Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Sea World

[ccgirl]

HI Everyone,

I just booked the HGVC at Sea World for the week of May 13, 2012. We are going to do Sea World, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove this trip. I am very familiar with the area around WDW but not so much around Sea World. Is this a nice resort? My children will be 4 and 9 when we go. Any tips you can provide?

Thanks so much!

 

[snappy]

I can't help with answers but I am very interested in others' responses, so I will just join here.

This resort is on my short list for future trips.

 

[Dax]

Well I cannot comment on the SeaWorld location, but some family just stayed a week at the I-Drive location down the street, and it was a great time. We hung out poolside a lot, there was always activities. They held a Halloween party with a haunted house that was TONS of fun. The rooms were nice too. I highly recommend the HGVC

 

[dimndgal1]

We went in October and I LOVED IT! It was a fantastic resort and the pool was FABULOUS! The staff was wonderful and the rooms very large and had all the standard amenities you would expect.

They have a great movie room and they did movies by the pool while we were there. They also had poolside karaoke for the kids and an ice cream party where you built your own sundae. There is a little poolside restaurant that has decent food -- sort of like Applebee's. Their tuna is to die for and the breakfast foods were definitely better than I expected.

We had my parents and 4 yo DD with us and DD didn't want to leave -- she was in the splash park even in the rain (no lightning!) and she loved watching movies in the theater. There is a little sundries shop where we bought bagels/donuts/snacks and the prices weren't too bad.

In terms of location, it's literally a block from Aquatica and about 2 1/2 blocks to the Sea World parking lot. We had a car, so we didn't take the shuttle but we saw several of them running and heard some people just walked (it was decent weather).

HTH! I think you'll enjoy the location and my parents rank it one of their top two or three of HGVC resorts

 

[ccgirl]

Well I cannot comment on the SeaWorld location, but some family just stayed a week at the I-Drive location down the street, and it was a great time. We hung out poolside a lot, there was always activities. They held a Halloween party with a haunted house that was TONS of fun. The rooms were nice too. I highly recommend the HGVC

We went in October and I LOVED IT! It was a fantastic resort and the pool was FABULOUS! The staff was wonderful and the rooms very large and had all the standard amenities you would expect.

They have a great movie room and they did movies by the pool while we were there. They also had poolside karaoke for the kids and an ice cream party where you built your own sundae. There is a little poolside restaurant that has decent food -- sort of like Applebee's. Their tuna is to die for and the breakfast foods were definitely better than I expected.

We had my parents and 4 yo DD with us and DD didn't want to leave -- she was in the splash park even in the rain (no lightning!) and she loved watching movies in the theater. There is a little sundries shop where we bought bagels/donuts/snacks and the prices weren't too bad.

In terms of location, it's literally a block from Aquatica and about 2 1/2 blocks to the Sea World parking lot. We had a car, so we didn't take the shuttle but we saw several of them running and heard some people just walked (it was decent weather).

HTH! I think you'll enjoy the location and my parents rank it one of their top two or three of HGVC resorts

Thank you both so much. I really appreciate you taking the time to give me your thoughts.

dimndgal1 thanks for the detail. I was trying to find pictures but couldn't find many of the pool. Is there a pool slide? You mentioned splash park...is that one of those areas with water toys but no deep water? If so...I would absolutely LOVE that. The movies sound fun too. Thanks for the tip on the tuna as well. Everyone in my family loves that so we will be sure to try it.

Thanks again!

 

[Detailor]

In terms of location, it's literally a block from Aquatica and about 2 1/2 blocks to the Sea World parking lot. We had a car, so we didn't take the shuttle but we saw several of them running and heard some people just walked (it was decent weather).

HTH! I think you'll enjoy the location and my parents rank it one of their top two or three of HGVC resorts

I'm a little surprised by your comments about the location. HGVC SeaWorld is literally across Central Florida Parkway from SeaWorld. From the furthest building it's less than a mile to walk to the entry gate. Aquatica is roughly at the opposite corner of the same block - about a mile and a quarter or so from HGVC to the Aquatica parking lot. Discovery Cove is a half mile or so down Central Florida Parkway on the same side of the CFP as the HGVC resort.

OP: The SeaWorld area is nice. There are several hotels and three timeshare resorts in the immediate area. Very convenient to I-4 and International Drive and lots of restaurants within a few miles. Also within 5 miles of Downtown Disney. There are two newer HGVC resorts in Orlando but I think that this one still stands up as a very nice resort with a very good location. You couldn't do any better for convenience than this resort for visiting SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica.

Enjoy!

Dick Taylor

 

[ccgirl]

I'm a little surprised by your comments about the location. HGVC SeaWorld is literally across Central Florida Parkway from SeaWorld. From the furthest building it's less than a mile to walk to the entry gate. Aquatica is roughly at the opposite corner of the same block - about a mile and a quarter or so from HGVC to the Aquatica parking lot. Discovery Cove is a half mile or so down Central Florida Parkway on the same side of the CFP as the HGVC resort.

OP: The SeaWorld area is nice. There are several hotels and three timeshare resorts in the immediate area. Very convenient to I-4 and International Drive and lots of restaurants within a few miles. Also within 5 miles of Downtown Disney. There are two newer HGVC resorts in Orlando but I think that this one still stands up as a very nice resort with a very good location. You couldn't do any better for convenience than this resort for visiting SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica.

Enjoy!

Dick Taylor

Thanks! I wonder if that poster was getting confused between this one and the one on I-Drive? Not sure how close the two really are but I heard people get confused and actually end up showing up at one instead of the other.

Does anyone know if there are pool slides? Sounds like the location is great so that is quite a relief. I am always nervous staying at someplace new for the first time.

 

[shalom]

Is this a nice resort?

I haven't been there, but HGVC rivals DVC on the Timeshare boards I frequent in popularity. I see a lot of congratulations for scoring a reservation and no gripes after the first visit. I think you'll be very happy.

Here's a review with a bunch of pics:

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117944

 

[ccgirl]

I haven't been there, but HGVC rivals DVC on the Timeshare boards I frequent in popularity. I see a lot of congratulations for scoring a reservation and no gripes after the first visit. I think you'll be very happy.

Here's a review with a bunch of pics:

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117944

Thank you so much! Looking at that link now. That is most helpful.

Love that people take the time out of their busy day to help others here!

 

[Detailor]

Thanks! I wonder if that poster was getting confused between this one and the one on I-Drive? Not sure how close the two really are but I heard people get confused and actually end up showing up at one instead of the other.

Yep, that's possible. The two resorts are less than three miles apart, but the I-Drive resort is further away from either Aquatica or SeaWorld than the resort that you're headed to.

Another online resource that you could use to see some pictures of the resort and read the list of onsite features is http://www.hiltongrandvacations.com/vacation-resort-collection.php. Just click on the Florida pop-down and then the specific resort name from that list. Be sure to click the Virtual Tours tab to see some 360s of the resort and the villas.

Dick Taylor

 

[ccgirl]

Yep, that's possible. The two resorts are less than three miles apart, but the I-Drive resort is further away from either Aquatica or SeaWorld than the resort that you're headed to.

Another online resource that you could use to see some pictures of the resort and read the list of onsite features is http://www.hiltongrandvacations.com/vacation-resort-collection.php. Just click on the Florida pop-down and then the specific resort name from that list. Be sure to click the Virtual Tours tab to see some 360s of the resort and the villas.

Dick Taylor

Thanks so much...that was a great link. I didn't see any pictures of a child play area. I was able to find links to the menus for the restaurant and deli so that was most helpful. I am so excited now. Now I just have to wait 6 months until I'm actually there. UGH!

http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hot...aWorld-International-Center-Florida/dining.do

 

[jeff968]

HGVC is a very nice resort. I loved the onsite movie theater and the croquet court. The waterfall pool was not heated when we were there but maybe I read that has been changed??? Have a great time.

 

[dimndgal1]

I'm a little surprised by your comments about the location. HGVC SeaWorld is literally across Central Florida Parkway from SeaWorld. From the furthest building it's less than a mile to walk to the entry gate. Aquatica is roughly at the opposite corner of the same block - about a mile and a quarter or so from HGVC to the Aquatica parking lot. Discovery Cove is a half mile or so down Central Florida Parkway on the same side of the CFP as the HGVC resort.

OP: The SeaWorld area is nice. There are several hotels and three timeshare resorts in the immediate area. Very convenient to I-4 and International Drive and lots of restaurants within a few miles. Also within 5 miles of Downtown Disney. There are two newer HGVC resorts in Orlando but I think that this one still stands up as a very nice resort with a very good location. You couldn't do any better for convenience than this resort for visiting SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica.

Enjoy!

Dick Taylor

I am not saying HGVC Sea World is FAR from Sea World... I said it was about 2 1/2 blocks... not miles.
And while the hotel is close to the entrance for the parking lot to Sea World, it is not 'right there' which might be worth noting. I have hip issues (and a 4 yo DD) and cannot walk for excessive distances and everyone assured me we could 'easily walk' to Sea World. That was definitely not the case -- we could walk to the edge of the parking area but it's a hike across the lot to the entrance of the park. I was just trying to help OP because if he has young kids, it's good to know what to expect.

The splash park is a gated area next to the pool that has a bunch of fountains that spurt up in random intervals and totally enthralled my DD until I had to drag her away. Neither of the pools had a water slide, but there is a fountain in the middle of one and a large waterfall in the second. The kids seemed to LOVE the waterfall -- swimming under it, through it, around it.

There is also a kids pool, but it's very small and limited, however the shallow portions of both pools was right around 3 feet and I think the deepest was 5' (I might be wrong on the waterfall pool). There are also three hot tubs scattered among the pools, and while they aren't for kids, it's a great thing for adults after hoofing it around the park.

 

[Detailor]

I am not saying HGVC Sea World is FAR from Sea World... I said it was about 2 1/2 blocks... not miles.
And while the hotel is close to the entrance for the parking lot to Sea World, it is not 'right there' which might be worth noting. I have hip issues (and a 4 yo DD) and cannot walk for excessive distances and everyone assured me we could 'easily walk' to Sea World. That was definitely not the case -- we could walk to the edge of the parking area but it's a hike across the lot to the entrance of the park. I was just trying to help OP because if he has young kids, it's good to know what to expect.

Sure, I absolutely agree that the expanse of the parking lot can make that walk a long one. What's an 'easy' walk for me won't necessarily be easy for someone else (my wife and I have easily walked to SeaWorld and back to Marriott's Cypress Harbour which is around the corner and a little down Westwood Blvd. from the SeaWorld HGVC). The actual walk-in entrance to SeaWorld is a walkway that's nearly at the north end of the parking lot from SeaHarbor Drive and that's about a half mile from the HGVC resort and then you have to walk the width of the parking lot to get to the park entrance.

How long that walk might be in "blocks," I suppose, would depend on how long a block is in your city as it does vary from place to place. So what surprised me most in your description of distances was that Aquatica was only 1 block away from the resort while the much closer entrance to SeaWorld was. described as 2 1/2 blocks away.

Regardless, if walking half to three quarters of a mile would prove difficult before spending a day at a theme park or water park then it isn't walkable to any of the SeaWorld attractions from HGVC SeaWorld.

Dick Taylor

 

[ccgirl]

I am not saying HGVC Sea World is FAR from Sea World... I said it was about 2 1/2 blocks... not miles.
And while the hotel is close to the entrance for the parking lot to Sea World, it is not 'right there' which might be worth noting. I have hip issues (and a 4 yo DD) and cannot walk for excessive distances and everyone assured me we could 'easily walk' to Sea World. That was definitely not the case -- we could walk to the edge of the parking area but it's a hike across the lot to the entrance of the park. I was just trying to help OP because if he has young kids, it's good to know what to expect.

The splash park is a gated area next to the pool that has a bunch of fountains that spurt up in random intervals and totally enthralled my DD until I had to drag her away. Neither of the pools had a water slide, but there is a fountain in the middle of one and a large waterfall in the second. The kids seemed to LOVE the waterfall -- swimming under it, through it, around it.

There is also a kids pool, but it's very small and limited, however the shallow portions of both pools was right around 3 feet and I think the deepest was 5' (I might be wrong on the waterfall pool). There are also three hot tubs scattered among the pools, and while they aren't for kids, it's a great thing for adults after hoofing it around the park.

My DS will be 4 as well when we go. I am really happy to hear about the splash park. I wonder why they don't have pictures of it. That is a huge plus for me as I get very nervous with him in the water.

Sure, I absolutely agree that the expanse of the parking lot can make that walk a long one. What's an 'easy' walk for me won't necessarily be easy for someone else (my wife and I have easily walked to SeaWorld and back to Marriott's Cypress Harbour which is around the corner and a little down Westwood Blvd. from the SeaWorld HGVC). The actual walk-in entrance to SeaWorld is a walkway that's nearly at the north end of the parking lot from SeaHarbor Drive and that's about a half mile from the HGVC resort and then you have to walk the width of the parking lot to get to the park entrance.

How long that walk might be in "blocks," I suppose, would depend on how long a block is in your city as it does vary from place to place. So what surprised me most in your description of distances was that Aquatica was only 1 block away from the resort while the much closer entrance to SeaWorld was. described as 2 1/2 blocks away.

Regardless, if walking half to three quarters of a mile would prove difficult before spending a day at a theme park or water park then it isn't walkable to any of the SeaWorld attractions from HGVC SeaWorld.

Dick Taylor

Thanks to you both for the clarification on the walking. We will probably play it by ear. Typically, we don't have an issue walking. My DS4, as long as he's in the stroller, should be fine. We plan on getting the Super Grover pass though which gets us free parking so we may just drive. I guess it's good to have options though.

Thanks again everyone. I am really excited. I will be sure to post back a trip report with pictures.