July Visit Tips

[jtwibih]

Anyone have any tips on dealing with the crowds during July? I usually go in November but we decided we would take another trip to WDW this year. I've never been in July and I've seen the crowd calendars so I know it's probably madness but I'm looking for anything that will help us try to enjoy the week as much as possible. We aren't going to go hard because of the heat but we just want to enjoy it as much as we can.

JT

 

[kiapepito]

When in July are you going?

 

[MidgeD79]

Are you staying on-site? We always use EMH in the morning because of the heat. The best part of going in the summer is you don't have to worry about what to pack. It's either hot or really hot. I usually pack extra socks, underwear and shirts because I don't like wearing sweaty clothes. We also get lots of free ice water or just the ice at every park.

 

[dprincessmom]

Extra clothes (including multiple bras) or laundry duty (or both) are a must for us. Fresh clothes for the return trip to the parks helps us feel more refreshed.

We do rope drop, pool and then rest/nap in the AC, back to parks for evening of fun. The parks tend to be open later in July and we take advantage of the late hours. If you are going to do a really late night, still try and do Rope Drop at one of the parks that is a quicker tour (example close down MK, open with AK the next day do everything you want using AC shows/dining and water ride to cool off then pool time (we usually combine laundry duty with the pool time) and an early evening.

Stay hydrated - drink all the time, not just when you are thirsty. SUNSCREEN - being fried is no fun ever but especially at WDW.

Listen to your body and get into the AC and rest July heat is no joke. Know that it will be hot and it will be crowded and there will probably be a thunderstorm most afternoons having that mindset will get you thru some of the things. July heat and crowds can also let you experience some things that you don't typically do just because it has AC and not a long line.

I say all this to follow up with - have a WONDERFUL time at WDW. We will be there the end of July (after a 5 year break from that month ) and we will be doing all of the above. DD wants to try the COP this trip because one of the songs is on an attractions CD we have - I hope the AC is on full blast!

 

[maxiesmom]

Go to the parks at open, take a break between 1 and 4, and then go back to the a parks. Or if you don't want to leave, schedule ADRs for lunch. It helps a lot to get out of the sun and humidity for a while.

Drink water, but also drink something like Vitamin Water or Powerade. You need to replace all of the minerals you are sweating out. Avoid alcohol during the heat of the day. If you want an adult beverage, wait until the sun starts to go down.

Buy some body wipes to carry in your park bag. When you use the restroom, give yourself a quick wipe off. It will make you feel much much better. Oh, and don't mess with too much makeup. You will just sweat it all off.

 

[xlsm]

We are summer travelers. Early mornings are key.

Yes, it will be crowded, but just plan for rope drop and know the best uses of FP for your touring style. We can always get a lot done first thing in the morning - this is most important at Magic Kingdom. We can usually knock out a ton of stuff by 11am, then we eat lunch, and slow down. And that last part, slowing down, is very important. Do not run yourselves ragged (easier said than done when you're so excited to be there!). Don't worry about "doing it all" and enjoy the experience. Just accept the crowds for what they are, and be prepared. Smiles and patience go a long way...even when you'd rather be throttling someone, lol!!

My trip report for last August in in my signature if you want an idea of what it's like in record summer temps and level 9 crowds!

Most importantly of course...have fun!! We'll be there in July this year too

 

[jtwibih]

We are going towards the end of July. Thanks for the advice. I am trying to take it easy but at the same time don't want to be shut out of every possible attraction because of crowds.

 

[kiapepito]

Where do they provide free ice and water? Is it hottest between 1-4? Which rides and lines are indoors at mk that we could do at those times? We have a ADR for bog at 1:25.
The parade is at 3 should we skip it because of the heat. We are going end of July as well and first visit. At what time will we start to feel the heat? 11?

 

[jsbowl16]

We went in July last year and are going again this year. We take our days differently depending on the parks. We are staying at Boardwalk so we are walking to Epcot and Hollywood Studios for rope drop taking a break in the afternoon and then going back at night but for our two full days at Magic Kingdom we are getting there a little later around 10 or 11 skipping the break and staying as long as we can at night. Our biggest issue with taking a break from Magic Kingdom is that it usually takes about an hour each way to walk out of the park, wait for the bus and take it back to your resort so if you take a break at your resort from 1 to 4 you are losing about five hours out of your day. If you show up a little later and stay the whole day you only lose an hour or two. To each his own but this works best for us.

 

[ZoZo]

We are going towards the end of July. Thanks for the advice. I am trying to take it easy but at the same time don't want to be shut out of every possible attraction because of crowds.

Be sure to use FP+! You might want to schedule them either late morning or just after lunch, since it's kind of a waste to use them early in the morning. Another option is to schedule them in the evening. (But if you think you might "bail" and not feel like returning to the parks in the evening, perhaps scheduling your FP+ mid-day would work better.)

Do all you can to stay cool. Dress in moisture-wicking clothes (you can find them at places like REI). Use Frogg Toggs "Chilly Towels" to drape around your neck. Get a mister fan. Drink lots of water. Take breaks in air-conditioned attractions, shops, and restaurants Wear a visor or a hat. It can really help to do simple things like walk on the shady side of the street (instead of in the blazing sun!) whenever you can. Use refreshing wet wipes (I like Kleenex brand "Splash and Go" wipes because they're not sticky). And taking afternoon breaks, either at your resort pool or in your room, can really help. And, as others have suggested, plan to have a quick shower and change your clothes before heading back to the parks in the evening - you'll be surprised how sweaty you'll get! (I always plan to do laundry mid-trip so I don't have to pack to changes of clothes for each day!)

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Where do they provide free ice and water? Is it hottest between 1-4? Which rides and lines are indoors at mk that we could do at those times? We have a ADR for bog at 1:25.
The parade is at 3 should we skip it because of the heat. We are going end of July as well and first visit. At what time will we start to feel the heat? 11?

If you have kids, I would not skip the parade, especially if you have never seen it. The parades are always one of the best parts of the trip for our kids. If you need a break, you could leave right after the parade and come back in the evening. I think it really depends on your family and your touring style. Personally, I could stay in the park from rope drop until midnight and not be bothered by the heat or need a break. My husband, daughters, and mom seem to really want that afternoon break. They become quite miserable when they are hot and tired. How many days will you have at MK? If you have only one and this is your first trip, I would seriously try not to leave the park. You will need every minute to see the Kingdom. If you have two or more days at MK, you would have a little more time to relax (but not much! MK is really a two day park, at least).

You can get ice water at most of the places that serve fountain drinks.

Mom felt the Orlando summer heat right about park opening.

Great afternoon rides at MK are Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress, Mickey's Philharmagic, and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. These are good not only because they are indoors, but also because they tend to have shorter lines than other indoor rides. There are lots of indoor activities, but many have long lines in the afternoon. Of course, it largely depends on those you are with. Small children might not like some of these.

 

[kiapepito]

It is our first trip to WDW, we visit DL multiple times of the year and have never left the park. We open and close the parks! Ha! We will be utilizing EMH but I'm just a bit nervous of the heat with a 3 and 6 year old coming from California... we will stay in the park all day but take indoor breaks for sure. I have tiki room scheduled in the afternoon, husband will take his nap! Where is a good shaded location to watch the parade?

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Anyone have any tips on dealing with the crowds during July? I usually go in November but we decided we would take another trip to WDW this year. I've never been in July and I've seen the crowd calendars so I know it's probably madness but I'm looking for anything that will help us try to enjoy the week as much as possible. We aren't going to go hard because of the heat but we just want to enjoy it as much as we can.

JT

We find that the smaller parks (HS and AK) seem to be the hardest to deal with with huge crowds. We have done WDW in July and Thanksgiving week and, while MK and Epcot were both very manageable, we found AK and HS to be very uncomfortable during those time periods. There are so many people and strollers that it can be hard to navigate because you are literally shoulder to shoulder, tripping over each other, and being rammed by strollers. I am not a huge fan of park hopper tickets (I find them to be extremely expensive for what they are), but if you really want to see HS and/or AK, park hoppers might be worth it to do these parks early morning then head to a park where the walkways can handle more people during more crowded times.

To me, ADRs are also key to handling crowds. If you can afford a table service meal every day, I would go for it. Make your ADRs. Plan on eating your CS food around 10:30 am or 3-4 in the afternoon, or outside the parks. We hate being hungry and having to wait in a food line for 30 minutes or more because we have planned on a CS meal. I have seen insane lines at HS just for CS pizza.

 

[scrappinmom]

In all our trips we've never taken a mid-day break. I'm afraid even with my plan - rope drop, cooling towels, ice packs, water, hats, etc we're going to need to. We're going in July because it's my dd's 21st birthday - my only hope is that 9 park days will still be enough even if we have to take a 3-4 hr break everyday