Compare/Contrast HHI & VB

[MinnesotaChill]

We are looking for our next great adventure. There is now a VB adoration thread that gives a ton of VB info, but we aren't clear on the major differences between the resorts. We are thinking either spring break (Mar) or early summer 2009. I'm guessing the weather is probably cooler at HHI, but what else should we know? Kids will be 10, 10, & 9 and love to swim and play in the sand. Not huge surfers, since we're from Minnesota. We love to be outside and are ready to relax after doing exclusively parks for the first 6 years of our dvc contract.

 

[iadreamer]

We are from IA and are going to HH in April. I haven't been there but have been reading up. There are also a lot of cultural/historic excursions around the HH area that we are looking forward to - Savannah, Charleston, Low Country opportunities.

 

[MinnesotaChill]

Doesn't anyone do both? I've asked this question many times and have never gotten an answer. It sounds like HH is more laid back "low country" vs VB "beach" but how do activities, pools, etc. compare.

 

[Vero4us]

We have been to VB about 10 times and HH once. The one thing they do have in common is a very relaxed atmosphere. The main difference between the two would be that HH is not directly on the ocean - it is on a river. The ocean is about a mile away and Disney has a beach house and pool there. It is a very pleasant bicylcle ride to the beach. The river/marsh that the resort is located at is very beautiful. There is an extreme change between low and high tide. My two daughters (10 and 3) had hours of fun searching for fiddler crabs and other little creatures. We liked HH island itself because of how well maintained everything was. We joked that the Wal-Mart had a better landscaped parking lot than our yard (it actually probably is true). If you like to bike ride, kayak, fish, relax and have plenty of activities for the whole family then HH is great.

VB is directly on the ocean. You can hear the surf from most rooms. We just got back from there a week ago. (Back to Wisconsin and over a foot of snow, yuck!) It is our favorite place. We were there almost two weeks and it still was not enough. Out girls like it better than going to the parks. We spend our days either at the pool or the beach. One of the things we really love to do is purchase the unlimited golf pass ($5/pp). We play on the mini golf course a couple of times a day - whenever the mood strikes

I guess, for us, VB will always be like going home. We are biased, though, as we lived in Vero Beach back in the 70's when I was little. I think you will love either resort. Disney never disappoints, does it?

 

[Vero4us]

Oh, I just saw that you asked about the pools and activities. We found the activities very comparable. Lots to do at both places. I think we favor the VB pool/slide just a little bit. I think both are a little bigger.

 

[ldo]

for me the weather would be key--for Spring break I would do VB (HHI was in the 40s in the AM and PM last Easter, a fluke, but it can happen), and I would do HHI if it were early summer---hot, but not too humid yet.