Disney Orlando in August - Good idea or not - plus Villa or staying in Disney Hotel?

[pepsi]

DH and I are hoping to take ds8 and dd6 to Orlando this summer. It will be in the school holidays. I have been many years ago to Orlando, but never with children. I know it will be hot but how bearable is the heat over their. Also DH wants to stay for 2 weeeks in a park hotel, whereas Im unsure about how we would cope with having to get up for breakie every day. Although being in a disney park does have its benefits in being able to get away for a break in the hottest part of the day or go for a swim. Ive been looking at stuff about Orlando and I find all the choice rather overwhelming. We have been to Paris and stayed at the Hotel New York there but I didnt feel it had the disney magic about it so if you know of a hotel that really has the disney feel please let me know. Thanks all.

We are going back in summer for 3rd year on the trot. Kids are 9,7,2 and 7months. We have always had a villa ( due to number of us) but I think it is definitely the way to do it. Kids loved the pool and I loved the space and being able to get away from crowds. Driving to parks is straightforward. We have always gone first 2 weeks in July- very hot but nobody was too bothered by the heat. There are plenty of things to do to in the parks to give you time to cool down.

Would def recommend Disney hotel for convenience - bus transportation to the parks is amazing, buses every 20 minutes right to the entrance, also boat transport from some resorts. You can stagger out of Magic Kingdom at midnight trailing small children behind you, hop on the bus, home in 20 minutes. No queuing to for bus to take you to car to queue to get out of carpark! Can't praise it enough.

FKb - have you just come back? Did you have a great time?

We are going on thu! What would you recommend for DC aged nearly 4?

Yuk. TOO hot that time of year and flippin' hurricane season, too.

I'm from Houston and you'd have to pay me shedloads to visit a climate like that or Orlando at that time of year.

Yes, got back on Thursday (still jet lagged - what is that all about? DS waking at 1am last three nights, needing breakfast!!).

It was fantastic, very hot (97 degrees the day we left).

I would recommend you have lazy days round the pool and head for the parks in the afternoon/evening. Our favourite day at the parks was Magic Kingdom in the evening - it was cool, it was less crowded and much easier to get on the rides.

I have nothing negative to say about my holiday - it was fantastic and lived up to and exceeded my expectations! That can't be bad can it!

Happy to answer any other questions you might have and have a wonderful time.

expat - agree - Orlando in August - no way. It was hotter than I could cope with the last few days I was there. How do people live there and work outside? So many people do but everyone I spoke to about it said you never get used to the heat and the humidity.

Hurricane seasons officially began on 01 June - we flew back on 04 June! phew!! ha ha

believe you me, you never get used to that level of heat and humidity.

you just stay in the a/c as much as possible or work outdoors in teh early morning or late in the evening, covered in DEET containing mosquito spray that you have to keep re-applying for sweating it off.

my dad gets up at 5.30AM to mow the grass at 6 - everyone's usually up at that time, anyhow, because the workday starts at 8AM and a lot of people have to commute.

There is lots to do for little ones at Disney, Animal Kingdom is great, don't miss the Nemo show and the Lion King show (indoors and coooool!). Loads at Magic Kingdom too, you can hire a stroller there also. At first I thought what is it with these people pushing big kids around in hired strollers then I realised that a happy kid is a "pushed in a stroller" kid!! My two were quite happy walking though, at 9 and 6.5. Plenty of drinks ($2 for bottle of water), hats and heaps of factor 50 suncream. I bought Coppertone Kids Factor 50 over there (cheap in Walmart) and it is a continous spray, no rubbing in necessary and is clear. Great stuff.

My family that lives there agrees, you work indoors if you can!! It's weird how you see nobody walking anywhere and as we drove back to the airport past lots of housing areas, no one to be seen in the gardens either.

i still love teh way Coppertone smells.

DH uses it from a supply my folks brought him.

I can still smell it on the kids now, three baths later!!

mmm.

i love the sports spray stuff - that's what DH uses because it's pretty waterproof and long lasting so perfect for his work.

i like the sticks, too, for the face for the kids.

mmm.

i love the sports spray stuff - that's what DH uses because it's pretty waterproof and long lasting so perfect for his work.

i like the sticks, too, for the face for the kids.

I have just made my plans to go back to Scotland later this year, can't wait for some lovely Highland fresh air and Orkney Fudge!! I loved every minute of Orlando but I do pine for the hills!!

had some Orkney ice cream yesterday.

mmmm.

DH the Scotsman still smells like Coppertone, though .

They make icecream? Do they make one with fudge bits in it? I will be tracking it down!! When I was a kid, we used to go to Scotland every year - we always bought heaps of Orkney Fudge in lots of different flavours, my favourite was rum and raisin. In recent years, I've only been able to get vanilla. (I have just had some with my coffee as mum and dad went up there a couple of weeks back!!).

we are doing orlando at end of August. Very aware it will be hot but couldn't do any other time of year by the time we decided to book it and I don't agree with taking ds out of school for it so August it has to be.

Are staying on disney property though and intend to do mainly disney/swimming pool as ds (5 yo) still a bit young for universal/bush gardens etc although not too young for seaworld so we will pay a visit there.

Have been to Florida twice in early September before ds was born and we caught up with hurricane Gordon on our visit to st Petersberg in 2000. Twas ve amusing as we drove across the bridge to see all the other traffic driving in the opposite direction (away from the hurricane). We didn't experience much of it though - just the heavy rain really - have experienced full-on hurricane on our first holiday together to Antigua - now that was scary.

yes, they make ice cream. same blue and white label. we just had vanilla.

Which hotel Wannabe? I can guarantee you won't be disappointed with the Disney hotels. The transport system is fab too. We were at Port Orleans Riverside. You can get a boat from there to Downtown Disney as well.

And it wasn't all Disney'd up either IYKWIM, it wasn't how I imagined it at all. It was lots of buildings set in lush grounds with a main pool and pool bar and a few other quiet pools set near the rooms (right outside our room luckily!). I can't describe it properly but it was great.

this one

Nice. It's another one that has boat links to Epcot, Hollywood Studios and the Boardwalk. Such a nice way to get to and from the parks! You will love it.

Hi Kbear! Glad to hear you had a great time and all enjoyed your holiday. Thanks for reply and recommendations.

Have you been when your DC were younger? Not sure how to play it with DS (nearly 4).

Should we just keep him on home routine (tea early evening and then bed at 7)?

Or am thinking we could do a waterpark in morning, then Disney late afternoon and hopefully he would sleep in car back to villa then take him out in evening till late.

Too much tooing and froing? Has anyone else gone with young children?

Any recommendations??

Hi!

I think home routine will be pretty impossible to keep to or you will find yourselves in your room very early in the evening and perhaps get a bit fed up.

I would hire a stroller, let him sleep when he is tired, there will be plenty of late nights but counter it with plenty of lazy mornings and late starts. The parks are open late into the night (especially if you have Extra Magic Hours) and I honestly think letting him sleep late and keeping him up late will prove to be a better way for you all to enjoy the holiday.

I would stick to regular meal times though but be prepared for some odd combinations of food and not many veggies!! I was craving green veg when I got home - weirdo that I am. I think you can only have so many pancakes, waffles and fries before you crave a bowl of Frosties for breakfast and a roast dinner with veg!! If you are staying at a villa you can of course prepare meals yourself but I had a total holiday from all meal prep and shopping and thinking about what everyone was eating and we ate out all the time - which was lovely for me!