Official July 2018 Thread!

[Mainemama]

Joining! Just booked flights today (6/27-7/11) for our 5th annual July trip! We will spend the week of the 4th on the Gulf Coast, with Disney days at either end. Not booked yet, but looking at Coronado Springs for the first three nights. Hopefully, we will end the trip at BC or YC, but I will wait for summer discounts to book. The first part of the trip will just be me and my kids, with DH joining later.

 

[wintershawl]

Hi, Just joining the "party" here. We are planning to go this summer June 27 - July 6. I'm so excited!

 

[coloredimage]

What have you guys been up to in your planning stages? I need someone else to be doing things for their July vacation so I don't feel crazy

 

[Amy M]

What have you guys been up to in your planning stages? I need someone else to be doing things for their July vacation so I don't feel crazy

I haven’t done much lately. I will start tinkering with touring plans soon to get an idea about fast passes.

 

[Summer2018]

What have you guys been up to in your planning stages? I need someone else to be doing things for their July vacation so I don't feel crazy

After we booked in December, I started to figure out what days we were going to which parks. Two weeks ago or so I scheduled my ADR’s. Right now just saving money like crazy.

 

[JakeandAdamsmom]

I booked our ADRs. I only changed them a few times so far. I think this should be the final product, lol. July 17th- Yak & Yeti dinner thinking about changing this to the Rivers of Light Dining Package, July 18th- Liberty Tree Tavern Dinner, July 19th- LeCellier Dinner, July 20th- Teppan Edo Dinner, July 21st- No dinner plans Blizzard Beach Day, July 22nd- Coral Reef Dinner, July 23rd- 50's Prime Time Cafe Dinner & July 24th- Via Napoli Dinner. My boys are 14 and 17 and they are not interested in dining with the characters anymore. We have done that plenty of times on our vacations in the past. For us, Liberty Tree Tavern is a favorite and a "must do" when we are in Disney. We have some new places in this itinerary for us: Teppan Edo and Coral Reef. LeCellier is also a favorite. I welcome any thoughts or comments on my plans so far. It is always difficult to decide where you would like to eat 180 days in advance . This is our first time going since the FP+ was instituted and that is also throwing me for a loop with planning. Not sure how to make everything come together since we can't choose them for a while. And if I need to make ADR changes at that time, I am afraid it will be too late and nothing will be left. So I am a feeling like a newbie even though it is not my first time.

 

[KNJWDW]

What have you guys been up to in your planning stages? I need someone else to be doing things for their July vacation so I don't feel crazy

I made some ADR's. Changed resorts, changed flight times and am stalking the WDW website in hopes they have added the summer HEA fireworks dessert party to the calendar.

 

[RLGNC]

What have you guys been up to in your planning stages? I need someone else to be doing things for their July vacation so I don't feel crazy

I've been thinking about it a lot. Like every day. All I've really done, though, is made 2 ADRs. I need to get on the ball! For some reason, I'm having a hard time deciding on which parks for which days. I used to go by the crowd calendars, but realize those aren't very helpful anymore. How does everyone else decide on which parks for which days and, if you're hopping, which parks to hop to?

 

[Amy M]

I've been thinking about it a lot. Like every day. All I've really done, though, is made 2 ADRs. I need to get on the ball! For some reason, I'm having a hard time deciding on which parks for which days. I used to go by the crowd calendars, but realize those aren't very helpful anymore. How does everyone else decide on which parks for which days and, if you're hopping, which parks to hop to?

I try to avoid parks with EMH. This year we are going to use our hoppers to go to Epcot for a few meals and another night (before an off day) we are going to hop to MK for EMH since we have never experienced that before. Other than that, we will hop after dinners if we feel like it. Last year I was super planned with the hoppers and it made the days feel rushed, so this year I want to just decide while we are there.

 

[RLGNC]

Other than that, we will hop after dinners if we feel like it. Last year I was super planned with the hoppers and it made the days feel rushed, so this year I want to just decide while we are there.

I like this. I have been feeling like since we have the hoppers I need to utilize them by splitting every day with 2 parks, but this seems forced and unnecessary.

 

[Summer2018]

I like this. I have been feeling like since we have the hoppers I need to utilize them by splitting every day with 2 parks, but this seems forced and unnecessary.

We don’t get hoppers anymore. They don’t seem necessary for us.

 

[Amy M]

I like this. I have been feeling like since we have the hoppers I need to utilize them by splitting every day with 2 parks, but this seems forced and unnecessary.

That is exactly what I did last year. I planned 2 parks per day and felt like I was constantly watching the clock. That was our first year with hoppers and, like you said, I wanted to make sure we utilized them. I think I am going to enjoy taking a more relaxed approach to the hopper this year! We had to purchase hoppers as part of our bounce back offer, otherwise I doubt we would purchase them.

 

[BobbyDukes]

My family and I will be arriving at our second home of Port Orleans Riverside on July 29th through August 3rd. 6 days isnt a lot of time but man we need it already.

 

[KNJWDW]

We don’t get hoppers anymore. They don’t seem necessary for us.

We don’t get hoppers anymore either. We enjoy spending time at the resort. With hoppers I felt more obligated to be in the parks. Not having them takes that “pressure,” off.

 

[chuckml]

Count us in. We just booked Pop with the Summer quick service meal promo for 7/28-8/4.
First time back to Disney after a few years of doing the Cancun/Riviera Maya thing.
Will be myself, DW, DD and DD's BFF (both 15).

 

[BusySpeechMom]

Hi! Just booked our trip for 5 nights at Beach Club! July 22- 27! I am so excited!!! Woohoo!!!

 

[Amy M]

So I received my magic express information and luggage tags yesterday for our trip in July! I am assuming this is some kind of a glitch because we usually don’t receive that information until much closer to our trip. All of the details are correct though. So weird.

 

[coloredimage]

So I received my magic express information and luggage tags yesterday for our trip in July! I am assuming this is some kind of a glitch because we usually don’t receive that information until much closer to our trip. All of the details are correct though. So weird.

That's a little intense! lol. That happened to me once, and I ended up getting a second set closer to our trip, so that may happen to you too!


I still do park hoppers but I don't plan what my evening park will be. For me, personally, it's the best of both worlds: I'm not overwhelmed trying to over-plan my day but if a park gets too busy or I've done everything I feel like I want to do there for that day I can go somewhere else without worry.

 

[Summer2018]

That's a little intense! lol. That happened to me once, and I ended up getting a second set closer to our trip, so that may happen to you too!


I still do park hoppers but I don't plan what my evening park will be. For me, personally, it's the best of both worlds: I'm not overwhelmed trying to over-plan my day but if a park gets too busy or I've done everything I feel like I want to do there for that day I can go somewhere else without worry.

That’s what we used to do before we got too tired to go back at night. Now we stay deluxe and eat at restaurants where we can view fireworks without having to fight the crowds and return to the parks. DD and her friend will most likely return to the parks in the evening most nights while DH and I relax at the Polynesian. We do have dinner reservations in MK on our last night, so we will probably linger there in the evening.
It’s interesting how our travel itineraries have evolved as we have matured.

 

[Mainemama]

What have you guys been up to in your planning stages? I need someone else to be doing things for their July vacation so I don't feel crazy

I spent the last week debating adding the dining plan to the first part of our split stay. It has been years since we used it. I love it, but it doesn't suit my DH. Since I will be traveling with just my kids for 3 nights I decided to go for it! I would be eating at 1 TS and 1 QS anyway, and I hope it will simplify decision making for my kids (no negotiating what they can and can't pick, as they will understand the credits.) and feel like a gift. We can eat more flexibly on the rest of our trip. I have made no ADRs, though. I do at least know which parks we will be in on 2 of our days!