bethyg said:
He's afraid we'll spend an extra $500 or more on activities. It sounds like we should spend the extra money for a dolphin cruise. We have NEVER been to the beach before (I am an inland girl from KY) and haven't the slightest idea what to do at the beach, when to go, dangers to watch out for, etc....... Any helpful advice would be SO APPRECIATED.
Hubby also wanted to know if we joined DVC, would we get more than 6 nights/year out of our membership. WDW is still our favorite place to be, he just needed a break from the parks.
All good concerns and you should do some more research and planning, because some of the activities are fee-based, but not all. We do many of the free activities and that seems like enough to keep us busy, These include the three nature excursions with the staff naturalist, a morning marsh walk, a morning beach walk and a star gazing evening. We also get a big kick out of Tuesday's All-American Pool Games at the beach pool, followed by a campfire, fireworks and evening pool games back at the main resort.
If you drive and can bring bikes, poles, etc., do so. If you are flying, bike rentals can be daily or weekly, though not sure of the price. We have never rented bikes, though you will see that HHI offers great biking and rollerblading opportunities. A boat trip can cost $35 per person on-site and will be just your family in a private boat for about 2 hours. It is a great way to see Broad Creek and the wildlife. The other water excursion we like is kayaking in Broad Creek, also 2 hours and about $30/person. We pick one of these to do each year.
Crabbing and fishing is free if you own your own stuff. On site rentals and/or purchases of equipment is not expensive ($5-$10), though a few dollars more than at the WalMart just down the street. We do not keep our catches but give them to the other fisherman. There are plenty of people who make a meal out of the crabs they catch, however.
Spending time at the beach is the main reason we go, and yes that fits the budget for sure. Do not go to the beach without sunblock. Many will also have an umbrella and/or hat and cover-up. Getting horribly sunburned is a sure way to ruin a vacation. So what do we do there? Nothing! And that is the whole idea! Well, yes, we do something, we swim, walk, play catch, build sand castles, read, nap, look for shells and wildlife, etc. Let me also suggest an evening beach walk, after 7pm, when the beach is empty. This is a must for us, we get takeout and head to the beach when it is emoty, a bit cooler, and the setting sun turns the sand to gold and the waves deep shades of purple and dolphins feed very close to shore. Last summer we had a full moon rise over the ocean just as the sun was setting and even the kids just sat in awe at the scene.
Now, how many days can you get? Well that is a different thread and there is plenty of
point charts to read through.
Good luck and let us know how it goes. My bet says you'll be buying through resale before you pack to go home.