Just out of curiosity... questions about air conditioning. Please read. :)

[HappilyHis]

I'm pretty swayed against the contraption I came across on the internet called the Handy Cooler...

But, as I read on the boards I see a few posts saying that certain rides and/or queue lines are air conditioned... Just how cool do some of the rides/lines get? Someone said that the Hall of Presidents is the coldest building in MK.

So, what rides/queues are the best air conditioned? I've been in some places that claim to be air conditioned, only to find that they have a couple of fans blowing around the hot air.

Also... if you could settle a small debate between my husband and I...

He firmly believes that if we set hour hotel room air conditioner to stay on most of the day so that our room is ice cold when we return (Which is the only way either of us can sleep..) that the Mousekeepers will turn the AC off.

I told him that I seriously doubt they would do that, but he really believes that they will. So, have any of you ever experienced this? I can't recall this ever happening at any other hotel I've ever stayed at, and I always blast the AC.

Thanks in advance! I'm an old pro at dealing with heat/humidity (though I've been informed it's nothing like Florida heat/humidity), but my husband... not so much. I'm not truly worried about him having bad problems like heat stroke, but I just want his trip to Disney World to be as fun as possible... so he'll take me back sometime!

 

[robinsegg]

If you're dealing with overheating, get some ice (they tell me it's free) and set it on pulse points (neck, wrists, temples). It really helps cool down.
In a family with 3 asthmatics, subbing to this thread!

 

[Ali]

Some of the a/c are now motion activated so they turn off when you are not in the room. It doesn't take too long to cool down though. People have suggested a helium balloon in the room that gets blown around but I haven't tried it. Hall of pres is cold. It's a great place to take a break. Most lines are under covers but not air conditioned.

 

[chartle]

Any place inside, including gift shops with open doors, are air conditioned.

The only exception is at AK it seems that they have less AC.

I have also heard people say that the thermostats are motion activated.

 

[Dayday]

i would also like to know if anyone has used the HandyCooler?? was thinkng about ordering one.. TIA

 

[HappilyHis]

I did read that the Handy Cooler doesn't perform as well in high humidity... so probably isn't the best contraption to take to Disney World. However, if someone has used it with decent results, I'm still interested in hearing so.

Looks like, it will be mister fans with ice water for us.

The only piece of advice I would have for someone, and this is coming from my days of band camp in the scorching Georgia sun and humidity, is it isn't fun walking around in wet clothes. Chaffing is the worst, and won't happen any faster than if you're walking around in wet clothes. Which is why I am planning on wearing a poncho on Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids. The humid weather keeps your clothes from drying quickly, and warm and damp/wet clothing rubbing against your skin all day (especially if you have even the slightest sunburn) is the fastest way to ruin your day.

So, mister fans with ice water, a cool washcloth and nearly an OCD approach to staying hydrated; along with forcing ourselves to slow down and take a break in the shade or inside of an A/Ced gift shop; is going to be our method for beating the heat. Now I just need to convince my husband that Coke Zero doesn't exactly hydrate him.

As for the motion activated air conditioning units in the rooms... I will probably see how it goes the first day, but if we come back to a room that is too warm, I definitely see ourselves attaching a balloon to the unit to see if it will keep it running the next day.

Thanks everyone for your advice.

 

[HappilyHis]

Ok... another thought on the motion activated air conditioning units...

Approximately how long do they stay on after not detecting motion? I know this might be a hard answer to give, but... if they cut off after so long of no motion in the room... then it would cut off at night while we're sleeping, wouldn't it? Or are they sensitive enough to pick up on the little bit of movement we would make while sleeping?

I am very hot natured and will go batty if the AC keeps turning off in the middle of the night.

 

[TruBlu]

I hate the heat, but we always go to Disney in June. We take 2 small misting fans each (one year the kids lost one). We refill them with free ice water from a CS. They are great for busses that are sometimes hot (sometimes freezing), lines, etc. (Just be careful not to spray them on the people around you. The best way to accomplish this is to turn the fan off, mist, then turn the fan back on. )

We also have a TS meal per day to spend an hour or two in the A/C. I take small fleece baby blankets for the kids because they tend to get cold after a while, and we aren't going to carry around a jacket.

We only eat CS meals with A/C - there are some in every park with really good food. (CHH in MK is cooler upstairs.)

We've heard tales of the room A/C being motion activated, but we've never experienced this. We usually have our room so cold that condensation forms on the windows.

No worries! You'll have a great trip!!!

 

[skiingfast]

There was a thread about the handy cooler and I wrote a reply about how it won't work in Florida. Let's just say I have experience with air conditioning and I'll leave it at that.

As far as the AC in your room. I would not turn it up when you leave. It very well may be turned off when you get back. But if you leave it on just a cool setting, which may be warm as you leave, it may get left on and your room will feal nice when you return.

Besides you can cool a hotel room in a couple minutes.

 

[mytripsandraces]

I just got back from a stay at All-Star Sports and my sister and I had to keep turning the heat up when we got back to the room, because the Mousekeepers turned the AC on when they cleaned the room.

 

[TruBlu]

I just got back from a stay at All-Star Sports and my sister and I had to keep turning the heat up when we got back to the room, because the Mousekeepers turned the AC on when they cleaned the room.

I wondered if they did that! Our room was freezing every night when we got "home" too!

 

[mytripsandraces]

I wondered if they did that! Our room was freezing every night when we got "home" too!

Yes, they definitely do. It wasn't so bad this year, but last year, when we got back after running the Expedition Everest Challenge in a downpour, we were already cold and then were completely frozen when we walked into the room. We turned the heat back up, grabbed our refillable mugs, and went to the cafe for hot drinks. By the time we got back, the room was toasty again. I guess they turn the AC on so they can work comfortably (my sister and I run cold, so we always have the heat on), then forget to turn it down again.

 

[robinsegg]

I went on the Mom's Panel and asked about AC, and they said that it would be left on if you turned it on.

 

[LovesTimone]

We just put a post it note on the air conditioner and asked that they leave it on, and we did not have any problem. You have to do this daily because you may not have the same mousekeeper all week.
Also if you are worried about the heat and humidity take a break go back to the room or pool, relax or nap and you will feel better and DH will want to come back.

 

[Maestra99]

He firmly believes that if we set hour hotel room air conditioner to stay on most of the day so that our room is ice cold when we return (Which is the only way either of us can sleep..) that the Mousekeepers will turn the AC off.

I told him that I seriously doubt they would do that, but he really believes that they will. So, have any of you ever experienced this? I can't recall this ever happening at any other hotel I've ever stayed at, and I always blast the AC.

We stayed at AKL last year in July and had our air on very cold (we like it that way ). It was never touched. We joked that the Mousekeepers probably froze in our room, but they didn't adjust it.

Also, you mentioned a poncho on Splash Mountain. I personally don't think it's necessary (but it is on Kali). I've ridden SM several times in every seat and have never had more than a little drop or two. Not worth the trouble of pulling out a poncho, IMO. Has anyone here gotten soaked on SM?

 

[scjo68]

Our Poly room last aug. stayed very cool the entire time (and I like it really cold), I never noticed it turning off at night or when we left.

 

[BibbityBobbityBoo]

I had the AC cranked up fully every AM when we left the room. Every PM when we returned, it was lowered. Had to reset it each day!

Karen

 

[HappilyHis]

I appreciate all the feedback! By the way... if anyone cares to venture... How much is reasonable to tip the mousekeepers?

 

[mrodgers]

Just got back from Pop Century this evening.

We want the AC COLD! We had it set at 65 and it never reached below 70. It had nothing to do with the motion sensor because our 6 year old has plenty of motion.

We had thunderstorms when we came back after lunch, so the pool was closed. We spent some time, about 3 hours in the room. It still never got below 70.

As for mousekeeping, we tipped $5. It was just easiest to put a $5 bill in an envelope. I've read here that $1 per person staying is common. There are 4 of us, but we tipped $5. On our thunderstorm wait-out, we stuck the privacy tag in the lock and housekeeping never came later on that day. That was fine with us, but we left both tip envelopes the following day because we had a good bit more garbage in the cans and stuff.

 

[HappilyHis]

First, I am SO super jealous! I want to be at the World so badly I can barely stand it!

Second, it's just the two of us going, but I will still probably do $5/day... I was afraid it was going to be something substantially larger!

Third... your room never got below 70?? Hmm... I hope that isn't normal! We're staying at the French Quarter, so maybe we'll get a recently refurbished room and it'll have a brand new A/C that will be pretty good on the chill factor!