Summer Vacations at Disney… Family Fun? Making the best of it!
Observations of family vacations: Seems insane - Summer heat, very large crowds, very long lines, aggravation and reduced tolerance of issues... not a very good situation for family fun and enjoyment. If you are planning summer vacation at Disney, or anywhere else in Orlando for that matter, be mentally prepared for lots of trying moments. Your good demeanor and easy going nature aside, you will be tested beyond tolerable limits, especially if you do what most do, spend long days, everyday, in the parks to try to do it all. Perhaps I've been there during the off season too much and just can not believe the summer peak season as anything less then very trying and exceedingly aggravating. Things that usually run smoothly are now near chaos, and being too hot, and too crowded, and aggravations being pushed to the limit, guests being rude and inconsiderate, and sometimes argumentative… well... family fun truly comes into question. Facilities pushed beyond planned capabilities, namely counter service foods, guests walking around seemingly endlessly trying just to find a place to sit and eat the food that waited in long lines to get, now getting cold.... and when they do, it's at a dirty table that they are only too happy to finally get. Seeing families fighting and yelling at each other, hot and aggravated, kids crying, wives fussing, husbands yelling, teens with attitudes... fun family vacation? Idoeno... Throw in daily storms and rain, and things that just seem to keep going wrong, crowded buses, etc, etc, etc... wow... fun family vacation? So if you are planning a Disney vacation, or other area attractions in Florida, consider off season... or prepare yourself for how to deal with the alternative. If you must, the best way to even try to deal with it... only plan on ½ days in the parks and relax and pool time for the other half. Better to see and do ½ as much and somewhat enjoy it. Or just not visit in the summer. Just something to consider.
Here’s some tips to possible help.
- Drink plenty of water… not soda. Disney will give you free cups of ice and ice water.
- Take in quick snacks (so you don’t have to wait in line for everything) trail mix, nuts, dried fruits
- Take frequent rest stops in the shade or inside with a/c
- Use the Fastpass access to your advantage for what you really want to do. The most popular attractions can have 90-120 minute waits… so get a fastpass, enjoy something else, come back, and get on the ride with minimal wait.
- Disney has Extra Magic Hours for guests that stay on property. Here’s how to work it. If staying on property, use the “am” access to get in a park early, first thing, enjoy a couple of hours, and if the crowd gets too large, go to another park. Extra Magic hours could draw upwards of 10,000 extra people into that park that morning. So it might be great at first, and become extra crowded very soon after the public gets admission. “pm” hours kinda work the same, go somewhere else early, take a break to relax, then go in the “pm” park late and enjoy the time when the general public has to leave.
- Generally, what we do in relation to Disney’s Extra Magic hours ( since we stay off property) . Since it puts so many extra people into the park ( a different one each day for “am” and “pm” extra magic hours)… we avoid those parks that day. You do not want to go to a park early if they have “am” extra magic hours… ya got an extra 10,000 people already there… no way. Plus we play the rotation cycle. If Epcot has “am” hours on Tuesday, we go in on Wednesday morning… and so on. Go where the Extra Magic are not in effect, and plan to go the day after they were at a particular park… or the day before.
- Dining reservations… if you are planning to do table service dining… make our reservations months in advance. Especially if you stay on property and have the dining plan. Most popular locations book 3-4 months early… if you wait until you get there, you will be either totally out of luck (fully booked) or taking the 9:30 pm time slots.So book early!!!
- Magic Kingdom Parades… no way around it… get your spot 60-90 minutes early, or you will be standing way in the back, perhaps 10 people deep to try to see the parades. Evening “Light” Parade… there are usually two… 9 & 11 pm, both require early seating but the curb. Wishes Fireworks in front of the castle or on Main Street is just wall to wall, elbow to elbow, in your face crowded, so get there early or watch from afar.
- Counter service food… try to stay away from the typical lunch / dinner hours… too crowded, long food lines, no empty tables… a real mess!
- Good and bad… try to plan inside shows ( with the a/c) for the hot afternoon… the bad, everyone else does too… so get there early… typically minimum 30 minutes, preferred 45-60 before the show.
- Use your iPhone Disney apps (extremely helpful) to find Character Greets and wait times for attractions, and much more info. But be on the look out for short waits as you walk pass rides you want to do. Ya just might catch a big break and a short wait.
- Get to the park right went it opens to either get on the most popular rides of get a Fastpass for them. Typically we go in first thing, get a fastpass the the best ride, then get on the second best ride (most people are waiting in the best ride line). Get a second fastpass as soon as you are able (see time on the fastpass ticket). Longest wait lines (summertime 90 minutes plus) Soarin, Test track, toy story, space mountain, splash mountain, safari, and expedition Everest. If you go into the park at noon or later, sometimes the fastpasses for that ride are already issue for the whole day… and you will be wait in line for everything. Have seen wait times of 150 minutes to 210 minutes… OUCH!
- We carry in a insulated water bottle, get the free ice or ice water, put it in the bottle to make it last longer. Plus you can carry your bottle into attractions that prohibit cups! and you have a cooler drink to enjoy while waiting in line. We also take MiO to sometimes favor the water.
- Good news… most of the areas in the parks have wifi… so you can get info on your iPhone easy! Use it!
- Character Greets… use the schedule or iPhone apps to get scheduled times and places… get there 20-30 minutes early. A 20 minutes wait for them to get there is better then a 40 minute wait in line that’s ahead of you.
- Leaving the park at closing… especially after Wishes fireworks or the last light parade… sit down relax, and let the crowd leave first. Why shuffle along, shoulder to shoulder in the crowd for 20 minutes just to get out. Sit down, relax, get an ice cream, wait 30 minutes… and just walk out! Ps: if you came to MK via Monorail or Ferry from the Ticket and Transportation center… take the ferry back… the monorail will have a 30-40 minute backup wait time.
- Try to have a good mix of outside and inside attractions.. one in, one out… rather then 5 outside things in a row… getting overheated.
- Carrying stuff into the park? backpacks are okay… carrying lots of stuff? Heavy? Get a $12 umbrella stroller at Walmart ($55 at Disney) and use it to hold , carry, and transport your stuff around. Easier to deal the stroller than ware yourself out by carrying a huge heavy backpack… or having to relay on getting everything at a premium price, and waiting in line to get it.
- Rain gear… it rains everyday in June (prolonged thunderstorms) and everyday in in the summer (usually passing storms). Bring rain ponchos from the dollar store, light, easy to carry, and for $1, a throw away. Disney price $9. Also bring protection for cameras and phones!
- Needless to say… wear light loose clothes… light weight and light colored. Wear a hat for protection. Take Sunblock with you! Disney price $9-$14. Comfortable shoes is a big plus! If rain is forecast, I usually wear croc’s. Between the hat, raingear, and the croc’s… I don’t let the rain bother me. Plus, as everyone heads for cover, most of the rides are walk on’s.
- Another rain tip… check your iPhone app for approaching rain… beat the crowds to the inside sitting areas… namely the counter service restaurants… get there early, get a seat out of the weather, enjoy a drink or snack… or bite to eat… and watch it rain! Relax time!
- Short cut transports. Magic Kingdom: the train stops at Frontierland, Circus Circus, and the front of the park Main St. So if you’re in the back of the park, take the train to the front. Epcot has two boats that take you from the other side of world showcase to the front of the lagoon. However, Animal Kingdom and Studios, you’re on your own, walking back to the front.
- Other boat transports: little known, their are boats to take you between Epcot (International Gateway) and Disney Studios. There are also taxi boats take you from Downtown Disney Eastside & Westside. Also a boat (water taxi) that goes from Downtown Disney to the Resorts up river. Key West, Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans: French Quarter, and Riverside (Ole Dixie Landings).
- If time permits, a nice diversion to to see the some of the Disney Resorts. From Magic Kingdom you can take a boat to see Wilderness Lodge, The Fort Wilderness Campground, The Polynesian, The Contemporary and The Grand Floridian. The monorail will also get you to the later three. Your car or a Disney bus can take you to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The Resorts are a show to themselves.
- Our favorite food places: O’Hana’s at the Polynesian ( reservations 4 months in advance), Hollywood & Vine at Studios, Crystal Palace (MK), Be Our Guests is said to be wonderful (MK- advance reservations), Rainforest Cafe at DTD and Animal Kingdom, T-Rex at DTD. Tusker House (DAK), Boma at Dak Lodge. Counter service food is available everywhere… quality varies. Favorites that are good most of the time: Columbia Harbor House (MK), Pecos Bill’s (MK), Flametree BBq (DAK), Restaurantasours (DAK), Electric Umbrella (EP), America (EP), Backlot (HS). Other snacks and treats are available everywhere… look for our favorites like: Smoked Turkey Legs, Pork Shanks – Gastons (MK), Jaleapeno Cheese Soft Pretzels, Pineapple swirl ice cream floats (Adventureland MK )… and of course Mickey Ears Ice Cream. Enjoy!
Well, that’s the highlights of my tips for now… I may add more later. Hope this helps you enjoy your summer vacation a bit more. But for my money, and enjoyment level, come in the off season… stay away for the summer, and holiday weeks like Easter. We particularly enjoy the fall and the Halloween Season along with Christmas (early December). The weather is cool, sometime chilly ( take sweatshirts), way less crowds, but it does get dark earlier.
