Disney Vacation Club's New Campaign Has a Vero Beach Chapter

Disney Vacation Club has a new line: "Always a Magical Tomorrow." The brand campaign, announced Oct. 28, launched Nov. 1 as the program heads toward its 35th anniversary. And while the ads are aimed at the whole country, one of the places that makes the story work sits right here on our beach.

What Is the Campaign About?

The centerpiece is a new ad built on scenes inspired by real Disney vacations. It asks viewers to enjoy the memories they are making now while picturing the next ones. Disney's own examples of a "tomorrow" run from a ride on TRON Lightcycle / Run to a fiftieth wedding anniversary, a splashy afternoon by the pool or the first taste of a favorite treat.

"This campaign represents an evolution of how we tell the Disney Vacation Club story," said Joe Rand, SVP of Disney Signature Experiences Commercial Strategy. The announcement covers advertising only and does not mention any change to membership.

Where Does Vero Beach Fit In?

Disney's announcement does not single out any one resort, but this story has a local chapter. Disney's Vero Beach Resort opened on Oct. 1, 1995 as Disney Vacation Club's first resort away from a Disney park, about two hours from Walt Disney World. You will find it on the barrier island at 9250 Island Grove Terrace, with dunes, palms, a pool and sunrise beach walks. It marked its 30th year in 2025.

Some of the people there have been around for the whole ride. Disney says three cast members have worked at the resort since opening day, and all three found the job through a local newspaper posting. One is Vero Beach native Patty Jacobs, who started in housekeeping and moved to the front desk. Dawn Allen began in merchandise and now works in human resources; she remembers opening day as a party with confetti cannons and department skits on stage. Nicole Luecker spent two decades at the front desk and has returned as an area manager. She still hears from a British guest she first met 20 years ago.

What Does the Resort Do for Our Turtles?

This is the part locals can be proud of. The resort shares its sand with loggerhead nesting grounds, so its east facing windows are tinted and no exterior lights face the ocean, which keeps hatchlings headed the right way.

Since 2007, cast members and conservation experts there have taught guests about endangered sea turtles. A Disney Conservation team also watches loggerhead, green and leatherback nests along roughly five miles of beach around the resort from May through October. According to Disney's 2024 report, that team has logged more than 20,000 hours on the nests and counted an estimated 1.8 million hatchlings over the years. The 2023 season alone recorded about 2,800 nests, more than double the usual average of around 1,300.

The resort is also home to Tour de Turtles, the Sea Turtle Conservancy's research and education program. Each summer, turtles fitted with satellite transmitters are released from the beach, and the one that swims the farthest over three months wins the "race." As of 2024, Sea Turtle Conservancy and Disney had tracked 29 turtles released at Vero Beach since the program began in 2008. One loggerhead from the 2023 race swam more than 4,500 miles up the coast to waters near Delaware and Maryland.

Why It Matters Here

A national ad campaign will not change anything on A1A tomorrow morning. But it is a nice reminder that one of the biggest names in vacations picked our stretch of sand more than 30 years ago, and that its people have spent much of that time looking after the turtles that were here first. You can find the resort in the Vero Vine business directory.

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Ava Cook

Community Manager at Vero Vine

Hello!
My name is Ava Cook and I am a Freshman at Florida Southern College in Lakeland FL. I am currently a B.F.A musical theatre major with a minor in Business Administration. I love reading, singing, acting, dancing, and writing. My favorite part about Vero Beach and Indian River County as a whole is how close the community is. Vero Vine is important to me as it allows me to do my part it bringing the community together also, sharing events, small businesses, and other local happenings. If you have any questions or any recommendations for me, my email is always open [email protected].