Grandma and I just returned from our 10 Day May adventure to Walt Disney World. We went for Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. It was fun but it was hot. Not just hot, unseasonably hot and humid. Grandma and I did it and survived and had a pretty great time doing it. Of course our approach was much different than our fall and winter trips. And we had to adjust our expectations. Some things we did worked great. Others not so much. So hang on lets get started.

Planning

Planning a summer trip is not much different from planning any other Disney vacation. We chose mid May for a few reasons. We had DVC points that would be expiring in June. We also wanted to see Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival. We started out same as always, by consulting various crowd calendars. This time we also consulted various climate sites about what to expect weather wise.

We picked leaving on Mother’s Day. And as with most of our WDW trips we planned on staying for 10 nights. We feel that 10 nights is just about the minimum length of time for a WDW trip. It gives you plenty of time to visit each park multiple times. By doing so, you do not feel as pressured to do everything all at once. A particular incentive this trip since the pace was going to be slower. We just did not know how much slower!

Weather during this time frame was supposed to be warm. The temps in the mid to high eighties. Hot but tolerable. Rain was also likely in the afternoons. All in all not too bad. Grandma and I both grew up in the south. We experienced very hot days first hand. However, we have since retreated to the PNW and its much more humane climate. We really avoid heat. For us now, 80 degrees is a real scorcher! This trip taught us what we already knew. Plan for what you can expect, but be prepared to be surprised, and not in a good way!

The rest of the planning was pretty much standard affair. As annual pass holders, we still have to make park reservations. This is the first thing on the to do list. We consulted the crowd calendar and picked our parks on days they would be less crowded. And of course 60 days before arrival, we made our dining reservations. After that it is just a matter of waiting. 60 days to wait, after all the prep work, seems pretty cruel!

Packing

Part of the planning process is picking out what to pack. Grandma and I travel light. We always stay in a DVC 1 bedroom villa. These have a washer and dryer in the room. However, for people staying in Studios, which are more traditional hotel rooms, all DVC resorts have laundry facilities. These facilities are open to all guests. I know what you are thinking, why do laundry on vacation. Simple, we can pack very light. Saving room to bring back treasures for the grandkids! Also it is fantastic to get home with all clean clothes. Makes recovering from the trip all the easier. And yes I help Grandma with the laundry!

For this trip we packed our summer attire. My normal wardrobe is jeans with suspenders, a pocketed T shirt, with a Hawaiian print over shirt. The T shirt absorbs the sweat, keeping the over shirt much cleaner. The pocket is a great place to keep your Cell Phone. It is protected and held firmly on the rides. Grandma dresses similarly . Jeans, no suspenders, a nice print or embroidered top with a print blouse over all. We forgo shorts, but that is a matter of taste. Being a denizen of the PNW, my legs are pretty pasty white and very prone to sunburn. Best keep them covered. Besides, I don’t want to traumatize the many children in the parks! Since rain was a possibility, we also packed a couple of Frogg Toggs ponchos. These came in very handy.

Head to Toe

Two often over looked but very important parts of your wardrobe covers you head and feet. First I’ll start with the head. I almost always wear a ball cap. Usually one with Mickey or some other Disney friend.

However in the sun and the heat, a ball cap just won’t do. You see a hat is very important in coping with the sun and the right hat is vital. A good hat blocks the sun from your head, ears, and neck. People most often suffer sunburn on the back of the neck followed by the tops of the ears and lips. Yes I said lips. The best way to keep this from happening is to use sunscreen and block as much sun as possible. A good hat with a large brim will shade your noggin. I love a good bucket hat or a floppy cowboy style hat. These hats can be soaked in water for instant cooling. The larger brim shades the neck and ears, unlike a ball cap that just shades the face.

I saw lots of people in the parks with out any head gear at all. Most of these were younger folks. Many had bright red necks and faces. Nothing spoils a vacation like a second degree sunburn. Trust me, a good sun hat is a must.

Next let’s turn to the other end. Your feet. You will be walking a lot. I mean A lot, A lot. Grandma and I averaged over 5 miles a day. It may not seem like much. However, if you are not used to walking that many steps, it can be killer. A good pair of shoes is therefore, mandatory. Can you imagine having a major sunburn and blistered feet? That is not what I would call a good time! My favorite pair is from OrthoFeet. This company sells orthotic shoes that are incredibly comfortable. My pick for this trip is the Leo. It is sort of a deck shoe, with leather uppers and a great insole. It is incredibly light weight, but still sturdy.

Being so light weight, my legs did not get tired or have cramps. The orthotic nature of the shoe let me be on my feet all day without any ill effects. For us older folks, you know what I mean. You should also pack a backup pair. We experienced rain on the first day at Epcot, so a fresh dry pair of shoes is really needed.

I also should stress that a good pair of shoes needs to breath. Your feet will get hot, maybe very hot. The Leo breaths well. I see many people wearing Crocs. Disney themed Crocs are found in almost every gift shop. I don’t see having your feet encased in rubber in hot weather would be comfortable. Someone please tell me what the attraction is?

Epcot Flower and Garden

Our very reason for going this time of year was the Epcot Flower and Garden show. We had never experienced it and it did not disappoint. Epcot usually has great landscaping, but it is really decked out for this show. The main attraction for us was the topiaries. Almost every major Disney character was represented. Here are a few examples.

And a stunning array of flowers.

Along with the flowers are the various festival food booths. Grandma and I decided to forego these. No particular reason. Some of the offerings looked amazing. Perhaps it was the heat. Just not that interested in grabbing a bite and looking for somewhere to sit outside. Much more interest in the floral displays.

Modified Daily Schedules

Going in summer, even early summer the draw back is the heat. The climate sites predicted temps in the low to mid 80s. However it was hot, in the mid 90’s with high humidity to boot. Even the locals were complaining! The combination of heat and humidity really sapped our strength. By mid morning, the temperatures were becoming almost unbearable, even in the shade. In a previous post I outlined how to handle the heat. Grandma and I practiced what we preach and made sure not to over do it.

Slow Down

In our younger days, we loved every ride. Faster, Higher, More G’s Please. As we have aged, this has changed. Rides grandma and I used to love, while still enjoyable, can lead to motion sickness. I suppose changes to the inner ear has a lot to do with it. We take an over the counter motion sickness remedy that helps. Rushing between rides is also just not doable in the heat. For this trip, we had a much different itinerary and it worked very well.

We decided to do resort hopping as well as park visits. Resort hopping is where you visit the different Walt Disney Resorts. Each resort has a different theme and vibe. The Quick Service restaurants serve different cuisines. The gift shops all have different merchandise, often exclusive to the resort. Most of the pools are themed in keeping with resort as well. There are pretty spectacular kid splash areas in some locations.

Our main itinerary became,

• Breakfast in the room
• Visit a park in the morning.
• Resort Hop for lunch.
• Back to the room by 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Nap
• Epcot in early evening or not
• Watch Epcot Fireworks from the room
• Repeat

Resort Hopping

Each resort has its own charm. Disney transportation makes it easy to visit all Disney properties. With our itinerary, we decided to hop a bus to a different resort instead of the Boardwalk where we were staying. After visiting the resort, we would hop a bus to Hollywood Studios and take the Friendship Boat back to the Boardwalk. It was all very low stress and allowed us to escape the heat in some spectacular lobbies. I cannot get over Jambo House! I have seen many pictures and videos before, but OMG! This place must be experienced first hand. Kindani House is also fantastic and well worth the trip.

Kindani House Lobby

Jambo House Lobby

Port Orleans

Start Early, Prioritize

As with every trip, early entry is your friend. In the heat this is especially true. The day will never be cooler than first thing in the morning. Even then it was in the mid 70s for our trip. With the humidity, it pushed the “Feels Like” temp up to the 80s. The night before a park visit, we would pick 2 or 3 must do attractions. For instance, at Hollywood Studios, it was Naive River Journey, Muppet Vision 3D and Tower of Terror. These attractions were our target for early entry. We did not try to do any rides later in the day unless the wait was short and/or the queue is inside. Waiting for an hour in the sweltering heat is not fun. It can also be very dangerous for us older folks.

We employed the Crushing It Strategy and simply headed to the ride on our list with the shortest wait. This worked well. Almost too well at times. I expected to knock off 2 rides in early entry before the rope drop wave overtakes us. No not wave, Tsunami! The mad rush of guests running to a particular attraction can be pretty awe inspiring! We were usually able to do 3 attractions during this relatively quiet period.

What to do next if you are not riding or waiting to ride? Plenty. For instance in the Animal Kingdom park, there are many displays with various animals. We sat in the bird exhibits in the Gorilla and Tiger trails. We watched the birds for quite a long time. It was peaceful and not too hot. Another activity was visiting the shops, looking for little treasures to bring back to the Grandkids.

In Closing

We had a grand time despite the heat. We slowed down and enjoyed the day as it unfolded. We did not push it. Staying well hydrated cannot be over stressed. We bought a case of water at Walmart for around 5 bucks and change. Much cheaper than the $4 a bottle in the parks. We always had at least 2 full bottles every time we headed out. Sometimes we would take 4. Dole whip, Soft Serve Swirls, and othe frozen concoctions are also a must do. We stopped often for these treats. Sent worry about your diet, you will sweat this off in no time!

Would we do this again. No probably not. Were we happy we went? Yes Of COURSE! Would we do this with the GrandKids? NO NO NO. The young can take the heat much better. Keeping up with very excited young ones is hard in the best of conditions. Through in heat and humidity and I would suffer for heat exhaustion at best or heat stroke at worst. We observed many families at the end of the day. The parents were drenched in sweat. They were really deflated and dragging. The Kids were still going strong. We also saw beleaguered parents barely able to push their sleeping children in strollers. Even in my best of days I would not call that fun!

Disney in the heat can be fun. It just takes a bit different approach. Know your limits and dont over do it and you will be fine.

Let me know if you have any tips and tricks for surviving Florida in the summer! I would love to hear from you.

Until Next Time