Great Thanksgiving at HH!

[btrim]

We got back from HH on Sunday around 2:30 p.m. We left on Saturday and drove part of the way home and finished on Sunday. We really wanted to stay another night, but thought the traffic might be bad on Sunday and 14 hours is a long time in the car in one day. We are about 850 miles from HH here is Central Illinois. We had a great week, even though the weather was cooler than usual and had a couple of rainy days. There is always something to do to keep everyone entertained. We rode our bikes over to the beach on Sunday and Monday and as someone else said the dolphins were very close to shore feeding. They were quite entertaining. We wondered if the incoming storm had anything to do with their closeness to shore. Anyway it was fun to watch. I even got some good pictures of them coming our of the water. We didn't make the member get-together because of trips to Savannah to pick up a couple of people. We were supposed to make two trips to Savannah, but the traffic was getting bad so we make arrangements with the shuttle to bring our second pick-up to the resort. Only $36 to get her there and it was well worth it not to have to make another trip to Savannah. We cooked our Thanksgiving meal in the condo. We enjoy doing that and then we had left overs the rest of the week. We loved the campfires with our DGD and our DDs. There seemed to be good crowds for both of the ones we attended. Played Goofy Bingo with DDs and DGD and made a fall wreath earlier in the week. Found the Cold Stone Creamery just down the road from the resort at the Fresh Market area. We talked ourselves into thinking we had exercised by riding our bikes down there so we treated ourselves to a dessert. We also had lunch at the deli located there. It was very good also. Just a nice ride from the resort. Ordered pizza from Guiseppe's the first night we were there and then one other night when our whole group got in. The last night we were there, we ate at Scott's Fish Market at Shelter Cove. The front desk made our reservations for us. We loved the cast members at HH. They were all so nice. Also, had to order an extra set of towels because our DGD got sick and they didn't even charge us for them. Also, our DDIL had to cancel a cash reservation after the deadline and when my DH went to the front desk to take care of it, they were very nice and let her cancel without a penalty. When we were loading up to come home, I met disneyaholic (organizer of the DVC get-together). She noticed our license plate from Illinois and ask if I posted on the DIS. I told her yes and she asked if I was btrim. It was great to meet each other after PMing on here.
We loved our week at HH and will go back I am sure. We also got to see Shadow. Our DGD cried when we were leaving because she has been to HH four times and has never seen Shadow. She loves dogs, so I hope when they go back in February, after her Daddy gets home from Iraq, she gets to see Shadow. If anyone has any questions, I will try to answer anything I can.

A very happy DVC'er from Illinois who is going on the Disney Cruise in January and I can't wait.
btrim

 

[Simba's Mom]

Hi, sorry we didn't get to meet you-we were also there last week. We also saw the dolphins so close on Sunday-I don't think they were more than about 25 feet from shore (although I'm terrible with telling distance). I agree about how friendly all the cast members are there. I wish we'd known about that Stone Cold Creamery! However, to us, it was freezing cold, not "cool" (must be because of what we're used to, weather-wise). DH was teasing me because I thought it was too cold to get ice cream when he offered at Salty Dog. He's NEVER seen me refuse ice cream. However, I didn't refuse the gelato at Wexford Village. What building were you in? Did you go to the turkey bowl football game?

 

[Lenc324]

I can't wait to stay at HH in June. Thanks for the report.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Thanks so much for the report. At the Thanksgiving table this year, my whole family (extended) got into a discussion as to whether or not we should start to travel for the Thanksgiving week and holiday. I was totally in favoor of the idea though DH still needs some convincing. I immediately thought that HH would be a great place to spend that week.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I wonder if not wanting to travel on Thanksgiving is a DH "thing". Although our kids are grown and gone, my DH needed some convincing to have Thanksgiving elsewhere. He felt we should stay home "just in case" the kids (they'll always be "the kids", even when they're 50) wanted to "come home". However, after I talked him into HHI once, he's more than ready to go again next Thanksgiving.

 

[Disneyaholic]

It was great running into you on Saturday as well! Too bad we waited till we were leaving to figure it all out, though.

How was your traffic? I know you left the resort a little later than I did, but I ran into terrible traffic south of Atlanta -- my normal 5-hour trip took almost 7 hours. I was not happy when I finally arrived at home -- between missing that great weather on Saturday and sitting in traffic for so long. My big consolation is that the traffic was probably even WORSE on Sunday!

 

[btrim]

Simba's Mom--We started the week in a 1BR in the main lodge because it was just my DH and I. Then when all of our Dkids got there on Wednesday, we added a 2br in building 15 (1521). We loved it. It looked right on to the marsh and it was in between the Community Hall and the Main Lodge. Our 1BR we lucked out and picked up on a trade through II with another timeshare that we own in Orlando. We don't stay there anymore now that we own DVC, but it does come in handy to trade. Then we can save our DVC points for our Disney Fix. Of course I would sell it in a minute to buy more DVC points if I could. Sorry we missed you also. I was looking forward to meeting some people that I read about all the time on the DIS, but it just didn't work out with our kids flights schedules. Maybe next time. We loved being at HH for Thanksgiving even with the weather being cooler than usual. The CM's make it so nice at the resort, you can just enjoy being there even in bad weather. Next year we do Christmas with our Dkids, so maybe DH and I will go to HH by ourselves.

Disneyaholic--I didn't see you go by us when you were leaving and by the time my DH told me I didn't wave to my new friend, you were turning the corner. I was too busy visiting with my DGD. Sure hate to leave her and our DGS all the time. We did run into bad traffic south of Atlanta also. About 80 miles worth at 20-30 MPH. Then when we got into Atlanta, it opened up and we zipped right on through. We noticed that coming into Atlanta from the North was just the same. We got all the way back to Clarksville, TN that evening and then it only took us about 5 hours to make it on home the next day. That way we weren't on the road late on Sunday evening because we figured the traffic would just get worse. I did wonder where off 95 you lived. I sure hope we can get together some other time we are in WDW or HH again.

If anyone else is thinking about going somewhere at Thanksgiving, HH is a wonderful place, but I don't want everyone to go there, because I might not be able to get a room, since I don't own there and have to wait for the 7-month window. For us the worse part of travelling at Thanksgiving is the traffic.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Thanks for the nice report. Can't wait for June also

 

[Kewz1]

It was great running into you on Saturday as well! Too bad we waited till we were leaving to figure it all out, though.

How was your traffic? I know you left the resort a little later than I did, but I ran into terrible traffic south of Atlanta -- my normal 5-hour trip took almost 7 hours. I was not happy when I finally arrived at home -- between missing that great weather on Saturday and sitting in traffic for so long. My big consolation is that the traffic was probably even WORSE on Sunday!

Nope! We had no traffic until just outside Chattanooga. It only slowed us down a bit - no just sitting there. I have to tell you I was surprised! It was good to se you again. Glad you all made it home safely!

Kristen