Clothes tips for Summer

[CyndiLooWho]

I haven't read all the answers above, but we swear by wicking clothing in the FL heat. The boys (dh included) wear their hiking cargo shorts, which means they have room for a lot of stuff like disposable ponchos, ziplock bags (for the phones on wet rides), and small snacks. If they wear sneakers, they get new wicking ankle socks for the trip, but they all have hiking sandals that they usually wear instead (Keen Newport H2O). Since their feet are still growing, I usually buy the boys' sandals off ebay.

For myself, I wear a combination of running skorts and tops (JCPenney has a nice line if you don't want to spend a lot at Sparkle Skirts), or hiking skorts and wicking polo shirts. Since I was very active in scouts when our boys were in, I have a lot of those types of things. Marmot, LLBean, and Lands' End make them, and you can often buy them on ebay if you only need them for the parks. I also have several pair of Keen Whisper sandals that I wear to the parks. I have a couple pair of hiking capris as well, but I find the skorts to be more comfortable for park days.

We do all wear hats - wide brimmed fishing hats or Tilley hats for the boys, and a Solar Roller for me. These are a must for the FL sun.

We stay in a condo, so I can wash anything that gets smelly. The great thing about wicking fabrics is that I can put everything in the same load (ok, usually 2, since the washing machines are so small).

I have a convertible cross body (goes to a hip / fanny pack which is indispensable at Universal) that is very compact for park days. It will hold an amazing amount of stuff - mini band-aid chafing stick, refillable small sunscreen bottle, pill bottle, band aids, moleskin, hair ties, lip balm, ladies items, my smartphone, credit cards & money, small wipes package, eyeglass cleaner & repair kit, eyeglass straps - everything I need. I have a tiny hairbrush on a caribiner and hand sanitizer attached to one of the straps. One of the boys usually carries a couple of water bottles in his cargo pockets, but I also have a carabiner that holds a water bottle.

 

[monorailmom]

Good replies! Any experience with Old Navy Go-Dry athletic wear in the parks anyone? Way more cost-effective than UA or Nike.

My DD's (22 and 18) love their Old Navy athletic wear for Disney. They fit well without being too tight, and the girls say they always feel cool in them.

We have been going in August for years. Our DD's prefer the Old Navy athletic wear during the day, and sundresses at night. Actually, on extremely hot and humid days we've found that sundresses with slip shorts underneath are about the coolest thing you can wear!!! Definitely plan on 2 outfits per day.

My DH and DS (he's 16) just wear their regular shorts and cotton tees, but again, 2 outfits per day. They alternate shoes, though. Sneakers and socks for half the day, flip flops or Tevas at night. Your feet will swell from the heat, definitely have different pairs of shoes and sandals to switch between as you need it.

We actually really love our August trips. People always ask if we mind the heat. Well, we are in MA and in the middle of another huge snowstorm. August heat looks pretty good about now!!!

 

[justussix]

Socks. It's all about the socks for me. Once they get wet at all, the rest of the trip is a blister nightmare.

I'm all about toe socks for hiking / walking trips these days. I found them better than moleskin for blister prevention.

Agree with previous poster that it's more about park strategy than clothes to stay cool. Mornings, we do outdoor and long line rides. Afternoons, we do indoor rides / attractions. Evenings, we do rides, parades, and fireworks. If you are a sweater, you will sweat, so pick clothes accordingly. Do you care if people see a wet, sweaty back and armpits? If yes, then pick a shirt that doesn't change color much when the waterworks start. Typically this is the Tekgear, UA, Nike stuff. Cotton looks very wet when it gets wet. White cotton provides a show (Captain Obvious, at your service).

 

[BrownHP800]

I never really thought the dry-fit stuff really did anything. That was until I went to WDW in July. 1st day I had just a white t-shirt on (with a Mickey of course) and I was soaked through. Next day I put on a dry-fit tee (Just a cheap one from Walmart) and wow, it made a difference, it was much cooler in that shirt. It was even a darker color.

 

[momimouse27]

Good replies! Any experience with Old Navy Go-Dry athletic wear in the parks anyone? Way more cost-effective than UA or Nike.

Yes...my son almost exclusively wears Old Navy short and shirts in the summer. We also buy some stuff from Academy Sports, because their store brand is very affordable and durable. My son(14) wears a whole lot of the moisture wicking and thin shorts and shirts in summer. We love them, they're affordable and last forever. During our Labor Day trip last year, we got caught in a downpour at Epcot between TT and the old Odyssey building. We had some Walmart ponchos(those things were worthless!) and we all got soaked. Out of our whole party, everyone except my son took 2 or more hours to dry out. My son's thin wicking material was dry in 30 minutes.

 

[Mainemama]

Definitely go with lightweight athletic shorts. My DDs benefitted last year from a 2 piece bathing suit that had a short sleeve swim top. Likewise, my DS always has swim tops like this. You can pair the swim top with quick dry shorts if you know you are going to let kids get wet. Make sure your kids are comfortable in the clothes and have tried them on, worn them before. My kids love crocs and wear them exclusively in the summer, though I prefer Keene and Sketchers with sweaty feet. Also, my DD requested a sundress on our last July trip, though she never wears one at home. Easy to change into after a swim! We love our summer trips. I pretty much pack each kid 3 (yes 3... everything takes a long time to dry in humidity) swimsuits, 2 pairs pjs, 5 quick dry shorts or skirts, and 5 tops. No sweatshirt for kids, though I bring a long sleeve shirt for myself, as I don't like AC chill. This amount of clothing will cover any length trip with access to laundry. Have a great trip! I love our summer trips!