Orlando and you want some serious chill time while still experiencing that Disney magic and service then Disney's Vero Beach Resort might be for you.

The resort is located approximately 100 miles from Orlando and it takes between 1½ to 2 hours to drive there. Be careful - there are no neon signs or Disney arches to drive under and it is easy to miss this elegant resort. The resort celebrates the uniqueness and splendour of Old Florida and is built in the architectural style of the grand hotels found on the Northeastern seaboard at the turn of the 20th century.

Disney's Vero Beach is a Disney Vacation Club resort and there are three ways to stay there.

1. As a DVC member using your points
2. Making a cash booking by calling Disney's central reservation office
3. By renting DVC points from DVC member

Accommodation
The resort consists of the main Inn, which houses the deluxe Inn rooms. These are laid out as hotel rooms and come with
. Two queen size beds
. Table and 2 chairs
. TV with VHS player
. Bathroom,
. Closet
. Kitchenette area with a small fridge, microwave, a sink and a coffee maker
. Balcony with two chairs and a small table

There are two types of rooms. Ocean view rooms which look out over the ocean (be careful here as some ocean view rooms are at the side of the resort with a sideways view of the ocean) and standard views which overlook the rear of the resort.

There are 3 Villa buildings, which house the Studios, one and two bedroom units.

The studio's feature
. A queen size bed and a double sleeper sofa
. Table and 2 chairs
. TV with VHS player
. Bathroom,
. Closet
. Kitchenette area with a small fridge, microwave, a sink and a coffee maker
. Balcony with two chairs and a small table

The one bedroom features
. A master bedroom suite with a king-size bed
. A living room with a queen size sleeper sofa
. Included in the living room is a full kitchen with cooker, dishwasher, microwave oven, coffee maker and a whole range of utensils etc.,
. Table and 4 chairs
. The bathroom has a large Jacuzzi bath and a sink and in a separate area, a large walk in shower, toilet and another sink
. There is a balcony with a table and chairs which is accessible from the living room and the bedroom

Most two-bedroom units are a combination of a connecting studio and a one-bedroom unit and have all the facilities listed above. Some two-bedroom units are dedicated and would have the same facilities except for the kitchenette in the studio which would be replaced with extra closet space

There are also six three-bedroom beach cottages. These are two story cottages, which face directly onto the beach. They feature
. A master suite with king-size bed
. Two additional bedrooms each with two queen-sized beds and private bathrooms.
. Upstairs is a large living room with two sofa's (one of which is a queen-size sleeper sofa, a kitchen and a dining table and chairs.
. There are 3 / 4 balcony's two of which are at the front of the property on the ground and first floor and overlook the ocean

Restaurants
There are a couple of dining choices on site

Shutters
This is a casual restaurant, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu is reasonably varied so there should be something to suit most people. Goofy and Max come here for breakfast every Saturday and if you want to join them it's best to make an ADR

Bleachers
A counter service window by the pool, which has the usual selection of burgers, chicken strips, fries and a couple of sandwiches. It also serves alcohol and a range of smoothies.

The Green Cabin Room
This is on the second floor of the Inn and offers a light lunch and appetiser menu along with a full bar. There is live entertainment every evening and a fantastic view over the ocean from either inside or outside on the covered balcony.

Sonya'
This fine dining restaurant is only open on selected evenings and offers a varied menu of steaks and seafood.

Room Service
If you are staying in the main Inn there is Inn-Room dining which is available for breakfast and dinner.

You can also get a selection of basic groceries from the Island Grove Packing Company located on the ground floor of the Inn.

Recreation
If lying on a sun lounger reading the latest trashy novel is you idea of heaven then Vero has it but if you want to do a bit more then Vero has that as well. Every day they offer a wide range of activities and programmes for guests of all ages, which can be as energetic as a game of tennis or as gentle as a guided nature walk.

For children they have a range of day time activities and on selected evenings the 2DC Disney Discovery Club which is a 3 hour programme which includes dinner and is for kids aged 4-12.

The Pool Deck


The pool deck is surrounded by a fence and accessed using your room key. There is a large free form pool, which never feels crowded and a 163ft spiral water slide. Even if you don't want to slide into the pool it's worth walking to the top of the slide for the great aerial view of the ocean and surrounding countryside. There are plenty of loungers and you can normally find one no matter what time you arrive. There are also a number of table / chairs with umbrellas which provide shade and some table and chairs under a covered gazebo. These are much harder to find and are usually taken within an hour of the pool opening at 8am. If you do require shade there is the option of chair's / umbrella on the beach.

For younger guests there is a sand area and playground, and for guests 48" and under there is a pirate ship wet play area, which is great fun. The pool deck also features a 9 hole mini golf course and shuffle board.

Eb & Flo's
This is located at the rear of the pool deck and is where you can get everything you need such as

. Pool towels
. Tennis rackets, balls & court reservations
. Life jackets
. Bike rentals
. Mini Golf
. Croquet set
. Bocce Set (A type of shuffle board)
. Ping pong set
. Kites
. A selection of board games

Other things found on the pool deck are

. Anchors-A-Weigh fitness centre
. Blinkers arcade
. Community hall which offers a great children's programme
. A hair braiding station which is usually open from 9am - 4pm
. Bleachers Bar & Grill

The Ocean


Access on and off the beach is with your room key and you can either walk down the stairs or for guests with mobility issues there is a ramp down to the beach. The beach is mainly fine white sand although since hurricane Wilma in 2004 there are quite a few area's of shell which were churned up from the ocean floor. There is no lifeguard on duty but current sea conditions, warnings on rip tides; current ocean temperatures and notices about any unusual activity (such as jelly fish etc.,) are posted at Sea Breeze Beach Rentals.

Sea Breeze Beach Rentals
This is located at the top of the steps leading down to the beach and is where you can rent everything you need such as

. Umbrella & Chairs
. Body Boards
. Cabanas
. Sea Kayak
. Jet Ski's

Environment
The environmental message is very big at Disney's Vero Beach Resort and they actively protect the sea turtles, which nest on the beach between May through October. Any new nest sites are roped off and left undisturbed until the turtles hatch. There is an absence of exterior balcony lights and windows facing the ocean are tinted. The lighting along the promenade is muted and each evening there is a message left on guests telephones reminding them to close all drapes after 9pm.

No-See-Um
No-See-Um is the name given to the infamous small biting midges found along the Florida coast. These close relatives of the mosquito are approximately 0.42cm (0.16 inches) and do not fly in temperatures less than 70 degrees and are most active at sunrise and sunset. It's best to keep your patio doors closed during this time and wear a good insect repellent. They don't harm you but their bites can be very annoying.

So if you want to unwind then be sure to check out Disney's Vero Beach Resort.