Your Best Summer Tips...Help!

[pentex]

Friends of mine are going to WDW next week for a special trip. I don't go in summer so I don't know what tips to give.

What are your best summer tips? (Best ways to keep cool, best attractions keeping summer heat in mind, things to avoid, etc.)

Thank you !!!

 

[Castillo Mom]

I haven't been to WDW yet but will be going in 2 weeks. I have a cooling off tip though. Don't know if you have a Costco out your way but they sell Misty Mates. I read about them here on the DIS but I had initially cecided I didn't want to spend the money and would just pick up some cheapie misters that you can hang from your neck. Anyway, they were demonstrating the Misty Mate at Costco and they're awesome! You can wear it like a fanny pack or stick in the side of your backpack in the side pocket. It's amazing how much cooler the air around you gets with these things, especially when you fill the container with ice water. They're also great for an impromptu water fight! Costco sells them in packages of 2 for only $26.99. That's less than a mister would cost you at WDW which run around $18 a pop.

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

Tell them to get to the parks early! Not so hot early on and you can get a lot done before the big crowd arrives.
Take advantage of E-nights in the Magic Kingdom. Again, won't be so hot at night and the lines are normally not bad.
Definitely TAKE A BREAK by late morning or early afternoon. If they are staying on site it's great to back to the hotel and relax, swim, just take it easy.
Drink a LOT of fluids. Water is readily available throughout the parks. Avoid soft drinks and alcoholic beverages in the heat.
Make sure they pick up park maps and have some kind of plan.
As the day gets hotter do the inside attractions which are nice and COOL.
Make sure they have PS so they can eat without waiting.
Don't push.....take it slow.....let their bodies decide on the pace.

 

[kimbamickey]

I went last August, and my poncho was my best friend. Carry them in a backpack or something to help out with those sudden rain storms. I agree with the afteroon breaks- it worked out well for my group.

 

[wannabee princess]

Just returned from our trip, and I would definitely second get there EARLY!! We were at the parks prior to opening, and we accomplished so much in the first hour (like everything in Fantasyland except Philharmagic - got a FP and had already done the Speedway, Space and Buzz).

There are so many inside attractions/rides, that you can also spend the hotter part of the day doing those - they also tend to be the attractions that don't have long lines.

I had bought a Misty Mate and had taken one of the water fans that the park sells, but we left them at the resort - we never felt the heat so unbearable that we needed them!

Make a PS for lunch - this is a great way to get out of the heat for an hour. If you try to have a sit down at the lunch hour without PS, you may find yourself headed towards a counter service instead.

Definitely plan rides that are big attractions early in the morning or get FP early (like TT or ToT or RnRc) - the lines get long, the FP may be gone, and there is nothing worse than standing in a huge line with other tired, sweaty people .

We had a great experience in July - I was prepared for miserable heat, huge crowds and accomplishing half of what I wanted. Instead, the heat was not a problem at all, the crowds seemed very manageable and we actually ended up doing more than we had expected everywhere except DS.

 

[cruise-o-matic]

Get to the park at opening or earlier, but avoid the EMH park. Get the popular rides out of the way first.

If you are going to a water park, get there at opening (especially if you want to do Summit Plummet, b/c at 9:15, the wait is at least 1/2 hour and that's as short as it gets for the day unless they clear the line b/c of thunderstorms). Or go after 3 when most of the people are leaving.

Stay at a resort near a park, one that doesn't have need bus service. Much more convenient for mid-day breaks. If you have a car, go ahead and drive to the park. (Disney transport is OK if you plan to stay all day, but for park hopping or resort-to-resort, a car is the best.) The shuttles are pretty good or if you are a member of AAA, get their diamond pass so you can park up front.

At the MK, take advantage of riding during the Spectro Magic parade. You can virtually walk onto Splash and Big Thunder. If you plan to watch wishes, do it on an E-ride night. The bus lines are horrible at MK close. (We waited over an hour to get a bus back to Pop.) Better to use that time to ride when it's cool, plus you're not getting back much later than the masses.

We also left our Misty mate back at the room. We did fill our Brita bottles up with ice from the resort before leaving out. That was a real $ saver. If you go to the AK, get a child's meal voucher. The child's meal is enough for an adult. Plus you get an ice cram bar or pop corn voucher, plus a soft drink or water voucher.

 

[cruise-o-matic]

you get an ice cram bar ]

You'd better eat it fast before it melts......