AC at Disney

[ravenclawtrekkie]

Everyone's tolerance for temperature is different. I love air conditioning, but I don't want to feel like I'm being refrigerated when I go inside to shop or have a meal, so I find the current temperatures comfortable.

The first time I came to WDW (at least in my adult life) was in August of 2011 and I had to purchase a hoodie just to wear on the buses. It was a million degrees outside but I felt like I was in a walk-in freezer on those buses! I'm sure some people were perfectly happy with it, but not me.

 

[Mitzicat]

Doors open, everywhere, is the norm at Disney. You can't sell trinkets if people don't have easy access.

This was my thought. For those that stated Universal felt cooler was it the shops that you noticed this? I believe most of the shops at US have doors where a lot of Disney shops the doors are wide open. I remember reading an article that when California Adventure when through the recent overhaul, all the stores in the "main street" area were now required to have doors because of a California law requiring said doors. Something about "we aren't cooling the whole neighborhood so shut the door!" (Why do I hear that statement in my Dad's voice???) Anyway...the article stated that any buildings prior to that law were grandfathered in unless they were being renovated which at that point would need to be brought up to code.

 

[Klayfish]

I don't think Disney needs to crank up the thermostat to sell more cold drinks, ice cream (or cooling towels) in the summer time. The weather will do that for them. And they offer free ice water at every CS location. As much as you want. I recall a rant post on another forum that insinuated the same ulterior motive. But in the same post it talked of sitting at a table in front of a whole tray of ice water and seeing other guests with the same multiple glasses of ice water. If Disney really wanted to up their cold beverage profits, that ice water would have disappeared faster than Olaf on the 4th of July.

We used that generous offer many, many times over the past several weeks. We are one of the very few people that actually bring a "gear stroller". We have an umbrella stroller that we use to tote around our very large soft cooler bag. We bring our own food in. We used to bring a 1 gallon insulated flask in with that bag, but we didn't do it as much this trip because we just stopped at a CS place and got ice water. CMs were pleasant and always happy to give them to us. Several times my kids just asked for cups of ice and chewed on those as we walked around.

 

[Srbright]

From the last thread on this:

If you google "Has Disney World turned down the air conditioning" you get results from 2007 to now. If Disney had increased the temp 2-3 degrees every year (as seems to be the perception) then after 9 years they wouldn't have A/C on at all.

Stacy

Stacy

 

[VACamm]

I am weird I guess, because even during the summer months I feel the AC on Disney rides and gift shops are on SUPER ANTARTICA! I always carry a cardigan sweater in my bag for when we go inside buildings!

 

[AngiTN]

I didn't find any area to be too warm last week. Some were freezing, especially TS restaurants. Every indoor area was comfortable and a relief from the "feels like 107" temps we experienced.

I have always had to carry sweatshirts for my daughters in our backpack because they have historically been very cold when we sit down to dine, and last week was no exception to this.

There wasn't a single instance where I was in a store, queue, restaurant or other indoor area where I thought "wow, it's really warm in here" or "shoot, it's too hot for me to shop, I need to get back out into the 100 degree heat."

IMO, I think people need to stop trying so hard to find things to complain about.

Ain't that the truth

 

[bpadair32]

Disney is probably trying to save $$$$$$$ by turning the a/c down.

Ok, I would rather they turn down the A/C then cut back on service, food, etc.

This thread is like the WDW version of Goldilocks. It's too hot! It's too cold.! It's just right! Lol.

Thats because everyone has a different perception of what is a comfortable temperature. We then to keep the A/C at 74 during the summer at home. We are comfortable, my mom is too cold and my in-laws are too hot.

I didn't find any area to be too warm last week. Some were freezing, especially TS restaurants. Every indoor area was comfortable and a relief from the "feels like 107" temps we experienced.

I have always had to carry sweatshirts for my daughters in our backpack because they have historically been very cold when we sit down to dine, and last week was no exception to this.

There wasn't a single instance where I was in a store, queue, restaurant or other indoor area where I thought "wow, it's really warm in here" or "shoot, it's too hot for me to shop, I need to get back out into the 100 degree heat."

IMO, I think people need to stop trying so hard to find things to complain about.

But then what would everyone on these forums do with their time? You can't just go and enjoy Disney, surely you have to have something to complain about on the internet.

 

[rg35]

Ok, I would rather they turn down the A/C then cut back on service, food, etc.
But then what would everyone on these forums do with their time? You can't just go and enjoy Disney, surely you have to have something to complain about on the internet.

It's really amazing to me, with all of the options out there on which to spend the vacation dollar, that people who are seemingly so dissatisfied with Disney seem to return year after year after year. I don't really understand it, I guess.

We are DVC members, so this was our fourth year in a row (5 if you count the one day we did at the MK as part of a Dis cruise in 2012) visiting WDW. Each year has gotten better and better as the kids grow and are able to experience new things. This year, for example, we completed 16 wilderness badges at AK and the kids were super thrilled. We all rode Test Track together for the first time. Those are the kinds of things that I take away from our trips. I can't say I gave any thought to the air conditioning, or whether or not they put up alligator signs everywhere in MK, or that they replaced steak with pot roast at liberty tree tavern or any of the other types of things that really seem to bug people.

 

[bpadair32]

It's really amazing to me, with all of the options out there on which to spend the vacation dollar, that people who are seemingly so dissatisfied with Disney seem to return year after year after year. I don't really understand it, I guess.

We are DVC members, so this was our fourth year in a row (5 if you count the one day we did at the MK as part of a Dis cruise in 2012) visiting WDW. Each year has gotten better and better as the kids grow and are able to experience new things. This year, for example, we completed 16 wilderness badges at AK and the kids were super thrilled. We all rode Test Track together for the first time. Those are the kinds of things that I take away from our trips. I can't say I gave any thought to the air conditioning, or whether or not they put up alligator signs everywhere in MK, or that they replaced steak with pot roast at liberty tree tavern or any of the other types of things that really seem to bug people.

I am with you. If you don't like the changes that Disney has made, I would think that you simply wouldn't go back. Why spend so much time on it just so you can complain about it later? I am with you, we just joined DVC because we love going to Disney, our family loves going to Disney, and for us it just keeps getting better and better.

 

[Wackdawg]

Was down in May and both of us realized the AC was not very strong in the room and in many places throughout the parks. With the humidity people want coolness. Not just acceptable room temps.

 

[bpadair32]

Was down in May and both of us realized the AC was not very strong in the room and in many places throughout the parks. With the humidity people want coolness. Not just acceptable room temps.

I think that it is clear from the responses to this thread, that everyone has a different definition of coolness.

That being said, one tip that I have learned is to keep something like a balloon in your room that will move around and fool the motion sensor so that the A/C will stay on.

 

[capegirl]

I was just there last week and everything felt ice cold. To the point i was freezing in gift shops and in indoor line rides. But I don't have AC at home, so any AC felt amazing. And the buses are another story. Too cold too cold WAY TOO COLD.

I refer to Disney busses as 'rolling refrigerators'. Even in July, I always keep a lightweight sweater in the park bag to throw on.

 

[kandb]

I am with you. If you don't like the changes that Disney has made, I would think that you simply wouldn't go back. Why spend so much time on it just so you can complain about it later? I am with you, we just joined DVC because we love going to Disney, our family loves going to Disney, and for us it just keeps getting better and better.

IMO, I don't think there is anything wrong with people who observed something and then commented/complained about it, that's what the Disney forum is all about. I see plenty of posts about people praising Disney for things. When it's almost 100 degrees and 100% humidity outside, I don't think there is anything wrong with people wanting to cool off in a store or restaurant. I wish posters would stop complaining if someone voices their opinion and it's not "Pro-Disney". People are on vacation and I don't think there's anything wrong with them wanting to cool off from the oppressive heat.

 

[bryanb]

If you google "Has Disney World turned down the air conditioning" you get results from 2007 to now. If Disney had increased the temp 2-3 degrees every year (as seems to be the perception) then after 9 years they wouldn't have A/C on at all.

Stacy

The fact that nobody here can agree on what's happening with WDW suggests that there probably isn't a problem. Maybe perceptions of AC really are just that imprecise, and dependent on the level of heat/humidity at the time, and the individual. I know for sure that even my own office AC can feel different from one day to the next based on the conditions. I can only imagine how a major complex in central Florida could be affected. On some days, I'm sure the AC might be cranking at full blast for hours and never hit the thermostat number.

 

[BrownHP800]

We were just there over July 4th weekend. Out side it was HOT HOT HOT. (We are from North Carolina, so we are used to heat as well) But the AC in the attractions and gift shops was very cold. The only issue we had was one of the monorail cars we were in the AC was not very cold. Other than that it was plenty cold.

 

[BobWerner]

Removed post because it might offend someone and I don't want to get a nasty gram.

 

[anniemae]

IMO, I don't think there is anything wrong with people who observed something and then commented/complained about it, that's what the Disney forum is all about. I see plenty of posts about people praising Disney for things. When it's almost 100 degrees and 100% humidity outside, I don't think there is anything wrong with people wanting to cool off in a store or restaurant. I wish posters would stop complaining if someone voices their opinion and it's not "Pro-Disney". People are on vacation and I don't think there's anything wrong with them wanting to cool off from the oppressive heat.

This!
It reminds of something someone posted once that made me laugh. They said that if Disney came up with a new rule that they were going to whack every 5th guest in the knee with a lead pipe as they entered MK, some would blame YOU for being the 5th guest.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

The humidity has been high. Nothing is going to cool off without AC or evaporation. It's very wet right now in Florida. Miserable is the technical term. Friends don't let friends go to Disney in the summer.

You could not pay me enough to go in the summer or over a major holiday.

 

[Srbright]

The fact that nobody here can agree on what's happening with WDW suggests that there probably isn't a problem. Maybe perceptions of AC really are just that imprecise, and dependent on the level of heat/humidity at the time, and the individual

Yep. In El Paso TX when it's 104 and 30% humidity the 75 feels great!

Disney world at 92 and 80% humidity we have to turn the AC down to 68. Michigan at 88 and 60% humidity, 72 is just fine.

Stacy

 

[epcotty]

It is a really scorching summer. But inside it seems to be ok with the A/C. Was refreshing feeling the a/c blasts in 7DMT at the end of the night