Some HH resort questions...

[dizneeluvr]

Hi gang!

We are about 7 weeks away from our first trip to HH. Few quick questions as I find myself getting excited.

Is the resort's beach a decent size? Is their a lifeguard? Chairs? Is kite flying allowed in the evening on their beach?

And is the Chart House restaurant still open?

If you can think of any other neat things to pass along, I would love to hear them. We will have our two DDs with us (7 and 3 yo)

Thanks!

Laura

[kamgen]

I am interested too! We are leaving for HH (our first time) in only 3 weeks!!!!!
Curious about pools, beach, restaraunts, etc.
Is there a pool at the beach house and at the resort?
Anything to see or do that is "not to be missed"??

Thanks,
Kamy :)

[DownNeckBoy]

The beach is very large. There were lifeguards posted when I was last there (summer '01) but I am not sure whether the lifeguards are there year round. Those evry same lifeguards were also involved in the rental of beach chairs and umbrellas. Again, I do not know whether that will be available when you are going there.

I don't think there are any restrictions on kite flying.

However, a better option for beach chairs is to stop by the Wal Mart and get a cheap one there. It is a MUCH cheaper alternative than the rental charge ($25?) that I recall.

There are pools at the Beach House as well as at the resort. I do not know whether the Big Dipper slide will be open when you go. It was not open when I went last February.

I do not know whether the Chart House is still open.

I would try to go out on a dolphin watch if I were you. I also liked Harbourtown. It is a great resort and a great town. It is simply super for families!

I am sure you will get other suggestions from the HH lovers on this board!!!

:smooth:

[kamgen]

Also,
during trips there, has anyone gone to Charleston or Savannah?
If so, what things do you recommend?
Thanks,
Kamy :)

[Windjammer]

DownNeckBoy

We were at HH in Jan and the policy at the pool was that they will open the slide upon request, between the hours of 10 ( I think) and 4. They opened it for us even though the temp was in the 50's. I don't know for how long they have had this policy though.

[vernon]

The beach is very wide and flat. There were no lifeguards when we were there over New Year. It is a public beach and the access to the beachhouse is by use of your room key. The beachhouse is about a mile from the main DVC building and units. There is a nice pool at the beachhouse but the main pool ( with slide) is situated near the other buildings (i.e. a mile away) . There were some restrictions on kite flying , these were public ordinances (sp?) not Disney's restrictions. Sorry I can't remember exactly what they were as I wasn't planning to fly kites myself.

I did a trip report on the boards on the UK site recently, I'll get the link out and post it asap, it contains a lot of restaurant reviews and covers all the activities we took part in

Trip report #1 http://www.wdwinfo.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8838

And #2 http://www.wdwinfo.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8866

[TXMommy]

We're headed to HH at the end of May. I, too, am curious about any side trips to Savannah and/or Charleston! (And, of course, any and all HH tips!)

[TIdoublegaER]

I haven't been to Charleston, but we stopped in Savannah on our way back to Atlanta last summer ('01). I would highly recommend it. We drove, but there is also a water shuttle to Savannah from Harbortown. We only took the trolley tour due to time restraints, but plan on going back next summer while at HH. We have eaten at Scott's Fish Market (just a short walk across Shelter Cove) and Old Oyster Factory. Both were really good and fairly reasonable for seafood. I too would recommend a dolphin cruise. We have taken the one available through Disney, which was a private cruise and we have also taken a large boat from a company on the other side of Shelter Cove. I don't remember the name exactly, but it was Island Adventures or Cruise Adventures. Something with Adventures in it!! The larger boat was cheaper per person, but we were able to get closer to the dolphins on the Disney one. We enjoyed both and did see plenty of dolphins. There is plenty of shopping around and the closest grocery store is a Piggly Wiggly a couple of miles from the resort. I can't wait to go back!!

[dizneeluvr]

Thanks guys!...keep it comin' :)

I know I have read about renting bikes and that they are not always in the best shape. Do they rent surrey bikes as well, like they do at VWL?

Still hoping for some news on the status of the Chart House restaurant too.


As for Charleston, I lived there for a short time right up until Hurricane Hugo came through. If Ronnie's is still there (restaurant in Mount Pleasant, just outside Charleston) it is awesome, as is their sister fish restaurant across the street. I know they had both been damaged during that hurricane but were rebuilding last I heard, though that was 12 years ago.

Laura

[jjcollins]

Hi Kamy - we'll be heading back to HH on 16 March for 5 nights

Been to Charleston and Savannah. Really loved Charleston - full of history, wonderful architecture, museums, cemetaries. Took the ferry out to Fort Sumter - a very interesting trip. Went to Patriots Point home to USS Yorktown and to other decommissioned naval vessels. Had a brilliant time there - even DW enjoyed it. Here's the link

http://www.state.sc.us/patpt/

Some really nice restaurants at Charleston and the slave market is worth a look as are the shops on King St.

Savannah is also worth a visit. Just strolling along the little cobbled streets by the riverside is interesting as it is where the cotton was exported from. A drive out (not too far) to Tybee lighthouse is worth a visit. Here's a link for things to see and do in Savannah

http://www.savcvb.com/

Hope this helps and have a great time.


jj...........:cool:

[kamgen]

Thanks jj!

We are really looking forward to our trip, especially now with it only 3 weeks away.
dh brother is in Charleston (Navy) and we plan to visit him there and spend some time seeing things.
We also plan to head to Savannah.

Overall, though, I am just looking forward to getting away with my dh! :)

Thanks again,
Kamy :)

[cgcw]

There were several life guards along the beach when we were there in July 2001. We did rent the chairs/umbrellas for the week there because we wanted the umbrella so the little guy could get shaded. While it was very nice to go out to the beach and have our spot already staked out for us no matter what time we arrived, I don't know if we would do that again or just bring our own. The problem with bringing our own would be how to get them there, because we really enjoyed bike riding to the beach. We'll see what happens next summer.

Bike rental is available right through Disney. Our experience was that the bikes we were assigned were not in the best condition. We had problems twice within the week with one of the bikes breaking down (two different bikes, they replaced the one after it broke down the first time and then the replacement broke down also). We heard from Fish Creek Bike Rental that they will deliver right to Disney. While Fish Creek was gracious enough to help us out when were we stranded and loaned us one of their bikes, their bikes didn't seem to be as comfortable as Disneys. Also, Disney was the only place we found that rented the Kiddie Caboose with a cover over it. The other type we saw were just buckets the children sat in with no protection from the sun or wind. I think next summer we will again rent from Disney but we'll bring our cell phone with just in case we run into problems.

We took the dolphin cruise and the beach combing offered through Disney. Both were fantastic and a very positive experience. We will be going on both again next visit if still offered. Look forward to trying the shark fishing too.

We enjoyed dinner at the Old Oyster Factory. We also had pizza delivered to the Disney pool one night from Guiseppes. It was good. We enjoyed a breakfast at Hilton Head Diner and look forward to trying either lunch or dinner there.

Our 7 yo enjoyed crabbing off the pier at Disney. The kids would get so excited to see the crabs caught, it didn't really matter whose they were. The excitement to get them back into the water made all of the little ones scramble. Several people were taking them back to cook for dinner.

[Dean]

Here's a list I sent previously. The Chart House is still open if it's the one I am thinking about or at least it was in July. The one in my mind is in a beach front timeshare resort right across the Street from Coligny Plaza. I don't remember which timeshare it is off hand. My sister and BIL ate in the one I am thinking of and were pleased. They had a 20% off early dining options if I remember correctly.

Fine Dining[list=1]
Old Fort Pub
Sunset Grill
Fitzgerald's
Charlie's (french something)
Alexander's
Charleston's
Santa Fe
Captain's table
Cafe Europa
[/list=1]
Pizza[list=1]
Dunes
Guisseppi's
[/list=1] Both right close by DVC
Fun/Family[list=1]
Old Bamboo
Old Oyster Factory
Truffle's
Wild Wings
Hafbrauhouse (? sp)
Crazy Crab, especially at Harbour Town
[/list=1]

I'd avoid CQ's and Charlie's Crab.

Others to consider that I don't know much about are:
[list=1]
HH and Blufton Diner
Alligator Grill
Abe's Shrimp House
South Beach Cafe (? name)
Scott's
Kingfisher's (recommended for seafood by a friend and right by DVC)
La Pola (in with Kingfisher's)
Quarter Deck
Harbor Masters
Westin Seafood Buffet
Cafe at Wexford
Tony Roma's (how different can it be)
Hudson's (near Old Ft Pub, my partner really liked it)
[/list=1]

Discounts, DVC has a discount list, just use your room key or member card. Many of these above have early bird specials. There is a Restaurant Guide that has menus as well as a list of early birds, etc. For seafood, Old Oyster Factory is a must but doesn't take reservations. There are coupons in the books for free salads and they let me use the free salad as well as DVC 10% off both. If you at all like wings, Wild Wings is a must, I think they have 23 flavors of Wings. Best steak was Fitzgerald's. Old Bamboo is like World War II or MASH, good food also. Best Views were South Beach Cafe, Cafe Europa, Quarterdeck, Old Ft Pub, Sunset Grill (so I'm told) and maybes Harbormasters and Kingfishers. Best Value likely Old Bamboo, Wings, Old Oyster Factory, Dunes Pizza. Some of these are in Sea Pines and there is a $5 fee per day.

[dizneeluvr]

Thank You so much for all of the great restaurant tips Dean! We will print up your e-mail and take it with us.

I'm also excited about the dolphin cruises people have mentioned and think the cell phone idea for the bike rental is a great idea!

The Chart House that I am remembering used to be out by a marina (you would take that road out past the Piggly Wiggly), but its been years.

Thanks for all the input. If you think of anything else to share, I'm happy to hear it!

Laura

[Dean]

You're welcome. The one I was thinking about before was the Captains table at the Sea Crest. Chart house does ring a bell though.

[Dean]

The only Chart House I can find is Savannah and that's why it was familiar. The one's that come to mind that might fit the bill are the Old Fort Pub and Boathouse II a couple of miles off to the left as you come on the island. Also, Hudson's seafood comes to mind.

[TXMommy]

I have heard the DVC Dolphin Cruise is wonderful, and have also heard that the Zodiac one is very good - any opinions on either? Also, I thought I read somewhere that the DVC combines the Dolphin Cruise and Beachcombing Excursion - can anyone verify this? Or are they separate? How much does each one cost?

[geh]

There used to be a Chart House Restaurant at the Palmetto Bay Marina on Hilton Head. It closed about 3 years ago and has been replaced by another restaurant called Eugene's, which is mainly a steak house. I have not been to the new place, so I can't comment on it. With the hundreds of other restaurants on the island, I'm sure that you'll find something to enjoy.

[dizneeluvr]

Thanks ``geh'' on the chart house status. We'll be there on Easter Sunday and was thinking of that for dinner that night just cause I remember it being real nice. But I'm sure with the positive comments on the other restaurants mentioned, that we will be just fine.

I wonder if the resort will have an egg hunt or something fun like that...

Laura

[cgcw]

TXMommy:
When we went in July last year, beach combing and dolphin cruises were separate charges. Seems to me the dolphin cruise was about $30 per person and beach combing was $50 per person. Don't quote me on those prices though because I don't remember for certain. I do know that our 17 mo was no charge. We had terrific experiences seeing dolphins on both. If I had to choose one or the other, I'd go with the beach combing. We saw lots of dolphins on our way out to the island and on the way back. On that trip, we also pulled up next to a fishing boat cleaning their catch and throwing the remains over for the dolphins. We could be as fortunate to have an experience close to that ever again. The dolphins were litterly within touching distance (although we didn't attempt to touch). One thing with the beach combing is that you can only keep shells/sand dollars/etc which are no longer alive.......So, the trick here would be to look for shells where the high tide mark was that day.
Enjoy!

[dizneeluvr]

If you want to do the DVC dolphin cruise is that something we should book prior to our stay or is that something you can book the morning of?

Laura

[cgcw]

disneeluvr:
We booked our dolphin cruise when we arrived and went on it two days later. I don't know if you can do it the day of -- I would assume it would depend on whether they had openings or not but I'm not certain.

[damo]

Sorry guys, Charthouse is no longer open. We tried to go in November and it has changed hands. It was still good but not very busy.

[BobH]

Check the restaurant reviews on Tommy Towery's Hilton head site. One review mentions the Chart House is no longer there.

http://www.members.tripod.com/~ttowery

[downontheBW]

If you do stop in Charleston, make sure you take the carriage tour. We were in Charleston and HHI last April and had just planned to do our own walking tour of the city. We happened by the spot where the carriage tours leave and were tired from walking so decided to try one. It was the hightlight of the trip (although it probably depends on your guide - ours was fantastic - entertaining and knowledgeable) - I highly recommend it! The drive from Charleston to HHI is a good 2 hours if I remember correctly and not a very interesting drive either.

When at HHI, we only ate at the restaurants across from the DVC island. I don't remember the names, they were nice but nothing special. The shuttle from the DVC resort to the Beach House seemed to run quite often. Once, we walked back to the resort from the Beach House and it wasn't too bad - it was just the two of us, no little ones in tow.

The beach on HHI is wide and seems to go on forever; there were no lifeguards when we were there. The pool at the Beach House is a decent size but doesn't have a slide. There was hardly anyone in it one one warm, sunny afternoon. The last evening we were in HHI, we drove to the beach house to take a last walk on the beach and it seemed like the whole place was deserted. During an hour's walk, we probably saw 5 people and not a soul at the Beach House - it was very strange. I can't remember what time it was but it was open and it was still light out.

The pool at the resort has much better theming and the slide was open all day. That pool was quite crowded every day.

DVC on HHI is a great place! Enjoy!

[downontheBW]

If you do stop in Charleston, make sure you take the carriage tour. We were in Charleston and HHI last April and had just planned to do our own walking tour of the city. We happened by the spot where the carriage tours leave and were tired from walking so decided to try one. It was the hightlight of the trip (although it probably depends on your guide - ours was fantastic - entertaining and knowledgeable) - I highly recommend it! The drive from Charleston to HHI is a good 2 hours if I remember correctly and not a very interesting drive either.

When at HHI, we only ate at the restaurants across from the DVC island. I don't remember the names, they were nice but nothing special. The shuttle from the DVC resort to the Beach House seemed to run quite often. Once, we walked back to the resort from the Beach House and it wasn't too bad - it was just the two of us, no little ones in tow.

The beach on HHI is wide and seems to go on forever; there were no lifeguards when we were there. The pool at the Beach House is a decent size but doesn't have a slide. There was hardly anyone in it one one warm, sunny afternoon. The last evening we were in HHI, we drove to the beach house to take a last walk on the beach and it seemed like the whole place was deserted. During an hour's walk, we probably saw 5 people and not a soul at the Beach House - it was very strange. I can't remember what time it was but it was open and it was still light out.

The pool at the resort has much better theming and the slide was open all day. That pool was quite crowded every day.

DVC on HHI is a great place! Enjoy!