HHI crowded over memorial day week?

[DVC SSR Owner]

We are staying at Hilton head the week starting with may 26th. The inlaws showed some interest so I checked and the resort is totally booked up. We got a one bedroom right at 7 months. Cash is booked up too.

Does this resort feel crowded when it is full? How are both pools? Is the beach house pool more or less crowded than the resort pool? Thanks!

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I'm sure you'll feel like you're the only ones there.

 

[DVC SSR Owner]

I'm sure you'll be the only ones there.

Doubt it. We are taking a Dream cruise in 2013 and heard that the pools get crowded. So....was hoping HHI pools don't get tooooo crowded.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I'm sure you know that was tongue-in-cheek. It's Hilton Head. It's Memorial weekend; arguably the island's busiest weekend of the entire summer. It's going to be packed, and just because it's a "Disney" resort is not going to isolate it from that. Embrace it and enjoy your stay.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I know this isn't what you'll like to hear, but once when we went in warm weather (yes, most of our trips are in the real cold), the pool area was so crowded that I had to walk all around to find a seat. Finally, I found just one available. Fortunately, DH was at the Heritage Classic, otherwise he would have had to stand. As an aside, two chairs by me had towels for "reserving them". But in the 3 hours I was there reading, no one showed up.

 

[DVC SSR Owner]

Yeh...kinda what I thought. Oh well, still gonna be a fun time!

 

[MinnieGi]

Just head to the beach and beach house! We go every summer when its sold out and while it can sometimes be a pain to find a lounger by the resort pool, we rarely ever have a problem at the beach house or on the beach. We spend our mornings on HHI's beach, which is fantastic. We take dips in the beach house pool periodically and it never feels crowded and there are spots to sit or lounge.

We usually don't hit the resort pool until later afternoon and by then some chairs have freed up.

 

[DVC SSR Owner]

Just head to the beach and beach house! We go every summer when its sold out and while it can sometimes be a pain to find a lounger by the resort pool, we rarely ever have a problem at the beach house or on the beach. We spend our mornings on HHI's beach, which is fantastic. We take dips in the beach house pool periodically and it never feels crowded and there are spots to sit or lounge.

We usually don't hit the resort pool until later afternoon and by then some chairs have freed up.

Thanks for the tip. Will do. Is there a kiddie pool or shade at either pool? We have a 7 year old and an 8 month old.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

We went last year. It was sooo crowded, the busses were full and didn't take anymore people to the beach by 11:00a!!! The small pool at HHI didn't help matters. Good luck!

 

[DVC SSR Owner]

We went last year. It was sooo crowded, the busses were full and didn't take anymore people to the beach by 11:00a!!! The small pool at HHI didn't help matters. Good luck!

Darn. Well, I read all these posts about how peaceful HHI is but nobody tells you about the crowding and small pool. We plan on doing some biking too. Are there any water parks near the island?

 

[MinnieGi]

Thanks for the tip. Will do. Is there a kiddie pool or shade at either pool? We have a 7 year old and an 8 month old.

There is a kiddie pool at the resort and it actually gets shade earliest in the day from what I remember.

The beach house pool is not in shade, however on both sides of it there are patio areas that have tables and chairs under roof so always shady there. Plus there is an indoor air conditioned room with tables and tv there so if you really want to get out of the sun and cool off, head there!!

Maybe its because of the schedule we follow - beach first and then resort pool later that we never feel crowded in at HHI!

Another hint - arrive early to the beach house and you can park under the building! It keeps your car cool and your closest to the beach. Our kids are 11 & 7 and have been going to HHI since they were 2 & 6, they LOVE to wake up early and head to the beach. So we almost always have a spot under the building. We usually arrive between 9:00 and 9:30. The water at HHI is so calm. It is perfect for kids and as parents you do not have to fear a rip tide or big waves there.

 

[MinnieGi]

We went last year. It was sooo crowded, the busses were full and didn't take anymore people to the beach by 11:00a!!! The small pool at HHI didn't help matters. Good luck!

How were the busses not taking any more people? They just keep doing loops picking people up and dropping them off etc.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

How were the busses not taking any more people? They just keep doing loops picking people up and dropping them off etc.

Ok, I had it wrong . The message left in our room was that there was no more parking available at the beach house so you HAD to take the bus. Parking lot was full at 11:00 and no more cars were going to be allowed. They left this message on our room phone. We never saw a bus despite waiting an hour.

 

[DVC SSR Owner]

There is a kiddie pool at the resort and it actually gets shade earliest in the day from what I remember.

The beach house pool is not in shade, however on both sides of it there are patio areas that have tables and chairs under roof so always shady there. Plus there is an indoor air conditioned room with tables and tv there so if you really want to get out of the sun and cool off, head there!!

Maybe its because of the schedule we follow - beach first and then resort pool later that we never feel crowded in at HHI!

Another hint - arrive early to the beach house and you can park under the building! It keeps your car cool and your closest to the beach. Our kids are 11 & 7 and have been going to HHI since they were 2 & 6, they LOVE to wake up early and head to the beach. So we almost always have a spot under the building. We usually arrive between 9:00 and 9:30. The water at HHI is so calm. It is perfect for kids and as parents you do not have to fear a rip tide or big waves there.

Thanks for the info...now you gave me another question. Should we bother bringing boogie boards? Is it too calm for them?

 

[MinnieGi]

Ok, I had it wrong . The message left in our room was that there was no more parking available at the beach house so you HAD to take the bus. Parking lot was full at 11:00 and no more cars were going to be allowed. They left this message on our room phone. We never saw a bus despite waiting an hour.

Ok...yes that is normal - well the message on your room phone not the bus never coming. That is very odd, did you ask the desk? They also have the Palmetto Dunes shuttle that delivers anyone to anywhere in Palmetto Dunes, you just need to give them a call and they will pick you up. The desk has the number plus you will see the number and shuttle driving all around Palmetto Dunes. (Disney is located in the Palmetto Dunes Plantation).

 

[MinnieGi]

Thanks for the info...now you gave me another question. Should we bother bringing boogie boards? Is it too calm for them?

Bring the boogie boards!! The beach does have waves, but they are just calm and much smaller than other Atlantic Beach spots. The kids will enjoy a boogie board ride on those waves. We also use our boards to just float around in the ocean. HHI is the only beach I have been to along the Atlantic that I can really just relax and float for long periods without getting tossed about in the waves.

Also just to tell you as I know you have little ones...bring the sand toys! HHI has hard compacted sand that is wonderful for building sand castles etc... Also at low tide, tide pools form all around and they are filled with little sea creatures like hermit crabs, fiddler crabs, snail, starfish, sand dollars, tiny fish. All the kids on the beach love looking at and catching them to inspect. My kids collect little creatures and put them in their buckets filled with water to have a "pet" for the day and then when we leave they throw them back in the ocean.

Anymore questions, just ask!

 

[MinnieGi]

Also just to follow up on the beach parking info. The "lot full" message is often given in summer around 11:00. We have found the lot is really only full for those several mid-day hours. It's kind of those hours of overlap between the morning beach goers and those that come just for the afternoon.

We are early beach goers and are usually there between 9:00 and 9:30 and never have a problem getting a spot and usually even under the building for shade. We have also found if we have morning activities planned and don't come over till later afternoon there are many open spots as most of those morning people have now left.

 

[SC Minnie]

We'll see you there! We arrive Sat and leave Wed. We go just about every Memorial Day and Labor Day. Yes, its crowded. We spend more time at the beach house and on the beach than at the resort pool.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Wow! The more I read this thread, the more I'm glad we go off-season. The parking lot over at the Beach Club has never been more than about 10-20% full. We've been over there in the middle of the day when there are about 5 cars in the parking lot-sounds like I should take a picture of that! Last time I took the shuttle over there, I was the only one on it both ways.

 

[DVC SSR Owner]

Bring the boogie boards!! The beach does have waves, but they are just calm and much smaller than other Atlantic Beach spots. The kids will enjoy a boogie board ride on those waves. We also use our boards to just float around in the ocean. HHI is the only beach I have been to along the Atlantic that I can really just relax and float for long periods without getting tossed about in the waves.

Also just to tell you as I know you have little ones...bring the sand toys! HHI has hard compacted sand that is wonderful for building sand castles etc... Also at low tide, tide pools form all around and they are filled with little sea creatures like hermit crabs, fiddler crabs, snail, starfish, sand dollars, tiny fish. All the kids on the beach love looking at and catching them to inspect. My kids collect little creatures and put them in their buckets filled with water to have a "pet" for the day and then when we leave they throw them back in the ocean.

Anymore questions, just ask!

Oh my 7 year old boy loves creatures. I will bring sand toys! Thanks