Just back from HHI, did the sales tour, and I asked

[Mom-to-3]

the sales rep if she thought the new golf course property will end the same year as DVC currently does. I only asked because of you guys!

She replied that she was betting the new property will have a later ending date. She thought current DVC owners will be asked if they want to extend their ownership (at a price) a few years before 2042.

I also hadn't realized that Magical Beginnings is only available during your stay. If you leave without signing the intention paper, you're out of luck. (Although they will give you 2 extra days because the HHI sales office is closed on Friday and Saturday).

Magical Beginnings reduces the cost of VB and HHI points by 17%! In exchange, you give up your 2001 points and pay pro-rated maintenance fees. I think it's a great deal.

I did a little number crunching. If you do MB and take the debited Disney financing (10.95%), the $9000 for 150 points will cost you over $14,000 if you take 10 years to pay... obviously not the way to go. A shorter loan term or a home equity loan would be better (cash also works. )

HHI has a marvelous cast member named B. Lou Crabbe. I hope they richly reward him.

Who sets the bike rental prices????

$10/hour or
$12/4 hours or
$20/day or
Length of stay $60 for 2 bikes and $10 for each additional.

BIG BEACH TIP: Find out when low tide is and go around that time (+-2 hours). The tides at HHI are astonishing different. I would estimate that there is 6-7 times more beach at low tide. Plus, there's a sand bar that is exposed and you can walk out to it. Plus, you find all sorts of creatures.

We stayed in building 19, conveniently by the parking area... definitely not the creek view I requested by phone ahead of time. DH didn't want to ask to change it once we were in. Building 15 would have been awesome. The decks overlooked the marsh.

Kids favorites: The water slide and the Pirate Treasure Hunt.

Any questions?

 

[realpatt]

With regards to bike rentals, Disney over prices them. You can have bikes delivered to your room from outside venders (We have used Bubba's bike rental) for much less (we usually pay 17 per week). It's hard to get a good deal on less than a week, but it is still cheaper to rent for a week and have them pick them up early. We prefer to ride bikes in Sea Pines and often go there one day (you have to pay 5.00 entrance fee) and rent bikes for a few hours at the shopping center that's close to Harbor town and then ride bikes down to harbor town.

 

[TnRobin]

Magical Beginnings is only good when you do the tour? This is a change. Both of our purchases have taken advantage of the MB offers, neither of which was made on site. As a matter of fact our original purchase was made 2 years after we did the tour.

It use to be that the special interest rate for financing was only good for a few days after your tour. I hope they have not included MB in this now.

 

[Mom-to-3]

Well, Robin, I'm very sure she said it was a purchase incentive only good during our stay. Because the HHI sales office is closed Friday and Saturday, she gave us a paper to fill out and turn in Sunday morning **before we left** if we wanted MB.

I can't imagine they'd offer a 17% discount on points all the time/any time. What would be the point? (oops... pun unintended!! )

The MB was totally separate from using Disney financing. Did they used to be tied together?

 

[Mom-to-3]

You guys made me question my hearing so I called DH and he concurred.

I went through all the papers I brought home and found a hand-written example of a purchase that had been written out ahead of time and photocopied for each couple.

It included:

"on-site credit
Magical Beginnings"

The salesperson really did say it was only available on-site during our stay.

 

[TnRobin]

Call my guide, you are right Mom-to-3.

If you are not currently a DVC member, Magical Beginnings is only offered to you through a DVC tour. Current members will be able to use MB on any qualifying add-ons.