Disney's Vero Beach Resort

Do you want a Disney themed trip without the theme parks?  Well, then Disney's Vero Beach Resort might be the perfect choice for you.  Located about 1.5 hours away from Walt Disney World on Flordia's Treasure Coast, this resort has a good amount of Disney flair to it, without it being too "over the top".

The rooms and facilities are both kept very clean.  All of the staff we interacted with (front desk, lifeguards, housekeeping and restaurant staff) were all extremely friendly and helpful.

The location is right on the beach and also has a very large pool with a great water slide (for adults and kids!) and a hot tub.  There are constantly at least 3 lifeguards on duty at all times, so this will help make parents feel better about letting their kids go into the pool without needing to constantly watch them. The pool also has a restaurant there, Bleachers, that has pretty good quality food and drinks (including alcohol) that are made fresh to order. Also, if you order a soft drink, you get 4 free refills within a 2 hour period. One thing we did note though is that some days this restaurant closes at 5 PM, which we thought was a bit early.

There are various activities offered (some with an additional cost) such as mini golf, shuffleboard, tennis, volleyball, etc.  One free activity they had nightly on the weekends was a campfire sing-along with s'mores.

The room itself (we had a studio) comes stocked with plates, bowls, cups, mugs and utensils.  It also has a microwave, mini-fridge, toaster, and a large coffeepot.  One thing to note about these rooms is that regular guests get daily housekeeping service.  However, people that book with Disney Vacation Club points only get housekeeping service for free once every 4 days (although you can pay extra for more service).  There is also a parking garage located under the villas, giving you easy access to an elevator to get your belongings from your car to your room.

Two cons we saw at the hotel was that the TV in the room is a bit small and the vending machine in our building was sold out for our entire stay.  Other than that though, this was an excellent place to get away for a long weekend and one we'd recommend to anyone looking for some Disney fun without the fatigue of the theme parks.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, with locations in the Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney will make your little girl, a little princess. Be sure to make reservations in advance!

Depending on the level of makeover, your little princess can choose the hairstyle they want and a princess dress (for the higher of the packages). If you're only doing the hair and makeup package, bring your own princess dress and have your little girl change there. The dress choices include Ariel (both the mermaid and as a girl), Snow White, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Cinderella, Tinker Bell and Tiana. Some locations have Merida dresses. Costumes come with a tiara and a wand.

For the hairstyles, I highly recommend the "fairytale princess" style. The amount of hair gel and hair spray the Fairy Godmothers use in this hairstyle keep it up in your little girl's hair for at least four days, if not longer, and can withstand sleeping, bathing, playing and rides. Oh, and your little one gets a second tiara to go home with.

Disney's Art of Animation Resort

Disney World's newest hotel, the Art of Animation Resort, is absolutely gorgeous!  There are 4 themed areas, representing the worlds of The Little Mermaid, Cars, The Lion King & Finding Nemo.  The Little Mermaid section is made up of rooms similar to the other value resorts on Disney's property, but have a more fresh feel to them.  They also went to great lengths to make guests feel like they truly are in the Little Mermaid universe.  While we didn't get to stay in the other rooms, they are more suited towards families as they are full suites (and hence more expensive).

Around the property, you'll find all of your favorite characters from the movies, and Disney has created some of the more iconic scenes throughout the resort.  The imagineers really out-did themselves to make guests feel like they are inside each of the movies.

There is also all the standard benefits of staying here as with other Disney hotels such as free bus transportation to/from the airport, free bus transportation to all of Disney World, early/late access to the parks and more.

If you're looking to go to Disney World, definitely put this resort at the top of your list of places to stay!

Disney's Yacht Club Resort

When staying at Disney World, there are numerous options of hotels to stay at.  You can easily filter out many hotels based on the price you're willing to spend.  If you're someone who is willing to pay a decent amount of money for your room, then Disney's Yacht Club is definitely a prime choice.

From the moment you pull up, you're greeted by a host and all of a sudden everyone else you meet along the way knows your name.  Inside the hotel, you're greeted by the Captain of the club, dressed in full uniform.  The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming.

When you get up to your room, you'll find plenty of Mickey Mouse related items, such as the towels on the bed shown below.  The Yacht Club theme is very prevalent throughout the room, as well as the hotel itself, and is very charming.  The rooms are spacious, clean and have extremely comfortable beds.

Outside, the hotel shares a swimming pool area with the Beach Club Resort, which features a slide coming off a "crashed" Pirate ship, which is something children will love.  There are activities in the pool area going on all the time, from sing-a-longs to movies on the "beach".

The hotel is also located across the lagoon from Disney's Boardwalk, making it easy to reach this area either by foot or boat.  In addition, you can take this boat to the back entrance of EPCOT center for a quick way into the park in the International section.

If you have the money for it, this hotel is definitely worth your patronage on a visit to Disney World!