Adding on at Hilton Head

[Judique]

Your post made me realize how little difference there is between a 1-BR and a 2-BR. That's crazy! I wish there wasn't such a jump between a studio and a 1-BR.

I actually had the same idea about SSR points. It would cost more buying in, but the MFs are much lower. I don't think I could take that chance though. I like booking 11 months out. I'm really leaning toward late April/early May, so I would need that 11-month booking window.

I've consistently been able to get Dec through March with no problems. Late April to early May September books early, plus Thanksgiving and for some reason, New Years.

I've got a small contract at Hilton Head and usually try to book a starter night at 11 months, or whatever number of days my points will cover. Then I do the 7 month thing.

I've done a 5 night week over July 4th every second year for 5 or 6 trips. Usually try 7 month and waitlist and it's worked. I used to do Thanksgiving every year. After a nice trip in March, I'm doing that again.

But for 2021, I'm doing a studio in January for a few nights while on my way to/from Orlando, all with 7 month points.

Jan 2020, I had an 80 degree day where everybody was on the beach(not swimming just walking and sunning), then a cold, blustery day following it. I'm escaping Maryland in winter, so hence my visits south. During Jan, Feb, March - whatever HH has, it usually beats Maryland weather.

Covid is sending a lot of new people to Hilton Head this year. Used to be the old 'the resort is not on the beach' kept the numbers down. Now people are going to learn to love it and it might get more crowded!

 

[crisi]

I've consistently been able to get Dec through March with no problems. Late April to early May September books early, plus Thanksgiving and for some reason, New Years.

I've got a small contract at Hilton Head and usually try to book a starter night at 11 months, or whatever number of days my points will cover. Then I do the 7 month thing.

I've done a 5 night week over July 4th every second year for 5 or 6 trips. Usually try 7 month and waitlist and it's worked. I used to do Thanksgiving every year. After a nice trip in March, I'm doing that again.

But for 2021, I'm doing a studio in January for a few nights while on my way to/from Orlando, all with 7 month points.

Jan 2020, I had an 80 degree day where everybody was on the beach(not swimming just walking and sunning), then a cold, blustery day following it. I'm escaping Maryland in winter, so hence my visits south. During Jan, Feb, March - whatever HH has, it usually beats Maryland weather.

Covid is sending a lot of new people to Hilton Head this year. Used to be the old 'the resort is not on the beach' kept the numbers down. Now people are going to learn to love it and it might get more crowded!

We've been doing late Feburary - being from Minnesota, we've been able to walk on the beach wearing a light jacket - even take our shoes off and dip toes in a very cold surf. It isn't beach weather, but its walk along the beach weather, and the pool is heated (I don't know when HHIs pool will open). Its warmer than here.

This year - pre-Covid (or pre-Covid awareness - it was here, we just weren't doing anything about it yet), the resort was booked full the week we were there. But I don't think it books right at seven months for those periods (yet), so you can find something during the Winter months.

 

[Judique]

We've been doing late Feburary - being from Minnesota, we've been able to walk on the beach wearing a light jacket - even take our shoes off and dip toes in a very cold surf. It isn't beach weather, but its walk along the beach weather, and the pool is heated (I don't know when HHIs pool will open). Its warmer than here.

This year - pre-Covid (or pre-Covid awareness - it was here, we just weren't doing anything about it yet), the resort was booked full the week we were there. But I don't think it books right at seven months for those periods (yet), so you can find something during the Winter months.

Yes, and I've done it for years. I actually like that the area is not crowded in winter.
Another thing, in winter I also venture out to other beaches such as Burkes Beach, just for a little something different. The closest parking there is meters but you can park for free if you turn into the actual park area on the right.

Also, the new park area created behind where Piggly Wiggly used to be is awesome. They have a pond and a little boardwalk back there. Lovely with a monument as well to service people. I should note that when I'm doing this type of wandering I'm birdwatching, so I like to check out different areas to see what's about and I like quiet spots with not too many people. The winter months provide that.

 

[Suzabella]

We started with a small resale HHI contract then added on direct twice. Our last purchase was a resale BRV. We were tired of using our HHI pts. to go to WDW. Hilton Head timeshares in general are difficult to get into during spring break and summer. We were told that something like 95% of owners occupy their time on island. We typically go April/May or September - fringe season. Crowds are lower but weather is still nice. Truth is, there isn't a bad time to go to HHI.

 

[sun_seekin]

How difficult is it to get a 2-bedroom at the 7 month mark at HH in the summer months? Looking at buying our first DVC contract and leaning towards a WDW resort bc of the high dues at HH, but definitely would want to use it for HH at least every other year. We would need a 2-bedroom with three older kids. Thanks.

 

[Suzabella]

We considered that also but decided to do the opposite. We bought DVC HHIR and traded occasionally to WDW. It's easier to get into WDW in a DVC in summer than it is to get into the 1 DVC on HHI. You have to do some math with the difference in price of a WDW resort vs. HHI and subract that from the price difference. For us, the HHIR was actually less money. We've owned there for 15 years and have never regretted our purchase. We just recently added VWL point. Good luck with your decision!

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

How difficult is it to get a 2-bedroom at the 7 month mark at HH in the summer months? Looking at buying our first DVC contract and leaning towards a WDW resort bc of the high dues at HH, but definitely would want to use it for HH at least every other year. We would need a 2-bedroom with three older kids. Thanks.

They say to buy where you want to stay. I do understand the issue with the high dues there. Since I created this post, the dues went up 9.58%. That was enough to make me start looking somewhere else for our solo trips. We will be trying out a new place near the Disney resort soon. Hopefully, we love it, and we will no longer feel the need to add on points at the Disney resort for our solo trips. We definitely will keep our 2 50-point contracts (and may add on another 25 points direct several years down the road) to use for our family trips. But if going to HHI and staying at the Disney resort is what you want to do, then I would recommend buying there. It is much easier to get 2-BRs than other room types, but how bummed would you be if nothing was available when you want to go? Now, if your dates are totally flexible and you would be willing to spend extra on weekends, then buying elsewhere might work. But it's a "might" you would have to live with.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We just added on a 30 point HHI contract now in ROFR. I want to plan our January trips 11 months out and needed those points for 2-5 nights at HHI on the way down from NH. We'll split the rest of the month between BRV and OKW. $300 a year MF's for that peace of mind is totally worth it. I just could not imagine not getting those nights at HHI and have to drive 24 hours without a waystation!

 

[RoseGold]

I don't know much about HH and will probably never go there, but the 10% dues increase for 2021 would be making me pause. Why are these resorts so expensive to run?

And that's without a hurricane or some kind of actual damage, which you should care about as a property owner.

Just flipping through Red Week, there are dozens of non-Disney HH timeshares. I would be checking those out as well. Disney has shown that off-site property is not the priority, and plenty of other companies are doing this as well.

 

[crisi]

I don't know much about HH and will probably never go there, but the 10% dues increase for 2021 would be making me pause. Why are these resorts so expensive to run?

And that's without a hurricane or some kind of actual damage, which you should care about as a property owner.

Just flipping through Red Week, there are dozens of non-Disney HH timeshares. I would be checking those out as well. Disney has shown that off-site property is not the priority, and plenty of other companies are doing this as well.

Last year and the next two are seeing significant wage increases for staff per contract negotiations.

(And if you want a HHI timeshare, including Disney, do your research - make sure you are in a part of the island you want to be in and that the property is well maintained. There are a lot of crappy timeshares on HHI, and a lot that are nowhere near a beach - and the difference in feeling between parts of the island is like night and day - if you like the laid back nature of Disney's location, many other locations on the island will feel like a nightmare).

 

[MICKIMINI]

Last year and the next two are seeing significant wage increases for staff per contract negotiations.

(And if you want a HHI timeshare, including Disney, do your research - make sure you are in a part of the island you want to be in and that the property is well maintained. There are a lot of crappy timeshares on HHI, and a lot that are nowhere near a beach - and the difference in feeling between parts of the island is like night and day - if you like the laid back nature of Disney's location, many other locations on the island will feel like a nightmare).

Great points! We've been there twice and enjoyed our stays. Our son was at a sports camp during winter/spring break and we dropped him off after a WDW stay and then stayed at HHI before flying home from Charleston. The other trip was a drive to WDW with a stay at HHI on the way. Loved it!

We know what we are getting with DVC...good, bad or otherwise. $1 more per point for MF's is nothing to worry about if you will be staying at HHI IMO and need to get the 11 month advantage. I'm paying $30 a year to guarantee we can drive 16 hours to HHI on our way to WDW (for a month stay 11 months window or forget it) and know where we will be staying - priceless!

 

[graueMaus]

It seems you plan on going at non peak times, if so and you can book at 7 month out. That means you can buy a contract somewhere else with a lower annual dues cost. Do your break even analysis. Remember HHI DVC real cost is the annual dues per point, not the upfront cost. We have owned at SSR for 10 years and go to WDW one year, and then HHI the next. We have always gone shoulder season with no booking issues and usually not at SSR. I will say we are currently closing on points at HHI , but the points are comparable to yours, as we live close by and the right contact came up for us at the right time, same use year, and we have always wanted a small contract (<150 pts) there.