Help with handling the heat!

[MDH]

So our trip starts tomorrow and temps are supposed to be 39, 37, 33, 32, 30, 30, 30 Celsius for the days we are there (100 to 90 ferenheit roughly). We're a family of Canadians that consider 25 degrees (75ish) got , I'm more than a little nervous about handling this heat. Anyone have any advice? We'll be taking lots if water bottles, are there places to refill then throughout the park? Is there much share to cower in?? It's better than rain I suppose, but certainly not something we're accustomed to.

 

[SMD]

Take a small, lightweight umbrella and make your own shade.

 

[amyg1975]

Water is available from the fountains, as well as from counter service restaurants. Enjoy some cold snacks (fresh fruit, dole whips, ice cream). Visit the indoor shops and shows during the hot parts of the day. If your hotel is close, take a break in the afternoon, it helps a lot! We were there in the summer and it was 95-100 degrees every day, and it was rough! We took 3 hour breaks, which we NEVER do, and it helped so much!

 

[MDH]

Thanks! I think I might need TWO dole whips a day!

 

[Astylla]

If you can find frogg togg cooling towels we SWARE by them. It makes a huge difference and go early and take midday breaks at the hottest times.

 

[disneyxica20]

lots of water, umbrellas/parasols, cooling cloths work really nicely. you can buy spray bottle fans in the park, but they are cheaper at walmart, target, etc. those can sometimes be annoying to lug around all day, so i usually just use a fan that connects to my phone. it's small, so it doesn't take up much room, it isn't hard on my phone battery, and works even better if combined with a cooling cloth or just wet paper towel.
splash and grizzly river can have long waits when it gets hot, but if you do single rider, you'll basically get to walk right on to cool off quickly. princess dot's puddle park is a life saver also!

 

[Canuck16]

That is hot for sure but at least the temperature gets cooler through your trip.

We are from Kelowna so we are use to heat during the summer but when we were there in September 2012 it was over 40 degrees C (between 100-110 F) for the first few days and it never got cooler than 35 C while we were there.

We made sure that we had refillable water bottles in our pack that we filled up throughout the parks. We would also take a mid day break back at the hotel to cool off at the pool.

Have a great trip!

 

[lorijohnhill]

Water, water, and more water. If you are feeling off, avoid caffeine. One nice thing about DLR is there are lots of places to get out of the heat. The shows, dark rides, water rides, shops, etc are a great help in the heat.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

We're here now and some of our days have been in the mid-90's and humid (for CA). The above advice is good, and also avoid wearing dark clothing. Stick to white and pale colors as deeper colors absorb solar energy, which translates to a hotter experience.

 

[lalasmama]

I have a medical condition that results in some significant heat intolerance, so I've tried to get this "dialed in" perfectly before going to Disneyland. It's not *perfect*, but it works well enough to let me enjoy the parks in the summer.

We have a small (palm-sized) mister fan which we refill often from water cups at restaurants, and a frogg togg towel thing, both from Wal-mart. However, since it's September, you may have a harder time finding either thing. But I'd still look, especially in a clearance aisle or such.

Here's a DIY that looks pretty easy for the cooling scarf. Of course, they are only minimally fashionable, but when it's hot out, I throw fashion out the window!
http://www.sew4home.com/projects/fabric-art-accents/cooling-neck-wraps-adults-kids-pets

As others have said, try to avoid caffeine as much as possible. Take mid-day breaks, whether that means going back to the hotel, or popping into a show attraction for air conditioning. Don't try to push yourself to do too much; things will cool down as soon as the sun goes down. Enjoy the water rides as much as possible; I've taken a light cotton cardigan with me, and worn it on Grizzly, just so it would get soaked and cool me for a little longer!

 

[disneychrista]

Hats. I do not wear hats in my normal life but when I am at Disneyland I HAVE TO wear a hat or being in the sun drains me. During long days, I head back to the hotel for a few hours to get out of the sun.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Little mermaid is a great ride to cool off in DCA.

 

[Malcon10t]

Also remmeber a lot of rides are indoors. POTC is good for a 15 min cooldown. And It's a Small World is great! And even Lincoln is a cooling ride!

 

[Nonsuch]

Hats. I do not wear hats in my normal life but when I am at Disneyland I HAVE TO wear a hat or being in the sun drains me...

I purchased (many years ago) an Indiana Jones style hat at the shop across from the attraction, and wearing hats has become part of my Disneyland "uniform".

 

[Mysteryincorp]

Animation academy is a great place to cool off and so much fun! We grab a hot dog from the Top Weiners restaurant across the street, eat lunch and sit down while we wait for the next drawing. Turtle talk and the sorcerers workshop are in the same place....great area to relax and cool down.

 

[heffalumpz]

What's nice about California is the humidity is pretty low most of the time! Makes the heat more bearable.

 

[lk2500]

Don't forget to apply some good sunscreen as there are some lines where you can't avoid standing in direct sunlight.

As other mentioned a hat is a must, drink plenty of water, and rest in the shade.

My favorite snack during the heat is a pineapple spear that is available at the fruit carts on Main St and by Indiana Jones/Jungle Cruise entrance. It's a bit pricey for a chunk of pineapple but it really hits the spot on a hot day.

 

[azdisneylover]

To help with dehydration, make sure like others have stated, drink lots of water. If you get tired of water, in DTD, there is Jamba Juice that has great juices. Take a long lunch during the heat of the day at one of the restaurants in DTD, or see a movie. Whitewater Snacks in DGC is a great place to get out of the sun and relax and still enjoy the Disney ambiance especially if you sit outside! There are plenty of counter service places in both parks that have fruit platters on their menus. Order one or two and share with everyone in your party. Disney has a way to pick the best fruit.

 

[lorijohnhill]

The smoothie place across the street from Animation Academy is really good also!

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Bring your own reusable water bottles if you can. I believe there are companies that make bag-style water bottles for travel in suitcases so they don't take up much space. There are filtered water spigots at many of the CS restaurants where you can fill up for free ("Galactic Grill" in TL and Hungry Bear among others).

Try to get a frogg togg towel or similar. They are awesome in the heat. Alternatively, you can get a basic cheap bandana and water it down (or even freeze it with water on it in your hotel fridge and pick it up half-way through the day. Portable fans or personal cooling systems to wear around your neck can sometimes be useful, too.

In the hottest parts of the day (between 1PM and 4PM on average) either go back to the hotel for a break or check out indoor attractions like the Animation Academy, the Tiki Room, etc. Pirates and IASM have great air conditioning, so don't count those out either. You could also try to pull a fastpass for GRR or Splash Mountain for the hottest part of the day (don't do standby in the middle of day when it's hot). If you're taking your children, the water play area in Bug's Land at DCA is fun, too.

If it's really too hot, you can always go see a movie in DTD.