How do you keep cool?

[94bruin]

Other than drinking a lot of water, what are some ways to keep cool in the Southern California sun? I'm thinking of those times when you are waiting in line and there is no shade.

Do those misting fans work? I saw some at Walmart, but they seem kinda big and unwieldy. I think I saw a previous post for misty mate, but WM doesn't seem to carry them anymore. I'd rather get something ahead of time, if possible.

 

[Raindown]

I hat is helpful, preferably lighter in color too. Oh and ice cream

 

[Tablefor5]

I think that the dollar store/ drug store squirt bottles work well. Get one with adjusting nozel for mist to stream...my kids seem to love them! You could also take bandana's and wet them to place around your neck while waiting in line.
The fan systems always seem to break and then you are stuck with a kid who knows it's supposed to work and a mommy/daddy who can't fix-it...the heat isn't the only thing to worry about

 

[LavenderPeach]

We try to freeze our water bottles before we go so we'll have cool water later in the day. And we find A/C anywhere we can (innoventions, annimation building, small world).

Honestly, there have been many times i've been tempted to buy one of those mister fans at DLR. Sometimes there will be someone in line in front of me with one and i can feel a little of the mist and it does seem to help me feel cooler. The ones at DLR have a strap which seems like a good idea. Not sure if the ones you saw at walmart have that too.

There's also these gel neck wrap things that are supposed to work pretty well to keep you cool. Not sure where you buy those, maybe online somewhere.

 

[chrissiecutie]

My boys, DH and DS, always bring in wide brim hats. When the heat is at it's worst- usually 12-4pm, they will soak the hats with cold water everytime we stop near a spot to do so. Keeps them cool...

I also buy mini battery fans for each of us and keep them in the stroller. That way if we are waiting for a parade or something and there's no shade or relief from the sun, we at least are able to move the air around a bit. They really help and only cost $1.50 at Walmart or the Dollar Store.

You can also buy clip on fans for your stroller, if you bring one in with you. I bought the Ray Shade which is an attachable/expandable sun shade for your stroller with UVA/UVB protection. I think it was $15-20 at Target or Babies R Us.

But the best advice I can give you...don't go to SoCal in the summertime! It seems whenever I'm there, they are having some sort of heat wave with record highs. Ha! When are they going to realize this is just the normal now and not a "record"!

 

[LuLusApple]

Hat, non greasy sunscreen "nuetrogena ultra sheer dry touch"
lol and my trusty mister fan from Target. My fan is two years old and still sprayin' I like the fan because after you mist a lite breeze is a huge help and sometimes in the lines the air is stagnant
frozen water bottles and sometimes a wet bandana like scarf
also a ride on GRR will do the trick for a couple hours

 

[Leshaface]

I take a washcloth from our hotel room and put it in a gallon zip lock bag...when it starts to get hot, take your washcloth to the bathroom and douse it with cold water and keep it on the back of your neck..

When you're done using it, put it back in the ziplock bag, until you need it again! It works!

 

[blackjackdelta]

We leave the parks for an afternoon break, we limit our exposure times, love the animation building except the folks who seem to flop down on anything for great lengths of time, drink lots of fluids, everyone wears a hat and we come from a place that is well over a 100 so we are fairly aclimated.

Jack

 

[Kayla's Mom]

"nuetrogena ultra sheer dry touch"

Love this stuff!!

 

[rentayenta]

Disneyland spray fans.

 

[Lissame]

Those spray fans at DL cost around $20 each when we broke down and bought one in 2007. If you can find one cheaper, it would definitely be worth buying one elsewhere.

Remember that you can get ice water or just a cup of ice for free from any counter service restaurant. The Harbor Galley (across from HM, I think that's the name) rarely has a line, that's a great place to get some.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Visit Princess Dot's Puddle Park in DCA for a quick cool down!!

Or you can jump into the ROA like the moron did last year (***please do not do this it's just a joke, sincerely 3M1M's lawyer)

 

[rentayenta]

The fans were $15.50 and a super fun souvenir. My kids also use them on the fire truck during the July 4th parade. I found smaller and cheaper ones at Walgreens but they love having Disney ones.

 

[TiggerMomNine]

http://safetycentral.com/brcomibapoke.html

This website has little keychain fans that spray water. We got similar ones at Walmart (in the electric fan department) for a few bucks - my kids love them!

 

[nannyz]

The secret to staying cool is to keep the carotid artery cool. This is best done by wrapping a cool wet cloth or bandana around your neck and refreshing it often. I have found that wearing a hat just makes me hotter because the heat cannot escape from my head.

 

[specialks]

As one of the early posters listed, those gel neck packs work great. They are a "homemade" craft that someone created and are probably wide-market available by now. I think they contain those crystals that you can plant into (potted plants) and if you add water to a small amount they expand. You get it wet and wrap/tie it around your neck and you are set to go. Not sure how safe they are for young ones but you could use your own judgement. Do some web searches for neck cooler (check etsy).

 

[94bruin]

Thanks for all the suggestions. It's not supposed to be too hot when we go next week, thankfully. But at some point, you inevitably get stuck under the hot sun (last time for us it was the Matterhorn line in October!), and DD1 always complains of being hot.

For those who have fans, are the fans battery operated? Do you just squirt water and the fan blows the mist?

 

[The Orchid]

Evaporative Cooling Vests

This will change your life forever if you have difficulty in the heat or sun. I have both lupus and another autoimmune disease similar to MS, both of which make me very sick in the sun and heat. My difficulty with heat was ruining my trips to Disneyland. I found this cooling vest, and yes, it is ugly, but omg it worked like I would never have believed.

The idea is to soak this thing in water for a few minutes before leaving your hotel room. Then you blot it out well. The material retains water inside, but not outside. You put that on and it does not make you wet, but it creates an evaporation that makes your skin cool.

It used to be that I would go into the sun and my body temperature would go up 4 degrees, making me feel terrible. With the cooling vest, my temperature remained normal all day long. In fact, there were times that I ended up so cool that I was shivering and had to take the thing off! I highly recommend this to anybody who finds the heat to be a problem.

 

[cooniez]

subbing...great thread! these tips will come in handy when we go in mid-June!

 

[shellncesar]

We like to go back to the hotel, blast the AC and take a dip in the pool. The pool will cool down your core very fast and leave you refreshed! And if that is not an option, go on Splash Mountain! You will get soaked there!