Surviving July 3rd

[3smithboys]

We've been many times in the summer and have always hit the parks at rd, went back to the resort at lunch for a rest and swim, then went back in the evening... This has always worked great!

Our last day this time is July 3rd, and we were going to leave that morning... Now our son is flying down and meeting us to look at colleges, and we are spending the day with him at MK! We are excited, but now I don't know what to do as far as planning. I am totally out of my comfort zone. We are afraid to leave to go back to the resort in the afternoon because of possible closures. I don't want to be locked out of MK for the evening and the fireworks.

We were thinking about getting to the park about 10am and staying for the day. There are EMH until 12am... My DS is excited about that! I'm worried about surviving the heat all day....

I would love any advice on when to book fp, how to plan the day, and how to cope with the extra crowds and heat of the afternoon.

Thanks!

 

[hedberg1661]

We've been many times in the summer and have always hit the parks at rd, went back to the resort at lunch for a rest and swim, then went back in the evening... This has always worked great!

Our last day this time is July 3rd, and we were going to leave that morning... Now our son is flying down and meeting us to look at colleges, and we are spending the day with him at MK! We are excited, but now I don't know what to do as far as planning. I am totally out of my comfort zone. We are afraid to leave to go back to the resort in the afternoon because of possible closures. I don't want to be locked out of MK for the evening and the fireworks.

We were thinking about getting to the park about 10am and staying for the day. There are EMH until 12am... My DS is excited about that! I'm worried about surviving the heat all day....

I would love any advice on when to book fp, how to plan the day, and how to cope with the extra crowds and heat of the afternoon.

Thanks!

I have done July 4 week for the past 4 years. For 7/3-4 just go to the park do your fast passes and manage your expectations. Take some time to do the little things or different experiences you have passed up. You are correct it is crazy crowded but still worth it.

 

[3smithboys]

I have done July 4 week for the past 4 years. For 7/3-4 just go to the park do your fast passes and manage your expectations. Take some time to do the little things or different experiences you have passed up. You are correct it is crazy crowded but still worth it.

Thanks for your reply! We are excited, especially to see the fireworks. We've been before at busy times, like Christmas week, but it was before fp+. I'm mostly concerned with not being able leave and to handle the heat. Do you have any suggestions? Also, when would be the best time to book the FP's for that day??? I know we won't get everything done... And will have to manage our expectations for sure!

Thanks so much!!

 

[ariel3]

We will be there from 6/30 until 7/8. I too am nervous about the crowds. My daughter is competing at the Wide World of Sports and we decided to make it our summer vacation. Am I going to regret this??

 

[gap2368]

it will be crazy busy those days ( beside christmas time the 4 might be the second busiest time to go)

I would do your FP starting around 1 to 5 when it is the hottest you might not get to go as much so do not go in and thing you will. and see if you can get some more when you use your last one/

if you get hot remember the indoor show the hall of president carousel of progress, county bears and maybe philter magic are good indoor and more then likely not long waits.

make sure to pack your patients and be nice to your follow friends at disney and extra nice to the CM you see there

 

[Roo2]

Another way to get a break from the heat and crowds is to make a table service reservation within the park for a mid-afternoon meal- good way to cool down, decompress, and rest your feet, plus fuel your body for the evening (maybe make another reservation for early evening, for another rest!). Riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (Peoplemover) is another place to rest, relax and put up your feet (no AC, but a nice constant breeze), as well as the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor- the wait area is indoors and air conditioned, and if you don't mind sitting on the floor it's a great place to rest your legs! There's also the Tikki Room show. And taking a ride (or two) around the park on the Railroad is very restful- no AC but a nice breeze while the train is moving! Keep getting free ice water from the counter service places- and I like to keep a wet wash cloth in a baggie, and add ice from the drink stands to cool off with- adding ice to a mister bottle is great, too! To get away from the crowds, you can take a raft over to Tom Sawyers Island- you can just relax in rocking chairs at the landing area, and play checkers at one of the tables-or explore the air conditioned "cave" nearby! And be sure to walk through an air conditioned gift shop when ever possible, rather than the hot walkways- in many places, multiple shops connect for entire "blocks" of cool, fairly crowd free walking (like most of Main Street). Hope you have a magical trip!
Roo2

 

[3smithboys]

Thanks for all of these great suggestions! So far, I booked a qs at BOG for lunch at 12:30 and am planning on booking our FP's between 2-5....

If Skipper's Canteen starts accepting ADRs then I we would like to book one for dinner; otherwise, I think we will be doing another qs for dinner because there really isn't another TS inside MK that interests us. We would have liked to have eaten outside of the park, but I'm afraid to leave and be locked out later due to the park reaching capacity.

 

[drp4video]

Bathrooms are air conditioned....one time we took one of my daughter's friends in July and every time we passed a bathroom, she said she had to go. I finally realized she really didn't have to go, she was just getting out of the heat lol

 

[Mainemama]

We were there over Christmas, and even with massive crowds, the only closure we saw was 12/29. There was a closure that ONLY affected off-site 1 park ticket holders who were trying to enter for the first time. So. If you are staying I site, have an ADR, have a FP, all make it easier for you to get back in. I personally, would probably go early, break and take my chances on not getting back in. You can always watch the fireworks from somewhere else. Sounds like you don't want the risk, but I think it is a relatively small risk.

 

[glassslippergirl]

I understand your fears about not being able to re-enter. I know you're not interested in MK dining, but I'd suggest a TS ADR that lets you sit for a while at the hottest part of the day. We made an ADR for CP around 2:00 and stayed until 4:00 on July 3. It really helped us to feel revitalized. If you're having lunch at BoG, start with soup, eat slowly, refill your drink often, savor dessert-- really make it an extended affair.

In addition to the other cooling off spots suggested, behind the Christmas store in Liberty Square, there is a shaded bench-- no AC, but still a great place to rest.

Plan to start camping out for fireworks early. They are really amazing and all around you on Main Street, so that's where I'd recommend viewing.

 

[Oswin]

I was there last year for the 3rd at MK and the 3rd was VERY manageable. I don't think it came close to reaching a stage of closure on the 3rd, tbh. It felt crowded but we were able to get in every attraction that was open at MK on July 3, some of the headliners multiple times. We got there early on the 3rd for an 8:00 am BOG reservation, were let in about 20 minutes before the crowd to make that reservation, left by 1pm and went back to the resort for a swim and nap, came back to MK at 6:00 for a LTT reservation, and still got amazing places for the fireworks and were able to ride a few things before staking out a spot. I will say that with the thunderstorms that hit WDW last July 3 & 4, the crowds thinned out because the fireworks at MK were delayed by about 90 minutes on the 3rd and a lot of people got frustrated and left. We stayed for EMH which were from 1:00-3:00 am and we rode every ride available during EMH, some multiple times. The odds of you being locked out of MK if you left and took a break aren't very high (because I think it has to reach a stage 4, which I think the last time it did was April 2009), so if you want to take an afternoon break or eat dinner outside of MK I think you should be fine. As long as you're a Disney resort guest or have a dinner reservation in MK you'll be let in even if there's a stage 1-3 closure.

 

[mshanson3121]

We were at AK on the 3rd and it was very crowded, too crowded, we left early. I could never stay 10-12 in that heat. I would wait and enter the park even later if you're not going to do an afternoon break. But that's me. Try and do as many indoor rides as possible during the afternoon heat. Carousel of progress, philharmagic etc... Are air conditioned and relaxing. Peoplemover is an option too. Try and book a sit down meal for the afternoon, too.

 

[pa. dad]

I'd add
- dress appropriately and comfortably for the heat
-maybe one of those water bottles that sprays too
-hydrate often
- the real value of the sit down meal may not be in the quality or price of the food but in the time that you can sit down and relax out of the heat and recharge yourself that way.

 

[3smithboys]

Thanks for all of the responses... We have a lot to think about!!!

 

[TikiGoddess07]

Never take the bus at night eater take a car or the monorail

 

[hakepb]

When I've done all day July 3rd (and I almost never do all day without a break) we will do a lot of indoor shows in the afternoon to avoid over-doing it.(it's a great time to chill with CoP, etc)

 

[csjordan]

We will be in WDW 6/24-7/5, for DS's high school graduation trip. Our plan for 7/3 is to go to Typhoon Lagoon, head back to BLT for a rest and shower. Have dinner at The Wave, and then go to MK for the fireworks!

 

[hedberg1661]

Thanks for your reply! We are excited, especially to see the fireworks. We've been before at busy times, like Christmas week, but it was before fp+. I'm mostly concerned with not being able leave and to handle the heat. Do you have any suggestions? Also, when would be the best time to book the FP's for that day??? I know we won't get everything done... And will have to manage our expectations for sure!

Thanks so much!!

I would book early and book more ASAP once those first 3 are done.

As far as the heat...book some reservations inside (plaza, liberty tree, BOG) or, plan on eating at QS with some inside semi-inside seating (Columbia HH, Pecos, Rays,).

I would also "strategically plan" longer inside rides/attractions for the hotter periods of the day.