Best Way To Beat the Heat and Stay Hydrated?

[DisneySince1967]

My sister and I are going to DL this weekend! The temperatures are supposed to be in the 90s. We're strategizing how to beat the heat and stay hydrated. We figured we'd enjoy inside performances and activities, as well as a table service lunch, in the afternoon. As for water, I'm in my 50s and don't mind committing the fashion error of using a fanny pack, in exchange for not having to carry anything around. The last thing I want is to be lugging a huge tote bag through the park for 12+ hours. However, that means I can't easily pop a water bottle into a bag. I'm scrambling for ideas on how we can easily stay hydrated, without going on a search mission for water fountains or standing in line for a free cup of water at a counter service restaurant.

Any suggestions?

 

[sunshine1]

Sit in and watch mr lincoln all afternoon

 

[grnflash]

I'm sorry but for hydration I think your criteria isn't realistic - not carry anything, not look for drinking fountains, not wait for cups of ice water. You're going to have to give in on something here. Personally we bring a wide mouth nalgene bottle and fill ourselves with ice water at the applicable places. We occassionally get a cup of ice water from a qsr, the wait is never much and on busy days most locations will direct you straight to a window/counter where someone is giving water. And in a pinch I'd use a drinking fountain, there are plenty. These are really the only options I see other than buying a new bottle of water each time you are thirsty.

 

[NovemberMom]

How about carrying a hydration pack? I have a Camelbak I carry around our local amusement parks and I am planning on bringing it to DL in November.

 

[CassieF]

I would make sure you have reservations for the table service meal you are planning because on hot days they tend to fill up as others have the same idea to cool off and rest their feet. Also Carnation and Cafe Orleans have both indoor and outdoor seating so when you check in you'll have to request indoor and potentially wait much longer for those.

 

[row]

I agree with grnflash. If you don't want to stop at fountains, stay in line for water, or pack a water bottle, I'm not sure how else you'd stay hydrated? If you decide to go with one, my choice of water bottle is the Hydro Flask. It's insulated and does an awesome job at keeping liquids cold (or hot) for hours. I can pack it with ice in the morning and still have ice left at the end of the day. I refill/top-off with water at the fountains.

 

[Disneyluvr2]

I don't really care for packing heavy water bottles around, but I do like the small 8oz ones. If I don't have a water bottle, I make sure I stop at every water fountain I see for a quick drink, even if I don't feel thirsty. It only takes a few seconds to take a drink, then you're on your way again.

 

[cinderbellasmom]

I agree with Row- Hydroflasks are the way to go! We carried 2 around (1 lg 1 med), filled them with ice at our hotel then packed extra water bottles in our backpack and only refilled on ice no more than twice while in the parks and it was almost 100 all the days we were there. I've seen straps that allow you to wear the bottle at outdoor stores.

 

[GeneralTso]

I ended up making lunch reservations at the last minute because I wanted us to be out of the heat and in air conditioning mid-day. We were at Carnation Café and even with a reservation, we had to wait an extra 40 minutes because everyone wanted an inside table. Outside was miserable.

I also purchased those cooling microfiber towels before we left. They really work!! Get them wet, snap them and wrap around your neck. It was awesome.
The handheld fans with water you can squirt was a huge help. Kind of a bummer to carry around though. I kept mine in my bag, but my husband didn't want his with nowhere to store it (he goes hands free in the park, no bag).

We found the line for Peter Pan, even at 11:30 pm was so hot and oppressive. That ceiling holds the heat in and you know that line, it's just packed in and you are inches apart from other people. Not fun. Don't do that in the light of day!!

The Frozen sing-a-long is nice! Nice, cool theater and the illusion of snow and ice. A/C is pumping in there too.

 

[VandVsmama]

When it is that warm out, you really should carry a water bottle with you. I don't want to carry 4 water bottles for all 4 of us in our family, so we bring ONE water bottle that we all share. And rather than pay $3+ a pop for new bottles of water, I go to a counter service place and get the free ice water instead...and I pour that into the water bottle.

You don't have to carry a huge tote bag. Even a normal sized woman's purse, for example, usually has room for at least 1 water bottle in it.

So your choices are pretty much the following:

• carry a water bottle with you in your purse or a small backpack and refill it at drinking fountains & counter service restaurants.
• carry a water bottle with you in your hand if your park bag isn't large enough to fit a water bottle. Refill it at drinking fountains & counter service restaurants.
  
• don't carry a water bottle and buy water throughout the day. This is the most expensive option.
• if you don't own one, buy a Camelback backpack before this weekend and use the big water bladder in it. Of course, once it's empty, you will need to refill it somehow. So see the 1st two bullets.
• stop and drink at water fountains & get the free ice water at CS restaurants, but don't carry anything with you. This is probably the most time consuming option.
• don't do any of the above and get risk heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

The only way to hydrate is to hydrate. Asking how do I hydrate when I don't want to carry water, buy water, or wait for free water, or get water out of the drinking fountain is essentially asking how do I stay hydrated without hydrating. The simple answer is you can't. You're going to have to give on something.
The reality is if you really don't want to carry anything or wait in lines for the free water or drink out of the the fountain is you're going to buy it from the carts. And to be honest with you, when you're paying a ton of money for tickets, hotels, and the like, skimping over paying for a bottle of water doesn't seem worth the risk of heat related problems. If you don't want to carry it, buy it. Perhaps you could do something like this. When there aren't any lines at the counters, go get you some free water and maybe a little snack if you're hungry. During lunch and dinner hours when the lines are long, just head to a water cart where the lines aren't so long and pay for it. That's sort of the middle option. It's not the cheapest option. But it isn't the most expensive and it won't cost you too much time either.

 

[bakerudall]

I would suggest investing in a small cross-body bag. You're going to have to carry tickets, money, ID, and any other required personal items anyway. On our last trip, my wife wore one similar to this style: http://www.zappos.com/baggallini-bryant-pouch-black-sand
It held two 16 oz water bottles and everything else we needed, and it was more stylish than a fanny pack. I offered to carry it several times, but she said it was comfortable and she really didn't feel any different wearing it.

It you take one small water bottle, you can refill it with cold, filtered water from water stations at Rancho del Zocalo, Tomorrowland Terrace, French Market, the baby center (w/o a baby), and any restaurant with self service fountain drinks (Plaza Inn, Earl of Sandwich, etc.) without waiting in line. You can also add powdered drink packets to drinking fountain water if you don't like the taste of the unfiltered water. There may be more filtered water spigots that I don't know about.

 

[goldmay]

If you're only carrying a fanny pack you can try a foldable water bottle like this one. They are pretty lightweight and usually have carabiners so if they don't fit in your bag, you can clip it to the outside. Then when it's empty you can just fold it up. The only downside is that the mouth is too small to fit regular ice cubes. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Smart-Planet-Ec35oci-Water-Bottle-Oasis-Foldable-3-Pack/40452362

 

[DisneySince1967]

Thanks everyone! I figured it out. There is room in my fanny pack for my water bottle if I don't carry my wallet, carrying my ID, health insurance card and credit card only. My water bottle has a freezable core, an added bonus. This will keep my hands free, spare me from carrying a bag on my shoulder all day (former whiplash injury -- ouch!), and allow me to not waste time standing in line for free cups of water or seeking out water fountains every individual time I'm thirsty. I have a lanyard to which a water bottle may be attached, but when used it at WDW last year I found the weight around my neck and the obstruction of such a large object swinging around to be bothersome.

We have reservations for lunch at the HOB, and are determined that we'll spend the hot hours of the day visiting Mr. Lincoln, the Main Street Cinema, shopping, and doing water rides. It'll also be the perfect time to check out the DL Hotel and GC, whose lobbies and shops I've never seen.

Thanks again for your strategies. Yes, if you want to stay hydrated you must...hydrate. It's just the logistics of getting from Point A to B that are challenging--especially when you are not using a stroller.