Please tell me what you think about going in the middle of JULY?

[afsi3838]

I know I know. HOT HOT HOT. But is it really that bad? tank, shorts and a lotta water won't do the trick?
Also, how are the crowds this time of year? I read somewhere that after july 5th it becomes value season. Do you think the parks thin out a little? This is coming from someone who goes in january.
Thanks for your time in advance

 

[wilderness01]

You and I are both in the same boat. I would like to hear others experiences but also think I have come to the conclusion that it will be very hot AND very crowded!

We also go in January and know the crowds will not be comparable. On the bright side, we will be guaranteed "pool days" and warm weather. Both of which are always a concern for January! We are going with the attitude that it WILL be hot and crowded. Whatever we see we see. Whatever we don't we will catch in December! Have a fun trip.

 

[Mike Jones]

..if I was stuck, and could only go in July, then I would...but it will be harder work than many other times.

 

[CamColt]

Ive only been in July once and I remember watching a parade with sweat dripping from the back of me knees! I thought someone had spilled something on me, LOL! But, that was the worse part that I remember...other than the hurricane that came Aug 1. With that said, we are going back 7/18-7/25 this year because our anniversary and DH's birthday are during that week. I know it will be hot, but I figure between air conditioning, swimming, lots of water, and taking it slow we should be fine.
I would much prefer to be sweating from my knees, than to be wearing winter coats and mittens like we did this past Dec(and we were still cold).

 

[laughinplace199]

DH and I have been to WDW twice in the July/August timeframe. It was very hot and humid, and you sweat just standing still (as someone else mentioned). The crowds were fairly heavy, but if you have a plan for what you want to see and do each day, you should be fine. Have fun!

 

[cinderkeli]

I have been to disney in June, July, August and Sept and yes its very hot. We will also be there this July as well. We usually skip the parks with the early entry day and go to another one instead. We arrive first thing in the morning and do what we can til about 1 or 2 then we head back to the hotel to swim and go back to the park around 5 or 6. We plan for Magic Kingdom on the E-night day. We do the MK during the day and do all the rides that are not open during E-night then we go back to the hotel around 1 or 2 again rest swim and head back for e-night later that night. Hopefully E-night will return this summer. Definitly do the fastpass and drink alot of water. We usually never stand in lines longer then 30 minutes when we try to stick to this plan.

 

[mad4themouse]

Been there, done that, doing it again.

Very hot. Very humid. Rains everyday in the afternoon.

Go with a plan. We like to hit the parks early (before it gets too hot) and take a break in the hottest part of the afternoon (1 pm to 4pm). Showering and fresh clothes help tremendously. Once the sun goes down, the temperatures are a lot more tolerable.

Resign yourself to the fact that you will not do it all. Don't even try. Use FastPass whenever possible to reduce your waiting time in hot lines. Skip those lesser attractions that are not on your "must-see' list if the lines are too long. Avoid criss-crossing the parks repeatedly.

Take indoor breaks in the middle of the day. Either return to your room for a rest or eat a slow, leisurely lunch at a sitdown restaurant. Just get out of the heat and into the air-conditioning!

Wear a hat, sunscreen and drink lots of water. Take a poncho. Eat ice cream but avoid any type of soft-serve. Bring Tylenol or Advil for sun-induced headaches.

We'll be there July 8 -18. It's not my first choice of times to go but I'd rather be sweating in Disney than sweltering in Philly.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I went in the middle of July in 2002, and the weather was hot but not unbearable, as there are many places to get out of the heat and the crowds were light to moderate.

 

[IndyDisneyFan]

We go every July, and we just prepare to sweat and wait! Actually, it isn't that bad. The crowds are a bit lighter the week after the 4th than the week before, so that is good. We too do the parks early in the day, head to the pool in the afternoon after lunch, then back to the parks in the evenings. We have also just done the pool early in the day(in July you can do that, and the pools are less crowded!), then rent a boat in the afternoon or do something more layed back before heading to the parks in the evening. I don't know about you, but since it is snowing here today(big flakes!) July is sounding great to me right now!

Laura

 

[Ratpack]

We always go in July and have no problems. Of course being from NC, we have pretty much the same weather during the summer, hot and humid. I could either be here working outside in the heat or at Disney in the heat (hard choice I know). The crowds in my opinion are a little less than other "crowded" times for the very reason you are concerned, most people avoid the heat. Last year was a little different due to the FTP and everyone wanting the savings, frankly I hope they don't offer that through the summer again but looks like they will. As others have suggested, if you go to the parks at opening and leave around lunch for a swim, nap or just some cooldown time in the room, you will be fine. Then go back later in the evening.

 

[Pris]

Remember, the parks are open a lot later in the summer, so you can get in more night time. It definitely seems to lighten up on crowds immediately after the week of the 4th. Count on rain showers almost daily. Plan an afternoon break to cool down. Being older we usually showered and napped rather than pool. It is very doable if you plan properly.

 

[Desnik]

We have vowed to never go in July again!
I am going to be honest here. Maybe if you plan for the worst it won't be that bad once you're there!LOL

Hot can't even describe it! You do sweat just standing still. The crowds are crazy Lots of tour groups. Humid. For us it was unbearable.

Just go with a plan. You do have an advantage with longer park hours. I would go early, leave when it gets too hot in the middle of the day. Go swimming at your resort. Then go back to the parks in the evening when it has cooled down some. Remember, at night in July it is still 80 degrees!!

For us, we would rather not go at all than go in July.
November is the time for us!

 

[CamColt]

I cant beleive I forgot about this...maybe because we werent in the parks? Anyway, we were in WDW for 1 day in July 2002...July 3rd actually. Honestly it was hotter and more humid here in MA than it was in WDW. I couldnt wait to get out of here and get to Florida to cool off, LOL! Upon arriving we called home and were telling everyone how beautiful it was down there and they were all miserable up here.

 

[tar heel]

It's not my favorite time to go, but I will if that's the only time I can. Besides the heat and crowds, I don't think anyone has mentioned that it rains a lot. We spent eight nights there in July in 2002 and vowed to never do another July trip. But with our APs expiring on July 20 the next year, we headed down again for a short trip.

If you're going in July, I would make sure to stay at a resort with a good pool and plan on afternoon breaks. Also, hope that e-nights are restored.

 

[Fonzy13]

Originally posted by Desnik
We have vowed to never go in July again!
I am going to be honest here. Maybe if you plan for the worst it won't be that bad once you're there!LOL

Hot can't even describe it! You do sweat just standing still. The crowds are crazy Lots of tour groups. Humid. For us it was unbearable.

Just go with a plan. You do have an advantage with longer park hours. I would go early, leave when it gets too hot in the middle of the day. Go swimming at your resort. Then go back to the parks in the evening when it has cooled down some. Remember, at night in July it is still 80 degrees!!

For us, we would rather not go at all than go in July.
November is the time for us!

Amazing how people just two hours away can differ so much in opinion

I LOVE July. Why? Let's see. It's hot anyway, especially in NY. So for 5 degrees more I can deal. The second thing is I've always gone in the summer, so I'm spoiled in a sense that I know no other crowd level.

I say bring on the hot weather, the sweat on the back of the knees, the whining children, and warm drinking water. In the end, it's still a vacation from the REAL world.

 

[chrisp]

We've gone at all different times of year - and we love July. There's something about enjoying the warm evenings at WDW that make it special. Yes, it will be hot during the middle of the day, but we use that for a pool break or water park time. Or just leisurely walk the parks and duck inside something air conditioned to cool off. Also the crowds do thin out after the 4th.
Enjoy!

 

[afsi3838]

Thank you all So much for your quick and honest replies. I'm gonna go ahead and talk with the family, but i say we're going anyways anyday at WDW is a good day to me. thanks again

 

[peg2001]

I think it really depends on how you feel about the heat. I can't stand it when it is hot and stay in air conditioned buildings/cars during the summer. If I could only go to WDW in July, I'd stay home.

Other people like it warm and can handle HOT much better.

Peggy

 

[luvaladdin]

I wouldn't go, we've been to Disney in late May when it was high 90's and it was unbearably hot for this New Englander. I was melting. If crowds were added into the mix, I couldn't have done it. Only you know if you are able to take the heat for long periods of time, day after day. I think for all the $ a Disney vacation costs, I want to make sure and enjoy it.

 

[SB in KY]

When my children were small I would have rather had a root canal than do WDW in mid-summer...but they are teens now. We are going in early August and they are taking lots of friends...we did it last year and had a ball...We (the clever adults in the crowd), get up early, hit the early opening park (really missed that last year)...do a few things, and when we see steam come off the asphalt we recognize that as a sign from God that it is time to leave!! We have a leisurely lunch somewhere cool and relaxing and wander back to OKW, for a shower and siesta and some afternoon reading. We usually hook up with the kids sometime after dinner for a few hours in the parks.

The teens on the other hand, sleep in, giggle a lot and slowly but surely haul themselves to the pool about 11AM or so. They make heavy use of sunscreen for a couple hours, return to shower and change (this takes a while since looking good is important even when you sweat apparently), They then depart for a park by mid afternoon and stay until closing. Sometimes they ambitiously get up before noon and hit Disney Quest or a water park.

It is nothing like the frantic pace we did years ago (and still tend to do when we go in early December)....but I've got to say, it is SO MUCH FUN!!

MK on a warm summer evening, sitting on the beach at the Poly to watch fireworks after a nice dinner at O'Hana's, e-ticket nites until 2AM, Dinner outside at the Rose and Crown, with the breeze coming off the lake waiting for Illunimations to start....ahhhh (doesn't it make you want to get on a WDW bus right now???)

Summer is no time for theme park commandos, but for those who know how to vacation well ..it is still a pretty great time at WDW

Go and have fun.