WDW in July

[magickingdommommy]

After having to cancel our March break trip at the last minute I promised the kids that I would take them in the summer. I was hoping to be able to go at the end of August but ds needed to be back then for school stuff so we are now going then end of July. Crowd calendars are saying that it will be an 8 or 9 - that sounds super busy to me. But I am not having any trouble getting dining reservations.

Has anyone been at this time? How was it?

 

[pooksma]

Been there, done that and with DS' soccer schedule, doing it again

Its hot, its humid, it rains and it can be crowded. But its still WDW

 

[Debbie]

Longer hours with the busier times, too! I still remember the first time I went when the parks closed earlier (8 or 9)....we'd been used to 11 and 12 (and E-nights to boot)

 

[minnie mum]

If you open up your clothes dryer about half way through the cycle and stick your head inside- that's about how it will feel whenever you walk outside your resort door. Plus you will have the usual afternoon thundershowers. Crowds will be very heavy and wait times for standby during most of the day will be long. Resort prices, of course, are higher because of demand. But the parks will be open later at night.

We thank our lucky stars every time that we are able to go at quieter and cooler times of the year.

 

[2gr8DisneyKids]

I have done it twice with the kids solo while dh on a long work trip. We say the same as the pp it's hot, it's humid, but we would do it again!

We shoot for indoor attractions and shaded shows and attractions and take it easy. Drink lots of water and be ready for rain and people.

 

[Josh Hendy]

We like WDW in the summer, it's the only time we've ever gone.

We found the heat shocking when we stepped outside at the airport on arriving at Orlando but we got used to it quickly, within a day.

The crowds and wait times didn't bother us as long as we got to the park at rope drop and stuck to our touring plan. Sometimes even with a touring plan we got pretty hot and tired from all the walking in the heat. Every park has nice, cool places you can go to relax for an hour or two in the heat of the afternoon. Sometimes we'd go back to the hotel or to a mall to shop and then return to the park after 6pm. The parks are often still crowded in the summer from 6 - 9pm but we would always feel more relaxed.

In five trips to WDW all during the summer, I think we've only had 3 days or evenings when we either got soaking wet from a rainstorm or else had to miss more than an hour of touring due to rain. (plus one day and night stuck in a hotel sitting out Hurricane Charly, but that's another story). We didn't mind getting soaked (either in rain or on wet rides) because it actually makes you feel cooler afterwards when you're walking around in the heat (assuming you don't mind the feeling of damp clothes and squishy shoes).

We're always careful to wear hats, sunscreen and not stay in the direct sun for longer than necessary, to avoid sunburn and heat stroke.

When the kids were little we bought folding fans from China in Epcot and they used them to keep cool whenever we were waiting in a queue. They're cheaper, lighter and simpler than carrying around those water bottles with electric fans.