From the Expert: Surviving Disney in the Summer {Guest Post}

Last summer at this time, I was frantically making the final touches to my family’s trip to Disney World.  I found Disney Travel Expert and Mompreneur, Jenn Whitney of Whiteglove Destinations via Twitter and she was so super helpful to me, that I asked her to share her Disney travel tips here on mom a la mode, for all to benefit.  Enjoy!

I’ve got two pretty awesome jobs right now.  First, I am a mother to four amazing kiddos ranging in age from 13 years to just 11 months.  A wide age gap indeed, but a real blessing to have kids in so many different stages in life—plus our fourth child was finally a princess!

The second great job I have is helping families plan memory-filled vacations to Disney Parks and on board the Disney Cruise Line!  Being a mom to kids in different stages allows me to be a better planner for families looking for a magical trip.

One question I get all of the time from my clients, especially those having to plan around school vacations, is how do I survive the summer at Disney World? Or even Disneyland for that matter!  Well, I have just a few of many tips that I think work great for any family, especially those looking to navigate around the heat and crowds associated with any summer time trip to a Disney Park.

Tip #1- Get to the parks early!  I am not going to lie and tell you I am a commando of early mornings on vacation because I do love to sleep in!  But on those Magic Kingdom days especially, getting to the park before it opens and being preparing with a plan really makes a difference.  First, you’ll get to see an awesome “Rope Drop” show at some of the parks.  Second, you’ll knock out more rides, shows and character meets before 11 than you may the rest of the day!  And if you can, taking advantage of morning Extra Magic Hours makes an even bigger impact—more on that later!

Tip #2- Drink lots of water! Then drink some more!  I know you are saying “duh” to me right now, but you’d be surprised by how many people do not follow this advice.  Anaheim and Orlando can both get well into the 90’s and Florida has the humidity to boot.  You are so busy with rides and fun that you will often forget to drink water… Especially if you’re so focused on taking care of the kids that you forget about yourself (We do it all the time mom’s!).  Trust me, I’ve been there before, no Disney trip is made extra special by a trip to the Urgent Care clinic!

Tip #3- Take breaks! Our family usually gets to the park around opening, hangs out until lunch and then takes a break.  Go work in some pool time at the hotel, grab a bite to eat, maybe take a nap—then head back to the park  around 3:00pm or 4:00pm.  With the break you avoid the hottest and busiest part of the day, plus you work in a little energy recharge for the remainder of the evening.

Tip #4- Stay at a Disney Resort! I know you want to save a few dollars by staying at a hotel close to the parks.  It really sounds appealing.  But when you add up rental car, gas and parking (or hotel shuttle) plus the time going to and from the resort, it rarely makes sense to stay anywhere but Disney property.  Disney gets you to the resort from the airport for no charge with Disney’s Magical Express and they have great bus, boat and monorail service to move you around the parks and resorts once you are there.  Eliminate the stress and enjoy the convenience.  Staying at a Disney resort also gives you access to Extra Magic Hours—a special time before the opening or after the closing of a park reserved especially for resort guests.

These are just a few of the many tips to making your Disney summer vacation a success!  Be sure to visit our “Mom’s Advice” section of the White Glove Destinations blog for lots of other great ideas for mom’s looking to plan a Disney vacation!

Jenn Whitney, a Disney College of Knowledge Graduate, is a wife and mother of four children. Jenn first experienced Disney on her honeymoon and since then she has been hooked– doing adult-only trips, large family gatherings and even traveling to Disney while seven months pregnant!   Follow her on Twitter at @JennCMTravel or Facebook and contact her at Jenn@WhiteGloveDestinations.com.

{I was not compensated in any way for this post.  All opinions expressed here are those of the guest author.}