When would you go to AKV and HHI?

[DisneyStarWisher]

My DH and I have been talking about retirement. It's 4 years away for him and 7 years away for me so we have time to think about this. What we are wanting to do is take two fairly long trips each year, one to AKV and one to HHI. We will probably be able to afford only 3-4 weeks at a time. Which months would you pick for each?

 

[com_op_2000]

Just look at the points chart and choose one of the months with the lowest point usage. DVC is designed to be near 100% at all times.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I have spend most of the last 2 Januaries using DVC points. My stays there have been in BWV, AKV and VB! So, I would stay at AKV in January. As far as HHI, with our family we go in July, but if it were just DH & myself, we had a wonderful HHI stay one Halloween, so I would say, October into November.

Bobbi

 

[OneMoreTry]

I like HHI in Oct. The water is usually warm enough to swim. The heat is not as oppressive.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I have spend most of the last 2 Januaries using DVC points. My stays there have been in BWV, AKV and VB! So, I would stay at AKV in January. As far as HHI, with our family we go in July, but if it were just DH & myself, we had a wonderful HHI stay one Halloween, so I would say, October into November.

Bobbi

Aren't Florida Januaries very variable weatherwise?

We've also been to HHI in October. A cold front came through, and the highs were in the lower 70s. I like it a little warmer in HHI (80s), so I'd be worried about November. Of course, we have also been in June and July, and it's been stifling.

Halloween is my favorite time at WDW. I'm leaning toward AKV the first of November so I get the Halloween decorations AND the Christmas decorations. Plus we'd be out of there by the busy Thanksgiving week.

I like HHI in Oct. The water is usually warm enough to swim. The heat is not as oppressive.

I would like to give HHI another try in October. We don't swim in the ocean though so water temp isn't a consideration. I'm wondering if May feels similar to October weatherwise. I realize the water temps will be too cold in May, but that won't be a big deal to us.

Anyone ever been to HHI in both October and May to compare?

 

[bobbiwoz]

Januaries & Februaries are variable. My goal as been to avoid snow and ice as much as I can. I really have enjoyed my time in FL...this past January I did swim in the pools quite a bit, January 2012, I stayed in hot tubs mostly.

I also do cruises in January, we found the Bahamas were too chilly,so we're heading to the Caribbean this January for a week!

I would like to do May on HHI one year, just haven't gotten around to it!

 

[kirstenb1]

I like HHI in Oct. The water is usually warm enough to swim. The heat is not as oppressive.

I'd choose this too. Our younger dd was born when we were nearly 40, so we're beholden to the school calendar for many more years. I often daydream about spending a couple of weeks after Labor Day at an east coast beach!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

This is our second October in a row for F&W. I retired in January, but Bill still has two more years. We're planning for Oct and May (for Flower & Garden). And we'll tie one into our beach trip to Marco Island.

 

[staceymay00]

Halloween is my favorite time at WDW. I'm leaning toward AKV the first of November so I get the Halloween decorations AND the Christmas decorations. Plus we'd be out of there by the busy Thanksgiving week.

I would like to give HHI another try in October. We don't swim in the ocean though so water temp isn't a consideration. I'm wondering if May feels similar to October weatherwise. I realize the water temps will be too cold in May, but that won't be a big deal to us.

Anyone ever been to HHI in both October and May to compare?

The weather at HHI is very nice in May. We have been mid-May, but not October..although I live in Atlanta and the weather is not all that different from HHI weather. I'd pick May for HHI or late September/early October. May and October are two of my favorite weather months in Atlanta.

Your plan for AKV in late October/early November sounds great to me. I love the fall and Christmas decorations - how great it would be to see both in one trip!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

This is our second October in a row for F&W. I retired in January, but Bill still has two more years. We're planning for Oct and May (for Flower & Garden). And we'll tie one into our beach trip to Marco Island.

I LOVE Food and Wine. That's why I love the idea of WDW in late October/early November. I'm thinking HHI in May, and AKV in the fall. The problem is that bobbiwoz now has me wanting to go to WDW in January, too! I'm not sure I can afford 3 trips/year! But if there's a way, I LOVE the idea. Back to the drawing board!!!

 

[JoEllen]

We drove to HHI after the Masters in April. The weather was great and the golf rates were still reasonable.

 

[Dean]

My DH and I have been talking about retirement. It's 4 years away for him and 7 years away for me so we have time to think about this. What we are wanting to do is take two fairly long trips each year, one to AKV and one to HHI. We will probably be able to afford only 3-4 weeks at a time. Which months would you pick for each?

We love to travel shoulder seasons. Usually cheaper and less crowded but things are still open in seasonal areas. Late April/May and Sept/Oct often work well for us when traveling alone. We're empty nesters but travel around the school calendar when traveling with family.

 

[graueMaus]

We keep going back to HHI in early October for the great weather low crowds and it is when the kids are out of school. We have addonitis for ownership there as it us only 5 hours away.

 

[drusba]

Here is what we are finding for twice a year at WDW: first half of May, and then latter half of Oct through Nov before Thanksgiving week. You often do not have much rain during either of those periods. Early May can be warm to hot but usually has not yet reached the unbearable humidity when you can sweat standing still outside at midnight that comes in full force the latter part of May. Last half of October and Nov are beyond the real hot periods but it is still usually in the 80s to high 70s and again you don't have unbearable humidity. May and Nov generally have very manageable crowds , Oct is heavier but not unbearable. May has flower and garden, Oct and first part of Nov until veteran's day has food & wine and then you get Christmas decorations and MVMCP beginning the Friday before veteran's day. Oct and Nov are the second lowest point costs, while May is a little more expensive.

Other possible alternatives are OK but have more risks: Jan has low point cost but weather can be a surprise (it can sometimes be 80 one day and 45 the next). First two weeks of Feb can also be nice and the cold weather risk is lower but still exists, last part of Feb to early March can often be ideal and crowds are not overwhelming but point cost is high; first half of Dec has lowest point cost and everything Christmas but you can get cold weather. Moreover all of those time periods have another risk if you are from the north which you usually do not face in May, Oct or Nov before Thanksgiving week: your flight might be cancelled because of snow. Last week of April is the same as May but point cost is high.

As to Hilton Head, we have not actually been to the DVC resort but we have been in Hilton Head before in spring time, summer and fall. Best time is mid-Sep through first two weeks of Nov. Weather is usually still in the 80s, evenings are pleasant, water remains warm and HH crowds are not heavy but everything is still open.

 

[blueferral]

I am taking the wife to HHI for her birthday in December. We lucked out last year was in the 80s. Never know though. Anywho, she will get to walk on the beach for her birthday and it costs almost no points in December .

We live 2.5 hours from HHI. We will be at AKL week after next so she can have her tea and watch the giraffes. I'm going trick or treating at MK

 

[Conan the Librarian]

Here in the low country, it can be 80 deg at New Years, it can be 4 degs.

Good luck at predicting which you will get.

Being near the ocean, the temps do moderate from 20 miles inland, but, not by much.

 

[Dean]

I am taking the wife to HHI for her birthday in December. We lucked out last year was in the 80s. Never know though. Anywho, she will get to walk on the beach for her birthday and it costs almost no points in December .

We live 2.5 hours from HHI. We will be at AKL week after next so she can have her tea and watch the giraffes. I'm going trick or treating at MK

Not only does it cost less using DVC points, everything costs less. One can get a condo for a month for well under $1000 dollars.