Hi Courtney! I bet you're so excited to be heading to Disney World this week! July is a busy and hot month at Disney, but a Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream sounds like the perfect way to cool off. This giant family-sized sundae will set you back about $24.00, but as they say, the memory will be priceless. When I stayed at the Yacht and Beach Club in May, it seemed that the tables at Beaches & Cream were always full. It is a very small restaurant, and it stays busy. Your best bet is to visit at off-peak times, such as when they open in the morning or in the mid-afternoon between the lunch and dinner crowds.
For crowd predictions in the parks, I like to visit the unofficial website, www.touringplans.com. You'll see that during your travel dates, crowds are predicted to be an 8 out of 10. Did you know that you can type "Disney World" into the search box on the website www.weather.com to see the average temperatures and the weather forecast for your trip? Currently, it looks like you'll experience temperatures in the low 90s, with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms.
Your best strategy to deal with the crowds and the weather in July is to plan to be at the parks as soon as they open in the morning. When the crowds and the temperatures begin to increase, take a break at your resort to swim, nap, and relax, before heading back to the parks in the evening when it begins to cool down again.
Hope you have a magical vacation! Enjoy the Kitchen Sink!