DVC HHI Trip Report (Long)

[Tommy]

Going to DVC HHI in late January has some definite advantages for some people, including us. If you like to golf and want to take advantage of some of the great Hilton Head Island golf courses during the off season, then this is the time to go. Sue and I checked in on Sunday January 26th and it was a little chilly. Monday proved the same, but by Tuesday, the temperatures started to rise into the 60’s and that was good enough. They stayed that way, even inching up into the low 70’s before dropping back into the 50’s when we checked out on Friday, February 7th. Yes, folks, we stayed almost two weeks.

During that period, I took advantage of both off-season rates, and afternoon rates to play golf at a price I can easily afford. All rates below included green fees and cart.

18 holes at Shipyard, tee time at 1pm for $39.
18 holes at Rose Hill, tee time at 12pm for $32.
18 holes at Golden Bear, tee at time 12:30 for $39.
18 holes at Country Club of Hilton Head, tee time at 12:28pm for $39.

Also I played the Executive Golf Course of Hilton Head (a little 9 hole course) that is right behind the Outlet Store II, which I played while Sue shopped. If you park at the back of the Stores, you can walk the 20 yards to the clubhouse. It cost me $17 with a free pull cart to play that course, and took about 2 hours – just right for those that don’t like to shop.

Speaking of shopping, you all know that the Disney Outlet Store is gone, but guess what, one of the Character Outlet stores, like the one in Orlando, has gone into the place and they have many Disney bargains.

Sue and I took the GPS with us and did a lot of Geocaching. We located two caches on Pickney Island, and one in Port Royal and at the Trask boat dock area. We also found the Audubon Newhall Nature area while searching for the cache there. It is a wonderful little nature walk and close to the resort down off Palmetto Bay Road (near the Post Office).

We ate at the Hilton Head Dinner, and find that the evening menu is getting costly and it might not be a place we will ever eat an evening meal again. We took in a great Two-for Tuesday at The Big Bamboo and loved the ribs and chicken. We ate our seafood meal at Captain’s Seafood. Our best meal of the trip was the early bird special at Kamura Steak House, a Japanese restaurant that serves Benihana style, and is a treat for adults and children with the way the food is prepared right in front of you. We loved to volcano.

Speaking of eating, Bryan told us that the Spartina Grill was closing for good the week we were there, so if that is one of your favorites, you are out of luck.

We did our grocery shopping at Piggly Wiggly, and if you go, make sure that you get one of the free visitor’s PFC (Pig’s Favorite Customer) cards or you won’t get the prices posted on the sale items.

While there, we took max advantage of the Spa, and ate many Smores at the campfires. Also, we found that they put out those delicious cranberry and walnut and chocolate chip cookies around 3pm every afternoon by the front desk. I also restocked my treasure and found that some of the clues need to be changed. I had to set up a whole new treasue box because someone stole the old one. We even grilled hot dogs to eat while we watched the Superbowl at Big Murgy’s Den.

We made several trips to the Library where I got a visitor’s card and used the computers to check my e-mail and read DVC posts. I used a pre-paid phone card to connect to the internet from the room and used my university account to check mail there. On a whim I stuck my Wi-Fi wireless card in my laptop and found that there is a service available in range of the lodge rooms. You could sign up with the service by the hour, day, week, or month by filling out an online form. I didn’t do it, but it was there. If you want to try it take your wireless card with you.

I will be making some needed updates to my site in the near future and will update some of the links. We declare the 2003 trip a success, and next month will make our 11 month window reservations for 2004.

 

[westjones]

What is the difference between a Disney Outlet and a Character Outlet store? Is it easy to find? We are going to HH next month for our first time.
Thanks,
DJ

 

[RobDoc]

Thanks for the complete report, Tommy. It sounds like you and Sue had a great trip and truly found lots to do. I'd like to hear more about the Geocaching!

Looking forward to another Treasue Hunt- but must wait until July!

Thanks again!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Thanks so much for your report. We're going to HHI for the first time March 9. I've frequented your site several times and welcome any info about HHI. Info about golf is a real plus. DH thinks "vacation" and "golf" are synonyms. Any word about Harbourtown for golf? DH knows it's expensive, but got a tee-time and can't wait to play there.
What room did you have? Since this is the first of what we hope is many trips there, we're hoping to get a studio for 2 nights, then a 1-BR for 2 nights. Right now we're on the waiting list for a 1-BR for 1 of the nights. Tell me more about those smores!
Is Audobon Newhall free? We're bird watchers that sounds like a great place!
Again, thanks for the report.

 

[Tommy]

Westjones,

I don't think The Character Outlet is owned by Disney but they feature Disney merchandise, especially clothing. It's right where the old Disney Outlet was.

Doc,

To find out all you ever want to know about geocaching go to

http://www.geocaching.com/

If you look for South Carolina, and Hilton Head Island area, you will find the caches around there.


Simba's Mom,

We were in room 1138 which is a 1br corner room in the lodge overlooking the inlet. It is our favorite room.

They had campfires Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, and after all the singing you make smores. We showed up late, had the smores, and then went to the spa while we were there.

The golf will be more expensive later in the year, but get your husband to get one of the golf books available all over the island and look for specials. Afternoons are cheaper, and I was told that you can call the course and ask when the cheapest rates for the course is and they will tell you. For my trip it was afternoon. One odd thing is that Golden Bear was cheaper on the weekends than during the week. Some off island courses are just as good, but cheaper than actually playing on the island.

Harbour Town is very expensive...I'll let you deal with your husband on that issue.

Pickney Island is free and a great place to visit, walk the trails, and watch birds and critters. So is the Audubon Newhall Nature Area (free).

 

[dizneeluvr]

Tommy,

Thanks for the trip report, we are going to HH next month and look forward to doing your treasure hunt again. In fact, your treasure hunt was the tip of the iceberg for us to begin geocaching! I may have to take the gps with us next month for our first out of state find!!

 

[Boo Mc]

Tommy - we're going to be in HH in 2 weeks. Can we do your treasure hunt with our two kids (one of whom is also a Tommy, BTW) or is it a GPS thing. We don't have GPS. Also, how do we do the hunt? Is there info at the front desk or only from you? Thanks for your help and for your report!

 

[Tommy]

My Treasure Hunt does not require GPS. It's just a simple one that I did one time and seems to have caught on, even with the Cast Members. Bryan even had to come up with his own version he told me. You have to go to my website listed below and print out the clues. Most people that do it do it with their kids. It's really not a big deal, but many have reported it as being fun. The clues are hints as to where to go and you just follow the hints.

If I don't get it changed before you copy them. Disregard the mention of the Duck Mailbox and the birdhouse. They don't exist anymore, but you can still follow the rest of the clues.

 

[cgcw]

I hope the treasure hunt is still going strong when we're there in July. We missed it last year.

Thanks for the report. Sounds like you had a wonderful trip.

 

[DownNeckBoy]

Tommy:

We e-mailed each other shortly before I left for my NYE stay. My son, Max, fanatically went over every clue but was unable to locate the treasure. He was truly down in the dumps and set out each day and night in his attempt to find the treasure. Once the adults realized that it had obviously been taken without replacing it, we created our own treasure (coins from the local mini-golf course) for him to find. He did, of course, and was a very happy little boy. Unfortunately, when he told a CM about his "find", the CM told him that he had to return the treasure! Another moment of despair for this little boy. We managed to convince him that it was OK to take the treasure, but would obviously have replaced it had we found the coins and package that you set out.

In any event, I just wanted to thank you for creating the treasure hunt. It was a true highlight for the entire family. As for those who chose to NOT replace the booty, A PIRATE'S CURSE ON YE!

 

[carriep1657]

Tommy, thanks for the trip report. HH sounds wonderful. We're making our first trip in July and hoping that your treasure hunt is still going strong. It is such a fun idea. Thanks for putting it together.

 

[BounceyOne]

Thanks for the report, we will be there on monday The children have off for presidents week and you can't beat the point value in winter!

Thanks also for listing those golf prices, Hubby is a golfer too. It sure is cheaper then august was

 

[Tommy]

DownNeckBoy

Thanks for your comments on the treaure hunt. I don't know when you were there, but I had to once again replace the entire trove including the box the 1st of February. Unfortunately, living in Memphis, I cannot keep an eye on it. One good thing is that several of the cast members have become aware of it, and one even e-mailed me that they had changed some of the landscape and clues that I used and wanted to make sure that I got the clues updated. I also remembered your suggestion and used the gold coins from the local mini-golf course to refill it. Originally I used coins from the Pirate's Inn in Savannah, and tried to keep it going with those but could not make it to Savannah this time.

I do hate to hear that people follow the clues and do not find the Treasure, but for every one like you that wants to keep the dream going, there are others who are really only interested in themselves. Perhaps in the future the parents should do the hunt themselves first, to insure that there is a treasure when the kids get there.

For future treasure hunters, if you and your family take the last coin, slip down to the Mini-golf that is on the right side of 278 as you head away from DVC and drop a dollar in the slot and get four more coins to put back in it. I think it is Legendary Golf.

I really was going to setup another treasure hunt this time but elected to try to do a geocache instead, only to find at the very last moment that my cache would not stay where I wanted it.