Wow! Sorry :( I've been giving probably-wrong advice to some...

[cheermouse]

WE are heading there in two weeks. We will have a four year old and a baby with us. After being there last June and Aug, I agree a break in the afternoon is a must. In telling this to my brother, he said but we will only be there for two days, we have to go all day and night. I laughed and said ok, wait till it is 2:00 and you are baking, I will be back at the hotel. I am planning RD, have A&E for 10:00, finish up around noon -1:00, head back to the hotel and return at 6:30, for Mine train, dinner, and the parade, all of which I have fast passes for. Can't wait, then we are heading to Miami for a 7 day cruise!

 

[Spork24]

I've been at several different times of year, and each one has it's own challenges and advantages. In the summer we almost always hit RD to about 1 or 2, take a long nap, then catch dinner and then close down a park (or 2). Staying out of the park mid day helps with not only the heat, but also keeps me from getting frustrated at the crowd levels.

 

[buckeev]

Wow! Sorry
I've been giving probably-wrong advice to some...
(I ramble a lot - feel free to skip to the moral at the bottom)

I often pitch in my two-cents when posts pop up about 'best ways to tour the parks'. I claim we always do rope-drop to close and hit 2-3parks per day.

And this is a great strategy for us in the fall, winter & early spring. But holy-wow! Just got back from seven days in Orlando. First 3 days with my sister and her young kids were what my husband and I would call 'half days' left by 6:00, did only one park. Day 4 & 5 were meant to be 'full' days with a college friend of mine after the kids left.

How hard could it be? After all, we'd be 'taking it easy' on the first few days with the kids...

Oh man! The HEAT, the SUN, wow! We were beat and more than ready to go home, eat dinner and sleep by 6:00 each day. It was unreal. The kids were real troopers and both took decent stroller-naps. But the adults were totally exhausted.

By day 4 when i traded off my family for my friend, I think I might have had some form of heat-exhaustion. We'd planned 3parks per day, had a list of yes/no/maybe attractions, a couple dozen characters to find and had predetermined show times to fit our mad dashes through The World. I was like moving in slow motion and just tuning all the rides outs so I could rest my brain while I wasn't walking. I don't remember seeing the yeti on Everest, didn't hear any of the songs at the Nemo musical, walked only as far as a bench in Canada before sending my friend on alone to find Mary Poppins in the UK. Ended my day by falling asleep laying on an 8in wide wall outside Test Track at 5:30pm while my friend rode single rider. I woke up with a lizard 3in from my face, so that was different. We were supposed to go to MK 7pm-midnight - I could hardly make it back to the hotel.

11hours of sleep, 3 ice packs and 2liters of Gatorade later it was time to start all over again. Managed a full day, functional but footsore. Rope drop, 3 parks, walked to the car rather than waiting on a tram etc. we managed to cram in most (but not all) of the stuff we'd planned for the night before & a decent sit-down meal.

Sunday morning, just the husband and I decided we shouldn't waste our A&E FP+ so we woke up early, managed to arrive at MK just as the train pulled in for the morning show. Caught Scoop Sanderson (a first for us), ran to Peter Pan, moseyed over to big thunder, back to fantasyland for step-family M&G (they're were ~20min late). Then A&E @ 11:00 and straight out... It felt like a half day instead of 2.5hrs.


MORAL OF THE STORY: a week (or even 3days) of rope-drop to close (especially with park hopping) plans is just TOO MUCH in the heat. I swear we've done 3 VERY FULL days many times over. And a fair number of 5day trips in the fall. But in 90degree heat when you feel like you've just got to hit so many things to stay on schedule... Take a break midday, take a day off mid-trip, take a nap in your kid's stroller? Anything helps... It's brutal out there

PLEEZE! Teach me THAT trick!!!

The heat will absolutely drain you down, no matter what your age. The boy and I did 8 days at USO the past two Late Springs/Early Summer...and it was exhausting-sometimes to the point of painfull-dealing with the mid 90's-(Temp & Humidity!)

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I completely agree with you. In December, we easily went from rope drop to midnight or later, day after day. In hot months, we are DONE by 5:00. Your recommendations are good - just with the caveat that weather makes a big difference.

 

[ArwenMarie]

For a concrete example of how October differs from June, in October, Carousel of Progress, Ellen's Energy Adventure, Impressions of France, and Finding Nemo are "if we have time and can fit them in" attractions. In June, they move up to "must do" attractions.

Yep! It's funny how Hall of the Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree, It's Tough to be a Bug, One Man's Dream, Muppets, Philharmagic...all turn into Must Dos!

 

[SA mom]

There is often debate about which resort is better: DL or WDW. Well, in June, that California weather cannot be beat. The only time we hit the parks in the afternoons in the summer at WDW is when it is raining. We are from Texas and we are used to have 100+ degree days frequently. But we know to get out of the afternoon heat.

 

[JennyMP03]

The heat is so draining. I feel dizzy just thinking about it, and I live on the Gulf Coast. I've experienced it my whole life-- there is no "getting used to it" for me, not with the kind of humidity we have down here.

I'm going in June and beginning to seriously contemplate purchasing a Frogg Togg Chilly Pad. I just can't figure out how to wear it/stow it in the parks without it being a hassle.

 

[Bamfield]

I agree. We leave next Friday and we will be going from 70+ degree weather to 90+ degree weather and will be dealing with massive crowds (we normally go at more of an off time of year). I knew this going into our vacation so I made sure that I scheduled afternoon breaks every day that we are going to a park so we can relax and swim for a couple of hours, plus I also made sure we have a couple of off days from the parks and do some non park related activities (i.e. renting a pontoon boat, go mini putt putt, go to TL twice and DQ). OP, I hear ya, I too have probably given wrong advice and I am more then likely going to be just like you during our trip . However, instead of getting a power nap on a wall or a nearby bench, you will more then likely find me in either a ride or show that has comfortable seats and AC .

Thanks for making me smile. I have been tempted to take a nap while waiting for the kids to get off of Test Track or Misson Space but shade is sometimes hard to come by in that area. My favorite thing to do is to ride "Ellen's Energy Ride" as my youngest calls it. It is cool, dark and you get to sit down for 45 minutes. So, I am with you!

 

[TreeSapp]

PLEEZE! Teach me THAT trick!!!
:

Hahaha I wish

my friend just wanted to catch up a weekend before his 4day FL pass expired and my sister was already at planning a trip down... I was like "why drive 3hrs home just to drive 3hrs back a few days later?" So I planned to meet up with one as soon as the others left. Nearly killed me friend had a blast tho

 

[photo_chick]

MORAL OF THE STORY: a week (or even 3days) of rope-drop to close (especially with park hopping) plans is just TOO MUCH in the heat. I swear we've done 3 VERY FULL days many times over. And a fair number of 5day trips in the fall. But in 90degree heat when you feel like you've just got to hit so many things to stay on schedule... Take a break midday, take a day off mid-trip, take a nap in your kid's stroller? Anything helps... It's brutal out there

I think it depends on what you're used to. If 100+ degree days are your norm, like me in the summer, then those 90 degree days in Orlando feel very temperate and don't slow you down. It's not for everyone though and if you're not used to it then it can wear you down very quickly.

 

[Kristina4109]

I hear ya. We're going to WDW in early June. I'm in L.A. and we're having ridiculously hot temps - triple digits on Thursday. I keep telling myself, "Great, get used to this...and add a WHOLE LOT of humidity."

 

[Kpskyman]

Even the humidity in the fall Canaletto you irritable. My DW and 2 young DD only rope drop MK and stay until close. We sleep in a bit for EPCOT and get to AK and DHS about an hour after RD and we only close DHS of those 2. What I find that helps, especially with young ones, my DD's are 7&4, is to plan a no park day in the middle of our visit. Sleep in, swim, check out other resorts, take a boat ride, fish, but nothing at the wicked pace of doing the parks. The kids have fun and are well rested and DW and myself can heal our aching feet. It has been very helpful in deleting the melt downs from our kids from being over heated and tired.

 

[Maddies Mama]

I live in south Mississippi on the coast so I am used to the heat and humidity. What I'm not used to is being outside in direct sunlight for hours on end! We made the best of it, but it really just confirmed that we prefer WDW in late fall, winter or early spring. Going one more time this weekend so DH can do SWW (a bucket list item for him) and then I think our days of Disney in the heat will be over. We tried it - couldn't imagine being there in actual summertime - and it's just not for us.

 

[Cloudless Nights]

We have gone in August for several years now, and it is always the epitome of HOT. However, we are rope-drop commandos who stay from opening-close every day of our typical 8 day vacation (going for 10 days this August!). How do we do it? Plan inside, long attractions during the heat of midday (Carousel of Progress, Hall of Presidents, American Adventure, Festival of the Lion King, etc.) or sitting down for a longer CS lunch. It gives us a break without wasting time waiting for a bus to get back to the hotel, waiting for a bus to come back, etc.

I should add that our traveling party is 4 adults now, but we have been doing it this way since my sister and I were kids.

 

[hammie59]

To the OP-

I hear ya. We were there 4/25-5/2 with record high 90's and rain. We did rope drop everyday for 6 days straight and mostly stayed until the end. My husband and I agreed NEVER AGAIN. Our kids were troopers also, but that vacation almost killed their parents.

 

[aggordon2]

We always go in mid August (for the past 6 years). I agree with what a lot of people are saying about mid day breaks. We do them, usually between 2 and 5. But the one thing that my wife insists on, that seems to help, is having a big breakfast every morning. We always take advantage of the breakfast buffets and fill up. Yes, we feel stuffed when we leave them, but it really helps us as the day goes on. Doing the parks on an empty stomach is just as bad (to us) as not hydrating during the day.

 

[tajz90]

I really think it depends on where you're from. We have stayed all day without break in August with no issues, but we're from SE Texas. The heat is normal to us.

 

[think-like-tink]

We always go in mid August (for the past 6 years). I agree with what a lot of people are saying about mid day breaks. We do them, usually between 2 and 5. But the one thing that my wife insists on, that seems to help, is having a big breakfast every morning. We always take advantage of the breakfast buffets and fill up. Yes, we fee stuffed when we leave them, but it really helps us as the day goes on. Doing the parks on an empty stomach is just as bad (to us) as not hydrating during the day.

I like to have some good calories on board before we get to the park. I think it helps as well. We stay CL and I admit.... I have taken some pieces of fruit as a snack for when my kids (or me) start to grumpy. It's a great pick me up.

 

[goofy4tink]

It's not the heat that gets to us, it's that humidity! Dang, it's miserable. We're heading down in just over 2 weeks..and we know what it will be like. Same thing when I go with a friend in early Sept. So, here's what we do...up and out early, with a table service meal for late morning...a brunch type thing. Then stay in the parks until about 1. Then back to the resort for a swim and relax for a few hours. Back to the parks around 5 or 6...have table service dinner somewhere around 7ish, then stay as late as we want.
We also drink a ton of water. I'll have some Gatorade back at the resort to replace minerals and such. Lots of potty breaks with face and neck wipedowns...that really helps. And a hat...always a wide brimmed hat. And short sleeves vs tank tops. Keep that sun off my shoulders! Helps a lot.

 

[PoohsFan1]

It's not the heat that gets to us, it's that humidity! Dang, it's miserable. We're heading down in just over 2 weeks..and we know what it will be like. Same thing when I go with a friend in early Sept. So, here's what we do...up and out early, with a table service meal for late morning...a brunch type thing. Then stay in the parks until about 1. Then back to the resort for a swim and relax for a few hours. Back to the parks around 5 or 6...have table service dinner somewhere around 7ish, then stay as late as we want.
We also drink a ton of water. I'll have some Gatorade back at the resort to replace minerals and such. Lots of potty breaks with face and neck wipedowns...that really helps. And a hat...always a wide brimmed hat. And short sleeves vs tank tops. Keep that sun off my shoulders! Helps a lot.

I agree 100% with you that it is more the humidity then the actual temperature that gets to us. Our approach to touring the parks is very much similar to yours except instead of having a brunch we like to make pre park opening ADRs so that we can be done with breakfast just before RD or just after RD. And the days that we aren't eating breakfast in the parks we will eat a hardy breakfast in our room (one of the many advantages and likes with DVC ). I also agree with you on the hats, my girls and I normally don't wear hats but when we are in Disney, we will wear a hat every day that we are in a park because a sunburnt scalp is never fun.