July veterans -- tips, please!

[FromVatoDisney]

Hi all -- I am a newbie and so grateful for these boards. Our family (myself, DH, DS9 and DD6) will be making our first trip July 13 through July 19. :jumping4: Hopefully our neighbors (a couple with a DS10 and a DS6) will also be joining us. We have two rooms booked at Wilderness Lodge. What can I expect at that time of year? What should I bring in a daypack/fannypack?

Yes, I know it will be HOT and HUMID -- but we live in the former swamp now known as the Washington D.C. area and we are no stranger to 90-plus, with 100 percent humidity. Other reasons for summer travel -- I won't take my DS out of school -- he is in third grade and has to take many state exams this year. Also, we are summer and water people and a vacation for us is not complete without many swimming, water park and boating opportunities. One of my best friends described coming off Splash Mountain around Thanksgiving and just FREEZING -- can't do it, rather would be hot. However, also trying to be hot and prepared -- any tips would be very welcome!

 

[SPAM]

check out this recent thread
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=721696

 

[NeverlandClub23]

July really isn't that bad. I live in Virginia and I am very used to the 90 degrees and 100% humidity all summer too. I started going to Disney World when I was 11 and every two years after that and we always went in the middle of July because of school. During the week the park is crowded but not as bad as it is on the weekends. It also rains a lot so I would definitely bring a mini umbrella or poncho or neither if you don't care about getting wet! Also staying at the Wilderness Lodge is nice because if the crowds or heat get too intense you can always take the boat back to your air conditioned room if you're at MK. Also many of the parks have a lot of indoor shows and rides that are air conditioned as well as restraunts and shops. Also the parks stay open later during the summer so somedays we would go to a water park during the day and go to a park that evening. I would definitely take sunscreen and some kind of headache relief. Also if you're group plans on splitting up at any time I would get two-way radios because they're a huge timesaver. Now that I'm older and everyone that goes doesn't have any children we really don't take much of anything into the parks because the line to have your purse and bags checked through can get pretty long so we try to carry as much in our pockets as possible and if we really really need anything we can always go back to our rooms. Oh and I would bring a couple of Ziploc bags to put anything you don't want getting wet in because almost every park has at least one water ride. Have a great time and don't forget your camera!!

 

[buzz2400]

My DS and I go every fourth of july. A few suggestions. Any counter service will give you free ice water. The water tastes bad but I still drink it. It is ok if you gulp it down. My ds tends to get dehydrated when we go. You can buy a mix to put in your water to make it more drinkable. It tends to get heavy carrying around bottled water and very expensive to buy it there. MGM's water did not taste bad. Carry a little thing of sunscreen. Sometimes you are in a line and you start to feel your skin burning. We also bring one of the little fans, some come with misters. Plan on sweating. Just remember to drink lots of water (and not soda).

 

[momof2sons]

Sunscreen, Plenty of fluids, rain ponchoes from dollar store (short afternoon rain 10/15 min. with occassional all day rain), pennies and quarters for penny machines, big sharpy pin for character autogragh, auto gragh book, little bagie with bandades, bactine wipes, neosporin, camera, extra flim or memory stick, go early, leave for break if park gets to busy, and use fast pass if lines are longer than 30 min. I'm sure there is more but cann't think of right now.

 

[jjsmom]

Greetings from MD's Eastern Shore! It's hard to believe we're talking about the sweltering FL summer heat when the wind chill is zero! Anyway, We were there this past July, 24-30. Crowds were on the heavy side, but NOT unmanageable. If you & your family are summer people (I am; DH & DD are not) then you will be just fine. My advice is to get to the parks early and get the popular attractions out of the way before the larger crowds hit. Take abvantage of the Fastpass.
Take a midday break during rain showers. In our case last summer, the rain was light and we were still able to stay in the parks. Indoor attractions are a lifesaver during the hottest parts of the day (example-Hall of Pres, Country bears, EPCOT pavilions, Great Movie Ride).

I agree with everyone about sunscreen. I get fairly dark in summer but still got burned on my nose & shoulders that trip. Drink lots of water. Do not expect to get everything done in one day. If you or the kids start to feel fatigued, take a break; go to the pool or take a nap. Keep in mind that there is much, much more to WDW than rides. Stroll other resorts, enjoy a movie in Downtown Disney (my DD and her friend took "a day off" from the parks and it did wonders for her volitile adolescent personality) Point is, the possibilities are endless.

Here's what goes into my fanny pack: very small wallet with only essential items (credit cards, cash, insurance card, WDW key card/passes), contact rewetting drops, LIP BALM, small tube of sunscreen, and fold up pancho (dollar store kind-I buy a bunch and get 1 use out of them), a few ibuprofen tablets, and any feminine items I may need. Fortunately, my DD is 13 and the "everything but the kitchen sink" days are long passed.

One more thing-pack at least 2 pair of shoes to wear in the parks. We HAVE gotten caught in downpours and shoes can get completely soaked, even if your clothes stay dry with the pancho. It can take a day or more for shoes to dry. Our family has tried the water shoe thing and neither of us has been able to wear them for more than a few hours.

Enjoy your trip!! Six days and counting for us!!

 

[mhingher]

Wear sunscreen, and bring extra in your bag..drink water even if you're not thirsty! Keep in mind that it will probably rain everyday for about 10 minutes. So you might want to bring ponchos or buy them when you get to the park. The rain can come down really fast!... Make sure everyone is wearing comfy sneakers, but just in case, I always pack band aids and neosporin for those nasty blisters. And just remember you don't have to do everything all at once, I'm assuming you will be there for a few days. So plan to head back to the room during the day for some R&R, maybe a swim in the pool. And then head back into one of the parks later on. Have a great trip!

Melissa

 

[NeverlandClub23]

YES! Definitely do not plan on doing everything in one day. The first time we went my mom bought a 70 page notebook and filled every line of it with an hour by hour itenerary at every park. Needless to say we never stayed on the schedule and you feel like you're constantly moving on to the next thing. Every time since then has been very nice, sometimes we'll even come back to the room just to relax for an hour and then go back but it makes for a great trip if you don't plan to do every ride and every show in a day.

 

[FromVatoDisney]

Thank you very much, kind people! I'll be using every one of your tips. We definitely plan to make it a *vacation,* not rush here, rush there. How late can I expect the parks to stay open -- I know everything is probably turned on its head now with evening EMHs... -- but what about just a regular summer day?

 

[Peter_noPan]

With kids that age I always recommend getting to the parks very early, like 30 minutes prior to opening. You can get more rides done before noon then some people will do all day.

Then take the kids to the hotel for a swin and nap. MAKE THEM NAP.

Go to the parks for the rest of the evening.

You avoid the worst of the heat and the crowds this way.

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

Hi all -- I am a newbie and so grateful for these boards. Our family (myself, DH, DS9 and DD6) will be making our first trip July 13 through July 19. :jumping4: Hopefully our neighbors (a couple with a DS10 and a DS6) will also be joining us. We have two rooms booked at Wilderness Lodge. What can I expect at that time of year? What should I bring in a daypack/fannypack?

!

Hey there! We will be at the WL from 7/18 til 7/22!!!! We went 2 summers ago and man, it was hot, but July is the only time of the year that we can go, so hot at Disney is better than no Disney!!!! I was quite surprised how much the humidity bothered me, but we did take afternoon breaks at the WL...we will have some PS for lunch time to have a longer break in the a/c while at the parks.
Have fun planning!!!!!!!!

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

Then take the kids to the hotel for a swin and nap. MAKE THEM NAP.

.

yeah! and YOU take a nap too!! Last time, I just did more and more planning while they slept...I could have used the rest more!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Most of the time during the summer MK will stay open to 11 or midnight and Epcot sometimes around 9 or 10 and with E-ride nights they vary a lot in hours but usually during the summer and the busy times they are open the latest. AK doesn't usually stay open any later than 8 because you can't really see animals at night But if they are it's probably not more than an hour after that. MGM usually stays open pretty late in the summer as well.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We always go in July and love it. I hope you're staying onsite because my best tip is get to the parks early, leave around 1:00 go back to your hotel swim/nap break and then return to the parks in the early evening. One good thing about July is the parks are always open late. Make a grocery stop and get plenty of bottled water - you'll need it. Sunscreen of course and get some dollar store ponchos that you can keep with you and then throw away. There are usually some quick showers in July but they usually don't last that long. We'll be in Disney July 1-15. We're staying at GF. I hope to see some dissers there this time we've never met any yet.