paleo Discoveries (paleodiscoveries.com).Fossil Hunting.
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What are NoSeeUms and how do I deter them?
No-See-Ums are tiny insects, closely related to the mosquito, officially called Biting Midges. They only fly in temperatures over 70 degress, so they are more of a problem during summer months. They are most active during sunrise/sunset, so it is recommended that you keep your patio doors closed during these times. Common insect repellants (DEET) do not deter No-See-Ums. The best way to avoid them is to wear long pants/sleeves at sunrise and sunset. Products such as Cutter Advanced and Cactus Juice have been recommended by many VB veterans.
How can I see sea turtles?
Sea turtle nesting and hatching season runs May-October. Most of the turtle nesting takes place from June-August, and hatchlings emerge about 60 days after the nest is made. There are a number of night-time walks organized that allow small numbers of the public to view the nesting phase, but the hatchling phase is far too dangerous to view and there are no legal public walks to view hatchlings. If you would like to see a hatchling, there are morning "Turtle Troops" at the resort three times a week where the naturalist takes you to look at the nests. Once hatchlings begin emerging, it is not uncommon for there to be hatchlings that did not make it left behind, and you may get a chance to see one of those.
If you are at Vero during nesting, there are various places to arrange for a turtle walk. First, the resort offers a turtle walk lottery on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Guests can place their room keys in a lottery at 10am, and enough keys are drawn to fill 20 slots on the tour. There is no charge, but space is very limited and the walk takes place on the beach @ the resort where there is about a 50% chance that you will see a turtle.
On Tuesdays, the Caribbean Conservation Corporation hosts a free turtle walk through Sebastian Inlet State Park. (321-985-4852)
You must reserve a spot ahead of time, and a total of 20 people are allowed on the beach. This takes place in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, a few miles down from Disney's Vero Beach Resort and has a 80% success rate for finding and viewing turtles.
The Caribbean Conservation Corporation also sponsors an "Adopt-A-Turtle" program on Monday nights. There is a charge for this (I believe it is 20$ plus 10$ for each additional person in the group). This also takes place in the Archie Carr Refuge and you must make reservations. Contact number is 1-800-678-7853.
I personally recommend one of the CCC walks, since you can make reservations ahead of time and have a much higher chance of seeing a turtle nesting.
What sort of other ameneties are offered at Vero Beach?
Anchors A Weigh Fitness Center, Rub Dub's Massage, Blinker's Arcade, Nightly Live Music in the Green cabin Room, Hair Beading and Hair Wraps, Valet, Video Rentals, BBQ Grills, Steamer's Sauna
Why are Vero Beach points cheaper than other resorts on the resale market? Should I just buy there to save money?
The most expensive annual dues make VB one of the most expenive locations to own over the long term. Mbhoxie breaks it down here:
"VB points tend to be cheaper for a number of reasons...
1. Dues are higher there than any other resort... Partially due to the remote location, and partially due to the fact that the place has been smacked by two hurricanes and is heavily insured.
2. To some, the resort is in a fairly remote location, not known traditionally known as a resort/timeshare area.. You have to either drive or rent a car to get there. The surrounding towns have some activities but its not setup as a tourist area... Some people buy in with the expectaton of being entertained like they are at the parks... Not going to happen.
Bottom line.. NEVER buy points at a place that you don't intend to stay at... Bad business, and it will be stressful."
What's the address/phone number for the resort?
Disney's Vero Beach Resort (a DVC resort)
9250 Island Grove Ter
Vero Beach, FL 32963
(772) 234-2000
This is a 100 x 100 pixel image.
Thanks to Lisareniff and Rob for all their input towards the thread as well.
)
. I have the DH talked into 10 days of doing nothing but relaxing, can't wait.
