Surviving the Summer - touring tips

[disgonz]

We have our trip booked for mid July. Understanding the heat and crowd levels, we re trying to plan in order to maximize our fun in the parks and hotel. What are you top summer touring tips?

 

[larryz]

Freeze a wet washcloth in your in-room fridge and take with you to the park to wipe down with...

 

[ChloesDaddy]

Plan to do lots of indoor attractions in the afternoon and early evening -- shows and long rides.

ETA -- this is helpful for both afternoon heat and afternoon thunderstorms.

 

[preemiemama]

Keep hydrated- you will lose a lot more water than you think. It is easy to become dehydrated walking around the hot park. We also take afternoon breaks. For us, this makes sense (even though the worth of it is a pretty well-debated topic on the boards!). We leave around 1-2 pm and head back around 6 pm or so for dinner. We swim, do laundry, and usually take a nap. That gets us out of the peak heat and crowds, and often helps us avoid the thunderstorms the PP mentioned. We will then take advantage of the later hours at the parks, especially MK which is often open until midnight or later in the summer. You can get a lot done during and after Wishes!

We will be there in mid-July this year as well. We typically travel in the summer, and enjoy the later nights at the parks!

 

[ArwenMarie]

Rope drop and get your Must-Dos done in the mornings. The days can unravel once the daily thunder and lightning storms roll in. Dark Sky is a good iPhone app to monitor them. The storms are not always short so be prepared for that too. Also don't count on swimming in the afternoons, they close the pools a lot including for any lighting within a certain radius.

This comment sounds like a downer (sorry!) but the storms/lightning are the biggest pains IMO not the heat.

 

[GrumpyBelle]

Stay hydrated. Pace yourself. Walk throug the shops between rides--just to cool down.

 

[jawa7400]

Plan your indoor attractions for the afternoon. Clip a battery powered fan on the kids stroller. Have a spray bottle for misting.

 

[KBoopaloo]

We always try to get out of the parks by 2:00 pm at the latest and either head back to the resort for a rest or to an ADR for a late lunch that acts as our main meal of the day. We've always found the 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm portion of the day to be most unbearable in the heat. We head back in the evening but tend to take it easy at that point if we can.

 

[LMDisneygirl]

Advice from someone who has done several family trips in August
- Have cases of bottled water in your room (put some in the fridge) and grab a bottle for each person when you leave & drink them on the way, and then have one when you get back
- Get free cups of water from the counter service restaurants. Sometimes we just get cups of ice, and a few of the cubes end up down the back of our shirt or under a hat.
- Put anti-perspirant on the places on your feet where shoes might rub. It helps to avoid blisters.
- Have something for chafing with you at all times (we bring Aquaphor ointment and Gold Bond powder). Heat + sweat + walking and walking and walking can make for discomfort. Those help!
- Make strategic use of walking through the gift shops for a quick cool down
- Figure out which rides have outdoor lines, and do those early in the day or later at night
- Don't leave the parks if/when it starts raining. Lots of other people leave, and it will hopefully stop soon. Or buy some ponchos and carry on!
- Take note of attractions that are indoors and a bit longer, so they give you a nice break where you can sit and get cool
- If it's really hot, buy one of the sprayer fan water bottles they sell (or bring your own). Even just having a little spritz bottle help.
- Light colored clothes
- If your schedule allows, go to the water parks!

I guess that's all for now. Have a great trip!!!!

 

[ArielSRL]

Tour early morning and later in the evening, with a midday break (if possible). During the summer, hours are extended usually so you can get lots done at those times. Water, water, water! And I agree with most of what everyone else wrote!

 

[bluezy]

I agree with the others....hit the parks at rope drop; stay until lunchtime; head back to the resort for a few hours to swim or just cool off in the room; head back to a park in the late evening. If we need a break from the heat while still in the parks, we head for an indoor attraction/show that will keep us in the a/c for 10-15 minutes. We really enjoy spending time in the parks at night (after dark) it's much cooler and the crowds are lower.

 

[GoinghometoWDW]

Like most of the others, we hit rope drop. We are able to accomplish most everything by noon. We have a nice lunch, and head back to the resort. We swim, nap, and do laundry. Then back to the parks after a TS dinner. Everyone used bodyglide, and I carry moleskin, just in case. Every meal, we grab and extra ice water. Everyone also has a gatorade midmorning to replace electrolytes we lose in the heat.

 

[dprincessmom]

We tour like others have suggested above - rope drop (last July we hit Frontier land and road Big Thunder 4 times in a row (without getting off) and then Splash for 3 trips before crowd built. We save Fantasyland for the evening (most of the rope drop crowd heads there first). Book the 3 FP+ for late morning/early afternoon; grab a 4th on the way out of the park for mid day break.

Don't consider swimming at the resort a rest! WDW is the only place I can get my now 12 year old to actually take a nap. We head back to the room, turn the AC on and the lights down and she is usually out in 5 minutes. Rest/nap for a while and then hit the pool. Typically heading back to the park around 6 and stay until close with EMH. The midday nap makes the late night/rope drop the next morning do able.

Also, drink water. Soda will aid in dehydration.

Don't forget the sunscreen - FL sun is brutal! Getting a sunburn early in the trip is just painful. And don't forget the top of your head, ears, back of neck when adding sunscreen.

 

[Vickie1016]

We travel every summer - mid July. I agree with everyone's comments.
Keep hydrated - water, gatorade, then more water. When DD(now 10) was younger we would keep track of the amount of water she drank to make sure she was always hydrated.
Hit rope drop, leave before lunch or right after to get out of the heat & sun. If you don't want to leave the park, try to see indoor shows in the afternoon (Nemo, Lion King, The Seas in Future World, Mexico Pavilion, Country Bears, DUMBO AC is always a good place to rest & cool off).
If you have a stroller - always put the rain cover on it when you park it - never know when a pop up thunderstorm will occur.
Pack an extra pair of sneakers for each family member - sometimes sneakers might not fully dry by the next morning if you get caught in a downpour.

Happy planning & enjoy your trip!

 

[StuckInKS]

I went over the 4th of July when I was very pregnant (delivered second week of Aug, but was 2 weeks over due...even after all of the Disney walking!) and we've never tried it since. Once in the FL heat was enough for me. The only thing I can say (which I'm sure has already been mentioned) is lots and lots of water. I don't usually go to the counter and ask for the free ice water, as we usually carry some and then get more at meals, but I had to that year because I needed water almost constantly. We also tried to do mostly evenings, but its hard when you're trying to maximize your park time. Unfortunately we are not the hit rope drop and then go back for a swim kind of people, but that sounds like a wonderful plan

 

[ZoZo]

Advice from someone who has done several family trips in August
- Have cases of bottled water in your room (put some in the fridge) and grab a bottle for each person when you leave & drink them on the way, and then have one when you get back
- Get free cups of water from the counter service restaurants. Sometimes we just get cups of ice, and a few of the cubes end up down the back of our shirt or under a hat.
- Put anti-perspirant on the places on your feet where shoes might rub. It helps to avoid blisters.
- Have something for chafing with you at all times (we bring Aquaphor ointment and Gold Bond powder). Heat + sweat + walking and walking and walking can make for discomfort. Those help!
- Make strategic use of walking through the gift shops for a quick cool down
- Figure out which rides have outdoor lines, and do those early in the day or later at night
- Don't leave the parks if/when it starts raining. Lots of other people leave, and it will hopefully stop soon. Or buy some ponchos and carry on!
- Take note of attractions that are indoors and a bit longer, so they give you a nice break where you can sit and get cool
- If it's really hot, buy one of the sprayer fan water bottles they sell (or bring your own). Even just having a little spritz bottle help.
- Light colored clothes
- If your schedule allows, go to the water parks!

I guess that's all for now. Have a great trip!!!!

Great advice! I'd add just a couple of things:

• Moisture wicking clothes really help. I got some great hiking shorts at REI; super comfortable and lightweight. You can also get moisture wicking shirts and socks at Target in their athletic-wear section (Champion brand),
• I wear a wide-brimmed visor to keep the sun off my face.
• A refillable water bottle is great. Fill with cups of ice water (free at any CS restaurant). I prefer a "wide mouth" water bottle that's easy to fill.
• Even if you don't take a long afternoon break, just going back to the room to shower and change clothes feels great. Remember that you'll get pretty hot and sweaty, so taking an afternoon break by the pool is a great opportunity to do a couple of loads of laundry!
• I like the mini-mister fans they sell at Walmart. They clip to a beg or belt loop, and are easy to carry around (much better than the big, heavy, clunky larger mister fans, IMO).

 

[mickeymom22]

Rope drop...rope drop...rope drop!

Drink lots of water!

Take breaks in the AC. Gift shops...MK: Carousel of Progress, Mickey's Philharmagic...Epcot: Livin With the Land, Ellen's Energy...Hollywood Studios: lunch or afternoon snack at Sci-Fi Dine In, stroll through One Man's Dream...Animal Kingdom...Festival of the Lion King...

Animal Kingdom always seems more hot and humid than any of the other parks.

Do not yell along with the parade! I did this once at Hollywood Studios and got so lightheaded. I almost fell on the man in front of me!

 

[disgonz]

Wow, thank you for the great advice. We are considering heading back to the hotel midday. Also, though we have older children we are considering a stroller so they don't get cranky from all of the walking...what do you think?

 

[pa. dad]

I'd add to the many good comments:
get a fast pass to kali river rapids or splash mountain in the early afternoon when getting real wet will be extra pleasant.

 

[Aliceacc]

As teachers, we only go over the summer. Here's what I suggest:

- We always bring a few Mistymate personal misters: http://www.mistymate.com/misty-2-5.html (they may be cheaper at amazon.) Absolutely worth their weight in gold. No batteries, they weigh next to nothing, and they can be refilled at a water fountain or rest room.

- We're big rope drop people. We're in the park when they open, then back at the pool just after lunch. We return for dinner. It's absolutely what works best for us over summer.

- Stock up on disposable ponchos. I like the Coleman ones at Target-- they run about $2 and are sturdier than the dollar store ones. I figure 2-3 per person. (Remember to include one or two for any strollers you'll have-- bright colors make your stroller easy to distinguish from the other 200 in the corral.)

- The 5 of us go through 2 cases of water in a weeklong visit. If you're ordering just the water, consider using Staples. Otherwise, we place an order for water and food for the room at www.gardengrocer.com ; they deliver right to the resort.

- Know that your vacation will only be as happy as the least happy person in the group. If one person has had enough, it's time to change your plans. No one ride or activity or show is worth hearing the complaints of someone who is uncomfortable. So stop for a snack, head back for a swim or a nap, do what you've got to do. But try not to keep going when someone needs a change of pace.