Why Not Just Queue Up Another Disney Trip? Link to New TR 6/24 p136!

[MEK]

Continued........

After our visit with neptune we headed back to the direction of the car and I took this picture of someone getting interviewed.

I have no clue who this is or if its anyone important, but I'll post it anyway just in case

Check this out - palm trees in virginia beach. Really? They weren't just in pots like they are in Delaware, they were planted in the ground.

How do they survive the cold winters?????

So if there weren't any souvie shops on the boardwalk, exactly where were they? Well one street inland, of course. Seriously - how great is that????? No wonder people like Virginia Beach!

Oh Yeah - its been a LONG time since I've seen a funnel. Probably the last time I used one of those was when I was in a summer beach house.

This was a boogie board

No trip to a souvie shop is complete without sampling a little candy

And, of course, what beach town is complete without a haunted house?

We got back to the car about 30 seconds before our meter was going to expire. Phew! I did not want a "Parking War" experience. If you've never seen an episode of that show, all I can say is that it is CRAAAAA-ZY!

So we headed north and in a couple hours we were arriving at the Walmart in Salisbury. Once we left Virginia Beach I put the camera away for good. We picked up a few things for Brian and dropped them at the dorm. I also brought him a VA Beach T shirt and a coffee mug.

By the time we got home that evening it was close to 9pm

Great trip. I would do it again in a heart beat! Thanks for sticking with me while I wrote about W-Burg, Hampton, and Va Beach.

Up Next.......HHI!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MEK]

AKA.... Our Departure to Disney's HHI Resort

One of my dear DIS friends goes by the name of “2 excited to sleep”. Great name. How many of us feel exactly that way before a Disney trip or any other big trip? I know I do. I start to get those little butterflies in my stomach days before a trip. Unfortunately, sometimes my nerves get the best of me and I have REAL issues sleeping before a trip. It’s odd, because on most other nights I am asleep the second my head hits the pillow. But if I start worrying about sleeping, well my thoughts can go into overdrive and nothing is going to make me sleep.

So – are you surprised when I tell you that my departure to Disney’s HHI started after a near sleepless night? I had been anticipating, no dreading, the 12 hour drive and getting up at 4:30am. So when I went to bed at 10pm, I promptly woke up at 11:30pm when Denny came to bed and started blowing his nose of coughing or snoring or something. Once I reached a certain level of arousal, I knew it was all over. Yup – try as I might, I never really went back to sleep. I may have semi-dozed for ½ hour increments, but I was not to enter REM sleep again for the rest of the night. Fortunately for me the time passes quickly when I get into one of these modes and I have learned not to get anxious – just go with it and stay relaxed. So I got up and edited pictures for awhile and I played some cell phone games. Finally, shortly after 4am I got up (without the aide of my quaking duck alarm), made some coffee and packed the cooler.

Unfortunately, I felt really out of it and stumbled through the morning in a fog. I drove over to my GF’s (P’s) house by my expected arrival of 5:30am. Thankfully her husband helped us repack the cooler, which barely fit. I quickly realized that I seriously over packed for the length of our trip and the size of her car. Who is shocked that my Sherpa status would follow me on a car trip?

Once packed, we drove over to pick up GF #2 (L). And we were on the road shortly after 6am. Yes – I am certain we were the only car on that lonely stretch of 301 heading to the bay bridge. Because L lives right off of 301, we decided it would smarter to follow 301 all the way to Richmond. I didn’t think the DC traffic would be bad on a Sunday morning, but why take the chance. As it turns out 301 was a great choice and I would highly recommend it as an alternative to 95. We were entering the outskirts of Richmond in 3 ½ hours with one stop.

Our next stop was the NC/VA border. At this point I offered to take over driving. I knew with my lack of sleep there was no way I could drive AFTER lunch. I drove another 2 hours before we stopped for lunch at a Mc D’s in “sometown” NC. Notice I did not take any pictures. I just didn’t feel like it. I was just trying to stay calm and focused because I was concerned about my lack of sleep. We gassed up in NC and L took over driving. I managed to stay awake until we passed South of the Border.

Now this may surprise you, but prior to this trip I had never actually stepped foot in South Carolina or Georgia. I’ve flown over them too many times to count, but never driven through them. For those of you who don’t know, South of the Border is a really cheesy Americana landmark which is literally RIGHT over the SC border. Leading up to South of the Border there are literally hundreds of road signs announcing how far away you are.
I did manage, from the back seat, to get a few pictures.

And after that, I was done. I am still not sure if I actually went to sleep, but I closed my eyes and never opened them again until we were exiting off 95. From 95 I believe that HHI was still about another 45 or 50 miles. L was still at the wheel and she had done a remarkable job of shaving a full 20 minutes off the GPS’s arrival time. Once we got near the island we found a gas station/mini mart for a quick bio break. When we climbed out of the car we noticed that it had become “summer”. Seriously, the warm weather felt so luxurious. And invigorating. We could all officially become excited.
I took a few more pictures as we entered the island.

The intercostal

Welcome to Hilton Head

And finally, with the much needed help of the GPS, we arrived at Disney’s HHI resort.

Now, to be honest with you, the resort arrival wasn’t at all what I expected. I really thought it would be a lot like Vero Beach with the resort off on its own. It’s not. The resort is actually wedged in between a marina, a shopping / restaurant area, and the Broad Creek. I knew the resort was not on the beach, but I guess I thought it didn’t have as much around it.
There is also no entrance/guard gate. There is an intercom before the gate.

These flowers were near the gate

You call and tell them who you are and they welcomed the Kopp family home via the intercom. Then up went the gate and we parked right outside the resort. I did not do online check-in and it literally only took minutes to check us in. We did have two reservations that were linked together – the first night on points (32 points if anyone is interested) and the last 4 nights on that phenomenal cash rate of $150 night plus tax. I actually had to come back the next more to pay the cash rate balance and check out and in again.

So exactly how long did it take us to get to HHI from Delaware. Well, with four stops total we made it from door to door in 11 hours! But you know what the crazy part was? As much as I dreaded the drive, it really wasn't that bad. Granted, I was in zombie status, but I am used to driving in difficult situations with tons of traffic and entitled, crazy, rush hour drivers. This was a long ride, but it was efficient and we didn't encounter any traffic or @$$ hole drivers. Fluke? Maybe. Not to get ahead of myself, but the ride home wasn't bad either. Dare I say that the ride down was somewhat pleasant. Perhaps I just do better when I am surrounded by girls and we pass the time with "girl" talk. I don't know.

I took this picture on my phone at check-in. I just thought this Mickey in the lobby was so cute. While I was checking in, P and L grabbed some cookies and lemonade that were also in the lobby. I have a full array of lobby pictures coming with the next update.

I didn't take a picture of the outside of our building, but I can tell you our room number was 2222. It was a two bedroom villa on the second floor. Just an FYI - If you are heading to HHI keep in mind that there are no elevators. Picture three girls hauling their luggage and a cooler up the stairs. It was really the only unpleasant moment of the day. But we made it. Disney does provide carts for taking your luggage from the car to the villa, so that came in handy.

So, you want to see the villa???? Well, here are a few pictures.

MBR

Towel animal

Master Bath

Kitchen

Breakfast Nook

Wall in the living room area

Continued.......

 

[MEK]

Continued.....

Picture Near Entry way

Entry Way

Bench in Entry way

Second bedroom

Hooks in the second bedroom

Window in the second bedroom

View from the back porch

One of the things I forgot to mention was that the CM checking me in actually asked if I had a room request. I said I wanted to be near the pool, but not facing it, and facing the marsh. Picky, aren't I? Well, guess what. Our villa was perfect. It was 1 minute from the pool and I think the marsh view speaks for itself.

So, I'm going to take a break here.

Up Next - exploring the resort and our first evening in HHI!

 

[IheartDDuck]

Great pictures! I've never been to Hilton Head, let alone even going to South Carolina. That does stink that they didn't have elevators to get your stuff to your room though.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Wow - Mega Update!

Virginia Beach looks beautiful! I'm not sure what I expected of HHI but your pictures aren't what I expected... but very nice! I can't wait to hear about what you ladies did during your trip.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

This is a little late, but anyway here it is! To stay in one of the private houses look in the Williamsburg reservation section of their website. The houses are under Houses & Taverns in the lodging listings. It is expensive to stay there, but the experience is priceless if you are really wanting to immerse yourself in Williamsburg history.

HH looks so cool. I love just about any place that is near an ocean.
The only thing I didn't like about your room is the window between the bathroom & the bedroom. That would freak me out, I do realize that there are shutters, but really! I likes me privacy!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

WOW!!!

WOW!!!

Virginia Beach - great pictures!!! Love the Neptune. I remember going there years ago (might have been pre-kids) and it had recently been hit by a hurricane. Lots of the hotels were closed and boarded, etc. Clearly they have made a good comeback!!! We'll have to go again on our next trip to VA.


HHI - Yeah, I'm sold!!!! I am SO going there!!! You said the weather was good in October? Could be a good Fall Break trip for us - maybe 2013 since 2012 will be WDW.

 

[Poolrat]

IMy parents inform me that they actually had to remove me from the tours because I would point to the candles in every room and shout, "Fire! Fire! Fire!"

You were trained well.





MEK - great pictures of both VA beach and HHI. I look forward to hearing all about HHI and all the fun.

South of the Border - you mean you didn't stop to shop?

It is so funny to see all the signs and all the hype and then..... that. I am sure in it's heyday it was just as tacky but a novelty of sorts.

I think girls car trip go much faster than family car trips.

 

[LilAnn]

South of the Border! I have heard about that place and to be honest, that is a reason that my husband wants to do the drive fown to FL one year. I have nixed that idea as the drive to Northern. VA alone is about 8 hours.

The room looks cute, not exactly what I expected, but not bad, either. Can't wait to see what HHI looks like.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

It definitely would be fun to have a closer Disney presence in the Northeast, but you're right, it does get too cold! How funny that the timeshare people backed off RIGHT away when you'd mention DVC!

I really had absolutely no idea what to expect from your HHI pictures - it looks very nice! I love the little Disney details, like the Mickey and Minnie carved in the bench. Can't wait to see the rest of the resort!

 

[dawnbu40]

Wow 2 long updates! You are a dedicated Disser!

Your Virgina Beach pictures are great! I really like the ones of Neptune!

As for HHI I love the little Disney touches. The "mickey + minnie" is too cute!

 

[littlezar]

You are such a fantastic writer/photographer! I feel like I'm practically on the trips with you!

Love seeing your pics of Virginia Beach. Right around Thanksgiving to just after New Years they set up the Holiday Lights at the Beach and you drive your car on the boardwalk for 30-35 blocks. The light displays are on both the beach and the hotel side. Love going but unfortunately I am no where remotely near the photographer you are so don't expect pics!

HHI looks just lovely. So relaxing. I totally need a vacation!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Wow! I want a DVC resort near me so I can go check in for a few days and relax.

Those are great pictures and I just love the Mickey & Minnie heart on the bench, how sweet.

 

[MEK]

Great pictures! I've never been to Hilton Head, let alone even going to South Carolina.

You and me both, baby - until this trip! I really enjoyed South Carolina. I could definitely see myself as a southern bell.

QUOTE=IheartDDuck;43144360]That does stink that they didn't have elevators to get your stuff to your room though. [/QUOTE]

I'm not sure why they made that decision, but the only thing I can think of was to save space. Disney did not have a lot of space alotted to them to construct this resort and everything is pretty compact. It may have also been a conscious decision to add to the rustic feel of the resort.

BTW - I have been reading your July TR and I am really enjoying it. Plan to read somemore tonight!

Wow - Mega Update!

Secret - I did a lot of the writing part at work yesterday , so I was able to get more done last night!

Virginia Beach looks beautiful! I'm not sure what I expected of HHI but your pictures aren't what I expected... but very nice! I can't wait to hear about what you ladies did during your trip.

Glad you like VA Beach. I would love to stay there for a weekend in the offseason when it isn't quite so pricey.

Did you expect HHI to look more beachy? It really is not. You would never know there was a beach until you got right to it. It is very different geopgraphy from anything I've seen. It's flat and there are pine trees, but the predominanat foliage is the live oak covered with spanish moss. I loved it!

I'll have my links all ready for you when you come back so you will have some easy reading!

This is a little late, but anyway here it is! To stay in one of the private houses look in the Williamsburg reservation section of their website. The houses are under Houses & Taverns in the lodging listings. It is expensive to stay there, but the experience is priceless if you are really wanting to immerse yourself in Williamsburg history.

I bet it is expensive to stay there, but what a treat. I wonder if Denny would like that. I will definitely look into it. thanks!

So - you'll like this - the ladies and I had such a great time in HHI that we are trying to plan a long weekend trip this spring. At first we thought NYC, but now we are thinking W-burg because of the wide array of lodging options, dining options, shopping options, and touring. So, I might get back to the colonial district sooner than I thought!

HH looks so cool. I love just about any place that is near an ocean.
The only thing I didn't like about your room is the window between the bathroom & the bedroom. That would freak me out, I do realize that there are shutters, but really! I likes me privacy!

Well - actually you can't tell from my photos but the bathroom is actually two rooms - one has a sink, shower, and toilet. That has two full doors, one of which opens to the living room area. The other door opens to that room with the jacuzzi tub and the window. There is another door that closes that off from the bedroom. I guess they thought people might want to look out the window from the jacuzzi. I tried it in Vero and it was actually hard to see all the way to the window, but it does let a lot of natural light in. So, its actually more private than it looks.

WOW!!!

WOW!!!

Virginia Beach - great pictures!!! Love the Neptune. I remember going there years ago (might have been pre-kids) and it had recently been hit by a hurricane. Lots of the hotels were closed and boarded, etc. Clearly they have made a good comeback!!! We'll have to go again on our next trip to VA.

Thanks! I'm pretty happy with my VA Beach pics. My pics always get better at the end of a trip! It's a beautiful boardwalk and we clearly just scratched the surface. But from what I saw - just lovely!

HHI - Yeah, I'm sold!!!! I am SO going there!!! You said the weather was good in October? Could be a good Fall Break trip for us - maybe 2013 since 2012 will be WDW.

And when you go - if you can go late October, like we did, the member cash rate is amazing. You might be able to keep some of your points in the bank. The resort is mostly 2BR villas from what I'm told, but I'm sure you could get a 1BR at 7 month out. It was definitely off season.

As far as the weather - 80 degrees and sunny every day and the nights were lovely. Only needed a jacket a couple times. The sun was so warm and the swimming was great. I absolutely loved the weather - just perfect!

You were trained well.

Reminds me of when I was about 5, I used to use the "potty" trick when I was bored in church. My mom caught on to that real fast!

:MEK - great pictures of both VA beach and HHI. I look forward to hearing all about HHI and all the fun.

Thanks. I hope to do another update this weekend so I can finish out our first day at the resort. I took a lot of pics and there is a little friend I want everyone to meet!

South of the Border - you mean you didn't stop to shop?

It is so funny to see all the signs and all the hype and then..... that. I am sure in it's heyday it was just as tacky but a novelty of sorts.

No shopping or stopping on the way down, but we may have stopped there on the way back.........you'll have to stick around to find out.

That place is totally tacky. It reminds me of the late 60's/ early 70's. I could totally see the Brady Bunch going there and staying in the hotel!

I think girls car trip go much faster than family car trips.

Yes - traveling in the cars is more preferable than traveling long distances with my DH (sorry Denny). It was quiet. No loud or annoying music allowed. And the little side conversations and gossip kept everyone amused!

 

[MEK]

South of the Border! I have heard about that place and to be honest, that is a reason that my husband wants to do the drive fown to FL one year. I have nixed that idea as the drive to Northern. VA alone is about 8 hours.

The thought of driving from NH to Florida gives me hives! Seriously, if I lived there I would never ever think about driving. I think Delaware is about as far north as anyone should live for a half way sane drive to Florida.

Seeing south of the border in all its glory is definitely worth that many hours in the car! Keep right on nixing that idea!

The room looks cute, not exactly what I expected, but not bad, either. Can't wait to see what HHI looks like.

The room is very "rustic". It's supposed to be in keeping with the island, which is very "earthy". It's a very interesting place with all the marshes and all the live oak and Spanish moss. At first I looked at the room and thought "meh", but it really grew on during the stay. I bet during the heat of summer the dark room probably feels great. Of all the villas I've stayed at, it reminded me the most of VWL with its rustic feel.

It definitely would be fun to have a closer Disney presence in the Northeast, but you're right, it does get too cold! How funny that the timeshare people backed off RIGHT away when you'd mention DVC!

Maybe they need a DVC in Virginia Beach. There are already palm trees there! What do ya think?

Yes - if you ever want to excape a timeshare pitch make sure you say loud and clear, "Thanks, but I already belong to the Disney Vacation Club". Works like a charm!

I really had absolutely no idea what to expect from your HHI pictures - it looks very nice! I love the little Disney details, like the Mickey and Minnie carved in the bench. Can't wait to see the rest of the resort!

The Disney details were such a warm and welcoming presence. I loved the resort and I bet there is no other resort like it on HHI!

Wow 2 long updates! You are a dedicated Disser!

Yes - that' me, Miss Dedicated Diser! I was just really determined to get up to a HHI update. And I did it! Yeah!

Your Virgina Beach pictures are great! I really like the ones of Neptune!

Thanks! I think the ones of Neptune turned out pretty well and I am still amazed at the size of that statue! Ginormous!

As for HHI I love the little Disney touches. The "mickey + minnie" is too cute!

There were cute little disney touches everywhere. The villa reminded me most of VWL with a side of POR ( the non-mansion section, forget what its called).

That micky and minnie heart was so cute. Loved it!

You are such a fantastic writer/photographer! I feel like I'm practically on the trips with you!

Gee thanks! That is such a nice compliment! I am very glad you are enjoying this TR so far.

Love seeing your pics of Virginia Beach. Right around Thanksgiving to just after New Years they set up the Holiday Lights at the Beach and you drive your car on the boardwalk for 30-35 blocks. The light displays are on both the beach and the hotel side. Love going but unfortunately I am no where remotely near the photographer you are so don't expect pics!

I heard the Christmas lights are amazing. My husband took my older son there for a soccer tournament several years ago. They stayed right on the boardwalk and were very impressed with the lights. It's something I would love to see sometime. It sounds awesome!

HHI looks just lovely. So relaxing. I totally need a vacation!

That is the perfect word to describe HHI - RELAXING! It really, truly was a relaxing environment! I definitely recommend it as a vacation destination!

 

[MEK]

Wow! I want a DVC resort near me so I can go check in for a few days and relax.

Seriously - we all need a neighborhood Disney resort for just that kind of thing! It adds so much to the whole vacation experience!

Those are great pictures and I just love the Mickey & Minnie heart on the bench, how sweet.

I agree. I loved seeing that little carving in the bench in the entrance way. I am sure there were hidden Mickeys all over the resort which I did not see. Unfortunately, I missed several of the tours due to other touring! Oh well - just another reason to go back.

 

[Lady Lallie]

I just saw your ticker! You are taking your nephews? Is the same nephew you took awhile back going? I cant' remember his name but he was such a cutie and had a good time!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I get the "too excited to sleeps" as well. I guess it's the knowing that you have to be up at a certain time and you're afraid to go into a deep sleep and miss the wait up time.

Glad to hear that the drive to Hilton Head was an uneventful one. I'd much rather have a boring ride rather than one with road construction, accidents, etc.

The resort room and grounds are gorgeous! I love the decor and the Mickey & Minnie carved into the bench.

 

[jenjolt]

What an amazing update Mary Ellen!! The room at HHI looks amazing! I so would love to visit there some day!! What a great view and a great room!!!!

I'm really looking forward to seeing more of HH!!!!!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Final thoughts on Williamsburg……. Well, I think you can tell from my TR that I absolutely adored my short trip to W-Burg.

Thanks for the tour! I definitely want to get there someday.

Ahem. That's not a "boardwalk".

I love these next two pictures. I don't know which one I like better, so I will post both.

I like the first one. A little more contrast between the light/dark areas.

Up next is a rather iconic statue located along the boardwalk....

Beware the wrath of my turtle!

Check this out - palm trees in virginia beach. Really? They weren't just in pots like they are in Delaware, they were planted in the ground.

Pots? I thought ours were all plastic.

I didn’t think the DC traffic would be bad on a Sunday morning, but why take the chance. As it turns out 301 was a great choice and I would highly recommend it as an alternative to 95. We were entering the outskirts of Richmond in 3 ½ hours with one stop.

That's making great time. We took 301 around DC on a trip to Myrtle Beach as well and thought it was a good way to go. The traffic lights on the Maryland side can get annoying, but once you cross the Potomac it's clear sailing to I-95!

Leading up to South of the Border there are literally hundreds of road signs announcing how far away you are.
I did manage, from the back seat, to get a few pictures.

This may surprise you, but I've never had the guts to stop there. I think I'm going to have to one of these days. It's just so over-the-top tacky. Like a train wreck, you can't look away.

HHI looks very nice! The theme seems very Wilderness Lodge-y, which of course puts it right up my alley.