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Post by wdw1972 on Apr 29, 2024 17:34:06 GMT -5
Who/When/Where:
Who: Sue (65), DVC Member
SB (66), my husband
Dates: April 30 – May 5, 2024
Resort: Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort
Experience: Very Experienced – 30th stay at Hilton Head
INTRODUCTION:
If it’s getting to be early May, it must be time for the annual trip to Hilton Head! This year it’ll be just the 2 of us. Last year my childhood best friend Linda & her husband joined us, which worked out well since they stayed elsewhere, and we weren’t joined at the hip. This year Linda is in the early stages of another new job and could not take vacation time so soon. I wouldn’t ever say so to her, but I’m looking forward to not having anyone else here this time – we can just chill and not have to think about what someone else might want. Although, I do wish our good friend Pete was still alive, and traveling with Pete & Judy was a pleasure, with no stress or negatives.
Historically we did this trip a week later, but eventually I got tired of dealing with a couple things. We usually came Wednesday through Monday, and quite often Sunday was Mother’s Day. My mom passed away a long time ago, so that didn’t really matter to me until it became a nightmare getting into some of the restaurants. Our trip usually fell over Cinco de Mayo as well, and it was never an issue until last year – that became a second negative, with crazy crowds, noise to the point it was hard to have a conversation, etc. So, to combat all that I decided we’d move our trip up a week, and we’d make it Tuesday through Sunday. I have an important meeting every Tuesday at 8:30, which generally ends by 10. We’ll hit the road then. I typically meet with my direct reports at 2pm that afternoon, but my friend Holli will invite my people to her staff meeting to get the update of what was discussed at the 8:30 meeting. Sunday will be Cinco de Mayo, so it’s a perfect getaway day.
The only thing I booked in advance is the Comedy Magic Cabaret. I did it this past January with Holli and Vickie, and SB has done it a couple of times before. We were going to do it last May, but Linda felt it was too expensive, so we put it off until this year. Had she gone she’d probably think it was worth the money, but I’m not going to try to convince anyone to do something they don’t want to do, and it wasn’t a big deal for us to wait a year vs doing it without them last year.
As usual, we have a 1-bedroom villa booked – that’s the preferred unit when we travel together. The resort has completed the refurbishment so it’ll be nice to have brand new décor & furnishings. The main focus of this trip each year is the beach and the great Serg restaurants! Living in Gainesville for now, we have no beach – we’re 55 miles away from the nearest beach. The beach at Hilton Head is gorgeous! The weather should be ideal – nice and warm, but not humid or hot yet. By the end of May it’ll be awful (humid), hence the early May trip for us.
For restaurants we always start at Poseidon – I just love their pimento cheese w/naan bread. If SB doesn’t fuss, we may do that on the last night too! We have far more Serg favorites than we do days of the trip, and I cannot eat out more than once a day (too much food) so we’ll be limited. I’m thinking this trip we’ll visit Frankie Bones, Black Marlin and Skull Creek Dockside. Maybe if I give up a second Poseidon, we could add Top Dawg Tavern across the marina, but we’ll see. SB’s favorite is Frankie Bones (loves the spaghetti & meatballs) but he also really likes Poseidon.
My trips here with Holli & Vickie would include walking at various places, some shopping, but none of that is stuff SB likes to do. Maybe we’ll head over to Coligny at some point – I know Holli would like more of something she bought at one of the shops there. For walking I can do that on my own while SB lays on the bed watching tv – unless he surprises me (I won’t hold my breath on that, lol)!
During the past three years I’ve had the January trip with Holli & Vickie booked in addition to the May trip with SB. The sad reality is there won’t be a 4th January trip, as Vickie’s cancer has progressed to the point where that’s not a possibility. We don’t know if she’ll even be alive by January, but most certainly she wouldn’t be able to get to Hilton Head and enjoy another trip by then. As of right now she’s still feeling ok but she’s slowed down considerably (much more tired, less energy) and knows the change from good to bad will occur overnight at some point. SB & I won’t be back next May since we’re going to Alaska with Chris & Amanda (& cruise buddy Fran), so after this trip it may be 2 full years before we return – that’s a sobering and unpleasant reality. But, for now we need to focus on what we have vs what we don’t have!
The plans so far are:
Tuesday 4/30: Drive to HHI, Kroger, Poseidon
Wednesday 5/1: Beach, Restaurant
Thursday 5/2: Beach, Restaurant, Comedy Magic Cabaret
Friday 5/3: Beach, Restaurant
Saturday 5/4: Beach, Restaurant
Sunday 5/5: Hilton Head Diner, Drive to Gainesville
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Post by tomandrobin on Apr 30, 2024 7:29:43 GMT -5
Have a safe trip!
Hilton Head is the only DVC on the East Coast I have not visited. We will one day, after I retire and we make stopping there part of our drive south to Orlando.
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Post by disneyspaz on Apr 30, 2024 17:55:03 GMT -5
Following along. I love your trip reports.
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Post by wdw1972 on Apr 30, 2024 18:36:07 GMT -5
DAY 1 – Tuesday 4/30/24
Who: Sue (65), DVC Member
SB (66), my husband
Plan: Drive to HHI, Kroger, Poseidon
Actual: Today I worked until 10 and we were initially on the road by 10:09. However, I eventually realized I didn’t remember packing my glasses, which normally wouldn’t be an issue except that we have plans for the comedy show Thursday night. I’m not going to sit inside at night wearing prescription sunglasses & look like an idiot! I turned the car around and was happy I did when I found my glasses in their usual spot on the wine bar in the living room (behind something). We were back on the road at 10:21.
All was going well until SB needed “something to put on my stomach”. He’d napped at first and now we were about an hour into the drive. He suggested Burger King, so I pulled in there and he ordered a double whopper. That’s a monstrosity – not a little something, lol! I tried a bite from the edge, and it was pretty good, but I’ll save my appetite for Poseidon. When the whopper was almost gone, I decided to take one more bite, and a giant piece of mustard-coated raw onion fell right onto my WHITE skort. It was a bright yellow blotch around 2 inches long! I was afraid it would be ruined for good, but when he hit small town Florida and landed at a red light, I used napkins and bottled water to do the best I could. It was still hideous, but less bright.
Thankfully the rest of the drive was uneventful, although the traffic getting onto Hilton Head seemed heavier than normal. We parked outside Live Oak Lodge, since half the parking underneath is temporarily being used for construction materials. Upstairs we learned our 1-bedroom villa was ready! We’re right next door, but it’s connected via the walkway and very convenient to Big Murgie’s Den. We have a marsh view and one of the really long balconies.
I took pictures, with SB trying to get into most of them. We moved our stuff up from the car and then I did a better job cleaning the mustard spot on my skort using shampoo from the shower and the water in one of the bathroom sinks. That worked surprisingly well, so I can continue to wear it until the next real wash.
We took the cart back just after 3 and the cast member outside said she would return it for us and we should go get cookies in the den, lol. We did – white chocolate macadamia nut for him and a chocolate chip M&M for me. Neither of us ate more than half – we’ll eat the rest later. Knowing we’d want to be at Poseidon at 4, I was on the fence on whether to try to get Kroger done now vs after Poseidon, but in the end, we decided to just leave for after we eat. I fully expect SB at that time to complain about being too full or some other reason to delay it until tomorrow, but I cautioned him in advance we’re going after Poseidon no matter what.
Around 3:45 or so we went out to the car and drove over to Poseidon. I prefer to walk, especially when it’s so nice out, but he prefers to NOT walk and since we’ll have the groceries, I agreed his way made sense today. Oh, the sacrifices couples have to endure for each other <g>.
We parked right outside Poseidon and went into the Nauti Bar. I was surprised to find most tables occupied, along with many of the seats at the large bar! We took one of the 2 remaining empty tables, and it was right on the corner (so outside on 2 sides). This time of year the sun is high enough to not be an issue – in January this table would have had sun in the eyes of people in at least 2 of the 4 seats.
Our server was friendly but a bit scattered (& unimpressive). She gave us the regular and early dining menus. I told her we were there for happy hour, ordered our drinks (house pinot grigio for me, a rum punch from regular menu for SB) and when she brought the drinks, she brought me a big cup of ice water rather than the “cup of just ice” I’d asked for. I also had to ask her for the happy hour menu. She brought the menu over, then the ice. In the meantime, I had fished ice cubes out of the ice water, since my wine was getting warm.
SB ordered a dozen Virginia oysters and a bowl of the New England clam chowder. I stuck with my favorite, their pimento cheese which comes with pieces of naan bread. Once the order was placed, we called Judy (of Pete & Judy fame) since we hadn’t talked to her in a while, and we always enjoyed Poseidon with her & Pete for several years. She’s doing well – and it was good to catch up.
We hung up when the food came and were surprised to see 2 bowls of the chowder. Evidently our server rang in 2, as the other staff pointed out to her. She just walked away without saying anything. SB LOVED his oysters, which are $1 each during happy hour. I asked how they compared to the $6 oysters and Boathouse and after thinking about it he said these were better. Go figure. He also loved the chowder, and other than a couple bites the second bowl went to waste. My pimento cheese was excellent, but the naan bread was a bit over toasted – crispier than it should have been. I was still happy to have it but know it’s usually better than this. We got 10% off on the chowder (not happy hour) for being a Disney guest and settled the check – just under $50 before tip.
We drove around the corner to Kroger and picked up a few groceries for the week then headed back to the resort. After putting the groceries away, I walked over to the Mercantile and the Big Dipper pool. I’d hoped to find Tide Me Over still open and grab a few packets of pepper for cooking eggs in the morning, but they close at 5. The very nice cast member said she could get them for me, and she did! The pool was not busy but 6 or so people were in the water, with 2 lifeguards on duty. Music was blaring out there – really louder than it needed to be in my opinion. I grabbed some pool towels to use on our beach chairs – I’ll return them here at the end of the trip.
I walked over to the building with the elevator to see it up close – last January it was under construction so only visible from a distance. It doesn’t look bad at all and I’m sure the people staying upstairs in the building appreciate it! I went back to the villa, dropped off the pepper and towels, then walked over to Shelter Cove Harbor. SB was happy to sit/lay on the couch. It’s a shame he hates to walk, as he misses out on many of the simple pleasures in life. I have to either do it solo or do the trip with walking friends.
Both Scott’s and San Miguel’s had a live musician/singer performing in the outside bar area, with a good crowd of guests. A handful of the stores were still open, but many were closed. There was a huge, gorgeous yacht docked and as I approached the apparent owner was sitting at the dining table out back, just relaxing. I’d love to see the inside of boat but I’m not bold (or rude) enough to ask! On the way back I stopped to check the hours of the Hilton Head Social bakery for future reference. They’re closed Mondays and Tuesdays right now but perhaps we’ll get over there another day.
Back in the villa SB was looking a little rough around the edges. I asked if he was tired, and he nodded. It was barely 6:30, so way too early to go to sleep unless he wants to be up by 3am. He got a second wind pretty quick and asked for the rest of his cookie, lol. I finished mine, too. I could still faintly see the mustard stain on my skort, plus I was sure I hadn’t fully rinsed all the shampoo out earlier, so I figured out how to use the washing machine and washed just that item. There was no sign of the mustard after washing!
We’re in for the night – not exactly party animals, lol! I poured a glass of wine and took it into the other room to watch tv shows that didn’t include sports or violence while updating the report and doing online stuff.
My thoughts on the renovation/refurbishment here – they did a GREAT job! Members always complain about losing resort-specific touches during refurbs, but in this case, they kept some. One of the pieces of art in the bedroom is a framed picture of Live Oak Lodge. The bedroom has 2 other framed pictures of Goofy fishing and Mickey & Donald in a canoe – both clearly set in Hilton Head. The giant picture/painting over the big bathtub is Goofy & son Max fishing in Hilton Head. There’s a beach scene above the toilet. The living room has multiple pieces of art depicting local scenery (some with characters), a wooden lighthouse and the big framed nautical map of nearby is still hanging outside the kitchen. In the room with the bench and coat pegs they have a few pieces in tribute to the fishing lodge theme. The furnishings are attractive and functional – much better than before. I love the drapes in the bedroom, with plenty of hidden mickeys. I’m very happy with the changes.
Today had some trying moments (forgetting my glasses, the mustard fiasco, and a less than wonderful server at Poseidon) but the good far outweigh those things. It’s gorgeous here and I’m so happy to be back. It is bittersweet knowing I won’t have another January visit – traveling with Holli & Vickie in the grand villa was such a delight. Thankfully we all have wonderful memories of those 3 trips, and hopefully some day Holli & I will get back here for a cool weather trip.
Tomorrow, we head to the beach for the morning – can’t wait! Later will do a happy hour dinner somewhere. We’ll see which one we’re in the mood for, as the specific day we do each one really doesn’t matter.
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Post by wdw1972 on May 1, 2024 17:58:46 GMT -5
DAY 2 – Wednesday 5/1/24
Who: Sue (65), DVC Member
SB (66), my husband
Plan: Beach, Restaurant
Actual: It was a nice quiet evening last night but no fireworks around 9 like at WDW. I could hear the people upstairs walking around but it was not excessive and there clearly weren’t any kids up there. I prefer top floor, but this is fine, and I think SB prefers this floor for fewer stairs (although there is a very slow elevator). I was asleep around 9:30 and he was watching a basketball game but probably not for much longer.
The bed is very comfortable, and the villa was absolutely silent – just the way I like it! I got up just before 5:30 and made my cappuccino to take back to bed. SB was up later. We hung out in the villa and I got up to make breakfast around 8. He wasn’t hungry for breakfast but said he’d like a sandwich and chips for on the beach. We’d talked before leaving home and I had said I wasn’t bringing the smaller beach cooler this trip since we both had insulated water bottles and that’s pretty much all we ever needed on the beach. No point lugging something extra along that we didn’t need – so now this change in plan. He said he’d carry the giant cooler, but then since he’ll probably eat the sandwich as soon as we get there, we can just bring the sandwich and chips without the cooler.
Later today we may check TJ Maxx for another phone charger cord for SB’s phone. He has 3 cords/chargers and one phone. The cords/chargers are all at home – the phone is here, with 8% battery life. My cords are for iphones and don’t fit into his android phone. He probably needs to keep one of the cords/chargers in his toiletry bag in order to keep from accumulating a larger stockpile of these things!
We were on the beach by 9 and it was a gorgeous day! There were several people already out there, and by the time we left a few hours later it was busier than I would have expected for a Wednesday in early May! It never felt crowded, though – and people spaced apart nicely. I only saw one family that had a child – definitely younger than school age.
The tide was way out when we arrived, so we set up our chairs at the edge of the hard sand. A number of jellyfish had been left stranded there when the tide went out, which seemed to concern SB. We just moved a bit further away. The weather was perfect – bright and sunny, warm but not hot, and a nice breeze that kept me from sweating the entire time. At one point I think I saw a dolphin swimming north – the fin would appear, then a little later appear further down the beach.
Before leaving the beach, I was getting irritated because SB seemed bothered that I was asking for his opinion on when to eat, where to eat, what to do, etc. He insisted he didn’t care and just wants to go along with whatever I decide. With good reason, I’m skeptical of that – and the first time he whines or complains about WHY we’re doing this or that will leave me wishing this was a solo trip! We’ll see how it goes. In the car on the way back to the resort he wanted to know the plan, lol – so I shared it with him, and we made some minor adjustment (with his input). Geesh, does it have to be that hard?
Back at the villa we got online, and I went in to take my shower a little before 1. He followed around 1:30 and we headed out for Skull Creek Dockside. We sat outside at a table in the bar area, under cover. Quite a few people were drinking or dining out here, and next door at Skull Creek Boathouse. Nobody seemed to be eating inside the restaurant. We watched them bring boats from the boathouse to the water a number of times.
Our server was once again just ok. She looked familiar, so I think she’s been here a while. I ordered a glass of wine, and they forgot the ice, but she did recover more quickly than the server last night. SB had a Michelob ultra. For food I just wanted the bacon hushpuppies, which we shared (but I ate more of them than him). These are very tasty, but they should have been hotter/crispier. SB went for the 3-meat bbq lunch combo, which at $31.50 we expected to see a huge platter of food. When it came we just looked at each other and said this is ridiculous. It was a quarter chicken, 1/3 slab of ribs (3 small bones) and some brisket. The cole slaw was in a teeny tiny plastic cup, the mac & cheese was good but not huge, and the bread was hard.
This was a poor value and poor choice in my opinion – sticking with a sandwich or other more reasonable food items would have been better. That said, the meats all tasted good, and he wasn’t able to finish it, lol! He was the first to point out that it seems whenever he complains about the small portions, he can’t even finish them – and I agreed. Maybe the answer is to quit complaining! We took most of the chicken, ribs and a bit of the mac & cheese “to go” when we left.
We made a stop at Walmart to find a cord to charge his phone he also got some razors since he’d forgotten to pack any. Once we got back to the villa, I did some work stuff while he watched tv. Close to 4:30 we decided to walk over to Shelter Cove Harbor for an ice cream cone. It’s a beautiful afternoon outside – and he didn’t grumble about the walk.
The ice cream store here is small, but they have a wide variety of flavors. The prices seem more reasonable than at Disney, too. It’s owned by a husband and wife who were there today. SB wanted a scoop of butter pecan and a scoop of chocolate in a waffle cone. The guy asked if he wanted smaller scoops of each to make a size small or 2 big scoops to make a medium. SB said “look at me – what do you think” as he rubbed his belly. The guy had a much bigger belly and laughed before getting the big scoop ready. I told SB he was just asking if you wanted what you should get vs what you want to get and the guy told SB he deals with the same thing, with a smaller wife. That’s when she shouted out from behind the other end of the counter, lol.
I showed more restraint, but really, I just couldn’t eat anything that big. I got a kid’s cone but with smaller sized scoops of dark chocolate raspberry (with chocolate chunks in there too) and pecan praline. It was the perfect size, and it was delicious! The chocolate raspberry was my favorite, but both were excellent. After we paid the guy asked pulled out a fat wallet and asked if we were on vacation. We said yes, and when he opened the wallet fire was burning from the part where money would be – he said “well, this is what you can expect then”, lol.
We took our ice cream over to the covered pavilion where entertainers perform in summer and sat in a couple shaded rocking chairs facing the marina. Once we finished, I checked out the gorgeous pastries in the Hilton Head Social Bakery but didn’t buy anything – after ice cream the thought of more sweets wasn’t as appealing. SB asked if I wanted to get a drink, but a glass of wine after an ice cone sounds even less appealing! I knew he was only asking for my benefit, not because he wanted something.
He headed back to the villa, and I continued walking to check out Belk. We have one of those in Gainesville but it’s in the mall. The mall sucks and I never go there, so I’m unfamiliar with many of the brands and the layout of Belk. Everything I saw that I liked was something I had no use for, so I didn’t buy anything. I continued on to Kilwin’s and got a small chocolate covered pretzel for later. Continuing on to Kroger I bought some chili lime bellavitano cheese for Holli. I’ve never seen that flavor before, and it sounds like something she’d like.
I returned to the villa, getting back around 6:30 – this day has flown by! We talked about going back over to Shelter Cove Harbor for a drink at one of the outside places, but I know SB has basketball games coming on soon and I’ve got wine here in the fridge, so we decided to just stay in. The sun is on our balcony side, but I might sit out there for a bit since the leafy trees should give a spot where the sun won’t be in my eyes.
Today was a nice day – the beach was perfect! I wasn’t as enthusiastic about Dockside as I usually am – will give them another shot on a future trip but choose more wisely. If that doesn’t go well, they’re off the list. I’m glad we got his phone cord – his phone is now at 100%.
Tomorrow is the beach again in the morning, and we’ll probably do Frankie Bones for a late lunch. We’re both looking forward to Comedy Magic Cabaret that evening!
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Post by wdw1972 on May 2, 2024 17:34:42 GMT -5
DAY 3 – Thursday 5/2/24
Who: Sue (65), DVC Member
SB (66), my husband
Plan: Beach, Restaurant, Comedy Magic Cabaret
Actual: We had a quiet evening. I tried the porch and liked that I could hear the musician performing at Scott’s, but when he went on break, I went back inside. The humidity was building out there and it felt a little sticky. I got into bed with the laptop and glass of wine, doing online stuff and watching my kind of tv shows (House Hunters). SB was in the living room with 3 screens going – basketball on the tv, baseball game on a laptop and I’m not sure what on the other laptop. He wanted his Dockside leftovers, so I heated those up for him, trying a small bite of each. He thought the food tasted better reheated, and I agreed!
The sunset was gorgeous tonight but from the villa the trees blocked a lot of the view. I was too lazy to get dressed and walk over to the pier, so I just enjoyed the color from bed. I was asleep by 10, and SB shortly after that. We both slept very well. He was up first, around 5, and I was up before 5:30. As usual, I made my cappuccino, and we spent time doing online stuff.
Just after 8 I made us breakfast – it’s nice having the full kitchen for breakfasts but I’d never consider spending a vacation cooking/eating meals in the villa. We gathered up our stuff for the beach and headed out just before 9 again. We were on the beach by 9 and once again it was a perfect weather day. The light breeze kept us from sweating, and it was wonderful sitting out there. Today SB had his phone, so he listened to music while watching the waves and the people passing by. I did some snoozing, some reading, and a few puzzles. It could not have been nicer!
Just after 12:30 we gathered up our stuff and returned to the villa. I showered and got cleaned up (hair was a mess from the breeze) but SB decided to take his shower later. We left just before 2 for Frankie Bones and had a wonderful lunch. This server was spot-on in terms of service, and the food was as excellent as it always has been. I ordered my glass of wine and cup of ice, and the cup of ice actually came first! SB had a couple cocktails and said they were very well made. We sat in a booth in the bar area, which is the prettiest section of the restaurant.
For food I had the meatball sliders, which today were on the same buns as the burger slider vs the potato buns used in the past. They were still very good, and SB ate one of them for me. He had a Caesar salad and the spaghetti & meatballs, which he always gets here. He loved it and ate a little more than half. The rest came home in a “to go” box. Throughout the meal service was great – we broke our streak of the meals being somewhat less excellent than we were used ot, lol!
We got back to the resort shortly after 3 and SB stopped in the den to get a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie before we returned to the villa. He laid down watching tv and laptops while I sat at the dining table and updated the report. Not wanting to just sit inside I went out to the porch for a little while, then left to take a walk through the resort and along the marina to the end and back. Since today is Thursday, they’ve got a band performing tonight outside by King Neptune and a couple of the restaurants will be selling food and drinks at the site. Many people had dropped off their chairs – which is typical. The band plays from 6-9 so we’ll miss it but that’s ok. I was back in the villa by 5 and relaxed online for a while.
SB took his shower and got dressed up a bit. Earlier today I’d gotten a text from Kelly, the wife of the couple who own Comedy Magic Cabaret, confirming our reservation and advising to bring a sweater or jacket as it may be cool in there. That’s a good tip! We plan to head over there around 7:10 and since we’ll be back late, I’ll write about tonight in the morning. Once we get back, I don’t want to “have to” do anything but go to bed!
Today was another beautiful day! The beach time was just amazing – I absolutely love it in this perfect weather! Frankie Bones was outstanding again, and I’m glad every aspect was as it should be. We’re both looking forward to the Comedy Magic Cabaret – have been there several times and never been disappointed.
Tomorrow will be another beach morning and we’ll visit either Black Marlin or Top Dawg for a meal. Saturday looks a bit risky in terms of beach weather, so Friday may be the last great beach day.
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Post by HifromRI on May 2, 2024 19:41:51 GMT -5
Following along...!
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Post by simbasmom on May 3, 2024 12:55:40 GMT -5
Loving your trip report. Your giving us some great ideas of new restaurants to try (in the case of Frankie Bones) or ones we haven't been to in many years (Skull Creek Boathouse) that deserve a return trip to. We've never encountered the server you had a Poseidon, hope we don't! Looking forward to your report on Black Marlin. It's been one we've visited virtually every trip, but last time I was disappointed. Hope you have a good experience!
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Post by wdw1972 on May 3, 2024 19:30:49 GMT -5
DAY 4 – Friday 5/3/24
Who: Sue (65), DVC Member
SB (66), my husband
Plan: Beach, Restaurant
Actual: The show was great last night. We arrived just before the doors opened at 7:15 and were greeted by Kelly, who remembered me. The venue is very small – 2 rows of seats on the floor, a row of raised booths, and then the top row with bar-style seating (the cheaper seats). We had booked one of the raised booths – in my opinion they’ve got the best view because nobody’s head will be in front of you and you don’t have to look up at the person on the stage. It was a smaller crowd than I expected, and smaller than it was last January, but they said that sometimes happens in this “in between” season (between spring break and summer).
Kelly told us another magician/comedian named Tim Hill had joined them and would be taking over more as Kerry starts scaling back (semi-retirement). I just thought to myself that I hope he’s good – and he definitely was. They have a limited menu with a few sandwiches, appetizers and desserts, along with a full bar. I got a glass of wine, SB got a beer, and we ordered the turkey panini to share.
The panini was far better than I would have imagined – turkey, muenster cheese on great crispy yet soft white bread. It was big enough we were both full – definitely a good choice! Kerry started the show, Tim performed in the middle, then Kerri wrapped it up with a little more stuff. He plays off the audience and interacts off some of them in the floor section, making it fun. The magic is excellent – from both of them. Having been here several times, a few things were repeated but a lot was brand new, and not stuff I’ve seen other places. It was just after 10:30 when it ended, so a solid 2.5+ hours of entertainment, which is pretty typical for here. Both Kerry and Tim headed outside to thank guests as they left.
We were back at the resort in a couple minutes and the parking areas were full. Part of the garage and the outside are taken by construction-related materials right now, so I parked in one of the two spaces designated for 30 minutes (to check in). I wasn’t going to drive several buildings away looking for a spot, plus we’ll be heading out before people start arriving.
We slept well and didn’t get up until closer to 6 this morning. The weather is still looking questionable for tomorrow, so today is likely the last good beach day. I made breakfast at 8 but SB preferred to just take a sandwich and chips to the beach instead of having his breakfast. Looks like we’ll be taking eggs home <g>. We were ready to go earlier than normal and arrived at the beach by 8:30. It was another beautiful morning out there – clear blue sky, sunshine, light breeze.
Today the lifeguard stands appeared, which I assume is for the weekend at this point. The regular lifeguard who handles the beach rentals was also in her usual spot. SB listened to his music while I snoozed and read. We went down to the edge of the water for a while and saw a pretty jellyfish laying on its side at the edge of the water. No doubt it was alive, so we kept a healthy distance. I told SB that’s the reason I don’t go into the water deeper than I can see!
We left the beach around noon, and I went upstairs to check out the Beach House. Nothing was going on up there – few guests at the pool, no hot tub, and everything else looked the same as always. The bar was not open, but Signals probably was. I went back downstairs to join SB in the car, and we drove back to the resort. He wanted to go to the pool for about 30 minutes but did not want to walk from the villa. It aggravates me that he’s so lazy – NOT walking only makes it more likely to have real mobility problems down the road.
I parked down at the end of the resort, so we still had a bit of a walk to the pool (passive aggressive, anyone??) and he managed just fine. We spent about 30 minutes or so there, most of that with him in the pool. My usual plan is heading out for happy hour dinner, but he didn’t want to wait until 4 and didn’t want to eat anything before going out. I swear, solo trips or trips with Holli & Vickie are so much easier. In the end it wasn’t worth arguing over it, so after the pool we got changed and went to lunch. Before leaving the villa, I threw the laundry in the washing machine.
We drove over to Black Marlin, which has been all redone inside. It looks really nice! The hostess was a funny older lady, but very nice. She loved my tan and told me about her granddaughters in California who are into the pasty white look. She’s told them we’re all gonna die at some point, might as well die with a tan, lol! They think she’s a crazy old lady, and it seems she thinks they’re equally crazy, just younger.
We were seated outside and since it was around 2pm it wasn’t very busy. SB had a cup of their seafood chowder which he said was excellent – a close second to Poseidon’s. He also had the fried shrimp platter. I got the strawberry pecan salad. All the food was very good, and he even liked my salad. I was glad for the help since it was pretty big, but between us there wasn’t a whole lot left over!
We settled the check and drove back to the resort, arriving around 3:15. He grabbed some cookies from the den, and I moved the clothes from the washer to the dryer before updating the report. Once that was done, I took my shower. Since I hadn’t been sweating on the beach and the breeze was lighter than yesterday, I didn’t need to shower before going to lunch. He laid down to watch tv and do online stuff.
Shortly before 5 I walked over to Kroger to check out today’s small pieces of cheese for Holli. It was a nice walk, and I found a couple more varieties of cheese then stopped at Kilwin’s to get a dark chocolate graham cracker for me. These are really good, and much smaller than the ones you see at Walt Disney World. When I got back to the villa SB was ready to head over to Top Dawg for a drink. Technically I think he wanted to get it out of the way so he’d be back in time for basketball or some sports game(s), lol.
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We walked over just before 6. Top Dawg was pretty busy, including at the bar. We started going to a couple empty seats at the bar but saw the next guy had his dog at his feet. Pets are allowed outside, and they even put a water bowl down for the dogs. At the Hilton Head Social Bakery, they have a cannister of dog treats available, along with bowls of water. It’s pet friendly here, which is nice, but I’m not interested in sitting by people’s pets. We took seats at the railing instead. Nobody came to wait on us, and SB noticed the dog guy leaving so we moved over to the bar.
The bartender was great and did a really good job with everyone. The dog guy came back because he’d forgotten his skateboard, which he’d left standing up in a nook at the bar (next to SB). We later saw this guy flying by along the marina and when he became fully visible, he was on the skateboard and his dog was pulling him by running ahead on a leash, lol!
Happy Hour was going on but we ended up ordering stuff that wasn’t on the happy hour. They have a number of cocktails on the menu, so SB ordered a painkiller. I tried it, and it was very good – pretty much as good as the ones he makes. I decided on the pineapple margarita but when it came, I liked the painkiller better. SB liked both so we switched. Later SB had a big frozen strawberry margarita that was very tasty. Neither of us were hungry for dinner but we ordered 6 wings. I ate most of one and he ate the rest – they were good. By now the sun was getting lower and starting to reflect off the bar countertop and bother my eyes, so we settled the check and headed out. It was a nice time, and I can definitely see us coming back on future trips.
We walked back to the resort and SB was in for the night. Basketball was on the tv before long. I’d been eating the leftover pimento cheese and naan bread from Poseidon the last few days and now finished up most of what was left, tossing the rest in the trash. I left to go walk around a resort and took my Disney rewards card so I could buy a pair of earrings I’d seen in the Mercantile the first day.
Once I got over there I browsed through the shop, took the earrings and added a tin of Disney peppermints for SB and went to the register to pay. It would not take my Rewards card, even when the cast member entered it manually. I did not want to charge the stuff to the room because I have all these rewards and gift cards – I’d walk back to the villa to get the gift card if the Rewards card wouldn’t work. I checked the app and was embarrassed to see the Rewards card balance is zero. I must have spent it all on our Flower & Garden trip – which explains why the card didn’t have a receipt wrapped around it. I do that so I’ll see at a glance what the balance is, lol!
Thankfully I knew from my daughter-in-law Amanda that you can load the card on the app and use it right away, so I transferred $100 to the card and the cast member was able to process the payment. I apologized to her for the confusion and thanked her before going down to walk out on the pier. It was too early for sunset, and it looked like a bunch of low-lying clouds would prevent the sun setting below the horizon from being visible. I decided to head back to the villa.
Now I’m in for the night as well. Today was another wonderful day here – the beach was fabulous once again! Black Marlin lunch was very good, and we both enjoyed Top Dawg Tavern later. Tomorrow there’s a good chance it won’t be a beach day for us, but we’ll see what happens. The most recent forecast called for showers around 10 or 11, and if it starts to rain, I’d rather be at the resort pool vs having to gather up chairs & stuff and trudge through a bunch of sand to get away. We’re both looking forward to Poseidon again and WILL wait until 4pm since that’s when the $1 oysters start! Can’t believe the last full day is almost here already.
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Post by dschwarzbauer on May 3, 2024 23:05:26 GMT -5
I always likes Sues honesty in these posts. I will have to try the comedy club next time I am there, which is maybe January. |
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Post by wdw1972 on May 4, 2024 17:29:13 GMT -5
DAY 5 – Saturday 5/4/24
Who: Sue (65), DVC Member
SB (66), my husband
Plan: Beach, Restaurant
Actual: We were both asleep by 10 and slept well. I woke up briefly at 3:44 and was happy to see it wasn’t time to get up yet. We were both up around 5:45. I made my cappuccino and we relaxed doing our morning online stuff. I checked the local weather and looks bad for the beach and also bad for the pool, but should clear out by 3pm, only to return overnight through early afternoon Sunday.
Overnight we’d gotten a text that grandson Ari has been offered a spot on a traveling ice hockey team out of Ft Myers (he’d tried out recently). He’s a great skater and seems to enjoy hockey a lot – sad news for Grandpa who thinks he’d be good at baseball, but we’ll see if he has time to branch out as he gets older (and when we return to the area).
Given the weather forecast (which we should not have believed since as of 1pm the sun is still shining and only puffy white clouds are visible) I proposed an alternate plan – go out for breakfast, do a little shopping, then be ready to eat again at 4pm at Poseidon. SB agreed, so around 8:30 we drove over to Coligny for breakfast at Skillets. This place has been here 30 years and I’ve only heard good things about it. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner but I think breakfast is the big draw. It shares the end of the parking lot with Piggly Wiggly, so we parked there.
I was surprised how big Skillets is, with both inside and outside seating (outside in multiple places). It was not very busy when we arrived (they open at 7) but it was getting busier by the time we left. The menu includes multiple skillet meals, along with omelets, benedicts, sweet stuff, etc. Everything comes in a skillet-shaped plate.
SB went with the Kitchen Sink, which has pretty much everything! There’s a short stack of pancakes (2 very thick, very big pancakes) topped with 2 eggs any style (he got over easy) plus toast, 2 pieces of thick bacon, 2 sausage links and potatoes or grits (he got potatoes – home fries). It was all excellent, but too much even for SB! I tried the potatoes and although they looked bland, they actually tasted really good. The bacon was incredible! This huge breakfast was $12 – a bargain!
I ordered a breakfast sandwich – bacon, eggs (any style), cheese (they had a dozen choices – went with cheddar), on a biscuit. The sandwich could have come with sausage instead of bacon and your choice of any type of bread. Without the side of potatoes, it’s only $6 (I figured I would eat a few of his potatoes and that would be more than enough). Our server explained the biscuits are small, so it will come as 2 small sandwiches, which was fine. I pictured sliders. What came was more like 2 regular breakfast sandwiches – it was a lot! It was very good, though. SB also had orange juice, while I stuck with water. We were stuffed when we left there.
The shops weren’t open yet and we had about 30 minutes to kill so I said let’s walk over to the plaza area at the beach entrance. Once there they had music playing and perhaps hundreds of people with their dogs. Most were wearing similar t-shirts, booths were set up, and it appeared to be some type of dog walk or run benefiting the Humane Society. Some of the dogs were dressed up a bit but many retained their dignity and just looked like everyday dogs. The Tinkerbell dog was cute. They had rows of red water bowls set out along either side of a path, and they were doing raffles for prizes between songs.
We walked out to the beach and of course it was a gorgeous blue-sky sunny day. So much for listening to the weather forecast. Just before 10 we walked back to the shops (just down and across the street) and saw the store he was interested in opening up. Holli & Vickie & I had bought a few things in there last January – it’s called Black Market Minerals or something like that. It’s hard to describe, full of various minerals & gemstones, some carved into art, lots in jewelry (much of it very inexpensive jewelry), and other assorted stuff.
We bought some bracelets (for both of us), a black band ring for him, and he got some large piece of amethyst (natural, not polished gemstone) with gold colored metal electroplated on all but the bottom. I think it’s hideous, but he thinks it’s cool and will put it on his bar. However, he has no room on his bar because it’s full – and it’s the newer, bigger bar I bought him for our anniversary in February because the previous one became too small!
We looked at a couple other shops, then went into Piggly Wiggly and he bought 2 Hilton Head shot glasses – you guessed it, for his bar! He only has a couple dozen, so he really needed them. We don’t know anyone who drinks shots, and not a single bottle on this bar has ever been opened. He wants to expand it further, lol – it’s a sickness!
We drove back to the resort, and it was still a bright sunny day. I didn’t feel like dealing with driving to the beach house and going out to the beach at this point, so I changed into a swimsuit and went to the Big Dipper pool. He stayed in the room to watch the early horse races online. I was out at the pool by 11am and lasted about 10 minutes before I got up and moved into the shade. It’s awful out there – no breeze, stifling heat, and although it wasn’t crowded one family had a couple kids with one of them being a kid who randomly shrieks at the top of her lungs for no apparent reason. Thankfully they didn’t stay long, and then it became much more relaxing. It’s a shame there’s no breeze that can blow through there, though.
By noon I’d had enough and went back to the villa. I packed up some stuff and took a bag we wouldn’t be needing out to the car before coming back inside to work on the report. It’s pretty doubtful we’ll see any rain today. Once the report was caught up I did some work – I have a lot of trips coming up in the next year so I’m trying to stretch my vacation time even further than I normally do, so doing a little work here & there helps.
We left just before 4 to drive over to Poseidon. It was still sunny, with no sign of rain, lol. The parking on our side of the road was full and I could see an empty table at the Nauti Bar, so SB got out and grabbed the table while I hunted for a parking spot. I’d seen someone backing out across from Poseidon, so I drove down, turned around and went back to get that spot.
We had a different server tonight but once again when I ordered my wine and a large cup of ice, he brought me a glass of wine and a large ice water. This was after he kept saying “chardonnay” when that’s not what I’d ordered. He brought the right wine, and I sat there watching it get warm while I waited for the ice – eventually just taking some ice cubes out of the ice water. He did bring the ice just after that. From there the service got much better. The only negative was the bartender had this LOUD BOOMING voice that I think could be heard in Georgia. It was ridiculous! Thank goodness he didn’t stay long – not sure if his shift ended or he just went to work inside.
For food I once again ordered the pimento cheese and have enough left over to last several days after getting home. I was telling SB that I eat and eat and eat yet the mound of pimento cheese never seems to go down! The naan bread was better tonight. He started with another dozen Virginia oysters and then the fish & chips. He could only eat half the fish & chips, bringing the rest of the fish home to heat up later tonight. It was a good final dinner – until the next time we can be here.
We drove back to the resort and parking was a nightmare! There are so many spaces out of commission due to them still storing construction crap near here, so there was nothing in the garage and nothing outside. We eventually drove around the corner and the first empty space was past building 16. That’s ridiculous – I’m not walking a quarter mile to my room! We kept circling and both 30-minute spaces were occupied by a party with 2 vehicles checking in. Eventually they left and we parked in one of those spaces. From time to time, we can look to see if anything has opened up and move the car, but if not, it’s staying right where it is. When I get my satisfaction survey the parking will be (the only) a major criticism of Disney.
By 6:30 I had checked the parking lot 4 times, but nothing had opened up. It also still hasn’t rained <g>. We’re probably in for the night so I decided to wrap up today’s report and get it sent out. Other than the parking mess tonight, today was a really nice day. I’m sorry I missed the beach, but I’m not sorry we did Skillets & Coligny, if that makes any sense. Tomorrow we’ll have breakfast at Hilton Head Diner before heading home.
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Post by wdw1972 on May 5, 2024 11:53:36 GMT -5
DAY 6 – Sunday 5/5/24
Who: Sue (65), DVC Member
SB (66), my husband
Plan: Hilton Head Diner, Drive to Gainesville
Actual: Last night we were both in the mood for that great ice cream over in Shelter Cove Harbor so after the Kentucky Derby finally ended, we walked over there. Before we left, an empty parking spot had opened up around 6:45 and I’d quickly moved my car. It was another beautiful night for the walk across the bridge, and guests were enjoying dinner and music at all the usual places.
When we got to the ice cream place it was dark – not open! There was a sign on the door saying they’d be closed all day today to celebrate Mom’s 87th birthday, lol! Ok, I guess we can understand that. Having your mom alive at 87 is pretty darn good! We walked back to the resort, and I decided to check the garage “just in case”. To my surprise, there were 2 empty parking spaces!
I quickly ran up to the villa to get my keys and got the car. Coming into the garage, there were now three empty spaces! They’re all small, for compact cars (most of them in there are small) so I chose the one that would be easiest to get out of in the morning and parked there. It’s supposed to start raining at 7, so if that actually happens, we’ll be able to take the elevator down to the garage and load the rest of the stuff without being outside.
Now we really were in for the night. I finished the last piece of chocolate chip cookie from a couple days ago, poured a glass of wine and went into the bedroom to watch House Hunters while SB watched sports on the living room tv. We both turned in around 10, sleeping well once again – other than hearing the person upstairs walking around.
I was up around 5 (he was already up) and made my cappuccino to enjoy while doing online stuff. After we both relaxed online, I took my shower first, then he followed. We finished loading up the car and pulled out at around 7:30. I dropped SB’s key off at the front desk and let them know we were leaving.
We had our traditional getaway breakfast at Hilton Head Diner, and it was very good as usual. SB had the big breakfast – 3 eggs, short stack of pancakes, hash browns and sausage patties. He skipped the toast and had a glass of milk with his breakfast. I stuck with the old-fashioned French toast, which is made with the thick challah bread (2 big slices). We were in and out of there in no time at all and pulling out of the parking lot at 8:06.
The drive home was easy and uneventful. Once again there was no rain – it was sunny. Being a Saturday morning there wasn’t much traffic on the road either. We pulled into the driveway shortly before noon.
This was a really nice trip and I’m very glad I moved it up a week earlier than normal since it’s going to be in the mid-90’s this coming week! The resort continues to be wonderful, and the refurbishment is beautiful. Our villa had that “new” smell, too! We were in 1-bedroom villa 1211, which is on the lower floor right next to the guest laundry room. It could not have been more convenient for us! We used the steps from the outside seating area down to the garage, which was very easy. We were fortunate to have quiet neighbors upstairs until Saturday – then we heard a lot of footsteps up there. I think they’re practicing to be in a marching band, minus the musical instruments. We never heard any voices or people next door or passing by. We had a view of the marsh, although with lots of trees blocking a lot of the view.
The Big Dipper pool area has never impressed me, and I’ve hardly spent any time there during the decades I’ve vacationed here. I don’t understand choosing that little pool when there’s a whole beach available to us! It was unpleasantly warm out there too – just not a place I wanted to spend time. The beach on the other hand was absolutely gorgeous, and a delightful place to be! This is a great time to visit, as the weather is so much more comfortable than in summer, and the crowds & traffic are significantly less.
Our dining experiences were mostly excellent. There were a couple less than perfect experiences at the beginning, but after that everything resumed being as great as usual. Skillets was a good find – not sure when we’ll be back there (the beach beckons, lol) but definitely on a cold weather trip that would be one of our meal spots.
I’ll miss coming back in January, as I have the past three years, but we’ll book something at WDW instead. Next May we’ll be cruising to Alaska, so I hope to manage to get back here in late September 2025 – that feels so far away!
For now, my next trip begins in a couple weeks – Jambo House club level! I head to Ft Myers to take care of some things then check in to Jambo House on May 22nd for 5 nights. Holli will join me for a couple of the nights and Chris’ family will be there for the last 3 nights. Should be fun!
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Post by HifromRI on May 5, 2024 14:53:36 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing! Sounds wonderful to me....this is what life is about and especially when you are DVC!!!
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Post by eandjmom on May 6, 2024 14:51:29 GMT -5
Oh boy, travel hockey? His parents will never have free time again!  In all honestly DS (10) has been doing travel hockey for 3 years and loves it. We have a lot of fun going to his games. DD (13) is in competitive dance so the spring gets interesting when both are busy for the entire weekend! |
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Post by jawfish on May 7, 2024 23:12:34 GMT -5
Great report Sue. Thanks for sharing. Makes me want to give HH a try.
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In all honestly DS (10) has been doing travel hockey for 3 years and loves it. We have a lot of fun going to his games. DD (13) is in competitive dance so the spring gets interesting when both are busy for the entire weekend!