Summer Crowds

[lucky winner]

Can anybody give me an idea how the Summer crowds compare between WDW and DL California? It seems DL is smaller so is it more congested in the Summer. How about the heat? Is that a factor?

 

[2Xited4Disney]

How about narrowing it down... how about June?

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Hi!

The crowds are heavy all summer!! Weather will vary. Generally, June is not hot and tends to be overcast. July, anything goes and it often changes from day to day. Last time I went in August, it was 98 degrees and humid! August tends to be the hottest but not every day.

 

[lucky winner]

It is Aug. when we are planning.

 

[HydroGuy]

It is Aug. when we are planning.

We went Aug 1-4, 2005 for four days. We are making first trip to WDW next month in May.

Here are some short answers to your question:

DLR is crowded in the summer. However, if you haven't been in the summer, do not let that scare you. If you are on a multi-day trip, summer is the best time to go IMO. Why? Because the weather is warm 24 hours a day, you can wear shorts and tee-shirts all day, you have no fear of getting wet on the water rides, all rides and shows are running to the max, and the park hours are maxed out - usually 8AM to midnight, plus Early Entry days that start at 7AM.

During our four day trip we never waited in a line for more than 20 minutes, saw all the shows and rode all the rides - many multiple times. How? By getting to the parks early, taking a long afternoon break, and staying until park closing. And by using FastPass to the hilt.

The key is having a hotel nearby where you can crash in the afternoon for a cooloff swim and long nap. If you do not have that, then summer can be a difficult time to visit because you are stuck at a hot park with long lines in the afternoon, and then are so tired you leave by 7PM.

We do avoid weekends in the summer. Other than that, we really like it.

I wrote up a detailed, information packed trip report from last August, plus lengthy discussions of FastPass and RideMax. Some people thought this info was helpful. Here is a link: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=886607