At WDW now....some tips and observations for a summer visit

[mtmbyck]

I've been to WDW 40+ times but usually in the winter months - March Break, Jan, even Christmas......so this is my first July visit. Brought my eldest DD here for a Grad/18th birthday mini vacation. Living large at Grand Floridian for 3 nights doing 2 parks.

It is hot. I mean hotter than anything Canadian summer can throw at you. And it's hot from 8am onward. I would bring misting fans (Disney sells them for about $20), ice packs (if you have a means to freeze them - our fridge in our room had a freezer section), and BRING PONCHOS (Disney's are $9). You will get caught in rain!

Firstly, IF you are staying at Polynesian....REBOOK somewhere else immediately! It looks like a place under construction. Main pool is closed (they are offering the watermarks for free but who wants to bus there after a hot day at the park), the lobby doesn't exist anymore....that lovely fountain with lush gardens all boarded up......the grounds at the entrance and around the main pool literally dug up with machinery sitting all about. We went to O'Hana for a Character Breakfast (which we have done many times) and they no longer give you a lei before you are seated....little thing but you have expectations when the price is the same if not more and the experience is less.

The monorails are becoming the less desired method of travel. They don't run until 8:30am so not ideal for rope drop arrival, they frequently stop for maintenance (they had to turn ours off and restart it once) and overall they look a little weathered - I hear all of this maintenance is due to upgrades coming.

The magicbands are AWESOME but.....if you aren't a resort guest....you can still buy one for 12.99. I have no idea if they can put your Fastpasses and tickets on the purchased ones but I am guessing you can if they sell them. It is so convenient just waving your wrist to do everything then pulling out cards for each family member. And have someone cut then grey excess band off for the kids so it fits more comfortably. I should also mention they they don't ship them to Canada. Your resort gives them to you upon arrival. The charms and accessories for them are also fun....Disney Marketing hit the jackpot on this idea!

I'm not a fan of the refillable mug. Bought them, thought it was a good deal since we were spending every day at the resort around the pool but the cup only works at one station in the resort which is quite a distance from the pool and our room. So you have a hike to get that drink. Makes no sense why they wouldn't have them throughout resorts like the waterparks....and the cups only work at resorts.....not at parks or DTD. For the summer, you'd be better to keep a water bottle on you and ask the pool bars or any food station to give you some ice water.

If you have dining reservations (which I recommend as they are super cool and it's nice to take breather and have someone serve you and there is often a menu choice for similar price to quick service - I had a margarita pizza at Mama Melrose for dinner for 12.99) PACK sweaters......I know I've been rambling about heat but the restaurants Re so cold and you Re so hot that I saw kids and adults shivering! Someone had given me the heads up so I took light sweaters and we had them on for every sit down meal. You Re so hot that you are sweating and then going into the cold makes it downright chilly. You will be so glad you heard this tip - I was!

Fastpass the Electrical parade at Magic Kingdom. They reserve a spot in the centre garden in front of the castle for you and you don't have to arrive until about 30min before the parade and afterwards you can stay to watch the Celebrate the Magic show and the fireworks. But you will be surrounded by people but it has to be the best view!

If you don't have little ones, stay and do rides until park closing......most ride lines were about 20 min max ( posted ride times were way longer than the actual wait to ride). It's cooler and no blazing sun on you, and rides are quite different at night - big thunder was a riot at night.

SnowWhite's Mine Ride.......fastpass it. As the lines are nuts but don't set expectations high. It's about half the length of big thunder and half the thrill too. I would never burn a fastpass on it again.

Grand Floridian....what can I say. I booked a package so have no idea what the room per night would be but I believe someone said its around $400. Aside from price, it's the nicest hotel Disney has to offer......the evening band playing in the lobby, the lobby ambiance, the dining options, proximity to MK and EPCOT and well as 3 other deluxe resorts.......we resort hopped and I have stayed at almost all of the moderate properties and this one was wonderful. And I love the room rehab......some are complaining that it took away the Victorian elegance but I think it has a clean fresh look and the beds were wonderful. But it isn't the Ritz - but how could it be when it caters to families and children vacationers. Not sure why business travellers expect something else? You ARE AT DISNEY.

We rented a cabana for a half day which, if offered at your resort and you have a family of 4-6 travelling with you is worth it! Guaranteed shade around the pool, a fridge full of drinks which they will replenish, TV, super comfy loungers, a front row seat to the pool (at least at GF), it was a lovely treat and less expensive than the cabanas at the waterparks.

Hey moms.....if you are a resort guest buy Magical Memories package! You'll finally have vacation photos that you'll be in. The photographers are everywhere and it's really fun to see what they do with the images. You can see your photos at your resort everyday. And here's something cool.....they know when you are on a ride so we rode Buzz Lightyear and then saw our photo they took on the ride in our photo package. She said the ride knows you if you have your magicband on! HOLY BIG BROTHER - but I love it!

So that's all I can think of right now. If you have any questions ask away. We head home tonight. Hope you are all planning a Magical getaway to the Happiest Place on Earth!

 

[Aliceacc]

What a great rundown.

Thank you!

 

[greenclan67]

I hear you about the heat. We just returned from Vacation in Virginia, Williamsburg. Bloody hot. 102, 104 & the hottest was 107 with the humidity. It was hot from the time we woke up. I agree about the light sweater. My oldest DD, kept having to wrap herself in one everytime we were in A/C. We are home now, (northern Ontario) it was hot the last 2 days, which seemed like nothing after the heat away. But today is down right chilly, 16 degrees. Brrrrr

 

[Orph]

Great tips and advice. Thank you for posting.

Side question, from your experience, what is the weather like for trips in December?

 

[greenclan67]

We were there in Dec 23 to Jan 2. When we first got there it was 82, 2 days later 66. And it stayed cool. Nights we had to take a sweater with us. The year before in Dec it was 80 most of the week. Never can tell.

 

[DisneyFleet]

Some great tips. We were there last summer and way too hot even standing still. Just wanted to thank you for the tip on the monorail since we like to ride to the resorts for meals. Did you happen to notice wait times for Anna and Elsa?

 

[mtmbyck]

I have visited Dec, Jan and Feb and as a previous post said, it's a guessing game. One day if might be high 70's and then plunge to 50's. We've been here when we needed coats, mittens and hats!

As for Anna and Elsa, right now there is a Frozen event going on at Hollywood studios but Elsa and Anna meet greet was at MK (maybe at HS too but we never saw it). The wait times we saw were 110 minutes during the day and still 90 minutes as we were leaving at 11 at night - which is weird since park closed at midnight. So I think you either get there for rope drop or fastpass it!

Parks are at level 8 and 9 crowds so more busy than we see during March Break but I think if you fastpass midday and do the favourites at rope drop or after 10pm you will have no wait.

Oh and in case I didn't mention it....I saw celebrate the magic (the show projected on the MK castle) for the first time and I LOVED IT! It made my eyes tear.

 

[CanadianPaco]

Hey moms.....if you are a resort guest buy Magical Memories package! You'll finally have vacation photos that you'll be in. The photographers are everywhere and it's really fun to see what they do with the images. You can see your photos at your resort everyday!

I loved this! Great recommendations!

 

[Disneylovers2000]

Thank you for posting this! We are planning our first trip ever for July 2015 and my biggest concern is the heat. We just don't experience heat like that up here. Although this summer has been a great one, we don't have the humidity they have- or even what Ontario has. We have been to Disneyland twice in July and had no issues with the heat but I think they are more like us in that regard.
Stupid question but - is it unbearable??? And does it cool down at night? I know here can get to 30 in the daytime but cools off to 15 at night. I read a tip on the boards to sleep in and spend the day at the resort and hit the parks at night. What are your thoughts on this for us fair weather Canadians lol!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thank you for posting this! We are planning our first trip ever for July 2015 and my biggest concern is the heat. We just don't experience heat like that up here. Although this summer has been a great one, we don't have the humidity they have- or even what Ontario has. We have been to Disneyland twice in July and had no issues with the heat but I think they are more like us in that regard. Stupid question but - is it unbearable??? And does it cool down at night? I know here can get to 30 in the daytime but cools off to 15 at night. I read a tip on the boards to sleep in and spend the day at the resort and hit the parks at night. What are your thoughts on this for us fair weather Canadians lol!

We have visited in August a few times and I describe it to friends as 'melt your face off heat'. Walk out a door and get hit with hot, hot, humid air. Most can handle it but if you're someone who cannot function in the heat and humidity, choosing another time is suggested. We had a teen with us who couldn't handle it ( or...chose not to!) last year and we ended up going to the parks without her as she was miserable in the heat and much happier at the resort in the room or pool.

We have things for the heat called Frog Togs purchased at Bed, Bath and Beyond and they're amazing! Pull the heat right out if you.

You're planning hour first trip in 2015. Although evenings are slightly cooler. The temp difference is not drastic. Also, I would not recommend waiting until evening to go to the parks as you will miss a lot. Many shows (especially at DHS) only run during the day. Aldo, you will run out of time to see and do everything as the parks are still busy in the evenings in July.

Try going for Rope Drop and then possibly take a break/swim at your resort in the afternoon and then go back for the evening. You may also wNt to squeeze in a nap as MK is often open until the wee hours of the AM in July.

Hope this helps!

 

[grantclaire]

Must have had a lot of complaints about the poly pool rehab, they are now giving guests free Blizzard Beach passes!

 

[Sue M]

We switched from Poly to GF when we heard about pool closing, we will be there 2 weeks, and that length of time without a main pool

Can you tell me about early park transportation with later monorail sched? To MK & Epcot? Are they running larger boats more freq to MK? And what time do they start busses to Epcot?

Can't wait for mid August GF stay!! Disappointing about morning monorail, but not a deal breaker.

 

[ixmnrs]

Awesome report! Glad you had a good time! As much as the heat might be an issue...summers are the only time that we can go so it has been kind of an ongoing end of summer tradition.

 

[ixmnrs]

Duplicate post.

 

[csm101]

We are the total oppsite. We only go in the summers months. Hell ya its hot and humid but I must say we never felt the heat until we got back to our hotel and crashed. Even when its 100F plus lots of shops to cool off a bit. Thanks for the updates on the Poly.

 

[mtmbyck]

Is it bearable..........it is......but not in the sun standing in a line IMHO. But as one post suggests, go for EMh mornings or for rope drop and then leave around 11 and go back at 4. We decided to resort hop one day and I had run out of water and we had to wait at Animal Kingdom Lodge bus station for the ME and I got nervous as I started feeling query and like I couldn't breathe. It's such a heavy heat. And the sun actually hurts a bit it's so intense. Nothing Canadians have ever felt in summer (it was triple digits while I was there). The other bummer is that it rains a lot in summer - rained 2 of our 3 nights. But evenings are totally manageable. I love a warm night. It's the sun that makes you feel yuck. That said, there were thousands who seemed to be just fine all afternoon in the parks.....but man did they look hot and sweaty.

Poor poly.......and poor guests at Poly.......I hope it ends up prettier than it was but those new premium huts on the water are an eyesore I think. Of course I'll never be able to afford those so I'm just jealous.

 

[ariel68]

Thanks so much for posting your tips. We leave in 3 weeks , and this will be our first "summer" trip to Florida as well. We are staying offsite, and I am sure we will welcome a dip in our backyard pool after a long day at the park. We are only visiting Magic Kingdom, and only for one day of our 10 day visit so leaving the park during the hottest part of the day and returning later aren't really feasible for us if we want to ensure we get the most of our one day there. This will be the first trip for our DGD (5) and I am so excited to share it with her