Beating the heat!

[lnuss1988]

What is everyone tips and tricks to beating the heat while in Disney? We are going beginning of May! Thanks!!

 

[sheilafri]

Take a siesta. Mid to late afternoon is brutally hot. Go to shows with AC in between lines for rides. Light colored clothes. Cooling towels around the neck. Wear a hat. Stay hydrated, you can get ice water at QS for free. Dole Whips are a tasty way to cool down.

 

[OKW Lover]

You picked a good time to go since the weather won't be as hot as it gets in the summer.

Good suggestions above. I'd also add that "shortcuts" through the shops are a way to cool off for a while. Also, don't forget sunscreen.

 

[jujubiee4]

We were thinking an impromptu trip beginning of May also. Worried about it
being too warm. Will it be 90's yet?

 

[OKW Lover]

Worried about it
being too warm. Will it be 90's yet?

Probably.
You can check the historical averages for any place in the world. In this case, go to www.weather.com and enter Walt Disney World. Once that comes up, click on monthly and scroll to the dates of interest.

 

[beccasmom]

I was affected more than I usually am by the heat on our trip in mid-September last year. We normally take at least one trip in the warmer months, so I’m pretty much accustomed to dealing with it (and the humidity here at home in the mid-Atlantic can be pretty brutal at times). I tend to eat as lightly as possible - (salads and sandwiches, cool drinks, smoothies and ice cream/ Dole Whips) because I find heavier meals and heat/ humidity aren’t a great combo for me. I take it easy on adult beverages too, but then I‘m not much of a drinker anyway.

Taking a break mid-day is a great idea because the heat can take its toll on energy levels (tougher during a time of shorter park hours, I know). Drink water instead of soda (I use Crystal Light packets to help with the taste) if possible. Keep a watch on other folks in your party, especially the most vulnerable like younger kids and older adults. They may not realize how the weather is affecting them (my mom was in her late 80’s on her last (beloved) WDW trips, but she visited the parks for shorter stretches of time and rested more). Use common sense - when you’re hot and tired - rest in a/c if possible, drink or eat something cool and refreshing, and give your body the break it needs.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

We'll be there beginning of May - the first two weeks of May are our favorite time to go! It definitely gets hot, but not as sweltering as other times of the year. In fact night time can sometimes cool off a bit, and I've found I've even needed a long sleeve shirt a couple of times.

That said, afternoons can still be really, really hot. We typically take pool breaks after lunch, but for when you're in the parks, cooling towels are my absolute favorite. Plan to eat in restaurants that have AC, take breaks to check out the shops and cool off. Certain shows and attractions also have AC, so you can pop in those to get a break. Bring lots and lots and lots of sunscreen.

 

[lnuss1988]

We'll be there beginning of May - the first two weeks of May are our favorite time to go! It definitely gets hot, but not as sweltering as other times of the year. In fact night time can sometimes cool off a bit, and I've found I've even needed a long sleeve shirt a couple of times.

That said, afternoons can still be really, really hot. We typically take pool breaks after lunch, but for when you're in the parks, cooling towels are my absolute favorite. Plan to eat in restaurants that have AC, take breaks to check out the shops and cool off. Certain shows and attractions also have AC, so you can pop in those to get a break. Bring lots and lots and lots of sunscreen.

How do you do the cooling towels? I’ve read of people putting them in ziploc bags of ice, and since the ice is loose, but in a bag they won’t say anything at the gate?

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

How do you do the cooling towels? I’ve read of people putting them in ziploc bags of ice, and since the ice is loose, but in a bag they won’t say anything at the gate?

Have never needed ziplocs with bags of ice. We literally just take them into the park dry, soak them in the water fountain, and call it a day.

 

[lnuss1988]

Have never needed ziplocs with bags of ice. We literally just take them into the park dry, soak them in the water fountain, and call it a day.

Never thought of that. That makes it a lot easier!

 

[hsmamato2]

In April,it got HOT. VERY HOT. Midday saw us taking a break of one sort or another out of necessity. Mornings and evenings are your friend. In parks like AK or Epcot,it's not too hard to locate some shady,cooler areas to settle down,have a cold drink,and let the kids decompress without any stress.... at Studios, this is nearly impossible,and we ended up doing the rides we wanted,and leaving by 1 b/c the melting heat mixed with crowds wasn't fun. AT MK, we took our midday break on the monorail line, stopped at a cool hotel lobby,got the cold drinks,and found a place in the shade/cool to decompress for a few hours. This was with kids in the mix,they couldn't take the midday stuff. You can also go back to your hotel midday,and park again in evening.

 

[Shellyred8]

I always bring a thermos with for my water so the ice sticks around longer. I find drinking cold water helps more than just the fountain water. I also plan for some sort of beverage with electrolytes. Whether it be buying Powerade or Vitamin water at the park or bringing something like powdered LiquidIV with to add to my water. I usually do one of two of those per day in addition to the water I drink.

 

[beccasmom]

I always bring a thermos with for my water so the ice sticks around longer. I find drinking cold water helps more than just the fountain water. I also plan for some sort of beverage with electrolytes.

Great idea! I used to order Gatorade from Garden Grocer for my mom for the electrolytes (she didn’t like any of the PowerAde flavors) before the packets became available. Also, I find that Corkcicle products work very well for keeping liquids cold. I bring mine to work and it stays cold for several hours. However, they can be heavy.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

We do early morning park vists and leave by noon. then return at 6 pm when the sun is not so hot. We also carry a mister bottle I got from Target.

 

[_19disnA]

If you can only go at a time of year when it is hot, the best thing is to be realistic about how hot/humid it will be and plan accordingly. Disney can involve MILES of walking/large crowds/ect. and you don't suddenly become an olympic marathon athlete just because you are on vacation. No amount of hats, lightweight clothing or sports drinks will make it any less hot. Take a break when it gets too hot or do the parks later in the day when it tends to be cooler and also less crowded.

 

[midwestdee]

How do you do the cooling towels? I’ve read of people putting them in ziploc bags of ice, and since the ice is loose, but in a bag they won’t say anything at the gate?

Put them in the Ziploc cold - throughout the day you can get cups of ice water lots of places to pour in the bag to get them cold again.

 

[miksicnarf]

Cooling towels work by the cooling effect of evaporating water, no ice needed. Just keep it wet and keep it around your neck.

 

[tguz]

Not a fan of cooling towels at all but we duck into a shop now and then to get a little cool air. A nice break in The Land for Soarin and Living With the Land is refreshing.

 

[Anthony1971]

Early may the morning and evening are fine. Miday it can be brutal. I learned one year and asked a local. The explanation was it is the start of summer like most states and the sun is closer making it feel very hot. July and august are hot the whole day but around 3-4 in May it was hotter the sun was relentless but only lasted a few hours. Plan a nice long sit down meal around that time and you will be fine.

 

[pbrim]

When I was last at WDW in 2014, we had cooling neck wraps. They had some kind of hydrophilic beads in a neck wrap. You soaked them in cold water until the beads swelled up and they stayed wet and cool for hours. When they started to dry out, you just soaked them again in a cup of ice water. But alas, they are one of a long list of items that appear to have disappeared.

I have seen the new cooling towels. The advertising says soak and leave in the fridge overnight and they will keep cool for an hour, maybe more! Seeing as I will be spending most of the day in the parks in Sept, that seems somewhat inadequate. Do they really work? Are there other good options?