How do you beat the heat?

[finaldynasty]

What are a few of the tricks that you use to beat the heat when you spending time in the parks most of the day? I've visited in June the past few years and am looking for more efficent ways to stay warm.

:mickey:

[dmallan]

We were in the World last September during unseasonably hot weather. It was low 90s every day, and we were wilting!
Some days we took a break and went back to the resort for a nap in the AC and/or a shower. That really helped.

On the last two days we had F&WF reservations for several of the wine seminars and were not going to be able to go back to the resort. It was then I'd remembered that I'd packed my "neck chiller". OMG! That was the best! It's a scarf-like piece of fabric that, when immersed in water, absorbs the water and holds it. When you tie it around your neck it keeps you very cool. It was just amazing! Really kept me cool through the hottest part of the day.

Spending some time inside helps too! Even walking through a building with AC is a good way to cool down a bit.

[queenmom9497]

Hi! We have been going in either August or June and have found the following helpful: Walmart sells little hand held fans that are like $3.00 tops-the blade are foam so tend to wear out by the end of the trip but that's ok. Some versions also have water in the handle. I know Disney sells a larger version but that one, in my opinion, is too bulky to cart around the parks. The ones we have purchased in the past from Walmart often have caribeaner clips to be hooked on a bag or belt loop. Another thing we do is to use the gift shops as cooling areas. We often walk down a sidewalk by going thru the insides of stores, not outside. The Florida summer heat is BRUTAL! We also tend to hit the parks in the am's and later afternoons, after the mid-day sun has passed. I am not a very "heat tolerant" person so get rather "irritable" when hot, sweaty and stuck in crowds of people. Water flavoring packets are also good for keeping you drinking plenty of water to keep hydrated and of course, back in the room, a cold shower, a/c turned on high and lots of powder is also refreshing. Enjoy!

[Disney4us2]

Like the PP said. The fans with the water are great. As well as ducking into a store. We also went back to the room in the hottest part of the day for a shower and rest. I also carry a small baby powder with me to dry off and cool down a bit. (Queenmom9497, you must be my long lost twin. You sound just like me...lol):thumbsup:

I will have to try the cooling scarf thing. Where do you get them?

[CaptSmee]

It's not a problem for me, because I love the heat! :thumbsup: All that I do is dress cool, and stay hydrated.:cool:

[DisneyPrincess21]

(Queenmom9497, you must be my long lost twin. You sound just like me...lol):thumbsup:

We must be long lost triplets, because I am the same way. :D

[DisneyPrincess21]

It was then I'd remembered that I'd packed my "neck chiller". OMG! That was the best! It's a scarf-like piece of fabric that, when immersed in water, absorbs the water and holds it. When you tie it around your neck it keeps you very cool. It was just amazing! Really kept me cool through the hottest part of the day.

Which brand do you use,and where can your purchase them at?

[DizneyRox]

Number one trick is to stay hydrated with WATER.

I've gone through a 20oz bottle before I leave the room in the morning and I'm well into the second bottle before i een get through the turnstyles.

Same drill after lunch, I grab another couple bottles from the room and the first is gone before I get to the park.

I probably go through at least 6 bottles of water a day. Also, wearing light clothing that wicks moisture away from you, wearing sandals instead of socks and sneakers, and smartuse of inside venues and planning your lunches will do wonders.

This is coming from someone who goes Julyish every year...

[retiredfigment]

I agree with the above posts, though I don't have a neck cooler. Don't laugh, but when I get miserably hot, I stick an ice cube in my bra. I am soaking wet anyway and nobody notices. LOL

[ILoveLegos]

I have Lupus, so I have to use clothing & hats with sun protection built in. These are usually hotter fabrics than cotton & linen - tight woven polyester - ugh. There are built in air vents in the active versions of this clothing, but these only work if you keep moving (they are designed so that the act of walking or running keeps air flowing inside to keep you cool). All that said, I'm pretty much completely covered up when out in the sun and well slathered with sun screen too (you should see my bathing suit -it looks like pajamas - LOL, but it's necessary to keep me relatively healthy and flare up free).

Like previous posters have said, liberal water drinking and liberal use of air-conditioned venues & shops work best for me. I have used the neck gel thingy and it works great! I avoid the mid-day sun as much as possible & can shed my sun protective gear at twilight - yeah! Unfortunately my condition also means that it's best for me to avoid July & August in the Florida sun, so when others leaves the park hot and bothered I'm entering feeling fresh & ready to go. One other thing helps, the misting areas in the parks and shade, but I avoid Animal Kingdom because that park is stifflingly hot in the heat of summer to me. :blush:

[forever a child]

Remember that dark color clothing absorbs light/heat and light colored clothing reflect light/heat. Wear light reflective clothing that breaths like cotton.

Also, if you keep your head cool it helps to regulate the rest of the body. So dumping water on your head or wearing a hat can help keep the rest of you cool.

Keep hydrated. You would think this is overstated but how often do you hear someone who has to be taken to hospital because of heat exhaustion?:(

DD and I love to eat ice!:thumbsup: So getting some ice from a CS is fun! Remember that Cola and caffeine drinks actually dehydrate you so we avoid drinking a lot of these during extremely hot times.

:fan:

[bruin1344]

stay hydrated, skip Indiana Jones and Lights Motors Action (i feel the heat big time on those 2 attractions), and visit most of the indoor attractions regardless if they are boring or corny

[kemps@wdw]

Go early, early, early! We are usually done @ our 1st park by midday (ish) and are back @ the resort chillin by the pool (or napping) during the hottest part of the day. Then we head out in the late afternoon to our 2nd park pick and finish out our evening there. Oh, and water rides are great coolers too!:thumbsup:

[mickeys_princess_mom]

Dole Whip Floats!! :papple: :cloud9:

[micky95]

my dw is very heat sensitive.we dont go when its hot but it is fl. so you never know. i agree drink plenty of WATER. walk in the shade as much as possible .do an outside ride then an inside ride.we walk thru some of the buildings to get around also .a couple of minutes inside can work wonders.cotton clothing is real helpful. it breathes.

[LoriMistress]

I avoid going during the summer.

[LudwigVonDrake]

Stay hydrated :cool:

I also go back to the hotel to take a nap and/or swim the pool in the middle of the day. Recharges the batteries and out we go again :number1:

[EPCOT84]

When toting around water bottles, think about a bottle lanyard. It keeps your hands free. Some of the popcorn stands sell them and make a great souvenir. Also think about stocking up beforehand on those little single serve drink crystals. That way you can have something besides plain water to drink.

[anewvision]

What are a few of the tricks that you use to beat the heat when you spending time in the parks most of the day? I've visited in June the past few years and am looking for more efficent ways to stay warm.

:mickey:
One of the many great things about being physically fit is the Florida summer heat is not a issue.

[PirateLover]

What are a few of the tricks that you use to beat the heat when you spending time in the parks most of the day? I've visited in June the past few years and am looking for more efficent ways to stay warm.

:mickey:

Wear black clothing, bring a hoodie for those air-conditioned movie theaters, drink coffee/hot cocoa... JUST KIDDING!

Seriously, all the tips given seem pretty good. I would reiterate the constant hydration. Even if you don't think you need water, just keep drinking. Your head will thank you later when it isn't hurting!!! We became big fans of the mid-day break on our last trip when it was around 100 every day. Get up early, get a lot done in the morning, and take a break.

[dmallan]

I will have to try the cooling scarf thing. Where do you get them?


Which brand do you use,and where can your purchase them at?

I got mine at a craft show, but try googling "cooling neck tie" There are several sites I found, one that even has directions on how to make them.
They are filled with polymer crystals that absorb 400 times their weight in water and then release it slowly , keeping the fabric damp and cool.

[snowflakegirl]

In addition to what previous posters have said, if I know I'm going to be in the parks most of the day, I try to plan a table service lunch around 1:00. That gives me about an hour or so of resting in some air conditioning and gets me out of the sun during some the hottest times. Then I'll do a counter service dinner. It's worked well for me in the past.

[javamama]

I really don't mind the heat/humidity all that much. I can sit by the pool or in it for hours and hours(now that I'm older and smarter with sunscreen). Since I have little muppets though, I dress them light, always give them tons to drink. We take breaks alot, whether it be, going back to the room for nappytime, or to the pool for the afternoon, or even an extended lunch break. We also go in the spring, another big plus it's not nearly as humid then. This year we're going the latest we've ever gone May 3rd, so we'll see how hot it will be. I'm also used to the heat since 4 month out of the year I work outside in it everyday, and it's usually like Hades half the day:thedolls:

[mjm12000]

I noticed last time I was there that everything seems to be spaced out in such a way that when you walk from one building to another you have just enough time to get hot and then you are cool again from the air con of the next building... at least this works at Epcot, by the time you walk from one country to the next you are cool again.

[Scar]

There are really only four things I do:

1) Don't go from mid May to mid September.

2) Take it easy, walk slow, sit in shade.

3) Wear a wide brimmed straw hat.

4) Drink lots of water.

(Note: Beer is 95% water. ;))

[joonyer]

When we have visited WDW in really hot weather, we always would buy the water parks and more option. We'd visit the theme parks early, take the afternoon at the water parks, then hit the theme parks gain later in the evenings. The theme parks are usually open later during the summer months, so we really didn't miss out on very much "ride time". And floating around the water parks in the "lazy rivers" is a great way to beat the heat, and they are a lot of fun, too.

[Djscherr]

Number one trick is to stay hydrated with WATER.

I've gone through a 20oz bottle before I leave the room in the morning and I'm well into the second bottle before i een get through the turnstyles.

Same drill after lunch, I grab another couple bottles from the room and the first is gone before I get to the park.

I probably go through at least 6 bottles of water a day. Also, wearing light clothing that wicks moisture away from you, wearing sandals instead of socks and sneakers, and smartuse of inside venues and planning your lunches will do wonders.

This is coming from someone who goes Julyish every year...

This is the ultimate way to stay cool. Wicking clothing can be cheap (I'm not a Wal-Mart fan, but the shirts I use come from there and I think they were under 10 a piece). You wear wicking material and any breeze cools you very very well. I also carry a collapsible 32 oz water bottle with a thin neck (usually a platypus or nalgene). The collapsible part is nice because you can stash it in a bag or something and as you drink the water you purge the air and it takes up less and less space, the thin neck helps too. The larger necked bottles make it a bit easier to get water in, but I've never had a problem with filling the thin neck ones. Keeping hydrated and wearing breatheable/wicking clothing is a great trick to staying cool.

[Giggy]

Short answer: I don't! :-o

In our family I'm always the one that runs for the nearest bit of shade or AC every time we stopped outside for more than 10 seconds.

This was for earlier trips in May/June, as our next trip is in August/September it will probably be even hotter. Will have to try a combination of suggestions here and hoping I've toughened up a bit now I've grown.

[WVParkfan]

Is this the neck cooler that everyone is talking about? http://pages.prodigy.net/volksware/volksware/cobber.htm

I think I would be embarrassed to wear one of these, but if they truly work, I think I could stand a little embarrassment for our upcoming August trip.

[c&d]

Because we've been lucky to go a bunch of times, we tended to go to the parks later in the day. If there were EMH at night we went at night. We would spend our days at the resort pool or water parks.

I hate the heat and humidity and I really enjoyed our time when we were there in August.

[Loweschevy]

We went in May for a few years in a row, but that would be just the beginning of the heat and humidty.

I always planned in a break midday to go back to the room and rest a bit. Being at the parks, I planned my touring to include air conditioned shows or attraction every so often, so your are not out walking around in the heat too long at once.

The Hall of Presidents maybe a great idea afterall! The Liberty Belle is also a fun way to kick back a bit and enjoy the breeze. At Epcot, Innoventions is a good way to kill some cool time. AK is a big hot one-catch the shows to cool off. DHS has plenty of shows and air conditioned attractions.

Think about ride queues-if they are inside or outside in the heat, plan a few bathroom and water breaks. Pick an air conditioned place to eat your meals-eating outside is nice, but too darn hot in the summer.

Other than that-personal fans, misting fans, hats, and light colored shirts are handy.

[Djscherr]

Is this the neck cooler that everyone is talking about? http://pages.prodigy.net/volksware/volksware/cobber.htm

I think I would be embarrassed to wear one of these, but if they truly work, I think I could stand a little embarrassment for our upcoming August trip.

That looks like the right thing. Keep in mind that if you use them you have to let them soak in water a looooong time before using them if they are bone dry (I want to say about an hour or so). My aunt made me one for hiking but I haven't used it for a couple years. It works by soaking up water slowly, then slowly releasing the water to have it evaporate on the back of your neck.

[Scar]

Well, right now it's 89 degrees in NJ, and 79 in Orlando. I think I'm going to have to go to WDW to cool off. :D

[dmallan]

Is this the neck cooler that everyone is talking about? http://pages.prodigy.net/volksware/volksware/cobber.htm

I think I would be embarrassed to wear one of these, but if they truly work, I think I could stand a little embarrassment for our upcoming August trip.

Yes, that is what they are like. I thought I would be embarrassed too, but I wasn't. the one I have is solid blue and the first day I wore it I happened to be wearing a blue tank so they blended well. After I realized it worked so well, I didn't care what it looked like the next day!
I DID take it off for most of our Photopass pics though!

[BigBaloo]

We just go to Epcot & hang out in Ice Station Cool all day :rotfl:

[Touchdown]

At WDW its fairly easy since a vast majority of the queues and attractions are indoors and ACed, especially at Epcot and DHS.

AK is the major exception were virtually every queue and most rides are outdoor, the way we beat the heat there is: doing it only in the morning, and then riding Kali River Rapids fairly early as well.

The MK is a mix bag, but if you time your Splash rides and mix in indoor rides with outdoor ones you should be good to go.

[ChipNDale79]

we have camelbaks that we take with us. great investment, we stay hydrated all the time.

[finaldynasty]

What is a camelbak?

[ChipNDale79]

What is a camelbak?

Its basically a bladder that you can fill up with water and keep hydrated. They come in all different styles.

My wife and I both have them, ours are backpacks with a bladder in them that has a tube you drink from. Google it, you'll see what i'm talking about. People use them for hiking and stuff like that.

[eeyorepoohfan]

My hubby and I are HUGE fans of the Camelbak!!!! We use them for every Disney trip, hiking, mountain biking, etc. We take our Camelbak and fill it almost completely full of ice before leaving our resort and add some water too it. The great thing is that the ice water keeps your back cool and reminds you to drink water throughout the day. :thumbsup: We went in December during a heat wave and had some record or near record heat and humidity. We filled the Camelbak with ice and some water in the morning, then would go back to our resort in the afternoon and refill it while we waited for our camera battery to charge. This gave us about an hour to rest in our air conditioned room, take a quick dip in the pool, or simply shower again to feel cool.

Make sure you take and reapply sunscreen throughout the day. Go watch an indoor show, or ride a long indoor ride during the high heat of the day.(So be sure to get in line early, because everyone else will start to get the same idea). I went in August many years ago and we would often leave a park midday and go back to our hotel to swim or go to a water park. We would then shower and get ready to go back to the park again later in the evening.

Remember to take breaks whenever you need to and slow down. Browse through shops, linger in the shops as you exit a ride before heading out into the heat again.

And don't forget to have the ever important Dole Whip and Mickey shaped Ice cream bars! I feel they help exceptionally well ;)

[GenieOfPA]

We always bring large canteens when we go down and before we leave for the parks we stop at the hotel ice machine and fill it to the tippy-top... by the time you get to the parks its 1/4 melted and soon after will be nothing but fresh ice cold water. Just keep refilling it as much as you can! Water misters and portable fans help somewhat, but depending on the humidity it sometimes just feels like hot air blowing on you... Also, there are many places where you can walk through the air conditioned stores rather than being out in the heat... for example on Main Street in MK a lot of the stores are connected so you can take advantage and just walk store-to-store... in any case, BEAT THAT HEAT!!!

[Disney Yankee]

Since I'm a teacher, we need to go in the summer. I think that the best thing we do is to go to the park early, and then take a mid-day break. Some of us go to the pool, some of us just get into AC. Once the sun starts to go down, we go back out again:mickey:.

[jillluvsdisney]

A few things come to mind

Wearing loose fitting, light colored clothing.
(I have to keep covered because I burn)

Try and get to parks early and get a head start before the hottest part of the day sets in. Try and get in line for rides where the ques don't have a lot shade early in the day.

When it starts to broil (between noon and 4)
go swim or relax in the shade at the resort pool. Go back to the park when thr sun is less intense.

Wearing a hat to keep the sun off my face.

Water, water, water

Alternating between outside and indoor attractions so I'm not outside for hours on end.

[finaldynasty]

Camelbak has been purchased and will be used for our June trip. I've also informed my DW that by unanimous decision we will take a mid-day break.

One other question, are there other "cool centers" other then the ones in Epcot?

[PlutoPlanet]

We have a freezer in our room, but maybe you could do this with an ice bucket the night before.

I wet a wash cloth and put it in a plastic sandwich bag. I freeze the bag. I take the bag with me in the morning. It's like having a block of ice I can put on my forehead or on the back of my neck for up to 3 hours. We go in August.

[Djscherr]

I personally prefer a water bottle to a camelbak for Disney. Although when I hike I love my camelbak a ton. The fill hole on the camelbaks (at least mine) is really wide and it's very easy to fill up at a water fountain. Mine is a 1.5 liter and I could almost always fill it (using at our State Fair). The one piece of advice I'll give with it though is that on the bite end there is a little yellow part (at least on mine) that when you swing it out of position will prevent any water from coming out. I didn't realize this at first so I was always ultra cautious not to accidentally squeeze the bit valve or I'd get wet. By turning it off it helps prevent accidents. Additionally the bite valve can be easily removed if say you need to fill up someone else's water bottle from your reservoir. Also if you need to rinse off hands or dirt or something, just squeezing the bite valve will allow you to spray out a small continuous mist/stream of water.

[LVT]

Another tip for kids is to wet down their hair and maybe shirt top in the restroom.

[finaldynasty]

I never thought about wetting down my kids...another cool idea!!

[disneydementia]

I can't believe you all are missing the obvious answer to the heat problem! Go to Disneyland instead!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHA! Sorry, I just couldn't resist! My daughter and I are making our first trip to WDW May 29th and the heat issue is a big one for me. We have always gone to DLR and weather is never an issue. This thread has been very helpful and encouraging for a heat weenie!

[ILoveMickey'77]

finaldynasty- You will not regret your purchase! My husband and I love our Camelbaks! We will them up with ice and a little water before we leave for the park for the day so our water stays pretty cold. We sometimes stop and get a cup of ice to add to them throughout the day.

I also recommend buying a Bite Valve cover. The first trip we went on we didn't have these and the bite valves got pretty gross. It's definitely worth the extra expense to keep them clean.

[LandFan]

I can't believe you all are missing the obvious answer to the heat problem! Go to Disneyland instead!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHA! Sorry, I just couldn't resist! My daughter and I are making our first trip to WDW May 29th and the heat issue is a big one for me. We have always gone to DLR and weather is never an issue.

Yeah - that didn't work for us. We ended up staying at Disneyland for 5 days in June of 08 - right when they were having the worst heat wave they'd had in a VERY long time! It was high 90's and HOT! It was so hot the pavement was melting! Also, Disneyland is not built for HOT like WDW is - not very many lines with misting fans or inside queues at all! We suffered for 5 days... Don't get me wrong, we had a great time but WOW. I thought it would be pleasant and boy was I shocked. We then went to my Aunt's house in Laguna and she kept saying how sorry she was that we'd hit the worst possible heat ever (in her 35 years of living there).:confused:

[disneydementia]

LandFan you got me on that one! We were there and it was very hot and we were shocked. We had never experienced that kind of heat there. But.........it wasn't humid!:ack::D

[finaldynasty]

We always bring large canteens when we go down and before we leave for the parks we stop at the hotel ice machine and fill it to the tippy-top... by the time you get to the parks its 1/4 melted and soon after will be nothing but fresh ice cold water. Just keep refilling it as much as you can! Water misters and portable fans help somewhat, but depending on the humidity it sometimes just feels like hot air blowing on you... Also, there are many places where you can walk through the air conditioned stores rather than being out in the heat... for example on Main Street in MK a lot of the stores are connected so you can take advantage and just walk store-to-store... in any case, BEAT THAT HEAT!!!

Where can one buy a canteen?

[Ropachs]

I believe QVC also carries a type of neck cooler thingy.

[Fastpasssteve]

I have two and a half suggestions:

One is to leave the parks in the heat of the day to take a big, fat nap in your resort room.

The half-idea is to spend it laying by your resort pool getting a tan. Rest? Yes. Cool? No.

The last idea is for when I've scheduled a full day in a park: I make sure to make a reservation at a table service restaurant for around 2:30 pm. That way, I can have a nice leisurely lunch in the air-conditioning after the bulk of the lunch rush has passed through...and dinner isn't gonna start for at least a couple of hours. They won't mind if you dawdle. You get a take a load off your feet and stay cool.

[ANG]

I freeze washcloths overnight and put them in plastic sandwich bags. Then mid day, take them out and put them on our necks or faces.

[Scar]

Where can one buy a canteen?
Any sporting goods or camping/outdoors type store.

Personally, I buy mine from one of the sutlers in Gettysburg.

[Jll3Sonex]

If you're not boycotting WalMart, they've got an inexpensive Camelbak type online for about $20. We got their cheap backpacks last year and noted they had pockets and ports for hydration bladders and tubes, so we shelled out about $10 each for those. The backpacks worked well, the bladders had WIDE mouths so you could fill them with ice. Nice having an icepack in the middle of your back!

Also - don't forget wicking clothes. (Again, WalMart's got 'em for cheap.) Cotton's okay, but wicking stuff dries faster and is more comfortable.

As far as footwear goes? Make sure, above ALL else, that you're USED to what you'll be tromping around in. Don't buy a pair of shoes two days before - foot pain can spoil the BEST time!

[lightyearfan]

me and dw use this device called Misty Mate, it's real good in keeping us cool. it's a tube that holds water that you pump up for pressure, then when you need it open the nozzle and a fine mist sprays out, let me tell ya when you waiting in line or just simply walking this does wonders.

victor

[crltkcagle]

-Sit in the shade and take your socks and shoes off and dump water on your feet.
-If your in Epcot go ride Ellens Energy ride and take a nap in the ac.
-If your in MK go visit the Presidents Hall and take a nap in the ac there too. LOL
-THe fans are a great way to cool off, we always bring ours with us.
-Ice cream is another great way to cool off.
-YOu can always go get wet at Donalds Boat too.

[buzznwoodysmom]

We've been going more and more often during the summer months and have found many effective ways to beat the heat. The best thing is the misty fan. We have two of them that our family of 4 share. Fill them with ice and water in the mornings and refill as needed throughout the day. I also get each of my kids a small hand held fan for when they don't feel like carrying the bigger misty fans. My kids are boys and I dress them in light colored swimming trunks and tshirts, and they love wearing flip flops which keep their feet much cooler than socks and tennis shoes. This way they can go run through water or get wet and they dry really quick. We also stay hydrated. We drink water ALL DAY LONG when we go in the summer. We sometimes plan our big sit down meal for lunch so that we get out of the heat for at least an hour during the hottest part of the day instead of wasting that indoor AC time at night when the temps are dropping. Since we visit WDW often enough we adopted a new way to vacation in WDW during the summer. On our last weeklong summer trip we spend many days sleeping in a bit, spending the middle part of the day at the pool, doing an early evening Table Service meal and getting to the parks just as its cooling off for the evening. We've been able to do everything we wanted even though we weren't in the parks all day long. I think in the summer many people get to the parks early and are worn out by late afternoon and can't hang in there till park closing. We were shocked at how much we accomplished in the later part of the day/night in the parks last summer. I hate the heat so if I can manage in the summer I think anyone can. LOL. As long as you go prepared you'll do just fine.

[finaldynasty]

A friend of mine just mentioned wearing Crocs with holes on the side as well. My family has worn crocs in the past, but this will be my first trip wearing them...