Summer brings two things to the Walt Disney World resort: incredible heat and humidity, and crushing crowds. The parks are open late, so if you’re a night owl, you can double back to catch attractions you missed during the sweltering afternoon. In general, though, some things just aren’t worth standing in line for during a summer trip. Everyone has their own priorities, but in my opinion, these are the ones to skip.
1. Characters
Characters make up a huge part of the Walt Disney World experience for many people, but standing in a hot, crowded line with kids melting down all around can try anyone’s patience. Skip the outdoor meet and greets and book a couple of character meals instead. Sure, it costs a few bucks extra, but the chance to meet characters in air-conditioned comfort while enjoying decent to good food is worth every penny. Trust me on this.
2. Most of New Fantasyland
If you have small children, you might not be able to convince them to skip New Fantasyland altogether. In that case, plan to hit it early in the morning or late in the evening. For the majority of visitors, however, the attractions are just not worth it. Most of the area is open-air with little shade, and the place is packed. Use FastPass Plus for Enchanted Tales With Belle and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and leave the rest for a cooler, less crowded day.
3. Peter Pan’s Flight
I absolutely love this classic ride, but the line is always enormous even during slow seasons. During the summer, the unairconditioned queue can be absolutely miserable. Get a FastPass Plus, hit it first thing in the morning or last thing at night, or skip it altogether until another trip.
4. Stitch’s Great Escape
I may be biased here, because this is my second most hated attraction at Walt Disney World. But to me, standing in a long line in the heat only to be rewarded with a chili breath burp is something I don’t care to repeat. Bad smells plus borderline heat exhaustion do not always end well. Even if you don’t get nauseous, the kid in the seat next to you might.
5. Astro Orbiter
Astro Orbiter (formerly Star Jets) is another classic that I genuinely enjoy. But it’s too short to be worth a long wait, and is entirely outdoors. Catch it late at night if you can, but don’t waste precious morning hours on it or stand in line in the heat. Sharing a tiny elevator with a bunch of sweaty, wilting, short-tempered people just isn’t worth it.
6. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
This Dumbo-style ride isn’t bad by any means, especially for families with kids. But it’s not one of Adventureland’s best attractions, by a long shot. The wait can be brutal in the summer sun, and like Astro Orbiter, the ride isn’t long enough to be worth it. If your kids want to do something in that ride style, choose Dumbo. At least the interactive queue area will keep them entertained during the wait.
7. Animal Kingdom
I’m actually a reasonably big fan of Animal Kingdom. I love animals, and I think Festival of the Lion King is the best show anywhere on Walt Disney World property. But I steadfastly refuse to set foot inside the park between May and September. I’m not sure if it’s just my subjective opinion, but it always feels 20 degrees hotter to me there than anywhere else at Disney. With the decided lack of shade and the fact that there are only a handful of places to escape the near-daily summer rains, I find the entire park to be worthy of a miss over the summer. Take that day and hit the water parks instead, or drive over to Universal Orlando to see what you’ve been missing.
Naturally, which attractions are or are not worth seeing is an extremely personal decision. We all have our own preferences, as well as our own tolerance for heat and crowds. What do you think? Did I get it right? Are there other attractions you skip during the summer, or do you think some of my picks are off base? I would love to hear your opinions in the comments!
