Updated October 2025, with information about the newly renovated resort rooms, changes to the Live Oak Lodge, and updates from around the resort. And if you prefer your guide in video format, my brand new YouTube video about the resort is the ultimate visual guide and walkthrough you’ll ever need.
Where can you find picturesque beaches, spacious rooms, a low-key vibe, and DOLE Whip? At Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, of course! This Disney Vacation Club Resort, one of the few not located next to a Disney theme park, has just enough Disney magic without the fuss. Buckle up, because we are heading to the South Carolina low country–this is your guide to Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort (with tips for parents!).
About Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort
Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort is a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort located in—you guessed it—Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, just five hours outside of Walt Disney World. The resort opened in March of 1996 as only the second DVC resort located outside of a Disney theme park (the others are Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, and Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa). It is located in the cozy Shelter Cove Harbor area of Hilton Head Island, and sits on Broad Creek, partially surrounded by a large tidal marsh. Pets are not allowed at the resort. You do not need to be a DVC member to stay there, but it can be hard to find availability. It’s a popular resort.
The Live Oak Lodge
At the Live Oak Lodge, a Cast Member wearing Mickey Mouse gloves waves to each arriving guest. Inside the lobby area are check-in desks, restrooms, a Mickey statue, and a fireplace. There used to be a coffee station and a pool table in the small area off the lobby called Bug Murggie’s Den. Unfortunately, the den was renovated to add more seating, which means my beloved pool table is no longer there.
A outdoor double staircase leads to the lobby, which is on the second floor. There is one elevator on the ground level of Live Oak Lodge, however, which can be found by walking around the aforementioned stairs. This elevator is the only one on property; if you require elevator access to get to and from your room, notify the resort after making your reservation.
Parking spots, bike racks, and luggage carts can be found on the ground level of Live Oak Lodge. Notably, parking under the the Live Oak lodge (and around the resort) is free.
Layout of the Resort
Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort is located on a barrier island adjacent to a landlocked tidal marsh. When you exit into the Shelter Cove Harbor area, you drive through a commercial and residential shopping area, and over a small bridge onto Broad Creek, where the resort is located. Upon entry, after scanning your room key at the gate, you arrive at the Live Oak Lodge, where the small lobby and several amenities await your arrival.
The resort is smaller than most Walt Disney World Resorts but spread out enough to give it a certain charm. It largely consists of three-story buildings, walkways, and parkings spots. In between the buildings you will find activities (more on that below), topiaries shaped like Disney characters, barbecue pits, hammocks, and tables. Lush trees provide a canopy that accentuate the walkways. A Beach House sits separately from the resort, just over a mile away in the Palmetto Dunes section of the island—more on that below.
At the center of the resort is the Big Dipper Pool and a building that is the hub of the resort, where you will find Broad Creek Mercantile, Tide Me Over, the Community Hall, Bend and Stretch gym, and a pier (more on all of these below).
Pro-tip for the dads (or whoever else loads and unloads the car): these wooden carts are luggage carts, and they are located outside most of the buildings next to the parking spots. These saved my life, and I appreciated that they were located close to my room instead of only in the lobby.
As I mentioned earlier, there are no elevators outside of the Live Oak Lodge. This means you will be carrying your luggage from the lobby/your car to your room, and due to the buildings being raised off the ground, up either one or two flights of stairs. This can be a lot of work, so prepare accordingly.
Character Meet and Greets
Pluto
For years, Pluto was the only character at the resort, usually appearing at the Live Oak Lodge and the Broad Creek area. For that reasons, he’s sort of the star of the resort, and families usually gather to meet him. The weekly schedule informs guests when and where to find him throughout the week
Chip ‘n’ Dale
As of March 12, 2023, Chip ‘n Dale greet guests at the resort! I think this is a fitting character experience for this resort because their energy complements the resort’s vibe. Chip ‘N Dale can be found around the resort, sometimes meeting at the Live Oak Lodge, or near Broad Creek. As of late, they seem to be out a little more than Pluto, but maybe that’s just what happened during my stays. Make sure you pay attention to the activities calendar, or ask a cast member when you can see them.
Resort Room Tour (Updated)
Refurbished Villas (2024 updates)
Previous Villas (Pre-2024)
As a Disney fan and wannabe historian, I often must turn to other blogs and publications when researching for my own posts and YouTube videos. For that reason, I decided keep photos of the previous versions of the DVC villas to give you an idea of what they looked like in years past.
Rustic, Charming, and Spacious—one of the best DVC rooms, period
I stayed in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom villa near the pool area. The rustically-themed room was spacious–definitely the largest among the the DVC villas I’ve previously stayed. (See my guide to Bay Lake Tower or to the Boardwalk Villas.) The room included a flat-screen TV, DVD player, washer and dryer, a full-kitchen with a dishwasher, seating nook, and two couches that pulled out into beds. A large patio extended between the living area and the primary room, each with a dedicated entrance. The primary room features a large bed, TV, and a large bathtub, shower, and closet. The second bedroom featured two queen beds, closet, storage nook, I would describe the vibe as woodsy, cozy, and outdoorsy, with a polished edge. Think of it as Disney’s Wilderness Lodge meets the beach.
For parents: if you’re traveling with kids, these rooms provide more than enough space. Don’t forget: you can request a pack-n-play from the lobby, which can be delivered to your door.
Dining Options
Simply put, there are not many food options at Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort. Also, there is no table-service restaurant, so you may need to leave the resort if you are looking for those options.
Tide Me Over
Tide Me Over, the resort’s lone dining option, offers a range of suitable options throughout the day. Tide Me Over is located on the second level of the building across from the Big Dipper Pool, where most of the resort’s amenities are located. The menu features quick American eats, similar to quick service restaurants at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Don’t Forget to Get Disney-Inspired Treats
What makes Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort special are the magical touches throughout, and that includes some of the food options. Case in point: you can nab a DOLE Whip—a must for Disney diehards—Mickey Waffles, and even a Mickey Pretzel. What’s not to love?
Signals
Signals, the other quick-service option, is located at the private Beach House (more on that below), and only operates between 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. There is also a poolside bar at the Beach House where you can find DOLE Whip and various libations.
The Beach and Beach House
Private Access to the Beach House
Staying at Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort grants you access to Disney’s private Beach House and beach access in the Palmetto Dunes area of Hilton Head Island. The Beach House is located just over a mile from the resort, and can be reached by a complimentary shuttle that departs every ten minutes throughout the day. This wasn’t a dealbreaker for me; I enjoyed the serene marsh setting away from the beach, and also the ability to be at the beach within minutes.
The Beach House—which can be accessed with your room key—is low-key, with a heated pool, the aforementioned Signals and bar area, and an indoor common room with a fireplace and nautical decor. A DVC photo kiosk is available to take free photos in the common area–so be on the lookout for that. The beach itself was beautiful, clean, and not-too crowded.
Shopping
Broad Creek Mercantile is the sole shopping option, but it is more than up to task
The resort features one convenient store, that, like the stores found at Walt Disney World Resorts, sells food, clothes, souvenirs, and sundries. It is not the biggest store, but they manage to squeeze a lot in there, including Disney’s Hilton Head Island-specific merchandise. Remember the DVD player I mentioned earlier? Don’t forget to put it to good use by renting DVDs for free at the Broad Creek Mercantile. I rented Frozen and Toy Story for the kids, and I got a kick out of explaining to them why there were commercials before the feature! (They are used to Disney Plus, of course.)
Activities, Activities, Activities
Recreational Activities
When it comes to activities, Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort is the leader of the pack. The activities are scattered around the resort making it easy to keep your kids occupied without leaving the property. This is key for those of us with parents of toddlers; we simply take our coffees to-go and let them run around from activity to activity. Here is a full list of activities available around the resort:
- Fenced-in playground
- Hammocks
- Large checkers set
- Bocce Ball
- Cornhole
- Mini-golf
- Basketball Court
- Horseshoes
- Shuffleboard.
Seasonal Activities
And then there are the activities hosted by cast members that take place every day, throughout the day. In fact, at check-in I was handed a full weekly schedule for all of the fun, which included: hot cocoa and s’mores, trivia, tie-dying, birding, scavenger hunts, and all sorts of crafts (to name a few options). The activities also change depending on the season—during our recent November-December trip, the Cast Members hosted holiday-focused activities, like making Mickey wreaths. Note that some of the activities cost money, per person, and require that you sign up before you partake in the activity, so make sure you inquire before it starts with Cast Members at Broad Creek Rentals.
Pools
The Big Dipper Pool
Big Dipper Pool is the main pool, and the largest of the two. It is located in the Broad Creek area, which is essentially the center of the resort. It features a large, swirling water slide, a hot tub, and a small, kids pool area with two frog fountains. The pool area and the kiddie pool are the perfect size for this resort.
The Beach House Pool
Another pool located at the Beach House is noticeably smaller and features no slide or designated kiddie section. There is a noticeably more relaxing vibe at this pool, so just a heads up if you’re taking the kiddos there for a swim. Fun fact: the pool is the shape of an H!
Shelter Cove
Though the resort is on its own tiny island, it is just a short walk to the Shelter Cove shopping area, where you can find various shops and places to eat. This quaint area is close yet far enough so that you to feel secluded while still being a stone’s throw from civilization.
Some of our favorite places to visit in Shelter Cover are Hilton Head Social Bakery, Scott’s Fish Market, and Christmas on the Harbor, where we get an annual ornament.
Heads Up for Parents and Those With Accessiblity Needs
As a father, I want others to be aware that the access to the shops are not pedestrian-friendly. In fact, as soon as you cross the bridge from the resort to the Shelter Cover shopping area, the sidewalk access ends, requiring a descent down a staircase to your right to continue to the storefronts. Because we had our stroller, we were forced to wait for vehicles going to and from the resort to pass, drive our stroller into the road—one of my least favorite things to do—find and go over the curb, and then descend down a gravel-type incline to the store-level. While this entire section wasn’t terribly far from where the sidewalk ended, it still required that we walk on a busy road with our children, something I think should be rectified.
I am not sure how others with accessibility needs navigate such an area, and I hope Disney is planning some pedestrian-friendly updates to this part of the resort.
Recap and Quick Tips for Your Trip to Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort
- The resort is a DVC resort, consisting of studios, 1 bedroom, and 2 bedroom villas
- MagicBands are not accepted at the resort
- Pets are not allowed
- Parking is free
- If you drive, a parking pass will be provided upon check-in. Make sure it’s on your dashboard at all times, including when you drive to the Beach House—there is a gated booth in Palmetto Dunes where you will be asked to provide the parking pass before entering the Beach House parking lot
- Disney Annual Passholder and DVC member discounts ARE accepted at both Tide Me Over and Broad Street Mercantile. Save that money!
- S’mores are free!
- The Beach and Beach House are not located at the resort but can be reached via shuttle (or your own transportation) during the day.
The Verdict
Since the initial publication of this article, I have stayed at Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort several times, and I have throughly enjoyed my stay each time. So much that I am already checking my calendar for a trip next year, assuming I can find availability. The resort offers you everything you want at a Disney Resort without the crowds and the fatigue from a day spent at the theme parks. Though I clearly am a theme parks enthusiast, now that I have kids I increasingly look forward to “resort days” spent exploring the Disney resorts, restaurants, and amenities. And I think that’s why Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort works so well: every day there feels like a resort day. Add in the beach, activities, and stellar cast members, and you have the perfect Disney getaway in a low country setting.
Consider subscribing to The Disney Download, my free Disney World newsletter.
Love staying in the Disney Bubble? Check out my guides to Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and Villas, Disney’s Polynesian Village and Resort, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Yacht Club, and Disney’s Port Orleans – Riverside.
Planning your trip to Walt Disney World soon? Check out my ebook guide, The New Parents Guide to Walt Disney World.
Find me on Tiktok at thedisneyworlddad and Instagram at thedisneyworlddad.
See ya real soon!
Leave a Reply