Is it miserable or enjoyable?

[pcollins48]

We don't go in summer anymore, but when we did back when the kids were young, it was still WDW and we were happy.

 

[tguz]

Our last trip in 2019 we went for the first time in March and I swore that I would never go in summer again and guess what? We leave on Friday. Lol....It is pretty miserable but we still have a great time. We have also been the 2nd week in Dec before and that was by far my favorite! Super low crowds, the weather was perfect and it was decorated for xmas. The kids were real little though and taking them out of school wasn't an issue. The second the kids are done with school and it's not an issue to go off season, we'll never go in the summer again!

Funny related story but in 2017 we did a Southern California trip and also did Disneyland. It was mid-July and it was mid to low 80's, no humidity at all. Yes the sun was hot but it felt AMAZING compared to a Florida summer. We kept hearing all of these locals in line complaining how hot and miserable it was that day and DH and I kept looking at each other thinking "Clearly these people have never been to WDW in the summer because we could do this all day, every day" haha!

So yes it's so, so hot and humid and can be miserable at times but go in with a positive mindset. Plan for lots of air conditioned breaks via shows and table service meals and even a break at the resort if need be. Get a high quality neck fan (ours were around $40 on amazon and are amazing and last all day), get some cooling towels and drink a ton of water and you'll be fine! But with that said, as soon as I can, I will definitely be going when it's cooler as soon as the kids are done with school!

This December will be our first non Summer trip and we are looking so forward to the weather and Christmas decorations. This will also be our longest trip ever at 10 days!

 

[VApastor79]

I’m guessing you’re in VA based on your username? I live in Central VA and our summers are pretty comparable to FL. Do a trial run on a hot day to Kings Dominion or Busch Gardens to get an idea. Yesterday our weather was hotter than the weather in Orlando. Same thing for the trip I took in August a couple years ago-the whole time we were in FL it was actually hotter in VA.

It can be pretty brutal, but we found that Disney in the summer is doable with a lot of hydration, sunscreen, UV blocking umbrellas, walking through stores instead of the streets when possible to get out of the sun and into the AC, taking mid-day breaks, etc.

thank you for that. We have passes to Busch Gardens and have been there in the worst of summer and we survived fine

 

[HauntedTTA]

Sure it's hot, but in the summer the majority of the US is hot and if you are used to the outdoors in that climate then it's fine. Personally I love the feeling of a coolish shower right before bed after a hot summer day. We went a couple years back and talked to some Quebecois who couldn't stand the heat, but we found it more bearable than home (Central Texas). Of course we're still suffering from PTSD from our winter storm that wouldn't be considered noteworthy to them. It's just about your comfort level.

 

[Boopuff]

For several years, August was our only choice. We'd get up, go to the pool,brunch reservations, then the parks late afternoon. Loved to stay late in the parks. I remember some very late nights at MK.

 

[Adventureland]

We were July/August trippers except for a spur of the moment trip in February! School and such. I really enjoyed going in February but a trip to WDW in the heat is more fun than a temperate day at home.
Try to acclimate a bit to the heat before you go if you can-get used to walking in the heat. Expect a burst of rain in the afternoon or evening. Stay hydrated...etcetera. Prepare for it so you're in the right mindset and don't expect to not be sticky! But it's absolutely doable and not the worst thing.
The only big negative I can think of is I would get sunscreen in my eyes one trip...uncomfortable. ><

I agree with this. It is all about how well you can tolerate the heat & humidity.

Big takeaway of course. I tend to have an upbeat attitude and can handle some uncomfortable warmth but if you are very much effected by the heat it will certainly make a large impact.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

We have never been to Disney World in Summer. We know it’s hot and humid, but the question is, is does the misery overwhelm the magic? I know part of it is mindset.

That depends. For me, it doesn't because I'm happy to go to the parks early in the AM, go back to pool for the hot afternoon, then maybe back out to park or dinner in the evening. For my current teenagers, there is a lotttttttttt of whining about the heat. When they were little, we went in August a few times and they were fine. The masks in the heat do suck in the outdoor queues but its still manageable.

 

[Frozen2014]

We are travelling end of next August as that's when the timing works for us. We went to Disneyland this time and I figure Disney World will be that plus humidity plus a daily rain shower.

We really don't plan on returning to the resort for the day (maybe on MK days as we are staying at Contemporary), but I'm hoping that we can find shade or indoor attractions at the park? Having lunch ADR over dinner seems like a good strategy.

 

[hsmamato2]

I went a couple of yers back in June....it was so hot! We had a veeeeery chill trip, we explored a park earlier in day, by noon every day it was so hot and miserable (and crowded) that we would swim/nap/hang out in the shade by the pool... then get moving again around dinnertime- into the evening hours. This worked out well and we had a great time.I can't tolerate theme parks midday in the heat etc.

 

[No.1000]

I am gonna say "Both."

 

[wdw&sonny]

For me, Summer=Hot=Vacation. They are all synonymous. I am from Cleveland. We get 11 months of cold. I welcome the heat much more than the cold. Going on vacation means going somewhere hot: beach, pool, outdoors, Disney World. I love spending mornings and evenings in the parks and afternoons lounging by the pool. We have also gone in cooler months, but I hate when it gets cold and I am at Disney. I loose the desire to tour the parks when I am cold (below 70 degrees). I prefer 90 degrees over 60 degrees. Bring on the heat.
So, as others have said, it's an individual thing. What do you prefer 90 or 60? Can you be comfortable in 90 degrees? Shorts and T-shirt, shade, a gentle breeze (fan), cold drink, cold towel, cool pool? Ah summer!

 

[Bravesin7]

Also worrying about the heat for a mid July trip. Like the idea of taking resort breaks early afternoon.

 

[sssteele]

We were frequent summer visitors when our children were young. It's hot and sticky and it rains briefly almost every afternoon. But, park hours were always longer and you could get a lot done after sundown when it got cooler.

Park hours are not being extended this summer unfortunately. We arrive July 5th, and unless Disney changes the hours, they'll be the same as they have been. I remember taking my granddaughter to Extra Magic in the MK about 10 years ago. Park closed at 3:00 AM. We made it until 2:00. She was 10, and I was 60. I pooped out before her.

 

[PamNC]

It totally depends on the individual. I live in NC and it's just about as hot and humid as Florida - so I'm used to it. Doesn't bother me.

 

[rdaky]

This made me LOL -- what body of water are they sticking their heads in?

When the water areas were on, that's where they'd do it. This year it was the bathroom sinks. LOL

 

[PaladinButters]

We know it’s hot and humid, but the question is, is does the misery overwhelm the magic? I know part of it is mindset.

For us it did, every memory of that trip is tainted with how miserable we were just about every moment we were outside. But we are the kind of people who hate heat and summer to start with. Give me snow!

I know there's opposite people out there who like that sort of thing. There difference here would be if you survive in summer or thrive in it.

I loose the desire to tour the parks when I am cold (below 70 degrees). I prefer 90 degrees over 60 degrees. Bring on the heat.

Oh, I found one!

 

[Shughart]

We're from IL and went once in September. Never again. We went in December in 2019 and are going again in December next year (I'm a sucker for Christmas). I wouldn't mind hitting the F&G festival one time (I think that'll be my bucket list no kids monorail trip with my hubby) early in the season like March/April but we'll never go in summer again. We pull our kids out. The schools can bite me.

 

[Hazy27]

For me it doesn’t. I won’t lie and say it isn’t much nicer to go when it’s cooler buuut that being said I’m going the first week of August. Lol.
Go early, Stay late, Take a break.
Avoid the heat of the daytime right after lunchtime… That’s when the park is the most crowded anyway… Go back to your resort and rest and relax.

This. Very much this. We went quite a few times in the summer. The extended hours were always a benefit. Yes, it's hot and we tried to plan our days where we would spend a the morning hours at the park and get back to our resort for a mid-day break and some relaxing, or pool time. Then go back to a park in the evening after dinner.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

I would say it depends on the person and how well they can handle heat. I only been to Disney World twice in my life in 2015 and 2017 (both times solo in my mid to late 20's). The first time I went in mid June and it was indeed HOT but strangely bearable. I did the parks in the morning and early afternoon and then took breaks in the hotel room when needed. The second time I went was at the end of August (labor day weekend). Once again it was hot but not overwhelmingly hot. I guess I been lucky??? I live in Virginia so it does get hot here during the summer too. I am going to Disney World for the third time next month which will be in early July. So the heat didn't ruin the fun or magic for me either time. Also, I am not a heat person either by the way and I have to be careful as during summer and heat I tend to sweat a lot and if not careful could dehydrate.

I have read/heard stories of cast members, guests, and characters passing out due to the heat in the parks though. One scary but slightly funny story from a co worker was that when his family went in June 2019 Tiger passed out while taking a pic with their kid. HE says it was scary but the way tiger passed and the looks of shock and horror got caught in a picture (which makes it slightly funny). Tiger was okay as far as they know. Anyway, I am planning to bring a neck fan, waters, wear a hat, and try my best to have fun. If it's too much, I might just do the parks in the morning and then come back later in the afternoon/ evening.

 

[VandVsmama]

We have never been to Disney World in Summer. We know it’s hot and humid, but the question is, is does the misery overwhelm the magic? I know part of it is mindset.

We've gone twice now in early June. It's both. It's both enjoyable and, at times, miserable. This is one of those things where the phrase "your mileage may vary" definitely applies.

We're from Arizona. It's hot. really hot here. But it's a different kind of hot. At my house right now, the temp outside at 1:00 pm is 90 degrees, but it's 9% humidity. On Sunday, we were at MK and it felt like 107-108 to us. The ambient air temp, though? 90 degrees at 11:00 am. At WDW, I sweat more than a sinner in church. DH & I also went in the 3rd week of January of this year. High temps were much more manageable, but I sweat an awful lot then, too. On that trip, it was funny to see some people walking around in winter jackets, whereas DH & I were wearing sandals & shorts and sweating our butts off...the humidity made a huge difference.

It was miserably hot in MK on Sunday. But we still had a good time. We adjusted. We left early. Went back to the hotel, took a couple of naps, swam, and didn't go back to MK until after dinner. Did we go on a ton of rides? No. But for us, at least, when we're on a WDW trip, we just can't handle going commando style from open to close.

On a DL trip? Definitely. I've done 8 am - 12 am days before at DL and it's been awesome. But the weather isn't 90 degrees with central Florida humidity.

We adjusted how we handled things this trip and here's what worked for our family of delicate desert flowers:

• wear loose fitting clothing
• put Body Glide on your feet & other areas that might be prone to chafing
• drink copious amounts of fluid. A lot. All day long. Tank up the day before you get there. Drink 8-16 oz before you leave the hotel room in the morning. And drink all day long. Even when you don't feel thirsty, you should drink. We were sweating SO profusely, doing this was necessary.
• wear a big sun hat
• bring a UV umbrella - the kind that's silver on the top. It felt a good 5-10 degrees cooler under that umbrella. My DH mocked me before the trip about the umbrellas, but on that murderous MK day on Sunday when the hot weather was truly miserable? Guess who was using one of those UV umbrellas? DH was.
• Skip the WDW fans and instead buy a neck fan or a hand-held USB-chargeable battery-operated fan from Amazon or some place similar. Those fans worked best for us. Every person in the group should have either a neck fan or the handheld USB fan.
• Skip the Frogg Toggs. To us, they just feel like smothering hot wet blankets. We've used them a lot back home in AZ, where there's, like, no humidity, so that swamp cooler effect is VERY effective on a day when it's 105-110. But in Orlando? Forget it. To us, they just make us feel hotter.
• Try to get to the parks as early as you can. And leave at noon. Stay away all afternoon.
• Book ADRs for lunch time as much as possible.
• Eat meals at locations with indoor seating (A/C!).
• When you get back to the room to take a break, strip off all the sweaty clothes.
• Be willing to be flexible and change your plans based on how weather conditions change or how you or your group feels physically.