How do you get out of the sun at Disneyland?

[JustCallMeMommy]

One of the things I have been looking forward to most about Disneyland is the milder weather (compared to home or Orlando). Mother Nature is a kidder though and thought she would send a heat wave along for our first Disneyland visit. I've been pretty good at avoiding extreme heat in Orlando by traveling in the fall or spring, and I thought the typical highs in the low- to mid-80's looked great.

Now that the forecast is in the high-90's and over 100 for two of our park days, I thought I'd better find out how hot that is in reality. Everyone I talk to here calls is a "different" kind of heat because it isn't accompanied by the extreme humidity. For the record, my glasses fogged up walking to my car this morning - 76% humidity can be annoying.

We usually do park-open to park-close (it is just DD13 and me). I think we'll try to get a FastPass for the afternoon Frozen show to get a mid-day break that way. What other attractions are especially good for getting out of the sun? I have ADRs for lunch on the hottest two days, so that may help some.

So, what is your strategy on the hottest CA days?

 

[figment_jii]

So, what is your strategy on the hottest CA days?

Lot's of water!

The activities inside the Animation Building in DCA are a good choice for staying indoors for a bit. It's not indoors, so it won't help in that regard, but another option for a mid-day break is Mickey and the Magical Map. It does give you a pretty good length of time to just sit down and drink something cool. I've not watched it, but Path of the Jedi is another option, as is It's Tough to be a Bug. Those tend to have pretty short waits and are indoor attractions.

 

[pinkprincess30]

Some ques have a shaded place to line up. Indiana Jones is pretty shady. Pirates is good once you get inside. Tiki room is a nice shaded place to sit and rest waiting for the next showing, and then nice inside. Jungle River Cruise que is shaded and then pretty cool throughout the ride. The shows going on inside the Golden Horseshoe are a nice break. Star Tours que is indoors unless the line is super long.

In DCA there's Soarin', which has a que indoors for the most part. Frozen at the Hyperion is a nice break from the sun. Then there's Animation Academy, Turtle Talk with Crush, and The Little Mermaid has a great covered que.

Take advantage of Splash Mountain and Grizzly River Rapids!

 

[Hojoanaheim]

Yes lots of water, if you go to any quick service they are more than happy to give you cups of water with ICE. I asked for 3 regular-sized cups once and they had no problem with it. Sometimes Starbuck has a water jug and cups out so you don't even have to ask anyone.

Sometimes we get a nice cool breeze and that helps A LOT. But that depends on where the wind is coming from. Coastal wind is NICE, inland breeze is warm.

I also go into the shops, go on long air conditioned rides like Pirates or Small World, and ride Splash Mountain! The fan misting water bottle is nice too. And a CM told me you can bring an umbrella.

Have fun, stay cool!
Kriss

 

[ADLFAN]

I see lots of people with umbrellas and I am always jealous of their portable shade!

I like our Disney misting fan, but it's bulky and I hate carrying it. I bought a smaller one in the grocery store and it worked better for me.

We bought a few of those evaporating Frog Tog scarves and they are refreshing, too.

I loooooove Pirates when it's hot, when we get on it I say, "enjoy your 15 minute break!"

Grizzly River Run is super popular when it's hot, so always always get a Fastpass for it!

The Little Mermaid is perfectly air conditioned and I once asked to ride three times in a row without leaving my clamshell because there was no line and I was melting! As long as they aren't backed up, they'll gladly run you through again!

Animation Academy is super fun, too! I suggest bringing a smaller sketchbook if you really want to save your drawings, because those gigantic pieces of paper are hard to carry around without damaging the drawings.

Make sure to treat yourselves to a frozen lemonade, my favorite cart in Fantasyland does a cherry version, yum! Have some Mickey Ice Cream Bars and sandwiches in the shade of New Orleans Square!

If all else fails, flee to your hotel's pool for an hour and return feeling refreshed!

Have fun!

 

[Diszona]

As everyone else has mentioned, drink lots of water, we also use the mister-fan things they sell to help cool off. If you find yourself getting to hot, there a plenty of attractions that take 10 minutes+ (Pirates, iasw, tiki room, etc.) that can get you in the air conditioning for a while and give you a break from the heat. Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln is excellent for this because not only is there the show but there are a lot of things to see during the pre and post show. Also, figment's advice about the Animation Building is spot-on there is a lot of stuff to do under one roof. Across the way, the Monsters Inc. ride is nice because it seems like the air conditioning is always set cooler in there than anywhere else in the park.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Also recommend those cooling towels for around your neck. We went to Disneyland a couple of Julys ago and it was pretty warm but never felt like Florida hot. Just a little bit of shade made a huge difference. Enjoy!

 

[tdhickey]

I'm not a sun person, but for the most part the hot weather at Disneyland doesn't seem to bother me, mostly because there's enough shade here and there. For the most part you can find shade in the lineups, and on the worst days endure "It's a Small World" for some nice AC or a good splashy water ride.

 

[DisneylandDarling]

Lots of water!

We usually like to sit in a shady place (New Orleans Square is great!) and people watch when it gets really hot and we just need a break. None of us handle the heat very well, so it's a must that we take a break in the shade.

Pirates is an excellent ride for when it's hot out, as well as It's a Small World.

If it gets really hot, we usually will just go back to the hotel and take a break. It's not fun if you start feeling sick from the heat, so we like to take a nice break, take a cool shower, and then hit the ground running after a couple hours of break.

 

[crystal1313]

We hit rides that are cooler, like Tiki room, IASW, POTC and HM. We get tons of free water at counter service places and also bring frogg togg chilly pads that are life savers! I have my boys wear the towels on their neck to cool them and protect from the sun. If we take a break we always find a shady spot.

 

[disneyobsessed808]

A lot of times I will take a break in the Grand Californian Lobby because they have comfy chairs, a great atmosphere, and great AC! In Disneyland, I will stop into the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln lobby if I need a break from the heat.

 

[taniahappy]

Beer, wear a sun hat and shade in between rides.

 

[offwithyourhead]

I prefer going in the off season when it's cooler because I'm heat sensitive. I went in August for my first trip and got heat stroke, it was horrible. Threw up all of day 2. Avoid it at all costs.

Drink water constantly. Bathroom breaks will be more frequent but are worth it. Definitely bring a hat, and if you can get a cooling pad (check sporting goods stores, I second the frogg toggs suggestion) bring one of those as well.

I agree with those who say to bring a spray bottle, but if one is too clunky for you, bring a small travel sized spray bottle (100 ml-ish) and just keep filling it throughout the day at water fountains. Go on as many water rides as you can and keep your clothes moist if possible. Next time I'll also be bringing one of those foldable japanese-style fans. I find them useful even at home in the summer months, and they're easy to carry.

Stay out of the sun as much as possible - walk through the shops instead of outside them. Pick rides based on whether their lines are outside or inside (covered) during the hottest parts of the day.

 

[my*gracie*girl]

We like to get a Dole Whip and watch the Tiki Room show to cool off!

 

[rentayenta]

The CA and heat feel different than the Florida sun and heat; much less humid. I never feel that warm on CA. My family loves the misting fans. There is more shade at Disneyland than DCA for sure. We love the Animation Academy on extra warms days. The pool is a good spot too.

 

[Congo Queen]

Like mygraciegirl we like Tiki Room - even just hanging out in the Tiki Room garden is nice b/c shaded and easy access to the whipped Dole

 

[smartlabelprint]

I'll second little mermaid.

 

[NJlauren]

I'm guessing 10-4 are the hottest, but does it peak for an hour or two and the drop? In the evening is it much cooler?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink more water! As others have said, just keep hydrating throughout the day with the free cups of ice water from most CS locations. Catch a show at the Golden Horseshoe while enjoying ice cream nachos. Go see Mr. Lincoln (the exhibit in the waiting area of the Opera House is pretty cool.) Take time to go shopping! You can have your purchases held at the news stand by the DL entrance so you won't have to carry lots of bags around in the heat.

 

[disneychrista]

Afternoon breaks back at the hotel.

Several years ago we went during an August Heat wave with 60%+ humidity. It was HORRIBLE. We would get to the parks at opening and then leave after lunch and not go back until dinner time. So from about 1p - 5p we would spend at the hotel.