July Trip ~ any advice from Summer Time Thrivers and Survivors?

[ask!]

Hi All!!

I am looking for advice from those who thrive and survive in at Disney in the summer---first trip in July 19-23. Crowds levels over at Touring Plans look like 7-10 crowd levels ( especially at Epcot--wonder why Epcot so FULL??)

We are staying at the Beach club, mostly because of the pool.

Any tips appreciated.

 

[LAKid53]

South American tour groups - 50-70 chanting, clapping, minimally supervised teenagers. Oh, joy. It will be hot, humid and expect afternoon thunderstorms that last 5-10 minutes...and then it's even steamier.... Florida in the summer.

If you are rope droppers, do it. It will be cooler (80s rather than 90s) and less crowded. Take an early afternoon break and head back to that pool. Return to the parks late afternoon/early evening. Everyone will want to ride on the water rides to cool down, temporarily, so consider that when planning your FPs. The humidity in the summer will sap your energy quicker than you think. Consider that if you think you can go all day without a break.

Make sure to drink plenty of WATER and apply sunscreen throughout the day. Even on an overcast day, you can still get a nice "glow" in Florida. Wear a hat.

Even better, go to the beach. We have some really nice beaches in Florida. That's where you will find us Floridians in July. *thumbs up*

 

[brifraz]

Veterans of quite a few summer trips. Here are some suggestions from our family experiences...

• Start adjusting sleeping habits a week or two before the trip if possible - early wake up, afternoon nap, late evenings.
• Hydrate early and often. We do MINIMUM of a 12oz bottle of water first thing (usually 2) and then another while we wait for the rope drop. Keep the bottle with you and refill it through the day...don't buy water, it's way too expensive.
• Be at rope drop (if not 30 minutes before) each morning - only way to beat the heat and the crowds. Early morning EMH are really worth it in the hot summer (and most of the tour groups are not onsite, so they haven't arrived yet).
• Plan your FP+ for late morning or early afternoon. We usually go with 11am, 12pm, and 1pm. Hit an E-ticket or two at opening, then do some smaller attractions. Surround your lunch plans with your FP+.
• Book an evening FP+ if you can once you finish the morning/afternoon ones.
• GOTTA NAP. Touring in the heat and humidity takes a lot out of you. Get back to your AC room in the afternoon and take a nap. We usually did an hour at the pool first, then an hour to two hours nap.
• Meal planning - we actually usually do snacks/cereal/etc in the morning, then book the latest possible breakfast because we all like breakfast food. Regardless, a late morning breakfast or early lunch does a body good when busy. We would then do dinner early (really, just a two meal day at 11am and 5pm) and have some snacks during late night touring.
• Evening touring is nice, but the lines will likely be long. We usually try to do all our big attractions in the morning and with FP+ so that the evening is just exploring and maybe a show and finally fireworks at night. At MK, we usually try to hit a ride or two during the fireworks at least one night.
• We have found the crowd level calendars to not really be very accurate until about a month out. But, basically expect everything to be crowded every day from late June to mid-August. It's really not worth planning around "ooh, this is a 7 and that's an 8 so let's go here" in my opinion.

So, there's some of advice from our experience. We will be there the week of July 4th for the third time in the last four years this summer!

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Have some groceries delivered. Especially bottled water, gatorade, etc. You probably won't have many run ins with tour groups because you're staying in a Deluxe resort. You can also avoid them by eating at mostly table service restaurants.

 

[ask!]

Veterans of quite a few summer trips. Here are some suggestions from our family experiences...

• Start adjusting sleeping habits a week or two before the trip if possible - early wake up, afternoon nap, late evenings.
• Hydrate early and often. We do MINIMUM of a 12oz bottle of water first thing (usually 2) and then another while we wait for the rope drop. Keep the bottle with you and refill it through the day...don't buy water, it's way too expensive.
• Be at rope drop (if not 30 minutes before) each morning - only way to beat the heat and the crowds. Early morning EMH are really worth it in the hot summer (and most of the tour groups are not onsite, so they haven't arrived yet).
• Plan your FP+ for late morning or early afternoon. We usually go with 11am, 12pm, and 1pm. Hit an E-ticket or two at opening, then do some smaller attractions. Surround your lunch plans with your FP+.
• Book an evening FP+ if you can once you finish the morning/afternoon ones.
• GOTTA NAP. Touring in the heat and humidity takes a lot out of you. Get back to your AC room in the afternoon and take a nap. We usually did an hour at the pool first, then an hour to two hours nap.
• Meal planning - we actually usually do snacks/cereal/etc in the morning, then book the latest possible breakfast because we all like breakfast food. Regardless, a late morning breakfast or early lunch does a body good when busy. We would then do dinner early (really, just a two meal day at 11am and 5pm) and have some snacks during late night touring.
• Evening touring is nice, but the lines will likely be long. We usually try to do all our big attractions in the morning and with FP+ so that the evening is just exploring and maybe a show and finally fireworks at night. At MK, we usually try to hit a ride or two during the fireworks at least one night.
• We have found the crowd level calendars to not really be very accurate until about a month out. But, basically expect everything to be crowded every day from late June to mid-August. It's really not worth planning around "ooh, this is a 7 and that's an 8 so let's go here" in my opinion.

So, there's some of advice from our experience. We will be there the week of July 4th for the third time in the last four years this summer!

wonderful advice----thanks so much!
and if you are going for the third time for 4th of july, your tips must work! Thanks again! Britaz

 

[ask!]

Have some groceries delivered. Especially bottled water, gatorade, etc. You probably won't have many run ins with tour groups because you're staying in a Deluxe resort. You can also avoid them by eating at mostly table service restaurants.

more good advice---thank you.

 

[ask!]

South American tour groups - 50-70 chanting, clapping, minimally supervised teenagers. Oh, joy. It will be hot, humid and expect afternoon thunderstorms that last 5-10 minutes...and then it's even steamier.... Florida in the summer.

If you are rope droppers, do it. It will be cooler (80s rather than 90s) and less crowded. Take an early afternoon break and head back to that pool. Return to the parks late afternoon/early evening. Everyone will want to ride on the water rides to cool down, temporarily, so consider that when planning your FPs. The humidity in the summer will sap your energy quicker than you think. Consider that if you think you can go all day without a break.

Make sure to drink plenty of WATER and apply sunscreen throughout the day. Even on an overcast day, you can still get a nice "glow" in Florida. Wear a hat.

Even better, go to the beach. We have some really nice beaches in Florida. That's where you will find us Floridians in July. *thumbs up*

sounds like rope drop is the way to go--- yikes about the tour groups!
Thanks for your advice.

 

[BigRedDad]

Dealing with Summer heat and humidity is a challenge for people not use to it. Add in the fact that you are going to be crowded makes it even hotter. Here is some general advice.

• Look up on the internet for signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. This is not to scare you, but to educate you. Not knowing the signs can have severe problems. The more you know, the more the following advice will be followed.
• Hydrate. It really doesn't matter what you drink (except alcohol), hydrate. Adults should drink at least 8oz per hour and kids at least 4oz.
• If you are not going #1 at least once every 2 hours, you ARE NOT drinking enough. It means all hydration going in is coming out as sweat. This can lead to issues in the first bullet.
• Sunscreen. A bad sunburn will end a vacation quickly
• Chafing. In the wrong places it will end a vacation quickly. Once it sets in, it does not go away. Get Body Glide or similar and use it if you are prone to chafing. Even if you are not, sweat, heat, and rubbing is not good for skin.
• Keep cool. Utilize indoor attractions in the hottest part of the day. See shows, walk through shops, sit in Town Hall to relax, go back to your resort (this is what we do). Take a nap, enjoy the pool. Remember, being in a pool does not satisfy keeping hydrated. It masks the onset of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. When at the parks, don't be afraid of dumping water over your head.

 

[ask!]

good advice--thanks

 

[brifraz]

wonderful advice----thanks so much!
and if you are going for the third time for 4th of july, your tips must work! Thanks again! Britaz

Thanks. We are a family of two teachers and a middle school student so our options for travel times are pretty limited. But we have come to really enjoy our summer visits and while the heat can be a bit unbearable, we always have a great time!

I did fail to mention sunscreen and hats, but others have. My wife is hispanic so it's not much of an issue for her (or our daughter), but I lather up every morning and again in the afternoon! I hate wearing hats, but as the hair thins the hat becomes more essential.

And @BigRedDad had some great advice about hydration and chafing - definitely agree with those comments, too!

 

[DryerLintFan]

I did fail to mention sunscreen and hats, but others have. My wife is hispanic so it's not much of an issue for her (or our daughter), but I lather up every morning and again in the afternoon! I hate wearing hats, but as the hair thins the hat becomes more essential.

^..... if you have any type of part in your hair at all, do yourself a favor and spray some sun block on it in the morning. Sunburns on your scalp hurt for so long.

 

[KrzyKtty]

My other advice is avoid the temptation of flip flops if you can. While in the heat it seems like a great idea to wear them, all the walking day in and day out will wear down on your knees. Wear shoes with good arch and heal support.

Also, try to avoid jeans and jean shorts for the chafing reason. Try to wear a lighter material that will dry quickly when wet and stay cool. A good place to look would be outdoor stores.

My other bit of advice is try to avoid bringing 10 pounds of things with you in a backpack. You want some vital things, but carrying as you get more exhausted through the day, you don't want to be carrying the 3 umbrella's, bought toys, glow sticks, and the partridge in the pear tree. Also, take turns carrying the bag.

Finally if you are in an area where you are not used to the heat, or your family isn't very active outdoors, start taking walks and other outdoor activities before hand. Couch potatoes get tired of all the activity quickly and complaining rains down from it lol!

 

[Mark P.]

Pace. Your. Self. (This is speaking from experience, not just in the summer but year-round). Take advantage of the opportunity to leave Epcot midday and cool off in the room or poolside. Take advantage of the indoor exhibits and shows in the World Showcase. And manage your expectations: You may not be able to see or do 100% of what you planned, but what you are able to see and do, you'll enjoy far more.

The other comments above are spot-on.