How crowded was it last July?

[Buttercup Roberts]

We rented a house for us and MIL, for the last weekend in July through the first weekend in August. 10 days at the Mouse!!

I've been in the heat before, and know what to expect with that, and I've been in July before, but it was just Joe and me. Moving around with an 8 year old and a 72 year old, it's going to not be so flexible. I think we need a plan!

How will crowds be?

We will be touring from noon to park close each day, avoiding any park with Extra Magic Hours that day (early or late). I realize you can get a lot in if you're there for rope drop, but I will save those kind of extreme measures for the end of the trip only if I have to, to get Miles onto things he's missing out on. We are definitely all a bunch of night owls!

 

[Robo]

How will crowds be?

You should be able to enjoy being in the middle of some REALLY BIG crowds that time of year, especially if you wait to go into the parks until noon.

 

[happybratpack]

We've gone the last couple years that exact week. I have to say that the only decent lines we ran across was early morning and if we stayed really late for the EMH. The crowds/heat are tolerable, but there's NO way I'd start the day at noon. We tried to leave the park for downtime by then or a little later everyday because the crowds just seemed to swell come noonish. Looking back on my notes, for example we could do all of Fantasyland if we got there first thing in the morning in no time. By early afternoon even rides like IASW were over 45 minute wait and Peter Pan was EASILY 70+.

This is the only trip of the year I go w/ kids and it would be a disaster to start the day so late with them. The schedule that worked best for us was up early, mid-day break and then late nights.

Good luck and have fun on your trip!

 

[momtimesone]

I can remebmer it like it was yesterday i had it all planned out get up early the first day there and hit the magic kingdom right at the rope drop. Big huge mistake my 7 yr old was beat by 10 am and just was crabby so we took him back to the hotel for a rest and swim. The next day we left the hotel at 11 am after his long sleep and he was able to not only make it thru the whole day at the parks but we stayed the whole 3 hrs during the extra magic hrs. We did not rush thru the parks. we used fast pass at the more crowded attractions but took things nice and easy and it was the best time i have ever had on any vacation. After that day We let him sleep in till about 10 am and then went to the parks. It was crowded the lines where a max 30 mins but your at disney lines will never be quick and the park will never be empty but to have your child wide awake smiling and happy makes things for me a whole lot more magical then beating any crowds. A vacation is about enjoying yourself and if getting there at noon would make your family more pleasent to be around then do it its all about whats right for you and yours. May you have the best time ever.