Handling the Florida heat

[Klayfish]

I agree with a lot here. I sweat like crazy too, but it is what it is. Everyone there is sweating that time of year. I've grabbed a piece of ice from the giant coolers and rubbed it on my neck.

Also, plan your rides accordingly. Things like Pirates of the Caribbean have a wonderfully cool and dark queue, so that's a mid-afternoon activity. Tomorrowland Speedway is unforgivingly hot, that's an early morning or late night activity.

 

[cornflkgrl]

We go every August, and honestly there is no handling it. It's just hot. Hotter than the hottest hot. The only thing you can do is try to be in the AC as much as possible (and the pool). I would bring a change of t-shirt if you are concerned about looking too wet, but everyone else will be looking horrible too, so don't worry too much I tried all sorts of things (Frogg Toggs, fans, etc) and really the only thing that helps is a really good touring plan where you know where you are going, no backtracking, no wandering. And one where you build in AC breaks in attractions that let you sit and truly cool off for a bit (like the little shows, that kind of thing). Even if those AC breaks aren't at time that you would normally do an attraction like that during cooler weather.

Agree with this 100 percent. And also, if you have anyone in your family sensitive to the sun or on medications (something anyone going during the summer should check) that cause sun sensitivity (some antibiotics even have this side effect) you should consider scheduling things at night and touring at night vs. doing rope drop and staying in the parks all day. We go out briefly in the morning (and some times not even that) and are back out in the evening and night to avoid the direct sun. At the least: a good hat, sunblock, plenty of water and several rounds of either Carousel of Progress and/or Hall of Presidents is in order. Everyone glistens in August pictures.

ETA: We tried the Frog Toggs for my son and they did nothing for him when he was overheated. They seemed cool at home but I think when it is that hot, they really can't keep up with how hot your skin can get. Best thing was to get him out of the sun and in A/C immediately. But if you sweat a lot Frog Toggs probably wouldn't be the answer for you anyway.

 

[cornflkgrl]

I should have probably said to wash your arms after dunking them in the ice water because the water that they use to make that ice that goes into the big buckets is not filtered, so if you are concerned with germs you should probably wash the outside of the bottle of water.
I

Wow. Thanks for that info. Duly noted.

 

[ZoZo]

Wear short-sleeved, white linen shirt (button front) and light colored linen shorts.

Wouldn't this end up being a wrinkled mess?

 

[Elandon]

We go end of August too. My plan is to wear sundress or moisture wicking clothes, tour at rope drop until lunch then eat a TS (A/C) and take a break for the afternoon (nap, swim, movie, whatever), and back to the parks as the sun is setting. We also bring a mister fan but we use this one because it fits in the water bottle holder on the side of my park bag. It's not very heave and you don't have to pump the water much.

http://www.amazon.com/SPT-SF-241WM-...8&qid=1464321926&sr=8-11&keywords=Misting+fan

 

[720L]

Those mister fans look great but I would worry about getting sunburned from constantly putting water on your skin. Even if you have sunscreen on, it could make it wash off quicker. But I burn easily maybe its different for other people.

 

[B4DlandOpened]

Wouldn't this end up being a wrinkled mess?

Probably. But so would a cotton t-shirt.

If the idea is to stay fashionable while sweating like a pig, you could "plus" the shirt by adding some Disney pins, hat, necklace, etc.

 

[NeuroCindy]

No, you should have said keep your sweaty arms, etc OUT of the ice bins where they sell bottled water.

There are also misting stations in the parks that cool you down quickly.

Also limit your alcohol consumption and if you smoke..quit. It dries you out.

THIS! Go into the bathroom and run your arms under cool water. Don't dunk your arms into the ice bins, that's gross.

 

[havoc315]

So we are traveling in the end of August. My wife doesn't want my son missing any school so this is the best time for us to go. The issue is that I am a sweater. So I am trying to come up with ideas on how to contain this issue so that I don't look like a giant puddle. What does everyone suggest. I have heard people mention those cooling towels, but I cant remember their names. I have read the obvious suggestions of taking breaks, staying in the AC, and hydrating but what else? We will have several bottles of water and towels to help me look presentable for pictures but any other suggestions?

Our last trip was late August, and we are doing that again this year. It's a great time to go but the heat can be unbearable. THe humidity even more than the heat.

My strongest suggestion -- Avoid the heat. Don't be out walking around the parks between noon and 6pm. 9-12 and 6-close is plenty of time to get in all the attractions, without suffering the worst of the heat. Depending on your family's meal habits, a long lunch or early dinner can also give you a nice air conditioned break.
Something like:
Parks from 9-12... Air conditioned lunch from 12-1:15. Pools for the afternoon. Return to parks around 6 or 7, as it starts to cool down again.

 

[newageretro]

I too am a sweater, but I did pretty good last year with planning AC attractions during the heat of the day and moisture wicking clothes.
***Warning, not for the faint of heart***
For as much as I think this may be too much information, I'm a hairy kind of guy, and so before I go on trips to hot places I break out the old beard trimmer and TCOB about a week before the trip. I get that this sounds dumb to most people, and I thought it was dumb too when a friend of mine who figure skates around for a certain "On Ice" show suggested it, until I tried it. You would be surprised how much of a difference it makes if you take off your fur coat.

 

[MickeysPal49]

I didn't see if anyone else suggested this, but definitely ditch those dark colored clothes. It does make a difference. I have a black purse that I sometimes use in Fall. In FL, it can still be a bit warm and my black purse absorbs heat. I can feel that the fabric is warmer than the clothes I am wearing. A hat and sunglasses for each member of your party is a must. Also, I highly recommend a simple hand fan, like those sold in China or Japan or go high tech with a battery operated fan than sprays water. Bed Bath and Beyond sells a small one that fits in your palm. It's just as powerful as the big ones you can buy in the park or at the discount stores, but is a lot less weight to lug around. Don't ignore a break now and then in a/c or at least a shady area. Drink water. Ice water can be obtained for free from any location that sells food that is cooked there - not kiosk types.

 

[Duffywannabe]

Get to the park early on your first day. Go to the the meet and greet with Elsa. Ask her to give you a cloud like she did for Olaf. Good to go for the rest of the trip.

 

[JulieNMM]

No matter how hydrated you think you are, drink more water, then some more.

Bathrooms are air conditioned. Remember that. Sometimes it's so worth it.

Don't worry about being sweaty, everyone is sweaty. If someone is not sweaty walking around WDW in August, keep an eye on them. They may be an extra-terrestrial

Actually, I have the opposite problem. I don't sweat. Even when it's 99 degrees with 100% humidity. My body just hangs on to all that water that I'm chugging and I end up getting swollen and have to take water pills. My face turns bright red because I'm so hot and I'm miserable, but no sweat. I wish I would sweat so I wouldn't swell up and so it would keep me a little cooler.

 

[Starclassic]

We're trying September for the first time this year (we usually go in February), and this entire thread is terrifying me now. I really hope we don't end up regretting this decision!!

 

[pschro1]

Wow! Thank you everyone for the advice.

 

[BayouQueen]

In a word....seersucker.

 

[SDSorority]

When we went the first (and only....) time in July last year, I couldn't believe how HOT it was. Here's what I did...

Water, water, and more water. I drank 4 bottles of water throughout the day, plus one at each meal. I had never had so much water in my life, but it was SO SO SO necessary.
Healthy snacks. We brought jerky, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and rice cakes to have throughout the day to have with the water to help replace electrolytes.
Wide brimmed hats. My husband has a Gilligan hat and I have a floppy sun hat. That plus sunglasses... a MUST.
Good sunscreen. We used Kiss My Face SPF 50 and reapplied a few times each day. Worked great.
Heat of the day = long indoor attractions. Think Hall of Presidents, American Adventure, Reflections of China, Impressions de France, Finding Nemo the Musical..... you get the idea.
Gift shops. If you see one, walk through it!
Wash cloth and ice in a ziplock. One for each person... easier to carry than a spritzer fan.
Umbrellas. They're instant shade and lots of people use them to stay out of the sun. It's amazing how much cooler it is in the shade.
Mid-day breaks are always good. We're going to be going in September, so our plan is to go in the morning, leave and go back to the room for lunch/swim/laundry/nap, and maybe even dinner, then go back after 5pm.
Wet hair. In the morning, I went with a wet head. It dried frizzy and pretty quickly but it felt good.
Damp tank top worn under tshirt. Again, dried pretty quickly, but it felt good.

 

[Coconuts]

This is a great thread; I'm glad I found it . I am also a sweaty sweaty person, and I always feel like I am the only one suffering from the heat. I get downright cranky and miserable and unreasonable. My DH also sounds exactly like the OP. We are just a big sweaty family . Lol. Good luck to the OP.

 

[pens4821]

Just a question out of curiosity. What would be better? I have a few moisture wicking shirts, but they are mostly darker (red, dark blue, black). Would those still be better than wearing a white cotton tshirt? I know it probably won't make that big of a difference, just curious on opinions.

 

[Zoesmama03]

So we are traveling in the end of August. My wife doesn't want my son missing any school so this is the best time for us to go. The issue is that I am a sweater. So I am trying to come up with ideas on how to contain this issue so that I don't look like a giant puddle. What does everyone suggest. I have heard people mention those cooling towels, but I cant remember their names. I have read the obvious suggestions of taking breaks, staying in the AC, and hydrating but what else? We will have several bottles of water and towels to help me look presentable for pictures but any other suggestions?

Convince her to go next time for Spring break or Christmas break. Some years its busy for that others not so much.

We are fortunately to get a week off in October that I could go and not have dd miss school. We are planning to possibly do two weeks though which would be better suited for Christmas break at that rate.


Okay so for actual helpful hints plan for rides that are indoor to break up long lines of waiting for others. And all service counters will give ice water for free in a cup so don't be afraid to drink plenty. Maybe get a clinical strength deodorant for that week? I do Lady Mitchum and survive pretty well without sweating overly horribly as in drenched.