Hi all....first post and already a question!

[nomy]

Hello.

So glad we have stumbled on this forum. I have been browsing a lot and already found this place a wonderfully friendly and helpful place!

We were struggling to decide where to go for our big holls next year. We did want to go to Florida just as soon as we thought our 4 year old daughter would get enough out of it, whilst at the same time allowing us to get some fun too! Originally we thought we would wait till 2006 when she would be 6 1/2, but to hell with it, we were fed up with the usual med family package holls and decided to take the plunge next year when she will be 5 1/2.

So now we have booked through First Choice and will be staying at the Springhill Suites & Courtyard by Marriott Villiage for two weeks starting 18th June.

Now this is our first taste of Florida and just so excited (and a little bewildered) by it all. We have ordered the 'Brits Guide' which I'm sure will answer most of our questions, but in the meantime I have a couple of questions.

Firstly (and predictably), have we chosen a bad time in terms of crowds? I know it's busy most summer months, but I didn't want to choose a time that conflicts with USA holls! Also, am I right in assuming that weather wise, we can expect it to be hot and humid with fairly predictable afternoon downpours? We are also considering going to Discovery Cove for a swim with dolphins. As a non swimmer myself, and also with small child in tow, will we get much out of it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[KayleeUK]

Hello and Welcome to the DIS

I can't help with either of your questions but there will be loads that will

Don't forget to come and join us on the UK Community Board for a natter

 

[UKDEB]

Welcome to the DIS, nomy

The school summer break in the US starts mid June and goes through to mid August, so you can expect it to be pretty busy throughout that period. The up side is that the park hours are much longer and there are more opportunities to see special parades (such as SpectroMagic at Magic Kingdom). You can avoid the worst of the crowds by making a list of your must-sees, using FASTPASS and avoiding Extra Magic Hour days (each day Disney opens a nominated park one hour early for its resort guests - these days tend to be <i>very</i> busy). Currently the EMH days are:

MK - Sun, Thu
Epcot - Wed
MGM - Tue, Sat
AK - Mon, Fri

I've been to Orlando 10 times (with my 11th and 12th trips already booked ) at different times of year and I've found the weather to be as unpredictable as it is here in the UK. Statistically the summer months certainly have more rain, but we've been 3 times during the summer and we've never experienced the "afternoon storms on the hour every hour for 5 minutes" that you hear so much about. One year we had the last 3 days of our trip wiped out by continuous rain; another time we had some pretty spectacular thunderstorms which set in around tea-time and lasted most of the evening; and this July the rain was sporadic - we'd have several days of high pressure and <b>hot</b> weather followed by a couple of days of low pressure (sometimes rainy, others just cloudy).

 

[allie5]

Hi Nomy

Last year we did almost exactly those dates...19th June for 16 nights. Crowds for the first week were actually not too bad. We did Magic Kingdom on our first Saturday and were surprised how much we got done. Things did change on the week of the 4th July holiday though! To be honest, it was awful...crowds were unbeliavable and the weather HOT!

I know thats not what you want to hear, so here is the POSITIVE side of going at that time! Parks are open very late, so you can make the most of the long hours. The afternoon storm clears the parks considerably, so pull on your poncho and STAY!! I would do Magic Kingdom early on in the holiday and leave the bigger parks like EPCOT till later, as they are better at coping with larger crowds.

Make an effort to be at the parks at opening....even on the busiest days you can beat an awful lot of the crowds by arriving EARLY.

Be flexible with your plans....we have two small children and left when things got too hot/crowded/wet.

To be honest, I would leave Discovery Cove. Children have to be at least 6 to participate in the Dolphin Swim, so that would mean you and your partner would have to swim seperately. Its probably better left till your daughter is older. Sea World is a huge hit with Pre-schoolers and time would be better spent here, in my opinion!!

I think my trip report from that holiday is still kicking around on the Trip Reports forum, you may find some info there of use to you (be warned, I tend to go on a bit )

Any more questions, please ask.

Allie

 

[Miffy2003]

Hi there,

Just to say your daughter will love it at WDW at 5 1/2. A great age to go for the first time! She'll be old enough to do "most" rides but young enough to really feel the magic

Sorry I know you didn't ask that

Welcome to the Dis

Karen

 

[tartangirl]

Hi,

We normally go at the end of June but due to school holidays ended up there on 24th this year. Crowds weren't too bad for the first week so I reckon you'll be OK on the 18th. Take the advise from the book and go to the parks on the quiet days. Make sure you're at the parks early then use the Fastpass system and you'll get to do everything you want.

It will be hot but I dont think it's any hotter than the med in summer and humidity hits people in different ways so there's no predicting that. Dont expect your daughter to walk around the parks all day. At 5 1/2 we were still hiring buggies for our children (not the biggest children) which kept them out the sun and kept them in high spirits.

I'm afraid I dont know about Discovery Cove although I suspect you'd be better leaving that for a few years until your daughter can take part.

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

Welcome Nomy

We have been to florida 3 times and each time has been either end of June or Also July.
The weather is very un-predictable but still very Humid, and the rain/storms never last long and the sun soon is out and shining.
We found around 3-5pm the storms usually start, and can last anything upto a hour or two,they never scuppered any of our days has you find you can build round them, and they don't last long.

Chelsea was 4 1/2 yrs this time around, and she loved it she rode all the big rides (with her father not me ) I am not a ride's fan but she loved it, she has loved it though everytime she has been its very special for children,they have a wonderful time.

Crowds can be long, this time around in July we waited 95minutes for shrek in Universal Studios and that was hard especially in the heat, I ended up back at the hotel whilst Martyn and Chelsea went back, Be prepared it is Hot, and very deceiving at times, make sure plenty sun lotion and kids get very crabby when Hot, Chelsea managed to be fine this time around invest in a disney fan cooler which fans and sprays water or get a cheaper version from wal-mart not only does it cool them down but also distracts them.
Don't push yourselves on your first trip, don't think you have to do it all at once and cram it all in in your stay there, theres always excuses to go back again and it's hard work the parks are very hard work walking around and trying to see and do everything, Kids can hire buggies regardless of ages Chelsea was in a buggy this time around it's so hot.

Now I've gone on abit, Have a wonderful time here on DIS you will get answers to all your questions

And happy planning for you hols!!

Beth

 

[nomy]

Many thanks for all your replies. You are all just so nice and friendly. A big change from other forums I've been on I can tell you

We will be flying back on the 2nd of July, so hopefully we will miss July 4th holls!

Great advice re the buggies. So we wouldn't feel foolish being the only ones pushing a 5 year in a buggy then? Can you leave them anywhere when you go on a ride? And are they freely available at the park entrance? The fans are a superb idea too. Little Millie will feel like royalty in a buggy again. I will have to make a deal that she can go in it just as long as when Daddy gets a little older, she has to push me in one. Fair enough isn't it?

Don't anyone worry about long replies with me. I have the same problem at times

Thanks.

 

[JohnnySharp]

When you are on holiday in Orlando then no you do not feel strange with a buggy, our 7 year old boy is Autistic and hence we take our own over-sized stroller with us.
To be honest it's just not something we even think about, at the end of the day we are having a great time and most importantly our little boy is too.
................anyway 'if' someone has a problem with it , first of all you will not notice and secondly 'who cares'? That's their problem
Another thing is a lot of people have buggies/strollers whatever the age of the child, walking around theme parks with a child is unthinkable for a lot of people. You will see what I mean when you arrive but rest assured you will not feel 'foolish' in the slightest.

We have never rented one from the parks direct as we have always taken our own.

I can only echo previous replies about visiting in June, it will be hot, ensure you get to the parks early( particularly MK) and do not be afraid to change your plans as you go along.

 

[tartangirl]

I wouldn't worry about feeling foolish. No-one is there to judge you and anything you can do to make the holiday more enjoyable is worth doing.

Buggies are freely available at the park entrance but are pricey ($7 last time but probably gone up).

This is for the day so you can park hop and when you arrive at the new park just show your ticket and you'll get a new buggy.

It would be cheaper to buy one from Walmart (or take your own) but the advantage of the Disney ones are that they are pretty big and sturdy and they also offer protection from the sun.

Good point about Shrek - Universal tends to open 20mins early in June/July and you need to be there at opening. We go straight on Shrek with no wait but by the time we come out it is already over an hour wait and they no longer have Universal Express for it. It's well worth the early start.

You will notice a difference in Qs at the beginning of your holiday from the end. I'd try and do all the parks/rides you want early and then go back and take in the shows/soak up the atmosphere/do your favourite rides at the end of your holiday.

You'll have a wonderful time.

 

[nomy]

Thanks again.

But are there facilities for you to leave the buggy somewhere so we can all go on the family rides?

I will leave the questions for a while after this one....honest

 

[tartangirl]

There are places to leave the buggy at all the rides although they recommend you dont leave anything valuable in the buggy.

You get a card with your name on it to identify your buggy but it's usually worth having some means of finding your buggy in the sea of buggies.

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

I wouldnt feel bothered or embarrassed about pushing a 5/any year old around in the buggies or your own, everyone seems to do it, It seems to be the "norm!"
As for parking the buggy there is Buggy carparks (if you know what i mean) near the rides, and are safe etc, I do agree don't leave anything valuable in it though just to be on the safe side.
We've left ours all the time and we have always found it no problems and everything has been fine

You can Hire, or it may even be cheaper to buy your own,we bought Chelsea a Princess one from mothercare over here at £35 also bought a parasol for her too, to keep the sun off her and especially welcome when they are fast asleep and your mooching around

Whatever you decide don't feel silly it is normal to push around a toddler/child, its Hot, and means alot of walking and Children arent like us. LOL infact if they made a Buggy big enough for me, I'd be in one!!

 

[pooky_uk]

Hi nomy......we're off to WDW for our first trip next year too - exciting isn't it!!

Just had to reply as I noted that your DD is called Millie........same as our daughter...she will turn 7 whilst we are out there

Enjoy the boards -so friendly and soooo informative!..o, and dare I say...addicitve!

 

[Tron[ADS]]

Welcome to the dis boards. Im sure you will have lots of questions to ask over the coming months, and youve picked the best place to ask it. This is one of the best forums i have ever come across, everyone here is dead nice, and you dont even get any token *******s trying to spoil it (apart from my mate Cochise )
In fact I think the thing that makes this place a different kind of forum to anywhere else ive used, is that when people ask questions, they get answers, and not a load of pompus gits saying "try using the search facility" hehe.