Truer words were never spoken! The heat and especially the humidity are formidable in the Florida sun.
I can't emphasize enough the need to do the early morning, rope drop touring plan combined with the going out again from the dinner hour (5 pm until 7 pm) until park closing.
A lot of people check the Orlando weather before they leave on their trips and they freak out. "OMG, there is a 40-60 percent chance of rain EVERY DAY during our vacation!!!!!" Well get off the ledge and back in the building! NM is here to help you with that. Translate that 40-60% into what really will happen.
The summer weather pattern in the Orlando region during this time of year is pop up thunderstorms in the afternoon with 2pm to 5 pm being the highest probability for rain. USUALLY the rain moves out during the dinner hour, say by 5 pm. You may or may not get that pop up shower in your area. Sometimes they form and then rain themselves out by the time they wander over your area. Sometimes they form, come together, rain a little harder and then leave. Unless it is some variation on the usual pattern, the rain usually moves out during the dinner hour.
What this means is if you want to get some pool time in you had best leave the parks by noon and head back to the resort. Even if it is not raining.... if there is thunder nearby they will close the pool and clear the pool deck. By about 2-ish that rain will be forming and floating around the central Florida area. ~ Utilizing this noon exit and hit the pools strategy, by about the time the rain moved in, we were done with the pool and headed back to the room for a shower and a rest before we went out again at night. It was just what was needed during these hot, humid and sunny summer days in Florida.
Another thing that you need to know is to be sure and pack extra foot wear in case you do get caught in the rain. If the forecast is for a chance of rain while you are touring the parks, it pays to throw a pair of Flip Flops in your back pack so that you can change out of your sneakers and keep them dry in your back pack while you navigate the puddles and the rain. We also purchased "El Cheapo" rain ponchos at
Walmart that worked really well in the rain. Plan ahead and you will be able to keep moving in the parks while everyone else is huddled under the awnings!
Usually it is so hot in the sun by noon that you are ready to leave the parks anyway. The parks have late night hours now and touring during those times, in the dark when it is cooler is quite enjoyable. In the early morning hours you have lighter crowds and the same goes for the later that you stay at the parks. If the park is still open after the fireworks/fantasmic you will find that many people leave and the lines for the headline attractions get shorter and shorter as the hours get later.
Here is another HOT TIP! In that last hour right before the parks close, the signs outside of the rides indicating the wait times are artificially INFLATED to represent longer wait times. This is especially true for the headliners at a given park. Toy Story Mania is famous for this. What they are trying to do is discourage you from getting in line for that ride because if you are IN LINE the moment the park closes they will still finish out the line and let you ride. No one will be allowed to join the line after the park closing hour.
What this means is that if you didn't get that chance to ride the headliner ride, head over there at park closing and get in line before the park closes. This will translate into shorter wait times and more fun!
Now a tip for that last day, after room check out when you still have time to either go to the parks or go for a swim at the resort. Bell services will watch your luggage for you and allow you to access it to get to your stuff while they are still storing it. What that means is that you can pack a bag with bathing suits and fresh clothes to change in before you depart from the resort.
The BC/YC/BCV has the fitness center, which has a locker room with showers that you can use to freshen up before departure. In the shower area are towels and a wall dispenser of body wash, shampoo and conditioner (none of which are labeled!
) I'm not sure about blow dryers or any of the other stuff.
We pack a separate bag and before our showers in the fitness center we have Bell Services bring us just that bag to take to the locker room. (they will still store the other bags for us until we are ready to take them) We also remember to PACK A PLASTIC BAG to put the wet clothing and bathing suits in for transport home. If you are like us you have a billion Disney Parks merchandise bags floating around your room from your park purchases. Using a couple of them for the wet clothing works out great!
So there are my summer touring tips. The locker room at the BC/YC is much nicer that the one at Port Orleans Riverside which was prison like in it's layout and (lack of) amenities. You'll have to put some thought into how you pack your stuff if you plan on changing clothes on that last day, especially if you have to send your CHECKED luggage ahead to the airport using the resort's airline check in service for your luggage. Successful
Disney vacations start and end with successful planning. Hopefully the information that you have learned here will help you maximize your Disney vacation!
~NM
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