[DisneyTeacher]

We're thinking about going to Hilton Head next summer instead of WDW. However, we know nothing about HHI or SC so we need some information. I'm guessing the resort is beautiful, it's Disney so it has to be nice. Is there a part of the resort we should request? How far is the beach from the resort? How often does the bus run? If we rent bikes where can we ride? How hot is it in the summer?

I also need information about the area. We will have kids ages 21-9 with us, what is there for them to do? Any must do family restaurants we need to be sure to hit? I'm pretty sure we're driving so we're open to places that are not just at the resort. I do know we want to take a day trip to Savannah and go to Paula Deen's restaurant and see that area.

Any information you have will help. Keep your fingers crossed we can get in at 7 months out, I'm a bit worried about that.

[Cincy]

DT, I grew up in Savannah so I can help you with things to do there. We have been to HH, but never to the DVC. We did drive by, but did not stop. We rented bikes and rode them all over HH. They even rented smaller bikes for our kids.

My list of favorite restaurants:
Mrs Wilkes
Pirate House
Elizabeth on 37th
Spanky's
If you are headed out to Tybee Island, you have to stop at The Crab Shack.

Here is a neat link to Savannah

Savannah Images Slideshow - 50 Reasons to Visit

I am sure Bella and others can help with HH.

[DisneyTeacher]

Thanks Cincy! I'm gathering as much information as I can hoping to book at 7 months out. I've hear HH is hard to get into so we may have to skip it. Worst case--we're headed back to WDW, that's a pretty good worst case.

Off to check out the link.

[hanwill]

It is a great area. It is hot, but it is the south... I will think of things to do there-there is a ton. You can ride bikes inside Sea Pines plantation forever. You will love this vacation!

[Andrea]

Our rule is that you have to have an ice cream at the Coligny Deli.

I don't know anything about the Disney resort itself- I've just stayed in a condo in another area of the island. We simply load everything up and take it to the beach every day, and then spend the next 8 hours watching the kids swim and play while eating mango salsa and sipping coconut rum and pineapple juice. (We have 5 kids between us: "If you can count to 5, you can have another drink!")

[iluvwdw]

I have heard the resort is beautiful! I've never been there, but good luck getting your ressie 7 months out.

Andrea, I LOVE that..."If you can count to five, you can have another drink." AWESOME!!!!!

[alilmagical32]

I LOVE HHI. Driving there is nuts though! There are traffic circles everywhere and if you accidently get off at the wrong exit in the circle you seem to always end up in a gated community! Nothing is commercial-- no neon signs or flashy lights. Building look very natural and there are alot of restrictions about what can be built.

I've been there for three different vacations and always had a great time, though I have never stayed at the DVC resort. As far as I know you can bike almost everywhere! We stayed sorta of on the end and always biked more than we drove.

I'm sure Bella will be able to offer you more insight, but I hope you can get in it will be a nice relaxing vacation!

[cinderbella]

DT I was born and raised on Hilton Head so I can help you in any way. I won't post here because I would write a novel but feel free to use me as a resource!

[DisneyTeacher]

Originally Posted by Andrea

"If you can count to 5, you can have another drink!")

We love that rule and we only have 4 kids between our 2 families so we can drink a lot more than you.

[DisneyTeacher]

Originally Posted by cinderbella

DT I was born and raised on Hilton Head so I can help you in any way. I won't post here because I would write a novel but feel free to use me as a resource!

I was hoping you would come along. I won't pick your brain too much until I know we can get in. Once I book I'm going to be nuts trying to gather as much info as I can. We need restaurants (we don't cook on vacation--ever) and things for our families to do. The kids all love going to the beach and just hanging out but we'll need a few things to do during the week.

[mickey]

I have stayed at the DVC resort twice. It is very similar to the WDW DVC resorts, though smaller. The rooms are very nicely done, and the resort is beautiful. There is a separate beach house across the highway. We have never taken the shuttle, but it seemed to run quite often. We rented bikes for the week our last trip, and just rode down there and back. It is only a 10 minute ride at most, and there are big bike lanes all the way down and back. You can also drive if you have a car, there is plenty of free parking there.

We also rode bike all around, there are great paths all around the island, separated for the most part from the road, so we were fine with our little kids riding.

Really a fun place to stay, very relaxing, as there isn't much to do other than golf. We would go again in a heart beat.

If you go to Savannah (and I would suggest it, only about 45 minutes away), go early. Paula's restaurant had a line down the block last time we were there, they said it was about a 2 hour wait, that was about noon.

[DisneyTeacher]

Originally Posted by alilmagical32

I LOVE HHI. Driving there is nuts though! There are traffic circles everywhere and if you accidently get off at the wrong exit in the circle you seem to always end up in a gated community! Nothing is commercial-- no neon signs or flashy lights. Building look very natural and there are alot of restrictions about what can be built.

No junk shops? What ever are the kids going to do w/o a tacky gift shop to shop in? Will we be able to find go carts? We always spend a night driving go carts and shopping in junk shops while we're at the beach and the kids love it. I don't care but the kids love it.

[cinderbella]

Originally Posted by DisneyTeacher

I was hoping you would come along. I won't pick your brain too much until I know we can get in. Once I book I'm going to be nuts trying to gather as much info as I can. We need restaurants (we don't cook on vacation--ever) and things for our families to do. The kids all love going to the beach and just hanging out but we'll need a few things to do during the week.

I got yah covered! I suggested a few places to BDavis when she went and I think she did one or two of them and they seemed to like them!
I used to babysit all the time at the DHHI when I was younger and got to know the land pretty well. It's a gorgeous resort right on the marsh and about a mile from the beach. It also sits on Shelter Cover Harbour which has a marina and has lots of shops and restaurants which are great. The condos were nice too..you'd expect them to be beachy but they are actually kind of like Wilderness Lodge. I went there a few years ago for a short day trip and posted some pictures...I;ll have to look for it.

[DisneyTeacher]

Originally Posted by mickey

I have stayed at the DVC resort twice. It is very similar to the WDW DVC resorts, though smaller. The rooms are very nicely done, and the resort is beautiful. There is a separate beach house across the highway. We have never taken the shuttle, but it seemed to run quite often. We rented bikes for the week our last trip, and just rode down there and back. It is only a 10 minute ride at most, and there are big bike lanes all the way down and back. You can also drive if you have a car, there is plenty of free parking there.

We also rode bike all around, there are great paths all around the island, separated for the most part from the road, so we were fine with our little kids riding.

Really a fun place to stay, very relaxing, as there isn't much to do other than golf. We would go again in a heart beat.

If you go to Savannah (and I would suggest it, only about 45 minutes away), go early. Paula's restaurant had a line down the block last time we were there, they said it was about a 2 hour wait, that was about noon.

That sounds wonderful and relaxing. After 8 trips to WDW in 6 years a quiet relaxing vacation sounds perfect.

Thanks for the tip about Paula's restaurant, we'll be sure to go early.

I like the bike idea, it sounds fun and so different from home.

[cinderbella]

Originally Posted by DisneyTeacher

No junk shops? What ever are the kids going to do w/o a tacky gift shop to shop in? Will we be able to find go carts? We always spend a night driving go carts and shopping in junk shops while we're at the beach and the kids love it. I don't care but the kids love it.

No junk shops. HH is more like a resort island than a beach town. I'm not sure about go-carts either..