Hello Nicole, welcome to planDisney! It's always great to chat with a fellow Disney Vacation Club Member about Disney's three incredible Beach Resorts:
Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa,
Disney's Vero Beach Resort and
Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort. I love visiting the
Disney Vacation Club Resorts but I will say that the Beach Resorts are very special and are definitely worth a visit!
My family first visited Disney's Vero Beach Resort a few years ago, fell in love with the Resort and promptly booked another stay the following summer. There is subtle Disney theming throughout the Resort; so subtle that you might even miss some of the touches! There are some nods to Nemo in the rooms (look for a photo above the Murphy bed) and you can spot Peter Pan influences in the tunnel heading to the Western part of the property as well as when you arrive at the Resort (you'll be greeted by a topiary of Tick-Tock). Unfortunately, the Pirate Night (Character Dining) has not returned since the start of the pandemic but I'm hopeful that there will be news of its return one day. Character Meets are sporadic and a surprise at Disney's Vero Beach Resort. You may be lucky to see my pals Goofy or Donald hanging out with Guests but there are no scheduled Greets. Disney-themed activities are occurring at the Resort whether it is Poolside Trivia, Mickey Tye Dye (a paid activity), evening movies on the Green or the Sing-Along Campfire with a Disney tune or two.
Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort's Disney theming is subtle like its Florida counterpart - you'll need to take a good look to spot the details. Here, you'll find lots of Woodland creatures in the decor (think Bambi and Thumper - you'll even find them in topiary form). Like at Disney's Vero Beach Resorts, there are no Character Meets here but there's a chance you'll be surprised and delighted by Chip & Dale as well as a few of their friends.
Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa is the newest (and largest) Disney Vacation Club Beach Resort and does not disappoint! Since Aulani Resort is set in paradise, Guests will find nods to the sand and waves in the decor. If you stay at the Resort, I highly recommend taking the complimentary
Māka‘ika‘i, The Art of Aulani Resort tour. You'll learn all about the tiniest details and appreciate the Resort even more! Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa has many Character Greets daily throughout the Resort. My children absolutely loved checking the
Aulani Daily 'Iwa and planning out which Characters they wanted to meet and where. Many activities are Disney-themed from making your own Mickey Ears to Kāpala Ki'i (a t-shirt stamping activity); I recommend visiting the
Pau Hana Room (Community Hall) for registration and finding out more information about each activity.
Nicole, I hope this information is helpful to your vacation planning. Each of the Beach Resorts is so fun to explore, I hope you will have the opportunity to adventure in each one! Thank you for visiting
planDisney with your question, please return if you think of anything else you'd like to know!
Happy planning,
Candace