Dealing with the Heat!

[Teachckg]

We are going for a week in August with our 7yr old twins. I am worried about the heat. What do you do to deal with the heat? We plan on bringing cooling towels. Hope to do parks first thing in the morning most days. Anything else?? TIA

 

[MomOTwins]

Schedule table service lunch to get out of the heat and relax for longer in the AC. Plan to do rides with mostly outdoor queues (e.g., Jungle Cruise/7DMT/Speedway/HM either early morning or at night or via fastpass. Watch the indoor shows like Tiki Room / Country Bears / Carousel of Progress during the 11am-3pm hot zone before the afternoon rains cool everything off.

Biggest one is drink LOTS of water! Easy to forget when you are on the go.

 

[Skipper Drue]

My family does the cooling towels too. I can't stand the wet on my neck, so I just keep a handkerchief in my pocket that I can use to wipe down with. We keep a few bottled waters in a small, thermal cooler attached to a stroller. That keeps them cold for a good bit. We also purchased some small USB fans that can plug into a lipstick battery charger. It's all pretty portable and can fit into a pocket or backpack easily.

 

[CAS239]

Hats
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Cooling towels
Free cups of water at quick service counters
Hit rides and shows with A/C
Nike DriFit type material is really good in hot weather

 

[Dan Murphy]

Here is a thread I started last year, lots of suggestions.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/l...is-it-as-bad-decision-made-page-4-81.3601749/

I recall we did an early afternoon break each day, stayed well hydrated (before we got thirsty), used a couple of UV umbrellas, used cooling towels, wide brimmed hats. Enjoy, it will be fine.

 

[Teachckg]

My family does the cooling towels too. I can't stand the wet on my neck, so I just keep a handkerchief in my pocket that I can use to wipe down with. We keep a few bottled waters in a small, thermal cooler attached to a stroller. That keeps them cold for a good bit. We also purchased some small USB fans that can plug into a lipstick battery charger. It's all pretty portable and can fit into a pocket or backpack easily.

What are the ages of your kids. I have seven-year-old twins. Our trip in January we could do without a stroller, but I’m wondering if the heat will make us need a stroller?

 

[Shanti]

We are going for a week in August with our 7yr old twins. I am worried about the heat. What do you do to deal with the heat? We plan on bringing cooling towels. Hope to do parks first thing in the morning most days. Anything else?? TIA

You'll be dealing with both heat and rain. With that in mind:

• Don't wear denim. It's hot, it shrinks & clings when wet, & it takes forever to dry.
• Wear sturdy, waterproof sandals instead of tennis shoes.
• Carry ponchos.
• Do as many outdoor rides as possible before noon.
• Focus all park touring for the morning & evening. Spend the afternoons at the pool or in the resort room, resting.
• Bring sunglasses.
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat or carry a special UV umbrella to use as a parasol (this works wonders- it's portable shade).
• Do not carry a lot of stuff with you. Some people act like pack rats at the parks, carrying their own water bottles, snacks, etc. to save money. This really works against you in summer when it's hot & carrying stuff will make you even more hot & tired. Just have one simple bag for wallet, phone & lightweight ponchos and/or collapsible umbrella. Water is heavy, so I recommend paying for disposable bottles at the park rather than lugging your own bottles around all day.

 

[disneyworldsk]

and make sure you apply sunscreen on legs that dangle out of the strollers .

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I often disagree with what many folks say on this topic, but I agree with almost everything Shanti said!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I'd only maybe clarify, on some trips we've had no rain. On other trips we've had afternoon downpours every afternoon. So in addition to ponchos we bring very compact rain jackets. (low rain odds=poncho; high rain odds=jackets )

I agree it is wise to carry the bare minimum! But for us, we are happiest carrying some water, just not a full day supply. We start drinking water early and refill often. A little lemonade or apple juice is also good.

Once in a while, we bring food to the parks in summer, but it is something like a single orange that we share before 10am. My other compact secret snack is a packet of chia seeds (chia shots!): super compact, no problems in the heat, and healthy!

If you carry any item, try to make it the smallest, most compact, lightweight version of that item.

We don't bother with any kind of cooling device, but DO take afternoon breaks in summer: a trip to the pool, a nap, a long lunch. Lightweight/wicking fabrics are good if you can find them.

It also pays to acclimate yourself to outdoor temps before you go. Much of the lower 48 experienced temps in the 90's this week. Get outside, and enjoy it! The less AC you use, the better.

Oh, it also pays to take photos shortly after you finish showering.

 

[ww52]

Regarding water bottles -
First, can I assume it's OK to bring them in?
Second - how easy is it to find a place to refill them?

Shanti's suggestions are indeed excellent, but bottled water I'm sure is very expensive at the parks. We'll have eight people in our group (two small children). We won't bring a water bottle for each of us (assuming we can refill conveniently, we can share). And I can't see spending what I assume is about $3-$5 per bottle (maybe more??) for each of us every hour or so.

 

[mekay1012]

Regarding water bottles -
First, can I assume it's OK to bring them in?
Second - how easy is it to find a place to refill them?

Shanti's suggestions are indeed excellent, but bottled water I'm sure is very expensive at the parks. We'll have nine people in our group (two small children). We don't expect to bring a water bottle for each of us (assuming we can refill conveniently, we can share) and yet I can't see spend what I assume is about $3-$5 per bottle (maybe more??)for all of us each of us every hour or so.

You can get free water at any quick service restaurant.

 

[kuhltiffany]

Are there water fountains around the park?

 

[Smittolis]

If your kids are young enough and you are already planning on bringing a stroller then you can use that as a home base as well as an additional way to get the kids out of the heat. As above, Dining reservations ahead of time in the hottest parts of the day are awesome! Something we used to wine about with regards to always having a schedule... but boy have we learned to love those! haha..

Cooling towels are good, but just remember that they rely upon evaporation to create the cooling affect. In 90+% humidity they work well for a little while, but in reality are no better than a hand towel dowsed in water, it's simple physics. If you have a stroller, I've had great luck with the cooling pads that you can buy, these stay cold for a long while and really help to cool off the kids skin. We also bring a small handheld insulated pumped mister, we fill it with ice then water and then use it to spray and cool down when the needs arise! It's a god send in the really hot parts of the park with no breeze!

And lastly, just remember its Disney, its Florida and as such its going to be hot, wet, sticky and manic for large periods. IF you have a Hopper ticket then use as designed, don't be afraid to go out of the parks and come back, pop in to a different park etc... One of the biggest mistakes I see all the time is parents trying to squeeze every cent out of their tickets and have kids in there for far too long. I get why, it isn't cheap, but its a false economy if you are going on multiple days to over do it and create an element of heat exhaustion and over exposure. Disney will always be there, make it fun not forced!

You'll have a great time!

 

[Shanti]

Shanti's suggestions are indeed excellent, but bottled water I'm sure is very expensive at the parks. We'll have eight people in our group (two small children). We won't bring a water bottle for each of us (assuming we can refill conveniently, we can share). And I can't see spending what I assume is about $3-$5 per bottle (maybe more??) for each of us every hour or so.

I don't remember the exact bottled water price, but it definitely was not $5 or higher. That's excessive & I don't recall the prices being insane. Not cheap, but not insane. We never felt the need to drink a bottle per hour, but to each his own. (We don't tend to push through hot summer afternoons in the parks, so that's probably part of the reason why- we do take real breaks at the resort.) Yes, you can bring water bottles into the parks, as well as other types of drinks & food, for that matter. Have a great trip however you choose to hydrate yourselves!

 

[Mome Rath]

Are there water fountains around the park?

Yes there are. ETA: Especially look for them close to restrooms.

I also get the free ice water and dump it into my water bottle.

 

[ww52]

You're quite right Shanti - On the DIS I found an article from April of 2016 that said Dasani bottled water was raised from $2.75 to $3. That's 2 years ago so I expect it's a bit higher, but maybe $3.50 at most.

For one person - maybe worth it. But for our group of 8, that can add up real fast - even though we plan on getting to the parks at opening, leaving before noon for the resort for naps for the kids (including this "big kid"!) and then back out about 4 or 5.

 

[amyy]

I have a slim folding hand fan I bought in China/EPCOT years ago. It is slim enough to fit in my cross body bag and it is enough to cool me off now and again.

 

[Iowamomof4]

You're quite right Shanti - On the DIS I found an article from April of 2016 that said Dasani bottled water was raised from $2.75 to $3. That's 2 years ago so I expect it's a bit higher, but maybe $3.50 at most.

For one person - maybe worth it. But for our group of 8, that can add up real fast - even though we plan on getting to the parks at opening, leaving before noon for the resort for naps for the kids (including this "big kid"!) and then back out about 4 or 5.

Seriously though, take advantage of the FREE cups of ice water from the quick service locations! We never brought a bottle of water into the parks with us. I used a filtered water bottle in our room for making coffee in the mornings, but the filtered water at the quick services tasted just fine to me. If you're concerned about the taste, just bring some individual packets of flavored drink mix or those little bottles of flavor drops.

 

[EscalatorKid]

• Drink lots of water. I just refill my bottles at drinking fountains, but if you're picky, the free ice water is good, or buy Dasani from Disney. (I prefer warmer water because I find that I can drink more of it faster than ice water.) I don't think the fountain water tastes GREAT, but I also don't think it's that bad. And when I've been in July and/or August and I've sweat enough to rival Niagara Falls since 7AM? That drinking fountain is an oasis in paradise. Each drinking fountain is also different; some taste better than others. There isn't a rhyme or reason to it.
• HYDRATE WITH WATER. I know people like the flavor drops, but honestly, they make me even thirstier. The sugar/sweetener leaves a taste in my mouth that I don't care for. And Powerade/Gatorade/Sports Drinks? They're just sugar water with some minerals ("electrolytes") that aren't as good at hydrating as water. (I drink Powerade on occasion, but not so much for hydration purposes. It's more when I'm hungover or sick... and the blue stuff that is so ubiquitous at Disney is definitely not my favorite flavor.) If you can drink plain old water, do it. It's best for you.
  
• Air conditioning. You know that attraction or ride you think is boring or stupid but has a shorter wait? It's a 5-25 minute break in the air conditioning. My Dad HATES Small World, but when he's sweating in the hellish Florida humidity, you'd better believe he's enjoying that world of laughter and tears. (He's complaining about it the whole time, yes, but he's also enjoying it. He got stuck on it ONE TIME in the 80s...) The gift shop is always nice, although with young kids, I can see where that isn't a great idea. But a pit stop at Main Street Confectionery where the AC is just colder...
  
• Hats/Long Sleeves/Sun protection: I wear short sleeves, but my Mom swears by long sleeves to cover her skin. (She wears long-sleeve t-shirts in bright colors or white. There are light UV shirts, too.) It might help to prevent the gross greasy feeling of sunscreen. A hat is nice to keep the sun off your head and face. Obviously, sunscreen often. Try not to wear low-cut or strappy tops. Plain t-shirts are best to minimize the areas you need to be reapplying sunscreen to all day.
  
• Breaks: Don't overdo it. You want to get your money's worth, but you also don't want to get heat exhaustion or be miserable for the entire time. Go find a seat and have lunch at a QS restaurant. Even better, get an ADR for TS and you get a 60-90 minute break in AC. Find a shady spot to sit and rest for ten or fifteen minutes. Go on shows/rides like Hall of Presidents or Carousel of Progress, Muppets, Beauty and the Beast, or Living with the Land for a rest break. Even waiting in long lines for attractions like Soarin' or Space Mountain can be okay because sure, it's a super long wait, but at least it's indoors. (See also: Air Conditioning!)
• Don't wear super dark clothing (if you can avoid it): Black and super heavy shirts are not a great idea. I've worn them, but lighter is generally better. I wear denim shorts, but they're lightweight denim and not heavy duty. I have black activewear pants that are meant to run or workout in; they're comfortable enough for me. I wear lighter colored t-shirts up top. (It's humid. Absolutely nothing you wear will dry out easily.)
• Bring baby wipes if you've got the space to do so. I try to even stuff a travel pack or a ziploc baggie full of them into my bag. When you've sweat all day and you feel like a greasy grimy gross mess... Those wipes can feel so nice cleaning your face and arms and sweaty... everywhere. I like to wipe my face and arms at least before I reapply sunscreen. Otherwise, it's like rubbing lotion into dirt and it's... icky

August is ugly humidity and heat, but it's doable.