Preparing for August Trip

[Beach Bunny]

Hi Guys,

So we took the plunge and have booked for this August (20th Aug to 3rd Sept)! We are staying offsite in a villa off the 192.

It will be our first time going in August (previously been with the children at Easter) and we are trying to get ourselves as prepared as possible for the heat (and the possible rain)

Had great advice on here so far about getting cooling towels, using a weather app and bringing ponchos!

We are hoping to get some tips and advice on

1. What do you take to the parks with you to help with the heat?

2. If going to the parks in the morning, is there a certain time of day we should aim to leave the parks before it gets too hot? i.e. hottest time of the day

3. If doing the parks in the evening, what time do you head to the parks for?

4. Is there a certain time of day it generally rains? Where do you all head to in the park if it starts pouring?

Any and all tips will be really appreciated Thanks in advance!

[sam7]

Hello, we were there last year August, between 12th and 27th. I found the heat go to the really difficult to bear stage between 2 and 5pm, we used cooling towels, had lots of cold drinks and did indoor rides/attractions to cope. For August we were exceptionally lucky with the weather and only had rain stop play once and that was about 4pm, a few times we had a short light shower, felt like the rain was almost evaporated before it hit us, and again once a bad storm about 7pm, we took cheap ponchos from poundland. Another tip is keep a bag in the car with a change of clothes for everyone and a towel if you do get caught.
If I was having a break as stated I would leave about 2ish and head back from 5.
Another tip, you really don;t need much in the parks, you will make yourself so much hotter trying to carry a heavy rucksack round, so keep it light

[Guest]

Originally Posted by sam7

Hello, we were there last year August, between 12th and 27th. I found the heat go to the really difficult to bear stage between 2 and 5pm, we used cooling towels, had lots of cold drinks and did indoor rides/attractions to cope. For August we were exceptionally lucky with the weather and only had rain stop play once and that was about 4pm, a few times we had a short light shower, felt like the rain was almost evaporated before it hit us, and again once a bad storm about 7pm, we took cheap ponchos from poundland. Another tip is keep a bag in the car with a change of clothes for everyone and a towel if you do get caught.
If I was having a break as stated I would leave about 2ish and head back from 5.
Another tip, you really don;t need much in the parks, you will make yourself so much hotter trying to carry a heavy rucksack round, so keep it light

See more...

Yes to all these above. We didn't use a cooling towel, just tied a damp hankie around DS (10) neck and kept topping up with ice from drink vendor stalls.

We used small water bottles and just refilled them.

I always take plasters and pain killers and a packet of sweets.

Don't take a big bag as you have to put in lockers for rides at Universal.

DH put most stuff in his shorts pockets (he has utility shorts not a great look but thats his thing).

Drinks and snacks in car for when you get back to it when kids say they are hungry/thirsty...

Also take a photo of where you have parked, the car parks all look the same in the dark.

[Beach Bunny]

Originally Posted by sam7

Hello, we were there last year August, between 12th and 27th. I found the heat go to the really difficult to bear stage between 2 and 5pm, we used cooling towels, had lots of cold drinks and did indoor rides/attractions to cope. For August we were exceptionally lucky with the weather and only had rain stop play once and that was about 4pm, a few times we had a short light shower, felt like the rain was almost evaporated before it hit us, and again once a bad storm about 7pm, we took cheap ponchos from poundland. Another tip is keep a bag in the car with a change of clothes for everyone and a towel if you do get caught.
If I was having a break as stated I would leave about 2ish and head back from 5.
Another tip, you really don;t need much in the parks, you will make yourself so much hotter trying to carry a heavy rucksack round, so keep it light

See more...

This is great thank you!
I think we will plan to leave by 2ish then rather than run ourselves ragged pushing on through! Good to know that rain isn't a definite then!
I hadn't even thought about the fact that our rucksack would make us hotter so that's definitely something to keep in mind!

Thanks again! x

[Beach Bunny]

Originally Posted by aitchieaitchie

Yes to all these above. We didn't use a cooling towel, just tied a damp hankie around DS (10) neck and kept topping up with ice from drink vendor stalls.

We used small water bottles and just refilled them.

I always take plasters and pain killers and a packet of sweets.

Don't take a big bag as you have to put in lockers for rides at Universal.

DH put most stuff in his shorts pockets (he has utility shorts not a great look but thats his thing).

Drinks and snacks in car for when you get back to it when kids say they are hungry/thirsty...

Also take a photo of where you have parked, the car parks all look the same in the dark.

See more...

Thanks for all the tips!

Are no bags allowed on Universal rides (ie a small crossbody bag?) or is it just rucksacks?


Good tip about having drinks and snacks in car! And the photo of the car park - I often cant remember where I parked the car

Thanks again!

[NewtoOrlando]

We were there 16/08 to 04/09 last year. For the first few days we tend to get to the parks early and leave before the tiredness sets in, so usually around 2ish, then head back to the hotel/villa for some pool time and then head back out in the evening for dinner. As the week goes on and we’re more alive at night lol we tend to have lazy mornings around the pool and head out around 4ish till close or we’ve had enough.

We always take some towels in the car with us, those leather seats in the car proper burn your butt when you get in after being left in the car park all day! I take baby wipes and put them in the fridge and use them to wipe our faces etc down. Take blister plasters. They’re a godsend! Handheld fans, Amazon do some brill ones for about Ł12.99. Wear as little clothing as possible 😂 I live in linen shorts and loose vests, denim is a no no! If you start flagging drink some Powerade, will replenish your electrolytes which you lose in your sweat. Drink loads of water, if it means going for a wee every hour so be it. It’s SO important to keep hydrated in that humidity. And the biggest tip and one we swear by, is when you’ve had enough, go back for a chill out. I know for us as a family when one of us is knackered, it affects all of us due to the grunpyness so with a pre teen and a teen this year, I will pick my battles and tired kids isn’t one of them I’m going to win!

[Vinniecat]

We always buy a polystyrene cool box from Wallmart and fill it with frozen bottles of water for when we return to the car. Also put in a couple of unfrozen bottles as they the frozen ones stay frozen for ages in the cool box and sometimes we have returned to just ice. We also freeze half bottles of water and top them up with water when we take them out of the freezer so we have cold water to take in with us.

[lizzie145]

Originally Posted by Beach Bunny

Thanks for all the tips!

Are no bags allowed on Universal rides (ie a small crossbody bag?) or is it just rucksacks?


Good tip about having drinks and snacks in car! And the photo of the car park - I often cant remember where I parked the car

Thanks again!

See more...

Some rides at universal, including the mummy, don't allow bags or loose items. A couple have xrays machines so you cant sneak stuff in.

Small lockers are free for a limited time and bigger ones are $2 for a period of time, up to a max of $20

[Grace2007]

We went in October so can’t offer advice the weather etc but I always had a packet of sweets in my bag. Sometimes when the kids were getting hungry or grumpy (usually in a ride queue) it was handy to give them a bit of a sugar boost - it just got them through until we had a ‘proper’ snack.

[WDWfangirl]

We went the last two weeks in August 2016 and apart from two very hot and muggy days the weather was either manageable or disappointingly overcast and even on the cold side.

We took one rucksack between us as a family of 4 and carried ponchos with us at all times in a Ziploc bag.

I was expecting a thunderstorm a day between 2-4 based on previous trips at the same time. In reality it was overcast from mid morning onwards and then rather than clearing after the thunderstorm the rain clouds hung around and more rain followed. I would play it by ear timewise as to when to arrive and leave the parks but for booking fastpasses if I was going to a park in the evening I would start booking them from 4-5pm onwards given that most parks close by 9pm at that time of year.