Is HH right for me?

[mjfisherdc]

I am considering my first DVC purchase in the next few months (via re-sale) We like both WDW and the beach, so I thought that HH might be a good fit.

I understand that I can't reserve any of the park DVD rooms until 7 months prior to when I want to go. Is it really hard to reserve at that time frame? I usually travel in September, May and maybe Jan/Feb.

All thoughts and opinions would be appreciate.

 

[McCrae]

If you are willing to be flexible you should be ok at getting something a WDW at the 7 month window....peak times though could be difficult.

Personally I wouldn't buy at HH because of it's higher dues and the fact that it's not a WDW resort. Although I would like to try the resort out sometime.

If you find you have to sell your membership HH maybe more difficult because of it's location. You can see this in the resale prices for HH. Prices for this resort have fallen a lot, especially when you compare it to other DVC properties.

If the cost of points is an issue I would try and pick up a cheaper WDW resort...you could always try and book HH at 7 months.

 

[tammymacb]

I don't agree with the previous poster at all.

HHI dues may be higher than the WDW resorts ( I think they're a whole quarter a point above BWV ) but with the deals to be had in the resale market, it will take a looooooooong time to recoup that savings when buying on site. My most recent 150 point HHI buy was $41 per point.

HHI is very difficult to snag if you are a non owner in the times you'd want to go to the beach. Summer months - especially in anything but a 2 bedroom- are near impossible. With the times you listed as your usual travel times you should not have a problem getting something on site at 7 months. Unless your January dates are right after NYE, I'd be surprised if you didn't have several options.

 

[dianeschlicht]

The savings at resale is trumped by the over all savings you get with lower dues. You buy once, but you pay dues for the life of the contract.

In the OP's case, I would buy SOME points at HH but also buy a WDW contract as well. Maybe less points for each contract so you can use banking and borrowing to facilitate your trips in a manner that fits how you want to vacation.

 

[CMOORE185]

My original purchase was at HH and I have absolutely no regrets about it. As tammymacb said it is very difficult to get a reservation their in the summer months, so if you want to go to HH the 11 month booking window is very important. I have had very little problems getting a reservation at WDW at the 7 month window, in fact we almost always get exactly what we are looking for. Last we may actually see a drop in dues at HH over the next few years because there was a large increase a few years back that was only suppose to be temporary.

 

[tammymacb]

The savings at resale is trumped by the over all savings you get with lower dues. You buy once, but you pay dues for the life of the contract.
.

It depends where you want to stay as far as overall savings.

I had a 150 pts at BWV. I sold them ( back then for $80 PP ) to buy more HHI.

In today's resale market, lets say BWV contract 150 points x $71 = 10650.

HHI 150 x $41= $6150

So you save $4500 off the bat. Now with a 25 cent dues difference and considering you're paying dues no matter what contract you're going to buy.

So, for a 150 point contract you're paying an extra $37.50 per year.

So, at the end of 30 years you're paying an additional $1125 in dues. No where near the original savings.

Obviously SSR or OKW wouldn't work out as well in HHIs favor.

 

[5forDiz]

If you're planning to regularly travel to HHI during summer, Thanksgiving and/or Spring / Easter break then HHI contract so you can book with 11 mos owner's priority window; but I do like Diane's idea of splitting purchase between HHI and a WDW DVC resort especially if your kids are young ones.

Best wishes with your planning

 

[Simba's Mom]

If you like the beach, I wonder if Vero might be more for you. Disne's HHI resort is about a mile from the beach, and you need to take a shuttle, or drive your car to the Beach House. The weather is real nice in September and May, but Jan/Feb....I wouldn't count on the "beach weather" then. Also, Vero has dining on site, including, I think, a character meal (can someone confirm or deny?) At DHHI, you'll be going out to resturaunts for all your meals (except if you cook your own). I'm not trying to be discouraging-we adore DHHI resort.

 

[ToddyLu]

Having never been to either one, VB or HHI, thanks to the PP for that info about the dinning....note to self....

 

[mjfisherdc]

Thanks for all of the replies. Especially about the dining and the beach. I assumed the beach would be right there....bummer you have to drive.

Time for a little more research!

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

The savings at resale is trumped by the over all savings you get with lower dues. You buy once, but you pay dues for the life of the contract.

In the OP's case, I would buy SOME points at HH but also buy a WDW contract as well. Maybe less points for each contract so you can use banking and borrowing to facilitate your trips in a manner that fits how you want to vacation.

I agree with this. We love both, too, so we have two contracts. We bank and borrow, and go to HHI one year, and then WDW the next.

 

[Sammie]

I know alot of people buy sight unseen, but I for one could never do it.

I would have to visit before making a purchase you will keep for that long especially at HHI.

We love the DVC there, could care less it is not right on the beach, we love the marina and marsh location.

And one of the things we love best is eating out at all the wonderful restuarants so not having a full service resturant there it not a problem at all.

 

[reesecup]

HHI is one of our favorites! We love WDW but just don't go there every year. We, however, go to HHI at least once a year; usually twice! The Disney resort is what made us fall in love with HHI. No, it's not on the beach but the fun in it is riding bikes to the beach with the kids. I told my kids that maybe we should find a place on the beach at HHI and my son said, "Please don't, riding the bikes to the beach and around Shelter Cove is what I love the most about HHI!" With that being said, we usually go Wrightsville beach once every summer and stay directly on the beach.

As far as restaurants go, no there is not a formal dining option there. However, there are so many awesome restaurants just within a bike ride or easy walk. The Shelter Cove area is just gorgeous early in the morning. And the Disney employees are awesome at this resort (or always have been to us). We are even thinking of the possibility of somehow our teenage children working there over the summer.

There are so many activities going on. The beach house pool is awesome and they do a lot of fun things for the kids and the adults!

We were owners at BWV and miss owning there so much but when we decide to buy again, we most certainly will include a small contract for HHI.....if we have not somehow moved to that area before then. Hope this helps! Never been to Vero beach so I can not compare it to that.

 

[CarmenPeteron]

We bought our original points at Hilton Head about 10 years ago. We mainly go to WDW instead of HH but we very rarely have any problems getting reservations.

 

[cosmocat]

HHI is a nice break from going to the parks every vacation. Sometimes it's nice to not have to buy park tickets, being they are so expensive. The lack of an onsite dining option is a bummer, although there is a little snack bar kind of thing with limited hours. We like it because it's a change of pace from the park vacation, with the beach, and some Disney touches the kids love.

 

[walter]

We visited HHI several years ago, using our OKW points to stay there. We liked the island so much that we bought a week at a Marriott Resort and never regretted staying on the beach (and you do not have to be a golfer to enjoy the island)

 

[MinnieGi]

We LOVE HHI and do have a contract there, but those points are for staying at HHI!!!!! We have another contract for WDW at BWV.

 

[hollis]

My 9-year-old son and I spent Christmas and New Years at HH less than a year ago, and I seem to have forgotten a lot about the site already. The only thing I remember, we had a good time. Without the park to distract us, we enjoyed a lot of the onsite activities. The New Year's Eve count down was fun!

Coming back to the original question, securing a room in a DVC resort in September usually is pretty easy, May is not bad either, unless you are not flexible with resorts and dates.