*HHI Owners and Beach Lovers Group Thread*

[cristen72]

Could anyone there now snap pics of the current food and drink menus? Thanks!

 

[hhisc16]

Could anyone there now snap pics of the current food and drink menus? Thanks!

We were just at DHHIR on 1/2 and 1/3.
There were a few seasonal items for Breakfast and Lunch menus at Tide Me Over. (The traditional items were there as well.)
Beach House menu was very limited and I think they run seasonal hours for Jan.
I will try to upload a picture of the menu sheet, but I have not had luck in the past.
.
Just a FYI, Christmas decorations were beginning to come down as we were leaving.

After visiting WDW, DHHIR was a relaxing stay!

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Just a FYI, Christmas decorations were beginning to come down as we were leaving.

Thank you for this! Sad to hear they were being removed so soon (for us, haha!), but it helps to have a timeline for future trips.

 

[kniquy]

I booked a few days at the beginning of August because my family needs a road trip from MA.

I have a few questions for the HHI experts-

1. Fireworks - I keep reading about Tuesday night fireworks - Where is the best place to view the? Is it something walking distance from the resort?

2. Bikes: I have read a few things about bikes not always being available. How does the bike rental at the resort work? Is it strictly by the day? or can you rent for the duration of your trip? Do they come with bike locks incase we venture off and need to lock them up?

3. Breakfast/French place at Shelter cove: We usually love french type pastries etc how is the place at shelter cove?

4. For foodies - best dinners - We are definite foodies and love a great restaurant. I know there are tons around but which ones are the hidden gems. We actually aren't big seafood so staying away from that and leaning more towards a great steak is what we would be into.

5. Parking - What is parking like around HHI- is it public paid parking with use of credit card or private cash type lots ?

6. Day trip to Savannah - It sounds like Savannah is just about an hour away - worth it for a day trip? Ever done the Trolley tour? Any other great things to see there.

Ok that was a lot of questions and I am sure I will have more. Thanks for the info!
Nicole

 

[sleepydog25]

I booked a few days at the beginning of August because my family needs a road trip from MA.

I have a few questions for the HHI experts-

1. Fireworks - I keep reading about Tuesday night fireworks - Where is the best place to view the? Is it something walking distance from the resort?

2. Bikes: I have read a few things about bikes not always being available. How does the bike rental at the resort work? Is it strictly by the day? or can you rent for the duration of your trip? Do they come with bike locks incase we venture off and need to lock them up?

3. Breakfast/French place at Shelter cove: We usually love french type pastries etc how is the place at shelter cove?

4. For foodies - best dinners - We are definite foodies and love a great restaurant. I know there are tons around but which ones are the hidden gems. We actually aren't big seafood so staying away from that and leaning more towards a great steak is what we would be into.

5. Parking - What is parking like around HHI- is it public paid parking with use of credit card or private cash type lots ?

6. Day trip to Savannah - It sounds like Savannah is just about an hour away - worth it for a day trip? Ever done the Trolley tour? Any other great things to see there.

Ok that was a lot of questions and I am sure I will have more. Thanks for the info!
Nicole

1. You can see the fireworks on premises from two particularly good locations: a) the point at the far end of the resort near building 31. Get there early. You can also get great views from Tide Me Over, but it will likely be a bit crowded. There are points in between those two areas where you can grab some very good views, too, such as the little hammock/swing area between Bldg 31 and 29.
2. You can rent bikes by the week from the resort. The restriction with them is you can't reserve them until you arrive. If you want to be sure to have bikes the length of your stay, you'd be better off renting from an offsite company.
3. The Hilton Head Social Bakery is very good...and pricey. Expect to wait in line for 15+ minutes during busy times.
4. We prefer fresh seafood, so can't help you here.
5. Parking is free around HHI and Bluffton. The only cost you might entail is driving into Sea Pines which charges $9 per car per day.
6. Savannah is only about an hour away, and it's a fun day trip. I don't know that I'd do a trolley tour so much as parking somewhere (they DO charge for parking garages) and just walking.

 

[ladyelizabeth]

6. Day trip to Savannah - It sounds like Savannah is just about an hour away - worth it for a day trip? Ever done the Trolley tour? Any other great things to see there.

I would definitely recommend going to Savannah! Granted I'm biased since I used to live there. lol

Definitely walking around and getting a vibe is awesome. I have taken family on the haunted tour in a horse drawn carriage (I can't remember the company), which they enjoyed. The food is amazing. I love The Pie Society and Zunzi's (recommend ordering online first and picking up, if the line is huge!). Pirate House is also a fun restaurant. But probably the best restaurant is Vic's on the River.

Definitely go to the Savannah Candy Kitchen for some sweets! And Leopold's for ice cream.

 

[emilymad]

6. Day trip to Savannah - It sounds like Savannah is just about an hour away - worth it for a day trip? Ever done the Trolley tour? Any other great things to see there.

I like the Trolley tour. It isn't a must but in August it is sooo hot so it is nice to get a break from the walking. I think most of them let you use it as a hop on/hop off as well.

 

[bobbiwoz]

In February we expect to do a Savannah River lunch cruise. They also have a Harbor cruise. If we do it, I will report here.

Savannah is beautiful! We have done the trolley tour and also one was centered on Paula Deen and cuisine. I love Savannah type food!

 

[hhisc16]

Direct HHI prices going to $155 per point on 1/20 according to DVC Fan!

 

[hhisc16]

Cool picture of frozen areas at DHHIR on the morning of 1/23!

 

[kwdw]

Question - I'm thinking of booking here for a 3-5 night solo stay in March or April. I just want a "get away" with some activities available (like I'll do a resort activity sometimes), some reading a book on the beach time, go to the pool, maybe rent a bike one day, and well, down time. I admit as much as I want it to be a no-work vacation, I will likely need decent internet for a handful of meetings I can't escape from. I don't want a super busy feeling place. What do you see as a reason for picking this DISNEY property vs. another place at Hilton Head? (I'd probably rent points - maybe even a 1 bedroom because cooking is fun for me.) And why do you love Hilton Head, vs say Virginia Beach or Florida beaches?

So - the story is this - I was a frequent solo WDW traveler with an AP from out of state with a cheap flight to Orlando. I used WDW as quick 3-5 night getaways for me (leaving my partner at home since he has less vacation) for several years. Now I'm looking for some alternative choices along the East Coast for those "me trips" that combine the ability to do nothing - but have activities right there if I want them. And safe/not too remote for a solo, female traveler. There are beaches closer to home, but frankly, they are dead in terms of activities unless you are going in peak season. All the changes at WDW with the nickel and diming you to death for things that used to be free - I need a break. (I actually looked at Universal and that's a possibility, too, but I'm not into big thrill rides, so not so sure about that)

Basically - what brings you to Disney's HHI resort (besides owning DVC points, which I don't)?

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Question - I'm thinking of booking here for a 3-5 night solo stay in March or April. I just want a "get away" with some activities available (like I'll do a resort activity sometimes), some reading a book on the beach time, go to the pool, maybe rent a bike one day, and well, down time. I admit as much as I want it to be a no-work vacation, I will likely need decent internet for a handful of meetings I can't escape from. I don't want a super busy feeling place. What do you see as a reason for picking this DISNEY property vs. another place at Hilton Head? (I'd probably rent points - maybe even a 1 bedroom because cooking is fun for me.) And why do you love Hilton Head, vs say Virginia Beach or Florida beaches?

So - the story is this - I was a frequent solo WDW traveler with an AP from out of state with a cheap flight to Orlando. I used WDW as quick 3-5 night getaways for me (leaving my partner at home since he has less vacation) for several years. Now I'm looking for some alternative choices along the East Coast for those "me trips" that combine the ability to do nothing - but have activities right there if I want them. And safe/not too remote for a solo, female traveler. There are beaches closer to home, but frankly, they are dead in terms of activities unless you are going in peak season. All the changes at WDW with the nickel and diming you to death for things that used to be free - I need a break. (I actually looked at Universal and that's a possibility, too, but I'm not into big thrill rides, so not so sure about that)

Basically - what brings you to Disney's HHI resort (besides owning DVC points, which I don't)?

The DHHIR is so different from WDW. It is much more relaxing but has activities for people of all ages. There is so much to do from biking to kayaking to reading in a hammock to hanging out on the balcony to enjoying the amazing restaurants to doing a nature hike to walking on the beach to bird/wildlife watching, etc. My DH and I thought about going to WDW for a more slow-paced trip each year once I retired (using an AP to just go into the parks for a couple hours each day), but I'm like you, the nickel and diming is too much and then when we thought about just doing a resort stay at WDW, we were like why not just go to HHI again instead? It's closer and we love it. So now instead of a trip to HHI and a trip to WDW each year, we are planning on two trips to HHI instead. You say you aren't into thrill rides. Are you into nature? To me, that's the main difference between HHI and WDW. Unless you are the WL or FW, there's not a lot of nature at WDW. On the other hand, HHI is full of nature! I love all of HHI, but I do enjoy staying at the Disney resort. The CMs are amazing!!! The location is awesome. The resort is such a quaint little place that's on a tiny island all by itself and is across from a beautiful marina. To get there, you must cross a short bridge and go through a gate. As a female, I would feel totally safe staying there for a solo trip. Good luck making a decision, but I feel if you give DHHIR a try, you will fall in love!

 

[kwdw]

The DHHIR is so different from WDW. It is much more relaxing but has activities for people of all ages. There is so much to do from biking to kayaking to reading in a hammock to hanging out on the balcony to enjoying the amazing restaurants to doing a nature hike to walking on the beach to bird/wildlife watching, etc. My DH and I thought about going to WDW for a more slow-paced trip each year once I retired (using an AP to just go into the parks for a couple hours each day), but I'm like you, the nickel and diming is too much and then when we thought about just doing a resort stay at WDW, we were like why not just go to HHI again instead? It's closer and we love it. So now instead of a trip to HHI and a trip to WDW each year, we are planning on two trips to HHI instead. You say you aren't into thrill rides. Are you into nature? To me, that's the main difference between HHI and WDW. Unless you are the WL or FW, there's not a lot of nature at WDW. On the other hand, HHI is full of nature! I love all of HHI, but I do enjoy staying at the Disney resort. The CMs are amazing!!! The location is awesome. The resort is such a quaint little place that's on a tiny island all by itself and is across from a beautiful marina. To get there, you must cross a short bridge and go through a gate. As a female, I would feel totally safe staying there for a solo trip. Good luck making a decision, but I feel if you give DHHIR a try, you will fall in love!

Thanks! Nature is great! I love walking around for a handful of miles each day and definitely can sit around an watch bird even though I have zero skill at identifying them. While I would rent a car from the airport, can you walk anywhere off the little resort and get to dining or tourist shops? Or do you pretty much have to get in your car?

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thanks! Nature is great! I love walking around for a handful of miles each day and definitely can sit around an watch bird even though I have zero skill at identifying them. While I would rent a car from the airport, can you walk anywhere off the little resort and get to dining or tourist shops? Or do you pretty much have to get in your car?

Shelter cove is very walkable and has restaurants.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Thanks! Nature is great! I love walking around for a handful of miles each day and definitely can sit around an watch bird even though I have zero skill at identifying them. While I would rent a car from the airport, can you walk anywhere off the little resort and get to dining or tourist shops? Or do you pretty much have to get in your car?

There are several restaurants close by within walking distance. My DH and I also like to ride our bikes to nearby restaurants. You say you like to cook. There is a Kroger near the resort. If you rent a bike, you will have a basket that will hold a few food items. It's an easy bike ride between the resort and Kroger and back.

 

[sleepydog25]

Expanding upon DisneyStarWisher's great recommendations, HHI is very walkable, bikable, or drivable. As mentioned, Shelter Cove Marina is mere minutes away by foot (5-10 depending on your room location at the resort), and there are restaurants and shops there. Hop on your bike, and the Shelter Cove Town Centre is also just 5 or so minutes away with even more restaurants, shops, Kroger, and Whole Foods. There is also a park there that sits on the marsh. Jump in your car, and the entire island is open for you with dozens upon dozens of restaurants and all manners of shopping, entertainment, and nature options. For the latter, Jarvis Creek Park is 10-15 minute drive or Pinckney Nature Preserve is another 5 or so minutes past that.

Naturally, the beach is close. A mere 1.5 miles from the main resort lies Disney's stand-alone Beach House open from 9-5 (or longer during the summer), and you can get there via the free Disney shuttle that runs every 20 minutes or so from 10-5. Or you can bike over and get there in 15 minutes. You can walk that same route, as well, or drive your vehicle--the parking pass you will get when you check in allows you access to the Beach House parking lot, too. I enjoy stopping at Starbucks (on the way to Kroger), then heading over to the Beach House early and walking on the beach.

The resort itself is lovely, serene, and a place to simply unwind. If you need to do some work, the wi-fi there is overall good--guests are always conducting meetings or their kids are taking online classes with little to no issue. Sit on your balcony and watch nature or listen to the breeze in the tops of the trees. There are plenty of hammocks scattered around the property, along with a handful of propane grills or regular charcoal grills. Should you wish to cook in your room, and in addition to Kroger and Whole Foods (and Fresh Market, Publix, and Harris Teeter all within a short drive) there are a couple of very good, fresh seafood markets: Barnacle Bill's (5 minute drive) and Bennie Hudson's Seafood (10-15 minute drive).

One final note, if you're planning on booking a 1BR, then your odds will be lower since there are currently only 20 of them on property, 16 of which are in the main Lodge (Bldg 11) or its adjoining Bldg 12. The majority of rooms at HHI are 2BRs, so just be prepared to have to rent extra points. HHI is a very relaxing resort, and as mentioned, the best CMs work there. You will feel that old Disney magic without the hustle and bustle of the parks or rides. Enjoy!

 

[kwdw]

Thank you everyone who posted to tell me more about the place! Sounds perfect for what I am looking for! Off to start to find the right balance of when can I get off work, pay this much for a plane ticket/rental car and find availability/points to rent! DHHIR here I come! Sometime soon….

 

[hhisc16]

Question - I'm thinking of booking here for a 3-5 night solo stay in March or April. I just want a "get away" with some activities available (like I'll do a resort activity sometimes), some reading a book on the beach time, go to the pool, maybe rent a bike one day, and well, down time. I admit as much as I want it to be a no-work vacation, I will likely need decent internet for a handful of meetings I can't escape from. I don't want a super busy feeling place. What do you see as a reason for picking this DISNEY property vs. another place at Hilton Head? (I'd probably rent points - maybe even a 1 bedroom because cooking is fun for me.) And why do you love Hilton Head, vs say Virginia Beach or Florida beaches?

So - the story is this - I was a frequent solo WDW traveler with an AP from out of state with a cheap flight to Orlando. I used WDW as quick 3-5 night getaways for me (leaving my partner at home since he has less vacation) for several years. Now I'm looking for some alternative choices along the East Coast for those "me trips" that combine the ability to do nothing - but have activities right there if I want them. And safe/not too remote for a solo, female traveler. There are beaches closer to home, but frankly, they are dead in terms of activities unless you are going in peak season. All the changes at WDW with the nickel and diming you to death for things that used to be free - I need a break. (I actually looked at Universal and that's a possibility, too, but I'm not into big thrill rides, so not so sure about that)

Basically - what brings you to Disney's HHI resort (besides owning DVC points, which I don't)?

If you are interested in booking at DHHIR without DVC points, you can use the website. (Best luck is within 60 days of arrival date.) https://hiltonhead.disney.go.com/
As sleepydog25 says, the BEST cast members in the Disney company are at DHHIR!

 

[sun_seekin]

Has anyone seen any leaks of what the new room renovations look like? We have a grand villa booked for July and hoping to get a renovated room!

 

[sun_seekin]

The DHHIR is so different from WDW. It is much more relaxing but has activities for people of all ages. There is so much to do from biking to kayaking to reading in a hammock to hanging out on the balcony to enjoying the amazing restaurants to doing a nature hike to walking on the beach to bird/wildlife watching, etc. My DH and I thought about going to WDW for a more slow-paced trip each year once I retired (using an AP to just go into the parks for a couple hours each day), but I'm like you, the nickel and diming is too much and then when we thought about just doing a resort stay at WDW, we were like why not just go to HHI again instead? It's closer and we love it. So now instead of a trip to HHI and a trip to WDW each year, we are planning on two trips to HHI instead. You say you aren't into thrill rides. Are you into nature? To me, that's the main difference between HHI and WDW. Unless you are the WL or FW, there's not a lot of nature at WDW. On the other hand, HHI is full of nature! I love all of HHI, but I do enjoy staying at the Disney resort. The CMs are amazing!!! The location is awesome. The resort is such a quaint little place that's on a tiny island all by itself and is across from a beautiful marina. To get there, you must cross a short bridge and go through a gate. As a female, I would feel totally safe staying there for a solo trip. Good luck making a decision, but I feel if you give DHHIR a try, you will fall in love!

I just wanted to add to this that the sunsets are the most beautiful I've ever seen! Ride bikes around Sea Pines and catch an evening sunset by the lighthouse!