Summer - Never Again!

[bjs1228]

I should not be reading these comments! We are going in August this year. Praying we can still have a magical time!

 

[JimmyV]

Growing up through grade school and high school, we went every summer. It was our "reward" for spending two weeks sleeping on Grandma's pull-our sofabed in South Florida. And my dad was in education, so he (and thus we) got loooong summer vacations. We never went any other time of year. But that was in the days when the MK was the only park, and, toward the end of that stretch, E.P.C.O.T. had opened up. With four days at WDW, only one park, and limited ability to ride rides because of the way the Attraction Booklets worked, we managed to enjoy our vacation despite the brutal weather. Back then, you really did leave the park by 12:30 (or earlier) every day and didn't return until after dinner. People talk about taking mid-day breaks now, but the best laid plans never seem to materialize. Back then, we did it every day. No exceptions. Because there was just so much less to do. Now, it is inconceivable to us to go to the MK from 8:30-noon, and then again from 7:30-10:30. But that is how we rolled back then.

Flash forward to today, and with so much to do, and usually not enough time built in to do it, we tend to go-go-go much more. And as a result, we simply cannot do summer trips any more. While we enjoy our trips during other months, during the summer months we endure our trip. My last August visit (about 4 years ago) was vowed to be my last.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

I should not be reading these comments! We are going in August this year. Praying we can still have a magical time!

You will definitely have a magical time!! After ten years of August the last one threw me a bit, but obviously summer isn't too bad since it's been our time of choice to go since 2003!

The long days, swimming weather, special events, etc are all great! You get plenty of time to enjoy the parks and your resort, you can enjoy Kali and Splash without fear of freezing after, two sets if parades and shows at night, etc. it will be what you make it!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[louey]

We've always gone in the Summer because of school. That being said, yes it's hot, humid and it rains. We just roll with it.

I don't mind the Summer in Disney, you do have to go with the flow We have been at Xmas and Thanksgiving and it was coldish, I hate the cold especially if I'm on vacation

 

[SillySallySews]

We were there the last week in June and it rained all but one day. Most of the days it was in the afternoon and we were already back at the resort anyway. It was a great time to put the little ones down for a nap while hubby and I had drinks on our balcony and watched the storms pass. The last night we were there in the MK and it rained with thunder and lightening. We waited out the storm in the tent for the Minnie/Daisy character meet in the circus area. It was still drizzling when we were done meeting the characters, but not bad. The first MSEP (which we had FP+ for) got canceled and we got a FP good for pretty much anything. Our SDMT FP for that night also got canceled because of the rain, but we were able to ride it about an hour later. It cleared up enough for Wishes and then we got to see the second MSEP and by the time that was over the entire park was practically empty. We stayed almost until closing and weren't caught up in a mob trying to exit the park. It was actually one of the best evenings we've ever had in the MK and I think when we go next summer we will pray for more rain.

 

[flutterby3744]

I should not be reading these comments! We are going in August this year. Praying we can still have a magical time!

I was just thinking the same thing....we're leaving July 26.

 

[Darklord77]

We usually go the week of or the week after Memorial Day. We have never really experienced excessive amounts of rain during that time frame. As far as the heat goes, we almost always get to the parks early and leave early. We rarely get caught in the afternoon storms. The rain in my opinion is the luck of the draw. We went in August 2008 and a tropical storm sat over central Florida for 3 or 4 days and ruined our trip. Tropical Storm Tammy I think? We will never go during the height of hurricane season again! I prefer the heat and rain over the cold and rain we experienced in January.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I've been every month of the year except June. Weather is a always the big unknown for any trip, and that's why crowd predictors can never really be accurate.

Personally, I'll take heat and rain over cold and/or very limited park hours.

A vacation fun can be hampered by poor weather, but sometimes it can be an advantage. It's also what I don't like about the new system. Once upon a time, if the weather was bad, you could easily change your plans for the day. I feel bad for newbies, who don't have the advantage of experience. Over the years, I've learned a good deal how to tailor planning around the possibility of bad weather.

 

[AngiTN]

If I had a choice I would opt for any time but summer. Sadly my choice is wait till DGD is off to college (and she's just entering 1st grade) or go in the summer. Waiting 13 years is sort of out of the question so we are going in 3 weeks. Will it be hot, yes. Will it rain, yes. Will it be worth it, yes. It won't hurt us to get hot or wet. We'll cool off/dry out. Besides, I'll take that over the freezing temps we had in March 13. That sucked rocks. It was too cold to ride anything outdoors that moved fast like RnR or EE, or even it outside at stuff like Indy Jones. Watching Wishes was miserable.

 

[pigletgirl]

I should not be reading these comments! We are going in August this year. Praying we can still have a magical time!

And we're going in early September. I think it's good to know what we're dealing with before the vacation so you can have an awesome trip! I think you will!

 

[pbruce706]

This will be our first August trip, going last week of August since we don't want to take our DD out of high school during the year. We've always gone either in November or February as the fewer crowds the better, if you ask me.

We're expecting heat, humidity and rain. I've convinced them (at least for now) that we need to go for RD, cool off in the afternoon either at indoor shows / attractions or soak a few hours in SAB, then go back to a park for dinner and the evening.

We'll be taking it easy and go with the flow, so hoping it will be doable. I remember our 2005 trip in February, rained just about every day, we got soggy a lot, but it really emptied the parks a lot and we got a lot done with zero planning.

I'm pretty sure a hot humid thunderstorm day in WDW will be better than a cooler hot humid day anywhere else. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[Tonyz]

I was there in July last year and honestly I didn't think it was too bad. The heat was bearable, the rain came a couple hours during the afternoon when we were back at the Beach Club. The crowds never bothered me and didn't affect the trip at all.

The only bad part was the Brazilian tour groups... but that's another story.

Of course after the last two times going in July, this trip in September is going to be heaven on Earth!

 

[CharmedLife]

I was just thinking the same thing....we're leaving July 26.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

This thread is making me nervous. We've never been in August and are going the last week this year. I've been thinking we'd be OK because we've dealt with feels like temps of 98 degrees and 80% humidity up here over the past week and I've started taking long walks in that to get used to it. This thread is making me think what we've been dealing with will feel like a winter wonderland.

 

[PinkBudgie]

We just went for the last two weeks of June. It pretty much rained a little everyday around 3pm or so. Sometimes lightning would threaten into the evening. Only saw really heavy rain twice.

We are teachers so we have all summer off. We chose summer over a shorter school holiday so that we could go for two weeks instead of just one. Now that we know what is there and what we like, we would probably be fine with a week if we ever go back.

Our trick was when we got too hot, step in to the bathroom! They are all air conditioned. Or a store. If we had been out in the heat walking too long on the way to somewhere, this is what we did.

Our favorite time to go to Disneyland is in July. Long hours, grad nights and school trips are over, the Southern California APs are blocked, and pretty much all rides and shows are up and running. If we went back to WDW, we would pick November. Guess we'll have to retire first.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

I can deal with the rain and wet clothes, even wet shoes..... it is the humidity I cannot stand. I said never again after last June.

 

[isaboo]

I actually don't mind the summer, but I'm from Houston. We do the rope drop/mid-day break thing and the parks are open late. I love the parks at night in the summer! As I stated on another thread, I would like to visit AK during a cooler month because it's seems so much hotter there! We are skipping it this trip.

 

[diskids2]

No, but today was a complete washout. Like I said, in the past, you could ride a storm out in a store until it passed. Now, it just doesn't seem to end. 2nd day in a row we just gave up and headed back to the hotel. It's not a question of if it will be torrential downpours, just when.

It's funny because I noticed that too last year when we went. Usually it's an hour or even less of rain every afternoon, no big deal. Last year it rained almost four to five hours every afternoon/early evening.

There is nothing as exciting as being in wet clothes and shoes and then going into freezing cold restaurant air conditioning.

 

[diskids2]

Me too... Getting nervous! It's been 15 years since we've been in the summer, but with DD starting high school this fall we just can't afford to pull her out of school anymore. So we're going to give it a go...

I think a lot of it has to do with your expectations. If you know it's going to be hot and humid, and daily rainshowers in the afternoon, you're mentally (and hopefully physically) prepared to deal with it and have a good time. We are blessed to have been to WDW many times before, and will likely go back again, so we don't feel the pressure to "do everything". I know lots of people don't have that option but it will be helpful to us.

My strategy is to hit an occasional rope drop but more often than not hit the water parks in the morning, hotel in the afternoon for rest and then parks in the evening (hopefully after rainshowers). Given that we usually go during the "slow" season I'm excited (and so are our kids) to be able to stay in the parks later and sleep in the next day!

I think your attitude can impact whether you have a good time or bad time. Hot rainy day at Disney, still better than a 70-degree day at home when I'm sentenced to just view it through my office window!

Don't get nervous! You're at Disney! I think every season has its ups and downs. I replied before that I noticed the change in the length of the showers as well, but that doesn't mean we didn't have a great time as always.

 

[nhtinkerbell]

We go every year at the end of july. We luv going at this time. Rain doesn't bother us and the heat and humidity r all part of it. Only a few more weeks and we'll b back.