HH in October?

[Happy2BMommy0812]

Hi All!

we had some extra points and snagged a 3 night stay at HH during my kids fall break in October. Anyone have experience staying in October? What has your experience been like? What should we plan to do - we’ve never been. Wish we could have gotten summer, but maybe October will be less crowded in the area in general?

 

[bobbiwoz]

Our first trip to Disney HHI was over Halloween. The weather was beautiful, plenty of restaurants were open, we went swimming.

Bike riding Is a very popular and pleasurable. Bike lanes all over!

We also always go for one boat excursion. Sometimes just out to see dolphins.

 

[lovin'fl]

We we there last Oct. It was warm, about 80 and lukewarm ocean. It was not too busy...but Covid. Though we have been to HH like 8 times and the off season is not terribly busy and is quite nice. The DVC resort pool is heated if it does hit a chilly spell. The popular restaurants may be busy Friday and Saturday nights. Maybe best to hit those during week and we always do 11:30 lunch or like 5pm dinner to avoid the rush. Main busy places are Skull Creek Boathouse and Salty Dog Cafe and One Hot Mama's and Poseidon. Those are best to hit in off times. The jelly fish come around Aug-Sept so you will miss those. And the gators are feisty in April (mating season).

 

[sleepydog25]

Largely, October is a good time to visit--still warm but generally not hot. The possibility of a cool spell is very real, especially toward the middle and end of October. Even so, it won't be cold. The pools at both the main resort and the Beach House are heated. The reduced hours and menu for Surfmen's Sand Bar (at the Beach House) will likely kick in by then, as well. Signals, the actual QS at the Beach House, has been closed due to Covid-19, and I don't see it opening back up before next year. Unlike years ago, most restaurants in HHI are open through the off season with the exception of Jan/Feb when a handful shut down for a couple of weeks or so. As mentioned, biking is extremely popular, but given the time of year, getting a rental at either the resort or from a private company will not be difficult. Depending on your timing, the option to rent chairs and an umbrella from the HHI Shore Beach Services may not be available; however, most people either bring their own or just sit on towels. All in all, October is a good month what with decent to good weather, lower crowds, and the ability to get around the island relatively easily as compared to the summer months. Enjoy!

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

If I had a choice between summer and October, I would pick October. Summer is VERY hot and VERY crowded. We are taking a July trip this year with the family just because there are several still in college and we have to work around their schedules. I'm not really looking forward to the heat and crowds. My DH and I went ahead and booked an October trip for just the two of us so we can enjoy it the way we like.

 

[kes601]

Any thoughts on HH at Thanksgiving? We usually do WDW at Thanksgiving and then the week after Christmas, but we are able to do the week before Christmas this year so thought we might try HH at Thanksgiving due to the short period between visits.

 

[lovin'fl]

Any thoughts on HH at Thanksgiving? We usually do WDW at Thanksgiving and then the week after Christmas, but we are able to do the week before Christmas this year so thought we might try HH at Thanksgiving due to the short period between visits.

I have always wanted to do Thanksgiving at HHI. There is a bunch of DVC folks who do it every year. It is tough to book. But we used to have HHI points and never booked it because the husband always wanted to be with his family (I wanted to be on vacay so I'd not have to cook nor deal with any family drama). It might be a tad cool then and maybe not swim in the ocean weather but still nice. You can order meal delivery from Kroger or other grocery. And even the resort does some sort of meal thing, I wanna say.

We did do New Year's there once in a 3BR GV and it was awesome! Even though it was too chilly to swim in ocean. Our teen kids rented bikes and rode around, and on the beach. They played volleyball a little, swam in the pool and even did a polar bear like plunge in the ocean. We watched football and drank by the wood burning fireplace in the villa (the resort drops loads of free wood at your door for you). Was super nice.

 

[kes601]

I have always wanted to do Thanksgiving at HHI. There is a bunch of DVC folks who do it every year. It is tough to book. But we used to have HHI points and never booked it because the husband always wanted to be with his family (I wanted to be on vacay so I'd not have to cook nor deal with any family drama). It might be a tad cool then and maybe not swim in the ocean weather but still nice. You can order meal delivery from Kroger or other grocery. And even the resort does some sort of meal thing, I wanna say.

We did do New Year's there once in a 3BR GV and it was awesome! Even though it was too chilly to swim in ocean. Our teen kids rented bikes and rode around, and on the beach. They played volleyball a little, swam in the pool and even did a polar bear like plunge in the ocean. We watched football and drank by the wood burning fireplace in the villa (the resort drops loads of free wood at your door for you). Was super nice.

Thanks for the info. I was afraid of that for Thanksgiving. Will see what happens. I had thought about Dec 30 and 31 as well on our way back up from visiting family.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Any thoughts on HH at Thanksgiving? We usually do WDW at Thanksgiving and then the week after Christmas, but we are able to do the week before Christmas this year so thought we might try HH at Thanksgiving due to the short period between visits.

We haven't missed a Thanksgiving there since 2006. Thanksgiving at HHI can become addictive. One year, I'd fractured my pelvis days before the trip, and I remember lying in the Emergency Ward begging the doctor to let me go (she finally agreed). Meanwhile DH was looking at me like I was crazy. And when we drove over the bridge onto the Island, I cried with relief "We did it!" Back in 2006, we figured we'd try DHHIR at Thanksgiving "just once". That's when addicts were born!
To the OP, although we haven't been in October, the CMs there say that October and late September are the best time to go to HHI. warm (not hot) waters, low crowds.

 

[kes601]

We haven't missed a Thanksgiving there since 2006. Thanksgiving at HHI can become addictive. One year, I'd fractured my pelvis days before the trip, and I remember lying in the Emergency Ward begging the doctor to let me go (she finally agreed). Meanwhile DH was looking at me like I was crazy. And when we drove over the bridge onto the Island, I cried with relief "We did it!" Back in 2006, we figured we'd try DHHIR at Thanksgiving "just once". That's when addicts were born!
To the OP, although we haven't been in October, the CMs there say that October and late September are the best time to go to HHI. warm (not hot) waters, low crowds.

We were able to snag a reservation for Thanksgiving. I was bummed because I missed it at first (trying to grab Nov 21-28 60 days out) but then I checked the following morning and it magically reappeared so I grabbed it. Ultimately will only need Nov 23 or 24 - 28. Of course I was also able to grab OKW during the same time frame so we will hold out for a while before deciding where to go......

One question that might help is....is it possible to do Hilton Head w/o using our car? As in is there enough to do at the resort and enough food within walking distance for us to not have to use our car?

 

[quinnc19]

Fall is usually awesome in HH (for the reasons everyone has articulated above) but it can be rainy and there is some risk of hurricane.

 

[sleepydog25]

One question that might help is....is it possible to do Hilton Head w/o using our car? As in is there enough to do at the resort and enough food within walking distance for us to not have to use our car?

It is possible to not need a car...depending on how far you wish to walk. There are a few decent to good restaurants right across the marina from the resort. There are several others about 10-12 minutes away in and around Kroger. There will be resort activities, though exactly what they'll be isn't known this far out, of course. The pools will be open and, obviously, the beach. The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina is just on the other side of the marina, so likely a show will be going on there. For tennis or pickle ball or golf, you'd have to walk over a mile into Palmetto Dunes. Another option is to rent a bike--the paths cover most of the island, and that would expand your ability to get around. I'm sure others will make their own suggestions. Enjoy your trip!

 

[kes601]

It is possible to not need a car...depending on how far you wish to walk. There are a few decent to good restaurants right across the marina from the resort. There are several others about 10-12 minutes away in and around Kroger. There will be resort activities, though exactly what they'll be isn't known this far out, of course. The pools will be open and, obviously, the beach. The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina is just on the other side of the marina, so likely a show will be going on there. For tennis or pickle ball or golf, you'd have to walk over a mile into Palmetto Dunes. Another option is to rent a bike--the paths cover most of the island, and that would expand your ability to get around. I'm sure others will make their own suggestions. Enjoy your trip!

Thanks for the info. We decided to go ahead and make our decision. We dropped the OKW reservation and are going to try HH.

 

[akk]

October is nicer than the summer, except that it is in hurricane season but they are very rare. It is too hot and humid in the summer. Much nicer in October, especially for riding bikes, tennis, golf. You can go to the beach and pool but the ocean may be too cool to go in to.

 

[akk]