DL in August, or another year?

[Sherry E]

The pavement soaks up the heat and then radiates back up to you so you get bombarded from the top and bottom. I watched a number people going to first aid just because they did not hydrate enough and trust me, HEATSTROKE can kill you very quickly, the bodies cooling mechanism shuts down and it is very hard to treat when heat exhaustion goes into heat stroke.

Jack

Exactly! Jack, I am so glad you mentioned that because it is important to make that point. I know some folks have no problem with heat at all and even seem to thrive in it, but others are very susceptible to getting sick when it's hot - even if it's a fairly mild heat, like in the upper 70's or low 80's. And DLR feels very hot once you are inside its boundaries, crammed in with all those people - you can tend to feel like you are burning from the inside out! I just didn't want anyone thinking that because Anahiem is not Florida then it's risk-free, because every person has a different level of tolerance for what they can handle....and sometimes August can be very, very, very hot.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Exactly! Jack, I am so glad you mentioned that because it is important to make that point. I know some folks have no problem with heat at all and even seem to thrive in it, but others are very susceptible to getting sick when it's hot - even if it's a fairly mild heat, like in the upper 70's or low 80's. And DLR feels very hot once you are inside its boundaries, crammed in with all those people - you can tend to feel like you are burning from the inside out! I just didn't want anyone thinking that because Anahiem is not Florida then it's risk-free, because every person has a different level of tolerance for what they can handle....and sometimes August can be very, very, very hot.

I love the heat, makes these old bones feel better.

Jack

 

[Dobie]

You can eliminate 90% of heat problems (and crowd problems along with them) by swimming and napping in the afternoon. Good hydration will get you through the mornings, which are lovely, and the evenings, which are magical!

Just do what Hydro guy says!

 

[blackjackdelta]

You can eliminate 90% of heat problems (and crowd problems along with them) by swimming and napping in the afternoon. Good hydration will get you through the mornings, which are lovely, and the evenings, which are magical!

Just do what Hydro guy says!

Dobie ought to know, he/she lives in the Columbia Basin where it can get real hot.

Jack

 

[tholczer]

Any way you can get there Friday instead of Saturday?

 

[pixarmom]

Thanks for all the additional thoughts, and the warnings regarding the heat. In 25+ years, we have rarely left the Newport peninsula/Balboa Island, except to visit Catalina or Laguna. Between the ocean breeze and the ocean water, we're never too warm - even in August! So this is good information for us to consider. In Newport, the clouds don't typically burn off until late morning, and it can be cool until 11am or even noon, and then it's cool again when the sun goes down - I'm guessing that's not the case at DL?

P.S. We are poncho-wearers on Splash at WDW, but with GCH at DL, I think our boys will be happy and poncho-free!

 

[pixarmom]

Any way you can get there Friday instead of Saturday?

I really wish we could! We booked the flight last October, and can't work around schedules to arrive earlier. When we booked, I knew about the AP issue and the blockouts, etc. from reading here - it just took me a while to fully understand the impact. Also, we just returned from WDW - we usually go in February/value season when crowds are extremely light. This trip was peak season and it was a little more difficult to get around.

 

[tholczer]

In 25+ years, we have rarely left the Newport peninsula/Balboa Island, except to visit Catalina or Laguna. Between the ocean breeze and the ocean water, we're never too warm - even in August! So this is good information for us to consider. In Newport, the clouds don't typically burn off until late morning, and it can be cool until 11am or even noon, and then it's cool again when the sun goes down - I'm guessing that's not the case at DL?

Isn't Newport the best? My husband and I go there for our twice a year getaway without the kids. We walk down to Balboa Island and get the best cinnamon rolls at Cinnamon Roll Fair. Yummy.

The weather isn't like that in DL. It's too far inland for beach weather, unfortunately. Although it can be a bit cool in the morning and evening, even in summer. It just depends.

You will have a great time, even with the crowds. As others have posted - early mornings are the best, collect those fastpasses and then come back later and use them. This is making me drool for my own August trip.

Tracy

 

[Sherry E]

Tholczer is right - Anaheim weather is not like Newport weather...or Balboa weather or Catalina weather. There is no sea breeze, and there are tons of people packed into small areas at DLR. Unfortunately, if it were as easy for everyone to do what Dobie says and be totally comfortable in hot summers, then it would be no problem and no one would ever get sick. But having lived in dry SoCal for 42 years and counting, I know that I and a few other friends don't do heat and strong sun well at all and never have, no matter what our ages were or how prepared we were. Some people are different, though - that's what it boils down to. People's tolerance levels and body chemistries are different. Their skin is more sensitive, whatever.

So it's important to put all sides of the information out there so people of different heat-tolerance levels can know what's in store!

 

[MG3G]

Another thing that should maybe be mentioned is that temperature is a very realive thing. We live in a cold climate for me SOCAL in Feb 2 years ago was HOT. Like sweating, pounding down water - had to buy shorts - HOT in Feb! But as we stood in line at night in our shorts and t-shirts the people beside us were putting toques and mittens and their winter coats. Even though we were all experiencing the same temperature it fealt so much different to us.

 

[Sherry E]

Another thing that should maybe be mentioned is that temperature is a very realive thing. We live in a cold climate for me SOCAL in Feb 2 years ago was HOT. Like sweating, pounding down water - had to buy shorts - HOT in Feb! But as we stood in line at night in our shorts and t-shirts the people beside us were putting toques and mittens and their winter coats. Even though we were all experiencing the same temperature it fealt so much different to us.

Precisely! That's why I mentioned that people's bodies and body chemistries are different, and some folks are simply more sensitive than others. So, let's say, 70 degrees may feel hot for one person, while the person next to them is grabbing for a jacket and is cold! Some folks are freezing and shivering when it is 65 degrees outside, while others don't really get cold until it drops down to the 40's. It is very much relative to each person and what their physical makeup is.

 

[HydroGuy]

Precisely! That's why I mentioned that people's bodies and body chemistries are different, and some folks are simply more sensitive than others. So, let's say, 70 degrees may feel hot for one person, while the person next to them is grabbing for a jacket and is cold! Some folks are freezing and shivering when it is 65 degrees outside, while others don't really get cold until it drops down to the 40's. It is very much relative to each person and what their physical makeup is.

I happen to agree with Sherry. I would add though that some people do everything wrong on their summer DLR trip - they arrive late every day, fail to take afternoon breaks and/or stay in hotels too far from DLR, they stay thru the heat of the day and worst lines, and then leave exhausted. Then they claim that it is hot and awful to do DLR in the summer. These people are different than the ones you are talking about. And what they say is just not very valid and it confuses and scares people unnecessarily.

 

[pixarmom]

Thanks, again, to everyone for the input! We were about to trade in our 3 days at Disney for Catalina (which I love, but we've been many times.) But considering all the points raised here, decided to stick with our DL plan. We'll know to expect the crowds and the heat, but we'll make all our ADRs when we get to the 60-day mark, be up super early, use FP and rider swap, and definitely break for pool time. We just made our oldest (the super park commando of our group) commit to no whining about pool time as a condition of the DL visit.

And tholczer, Newport IS the best!!!! Cinnamon Roll Fair has the best cinnamon rolls on the planet - before kids, I used to eat them almost every morning of the trip. With kids, I started to feel guilty so we had to scale back. Also, Dad's has the best frozen bananas - I even have "Dad's" coasters at home.

Thanks, again! Of course, we'll welcome all the additional advice we can get!!

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks, again, to everyone for the input! We were about to trade in our 3 days at Disney for Catalina (which I love, but we've been many times.) But considering all the points raised here, decided to stick with our DL plan. We'll know to expect the crowds and the heat, but we'll make all our ADRs when we get to the 60-day mark, be up super early, use FP and rider swap, and definitely break for pool time. We just made our oldest (the super park commando of our group) commit to no whining about pool time as a condition of the DL visit.

And tholczer, Newport IS the best!!!! Cinnamon Roll Fair has the best cinnamon rolls on the planet - before kids, I used to eat them almost every morning of the trip. With kids, I started to feel guilty so we had to scale back. Also, Dad's has the best frozen bananas - I even have "Dad's" coasters at home.

Thanks, again! Of course, we'll welcome all the additional advice we can get!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Catalina (it's my second favorite place in SoCal after DLR). Where do you normally stay when you go to the Island? I miss it - I used to go there every year like clockwork and stay for a weekend (or a week!) and now it's been a while, so I feel the need to get back there. All of my old haunts are calling to me!

 

[pixarmom]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Catalina (it's my second favorite place in SoCal after DLR). Where do you normally stay when you go to the Island? I miss it - I used to go there every year like clockwork and stay for a weekend (or a week!) and now it's been a while, so I feel the need to get back there. All of my old haunts are calling to me!

Metropole! Although if I go with my husband (without kids) sometime, I would love to try Snug Harbor. My first stay at Metropole was 20 years ago, I think, and I haven't tried anything else. Luau Larry's is our favorite restaurant, but so hard to snag that front booth! It was a hard choice, but with 3 boys - DLR won this time.

 

[Sherry E]

Metropole! Although if I go with my husband (without kids) sometime, I would love to try Snug Harbor. My first stay at Metropole was 20 years ago, I think, and I haven't tried anything else. Luau Larry's is our favorite restaurant, but so hard to snag that front booth! It was a hard choice, but with 3 boys - DLR won this time.

I love the Metropole (and the Metropole Marketplace, too!)! Snug Harbor kind of started a wave of newer, nicer or revamped hotels in Avalon - that are more $$$, of course! I think they remodeled a couple of the older hotels and renamed them, if I recall correctly - and made them a little more upscale. They are also adding in all kinds of new attractions and things - like they just added a zipline thingy this month, and there are going to be more underwater adventure things as well. It's part of a whole multi-million dollar project to put a sheen on Avalon and lure tourists back there. I kind of like it the way it is, personally. I like the casual, beachy, weather-worn feel it has. I had some of my best stays on the Island when I stayed in rented cottages or apartments up on Whittley. And of course, I always love renting golf carts and zooming around up in the hills!

I love Luau Larry's - and especially the hats!! My favorite restaurant there is Antonio's - not the tiny one on the side street, but the one that is next to Armstrong's along the water. Good food. I also like The Cottage (which used to be the Pancake Cottage).

Yes, I think with 3 boys, DLR would eventually have to win out - and I can't say I blame them! For me, and you probably understand this, sometimes I am more in a Disney mood and other times I have been in more of a Catalina-type of mood. But with kids, it would be a different story. So you all will go and have a great time at DLR - and hopefully Toy Story Midway Mania will have all of its brand new games set up when you are there in August - your boys would probably be very happy with that, I would guess? And World of Color should be up and running by that time as well. How exciting!!

 

[pixarmom]

I love the Metropole (and the Metropole Marketplace, too!)! Snug Harbor kind of started a wave of newer, nicer or revamped hotels in Avalon - that are more $$$, of course! I think they remodeled a couple of the older hotels and renamed them, if I recall correctly - and made them a little more upscale. They are also adding in all kinds of new attractions and things - like they just added a zipline thingy this month, and there are going to be more underwater adventure things as well. It's part of a whole multi-million dollar project to put a sheen on Avalon and lure tourists back there. I kind of like it the way it is, personally. I like the casual, beachy, weather-worn feel it has. I had some of my best stays on the Island when I stayed in rented cottages or apartments up on Whittley. And of course, I always love renting golf carts and zooming around up in the hills!

I love Luau Larry's - and especially the hats!! My favorite restaurant there is Antonio's - not the tiny one on the side street, but the one that is next to Armstrong's along the water. Good food. I also like The Cottage (which used to be the Pancake Cottage).

Yes, I think with 3 boys, DLR would eventually have to win out - and I can't say I blame them! For me, and you probably understand this, sometimes I am more in a Disney mood and other times I have been in more of a Catalina-type of mood. But with kids, it would be a different story. So you all will go and have a great time at DLR - and hopefully Toy Story Midway Mania will have all of its brand new games set up when you are there in August - your boys would probably be very happy with that, I would guess? And World of Color should be up and running by that time as well. How exciting!!

Thanks for that updated Catalina info - I love it as is, too - hope they don't get too fancy! And we love Antonio's! We had a great waterside table there for dinner the last night of our last trip - good food and great atmosphere for us and for the kids.

Our boys are really excited about DL - the older ones are looking forward to trying California Screamin and Indiana Jones and our pre-schooler will LOVE the new updates to TSM. He checks the TS3 website all the time for new characters and would love to see what he calls "Huggy Bear!"

Hope you get back to Catalina soon!!!

 

[blackjackdelta]

You can eliminate 90% of heat problems (and crowd problems along with them) by swimming and napping in the afternoon. Good hydration will get you through the mornings, which are lovely, and the evenings, which are magical!

Just do what Hydro guy says!

Totally agree. If you are not used to it, it can get to you quickly, the breaks are probably the key to staying energized.

Jack

 

[Mugglemama]

You can eliminate 90% of heat problems (and crowd problems along with them) by swimming and napping in the afternoon. Good hydration will get you through the mornings, which are lovely, and the evenings, which are magical!

Just do what Hydro guy says!

Definitely! We DO happen to have son who is extra heat-sensitive (the only one of our children who is), and we didn't know it until one day when he was 5 he collapsed and started vomiting and then nearly passed out (and it wasn't even very hot and we hadn't been outdoors very long!). Since then we are much more aware.

Our strategy for hot days at DL are:

1) using FP and getting in line half an our before the gates open to minimize our time standing in hot lines (we do not ever stand in long, hot lines),

2) Freezing large bottles of water the night before so that we have an abundance of cool water to drink at every moment while in the parks,

3) Taking an approximate 4-5 hour break in the afternoons to get a meal that we take back to our room, hang out in a very chilled air-conditioned room, swim, shower, and SLEEP!

4) We keep our son damp much of the time when it's hot in the parks. By this, I mean we have him soak his hair at a sink in the restroom, ride a wet ride and hopefully get drenched, or even take a spray bottle. The BEST way I've found to keep him cool in the parks though is to just take off his t-shirt, soak it in a bathroom sink, and stick it back on him. When it dries, I do it again.

 

[Flitterific]

Definitely! We DO happen to have son who is extra heat-sensitive (the only one of our children who is), and we didn't know it until one day when he was 5 he collapsed and started vomiting and then nearly passed out (and it wasn't even very hot and we hadn't been outdoors very long!). Since then we are much more aware.

Our strategy for hot days at DL are:

1) using FP and getting in line half an our before the gates open to minimize our time standing in hot lines (we do not ever stand in long, hot lines),

2) Freezing large bottles of water the night before so that we have an abundance of cool water to drink at every moment while in the parks,

3) Taking an approximate 4-5 hour break in the afternoons to get a meal that we take back to our room, hang out in a very chilled air-conditioned room, swim, shower, and SLEEP!

4) We keep our son damp much of the time when it's hot in the parks. By this, I mean we have him soak his hair at a sink in the restroom, ride a wet ride and hopefully get drenched, or even take a spray bottle. The BEST way I've found to keep him cool in the parks though is to just take off his t-shirt, soak it in a bathroom sink, and stick it back on him. When it dries, I do it again.

I actually was in DLR the same time you will be there this year and it got pretty warm around 10:30am. I was there 5 days last year (Aug 19-23) and DBF and I took afternoon breaks almost every day for 3-4 hours. I think it was high 70s/low 80s most of the time when we were there and the afternoons were very hot (again, a relative thing since I am from San Francisco and is used to weather in the 60s but I did live in Davis for a few years, which is near Sacramento, and summers there reaches 110+). Definitely do everything that you mentioned and keep hydrated as everyone else emphasized. Oh, and don't forget to reapply sunblock every few hours - you'll need it!

Since you know the FP system already, make sure to collect tons of FPs during the mornings and save them for the evenings/nights. I hope you guys have a wonderful time