Multi-generational trip in August

[Smokeyjinxie]

The only time that my extended family is able to travel to Disney is in August (15-20th). The trip is already booked and we are staying at the Wilderness Lodge. I realize that the heat/humidity will be awful. However, I am looking for strategies to make the most of our time there. The people in our party range in age from 4 1/2 to 80. We are traveling from different parts of the country We are not looking to accomplish everything. We just want to have fun and enjoy each other's company. Any suggestions on coping with the weather and making the most of our days would be appreciated.

 

[Mrs Green]

We will be there the week before you. Its me, dh, dd6, ds1. We currently live in Texas so we are swapping one hot place for another! Anyway, I've been taking notes on this same topic over the past few months and here are some of the suggestions:
Drink lots of water, even before you feel thirsty, to prevent dehydration. You can get water for free at counter service.
Take a break mid day- so rope drop and evening park time
Quick dry clothes
Frogg togs
Spray fans
Know which rides have air conditioning/shade (such as hall of presidents) and do that when your party needs a break.

I hope this helps a little bit. Have a great trip!

 

[kgoodb00]

My suggestion is to stay hydrated and take mid-day breaks to relax at the resort and cool off at the pool. Whenever we go to Disney, we always take mid-day breaks and it helps sooo much. It allows everyone to rest so they are ready to go for the evening and causes less melt downs! I have not been in August but I have been in July before. And while it was really hot, it was manageable. Eat lunch and dinner in the AC and take your time. Also take the time to watch the different inside shows at each park to cool down (FOTLK, Nemo, Country Bears, Tiki Room, etc.) Also, going with the easy going mentality will help you a lot too! I hope you guys have a great time!!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Mid day breaks, cooling sheets (Frogg Toggs), lots of water, stay hydrated.

 

[laughinplace199]

Take mid-day breaks and get some mister fans. The first time we went in August was in 2006, I couldn't believe how hot and humid it was. I knew it was going to be, but the intensity blew me away.

In MK, the misting fans were $17.00. It was so hot/humid that I was grateful for the opportunity to pay $17.00 for a hunk of plastic that barely lasted the week. And this is coming from someone who loves hot weather!

Maybe we had an unusually hot week that time because we were there at the end of August last summer and I didn't think it was bad at all.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Buy everyone one of these!

http://www.amazon.com/Frogg-Toggs-Ch.../dp/B0049RPBWW

Actually you can make two out of one by cutting them, they are pretty big. You wet them and put them around your neck and down your shirt a bit. We go in August every year and I am very heat sensitive and I am fine as long as I have one of these on my neck.

Other than that, drink lots of water, go out early in the morning and late at night. Take a break midday, the heat is brutal and that's usually when the storms roll through. Make a good touring plan that rotates in lots of AC attractions, especially the ones where you can sit for a bit. Avoid World Showcase during the day...I find that to be the hottest place during the day.

We like to have our TS in the park for lunch....sitting somewhere quiet and cool for an hour really helps. Then we eat QS for dinner.

Good luck!

 

[Smokeyjinxie]

Would Bibbity Bobbity Boutique be a good place to go mid-day for a one of the cheaper packages for dd7 and the knight package for my 4 1/2 year old nephew. I am wondering if this would be boring for my nephew.

 

[glassslippergirl]

Take mid-day breaks and get some mister fans. The first time we went in August was in 2006, I couldn't believe how hot and humid it was. I knew it was going to be, but the intensity blew me away. In MK, the misting fans were $17.00. It was so hot/humid that I was grateful for the opportunity to pay $17.00 for a hunk of plastic that barely lasted the week. And this is coming from someone who loves hot weather! Maybe we had an unusually hot week that time because we were there at the end of August last summer and I didn't think it was bad at all.

My son loved his stroller fan that we bought on Amazon. I'd recommend buying a few portable fans in advance to share among your crowd. I'm not a fan if the mister fans because it's already so humid, but there's a huge selection of both kinds (mister and standard) on Amazon.

 

[Angel Ariel]

The only time that my extended family is able to travel to Disney is in August (15-20th). The trip is already booked and we are staying at the Wilderness Lodge. I realize that the heat/humidity will be awful. However, I am looking for strategies to make the most of our time there. The people in our party range in age from 4 1/2 to 80. We are traveling from different parts of the country We are not looking to accomplish everything. We just want to have fun and enjoy each other's company. Any suggestions on coping with the weather and making the most of our days would be appreciated.

I would sit everyone down and talk about what everyone's expectations are before you go. Does everyone want to stick together for the entire trip? Will some want to break off on their own for a while, and then meet up for a meal? If some want to break off on their own for a bit, will the rest of the family be OK with that? How many sit down meals/day does everyone want to do? Is someone coordinating FP+ reservations, or is each family in charge of their own?

I think the biggest thing with this kind of trip is to make sure that everyone is on the same page as to expectations. That will help the trip go more smoothly which will help everyone get the most out of your time there as possible

 

[eliza61]

We had our family reunion at wdw a few years back. 20 people, all various ages.

Here are my tips.
1. Don't try for total together-ness. Pick a meal and call it a wrap.

2. Responsibility. Everyone is responsible for their own enjoyment. We handed out rough schedules months in advance, then gave everyone the information to research. Then told folks, to read and research.

3. Communicate. Since we were a large family, this was essential. Every one knew the days plan. You didn't have to follow it and many folks didn't but no one could whine, "I didn't know"

 

[heidijanesmith]

We had our family reunion at wdw a few years back. 20 people, all various ages.

Here are my tips.
1. Don't try for total together-ness. Pick a meal and call it a wrap.

2. Responsibility. Everyone is responsible for their own enjoyment. We handed out rough schedules months in advance, then gave everyone the information to research. Then told folks, to read and research.

3. Communicate. Since we were a large family, this was essential. Every one knew the days plan. You didn't have to follow it and many folks didn't but no one could whine, "I didn't know"

Second vote for this!

I am a type A planner and my sister is a go with the flow girl. My parents are very few rides kind of tour plan people.

I made a detailed plan for each day and one meal reservation each day.

We let everyone know where we were going to be each day and people joined us as they wanted to.

Meals were a great time to all get together. We all did the dining plan, so people could not worry about meals during the trip. It helped with all the stress and concerns about the cost of the restaurants chosen.

The heat and humidity in August was brutal. We would do rope drop in the AM, tour until lunch and then take a mid day break until the sundown and then back out for some evening touring. Water and gatorade were a must for us, all day and night we kept hydrated. Frog togs and fans help me out a lot. I am heat sensitive and the rest of my family loves the heat.

 

[Smokeyjinxie]

Thank you for all the helpful suggestions. I will follow them.