Which park is hottest?

[johnO]

I actually did some research on that with my most recent May & September trips because I was curious about that very thing. Actual air temperature - MK is the hottest due to the massive amounts of concrete and relative lack of shade and receives the least amount of breeze. However, DAK is by far the most humid and even though it has the lowest air temperature (by a couple of degrees on average) due to the massive amounts of shades, the heat index is usually highest in that park. Actual air temp went in this order - Mk, Epcot, DHS, DAK. But, the heat index (comfort level) going in order from least comfortable was: DAK, MK, DHS, Epcot. Epcot has a nice breeze most of the time which helps cut down on the discomfort and the lake actually makes it the coolest place in the evenings. Mk & Epcot also had the most places to easily duck into to cool off.

I measured on multiple days during my trips in the middle of the afternoon (hottest part of the day while wife and sons went to swim) in different parts of the park. I also did them in different orders each time to account for travel between parks, but the results were always the same.

I drove my wife nuts hopping from park to park rapidly to try to measure these things as close to the same time as possible.

Chris, thats awesome!!!!

[Polynesian Dweller]

Not too many. My instruments that measure everything fit easily into my pocket or backpack so it wasn't too noticeable. Most folks (if they noticed at all) would probably have thought I was holding a cell phone. A couple of CM's noticed, though, and they were pretty interested with the findings.

Your equipment sounds like it might be somewhat like mine. I always have my Kestrel 4000 with me.

Haven't done the park running thing but over 6 years, always in October and the same week, my average readings come up with the exact same orders. Not scientific but interesting how they match up.

Glad to know I'm not the only nut (my wife's adjective) running around doing this.

[Kairi_7378]

It was 99 percent humidity on our last visit to AK. It was the only day on our trip that I felt cranky and the only park I got lost in!

Chris, are you an engineer? That sounds like something I would do to drive my husband crazy with!

[Strmchsr]

Chris, are you an engineer? That sounds like something I would do to drive my husband crazy with!

Actually, I'm a United Methodist pastor. But, my undergrad degree is in meteorology and I worked in the field for a few years before going into ministry. So, I still think like a scientist a lot.

[paragon]

My vote for hottest, goes to Epcot. There are so many large open areas, which bring heat.
DAK has more shade and we travel at a slower pace there....

[mechanic]

you guys?! seriously? epcot by far the hottest.

[Tink#64]

Chris - fantastic findings! So very cool that you went through all of that & took the time to share with all of us!

I had to vote for AK, we leave that park almost crawling fom the heat & humidty. I know that is partly due to the fact that we spend so much more time outside in the heat in that park. When we left there this year, we figured it had been 3 hours since we'd even been in any A/C! My second would be DHS, as others have said - almost no shade anywhere there!

[Stickey]

Chris,

Thank you for your scientiffic data.

The hottest spot at WDW is probably in the line queue at Dumbo.

[LudwigVonDrake]

Animal Kingdom is brutally hot.

[texas211]

AK hands down. Not nearly as many places to duck into for shade and AC. I always compare it to the Bataan Death March through the jungle.

Course, I'm not a big fan of AK. Hot, few attractions, questionable theme. Much rather go to any other park, or even the DTD area.

[crltkcagle]

I think that Epcot is pretty darn hot in the afternoon in World showcase. There are no trees and it feels like the sun just bounces off of the cement! I had to buy a parasol and a fan from China on our last trip because it was so hot. Could have been all of those margarita's too?!?!

[mydisneygirls]

I've posted this before. AK is the hottest park because Disney makes it that way. They make it hot to give the feel as though you were in Africa and because of the animals. Got this info from someone who use to be in the Tarzan show.

[DisneyRN]

I originally answered the poll 2 weeks ago with AK.

But after spending 5 hot days in the parks, I would like to change my answer to Epcot. I felt like an ant frying under a magnifying glass.

There is no shade in Epcot!

[LauraByTheSea]

I'd say DAK, there aren't as many indoor air conditioned attractions to cool off like the other parks.

I agree. It's so humid!

[finaldynasty]

I say AK because of the size and because you can't duck into A/C as much as you can in other parks.

[RAIDER]

Has to be AK as its so open and the majority of the attactions are outdoors

[DisneyFr33k]

We've always felt Epcot was hotter - especially walking around the world showcase.... but that is the excuse for us to try all the different

[texas211]

Epcot might be a close 2nd. I think I saw someone from the german pavilion burst into flames once.

[Plex]

There is another factor to the perception of the heat: Air Conditioning!

What I have observed is that presence of AC definitely changes just how hot you feel. In AK, there is almost no air conditioning - only a few attractions. Many of the queues are outside there. Meanwhile, at Epcot, the only time you're not in AC in Future World is when you're walking between pavilions. I think the AC situation definitely plays a part in how the parks feel. Some parks make it much easier to escape than others do.

[kdsjjb]

I guess we're odd, but we always feel that AK is cooler.

As far as I'm concerned, World Showcase might as well be located on Mercury when you're walking through there on a hot summer day.