Help me keep cool in Disney

[AWaltFan]

Huggies baby wipes for the face. You'd be surprised at how refreshing it is!

 

[dburg30]

Many people suggest

A) Ellens energy thing in Epcot

B) Hall of Presidents in MK

C) used to be Sounds Dangerous in DHS

not sure about AK

 

[DVCMikey]

We will be down there around the same time. It looks like highs are in 80s lows in 70s. Shouldn't be too hot except for the humidity.

I would recommend having lots of water, taking breaks and don't rush. The crowds will be very low. You can spend lots of time indoors looking at attractions or in the stores.

I recommend going back to your hotel around mid afternoon for a swim and rest and then go back out at night when it cools down a bit

 

[Pills]

This may be unpopular, but I'd almost recommend you not go to AK. Yes, there's a lot of shade, but there's very little AC. Unless you're going to a show or a restaurant, it can be very hard to get out of the heat there.

Alternatively, as has been said, get out of there during the heat of the day, or try to schedule it on the coolest day that you're there. However, it gets hot early there, and Dinoland, with its asphalt, can be especially hot.

ETA: That being said, on a day where it's about 80 and not too humid, AK is a great place to be. We were there in November in 2010 and had no problems touring the park.

 

[staceyatdisney]

Wear technical shirts. (light colots in the sun,of course) They wick moisture and breathe much better than cotton t's. I think they give a feeling 5-10 degrees better than cotton.
it's not unusual to buy store brand technical shirts at Kohls or Target in the $10 range, which is a lot better than the $50 range the Nike and UA shirts were.

I agree with this....we returned from a 10 day trip yesterday and it was hot/humid. I wore my training/running clothing which are all Under Armour/Nike moisture wicking fabrics. I'm talking EVERYTHING down to underwear and socks. This made a significant difference in how cool and comfortable I felt. Even on the hottest days I was dry. Unlike cotton which is like walking around wearing a wet blanket. I also agree regarding the cost.....no need to buy higher quality just for a Disney trip. One other benefit of these fabrics is if in a pinch, you can wash them in your hotel sink. Just ring them out, roll them in a towel like a burrito and step on it a few times - unroll and hang to dry. These garments dry extremely fast.

Drink TONS of water of course. Also, plan your attack with the heat in mind - if you wait in line outside for 25 minutes, hit an indoor attraction with AC next.

 

[DVCMikey]

I agree with this....we returned from a 10 day trip yesterday and it was hot/humid. I wore my training/running clothing which are all Under Armour/Nike moisture wicking fabrics. I'm talking EVERYTHING down to underwear and socks. This made a significant difference in how cool and comfortable I felt. Even on the hottest days I was dry. Unlike cotton which is like walking around wearing a wet blanket. I also agree regarding the cost.....no need to buy higher quality just for a Disney trip. One other benefit of these fabrics is if in a pinch, you can wash them in your hotel sink. Just ring them out, roll them in a towel like a burrito and step on it a few times - unroll and hang to dry. These garments dry extremely fast.

Drink TONS of water of course. Also, plan your attack with the heat in mind - if you wait in line outside for 25 minutes, hit an indoor attraction with AC next.

What were the temps? We are going to be there next week and it looks like its 87 down to 70. I know the humidity down there is bad though.

 

[mommyrosa2]

We were there 8/11-8/20...our first time in the month of August and LOVED it...this is what we did to beat the heat:

1. We tried to get to the parks early and we left by noon-1:00p. We were usually by the pool everyday between 2-4:00ish just as the clouds rolled in for the afternoon showers.
2. We all used the moisture-wicking shirts & socks which made a HUGE difference...cannot say enough good things about this material...
3. Bought the mini Coleman fans (at Target in the camping section)...this by far was the BEST thing I ever did....I don't like the misting fans personally because if I'm already sweating, the last thing I want is to feel more wet. Can't tell you how many folks came up to us and asked where we got these fans...
4. We head back out to the parks after dinner when it was much cooler...at night we often skipped wearing sneakers and ended up in sandals/flip flops

We're no longer park commandos and really slowed down on this trip...we utilized fast passes and we had a great time. Hope this helps...

Have a great trip!

 

[ZoZo]

You'll often see advice to take an afternoon break at your hotel pool or hotel room to cope with the heat (some folks will even recommend going back after dinner to the parks). While this advice is good in general when the parks are open late hours, it's not exactly practical in the months when the parks close early. In my experience, most of the parks close anywhere from 5:00 (Animal Kingdom) to 7:00 (MK and DHS) in the fall. Even Epcot usually only stays open tlll 9:00 in the fall, unless they have an evening EMH. So if you take the whole afternoon off from touring, you're really eating into your park time. I usually go in September or October, and at the most, take a quick afternoon break at the resort to shower and change clothes, then go right back to the parks.

So I usually cool off in other ways, including:

* Drink lots of water.
* Wear a hat or visor.
* Wear light colored, moisture-wicking clothes as much as you can.
* Take "cool-off" breaks in air-conditioned restaurants, rides, and shops.
* Bring a mister fan (I like the mini-size mister fans they sell at Walmart).
* Slow down your pace and don't use a "commando" touring style.
* Use a wet bandana around your neck.
* Bring an extra change of socks - this can make sweaty feet feel great! And cool your feet in the kiddie "splash" areas when possible in the parks.
* Use wet-wipes (I like Kleenex "splash and go" wipes from Target) on your face. Or bring a wet washcloth from your hotel room and wipe your face as needed (keep the washcloth in a ziploc bag with ice).

 

[dtum]

Thanks for all the great advice! I saw the frog toggs at BJ's wholesale club last week. I'm going to have to take a trip back to pick some up. I have picked up some Under Armour clothing and similar brands whenever I find them on the sale racks. I'll keep hoping for temps in the mid 80's and below.

BJ's has them? I'm going to have to take a closer look next time I go. Have been considering these and cutting them up because they are pricey. How much are they at BJ's?

 

[cmpeter]

We were there this past August. With the heat index it was supposed to be around 116 one of the days. Coming from Seattle, I really thought I was going to *die* in the FL heat. What we did:

1 - Arrive before rope drop. Made a huge difference. Much cooler and shorter lines keep everyone happy.

2 - Free cups of ice water...yummy and cool and then you have ice to suck while waiting in line.

3 - Camelback backpack with water. Dh tucked two frozen bottles of water next to the bladder and they kept the water cool all day.

4 - The small Coleman (like $4) fans from Target. I have also seen them on Amazon. We loved these. They blow a lot more air out than the misting fans that Disney sells. Super small, can easily fit in a pocket. Runs on AA batteries, which we replaced once on our 8 day FL visit.

5 - My 12 year old dd had a misting water bottle without a fan. She loved it. I was "eh" over it...but, it kept her entertained and she felt cooler with it, so I was a winner in my book.

6 - Mix in shows that are in air conditioned rooms or meals that have AC. I put together a list of all the AC counter service spots in each park and kept that in my back pocket in case we needed a break (we never ended up eating at any of them.)

7 - Leave when it gets hot...we never stayed past 1:00, except on our DHS day...that was our last day and we didn't have the hotel to go back to...we stayed until 4:00 and just took in more shows and rides with AC queues.

8 - If you can, put your hair up. I was so much cooler with my hair off my neck.

I didn't care for the Chilly Toggs. I felt they were cool enough to matter for just a few minutes and then were sort of a warm steamy awkward mess. We had two and cut them each into two pieces. We tried using them twice and both times they went back into the backpack pretty quickly.

I can't say enough good things about the Coleman fans and free ice water. Even with all the heat and humidity of August, I never felt like it was unbearable.

 

[staceyatdisney]

What were the temps? We are going to be there next week and it looks like its 87 down to 70. I know the humidity down there is bad though.

It was low to mid 90's during the day with considerable humidity most days. We had some really nice breezy evenings - I'm sorry I can't really recall the temps ranges at night.

You'll often see advice to take an afternoon break at your hotel pool or hotel room to cope with the heat (some folks will even recommend going back after dinner to the parks). While this advice is good in general when the parks are open late hours, it's not exactly practical in the months when the parks close early. In my experience, most of the parks close anywhere from 5:00 (Animal Kingdom) to 7:00 (MK and DHS) in the fall. Even Epcot usually only stays open tlll 9:00 in the fall, unless they have an evening EMH. So if you take the whole afternoon off from touring, you're really eating into your park time. I usually go in September or October, and at the most, take a quick afternoon break at the resort to shower and change clothes, then go right back to the parks.

You make a very good point. We are a family of 4 (with pre-teens) and found an afternoon break by the pool impractical as it ate up too much park time with standard 7 or even 9 pm park closings. It just takes us too long to commute rest/swim, get changed and commute back to the parks. If you follow the general advice and avoid parks on EMH days, you really have to be rope droppers to get the "afternoon pool break" in at all. We are not rope droppers so it does not work for us. Generally we get to the parks around 10 am and close them - after 2 or 3 days of this we'll do a pool day until around 3 pm and hit an EMH park at night. I do think a pool break is a great way to cool down, it just depends on your family. It also depends on the time of year you go regarding the crowds and EMH.

 

[My3Princez]

BJ's has them? I'm going to have to take a closer look next time I go. Have been considering these and cutting them up because they are pricey. How much are they at BJ's?

I got a different brand of these today marked as a "runner's towel" at our local Five Below store. They were $4. Only in hot pink, which my boys may not like, but it'll help us keep cool!

 

[jorybella]

Sorry to say it but there are none. It gets so hot BUT so much of the magic happens indoors. Rides are inside, lines, etc.I will say that we do go early in the a.m., head back to the room after lunch. Go to the pool, shower, change (meaning putting on DRY clean clothes LOL). Then head back for an evening of frolic and fun. Come back to the room - shower again. We have been in May and September. September was the HOTTEST by far. Good luck!

 

[jorybella]

Sorry to say it but there are none. It gets so hot BUT so much of the magic happens indoors. Rides are inside, lines, etc. I will say that we do go early in the a.m., head back to the room after lunch. Go to the pool, shower, change (meaning putting on DRY clean clothes LOL). Then head back for an evening of frolic and fun. Come back to the room - shower again. We have been in May and September. September was the HOTTEST by far. Good luck!

 

[jorybella]

SORRY for the double posting not sure how it happened and then could not figure out how to delete. OOPS

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We find that keeping our skin dry is the way to beat the heat; i.e. avoid misting fans. They just make us feel clammy. That's not to say I never run through the Disney ones, but the hand held ones were too much, and something extra to carry. sometimes we do swim breaks, sometimes we swim at night.

Point two - minimize what you carry all day! If you must bring something like hand sanitizer- make it a tiny tube (refill at night as needed). If you must bring meds - bring only enough for one dose, nnot a full bottle. Along with everything else, ask the hard question of, "Do I really NEED this? or is it something that could wait until we go back to the room?"

point three- don't skimp on water. At every meal, ask for ice water. Always have a bottle of water on hand, always drink, consider refilling your bottle maybe with ice water leftover from meals.

point four- keep the caffeine and alcohol in check. Drink a cup of water for every cup of either you consume.

point five- make sure to waer good deoderant! Please! Sometimes it pays to do the before dinner shower-and change before dinner. Also, if you are hot an miserable in the parks- leave. you do far better leaving the parks at 2pm, and returning at night - generally - than sticking it out through the heat. Unless it's like AK and the pakr closes at 5, or a storm is brewing.

point six- expect daily thunderstorms they maynot happen, and likely won't last all day. having a tiny plastic poncho is worth carrying. Get some from the camping dept of your nearest big box store.

point seven - did I mention drinking PELNTY of water! In warm months, we usually find a way to have at least a case of bottled water. If we have a car, we stop at a sore to pick some up (even the onsite Hess stations are an option) You can also have water delivered, or bring it in checked luggage. See the many threads about water delivery.

Point eight- avoid long lines. When it's hot, we skip things like the Nemo show. the Nemo show menas standing in the ehat on balcktop meting or 45-60 minutes. Skip that one thing, and you'll be happier. If you REALLY want to do it, then maybe do it last before leaving for the day. We find it better to skip just a few things.

point nine- arrive early and use late hours. We don't arrive before park gates open (more uneeded standing around in the sun), but we do arrive near park opening. We also get out in the heat of the day- if it's really hot- and we always take advantage of late hours, including EMH!!! The parks after dark are less crowded, and far more comfortable. It's also smart to time eating to strategic points of the day- before 8:30am, around 1:30pm, during afternoon thunderstorms, and after parks close. (like when your park closes at 7pm, eat at 7:30pm.)
A disadvantage, I find, of Sept/October is that evening hours are limited. It's stilll hot this time of year. We eat many dinners at resorts.

point ten- proper shoes. Always important. Make sure all shoes are good for wlaking. Sandals are great. Smelly, wet sneakers are bad. Avoid wearing sneakers on days when rain is likely. Oh - do watch weather reports. Crocs or Keens are great- since they are fine when wet. Make sure one pair of shoes are water tolerant. I mean soaking rain tolerant!


point eleven- intersperse indoor activities - esp ones with no wait. In warm onths, it mae snese to hop on the monrial or take a boat- when normally we might walk the same distance. Attractions like CoP, PotC, tiki room, One Man's Dream, table serve lunches, Bug's Life, Living with the Land, Imagination ride, France movie, etc. all become more valuable in the hot months. They are a way to escape the heat with minimal waiting. Do these attractions in the relative heat of the day, or when you want a small break from the heat. Do bigger attractions during peripheral hours - as much as you are able. You still have to use FP's when they come due, but often the 'in-between' attractions have short lines at night.

did I mention how important it is to drink LOTS of water?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Love the suggestion to get accimated to heat before you go. That really helps.

One more thing not mentioned....not sure how to say...but taking photos early in the day before everyone starts to melt is wise.

I recently dicovered the value of face blotter papers. ( try Sephora) They are a small thign to carry, but you could easily substitute a napkin, tissue, etc. Consider blotting your face before taking that afternoon photo to avoid shiny faces. It also matter what kind of suncreen you use. The spray can type is fine for shoulders, but for your face, consider a lotion. The standard spray can stuff makes your skin shiny.

Oh, in the summer heat, I also minimize make up. You don't want racoon eyes or that melty look that comes from too much liquid base. DO use lip sunscreen!

 

[Schmoodle]

Oh, in the summer heat, I also minimize make up. You don't want racoon eyes or that melty look that comes from too much liquid base. DO use lip sunscreen!

Good point - I always used to end up looking like a racoon in the heat. One recommendation I read on these boards and LOVE is the Blink mascara. It stays on in the heat - it's all I use now. Not so much to do with keeping cool, but to keep from looking like heck in the heat.

 

[Minnesota!]

Huggies baby wipes for the face. You'd be surprised at how refreshing it is!

We just got back on Sunday from 11 days in WDW. It was hotter here in MN than it was there!

The humidity was what we are used to, but still made us sweat

What we did:

Shower in the AM, then head out for rope drop

Intermix A/C rides with non A/C rides

We each had a small, battery operated fan from Target. It really worked well!

I filled up water bottles every so often and poured them over my kids' heads. They loved it!

We wore athletic shorts and baggier t-shirts. Dried quickly, nothing clinging.

Stayed in the parks until around 1230, headed back to the resort, had lunch, hit the pool, hit the shower, then rested for a while until about 430. Head out to a park for the evening. Got back, showered again..

Definitely keep hydrated, don't over do the parks...just take your time.

And I agree - I had a pkg of baby wipes (for the boys faces/hands after meals) and I ended up using them at times to wipe my face down. They felt GREAT!!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Stayed in the parks until around 1230, headed back to the resort, had lunch, hit the pool, hit the shower, then rested for a while until about 430. Head out to a park for the evening. Got back, showered again..

I'm not picking on this post, but an option that doesn't get full play on the DIS is to take that break at a resort OTHER than your own.

When we have an ADR at Boma, we often make a point to hang out at AKL either before or after dinner.

From MK, the monorail and WL resorts are often empty mid-day. GF has live music. Just in August we did this. It worked out ideal. We enjoyed the music in the cool lobby on a comfy couch. Just as we were about to return to MK, the sky let loose. We sat on the portico watching the storm until it passed, and nibbled on a snack from the QS place. As soon as it let up, we were only one stop from MK. On the way, we saw the most amazing rainbow over CR! We arrived in time to use a FP, and the park crowds were much thinner than they had been earlier.

From Epcot, you could go to an Epcot resort, see a 360 movie in WS, see Engergy. From HS, you can also go to an Epcot area resort.

A free shuttle boat is another option. So is taking in an adult beverage.

you could also take a bus to whichever bus you see at teh bus stops. It's also nice way to have lunch at a place like the new AoA resort.