Is Hilton Head Fun???

[KJMickey]

We had read the board here before we purchased. We kept reading "buy where you want to stay". We had been making at minimum annual trips to WDW. The incentives for HHI were better at the time...so we had a dilema. Do we buy at WDW or buy HHI and save some cash.

We decided to save the money. This was August of 2001. We decided we should go and see what we had purchased, so we decided we would take the kids to HHI for spring break 2002. we fell in love with HHI and have not been back to WDW since (which I am not thrilled about...LOL). My wife and children have told me every year that they want to go back to HHI.

When we finally make it back to WDW....we are not concerned about the 7 month window. We have booked ressies for friends and rented them out well within the 7 month window at WDW. The best time to go to HHI is June, July, August......WDW is great any time of the year. The 11 month window to us is much more important for HHI that WDW. When we are going to WDW...that is where we are going, not a certain resort....but WALT DISNEY WORLD!!! We don't care which resort we stay at. So much time is spent in the parks.....if we have a place to rest and eat...we are fine.

I am not a "buy where you want to stay" person. We fell into the 11 month window at HHI purely to save money. As we see it now....it was the only resort I see the 11 month window as a necessity. We are point stingy, never stay a Friday or Saturday. Will not go to WDW during XMAS or the summer. Before we became DVC members we always went in September or October. So for us.....HHI is home and when we get back to WDW....we will be happy anyplace we stay. Now...if they ever come up with a DVC at The Polynesian....everything will change. Then we will have two contratcs...

HHI is a hidden treasure that we hope remains that way for a long time!

 

[BrerBear96]

Kimlia, We are a family of 6 with 4 young girls, we stopped at Hilton Head on our way to Disney in 2003 and fell in love, this was before we bought into DVC. WEe now wish we had bought our points at Hilton Head instead of Beach Club, the kids like it and they're not exhausted after two days!

 

[JMC]

At HH do you need to take a shuttle to the beach area from the resort? How often does it run, and how long does it take.


Does anyone recommed an "grown ups only" weekend at HH?

Last question, do people tend to eat out a lot when there, or is it pretty easy to cook up stuff in your room?


Thanks.

 

[Goofy109]

If you want to sit there and let Life pass you by, go to HH, but to enjoy life to it's fullest WDW is the Greatest place on Earth....hands down !! I read a reply from someone with kids 10,7,&6.....and they liked HH over Disney !! Boy,,,,theres the exception to the rule !!!

 

[TW1]

At HH do you need to take a shuttle to the beach area from the resort? How often does it run, and how long does it take.
Does anyone recommed an "grown ups only" weekend at HH?
Last question, do people tend to eat out a lot when there, or is it pretty easy to cook up stuff in your room? Thanks.

THe beach house is one mile from the resort. Folks drive and park there, take their bikes, or use the very convenient shuttle. We prefer to drive, though we have taken the shuttle and like it.

Grown up weekend? You Bet! We can't wait to do this and will shoot for a Sept./Oct. timeframe.

Eat in vs. eat out? That's up to your style. There are countless restaurants and several very good ones that offer a DVC discount (10%). Personally, we do take-out and/or cook in the room. While the kids are great in restaurants, the idea of leaving the beach just to get them showered and dressed and wait in a restaurant is too much for a summer vacation. One of us runs out to get the take-out or back to the room to cook and it makes it so much more relaxing for us.

There are lots of good HHI restaurant-related threads on this forum, usually in the summer when folks are just going and coming back. One great hint I learned on this forum was to take advantage of the early-bird specials. There not just for seniors!

 

[JMC]

I think we're sold- we'll likely opt for a studio for our next WDW stay so we can add on a HHI vacation during our use year.

 

[pklein09]

We're planning on going in November...Jersey Week. Has anyone gone then? Will stuff be open? Can you swim?

Thanks!
--Michelle

 

[pklein09]

We're planning on going in November...Jersey Week. Has anyone gone then? Will stuff be open? Is it warm enough to go swimming?

Thanks!
--Michelle

 

[SC Minnie]

We were at HHI over Christmas. It was way too cold to get in the pool and we didn't even go near the beach but we had a great time. They had all kinds of activities going on at the resort. Christmas eve we went out to eat and that was the only time we left the resort. They had things going on Christmas day also and all the CM's were so nice eventhough they were working on Christmas day. So you can have a good time in the winter without doing the 'water' activities.

We have been to HHI 3 times since Oct '03. The first trip DD was on a school field trip near Charleston for 3 days so DH and I went to HHI for a couple of 'grown up' days then picked up DD and had a couple of family days. It was the best of both worlds!

It is a different vacation from WDW. If you want a relaxing beach vacation go to HHI-- if you want an exciting action packed park type vacation then go to WDW.

 

[mouseclick1]

After reading some of these responses I decided to ask my own kids (both teen boys) if they would rather go to WDW (Boardwalk) or HH. DS 13 first said HH, but then said he couldn't really decide; and DS 15 said he definitely liked HH better. We own 300 BWV points and 165 HH points, but I wish it were the other way around! We are going back to HH at Easter and I can't wait. It is a great place!

 

[luv2vacation]

We are thinking about going for a week in May. Is the weather good and warm? Is it crowded? Thanks for the info.

 

[TW1]

We are going back to HH at Easter and I can't wait.

Have you been for Easter before? We check in Easter weekend and wondered about special activities / meal ideas etc. Can you share any info on Easter in HHI?
This will be our first non-summer trip, just can't seem to get enough HHI!

 

[colleen costello]

Klh, welcome and congratulations on your purchase. HH is wonderful and you ar lucky to have "first dibs" on this beautiful resort. If you are flexible about where you stay, and perhaps when, you should have no trouble getting a room when you want to be in Orlando. So far, OKW seems the easiest to book and when it is completed, perhaps Saratoga will be as well, since it will be so big. We own at Beach Club but have only stayed there once. We are enjoying trying all the resorts out! We also look forward to returning to HH someday as it was so lovely.

 

[mouseclick1]

TW1 - This will be our first trip to HH at Easter, so I'm not really sure what will be offered. We were at Vero Beach last year for 1 night on Good Friday, and I know they had a few craft activities with an Easter themed planned. I'm guessing HH will have some similar fun activities going on!