Buy HHI for 3-4 day stays to or from WDW?

[Stargazer65]

We drive to WDW from CT. The last trip we stayed at HHI to burn some use/lose points and ended up staying an extra night. It makes a nice way point on our trips to WDW, and is a nice place to visit. So I was wondering...does it make economical sense to buy a small/medium contract at HHI for an add on short stay traveling to or from WDW.
I did a simple calc and determined that the dues cost in points for a stay at HHI right now would almost cost the same as a comparable local resort in cash. A little less, but I'm not sure if I would break even or save at all.
Any thoughts? Feel free to discuss in either mercenary economic terms, or intangible emotional benefits at your preference.

 

[CarolMN]

I'd do it if I thought I'd use it enough and if I consistently planned any 'hard-to-book-' stays 11 months in advance. As you probably know, getting a studio at HHI in the late spring through early fall can be virtually impossible if one doesn't book when the 11 month window opens.

 

[kandlsutton]

Am considering the same thing. In NC, so don't need to make an overnight as the drive to WDW is only 9-10 hours, but it seems like it would be a nice stop on the way back to relax for a few days. Since most of our WDW trips are typically Sunday to Friday, we would need the Friday-Saturday nights. So depending on when we travel, those nights may be difficult at 7months.

It also seems like a little bit out of the way for just one night stop and there are lots of options for standard hotels off I-95.

 

[Stargazer65]

It also seems like a little bit out of the way for just one night stop and there are lots of options for standard hotels off I-95.

It is, so it only makes sense if we want to also use it for leisure. Of course we are sometimes prone to be distracted by shiny objects when we travel and end up "out of the way" anyway.

 

[Stargazer65]

I'd do it if I thought I'd use it enough and if I consistently planned any 'hard-to-book-' stays 11 months in advance.

This is a good reason not to do it for me. I'm not so sure I want to plan HHI every time, and the dues wreck the SAP value if I don't.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We picked up a 30 point contract specifically for that reason. We will be driving from NH to WDW in retirement in a few years and will stay a couple nights in a studio or 1 BR depending on banking/borrowing. It was only $73 PP so for about $3000 we can book at 11 months as we will be booking WDW at 11 months and need to tie it in. We're only talking about a couple dollars more for MF's. We rented the extra points from the purchase so have already offset the tiny purchase even more.

It is a bit out of the way but we enjoy staying a couple nights and then taking the six hour drive to the castle!

 

[RoseGold]

Since your question is math, it depends on season and what you are booking. Hotel rooms are cheap off season, or you could stay in a cheaper booking in some other beach town. If you’re booking a peak 2BR, maybe those points are looking good.

 

[bnurick]

Love resort.

 

[ldo]

We got a 35 point hhi contract for a couple days each year or eoy. Too far off the road for 1 night, but very nice for 2 nights. Love to rent bikes.

 

[Ginamarie]

I'm using HHI for this purpose in January- driving from PA to FL and back. We booked one night at the grand villa on our trip home. The GV pricing in January is crazy low, and it let me use up the exact number of 2020 points I needed to before they expired. I do think the GV may make us fall in love with HHI as a stopover on our car trips, but we shall see!

 

[isthisanything]

Great thread - I'm in North Carolina and we're actually interested in this resort for long weekend trips more than as a stop-off on the road down to WDW. We're going to the resort for the first time this January, and I'm going to track 7-month availability for a bit to see what those look like for less popular times. Like others have said, the dues and 2042 end date limit the value of a larger contract for me, but I'd love to get a small contract to get down there regularly.

 

[Stargazer65]

I am still tempted, 3-4 day layover on a trip to or from WDW sounds pretty good. I always have to pay for a hotel in SC anyway. Granted a regular hotel stop is still cheaper...but you can't compare pricing for a 3-4 day beach resort layover to an overnighter at the "FairPrice Inn & Suites conveniently located off of I-95"

 

[iloveokw]

We love DHHIR - have two contracts. We also stay on the island at other places because we love visiting HHI. Saying this I wouldn't want to deal with the distance of the resort and the traffic for only a one or two night stay. Especially for a one night stay it would add two hours onto your already long drive. By the time you were able to get into your villa at 4 or so and have to leave in the morning, not worth the $$. Just my two cents.

 

[crisi]

It is a great resort, but I wouldn't buy it for overnighters. Its out of the way, there are plenty of hotels along the way. And HHI is a good place to spend a few days. The traffic in the on season is horrendous, and it can take an hour once you get on the island to reach the resort during the on season if you arrive on check out or check in day for week rentals. During the on season it has all the problems of a very popular resort community with restricted space - like it might be hard to find a place to eat that isn't fast food.

Now a two or three day layover could be justified. If you have the vacation days you are willing to sacrifice at Disney to spend at HHI. But I think for most people that would be the issue. If you are talking about a two day drive to Orlando, and then two days back - and your normal vacation is a week- eight days - you are only getting four days at Disney. If you are taking a two week vacation, you get twelve days at Disney - which is PLENTY - taking a few of them and spending three days at the beach on the way back sounds heavenly.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

This is a good reason not to do it for me. I'm not so sure I want to plan HHI every time, and the dues wreck the SAP value if I don't.

I disagree with this at current resale prices. The time value of money pays off very much with HHI so much cheaper than some of the other resorts.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

I love HHI and have also thought about small resale there.

 

[Stargazer65]

Now a two or three day layover could be justified. If you have the vacation days you are willing to sacrifice at Disney to spend at HHI. But I think for most people that would be the issue. If you are talking about a two day drive to Orlando, and then two days back - and your normal vacation is a week- eight days - you are only getting four days at Disney. If you are taking a two week vacation, you get twelve days at Disney - which is PLENTY - taking a few of them and spending three days at the beach on the way back sounds heavenly.

That's a plus for me because we usually do two weeks. We could definitely spend 3 days at HII on the front or back end.

 

[bobbiwoz]

If we think we’re going to drive from NJ, we definitely spend 2-4 nights going down at HH. We both enjoy the food in the area and the resort itself, especially the very wonderful CMs.

I have a 5 night Girlfriend visit there in February. Looking forward to that as well!

We are retired, so not taking away from WDW time when we drive and head east instead of south!

 

[Stargazer65]

I disagree with this at current resale prices. The time value of money pays off very much with HHI so much cheaper than some of the other resorts.

Actually, maybe you are right if we compare it to something like my Boulder Ridge with a 2042 end contract. Beach Resort contracts have not gone up in price the same as WDW resorts. So the dues don't look so bad in comparison.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Check out the January points chart...can't get better than that! We picked up a 50 point VBR with the same UY as our other contracts at $65 PP and got a "bonus" 2020 full points which we rented immediately at a fire sale price. Both those contracts were a steal IMO. No complaints on being cold, especially coming from NH LOL!