I'm not used to being at Disney in the summer as we usually go in the spring or fall, but we'll be there in a couple of weeks. Any tips for dealing with the heat and crowds? Favorite places to cool off or activities that are away from crowds?
The past few times I've gone during the summer, I tend to go on a Saturday lately -- since there are blackout dates, Saturdays seem less crowded than Mon-Wed in the summers the past few years. LOTS of water -- I carry a bottle with me and refill at water fountains and drink it down in lines. Shady spots - Tom Sawyer's Island (or whatever they call it now), the area back behind the Winnie the Pooh ride can be nice and quiet, also the area underneath Hungry Bear has shade and chairs for a quick break.
Tiki Room's great for an air conditioned break, so are the cartoons on Main Street. Riding the train for a full loop is nice as well, just to relax and enjoy people watching. Have a great trip! :)
Are you just doing Disneyland, or DCA, too? My advice is similar but a little different due to specific rides and their lines. In general do outdoor queues and rides in the morning, indoor queues and rides from 11-3 or even 11-4. The problem is almost everybody knows the plan too, and there’s a decent portion of DCA that is open asphalt. Most of the DCA queues are under shade, but as the lines get longer and stretch out of the official entrance to the rude queues, you might find yourself standing in some serious sun, though usually not for too long before you’re in shade, so bring a hat, and sunscreen up. Also, not sure your usual Hydration plan, but I like to drink imported hydration fluids
As for placing planning, the more people you’re with, the more you need to have a plan, particularly if you want to ride most of the good rides in one day. Get the app and and Genie+ to let you order food and reserve your top rides, as the crowds get to their biggest in the summer and no joke, I’ve seen standby queues hit 2+ hours for stuff recently.
Cooling off tips:
No matter which park, rope drop and consider going back to the hotel for a cooldown, especially if you’re there for a few days. Kids love splashing in a pool, and if they’re young, you all get to rest for a bit before saddling up and heading back to the park for the late afternoon and evening. Bonus, a lot of people don’t do this and the lines get shorter as hot and tired kids throw tantrums and their parents start eyeing the ride home.
At DCA, the Forest Trail is cooler and quieter. It’s tucked away a bit and not a ride so non-parents don’t even look at it. It’s also by Grizzly River, which works out great because that’s a water ride where you actually get wet, and the queue is nice and shaded. Again, though, everybody else has this idea too, so watch line times.
RSR’s queue gets long but it’s shaded. Don’t wait 2 hours for it, your time in the park is valuable and definitely hydrate while you’re waiting but as many parents have learned, don’t overdo the water early in the line because then you’ll need to find a bathroom in a hurry.
Midway Mania has AC for part of the queue.
The Incredicoaster is the queue I think of as the hottest because it’s almost all in the sun until you’re pretty close to riding. Watch the app and either reserve a time or wait for it to hit like 45 minutes. The line moves quickly so you’ll be in shade soon and then on the ride.
The Ariel ride has AC and a mostly shaded queue.
At DLR, there are more mature trees, which really pays off in terms of shade for summer.
The Pirates queue gets long and stretches into the sun, but it continually moves, and is the longest ride I can think of at DLR, all indoors.
Haunted Mansion’s line is outdoors, but it moves relatively quickly, and I remember it as being shaded. It’s popular because it’s a classic, the movie coming out, and it’s indoors so be prepared for a decent wait. Use the app and time it right and you wait 30 minutes in shade then head indoors.
I could write a novel, and I’m sure there are experts with even better tips, but I hope this helps.
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