Summertime touring strategies?

[Momof5cubs]

What are your strategies for having a great vacation during the hot, crowded summer? My son and I are going to WDW from 6/21-6/24 and have never been during the summer. We plan on resting often and drinking plenty of water, but how to deal with the crowds?

 

[JerseyBallerina]

The only time my family and I go is during the summer. We get to the parks early as possible, taking advantage of EMH when possible. Then we take a break around lunch and go back around 3 or 4.

If the crowds really get to you, go on a ride with little or no wait, like the TTA in MK or SE in Epcot in the afternoon. Or take a long lunch/snack break in an air conditioned restuarant. Just don't push yourself to keep going when your body tells you to take a rest. You won't have fun.

Hope I helped!

 

[mad4themouse]

It seems like we've been going to WDW in the summer a lot lately. The crowds don't bother me except at parade times. Then, being up close and personal with so many strangers in the sticky Florida heats just gets to me. So, I either plan PSs for parade times and make it a point to be out of the park before they start.

We also plan our days so that we're out of the heat during the hottest part of the day (1pm - 4pm). We'll either be at the resort pool or eating a late lunch during those hours.

If you're onsite, take advantage of EMH. Not only is it less crowded but it also a lot cooler. Once the sun goes down, things begin to cool off and since the parks are open later in the summer, you can take advantage of the extra hours. You're also less likely to suffer a sunburn!

Use FastPasses whenever possible to reduce your waiting time. If there are single rider lines, do them as long as your group is willing/able to split up.

Keep hydrated and eat lighter meals. And listen to your body. If you begin to feel lightheaded or you're NOT sweating, get into an air-conditioned building, sit down and get a cool (not ice cold) drink.

 

[stacilee]

Wear comfortable shoes!

Go early!

Drink lots of water!

Have ponchos- will ride!
(if it rains- and it will rain, after all it's Florida) stick around. Lots of families leave. 30 minutes later, the rain stops and the crowds have thinned out. Lines are gone.

OR

Return to your resort for swim/nap/rest in the heat of the day!

Go back in the evening and enjoy the magic.
E-Ticket night are loads of fun but make it hard to get an early start the next morning.

 

[Chicago526]

Buy the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. Read it. Learn it. Love it. Follow it!

The UG has step by step touring plans for all of the parks, and MK has several plans bassed on a couple differant senarios. The best is the 2 day park touring plan. But if you don't have 2 days to spend in MK, then they have several one day plans. While I've never used them myself (I always go off peak so I've never needed to) others have, in fact there is a thread on this board now with people's reviews of the plans. Most find them as huge time savers.

All touring plans are based on being at the park BEFORE opening so you can be lined up either at the turnstiles or the rope drop.

Because of the heat, also plan mid-day breaks to return to the hotel for naps/swims. Also, take advantage of E-Ride night at MK if offered durring your stay. It costs extra but it admits a limited number of guests and only the "big" rides are open, with almost no waiting. Also since it's at night, it's cooler and more comfortable.

If you don't want to follow the plans, then do the following:

Get to the park 30 minutes before opening. Go on all the "big" rides first. Pull FP's for repeat rides or for rides where the lines are too long already (45 minutes or more).

If you're getting to hot, take a break in an air conditioned dark ride or attraction. Also, all the shops have AC.

Leave the park for at least 3 hours (4 is better) for a break at the hotel. Takes naps and/or a swim. Then head back for more rides or evening shows and parades.

And have fun!!! Some times, people get so caught up into "doing it and seeing it all" that they run themselves ragged. And that's not any fun, now is it?

 

[mmorizio]

From my website:

Walt Disney World in August
You may be crazy, but at least you won't be alone

Troll the various WDW message boards and newsgroups and you'll get the impression that no one who knows what they're doing goes to WDW in August. Maybe that's true, but up until last year, that's when we would always go.


You're going WHEN???

There are several good reasons to go to WDW in August besides the obvious one - it's the only time you can go:


Everything opens early, everything closes late

You want to be in the theme parks at opening, at closing, but not in the middle of the day.


It's HOT!

Everyone complains about the heat in WDW in August, but I can't tell you how many December, January, and February trip reports I've read on the internet where the writer complained that he or she was freezing. In summer, all of the pools and waterparks are open and very inviting. At many of the resorts the pools are open late, and it's common to see families splashing around and having a great time at 10:00pm.


The rain is our friend

You can use the daily afternoon rains to your advantage if you realize two things:
1. The rain cools things down
2. Lots of people leave the park when it starts raining. Of course, if you are afraid of getting soaked, you may too, but in the summer I can stand being a little wet, and I dry off quickly.

Which brings up the poncho vs. umbrella controversy. I prefer to carry a small travel umbrella. Ponchos are bulkier to carry when dry, and become a real pain to carry when wet. And wearing a wet poncho is no fun. They become heavy, hot, and sweaty. Besides, I look stupid in one.


How to enjoy WDW in August without experiencing a meltdown

Take it easy - You cannot maintain the same pace when it's 92 degrees that you can when it's 72. Walk slowly, take lots of breaks, and drink lots of water.

Get to the parks before they open - you will have an hour or so of uncrowded bliss, and be able to see more attractions in those first 90 minutes then you would see during the rest of the day. Have a very light breakfast, be there when the turnstiles start spinning, and if you want a big breakfast, look for a place in the park at around 10:00 when it starts to get crowded or go to a resort for a leisurely brunch, then go back for a little while.

Around 12:00-1:00pm, it's time to get out of the park. You could go hotel hopping, spend a few hours at the pool, or take naps, but don't bother trying to cope with the crowds and the heat in the parks. You can go back in the evening when both will start to dissipate and close the joint.

There's no bad time to go to WDW, but enjoying the place in the summer requires adjustments to your itinerary and a slightly different mindset.

 

[SeattleMark]

Chicago 526, you wrote exactly what I would have! Very well put.

Regarding ponchos, one tip: You can buy disposable ones at Walmart for 84 cents each (in the sporting goods section). They're VERY thin and compact, maybe just a bit thicker than a dry cleaning bag, but they work! And afterwards they fold back up into nothing or you can just toss them.