VB Trip Report with Pics 8-8-08

[BWV Dreamin]

Just back from a wonderful 6 days at Vero Beach resort. Here is my trip report with some good, bad, and the ugly.

I'll start with the ugly.....our flight to and back was AWEFULL!!!!! Arrived at BWI airport fine, 1 1/2 hrs early, already online checked in the night before. Get there, there is 1/4 mile long people in line for bag check in!! Found out the baggage belt broke, and the Airtran workers were taking their sweet ole time getting people thru. People had missed flights, cutting in line, just a mess. We made it thru with 30. min to spare to board!

At MCO, we took a shuttle over to Thrifty for car rental, no problem, got a great car. 5 days, unlimited miles, for $156.00 total. Not bad. Travel time was 1 hour 20 min. to resort...(I kinda did the speed limit! )

Ok, now for some pics. Here we enter the resort...

we see the entrance to the resort where you will park your car momentarily, check in, get your parking sheet..

Trying to find the right size pics for the post! Next you will walk into the resort, passing thru the front porch.

Next the lobby....

Here is our OVIR room with views.....

Have to upload more pics.....more pics and report to come!

 

[Wilson.dvc]

Looking forward to the rest of your report.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Here is the bowl of shells that you should sign with your family name and date...ours is in the bottom right..

More pics outside of our balcony....

This is a sunrise shot....

Hubby on the porch...

Sunrise shot....

Next we'll travel down to the beach where there are hardly any people!!!

 

[JACKie SPARROW]

I am sooooooo excited, we leave for VB in 6 days This is just what I needed-I think I am going to do some more packing .

I love your view from your balcony. What type of accomodation did you have?
We are staying in a 2BR. When I booked the ressie I asked MS if any of the 2BR had an ocean view. They never said said either way but noted it on our ressie. We'll see what we get. The ocean view from under our beach umbrella will be fine with me LOL.

Keep the pics coming

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I just can't get over how there were not that many people on the beach, and the resort was at full capacity. It was hot this week, but not too hot or the water!! It was wonderful, no jellyfish, clear.

I'll take you down the walk ramp from the resort onto the beach with several beach pics!

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Here I am with the chair swap stuff.....

Here are the water mice you can rent just floating in the water waiting for you!

Here's the hubby payin the bills....yes even on vacation!

Here's a turtle nest...they have a bunch of these up and down the beach..

Next some resort shots.....

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I didn't take too much of the pool. It was very nice, never over crowded, and everyone, including the children, were very well behaved! Plenty of chairs available, just great at the pool. Here is one shot I took that is behind the pool next to the villas....

Here's tha gazebo inside the pool area, makes for a nice shady area to eat under....

Here's a beach cottage!! I'm gonna rent this even though it will only be the hubby and me...gotta try it!

Our OVIR room is the one on the top far right...rm. 2220

Another view from our balcony...

 

[hulagirl]

I am really enjoying your trip report this afternoon. These pics are just beautiful! Can't wait to read the rest!

 

[AKV707]

Great pics! Thanks for posting them. The more I see and hear about VB, the more I want to stay there. Is it difficult to get a summer vacation booked there?

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I had heard so much about his restaraunt, we decided to try this out. However, my review of the seafood is highly critical, as we come from Maryland, one of the seafood capitals!! The prices were ok, not a very good selection on the menu. Casual is an understatement for the atmosphere.

Here's the front of the restaraunt...yep, thats it.

Here's the bar inside that you pass to get seated,...can we say "biker" bar?

Here is the view from our seat...it was a hot afternoon and they have these misters that spray cool mist on you the entire time...it never reached the food than goodness!

I don't think I will return, but now I can say I have eaten at this famous, local resort. I need to find a place a few notches up........

Next will be a brief Kennedy Space Center post with pics. I will not spend much time on this place, was a big disappointment.

 

[JACKie SPARROW]

Great pics! Thanks for posting them. The more I see and hear about VB, the more I want to stay there. Is it difficult to get a summer vacation booked there?

We stayed last year for 2 nights and are staying this year for 5 nights in Aug. in a 2BR and booked at the 7mo. window and didn't have any problems.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I was able to get free Kennedy Space Center tickets from my Congressman. Thank goodness. At $40/ticket, I would have been so upset to have paid this amount of money on such a poorly designed exhibit. After we drove 1 hr. 45 min. from VB to get there, all I can say is it was about 15% hotter there than on the shore! We swiftly ran into the KSC visitor center after getting our FREE tickets. We then proceeded to the KSC tour bus ride of the complex. Would normally take up to 2 hrs., but after 1/2hr. my folks wanted to go back to the resort! Here are some pics......

Entrace into the complex....

On the bus....

The best site to see of all the buildings...

The runway they have the shuttle go down getting to the launch pad..

There's the launch pad WAY out there....

Here's one of the many "buildings" that you pass by on the bus tour....looks real exciting doesn't it?

Lastly, a pic of the resort's "turtle scholar" and a program she hopes all will learn about.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I would like you to meet Jean. She is a Disney cast member that works at the resort in the "gift" shop. However, she also participates as a Turtle Scout and coordinates the turtle walks from June thru July. She is also a member of Disney's Turtle rescue team, and helped a turtle named "Lumiere" who washed ashore at the resort, injured. She and the Disney team helped nurse him back to health, and was set back out to sea with a tracking device to track his travels. Please visit this website www.tourdeturtles.org. She would greatly appreciate it!

Lastly, I will throw in a few more shots I took during our visit. It was just a wonderful time. Please note that there is not much around the resort. No shopping, no night life. A quiet, beach town. If you travel further into the town of Vero Beach (about 20 min. away)., there you will find upscale boutiques and restaraunts. Hope everyone gets a chance to visit!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

bump.....

 

[allaboutmm]

Thanks so much for sharing your pictures-Vero beach looks beautiful!

 

[gtrist4life]

Fantastic pictures! We are planning our next DVC vacation and are torn between HHI and VB, this report definitely has us leaning towards VB!

It's a beautiful resort, as your pictures show.

Thanks again,
G4L

 

[FormrCastMbr]

Thank your for sharing! I cannot wait to plan my first trip to VB!!! Your pictures and report are awesome~

BTW, I love your avatar!!!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Thank your for sharing! I cannot wait to plan my first trip to VB!!! Your pictures and report are awesome~

BTW, I love your avatar!!!

Thanks! Giving a bump so that others can see the pics!!

 

[mcrabeck]

Great pictures! Thank you for sharing- it looks like you guys had a great trip!

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Wow.... Beautiful as always. Glad you had a good time. So, you'll be going back sometime?

Sounds like your flights both ways were horrible. Sorry. I haven't flown since 199? DW flew in 2001. We always take the AutoTrain to Fla. or drive straight to HHI.

You got some great pics. Did you all get a chance to explore across the street around the lake, etc.? Did you happen to notice if the do have wireless at the pool? Did you find some "beachy" wind chimes?

Looks like they had just emptied the shells visitor registry bowl. I wonder what they do with them? Probably dump them in the ocean.

Thanks for the great report. Makes me want to be there now.

 

[Lenc324]

Can't wait until Nov now...