Vero Beach still opening Nov. 8?

[cosmocat]

Is Vero still opening on Nov. 8? We are going on the 24th with SIL, who are also memebers, and she called MS and said they told her not until the 20th. I think she may be wrong, as I have not seen this info. here from people who are going next week. Anyone hear anything new?

 

[nickglover]

We are planning to be there 11/8. Have not heard differently. Disney never once updated the member site like they state they will.

So, I sent an email to Member Services on Monday. Received a "canned" response yesterday that basically repeated the info that has been posted on the dvc site for a month.

It says soft opening 11/8.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Any vero updates?

 

[thegoods]

VB resort staff called us today to inquire if we wanted to make reservations for Thanksgiving Dinner. I also got an email today saying that we could call the resort after Nov 8 if we needed changes, etc. So, it looks like the 8th is still looking good.

We asked the resort staff while on the phone if they had room openings for neighbors of ours that might be interested in staying a few nights during Thanksgiving. The CM responded that she did not know because rooms were being put back into service daily. She also said they are ready to greet guests that are in a good mood instead of construction workers.

 

[nickglover]

My wife spoke to MS this morning (Thursday 11/4) and they said they received an email this morning that the resort is still opening 11/8 Monday.

We plan to visit Kennedy Space Center on Sunday 11/7 and stay in Cocoa Beach that night (was to be our first night at VB) and then drive down to VB Monday and stay through Thursday.

Will report back, probably on Friday 11/12.

 

[jsinohio]

Got the same phone call as "thegoods" from Nanette inquiring about reservations in the Sea Grape room for Thanksgiving - apparently, they are giving members first shot at making dining reservations for that day....we passed Anyhow, I talked at length with her about the resort (in which she repeated that they would indeed open on Monday 11/8), and she said that they had a heck of a time in the lobby and were still working on finishing the floor. Apparently, water had caused the wood to swell so badly that they had to completely replace the lobby flooring and that it had been quite a tedious and time consuming task. She did say that "temporary" beach access had been constructed and that the beach in general was looking very good. In fact, her comment to me was "you'd never know that a hurricane had passed though" with regards to the beach - which surprised me after some of the photos I've seen. She also said that the pool area was complete and looked great....didn't inquire about the pirate ship I guess landscaping is currently where most of the effort is now being concentrated on. HTH!!

 

[Par8hed]

As a Vero owner I feel very foolish in asking this but.."What/Where is the Sea Grape room? Is it possibly the conference room behind check-in? This, it seeems, is a dining option I am unaware of.

 

[thegoods]

jsinohio, thanks for the update on the lobby. I had heard weeks ago from a local architect that the resort took on storm surge on a first floor. I did not know what area of the resort took the surge. Now I know. I also heard there was damage to the chiller units since they are at ground level. Good to hear the restoration is progressing this quickly. BTW, the Thanksgiving buffet is excellent! We've done it before.

The Sea Grape room is the large banquet/conference room located off the lobby just behind the large stairway. There is set of double doors. Its kind of hidden.

 

[pumpkinboy]

Originally posted by jsinohio
snip ...She did say that "temporary" beach access had been constructed and that the beach in general was looking very good. In fact, her comment to me was "you'd never know that a hurricane had passed though" with regards to the beach - which surprised me after some of the photos I've seen... snip

Hmmm, "temporary" beach access does not sound too wheelchair-friendly . Perhaps one of you folks headed down in the next month could report back on the status of beach access. DS just loves having us take him on the beach in the fat-tire over-sand wheelchair; he especially gets a kick out of running (well Daddy pushing, just really fast) on the beach and getting splashed a little by the surf. I am hoping that by mid-January we should be able to repeat this routine.

 

[Par8hed]

Pumpinkboy:
I'd like to think that wheelchair access or not, people will make a point of making sure that your little one gets to go on the beach. I can promise you that if I'm there I'll be right with you carrying that chair down (and subsequently up) the steps if needed. I'm very confident that others would as well.

 

[jsinohio]

I'd be very surprised if Disney did not provide a ramp that enabled wheelchair access, but I also know that these are difficult times for the resort and they are definitely in the "hurry-up" offense to try and get that revenue stream turned back on....as well as get unemployed cast members back to work!! I think I would give the resort a call if you are visiting in the near term. Hopefully, we'll get some first hand information from nickglover upon their return on the 12th. We don't arrive until the 20th, but will have a whole week to take a look around. Hopefully, things will continue to progress - we'll be back in December for another week And, I'm certain it will - I've come to expect nothing less of Disney and have yet to be disappointed!!