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Original poster

Florida late July will we stand the heat?

18 replies

teabag20048 · 19/03/2017 08:20

Hi thinking of booking Florida Disney late July, will return to UK first week in august, are we mad to go then, is the heat unbearable? We have been pre-children October and December and remember the heat hitting us then, are we mad to go in July? Children are 12 and 9.

OP posts:
dudsville · 19/03/2017 08:27

If I remember rightly there will be a rain every day about the same time, a short heavy downfall, and the humidity afterward will be thick. Shade doesn't help. The effect on me was to make me move slowly and eat less!

Flutterby11 · 19/03/2017 09:13

It depends on your tolerance to heat. We love temps of 35degrees+ but when we went in end July/early August a year or 2 ago, walking out of the hotel in the morning (btwn 9am - 10am) was like walking into an oven where the air feels heavy and thick with minimal airflow. You get used to it after a few minutes but it still shocked me every day. Obviously it would just get hotter and more humid through the day. To put it into context, we've comfortably walked all day in deserts in Egypt, US and Middle East around 40degrees etc where it's a dry heat. We found the humidity of Orlando in summer just a completely different challenge though.

The pp is correct that it rains pretty much every day which brings some relief but we had one day in animal kingdom where we got a bit wet from a ride/afternoon rain (despite ponchos) and then the rain dragged on a bit. Escaping indoors proved unhelpful as the air conditioning was still cranked up to cope with hottest part of the day. I thought we were going to get hypothermia as we just couldnt seem to dry off. That was just one day though. Each day while it was hot, we would use regular stops at indoor attractions to cool off in air con before heading back out again. Other days we were v lucky to have dry weather in morning/early afternoon during outdoor activities and then missed the downpour in late pm when we were inside. Could have been less fun on those days if we hadn't timed it correctly tho.

All in all it was still one of our best ever holidays as the weather cant completely ruin the amazing experience your family will have. We cant wait to go back but would definitely think twice about going in high summer. Also, when there were thunderstorms forecast some of the rides would close if there was a risk of lightning but they were v good at opening the rides again as soon as they deemed it safe.

HTH

nottinghamgal · 19/03/2017 09:18

Depends really. If it's the only time you can go then go for it.

You have to work round the heat that means being at the parks at opening which can be at early as 7am at the time of year. Maybe staying until 12 and then pool time.

Head back in the evenings as the park will be open until very late too (midnight)

Also the parks will be easy, not as busy as Easter or Christmas but very busy.

Also just need to work in lots of break time and out of the sun time.

BeyondThePage · 19/03/2017 09:23

Yep like pp said - July is very busy - the US summer break continues til mid/late August.

The humidity is the killer for us though, and the rain... Much prefer Easter - even though it is even busier, without the heat/humidity/rain it does not seem as bad.

Hulababy · 19/03/2017 19:01

We've been in July a few times - normally last week of July and first week of August.
TBH we find the summer no busier than February half term - its definitely not as busy as Christmas, Easter or October/Hallowe'en.

It is very hot and very humid. The daily rain shower (not guaranteed, one year we went and got rain on only one day!) is a relief when it comes. the humidity increases and you can see it coming - but one it arrives an after there is a relief. It is usually short lived rain - an hour tops.

That said - it never stopped us, nor DD. We found it very manageable. A lot of queues have shade and many have inside areas as part of the queues, as well as water spray fans which have a fine mist to cool you down. We still did full on days every day - literally in the parks from opening til late.

Depends how much the heat affects you. It doesn't bother dh at all, and dd isn't really that affected either. I have to have a hat and sunshades but manage.

TBH I found it much better there than going to the south of France/Spain in the summer where the shade and air con was far less, and the heat far worse to deal with.

Iamastonished · 19/03/2017 23:24

We went last year and it averaged at about 35 degrees every day. We got some rain, but not every day. I agree about getting wet and going indoors. The aircon when you are wet is no fun.

We had one morning where it was so humid that on stepping out of the hotel my glasses steamed up.

mouldycheesefan · 21/03/2017 14:09

We went in May and it was roasting hot but no humidity.

BaconAndAvocado · 21/03/2017 16:20

We went for 2 weeks in August and yes, the heat was excruciating at times, but we're going back this year at the same time.

Water sprayers, drinking lots of water and taking regular breaks inside for some air-con all makes it doable.

I do remember on our very first day at the Magic Kingdom, watching the parade and thinking, How am I going to cope with this heat for 2 weeks? But I did and I can't wait to go back.

A wide brimmed hat helped too Smile

Original poster
teabag20048 · 22/03/2017 21:13

Thank you all. Well decided to go for it and have booked Disney OMG!!! To say we are excited is an understatement!!!

OP posts:
Buttercupsandaisies · 22/03/2017 21:16

We went 16-30 July last year

The heat was fine but boy did it rain! And not just the hour people say on here - it rained 12pm til 4/5 everyday😮

If you go to universal don't go without express passes as queues are 2 hours average per ride

It's fab tho!

Original poster
teabag20048 · 22/03/2017 21:22

Did the rain stop you from doing what you wanted? I have booked similar dates, i was aware it was rainy in July, how did you cope with the heat and rain? Buttercupsanddaisies

OP posts:
Buttercupsandaisies · 22/03/2017 21:31

The heat was fine but the rain was a pain to be honest

The waterparks and rides all close if there's any thunder at s within 20 miles so lots of times It would rain for a few hours and then even if it cleared and was hot and sunny, they still wouldn't let you swim or go on rides! We did waste a few afternoons hanging around!

Also some days it was so heavy we just sat in cafes etc.

It's manageable if you get out early (say 8am), then rest pm and go out again at night but like I say, for us it rained almost all afternoon everyday. It made full days difficult to plan - esp universal days as its hard work going there for a few hours.

If July is the only convenient time then it'll work out fine with planning but I'll be honest, I was taken back by the volume and intensity of the rain

The heat like I say was ok

Iamastonished · 22/03/2017 21:42

Buttercup we were there last year at the same time as you and didn't experience as much rain as you did.

Buttercupsandaisies · 22/03/2017 21:46

If you nosey on trip adviser OP you will see many people complaining about the rain over the summer.

I'm surprised you say that - we wasted 3 full days at universal just hanging round waiting for rides to restart- on one day we were there 8am til 9pm and only got on 6 rides 😮

Hulababy · 22/03/2017 21:58

Buttercup - that amount of rain is pretty unusual ime.

We've been a few times at that time of year and never experienced that amount of rain. One year we had no rain all fortnight - That was hot! Other times we've had rain some days for a max of about an hour usually in an afternoon. Rarely any more and not every day.
Even the first year we went and there was a hurricane our first full day - lost half a day to it. Boy did it rain! But the parks were open the next morning just an hour later than normal. And. It that much rain thereafter.

Sounds like you had a particularly bad and more unusual amount of rain.

Iamastonished · 23/03/2017 06:55

We were there between 15th and 26th July last year and did experience some rain showers, but only one day where it lasted for several hours. That was the day when DD wasn't feeling great so we went to the cinema instead, so the weather didn't affect our day. It rained while we were in an indoor thing at Epcot, but dried up pretty quickly, and it rained for a short time on the first day we spent at Universal, but again, it dried up pretty quickly.

Willow2017 · 23/03/2017 08:48

We went last year at end of June beginning of July. Heat was palpable whenever you walked out a building. It was like walking into a wall but you got used to it. Only time we were stopped doing much was at wet and wild one day there was a thunder and lightning storm and obviously the water and rides were cleared. It was 100 degrees that day. The rest of the time the storms were evenings only only and only once when kids were in pool and I dragged them out. Couldn't believe people still in pool with kids lightning all around 😲
Get one of those water sprays, drink loads and go in and out shops to cool off. Take it easy first day my teen had a bit of overheating first day. Pushing a big teen in a wheelchair from middle of disney park to entrance, in the heat was not fun I can tell you 😁 strangely enough the first aid staff didn't inspire confidence that they knew what to do with him at all.
Apart from that we had a ball, enjoy 😀

bojorojo · 28/03/2017 14:09

Easter is better.

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