5 Tips for Visiting Disney World This Summer

The summer is one of the busiest times of year for Disney World; sure, it will be hot and there will be loads of bodies, but there are some simple ways to make your trip low stress and with minimal heat. If you are planning a trip to the happiest place on earth in the next few months, these tips will ensure your vacation is just a bit happier! 

1. Fast Pass+

Fast Pass+ is Disney's new Fast Pass system that allows you to book fast passes up to 180 days in advance. If you have little ones who are hoping to see Elsa and Anna, get on this. That character wait time averages 3-4 hours! 

Fast Pass is pretty great for other rides too and can be changed through the app. If you are staying at a Disney resort, you can log on the myDisney experience and order your fast pass bands ahead of time. This will allow you to start planning way before you arrive. 

2. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is Disney's newest ride and is located in New Fantasyland. The ride is incredible and we were able to get two fast passes for it on this last trip. The first time, we rode in the front and the second, we rode in the back. The ride is smooth in either location but there are way more thrills in the back. If you have young children riding it, best to be in the front. Thrill seekers, however, will enjoy the faster drops and turns that the back of the ride offers. 

Get a Fast Pass for this if you can, wait times range from 90-minutes to 2 hours. 

3. Share Mickey's Kitchen Sink Sunday

Mickey's Kitchen Sink Sunday was available on the 24-hour day and is now available at the Ice Cream Shop at the corner of Main Street USA. This Sunday was, literally, the size of my head. It was way too big for two, but a family of four would probably love it. The Sunday has three huge scoops of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream topped with peanut butter and chocolate syrup and strawberries. It then has the most whipped cream I have ever seen in my life sandwiched between two layers of chocolate and peanut butter chips.

The entire thing comes in a souvenir Mickey sink and  is a whopping $15.95. The good news is that a large family could split this and still spend less on ice cream than if everyone got their own.

4. Resort Hotels

Disney Resort Hotels are expensive because you are paying for the experience of the hotel more than the room. Hotel rooms that would usually cost $80 a night are $120+ because of the incredible hotel surroundings, kids games, Extra Magic Hours, and all those "free" experiences as well. 

Hotels on Hotel Drive over by Downtown Disney are more the quality and prices we are use to and many offer Extra Magic Hours and bus transportation to the parks. If you are opting for one of these, be sure that the park transportation comes sooner than once an hour and that you have Extra Magic Hour privileges. 

5. Outside Disney

The parks get hot in the summer and at 1:00 in the afternoon, you are sweaty, tired, and crowded. Avoid this hot time of the park by taking a break and visiting some of the areas still in the Disney Resort. Disney allows visitors not staying at resorts to visit until 10:00 pm. Although you cannot use their pool, you can definitely have meals, explore the area, and play at the playgrounds and arcades. 

The Boardwalk is a great place to go for dinner at night and is open to non-hotel guests. Yacht and Beach Club also has a great ice cream parlor with arcade attached. Or, you can just go relax around the pool at your hotel for those hot ours of the day and get to the parks in the cooler hours refreshed and ready for fun! 

Be ready though, summer thunder storms happen at the same time every day and will last 20-minutes to an hour. Best to be near a covered area around 3:00 or 4:00 pm.