OFFICIAL JULY 2009 THREAD!!! The wait is on!!!

[Grandma4ever]

well I'm glad to hear that I"m not the only one getting excited ALREADY.

July 8-22 here.

My kids are going nutty already!

Welcome to our group. I will add you to the list on page 3 post 39. Do you know where you plan to stay while you are at WDW? Lois

 

[PopArtGal]

It's the 6 months mark for those of us leaving July 19!!!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

It's the 6 months mark for those of us leaving July 19!!!

Wooo Hoooo!!!

 

[dolfinjuls]

It's the 6 months mark for those of us leaving July 19!!!

I am soo excited!!! If only we could be making ressies now!

 

[buffettgirl]

Welcome to our group. I will add you to the list on page 3 post 39. Do you know where you plan to stay while you are at WDW? Lois

ahh..thanks!
Yes, we're staying at CSR for a conference (FFL conference - anyone else?) from the 8th to the 12th and then from the 12th on a SOG.

 

[LuvMySoldier07]

It's the 6 months mark for those of us leaving July 19!!!

YAY!

 

[DisneyPoohBear]

Hi, has anyone ever been in July before? We will be there the last week and I have never been in the summer. I will be joining TGM or Touring Plan but thought I would ask you all too. I am very excited but a little worried. I was hoping since that is a month where they weren't offering specials that it might be a little less crowded. Thanks!!!

 

[LUVMICKEY]

Hi, has anyone ever been in July before? We will be there the last week and I have never been in the summer. I will be joining TGM or Touring Plan but thought I would ask you all too. I am very excited but a little worried. I was hoping since that is a month where they weren't offering specials that it might be a little less crowded. Thanks!!!

This will be our 5Th time to be there in July and our 3RD time being there for the 4TH. In my experience, being there any time during the summer, especially July, the parks are going to be crowded, but I think managable if you pace yourself right and not get too impatient with the people and longer lines.

 

[Grandma4ever]

This will be our 5Th time to be there in July and our 3RD time being there for the 4TH. In my experience, being there any time during the summer, especially July, the parks are going to be crowded, but I think managable if you pace yourself right and not get too impatient with the people and longer lines.

OK being that you are now our expert I need to know what kind of wait time we will have on some of the most desired rides like soaring? Do the run out of fast passes and how early in the day does that normally happen? I have been in September so I am not concerned with the heat just the long waits. How do you feel it is best to pace yourselves to not get overwhelmed with the crowds?

I need the hard fast details. Thanks, Lois

 

[LuvMySoldier07]

OK being that you are now our expert I need to know what kind of wait time we will have on some of the most desired rides like soaring? Do the run out of fast passes and how early in the day does that normally happen? I have been in September so I am not concerned with the heat just the long waits. How do you feel it is best to pace yourselves to not get overwhelmed with the crowds?

I need the hard fast details. Thanks, Lois

I would appreciate some details as well!
I've been to disney tons of times in the summer, but never paid attention to these types of things. I would love some advice on how to plan out my days!!!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I've been in the summer a few times and the best thing that helped me was knowing that I don't have to do it all, and the fact that I've been so many times (as I'm sure many of you have too) you can pick and choose what's really important for you to see this time. I know everyone says this, but it really is important to get to the parks early if you want to ride the popular rides and you can't expect to ride your favorite rides multiple times during your trip like you might be able to do other times throughout the year. After the crowds pick up as the day goes on, you just have to enjoy being there and seeing what you can. Oh and if you make good use of it, FastPass can be your best friend in the summer!

 

[LUVMICKEY]

OK being that you are now our expert I need to know what kind of wait time we will have on some of the most desired rides like soaring? Do the run out of fast passes and how early in the day does that normally happen? I have been in September so I am not concerned with the heat just the long waits. How do you feel it is best to pace yourselves to not get overwhelmed with the crowds?

I need the hard fast details. Thanks, Lois

In the summer we are always at each park when they first open so we can either get a fastpass or get on the most popular rides first thing. Rides like Soarin will run out of Fastpasses early. Sometimes by noon. We were there just a couple of weeks ago and they were out of Fastpasses for Soarin by 2:00 one day. The new Toy Story Mania ride is really very tough to get if your not there first thing in the morning. That ride has been out of Fastpasses very early in the day. Of course, the wait times, if you don't want to Fastpass it, are always a lot longer in the summer.
I wouldn't say I'm an expert at all, it's just what we've seen many times. Getting to the parks first thing in the morning so we can get on the rides that are our favorites, has always worked for us. We have never been disappointed and miss getting on a ride by doing it that way. Besides that, it's just a tad bit cooler when it's early in the day. I hope this was helpful.

 

[Grandma4ever]

Thanks for the advise. I was hoping that the fastpasses would last longer into the day. I also have a grandaughter who is NOT a morning person. So tell me how the Parks are the last three hours there are opened please.

The advantage is that we have two days in each of the parks and went ahead and got the park hopper to allow is freedom of movement. I really don't think we will use it much except maybe our last day but we have it if we want it. I for one would rather go in the fall but I can't take the kids if I do that. So July it is. Boy O Boy the things I do for my grandkids. Lois

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Thanks for the advise. I was hoping that the fastpasses would last longer into the day. I also have a grandaughter who is NOT a morning person. So tell me how the Parks are the last three hours there are opened please.

The advantage is that we have two days in each of the parks and went ahead and got the park hopper to allow is freedom of movement. I really don't think we will use it much except maybe our last day but we have it if we want it. I for one would rather go in the fall but I can't take the kids if I do that. So July it is. Boy O Boy the things I do for my grandkids. Lois

Hope you don't mind waiting in long lines.....

That later you wait to get a fastpass, the further away your return time will be. In other words, FPs toward the end of the day (if they are even still available) will have a return time that might be hours after you get it.

 

[LuvMySoldier07]

According to the Unoffical Guide these are the typical EMH's. Do you guys think this is the way it will be in July? I want to start planning which days to visit the parks so I can plan out my ADR's.

Monday- AK- morning
HS- evening
Tuesday- Epcot- morning
Wednesday- AK- evening
Thursday- MK- morning
Friday- Epcot- evening
Saturday- HS-morning
Sunday- MK-evening

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

According to the Unoffical Guide these are the typical EMH's. Do you guys think this is the way it will be in July? I want to start planning which days to visit the parks so I can plan out my ADR's.

Monday- AK- morning
HS- evening
Tuesday- Epcot- morning
Wednesday- AK- evening
Thursday- MK- morning
Friday- Epcot- evening
Saturday- HS-morning
Sunday- MK-evening

I looked at the pattern of EMH for the last three years during the week I am going to determine what I think the EMH schedule for this year will be. I have that at home so I will check it against what you posted and let you know if it's the same! I used that information to plan my ADRs so I hope it's right!

 

[buffettgirl]

Hi, has anyone ever been in July before? We will be there the last week and I have never been in the summer. I will be joining TGM or Touring Plan but thought I would ask you all too. I am very excited but a little worried. I was hoping since that is a month where they weren't offering specials that it might be a little less crowded. Thanks!!!

all but two or three of my trips have been in July/Aug. It's hot. The lines are long. But honestly, I found Christmas week to be a LOT busier. We couldn't even get on Its a Small World - 90 min wait for that. Lines for Haunted Mansion that went UNDER ground (down by the water) I had never seen that before, 2 hour wait for that. It was crazy. I never experienced those sorts of waits in the summer.

 

[LUVMICKEY]

Thanks for the advise. I was hoping that the fastpasses would last longer into the day. I also have a grandaughter who is NOT a morning person. So tell me how the Parks are the last three hours there are opened please.

The advantage is that we have two days in each of the parks and went ahead and got the park hopper to allow is freedom of movement. I really don't think we will use it much except maybe our last day but we have it if we want it. I for one would rather go in the fall but I can't take the kids if I do that. So July it is. Boy O Boy the things I do for my grandkids. Lois

If you plan on going into the parks much later in the day I would try to use the EMH's if you can. I'm not sure when they would be for each park in the summer because we very rarely use the evening ones. I can honestly say, the last 3 times we have been there, Soarin and Toy Story Mania have run out of FastPasses during the day. I think they open the FastPasses back up if they have EMH"s that day, but I'm not sure. The only other thing you could do is see how long the regular line is and see if you can wait.

 

[Grandma4ever]

Honestly I hate waiting in lines and that is why I have never gone in the summer. But it is the only time I can take my grandkids and they are getting too old to put it off any longer. So get hot and wait in line I will do.

What I have gather from everyones advise is to go early and hit the most important rides first. Get the fastpasses when I can and not get upset if we have very long waits.

I have found that it is best to avoid the park which have the EMH as that seems to draw more people to the park for the day. I expect that the park hours will be posted the first of April for the month of July. That will give me a little more than one week to plan for my ADR. I think I have most the the trip planned out just need to confirm it once the hours are posted.

I think I posting in circles so I will stop for now. Lois

 

[LUVMICKEY]

I agree with you Grandma4ever, that the park that has the EMH's is more crowded than the others. I think that if the EMH's are in the evening, it's not as bad until later in the day.