"It's a Disney-fied island". A Disney Hilton Head DVC trip report June 21-28

[Chelley00]

I debated about writing a trip report, but realized I had a hard time finding many of them when planning our Hilton Head trip. I love reading trip reports when they are about the places we will stay at or things we are going to do and hope that this report will help someone planning a future HHI trip.


First, who you are hearing from!

Me: I'm a 30 something mother to 4, wife to 1. I'm an accountant by day and soccer/swim team/guitar lesson/gymnastics taxi by night. I might like Disney a little too much, love to scrapbook, take lots of pictures and am an OCD planaholic.

DH: A 40 something warehouse guy. He's my outdoorsy fishing/hunting/motorcycle lover. He tolerates my Disney fixes and is pretty much go with the flow happy to let me control the world

I don't have all of our pictures uploaded yet, but this is a somewhat dark picture of DH and I at WiseGuys on our anniversary dinner.

DD 11. She's our tomboy Disney lover. She's our musical one and is good at sports but not quite sure she wants to play anymore. She's our shyer one and sometimes takes a little time to warm up.


DD 8 is our baby, all boy, fun loving, always wants to be with people guy. He likes to ask lots of questions about new things then will plunge in head first.

A picture of a couple of very tired kids after a long day at the beach at SkullCreek Boathouse

We left a couple of members of the family behind. DS20 lives 3 hours away from home now and works so he couldn't go. He's going to Hawaii with his girlfriend and her parents later this summer so don't feel too bad for him for being left out. DS17 was on a mission trip while we were gone. He went to Florida with friends over spring break so don't feel too bad for him either.

 

[Chelley00]

Preview
Yes, we NEED a vacation

Friday June 21
Might as well just park it
Welcome Home
Home Sweet Home Away From Home Outside
Home Sweet Home Away From Home Inside

Saturday June 22
What to Do?
Taking a Dip
But, you're too far away from the ocean
I am NOT going in there and the best meal of the week

Sunday June 23
Biking It
We might get to the beach
Monsters and Mushrooms

Monday June 24
A little playing
Pool time and learning to juggle......sorta
Kids Night In, Parents Night Out

Tuesday June 25
Divide and Conquer
The secret is that it hurts
Dinner In

 

[Chelley00]

How this trip came to be

We had a rough winter.

The kids and I went to WDW in October with my mom, brother, SIL and nephew. We had a great time, but it ended with DS getting what turned out to be a rather lengthy case of pneumonia. In late November, just in time for his birthday, he relapsed and was sicker this time. He lost a bunch of weight and was just plain miserable. His doctor even threatened to hospitalize him, which we thankfully avoided.

December 6th DH ended up having a major surgery that left him bedridden for weeks. I was up giving him medications every 3 hours for the first several days along with having to give him a lot of care. It was painful for him and exhausting for me.

He was starting to turn the corner and feel a little better when 10 days after his surgery we got a call that DS17 had been in a horrific car accident. He came within inches of losing his life. He spent several days in ICU and when he came home it was nonstop doctor visits, physical therapy appointments and a lot of medications and "nursing" for several months.

I had two people in my house hopped up on major painkillers for Christmas.

Between DH and DS, the two smaller kids got pushed aside a lot. They were shuffled between friends and grandparents. They had to miss activities and play dates. I missed both their Christmas programs at school. They were drug to doctors appointments and had to sit in corners during physical therapy sessions. They had to tiptoe around sleeping "patients" and were asked to do a lot of "run downstairs and get something for me please". And they were troopers about it.

Once the fog lifted and people were back on their feet, DH and I realized they needed something fun. DS was cleared to return to "normal life", which included a previously planned mission trip. DH and I thought it would be the perfect time to go somewhere since we wouldn't have to leave DS home alone for a week and it could be just about the little ones.


Why Disney Hilton Head

We are not DVC members. Of course we'd love to be, but it probably won't happen for us. So, we came about our HHI trip in a big roundabout way.

When we were debating on where to go, we started researching beach locations within a decent drive of home. We settled on either Gulf Shores or South Carolina, both around a 13 hour drive. We knew we wanted a resort that was heavy on kids activities but also offered a babysitting option so that DH and I could celebrate our anniversary (which was the day before we left for vacation) We didn't find many that thrilled us. I threw out to DH that maybe we should just go to Orlando and stay onsite but not do the parks (No parks in June for us. We are not fans of crowds which is why we visit WDW in October or November!)

I remembered that Disney had two resorts that were not near parks that were possibilities, Hilton Head and Vero Beach. I looked into renting points and found that Vero Beach was full, but HHI had availability. The more we read, the more we liked what we found.

I looked at other resorts on the island, but honestly, the Disney resort wasn't much more expensive than the others which surprised me. Plus, I was comfortable paying a little more knowing the kind of care Disney puts into training their CMs and the quality of their kids programs. I looked online and found that it was actually cheaper to pay for a cash reservation than it was to rent points from a member.

And so, decision made, I booked it online from June 22-28. When DS's plans for his mission trip changed slightly, I called and added another night, which had us checking in on Friday June 21. To help us save some money, I paid for it all using Disney gift cards from Target I bought with my red card for a 5% discount and ordered online through MyPoints which gave me points back I used for a gas card. I know it's nuts and it took forever to apply all those $50 Disney cards, but I would do it over the speaker phone while I folded laundry or made dinner. It saved us $100+. We also kept an eye on Groupon and bought a kayak tour, a dolphin cruise and a groupon for gelato.

And so, very early on Friday June 21, we loaded up the vehicle, said goodbye to DS17 and headed off towards South Carolina and a much needed and long awaited vacation.

 

[cmwade77]

I am interested to hear more abt the trip.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Totally psyched for this TR! We will be on HHI in 2 1/2 weeks!

 

[wiigirl]

In for your TR!

 

[smt218]

Can't wait to read the rest, looking to go there next year.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Can't wait to hear more....this was definitely a well deserved vacation for you guys!!

 

[missx0xdelaney]

I'm in! Sounds like a much needed trip, and I'm interested in hearing more about Hilton Head!

 

[livsmom04]

I'm in. Sounds like you had a rough winter just like we did.

 

[carissa1970]

Sure sounds like a much needed trip. I can't wait to read more. I'm currently trying to convince my DH we need to go to HHI. Lol.

 

[Chelley00]

I am interested to hear more abt the trip.

Totally psyched for this TR! We will be on HHI in 2 1/2 weeks!

You will love it!

In for your TR!

Can't wait to read the rest, looking to go there next year.

You absolutely should. We had a great time!

Can't wait to hear more....this was definitely a well deserved vacation for you guys!!

I may have needed a break

I'm in! Sounds like a much needed trip, and I'm interested in hearing more about Hilton Head!

I'm usually not a fan of saying we "needed" something like a vacation, but we really did.

I'm in. Sounds like you had a rough winter just like we did.

I'm sorry your winter was sucky too. Makes summer even more fun, right?

Sure sounds like a much needed trip. I can't wait to read more. I'm currently trying to convince my DH we need to go to HHI. Lol.

Keep working on him! My DH is sold and would be happy never going anywhere else!

 

[Chelley00]

Friday June 21.
Might as well just park it.



We had loaded everything into "Travis" (we have a Traverse and for the longest time DS thought we said we bought a Travis) the night before except the necessities we needed. Our goal was to be out the door at 6am, figuring a 12 hour drive, 13 with stops. I was thrilled to find we actually were on the road at 6:14am.

Our kids are great travelers. With 6 of us, it's usually much cheaper to drive than fly. And when I travel with my mom who is afraid of heights, we have to drive. The kids each get a travel bucket that I fill with new movies, a new DS game, activity books, coloring books, travel bingo games and anything else I can find at Target Dollar Spot or Dollar Tree. For every minute they watch a movie, they have to spend the same amount of time doing something else. They were excited to have such a "short" drive, having done the 17 hour trip to Orlando 9 months before.

Our GPS had us going a different way than I had planned (east first, but google maps said south first). DH pulled up the maps on his phone and apparently they were both the same amount of time. We debated and decided to go with the original way, rerouted our GPS and headed south first.

Such a huge mistake!!

Because, this would become our view for 2 1/2 hours straight

Yep, you read that right. We were parked on the interstate with a million other people for two and a half hours in 90 degree temps on the side of the mountain with no shade. Apparently a semi took a curve too fast and rolled. The accident was at the 2 mile marker. We were stopped at the 12.

Blech

However, it turned out to be an interesting experience. We met our "neighbors". The kids passed out bottled water since I had packed 2 cases. We walked the interstate just to say we could. We sat on the side of the road in the one piece of shade we could find and had a snack. DS was excited to pee over the side of the mountain.

Once we started moving, it was slow going. Ten miles of traffic ahead of us and more behind us. We passed one exit since we were moving only to come up to people driving 5mph, which is the fastest we went for miles. I was so sick of stop and go crap that I told DH we were ducking off the first exit we came to. Knowing we were on the side of the mountain and wouldn't have many options to detour, we knew it would be just a stop and stretch and maybe find a place to drink and use a restroom.

Only it wasn't. The exit went down the hill and then turned into a gravel road. It was insane! We drove down the gravel road a little and found a place to park. There were a lot of cars back there, but where we ended up driving about a 1/2 mile and were around no one, where we found this

We spent a little while just dipping our feet in the water to cool off and stretch out. It was a nice little break from all the hectic stuff going on just up a hill from us.

Once we decided to brave the interstate again, we were pleased to find traffic actually moving well......until we got into Asheville. We needed to get off on I-26 but the exit was backed up and stopped for miles and miles (at least 10). I told DH I just couldn't do the stop and go stuff anymore, so we grabbed a map and routed out a new way to go. It took us almost an hour out of the way, but I honestly think it was the best decision. One, we were actually driving 70mph again and not 5. Second, there were a lot of people going the other way so I'm sure it would have taken twice as long to get anywhere because of all the traffic.

So, after leaving our house at 6am, we FINALLY arrived at Hilton Head just before midnight.

So, it was a long slow trip. It took 4 hours to go 40 miles. I have never been so happy to hear that GPS chime "You have arrived" as I was that night. We parked and walked up the steps to Live Oak Lodge to FINALLY check in to Disney Hilton Head Resort.

 

[rfassett]

Wow! What a winter! And what a beginning to your trip. I trust it gets better for you! I am here for the journey! Thanks for doing this.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

YIKES! That is ann intense way to start the trip!

 

[Chelley00]

Wow! What a winter! And what a beginning to your trip. I trust it gets better for you! I am here for the journey! Thanks for doing this.

YIKES! That is ann intense way to start the trip!

I promise it gets 110% better. But I was so ready to turn around and just come back home!



June 21
Welcome Home

We buzzed the gate, told the disembodied voice over the speaker our name and she said

"Welcome Home"

I mean, really, there are no sweeter words, especially after a 13 turned almost 18 hour car trip.

We parked and walked up the steps to the Live Oak Lodge. The check in lady was very nice and I was sad we didn't see her again the rest of our trip. She said she knew we had a long trip and she would get us checked in as easily as possible. I had already done online check in so everything was ready to go, but she needed to show us where our villa was and where to park, told us some key "need to know" facts, gave the kids coloring books, crayons and tic tac toe boards, gave us all First Visit buttons and sent us on our way.

So, even though it was after midnight, we went ahead and unloaded the car so we didn't have to do it later and found our villa. I have tons of pictures but they are all from later in the trip because it was so dark and we were so exhausted from traveling all day. However, I did stop to snap this one because it was such a lovely greeting after a cruddy little day

Once we got in the room, I caught my second wind and knew there was no sleeping. It seems everyone else was the same way, so at 1am, we were unpacking suitcases and settling in for the week. DS was so excited because it's the latest he has ever stayed up. Best vacation ever and it's only day 1!

After I got the kids tucked in, I actually hit the jet tub to try and unwind. I like to drive, DH hates it so I had driven the entire trip and I needed the break. So it was after 2am before I finally climbed into bed.

 

[Chelley00]

Home Sweet Home Away From Home
Outside

We were in room 2712,

which is the "First Floor" villa in the building right next to the Mercantile.

The actual first floor is open area in case of flooding. You have to go up a flight of steps to actually get to the "first floor" villas.

From our door

we could see the pool straight ahead

the mercantile, community hall and Tide Me Over to the left

and our bike racks and bikes straight down

The location was both good and bad. Being so close to everything was great, but the pool music is pretty loud and obnoxious when you are on the balcony. We probably would have been a little happier in the next building over to try and get away from the music all day long.

However, the view was amazing

Low tide

High Tide

Balcony

From the far right side

and far left ( I spent a few hours in the hammock in the far right of the picture)

 

[Chelley00]

Home Sweet Home Away From Home
Let's Go Inside

We had a 2 bedroom villa. My first thought was that it is SO much bigger than I thought. Even my pictures make it look small. I read somewhere that it's around 1,255 square feet. I was also very pleased with the amount of storage. We are overpackers (well, I'm an overpacker, and I'm okay with it) and we had plenty of room for all of stuff to stay organized.

These pictures are from later in our vacation so you can see we are settled in. I usually try and take pictures before we dump our stuff in, but that was not happening at 1am!

Kitchen from the entry hallway looking left

Living area from the hall looking right. We didn't use the sleeper sofa, but I can tell you that the reviews are true......the sofa does slant forward and you tend to slide off, especially if you are trying to get away from snoring husband and trying to sleep on it....

Kitchen from the end of the couch. The TV is in the center island.

Dining area from the end of the couch

Door and entry hall from the living area

Shadow's paw print in the entryway tile

Master bedroom with door leading to balcony. There are nightstands on both sides of the bed with lamps, one has a clock with Ipod dock and the telephone.

From master bedroom. Jet tub, master closet. There was a pack n play in this closet and linens for the sleeper sofa. I wasn't thrilled that there was not a door leading from the bedroom into here, especially with the bathtub in here. The bed was super comfy.

Tub. The green shutters open to the master bedroom.

Right next to the closet is a large sink area

This is looking from the tub area door back into the master bedroom. 3 drawers under the TV stand, shelves around the TV and the bench also has a drawer for storage

From the bathtub area looking into the bathroom. There is a toilet, sink and walk in shower. There is also another door near the shower that leads into the hallway

Looking in from the hallway. Shower is on the left.

Walking out of the master bedroom to the end of the hallway. If you look left you see the hall that leads to the second bedroom. To the right, the kitchen/living room area.

Coming in the entryway and going left you end up in the second bedroom. In that hallway before the bedroom door is a large bench with shelves and pegs on the right (so handy for beach stuff and bike helmets!)

carved on the bench

and the washer/dryer area on the left.

Second bedroom

TV and table from the bed closest to the door

closet from the bed closest to the door

Beyond the closet is a little alcove area with pegs. We kept the suitcases and the kids dirty clothes hamper in the alcove

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Great pics! We rented points for a 1 bedroom so the kids will be on the sleep sofa and a air mattress. It looks like they will be just fine

 

[Chelley00]

Great pics! We rented points for a 1 bedroom so the kids will be on the sleep sofa and a air mattress. It looks like they will be just fine

Hopefully I can finish my trip report before you leave!



June 22
What to do, what to do?

Despite the late arrival, my body apparently wasn't on vacation time yet and I was up at 7am no matter how much I tried to go back to sleep. Everyone else was still snoring away so I slipped outside to the balcony to check out the view we couldn't see when we arrived

I was craving coffee but I knew if I started the coffee maker, it would wake up DH, so I decided to go ahead and swing by Starbucks and then head to Publix to get groceries that way I wouldn't have to drag everyone with me. By the time I got back, everyone was up and dressed and helped me load everything into a luggage cart and take it to the villa.

We unpacked groceries and then we headed to Tide Me Over for breakfast. Yes, I had just bought groceries but we are at a Disney resort and there is only one thing you can eat for breakfast on your first day at a Disney resort!

Here's the menu

and just for reference, this is the bounty platter

We took the calendar of activities with us and a pen and let the kids go through it to put their initials beside the activities that they wanted to try and get to, with the knowledge we wouldn't be able to do it all. It kept them busy while we waited for breakfast. I know we have it somewhere around here and I hope to scan it in. There were so many different activities every day, both free and some at a cost. You could spend the entire trip at the resort and never go to the beach and stay busy!

Every day near the mercantile (and also at the Beach House Pool) they list the activities for the day. They also list low and high tide times. I have to say we all found the tide changes fascinating. We Midwest people don't deal with tides! I tried to get a picture each day but I think I'm missing one

We decided to eat at the little bar area of Tide Me Over

We tried to enjoy the view

but we spent more time trying to defend our food from these guys

These birds are insane! As long as you kept your arm near your plate they just "yelled" at you, but turn around and they steal stuff right off your plate. We decided from now on to eat under covered patio!

With breakfast done, we decided to walk to Live Oak Lodge. When we checked in the kids were given tic tac toe boards with Disney characters on them and Disney stickers. Each day in the Lodge, they flash 2 characters on the TV of announcements and when you get a tic tac toe you get a trading pin. My kids love pins and were so far beyond excited they both decided this was their must do activity each day! We also wanted to check to see if our bikes had been delivered. It was cheaper to get them from Bike Doctor than it was from Disney.

It's a lovely walk, and really not long at all. Every CM we ran across greeted us and many welcomed us to the resort, realizing they hadn't seen us before.

DS couldn't wait to meet Shadow

Bikes weren't there yet, characters were found and covered on their papers, we walked back to change and start our day.

The kids were itching to try out the pool slide which made me laugh. They are competitive swimmers and can swim in a pool any time, yet they chose the pool over the beach!