I have a few HHI questions, please help!

[Desnik]

OK, maybe more than a few questions!
We plan on going to HHI April 20-24th, 2008. Hopefully we will get a 1 bed room villa. This will be our first time there and DH and I will be driving down with our 2 kids DD(9), and DS(4). Here are a few questions I hope someone can help with:

*What are my chances of getting a 1 bed room at 7 months out for that week?

*What section should we ask for/request?

*Will we be able to park our car near the villa? Is there elevators if our room is on an upper floor?

*What is a good family friendly Italian restaurant we should try?

*Any family friendly places that serve food similar to a TGIFridays, meaning burgers, mozzarella sticks, or wings on the menu, but still good food?

*Any movie theaters nearby?

*Miniature golf?

*Will we be able to do a dolphin tour in April?

*Is there a grocery store nearby?

*How is the weather traditionally at the end of April? Will we be able to swim? How about the ocean temps?

Any advice on fun things to do or tips from Vet's would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Samsma]

Hi! We stayed in a studio in July so maybe I can answer some of your questions.

There is a Piggly Wiggly very close, maybe 1/4 mile. It was within biking distance I know on the same side of the road as Disney. Our Dolphin cruise captain said they do cruises all year, and there are a lot of dolphins who are always around. I think a good place to request would be along the boardwalk on the marsh side of the resort, but it would put you a little farther from parking. It is a nice view of the fireworks if they are doing them at that time of year, and you would be half-way between the main building and the pool/snack area. I remember a mini-golf course about a mile past the Shelter Cove/Disney turnoff, and a movie theater about a mile before you get to the resort turnoff closer to where you come onto the island. One place I'd like to spend more time at was Coligny Circle, we discovered it on our last day. I thought this was more my speed/price range for shopping than Harbour Town. I don't know anything about the temperature in April, but I'm sure you'll find a lot to do. We had a really good time and it was very relaxing playing pool, fishing, swimming and biking. Have Fun!

 

[klaubaugh]

OK, maybe more than a few questions!
*What are my chances of getting a 1 bed room at 7 months out for that week?
*What section should we ask for/request?
*Will we be able to park our car near the villa? Is there elevators if our room is on an upper floor?
*What is a good family friendly Italian restaurant we should try?
*Any family friendly places that serve food similar to a TGIFridays, meaning burgers, mozzarella sticks, or wings on the menu, but still good food?
*Any movie theaters nearby?
*Miniature golf?
*Will we be able to do a dolphin tour in April?
*Is there a grocery store nearby?

Any advice on fun things to do or tips from Vet's would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

In reply to your first few questions...I believe there are only 14 1-bdr units in the resort. They are all in the Main Lodge or the connected building. There is elevator access to these rooms. Parking is available under these 2 buildings or close by outside the building. As for availability - I would think your chances are good. We have booked at the 7 month mark for the busier summe months - but we did call day-by-day. Call the first day to check on their recommendation whether you need to keep calling that way (I do even when they say I don't need to - we're compulsive like that).

Restaurants - there are tons to choose from. Never had Italian but at checkin they will give you a restaurant guide.

One movie theater on the island. A variety of mini-golf places.

Dolphin tours are year-round. We enjoyed Captain Scott - arranged through Disney when we arrived and requested Scott himself if available. He was great!!

Piggly-Wiggly is where we get our groceries - though if you were walking back with groceries that would be a hike! Plus they have sweet t-shirts!!

Enjoy your trip - we look forward to many more for our family!!

 

[klaubaugh]

As for enjoying your trip - we have always had a great time! The cast members are fantastic - our daughters (10 & 7) know many by name and they really interact with us. The recreation activities are fun and many are free. B'Lou is fun. There is PLENTY to do! We follow a pretty standard vacation routine - beach, Beach House pool, lunch, nap, Main Pool, then dinner somewhere, then usually some pool time again. But the activity calendar is full of things to plugin. It's not a Disney World vacation though - don't approach it like that - relax, enjoy your family, enjoy the area.

 

[funhouse8]

What night are the fireworks?

 

[njmeisje]

Fireworks are Tuesday night

 

[funhouse8]

Thanks, great info, I thought they would be on sat so you had to use extra points. LOL

 

[Desnik]

Thanks for the great info!!

Would there be fireworks in April?

 

[Candace]

Thanks for the great info!!

Would there be fireworks in April?

Someone may correct me, but I think the fireworks start in early June and only go through the summer months. They are on Tuesday nights and are really something!

 

[gracelrm]

It seems as though there are 19 or 21 1BR villas. Most are in the lodge or the building next to it, there are five or 6 1BRs under the GV. We have stayed in 1 BRs 3 different times - twice in the building next to the main lodge and once in one under the GV in Bldg. 18 ( I believe). The ones under the GVs are closer to the pool and activities building, but even the ones in the lodge are still a quick, pleasant walk to the pool or activities. Our family loves our vacations to HHI. We usually rent bikes, play mini golf, participate in a few resort activities, shop a day at the outlet malls, eat some really great seafood and just enjoy a relaxed vacation with some great family time. Your children are great ages for enjoying HH! We can hardly wait - we'll be there two weeks from today for a five day mini-vacation.

 

[Bribrittmom]

There are two movie theaters on the island-one on the north end and one south. I would recommend Publix for groceries-near the Sea Pines traffic circle ,stay to the right. They have a much better selection and better prices than Piggly Wiggly. There are two more mini golf courses also. Enjoy! We love HIlton Head.

 

[Desnik]

Thanks so much for all the great info!! Keep it coming!!!

 

[gracelrm]

You asked about swimming in April, the ocean would be too cold for me, but the pools are heated - so kids will probably be fine in the pool.

Kid friendly restaurants - I'm not sure if there's a TGIFridays or not. There is a Fudruckers, which if I remember correctly, serves burgers and such at a relatively reasonable price. I think there is a place called Just Pasta - that I've read about on these boards, but have never been to. I would assume it is Italian - but I may be wrong. We enjoy Marley's which has a Caribbean theme and has an ice cream place next door to it. Our kids like it too!

 

[buzz5985]

The only trouble you may have is your dates sound like April School vacation week in Massachusetts. We went that week a couple of years ago and the place was full of people from MA. My 74 yo father met another guy there with his grandchildren he knew from MA. Too funny. So I would call day by day. The place is so small - it takes less than 5 minutes to walk from one end to the other.

The ocean water isn't really that cold - but the air isn't really that warm and with the breeze - the beach really isn't an option. But the pools are fine as long as you are in the sun. Temps for us were the low 70's.

I know there is an Outback, but didn't pay attention to other chains. There is a Publix, that we shop at, there is a Walmart.

There are several miniature golf courses that we saw. Played at one, can't remember the name.

 

[Desnik]

Thanks again for all the great info! I will have to print this out!!

We got the ressie!! I am so excited we got the 1 bedroom for the dates we wanted.

I do believe it is spring break for Mass. It is our spring break here in NY.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

Italian: theres a pretty good Italian restaurant (little venice) within the marina shops right next door to the resort. I forgot the name but its only about a 5 minute walk from the lobby. Indoor or outdoor seating under a veranda

TGIF's: not sure of this one, but there is a Tony Romas, which is a chain specializing in barbacue; ribs, chicken, etc

they have the normal appetizer type stuff such as wings and the normal kid stuff. They must have a menu online.

There is also a great wing place close by if you want just that.

sorry cant remeber all the names


parking: theres parking all along the outside of the resort, some have said theres limited space, but we never had a problem at all. Theres also a small covered area under the lobby if you are near that building.

http://www.sheltercovehiltonhead.com/Downloads/SCHMap.pdf

 

[Desnik]

Thanks!! We love Tony Roma's and there isn't one near us anymore! That sounds great! We aren't seafood eaters and my kids and I are pretty picky. I'm glad to see there are chain restaurant options just in case we need it!!

 

[cgcw]

*What section should we ask for/request?

We have been happy with all of the locations of rooms that we have stayed in. To us, there isn't any bad room, but just our personal preference would be to not stay facing the pool. With a 1 bedroom, you will need to be below a grand villa and there are only 5 of those throughout the resort, the remaining 1 bedrooms are in the lodge.
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*Will we be able to park our car near the villa? Is there elevators if our room is on an upper floor?

Parking is easily done outside of the villas. If you are in the lodge, you will have an elevator. If not, and under a grand villa, it will be the 1st floor, which is elevated due to flooding, so it will be like 1 flight up.
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*What is a good family friendly Italian restaurant we should try?

We enjoyed Just Pasta in Coligny Plaza last summer. Good food. It's a very small place, probably no more seating than for 25-30 people at one time.
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*Any movie theaters nearby?

In Coligny Plaza. It's the one that the CM's take the kids to on Kids Night out. We have never been as we seem to be too busy at HH for a movie.
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*Miniature golf?

Down the street, a fun place for an afternoon.
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*Will we be able to do a dolphin tour in April?

You should be able to depending on the weather. Captain Scott is great!
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*How is the weather traditionally at the end of April? Will we be able to swim? How about the ocean temps?

We went this year in March. Weather wasn't warm enough for us to swim, although my DS7 enjoyed the "small pool" -- also known as the hot tub. He had it to himself as no one else ventured in.

The one thing we encountered and I'd prepare for in April as well were the sand fleas or no-see-ums. They were brutal and we should have applied much more bug spray than we did.
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We love to go down to the beach later in the evening and fly kites. There is a kite shop in Colginy Plaza which sells easy flier kites which take a lot of the frustration out of attempting to fly a kite. My kids love to be out there, flying the kite, looking at all the sand castles built during the day and just listening to the ocean.

Have a great trip!