Calling HHI/So Carolina experts!

[jonestavern]

This will be our 1st trip to HHI & have some questions I hope our fellow DISers will help out with. I have been doing searches, gone on the HHI website, but still would like some more info or have it more fully fleshed out--

1) a good grocery store or spot to buy fresh fish, fruits & veggies?
we would like to grill out, have a car & will be driving in from the north. I am into roadside stands--so fire away!

About the HHI room
1) there will be 4 of us in a 1 bdrm--can we get a cot from the resort? Have called & spoken to 2 CMs & have gotten 2 different answers
2) is the coffepot in the room the larger capacity or is it a 4 cupper?
3)favorite room(s) & why
we're looking for quiet, like landscaping, don't care to hike out to car, don't mind if we are further away from other amenities, any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
Jean

 

[ccw]

You'll pass SEVERAL grocery stores on the drive into HH plus there are some seasonal roadside markets but March might be early for the fruit/vegetable kind...imagine you will see seafood ones, though. I did not think most DVC resorts offered cots but I could be wrong. Pretty sure only studios have small coffee pots. As far as room location goes, we just ask to NOT be poolside but that is probably only a problem in summer when the pool is busy. If you could get a marsh view, that would be awesome. We love Disney HH (and HH in general and think March is a wonderful time to be there...would definitely avoid summer there!)

 

[Disneyaholic]

Be careful when requesting a marsh view, however. Many of them are NOT near the parking areas, which you said is important to you. There really are no bad locations at the resort, so I would just pick what's most important (quiet, marsh view, close to parking, etc.) and go with that.

As far as groceries go, I prefer Publix, but that's mostly because that's where I shop when I'm at home. There are two on the island: one near the Wal-Mart (if you take the long way to the resort on 278) and one near Sea Pines Circle (if you take the Cross-Island Bridge). The one near Sea Pines is actually closer to the resort, but it's a little smaller than the other one.

There is a relatively new Fresh Market between the resort and Sea Pines Circle, which is great for more specialty items.

Piggly Wiggly is closest to the resort, but I've never cared much for it, although others on this board love it.

I have never heard of anyone getting a cot at Hilton Head... If they do exist, I'm not sure where you would be able to put it, if you plan to open the sofa bed.

 

[GrammieMame]

I second the motion for Publix. For roadside seafood, I recommend Barnacle Bill. As you are driving in, he's on the right hand side of the road next to a gas station, about 2 miles (I think) short of the resort. The trick is to find him in. He's a free spirit who doesn't keep regular hours, but the weather is warming up now so he should be there. Tell him Lucy & Spruce sent you. The fish is excellent, cut right off the fish for you.

 

[jonestavern]

Wow! super info! Many thanks~

I know it's not the world, but I am getting excited! DH even said he would sit out on the beach with me!
This is a great sacrifice for him as he is a pasty white Irish guy! True, I think he intends to be fully clothed & shod, but in 20 yrs of marriage it will be the 1st time we've been 'beached'!

How about some of you other DISers, any ideas???

Jean

 

[Simba's Mom]

If you're getting a 1 BR, we love to be on the top floor of the main building. I like the side on the water-we've seen the dolphins come in there, but as you face the lodge on the left is really nice for viewing trees. From there it's just an elevator ride down to your car or to Big Murgie's Den.

 

[dvc_john]

Most of the 1-br's are in the Lodge building and the attached building. The only 1-br's spread throughout the resort are below a Grand Villa. I would prefer to NOT have one of these units.

 

[Mi3stooges]

Not sure how long you'll be staying, but when I made my future resies, one of the nights in the middle of my trip we were going to have to go to a 4ppl room. Then as our conversation went on I asked how can we do that (we are 5) and she said, "Oh, we'll let you put a sleeping bag on the floor" I know this was for just one night, but don't know what other plans they have.

 

[Donna]

Do you have an aero bed? They come in handy for a situation like this. You can deflate it during the day at least. I really don't know where they'd put a cot, even though HH is one of the larger DVC's., it would seem to always be in the way.
Let us know how you like it at Hilton Head!

 

[Dean]

No DVC resorts will provide a cot or extra bedding. I'd agree with Publix and also consider Harris Teeter. The roadside fish place noted above has a good reputation but I'm not a fish person.

 

[LVSWL]

I didn't catch if you were staying in a studio or a one bedroom. All of the studios are in either the live oak lodge or in building 12 which is right beside it. The upside of the lodge is that it has better views, the marsh and an elevator and parking underneath. The upside of building 12 is that the complimentary laundry for dvc is located in that building which is good if you are in a studio and the ice machine. The view for that building is just trees.
The one bedrooms are located in the lodge and also in building 16 and 19 I believe. We had one in the lodge and loved the view and having an elevator. The view from 16 and 19 is just of the horseshoe pit and trees and backs up to the parking area.
As for coffee pots, they all are the same, should be around 10 cups or so, just remember to bring round coffee filters. We usually shop at the Piggly Wiggly, and haven't had any complaints, in fact we ride our bikes over there. I was happy to see a Fresh Market last week and intend to check it out when we go back in June.
If you are in a one bedroom I think you could use an aerobed for your extra person,maybe in the foyer area. The unit is really quite large. There are 3 pillows on the king bed, so you wouldn't have to bring an extra pillow, but I would bring linens. We did have extra blankets in our 2 bedroom last week but they were for the fold out couch. Still, 2 sheets and a blanket wouldn't take up much room. Also, be sure to bring a battery operated lantern for your picnic table. They do not have lights on the outside porches and we really enjoyed eating our dinners(shrimp and fish) outside at night by lantern light. I think it has something to do with the setting staying so nice. Taking a lantern was my favorite tip from the DIS. Hope you have a wonderful time.

 

[Judique]

This will be our 1st trip to HHI & have some questions I hope our fellow DISers will help out with. I have been doing searches, gone on the HHI website, but still would like some more info or have it more fully fleshed out--

1) a good grocery store or spot to buy fresh fish, fruits & veggies?
we would like to grill out, have a car & will be driving in from the north. I am into roadside stands--so fire away!

About the HHI room
1) there will be 4 of us in a 1 bdrm--can we get a cot from the resort? Have called & spoken to 2 CMs & have gotten 2 different answers
2) is the coffepot in the room the larger capacity or is it a 4 cupper?
3)favorite room(s) & why
we're looking for quiet, like landscaping, don't care to hike out to car, don't mind if we are further away from other amenities, any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
Jean

Good grocery store = Publix, Fresh Market or Piggly Wiggly,as previously mentioned. PW is closest to the resort. Don't forget to ask for your 'vacation card' (the store card for tracking customers) at PW to qualify for any weekly special pricing. They have them right at the registers, but if you don't ask, they won't give it out. Driving in from the north - if you come down 278 from Exit 8 of 95,there aren't very many stands, other then the previously mentioned one. In summer there are a few produce (melons,etc) places, but not in March.

No cots that I've ever seen. I'm going out to buy an aero bed today just for the same reason. No one wants to sleep together. (I don't either so I don't blame them!) I'm sold on aero beds - we recently used them and they were great at a friends manhattan apartment.

All the coffee pots I've seen have been 12 cups at HH. Bring basket filters and your favorite coffees. I like to either bring fresh ground starbucks, or I buy a selection of the individual pot packages at the grocery store or coffee seller. Starbucks had a giftpack of small sizes for sale at Xmas - I wish they did this all year.

One of my favorite one bedroom rooms is in Building 18. It has the one bedroom and a great Marsh view looking towards the pier. It is below a grand villa and you will hear people upstairs walking. If you get below a herd of elephants this can be disturbing. However, most times it's just ordinary noise and I haven't minded. I'm up early anyway. If you are trying to sleep late it may be a problem, but since you have 4 people, you will probably be making your own (normal) noises to drown it out.

Car parking - all the spaces for the buildings other then Live Oak Lodge are around the perimeter. They have little wooden carts to load your luggage and groceries on to wheel to the villa. The walk to any villa is just a minute or two.....nothing to worry about unless you just can't walk normally. It's so beautiful walking under the live oaks, you will love walking around.

Enjoy your visit! I am stopping by for a bit over Easter and just got the Easter Sunday packet in the mail yesterday. I can't wait! We'll be there for a short stay after our week at BWV.

 

[Bob NC]

I second the motion for Publix. For roadside seafood, I recommend Barnacle Bill. As you are driving in, he's on the right hand side of the road next to a gas station, about 2 miles (I think) short of the resort. The trick is to find him in. He's a free spirit who doesn't keep regular hours, but the weather is warming up now so he should be there. Tell him Lucy & Spruce sent you. The fish is excellent, cut right off the fish for you.

Barnacle Bill is AWESOME. He has every kind of fish/shell fish imaginable. Watch out though, he'll talk your ear off!!!!!

 

[jonestavern]

Super info! I am sooo happy!
What a great way to start the day
I am transferring all these ideas to a word doc to take with

LVSWL, we are staying in a 1 bedrm. I gave the bedrm to FIL, he can share with DH or DS17. I am on the pull out
Last extended family trip my BIL assigned DFIL to the pull out & the poor fellow really was up & down. The 6 of them stayed at Nick (we were at VWL ). Each late evening, DFIL had to gather up the pull out so DBIL & DSIL would have enough space to enter the room. That & the Nick transportation/lack of DBIL's planning was really turning off DFIL to WDW
DH can be point miser, so no 2 bedrm for us this trip Regardless, I am psyched! Will post detailed trip report a few days after we get back.
Let me know if there is anything you'd like us to checkout-

Once again, a thousand thanks!
Jean

 

[jonestavern]

oh, another question:
I understand there are cooking classes offered, wine tastings should we pre-register for any of these?
we are not big golfing people, but are looking forward to taking some kayak tours. we are also into birds--same question, do we need to reserve in advance?

thanks again--by the b,y would have never in a million years thought of taking a lantern down--what a gem of a tip!

Jean

 

[Disneyaholic]

You can probably just wait to see if there are going to be any cooking classes or wine tastings while you're there. At this time of the year, the resort will probably not be too full, and Chef Gordon doesn't do the programs unless he has "enough" people to make it worthwhile. (Not sure what the exact cutoff is for "enough", though ).

 

[Judique]

oh, another question:
I understand there are cooking classes offered, wine tastings should we pre-register for any of these?
we are not big golfing people, but are looking forward to taking some kayak tours. we are also into birds--same question, do we need to reserve in advance?

thanks again--by the b,y would have never in a million years thought of taking a lantern down--what a gem of a tip!

Jean

Birds- this is a fantastic place for birdwatching! There are many species on the island and right on the resort itself. They have binoculars at community hall and they've led bird watching activities in the past, which were extremely informative. Pinckney Island is also a great spot for birdwatching.

Wine tasting or Longview cooking club....if any of these are offerred by all means try to go. Well worth the price!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Birds- this is a fantastic place for birdwatching! There are many species on the island and right on the resort itself. They have binoculars at community hall and they've led bird watching activities in the past, which were extremely informative. Pinckney Island is also a great spot for birdwatching.

Wine tasting or Longview cooking club....if any of these are offerred by all means try to go. Well worth the price!

We're birdwatchers too. It's our main activity at HHI. We love visiting the Sea Pines Nature Preserve for Birdwatching. Also, there's a small green book that you can pick up at a nearby nature store (I forget the name, but it's in the same plaza as the Jazz Corner resturaunt-Wexford?) for about $6 which will point you to all the good birdwatching spots on the island.

 

[jonestavern]

thanks for all the tips! It won't be long now!
Picked up all the AAA books & got the Triptic.
It's supposed to be in the 30's here in NH tomorrow with snow showers--
HHI here we come!

Jean, Chris & Patrick

 

[jonestavern]

Just back & it was sooo relaxing--DH actually took a few naps!--& there was more than enough to do~
We did get to Barnacle Bill's for some terrific shrimp & scallops--good prices compared to our neck of the woods & yes, he did chat. We did say that DISers sent us & said Lucy & Spruce sent us, too!
Believe it or not during our stay last week, the resort was full or at near capacity! Still it was not noisy & actually very peaceful.
we were so bummed our room was 1131, on the 3rd floor of Live Oak Lodge. Looking at the lodge from the front parking lot it is in the left hand corner, top.
Once we got settled & sat on the balcony, we realized it wasn't such a poor view after all. we could see the marsh & lovely sunsets. If you got the rooms beneath us though, just trees or Big Murgie's deck w/fireplace.
There were loads of activities. We kayaked, signed up for nature walks, DS17 did the teen bowling & teen pizza & a movie. Chef Gordon did do a cooking class, but as the age minimum was 21 & DS--who works in a kitchen--is 17. It was going to be an activity with me so we were disappointed, but that was our only dissappointment-
Yes, you can easily fit a single aero bed in the hallway or the washer/dryer hallway
we also did the shrimp boil & DVC members meet & toured Savannah

thanks for all your wonderful info it really made for a great trip!
DISers are great!

Jean