Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort Celebrates Three Decades on the South Carolina Coast

While Disney Vacation Club may not be the best kept secret anymore, one of their resort destinations sure is - and they're celebrating their 30th anniversary!

What's Happening:

• There are a number of Disney Vacation Club Resorts that aren't attached to the hustle and bustle of the Disney Parks destinations - like Disneyland and Walt Disney World. One of those, Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort, is celebrating their 30th anniversary of giving guests a chance to relax and unwind.
• The resort, taking up 15 acres of private Longview Island in the Hilton Head Island area of South Carolina, is a charming coastal retreat in the heart of Lowcountry. There, front porch vibes, marsh views, and beach days are the setting for a different kind of Disney vacation.
• Designed to feel like a cozy, saltwater fishing lodge, guests can also access Disney's Beach House - an oceanfront hideaway with beach access and fun offerings for resort guests on the Atlantic coastline.
• Along with the anniversary of the resort, some cast members are celebrating their own 30th anniversary as they have been at the hotel since the beginning. They helped welcome the very first guests back in 1996.
• Evelyn, Alicia, and Melissa are marking their 30 years at the hotel, where the guest difference starts at the door. Evelyn, now a Housekeeping Manager, said that guests, "When they come through the gate and we say, ‘Welcome home,’ they actually feel like they’re at home and not on vacation.” 
• For Rooms Coordinator, Alicia, who was born and raised just over an hour away on St. Helena Island, the resort feels just as personal. “It’s literally my home away from home. These cast members are like my family. Even some of the guests that come year after year, they’re family too.”
• Housekeeping Coordinator, Melissa, who moved to the island from Connecticut, explains “We’re laid back. We are where people vacation to truly relax and get rest.”
• Melissa recently reconnected with a returning guest family she’s known since 1998. She’s watched the children grow up and their parents become grandparents. “It’s like we’re neighbors or best friends,” she said.

It's Still Disney, Though:

• Unlike most Disney resorts, Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort, not attached to a theme park. It’s designed as a relaxing beach getaway run by the The Walt Disney Company that originally opened on March 1, 1996.
• Instead of a giant hotel tower, it’s made up of wooded villa buildings around marshland and Broad Creek, giving it a laid-back, nature-focused feel.
• That said, it still has all the trademarks and touches that Disney fans would expect, as though the destination were attached to one of the Disney Parks.
• This includes character meet and greets, favorite Disney snacks like Mickey Premium Bars, Dole Whip, and daily recreational activities like outdoor movie screenings, and even Goofy Bingo.
• Disney's Hilton Head Island is a Disney Vacation Club Resort, but like the other Disney Vacation Club Resorts - anyone can stay there as long as there is availability.
• For more information about staying at this charming coastal retreat, be sure to reach out to our friends at Mouse Fan Travel!