Disney's Vero Beach: Resort Review

Disney’s Vero Beach resort is a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property, but you don’t have to be a DVC member to stay there. Guests can book available rooms and pay cash rather than use DVC points. The main building, The Inn, has rooms that are similar to those at Deluxe Disney resorts. There are three villa buildings housing studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units, and six three-bedroom cottages. Most rooms face the ocean or have at least a partial ocean view. Beautifully landscaped grounds maintain some privacy between the buildings.

There’s very little Disney-themed décor. The most “Disney” spot on the property is the pool area. The pool itself is a very large free-form Mickey head with a lighthouse slide. Although Playful Pastimes, the listing of daily activities guests receive at check-in, indicates that there’s only a DJ at the pool on weekend afternoons, there’s usually music playing in this area, and there are often pool games and other activities throughout the day. The pool is the daytime hot spot of the resort.

Hair braiding, miniature golf, and shuffleboard are all available in the pool area. Bikes and other sporting equipment can be rented poolside at Eb & Flo’s. Tennis, archery, basketball, horseshoes, and barbecue grills are available across the street at the resort’s lakeside facility, which can be reached via car, or by walking or biking through an underground tunnel.

The children’s wet deck at the pool has the Tiger Lily, a miniature pirate ship, with water cannons and a small water slide. It’s not for the littlest of kids, though, and there is no wading pool. However, there are wide stairs in both “ears” of the Mickey-shaped main pool, and that’s where toddlers and their parents can hang out and splash around without getting in the way of other swimmers.

Don’t forget the beach. Beach chairs, umbrellas, cabanas, and some water sports equipment are available for rent on the beach, which is usually pretty quiet. The tide brings in a lot of shells and you’ll likely come back from walk on the beach with a pocketful of pretty ones you just couldn’t resist. The shop in the Inn lobby sells pail and shovel sets, but before you buy them, check out the playground at the pool. It seems that a lot of people leave behind the pails and shovels purchased onsite, and it's fine to take them to the beach as long as you return them.