Conference koolit::disney

    Here's a question.........is it really necessary to have rain ponchos
    on hand?
    
    Mike_who_is_now_counting_weeks(5)_instead_of_months

    
    When we went last summer we carried both umbrellas and ponchos. This
    belt and suspender thinking is what I like to do first time out.
    In 59 days we will not be taking the ponchos. The heat is great, the
    humidity gets trapped and they don't provide shade in those long, sunny
    lines. We are also providing our eight-soon-to-be-nine-at-Disney with
    his own folding umbrella. Works out a lot better when you don't have to
    share.
    
    J.B.

    We needed them.  Just got back yesterday [yes, a trip report is
    on the way] and both Sunday and Monday we got stuck in VERY torrential
    rains in Epcot.  In fact, we ended up walking through about 4 inches
    of water through most of the park.  Disney must have made a killing
    on selling the ponchos [$3.50 a piece for those interested].
    
    John

    The only problem with ponchos in the summer is that they stick to your
    body because of the rain and heat.  It is really an uncomfortable
    feeling.
    
    Umbrella's are the best solution.  If you do get a little wet, you'll
    welcome the cooling feeling.
    
    Bring your umbrellas with you.  They are expensive to buy at Walt
    Disney World.
    
    A True Floridian
    
    

    Just got back from WDW-from 7/3 to 7/10-and yes it was hot, but
    not unbearable.  Every day was 95� and sunny, with clouds building
    in the afternoon.  Only had pm rain 2 days, and does it come down!
    Both times we were out of the park, so it was no problem.  The best
    advice has been stated a million times, and we followed it: Get
    there early (8 am), leave in the early afternoon, and come back
    after supper (6pm).  The hotest part of the day was spent taking
    a nap and swimming.
    The umbrella bit worked ok, but there were not many people using
    them.  I only used it to shade my youngest (5 years and a red-head).
    
    Don't worry about the heat, my wife is non-functioning in it and
    she had no problems what-so-ever.  I personally love the heat and
    humidity.  
    
    Gary
    

        We were down there from 6/14 through 7/5 and it was very hot. 
        I am also a person who cannot function in the heat; It was
        often getting too hot by 10:00am.  We did the same as -.1 and
        never went into the parks in the afternoon.  In fact, in the
        three weeks we were there, we never wanted to see the
        afternoon 3:00 parade in the Magic Kingdom (it was the same
        parade as November and we saw it several times then).

        We would typically make reservations for a sit down lunch
        between  11:00 and 12:00.  After lunch we would leave the
        parks; sometimes we would go to one of the water parks, but
        usually we would go back to the hotel for a swim followed by a
        nap (I got used to taking a nap everyday).  We would usually
        go into the parks for dinner between 6:30 and 7:30.  By then
        it was getting cooler and the sun was bearable.  By using this
        type of itinerary, we were able to enjoy ourselves despite the
        heat.

        Surprisingly, we had almost no rain while we were there. 
        Florida is having a very dry summer. We had a heavy noontime
        downpour on 6/23 which caused us to spend an extra hour in the
        Imagination Image Works (the kids loved it).  We had a pretty
        good rainstorm on the night of 6/26.  Our trip to the Kennedy
        Space Center on 7/2 was a washout, but on the ride back to
        WDW, the skies cleared just as we arrived.  Talking with
        people at WDW we found out that it never rained that day at
        all.  We only used our umbrellas once during the entire trip. 
        With the humidity, I would not recommend the plastic ponchos. 
        I think the umbrellas are much better.

        /Jim Pappas
    

    This looks close to what I would like to ask:
    
    How long are the lines around the end of June but before the 4th of
    July? My wife is a teacher and the only time we can go is vacation
    weeks and summer vacation. Been once 6 yrs. ago but would like to see
    the new stuff but hate lines.

    End of June and July are peak regular attendance (ignoring the 
    'one offs' like Christmas and Memorial Day). Lines can reach 1hr+, 
    but they can be beaten. Read the Official and Unofficial guides 
    and these notes for all the hints.
    
    You will need to plan like a military exercise, taking advantage 
    of the early openings, understanding the traffic flows, using 
    slack times during parades and targetting the new attractions 
    first.
    
    This year will be our second trip during peak time, and although 
    we did have some long waits last time, they weren't so bad that 
    they put us off. Most of the lines do have some shade, and to be 
    honest, we enjoyed the atmosphere, it was so different from the 
    'traditional British' way of queueing. Over here, in lines, you 
    keep your head down, avoid eye contact, and definitely don't talk 
    to anyone! In WDW there was almost a party atmosphere, involve 
    your neighbors, share stories, pass on tips and hints, share 
    drinks and munchies etc.
    
    If you can go at less crowded times, that would be better, but if 
    you can't, then don't let the lines put you off.
    
    Mike in Warrington, UK. (19 days to go!!)
    

    
    DRAT! ... as I'm going to be there for what looks like exactly the same
    week as .7, I was hoping that some-one would write and say that the
    week preceeding July 4th would be quiet .... because every-one was
    saving their holiday UNTIL the July 4th week (if you catch my drift).
    
    I agree with you Mike that it's likely to be mega-crowded, but has
    any-one got specific experience of the week b4 July 4th week?  Can
    no-one raise my hopes that I won't be frying in an hour-long queue in 
    90+ degree heat?
    
    Never mind, as stated before elsewhere in this conference, a bad day at
    Disney is better than a good day at work!
    
    
    Optimistically,
    
    Andy.
    

    re .8
    I know what you mean about the queue's in England. I waited for about
    an hour at last years Wimbledon match. As bad as I wanted to see a
    match I gave up, bought a hat and shirt with the Wimbledon logo and
    took a few pictures at the front gate. Ate lunch in the town and went
    back and watched it in my room. Maybe I will give Disney a shot just
    before my wife goes back to school in Sept. But will remember the tips
    I read in this conference.
    
    Thanks

    Well, my opinion differs slightly from .8...
    
    I think the week before 4th of July is more of a crap shoot.  It's
    really hard to know what to expect.  We were down there last summer
    from Thurs., June 28th to Sun., July 1st and the only day that the
    crowds were beginning to get unbearable was on Sunday and we were only
    in the parks 'til the afternoon when we had to leave to catch our
    plane.
    
    Two years prior to that, we were at the World a few days after 4th of
    July from the 7th to the 10th (I think) and encountered much smaller
    crowds than expected.  
    
    Each trip the longest wait we had was maybe 15 mins.  I think the
    explanation for this is that attendance really peaks on the 4th of July
    and drops off quite a bit just prior and just after that week before
    going back up to regular summer month attendance.  Granted, this is
    just a theory, but we managed to hit it just right both trips.  Purely
    by accident, of course.
    
    - Skip

    
    re:8
    
    John,
    Sept. can be better for some reasons most schools back in session but
    the parks close earlier opne later. If you're staying on property I'd
    gamble on June. You can hit the parks early do lunch around noon head
    back to the room and take a break hit the pools ect. Head back later on
    6ish If one park is too crowded bop over to another one. Have dinner 
    and just roam. One point I never mentioned here was that on our last
    trip in '90 was that the longest lines of the day everyday for Big
    Thunder Mountain was during the parades. Maybe too many people read
    Birnbaum?
    
    enjoy
    
    steve

    Hello...
    
    Just thought I'd add "two cents" on going to Disneyworld in the Summer.
    My wife and I went in early June. We had a wonderful time. The advice
    I would give has been given in various notes but to summarize and maybe
    add one:
    
    Dress for Comfort... Loose summer clothing...
    Wear Comfortable Tread ... Always a Disney rule
    I SAY get a CAR that can BLAST on the ole a/c
    Plan to go at a leasurly pace... Summers no time for track stars...
    Go early in the morning and plan a mid-day break (GO Swimming at River-
    	Country, typhoon lagoon, or your hotel.
    Plan to go there in the late afternoon and evening... this worked out
    	great... (Epcot in the late afternoons has minimal lines...)
    
    By going there with the above strategies you'll have a great time.
    I would definately go again in the summer, but then again, I'd go in
    the Spring, Winter or Fall too!
    
    Regards....
    
    Dennis G.
    

    
    
    
    These are words from an X florida boy, who visits WDL 5 times over the
    last 6 years.  I have gone in August (hot, but liveable), April (rained
    every day for about 30 min.) and Jan. (to cool to swim, plus water
    parks are closed for refirb).
    
    Hint to avoid lines.  Upon entry to Disneyworld, take train to rear of
    park, do attractions from rear left to front right.  You will hit rides
    before people who are entering park from the front.  This trick really
    works well in early am, and 6pm to late.

    Can someone give me an idea of what it's like to visit WDW in July???
    
    We are trying to make up our minds on whether or not we want to attend
    our National Dance Convention in Las Vegas or Orlando.  We have gone
    to Las Vegas the past 2 years and loved it.  The heat didn't bother us
    too much because it was a dry heat.
    
    But I've been told the worse time to go to WDW was in July/August when
    the humidity will kill you.  I was told that we wouldn't have a good 
    time and would spend half our time in the hotel room that was air-
    conditioned.
    
    We are planning to go 2 days early so that the kids can have time for
    enjoyment and not just working in dance classes and competition.
    
    Any suggestions?

    I've been to WDW 2 times....in JULY... with a wife who melts in the
    heat.    It was her idea to go back the second time in July again.
    
    the way to do it in the summer is to enter the parks EARLY..... 
    Do it up until the crowds really hit which is about the same time that
    the heat and humidity gets real bad. Have a good long cooling relaxing
    lunch someplace and then head back to your hotel for a rest. Use the
    pools, hit the movies, or just watch the Disney channel and take a nap.
    
    Re-enter the parks after supper. They all stay open until late and the
    lines are smaller than in the daytime.
    
    
     Pasco
    

    
    
    
        The last 2 years we have gone in July (91) & August (92), prior to 
    that we had gone in October. (It's tough to go in October with the kids 
    in school.)
    
        We didn't find it very hot. We moved from NH to PA, about a half
    hour west of Philly, a couple of years ago. It's been hotter here
    when we returned from our trip, then it was in Orlando. The major
    difference is it cools off more at night up here.
    
        The lines can be rough during the July 4th time period. The nice
    thing about the summer is the long hours. The park stays open until
    mid-night (actually MK is 12 and EPCOT & MGM is 10). Plus you get the
    summer daylight hours.
    
        Personally I prefer the summer at WDW.
    
    
    
                                                Phil...

    Re: .15
    
    Check note 131 for opinions.
    
    This subject has been thrashed about before and basically it comes down
    to the following:
    
          - Heat and humidity in July is the same everywhere. You're just
            guaranteed you'll get it down there. You'll be popping in and
            out of A/C all the time so you may not suffer as much as you
            think.
    
          - During the non-Summer months you need to plan more because not
            every day is a parade or fireworks day like in the Summer.
    
          - Stretching your vacation dollar is another argument. Some
            people will argue that the off-season times are better because
            smaller crowds mean smaller lines. The Summer fans will argue
            about the extra hours which make up for it. On a pass that runs
            you, hmmmm, $25 per day that would mean $1.56/hour compared to
            $2.50/an hour in Nov.
    
          - How about climate-shock? Some people can handle PDB better
            during the Summer months than they can any other time of the 
            year. I know of one noter who went in Feb. and landed at Logan
            airport during a snowstorm. Talk about getting back to reality 
            in a hurry. For others a change in weather is more than
            welcome.
    
    So as you can see it all depends upon what you want and how you handle
    heat, humidity, crowds, etc.
    
    Maybe we can hear from people who had never gone during the Summer
    until recently. Maybe these people can shed some thoughts on this.
    
    There are people who will never go in the Summer, one mod in
    particular. And there are people like yours truly who feel that WDW is
    best enjoyed in the Summer.
    
    Heck, the Northeast did not have a Summer. At least my
    family had Summerlike days down there and pools to cool off in every
    day. Nothing beats walking around the CBR around 1 A.M. in the morning.
    
    But I digress.
    
    Maybe Kathy can give us her thoughts. I think this past Summer was her 
    first July trip to Orlando.
    
    
    Mike

    ...also it's the luck of the draw.  This year I was in Las Vegas in
    mid-August, the temperature never got below 102 (including being out at
    three am), and I came home with a throat infection from going from heat
    to air, and it all being too dry a heat.
    
    Ten days later, I was in Orlando, where it was not nearly as hot, but
    very humid.  Both were uncomfortable, but Orlando had periods of being
    comfortable.
    
    tom

    I was down there last year in mid to late june with wife and 4 kids
    (ages 1.5, 5, 10, 12) and we just played the early out or late out game
    (if you go early, you go to bed early and sleep in the next day so that
    you can go late and stay late, etc...) and it worked out great.  When
    the heat of the day comes, go back to your room and send the kids to
    the pool!  
    
    John
    

    	It's deffinately hot but you have to decide for yourself what's too
    hot.  For a good look at what there is to do I'd suggest Mike Scopa's
    trip epic....ah report.

    I went to WDW in July this year.  It was the first time I had gone in
    the summer months - only after some serious arm twisting by Mike Scopa!
    :)
    
    I'm not one that likes the heat anywhere.  I found WDW to be bearable.
    I used the tactic taught to me by the Oh mighty wise one (MS) by leaving
    the park around noon and going back around 6:00pm.  The mid afternoon
    hours were spent in or near water - TL or a pool etc...
    
    I loved the fact that the parks are open very late at that time of
    year.
    
    We had a blast and I'm considering that time of year for our next trip.
    
    Which might be 96 or maybe - 95?
    
    Kathy