Is this really a good idea????

[kennezgirl]

We are thinking of planning our first summer trip for 2007. I have been reading through some of the posts about heat and crowd levels and it seems like there are many suggestions about going back to the room during the heat of the day and relaxing in the pool or taking a nap. Do so many do this that the pools are packed too? Do the crowds actually clear out some in the afternoon because of this?

Any tips and guidance would be apprecaited. I am so afraid that we will not get as much trip for our money versus going in the winter months.

I keep telling myself that there could be no such thing as a bad trip to Disney, but I have four kids, my DH, and my mom..so we are talking a lot of people to keep happy.

THANK YOU!

 

[mickeymousemom]

Not sure about how crowded the pools are as we've never stayed onsite in the summer, but I think you'll find it helps to refresh you AND the kids. In alot of the resorts, the pools are either very big and/or you have the "quiet" pools. I'd think you wouldn't have too much trouble with them getting too crowded. Also remember that because it's summer the parks will be open later. You can have a few hours in the morning, take an afternoon break, then go back for a few to several more hours. The last time we went in the summer we stayed offsite and the heat was so exhausting. I swore I'd never go back during the summer months. If we ever do, we'll stay onsite just so we CAN have the ease of going back for a midday break...and from what I understand, many kids like spending time at the pools as much or more than spending time at the parks!

 

[Minnie824]

Is there a reason you're doing summer vs winter? Right now, we're going week after thanksgiving cuz my kids aren't old enough to worry about missing school. However, when they do get older, we'll go the week of Thanksgiving. Even though the holiday itself is crowded, still, less than summer w/Christmas decorations, and cooler weather.

I haven't been in summer in a long time, but we always used to go back to swim and nap. Pools were crowded because people save seats in the morning too.

 

[duckfan78]

we have gone in the summer and winter. We usually like to go in the middle of JAN. anyway, no matter when you go its still going to be somewhat hot. even in the winter. But the summers are terribly hot. I remember last summer when we went in AUG it was so hot you sweat standing still.

But it is always a good idea to go back to the hotel and swim or nap. You pay for the pool so you might as well use it. plus it will make you all feel better and be able to have a second wind at night

 

[chesirechik]

I went in August after many years of going in the winter. It was me, DH, my parents & brother. It was HOT and HUMID, but we were in Disney! I don't think I would do it again, but it was manageable.

As for returning to the rooms during the day, when we did we usually took a cool shower and napped. Swimming (in the heat!) would have just made me more tired. The pool (at AKL) didn't seem all that crowded during the day though.

My biggest tip to you if you go in the summer is GO TO THE PARKS EARLY. We were always there for the park opening and got most things done right away and didn't notice the parks filling up until 10:30-11:00am. You can get so much done in the morning.

And you are right, there is no such thing as a bad day at disney!

 

[Charlotte&Carolina]

When we go in May or early September it's pretty warm. We go back for a swim and a nap almost every day - mainly because the parks are open later. But when we go in February we don't because it is cooler and the park hours are shorter.

You asked about crowds in the park. No, they don't clear out I would guess because a lot of people are off-site and don't want to go back to their hotel and also because a lot of people get a later start coming to the parks around lunchtime. It seems to me they build into the afternoon and die down slightly in the evening. Best time for short lines is first thing in the morning.

 

[Karnak]

In my humble opinion taking a break in the afternoon is a big waste of time. No matter how hot and humid it gets, one can always plan a personal itinerary with meal and show times to make for a break right there in the park. Schedule table service meals and indoor shows wisely, and you'll have a great time.

If you do go to your resort in the afternoon, plan on at least three hours, two of which will probably be needed to travel back and forth.

Enjoy.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We're not rope drop people, its our vacation, we get up when we get up, have breakfast and stroll on over to a park. We do that we enjoy ride wise, shop our way back to the transportation stop and have a picnic at our resort pool, swim, drink and relax at the resort until the sun goes down and the crowds thin out. We do the park with the EMH evenings but never stay until closing, usually around 3 am for the MK, too late for us. We return to our resort, sometimes swim, have a libation before hitting the room and shower and bed. same routine just about every day. Those noon type breaks makes for a good break from getting all Disneyed out staying in the parks from open to close. We've been to WDW over 35 times, usually stay 8-12 nights so we've seen everything and don't need to run ourselves ragged, its a vacation and we do come back year after year.

 

[Heather]

A lot of it depends on how old your kids are, what kind of stamina you all as a group have, whether you are willing/able to get there first thing in the morning, if you like to stay late at night, etc. Radically trying to change into early morning people if you just AREN'T is too hard, especially on vacation!

Having said that, when our kids were younger, we ALWAYS took a mid-day break -- we'd arrive for opening, stay until lunchtime, go back to the hotel and swim/nap, return to the parks around 4 and stay until closing. It always worked VERY well for us and for our kids. As previous posters said, do the big rides first thing in the morning. We'd do lower-key things in the afternoon, also shows or large capacity attractions, and watch the parades/fireworks, etc. and use that time for characters, touring the World Showcase at Epcot, and that sort of thing.

It is something that worked very well for us, but we never went in August so it might not be the best thing for your family. When we return at Thanksgiving, we will probably use the same strategy for the EMH nights -- go in the morning, do the "big" stuff when it is less crowded, clear out for a while and take a swim or rest, then return in late afternoon and stay until we drop!

Hope it is a good strategy for your family and that you have a GREAT vacation!

 

[Plantlady]

We went this year, July 6 - 13.

It was hot, sure, but we had a mister fan, and we drank a lot of water. We did lots of shows, they were usually cooler. Resturants are cooler. It wasn't unbearable.

We only waited in one long line (Misson Space). Other than that, I don't think we ever waited over 20 minutes in lines.

Only Animal Kingdom seemed crowded, I think that was due to narrow paths, it just seemed bad. Everywhere else did not seem that bad, not too crowded.

I went there, with the expectation of very crowded, and very hot, and I was pleasantly surprised, that it was not bad. I would go back in July in a heartbeat. (We don't have a choice when, every year, my husband gets vacation at the exact same time a year)

 

[kaybird]

Like Karnak, we also plan breaks in the park, stopping for a TS meal in the heat of the afternoon, or riding long slow cool rides or shows; like Universe of energy, or Little mermaid. We like to sit and eat at Sci Fi, or Coral reef, always stay around 45min to and hour, and leave really refreshed. This has worked for us with tiny boys all the way up to grown. We rarely go back to the room, but have on occasion. Sometimes, we hit the waterparks in the later afternoon, the early birds are getting tired and leaving, and we grab a tube for the lazy river and chill out! 23 DAYS!!!

 

[thotfulspot]

A bit part of the decision has to do with how old the kids are. With younger kids (as in, younger than, say, 10), I would plan on being there at rope drop, hitting the rides until you notice that the crowds are building and the kids are drooping, then either eating lunch in the park or at the hotel, and giving the kids a swimming/rest break for a few hours. Then hit the park again, refreshed and still civil with one another, and enjoy it as you see surly families starting to head out.

My best buddy and I are Disney fan(atic)s from way back, and we've observed that just around 4pm is what we call the Cranky Parents time of day. Avoid it by not pushing the whole family past their limits, and have a happy time!

 

[disneymama73]

We went a couple of times in the summer when I was a teenager, and I went a couple of weeks ago. This last trip reminded me of why I like to go in Dec. I am not a hot weather person. I really loved my mister fan! I bought it for $5 at Walmart.

Seriously, plan to take a break in the afternoon. Go back to your resort for a swim and/or nap, have a TS meal, shop...whatever you like to do to relax and cool off.

Most importantly stay well hydrated! I have become very sick at WDW twice due to the heat. Drink drink drink!

How old are your kids? We didn't bring the kids on the last trip. DD1 is not a hot weather person either. She would have whined the whole time.

 

[Missy Mouse]

We are thinking of planning our first summer trip for 2007. I have been reading through some of the posts about heat and crowd levels and it seems like there are many suggestions about going back to the room during the heat of the day and relaxing in the pool or taking a nap. Do so many do this that the pools are packed too? Do the crowds actually clear out some in the afternoon because of this?

Any tips and guidance would be apprecaited. I am so afraid that we will not get as much trip for our money versus going in the winter months.

I keep telling myself that there could be no such thing as a bad trip to Disney, but I have four kids, my DH, and my mom..so we are talking a lot of people to keep happy.

THANK YOU!

We only go during the summer, once in May and once in August. In May we usually get by without retreating back to the hotel but August is a totally different story. We usually go out early in the morning and come back around noon or 1 to cool off for a few hours. It's VERY hot in August.

 

[kennezgirl]

Thanks for all of the advice. My kids range in age from 14 to 6 so that too makes it difficult. We were looking at a summer trip because of the kids missing school AND I am a school employee.
Like I said, just worried about is being disappointed since our last trip was in November. I am a worry wart!

Thanks again~

 

[PA Princess]

I traveled last summer with the exact same group as the OP...4 kids and a grandma. We went prepared for the heat and we did take mid day breaks. This was different from our cool weather month trips when we discussed taking a mid day break, but we found we often could get by with a break in a show or TS meal. We never hit the proverbial Disney wall last trip, and I do think the mid day breaks made all the difference.

We did use the pools that summer trip last year and found the pools at CBR (both quiet and themed) to be busy, but not crowded to the point of no chairs or not fun. Actually, the busiest pool scene we ever dealt with was at the Poly in February, so perhaps weather is not a great pool busy predictor? We will be traveling back to WDW in September with our same group and kids will be 12, 11, 6, and 1. We plan to take mid day breaks again.