Vero Before Magic Cruise?

[DVCanonymouse]

Hello, neighbors!

DH and I are new to DVC and also to Disney cruising. We are a couple in our 50s and have a Magic 5 night cruise planned for mid January 2022 (rescheduled from Jan. 2021) that departs on a Monday. We were planning to stay in Miami near the cruise port for 2 nights when we were supposed to sail in 2021, but since we are now DVC members, we are considering staying at Vero on Saturday and Sunday nights before our Monday departure out of Miami.

If you have done this, we would love to hear about your experience and would greatly appreciate any tips/advice you can offer. Should we stay in the Inn or a deluxe studio? Are ocean views not-to-be-missed and worth the extra 8 points over the cheapest option? How long is the drive from the Miami or FLL airports? Which rental car companies have you tried that would have drop-off at the cruise port? How's the dining at the resort or the immediate area? Is the weather in mid-January usually beach friendly?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts?

Mouse

 

[ngl]

Hi there! We are DVC owners at VB and live in FL about 3 hrs away. For us, January is not beach weather particularly on the Atlantic coast. Unless there is a heat wave, the temps should be about 70 and water very cool. For us, without the beach/warm weather option in play, we tend not to go to VB. There is only one on-site sit down dining option and then a quick serve location. Unless you want pizza, most other restaurants are a 15-20 min drive. Again, just depends on what your definition of beach weather is but for us Floridians it is not warm enough in Jan (generally) for our purposes.

We prefer staying in the villas over the Inn since it really is your own unit. You enter/exit from outside and do not have to go through lobby. The Inn gives you a hotel feel, the villas more like condos if that makes sense.

The drive from Vero to Miami is about 2.5 hrs or so without traffic.

Hope this helps!

 

[sleepydog25]

Agree with ngl about the weather. January isn't the best time along the Atlantic beach front for either SC (DHHIR) or FL (VB). That being said, there are some nice days, and most days are better than anything from Virginia to points north. Further, the beach at VB isn't particularly nice even when it's the middle of summer. Moreover, as noted, to get any real food beyond the TS at VB, which is of only average quality, or nearby fast food options means driving 15+ minutes.

That being said, VB is still a lovely resort and the staff is very good and friendly. As new DVC owners, I believe you should try every resort other than your home one when you get the chance to do so. By doing so, you'll find the resorts you like best, and you'll be able to experience the wide variety of resort experiences that is DVC. Same with Disney cruising. The winter months can be iffy for weather, but they are still extremely enjoyable, and Disney does cruising right. What better way to visit a new resort and a new cruise experience than combining the two elements?

And, yes, splurge for the ocean view. All the rooms are nice, but being able to see the ocean will be something you're glad you chose. Enjoy!

 

[BuffaloJim]

We stayed at the Vero DVC before our cruise and I’m really glad we did. Although it was early February and the weather wasn’t particularly great, the beach was still nice, the resort is lovely, and it was another opportunity to experience Disney in a non-WDW way.

However, there are several differences with your trip and ours, the biggest being our cruise was leaving from Port Canaveral and yours is out of Miami. That’s an enormous difference. The PC port was a little over an hour from Vero while Miami’s could be three hours on a Monday.

We flew into Orlando, rented a car, and drove to Vero. The day of our trip we drove to the port, I dropped the family and luggage off, and then headed to drop the car off. It was very easy and just a quick shuttle ride back. After the cruise, we took the Disney bus to WDW and spent a few days there before heading home.

We loved Vero, but I think your biggest question is what you want to do on the day your cruise departs. It probably doesn’t leave till the later afternoon, but you’ll still have to spend most of the day driving, parking, and getting checked in.

 

[princesscinderella]

I live in SoFla and I also agree that if you were going out of port canaveral I’d stay at vero pre cruise. The drive can be 2.5 to 4 hours back to port of Miami depending on traffic. Right now they are redoing one of the main highway roads leading to the port of Miami which makes it even slower. I’d stay on south beach for the couple days before and go to some of Miami’s best restaurants like Joe’s stone crabs and spend a day at Vizcaya their gardens are beautiful and January is the perfect time to enjoy them.

 

[DVCanonymouse]

Thank you so much, everyone, for your thoughts!

I did not understand that Vero was so much further from Port Miami than Port Canaveral! Looking at my map, they looked about equidistant. The last thing we would want is a stressfull morning driving from the resort to the port, so will probably stick to a hotel closer to/in Miami or South Beach. We will keep VB on our bucket list for another time, maybe before a different cruise out of PC.

Again, much appreciation; this community is always so helpful!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We often stay at Vero Beach before or after a DCL Cruise, and I almost always get a Ocean View Inn room.

If we are cruising out of Miami, we have definitely stayed at VB, we leave early enough, and never found that to be stressful. We have also gone from BWV to port of Miami for a cruise though. So, if driving could make you worried, do what you need to do.

 

[mathgeek]

We often stay at Vero Beach before or after a DCL Cruise, and I almost always get a Ocean View Inn room.

If we are cruising out of Miami, we have definitely stayed at VB, we leave early enough, and never found that to be stressful. We have also gone from BWV to port of Miami for a cruise though. So, if driving could make you worried, do what you need to do.

Did you rent a car? Was it easy to return the car and get to the port the morning of the cruise? I'm considering a night at VB before a Miami cruise, and that's my biggest concern vs. staying in Miami that night before the cruise.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Did you rent a car? Was it easy to return the car and get to the port the morning of the cruise? I'm considering a night at VB before a Miami cruise, and that's my biggest concern vs. staying in Miami that night before the cruise.

We do have a rental car. We return it to the airport in Miami where Alamo has a shuttle to the cruise port. Keep your rental car receipt, they will ask to see it before you can get on their cruise shuttle. We have done this many times.

 

[queendarvet]

We did this December 2018. We flew into Fort Lauderdale, rented a car and drove up to Vero for 2 nights in an ocean view room (that's what we always stay in.) The day of the cruise we drove back to FLL and returned the car and had Jiffy Jeff Transportation pick us up from the airport and transfer us to the Port of Miami. It was all very easy and not stressful, with the exception that 95 was shut down in part due to an accident. But we had allowed a lot of extra time so there was no issue! We flew out of Miami to come home and took Disney transfers to the airport. That way we could take advantage of onboard checkin for the flights and the luggage transfer off the ship. We have also sailed from Miami and stayed the night before in a hotel near the Miami airport and shuttled to the port the day of sailing. That was the easiest for sure.