Hilton Head Tips/Info

[NeedMoreMickey]

Thinking about this resort for a trip next year. i haven’t been able to find any pictures is there a pool in walking distance from the room or do you need to take the shut to the beach house?

 

[sleepydog25]

Thinking about this resort for a trip next year. i haven’t been able to find any pictures is there a pool in walking distance from the room or do you need to take the shut to the beach house?

There are two pools at the resort. The main pool (Big Dipper) is located at the resort itself, and it is within easy walking distance from any building--the farthest building out from the pool is 13, and that's no more than a five-minute walk. Right next to the Big Dipper pool is Tide Me Over (quick service), the Mercantile (gift shop), Community Hall (for certain resort activities), and the recreation rental window.

A mile and a half away is the Beach House, and it has a second pool (no slide like Big Dipper) but no lifeguards. To get there, you can take the free Disney shuttle, bike, walk, or drive. If you drive and it's in high season (which generally goes until after Labor Day weekend), you should show up no later than 10:30 to secure a parking spot. Pool towels are provided at both the Big Dipper pool and at the Beach House pool. At the Beach House, you will also find a quick service option (Surfmens' Sand Bar), a few games (pool, ping-pong, corn hole, and foosball), restrooms, and easy access to the beach.

 

[Travel60]

Definitely rent bikes (we rent from resort for convenience but there are also off-site vendors). You can ride bike to beach house, to nearby shopping area with grocery store, lots of restaurants, to mini-golf, parks, etc. You can also ride for miles on the beach as sand is very flat and packed.

Walk across access bridge to small shopping area with to-die-for bakery.

On campus you can fish or crab off the pier and (pending Covid) be sure to go to the s'mores story time around the fire pit. They also (pre-Covid) show movies outside under the trees at night.

There's also kayaking and SUP either at the resort or the adjacent marina.

 

[sleepydog25]

Definitely rent bikes (we rent from resort for convenience but there are also off-site vendors). You can ride bike to beach house, to nearby shopping area with grocery store, lots of restaurants, to mini-golf, parks, etc. You can also ride for miles on the beach as sand is very flat and packed.

Walk across access bridge to small shopping area with to-die-for bakery.

On campus you can fish or crab off the pier and (pending Covid) be sure to go to the s'mores story time around the fire pit. They also (pre-Covid) show movies outside under the trees at night.

There's also kayaking and SUP either at the resort or the adjacent marina.

Just to clarify, you can't rent kayaks or paddle boards from the Disney resort; however, they do right across the marina at Outside Hilton Head. OHH also offers guided tours and many other water activities.

 

[Suzabella]

"Walk across access bridge to small shopping area with to-die-for bakery."

Sorry. Quote failed me tonight.

Social Bakery! It's truly amazing. You'll need to get there early in the day as when they run out of things, they run out. It's a small shop and they only allow around 6 people in the shop at a time right now. There's usually a line. We've loved everything we've gotten there.

 

[crisi]

Social bakery is excellent (we are there in the off season when its only open a few days a week, but the good stuff is still there mid morning).

If you are there in the busy season, you'll want dinner reservations if you want to go anywhere popular. Even in the off season, there are a few spots where you want to book dinner in advance.

 

[RKS03]

Does anyone have recommendations for studio requests? Last time had a two bedroom with a great location but wasn’t sure what to ask for for our upcoming studio. Thank you.

 

[Unclelude]

We just spent last weekend in a studio!

The app only allowed 4 check boxes for special requests - high floor, marsh view, accessible, and one other I forget ( low floor maybe ) Point being, if you want to request a specific building, you need to call.

As previous posts mentioned, there are 21 studios total on property, only 5 outside main building. (See pp + map for locations )

The 5 buildings are the ones with the grand villas in them are arranged like this:

.......................GV Top Floor......................
Ded 2BR. GV Bot Floor. Ded 2BR
Ded 2BR. 2BR Lockoff. Ded 2BR

I think one of the 'best' studios might be in building 18... It has a marsh view and is closer to pool than 11 and 12.

I validated the building layouts with a cast member... They said they 'never' book the lock offs as 2 br - always studio/1BR. The only time they combine lock offs is if they need accessible bigger rooms in 11/12.

So, we asked for 18 but they would not give it to us because the GV above was occupied, and the night before they relocated guests because of noise... You can imagine the main floor of a packed GV would be active and loud!

I guess if you are really bothered by noise, I'd ask for high floor. We were not on top floor and there was some noise, even in building 11. The view is preference I guess... We had view of canal, but could look left and see marsh, so was nice.

Others have mentioned the resort isn't that big, so walking isn't that big of a deal. I generally agree. Options:

High floor/accessible/near front desk: 11 or 12
Marsh : 18, 11 or 12
Near Pool: anything but 11 or 12

Have fun!

 

[Travel60]

Just got back from HHI one BR. My favorite DVC. Definitely rent bikes. For your littlest, they have the pull behind cart or the plastic seat behind the adult. There are bike trails everywhere, very flat, easy to ride.

In addition to pool and beach, my kids and now my grands love fishing and crabbing off the pier. There's also lawn games, basketball, shuffleboard, etc. throughout. Several nights a week they have story time and s'mores at the fire pit near the pool. There are also movies outside after dark (if you allow bedtimes to slip a bit). Certain nights throughout the summer Shelter Cove (the shopping area right next to DVC) has fireworks. Not sure when that starts.

If you venture off campus there is a nice playground and boardwalk at the nearby Shelter Cove shopping center. Lots of restaurants, ice cream, shops there too. Also mini-golf is nearby.

I love the beach there with little ones because the waves are very gentle and the beach is very wide. When the tide is going out, t he ere are tide pools the kids can safely play in.

 

[sleepydog25]

Does anyone have recommendations for studio requests? Last time had a two bedroom with a great location but wasn’t sure what to ask for for our upcoming studio. Thank you.

Covering ground that Unclelude spoke to already, but just for further clarification:
- Only 20 total studios currently.
- Of those, currently only 4 located outside of Bldgs 11 (front desk building) and 12 (shares elevator with 11). Those 4 studios are in Bldgs 16, 18, 19, and 28 and each is located directly beneath the main floor of the GV which is composed of the kitchen, dining room, living room w/sleeper sofas, master BR/BA and fourth BA. As mentioned, only Bldg 18 will have a marsh view--all others have interior resort views: 16 overlooks a grilling area and horseshoe pits; 19 overlooks same area only slightly farther away; and 28 looks out onto another grilling area, as well as giant checkers and the bocci ball court. 16 and 30 are farthest from the pool, but none are more than a 2-3 minute walk.
- The remaining studios are in Bldgs 11 and 12 which are farthest from the pool but closer to the bridge to Shelter Cove Marina.
- All the comments about studios above also apply to 1BRs.
- Personally, I would also recommend higher floor in 11 or 12 for better noise abatement. Some of those rooms have nice marsh views, as well as the channel that surrounds the back side of the island upon which the resort sits. And the pool, Tide Me Over, and the Mercantile aren't really far away--no more than a 4-5 minute walk.
Best wishes on your eventual choice and location!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We leave tomorrow and today we did ride the adult tricycles to the Beach house.

We bought local shrimp at Piggly Wiggly since Barnacle Bills is closed and a gentleman walking by suggested we go there as it’s local shrimp and a locally owned store. It was excellent shrimp, we had two meals out of the package I bought.

Tonight we’ll eat at Scott’s again, inside as we have a reservation. Sea Shack is closed for renovations, so no grilled oysters, shrimp and scallops with sweat potato cornbread on this trip!. However, I return in March for my first ever Gals Trip with 5 friends. So, looking forward to that meal there then!

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

@sleepydog25 We have a studio booked for July and I made a room request with MS for higher floor, building 11 or 12. Should I call the resort too for a better chance of getting my request filled?

 

[sleepydog25]

@sleepydog25 We have a studio booked for July and I made a room request with MS for higher floor, building 11 or 12. Should I call the resort too for a better chance of getting my request filled?

Yes, but I'd wait until you're within a week or so before you do. Generally speaking, the rooms there aren't assigned until a few days before any given date.

A few more things of note:
- When you do call, I'd specifically ask for the highest floor which in the main Lodge building (11) is the third floor and in 12 is the second floor. As you likely know, the first floor in those two buildings is where the parking garage and mini-warehouse sit.
- Your odds of getting a "higher" floor are good in that of the five floors of rooms between 11 and 12, three would be considered "high," or above the first floor of rooms. And, truly, even the bottom floor of rooms in both 11 and 12 offer pretty good views.
- Plus, even if you do get a "lower" floor, the chances for having a quiet room are also still fairly good. Since only 11 and 12 have access to a shared elevator, often the rooms in those two buildings are filled with guests who have mobility issues, are generally older, and thus don't make as much noise as a family of 6 in a 2BR above you in, say, building 22.

As always, the resort can't guarantee any of these items, but I do feel your odds will be above average all the way around. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Murron]

I just went through early check in for our Feb trip. 2 br reserved. I asked for a marsh view on highest floor. I saw the other option was "island view". Can anyone tell me what that is --- the Cove Marina?

 

[sleepydog25]

Re: "island view" Can anyone tell me what that is --- the Cove Marina?

No. No room's balcony actually looks toward the marina. Island view means the interior of the resort, so your room might look over mostly trees, a yard game area, a hammock, a grilling spot, or a combo of some of those. They're all quite relaxing, regardless.