July or August with kids?

[dangler]

Hello,

Has anyone been to Disney in mid July thru mid Aug.? Just wondering how long lines range from and if there is much rain?
Thanks!

 

[MeetingMickeyin2006]

I'm so glad you asked this! We're going next July, and I've heard awful things and I've heard not so awful things. I've been told that it rains at the exact same time everyday, that it is horribly hot, and extremely crowded. Really put a damper on things, but it is the only time we can go, so we will just have to grin and bear it. I know it will be worth it.

Anxious to see some of the replies.

 

[dangler]

Hi,

I am hoping to hear lots of responses as well, it would be better for us not to have to take kids out school and maybe have a bit more time there.!

 

[FromVatoDisney]

Hi Dangler and MeetingMickey2006,

I am going this July, July 13 to 19. I've asked this same question and been on many July threads.

Here's the advice the good folks here have given for conquering summer. If at all possible (we will, we're morning people), be at the parks FIRST THING. You'll get a lot done in the first hour. Spend the morning in the park, then break. Have lunch, go back to resort, swim, NAP. Go back in the evening. You will miss the worst of the heat and crowds this way. Use Fastpass whenever possible. In MK, MGM, and Epcot, take advantage of the many indoor attractions and air-conditioned shops. This is less possible in AK, it's mostly outdoors and it seems 10 degrees hotter than other parks, is what folks are saying. Wear loose comfortable clothing, and a HAT. Wear loads of sunscreen. Drink loads of water. Water in the parks is $$$. Some options are to bring in your own bottled water -- if you don't want to lug it around you can rent a locker in the parks, store your softsided cooler there, and everytime you pass your locker, grab another bottle of water -- or you can fill up you water bottle with park water. However, many folks say the water in Fla. tastes bad. Some have solved this problem by buying special filtered water bottles.
Buy rain ponchos at the dollar store and take one into the park with you each day, then discard. It seems to be a better solution than buying one more expensive heavy poncho and having to lug it around after the rain is over.
I plan to wear Teva sandals, but if you plan to wear sneakers, have an extra pair for all, because after the shoes get wet they will be very uncomfortable.
If you plan to eat on site, make some priority seatings (PS) 90 days out, because the restaurants are busy at this time.
Dangler you don't say where you are from, but meetingmickey2006, I am sure the heat in Fla. won't be much worse than the heat in Oklahoma. Don't know how much humidity y'all have though. We have PLENTY here in the DC area.
Hope this helps!

 

[ryley26]

I agree go early leave come back in the evening. we went last aug and are going aug again this year. we leave by 1:00 and usally have a major part of the park done. Most people don't arrive at opening. drink lots of water and tour in the rain lines shorten up and the rain generally last about half an hour.

 

[MsMulan]

I've been in August and yes it is hot and it does rain. But with a little planning, things will be fine. The best advice I can give is to drink lots of water, buy a mister fan, and take your time. I am not sure why people feel as if they have to rush. For my DD and I, whatever we do not get to see will leave more for us to explore another day or on our next visit. (We usually go every other year).

 

[digskat]

Hey Dangler, forget July or August and go in October with us!! HAHAHAHA Just jokin' glad to see you are finding your way around the disboards. TTFN Kat

 

[dangler]

Hi Digskat,

Maybe would could have gone? Just spent about what you will spend on your vacation on the 82!!!!!!!!! Can you believe that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dangler

 

[jennyl772003]

We always go in July or August. It is hot, it does rain. The rain usually only lasts a short time though, and when it does, we go back to the hotel, shower and nap. By the time we wake up, the rain is done. Then, in the evenings we go DTD, since we are refreshed from our naps.

The heat, well, we are from WI, so we almost enjoy it! We have a mister fan we use and water bottle straps. We make sure to drink water ALL the time. The stores are air conditioned, as well as some of the que's for rides are too, so it is possible to escape the heat.

AK does always seem hotter and more humid.

 

[Greg K.]

Two summers ago, we arrived on July 5, and stayed two weeks at BCV.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that for the first few days, the parks were NOT all that crowded. Especially in the morning. One of the cast members said that is typical -- that many people come pouring into the parks for the 4th of July, and then scram after the holiday. There's a lull for a few days, and then it picks up again.

And I agree with what others have said: get to the parks EARLY, and get out around lunchtime, and go back in the evenings. You'll beat the heat, and the worst of the throngs.

 

[FromVatoDisney]

MsMulan, since you're from DC (I'm from N.Va. ), how bad did you find the humidity to be? Was it similar to what we're used to, or a whole other dimension?

Thanks!

 

[dangler]

Is there anyway to describe this humidity? Where I live, we are lucky to get 10 days with humidity throughout the entire summer!

 

[FromVatoDisney]

Dangler,

Have you ever been to a rainforest exhibit at an aquarium or zoo? It's similar to that... it feels very very tropical, if it is like DC and I am assuming it is probably worse.

Other ideas to combat it, besides the mister fans already mentioned... bring washcloths, bandannas, etc. that you have dipped in ice water... put them in the ice water about a half hour before you set out for the parks... then put them in baggies with more ice and bring them in a small soft sided cooler, and when you feel the humidity stifling you put them on your body, your forehead, your neck, etc. Just anything you can think of to get some relief.

But the best tip is still -- if at all possible, get up very early and get out to the parks, and then come back around mid-day. It will be hot at 8 or 9 a.m. but not like it will be at 2 or 3 p.m. And then later as the sun goes down it will still be hot, but again far better than the heat of the day.

 

[Goofy4]

In Aug 2003, the temp was 92 with high humidity and brief rain showers every day.

You might see the "92" and think, "been there, done that." With the high humidity, just standing in any outside queues will slowly drain your body of fluid, even if you shaded from the sun. Then, you do the same the next day, and the next... and it will catch up with you.

One of our family of 4 was always the official backback/water jug carrier, so we always had something to drink. We did fine.

 

[dangler]

Thanks for the tips. I think I will skip the summer. We have been in the rainforest exhibits and it is stiffling in there! Hard to breathe as well with heavy air like that!

 

[digskat]

Hi Digskat,

Maybe would could have gone? Just spent about what you will spend on your vacation on the 82!!!!!!!!! Can you believe that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dangler

What a Donkey!! You should tell him since he spent that much on his car now it's your turn to spend matching him dollar for dollar above what he originally quoted it would cost you. Digger can't believe it either!! Kat

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

we went in july 2003 and are going back this july....
it is HOT HOT HOT!!!!!!! and humid beyond belief.........but that's when we can go, so we'll deal with it.

I can't wait!!

 

[Disneylovers]

We went last August, lots of heat and humidity (we left the day before the first hurricane hit!). We took two bottles of water with us each day, one frozen, which DH carried in the backpack, one from the fridge, which I carried in the bottle carrier. The one from the fridge we used first, then the frozen one was used. We all wore hats, light weight clothes, and had two pairs of shoes (one sandals, one gym shoes) for each of us. It rained every day around 5 in the afternoon (when we were back at the resort). We tried to duck into the air conditioned stores as much as possible, and we had a blast!

 

[sprite]

We went in August last year. It was very hot. We are from the D.C. area and the humidity was about the same. But it was much hotter.

Did I mention it was hot?

(It must not have been too bad, because we are going back this year in July )

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Regardless of rain or lines, you couldn't pay me a million dollars to take kids to WDW that time of year simply because of the HEAT.