Hot weather survival tips?

[StrwLady]

This fan is sold at walmart. It works nicely

We are night people so we normally do no hit the parks until 1 or 2. Yes this is a hot time but it ends up being in the highest heat less hours. We then do evening extra magic hours which in August its likely the MK will be open to 2am or 3am.

Other posters offered great suggestions. Basically try any way to get out of the direct sun. I love using a hat with a brim. It really helps. Also the last 2 summers I brought cheep umbrellas and used them during the heat of the day when in direct sun. I buy small fold-able umbrellas. Compact for carrying and not so large when open, that I have to worry about hitting others with the edges.

 

[atsolomon]

Spend the summer walking outside carrying what you might be carrying at WDW to get a bit heat trained.

Listen to your body. Take AC breaks during the day as needed (hello, Hall of Presidents).

Go back to the pool every afternoon.

The counter service places will give you large cups of ice water. Drink lots of them. Light colored clothing (not cotton), sun hats, sunscreen all help.

Take it slow and have a great time.

--Adam

 

[babydovesx2]

Bring misting fans for each person in your party. Buy them before you go they are expensive in the parks.

 

[alicia080979]

Oh I forgot to add something about fans. We bought the big misting fans at Walmart before one trip then our neighbors were selling never used Disney World misting fans at their garage sale so we bought those for $1 (still had the tags on them!). We always take them with us on vacation just in case but after carrying them around one day we were over it.

We found that the tiny little $1 fans from walmart (they are about 3-4" tall, have a foam blade and a little clip) were the best things ever. They are tiny so you don't mind having it clipped to your bag, pocket, lanyard, etc. and they actually do a pretty good job of cooling your face & neck off while standing in line. We usually take a thing of rechargable batteries and just charge them each night so we are good to go the next morning. Between the chill pads & the little fans we have always been fine.

 

[Marshel]

http://www.polarbreezebandanas.com/

I swear by these in hot weather, imo they work better than the little fans and of course you can you use them in conjunction with a fan/mister. They can also be found in Walmart in the sporting goods dept., don't know if they are the same brand. You can also google cooling neck wraps and find other brands of the same item, some cheaper, but these are the best.

 

[meljean]

We swore the same thing!! Then we found ourselves down there during the heat. The humidity was much worse than the heat. I'm not sure if you are planning on bringing a stroller but I would suggest bringing one. The heat and humidty are hard on little ones and you really don't want to carry them. I agree with others in that you should bring your own fan ahead of time. We didn't and spent a small fortune buying one. Also....bring baby powder, we found this out the hard way. We came back a few times and spent the afternoons in the pool. We found we enjoyed staying out late as the evenings were more comfortable and didn't do the early mornings. Also, buy the double insulated mugs. We found them at Target. This way, you don't have sweaty water bottles. We put ice in them in the am and they still had ice in the afternoon!! Great buy!

 

[geenerbell]

Thank you for all these great ideas. We are going in June for the first time and the heat/humidity is really worrying me. My suggestion is the Camelbak Groove filtering water bottle. I love mine and can't do without it year-round.

 

[CindyV]

we have been in july and august, not our first choice but did so due to how our holidays fell. I would not get to the point that i was worried about it. I hate the heat like that and we are not outside people when it is that hot.
But we hit the parks early and got everything that we wanted to get done, done. we got a lot of rides done in the morning and left early afternoon. Every park we went to we did the same thing. It was suprising how much rides we got done in the morning.
We also made sure to buy some gatorade type drinks and put them inthe freezer the day before. There are so many indoor rides and that is a big relief from the weather. It really didnt bug us as much as i thought it would. Our son was a bit grumpy at times, but it wasnt unbearable. I would think june would be a bit better then july and august.

 

[kaligal]

For an otherwise healthy person, the best advice is water. You don't need to replace electrolytes. Just drink water. Don't wait until you're thirsty, just carry it with you and take sips on a regular basis.

Get enough sleep.

Eat a balanced diet or take your vitamins. Try not to eat heavy stuff. And don't force food on anyone unless you want them to vomit.

Wear very light-weight, flowy clothes. No double-knit polos.

Use sunscreen, even if you don't burn. That doesn't really help with heat; it helps prevent skin cancer.

Don't carry a ton of crap with you. Bring as little as possible.

Get to the parks as early as possible and leave around 11:00 or 11:30. Take a nap. Come back late afternoon/evening. Stay later.

Don't count on water rides cooling you off. Due to the humidity, you don't dry quickly. Now you're ridiculously hot AND your clothes are heavy and sticking to your skin.

Me, myself, I prepare to be miserable in the heat. If I'm not, I consider it a bonus. In this way, I'm never disappointed.

It's so freaking hot and HUMID...it's the humidity that makes it all so difficult.

Good luck!

 

[Kristina]

Bring cases of water for your room since you'll need so much, either pick it up on the way if your driving or have it delivered by Garden Grocer. There is also a woman who calls herself Personal Disney Shopper who everyone on my Disney FB fan page uses who will stop and get grocerys, Disney items, whatever and deliver that to you and she could pick up those cooling cloths too that some have mentioned.
That's about all I've got that hasn't been mentioned, although maybe that's more of a money saving tip? I know that when I we went for our very first trip in November, even then it was so hot that I ended up opening a bottle of our ice water and dumping it all over my boyfriend while we were in line at Pop waiting for our very first bus ever to the MK! He was shocked at first but then oh so happy haha !

 

[geenerbell]

Bring cases of water for your room since you'll need so much, either pick it up on the way if your driving or have it delivered by Garden Grocer. There is also a woman who calls herself Personal Disney Shopper who everyone on my Disney FB fan page uses who will stop and get grocerys, Disney items, whatever and deliver that to you and she could pick up those cooling cloths too that some have mentioned.
That's about all I've got that hasn't been mentioned, although maybe that's more of a money saving tip? I know that when I we went for our very first trip in November, even then it was so hot that I ended up opening a bottle of our ice water and dumping it all over my boyfriend while we were in line at Pop waiting for our very first bus ever to the MK! He was shocked at first but then oh so happy haha !

Instead of cases of water buy the Camelbak Groove filtering water bottle. It takes every last bit of bad taste out of any water. When we stop to fill up the tank on the drive, we fill up the bottles at the soda fountain with ice and water. Price=$0 per bottle of water.

 

[CarolAnnB]

One tip I read before our trip last summer was to start drinking some extra water a few days before you leave home because you can start getting dehydrated before you know it. I do think it helped.

 

[disneychic]

I agree with what others have said. Go EARLY and agree upon a time to leave before it gets unbearable - for us this is around 11:30 or so and it gets us back to the resort in time for lunch and some pool time. Then we try to enjoy our resort for a little while and head back out to the parks in the early evening - and go straight to dinner, this way by the time dinner is over and we're walking around the parks its already after 7:00 PM and not as hot.

Also, make sure you stay hydrated - sun/heat stroke is awful.

 

[Kristina]

Instead of cases of water buy the Camelbak Groove filtering water bottle. It takes every last bit of bad taste out of any water. When we stop to fill up the tank on the drive, we fill up the bottles at the soda fountain with ice and water. Price=$0 per bottle of water.

You know that makes good sense as well if you think about the environment as well, and we all should especially in regards to toting water bottles with us everywhere then just tossing them away! Excellent, I will check those out !

 

[Tarffri]

one more: mid day, if you toss a bucket of ice into your tub and fill it with cold water and dunk your legs it will feel GLORIOUS. I do this a lot at night before bed too, just to take down the swelling that comes from the heat.

Me likey!

My two cents: Bring a couple of packages of unscented baby wipes and a small bottle of witch hazel. Open baby wipe container, saturate the wipes with the witch hazel, reseal the wipes and put the package in a gallon baggie so it doesn't leak. Use these wipes to freshen up while you are in the parks or out and about. The witch hazel removes the "greasies" without drying out like alcohol and leaves you feeling cool and refreshed. I have many uses for witch hazel. It's nice to put W.H. in a cool bath too.

 

[we3travellers]

Oh my! Thank you all SO much for all the great advice. DH has promised me that he will get up early for RD. Now getting DS to drink lots of water will be a challenge! Did you all know that one of the best things for restoring electrolytes is milk? True. Now that's something DS will drink anytime. I love lots of the ideas and will definitely try several. This has relieved my worries of Florida in August!

 

[turtlegirl25]

My body was not made for the heat! I will tell you our end of August trip was just fine. Each day I would put take the hand towel from our hotel room, wet it down and wrap it around my neck. That was all I needed. We would take breaks in the afternoon only because our girls (6 & 8) needed a break. It wasn't because of the heat. There are SO many indoor attractions to keep you out of the sun. Good luck!

 

[Mickeyhuk]

We use something similar to the baby wipes. I can't recall the name but we purchase dry face wipes in the cosmetic sections. When you wet them they become soapy and allow you to wash up. We prefer them because they are dry and can be carried loose in your pocket without packaging. Either way it's another option. Have a good trip!

 

[Dee77]

I am going for the first time in August with my DD(5) and DNiece(8). Not first trip just the first one when I let my excitement get the better of me rather than the rational side that should have told me to stay away at that time of year. I am really nervous about how worthwhile it will be to go when the heat is guaranteed to be overwhelming. I love the tips and plan on following them. I just have to hope that we are all up to the task of early mornings, relaxing in the afternoon and then late nights at the parks, 2 of our nights MK is open until 1am so we will definitely do that.

One question I do have is whether or not Disney really pumps up the AC in the theaters, waiting areas for rides, restaurants etc. or does it feel just a bit better because of all the open space and doors constantly opening?

Thanks OP for starting this thread and everyone for all the wonderful tips. I am glad to know I will be better prepared than I wanted to admit that I need to be.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

We went to WDW last August, have lived in FL and currently live in SE TX, so hopefully some of these tips are helpful. What's crazy...while everyone griped about the summer heat while we were there in 2010, it was actually significantly cooler than the temps in Texas last summer.

OK, so here are my tips...

1. Wear clothes that breathe really well and having water wicking capabilities
2. Wear sandals or flip flops designed for walking (break them in well) - it's amazing what cool feet can do for your overall body temp
3. Stay hydrated...drink TONS of water
4. Wear a hat...the sun is brutal to people walking around without their heads covered. You will retain energy quite a bit longe if you have on head gear.
5. Use a product like body glide- even if you don't think you need it- it really helps with comfort after walking aound all day on a hot day
6. Take afternoon breaks- by 2pm, things are pretty warm and you energy will likely be falling, so now is the time to recharge your batteries- so go take a nap, sit in A/C for an hour or two, go to the pool, etc.
7. Keep track of air conditioned options - shops/attractions/restaurants - b/c those are your friend if you're really feeling the heat and can't get back for a rest just yet.
8. Shows like BatB have very little air flow in the theater (this was the ONLY time we were hot), so try and do the earliest show.
9. I don't love them, but misting fans and neck coolers can be helpful if you're not used to the heat
10. Get to the parks at rope drop and use evening EMH. i.e. try and hit the parks at the coolest times.
11. If anyone has long hair- keep it up in a pony tail. Having the hair up can do wonders.
12. Always wear sunglasses...I mean, this should be a given no matter what, but it's amazing the damage the sun can do to your eyes.
13. Get a really good sunscreen and apply it regularly. Even a mild burn can zap your energy.
14. Try and condition yourself. While the Canadian weather is probably much cooler in the summer- if you see you're going to have a heat wave come through- spend the days outside as much as possible (be safe about it obviously) just to try and prep your body.
15. Read up on the warning signs of heat stroke so you can recognize early signs.
16. Avoid caffeine and alcohol- at least until you can sit back and relax.


I'm sure there's more- but that's what I've got right now.