Keeping kids cool

[betterbutter]

We are going to Disney Park for five days in August, and are worried that it will be hot for our kids. How do you keep them cool? Any ideas?

Sorry if this is stupid, but we aren't use to really hot weather.

BB

 

[hollyb]

We bought a 3 pack of mister from BJ's wholesale club. They were small enough to pack and the water with the mister was great. I can't imagine lugging around that HUGE mister they sell in the parks.

The pack cost around $15.00 they sale one of those mister sperate in the parks for $15.

 

[dcherry]

I also bought the 2.5 oz. cool blast misters and a bunch of duo-dry clothing from Target, baseball hats and sunglasess for them too.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I think the mister fans are a must. Doesn't really matter IMO what ones you get, they all do the same job in the end. I've heard others mention the gel neck coolers from Walmart, but have not used those yet. We rarely travel to Disney in the summer months. At home we make great use of the pool or air conditioning in the summer-so we don't have that thin blood to tolerate the heat!

 

[beattyfamily]

I've tried everything; bought everything people recommend.

What my children liked and used the most; the misty fan they sell and a wet face cloth.

I would bring a face cloth from the resort and kept cooling it off with fountain water. My girls would put them on their head, face or their neck. They loved it.

 

[countrygirl629]

Probably the best thing you can do to beat the Florida August Sun is to go to the parks early and only stay there until about 12 or 1 at the latest. Go back to the room, take a nap, take a swim, cool off, relax and plan on heading back a little early for the fireworks, hit a few rides before they start. In the afternoon in Florida, we have very predictable every day thunderstorms. Usually they only last long enough to clear the parks out. Take advantage of that....get a poncho and stay through the rain. A lot of times it's worth it. And take advantage of the late nights. Those are the best time (it's not much cooler at night but at least you're not dealing with the blazing sun shinning down on you!!) Have fun!!

 

[Princess Roo]

Everything countrygirl629 just said (except no late nights for my crew, since we have a toddler).
In the parks, the most important part is to keep them hydrated...more water than they think they need!

 

[MEM]

In the parks, the most important part is to keep them hydrated...more water than they think they need!

Excellent point!! We always visit in August and I made a habit of squirting water into their mouths in between meals and visits to the water fountain. You don't want to wait until they say they are thirsty.

I also insist on hats for everyone. I am always amazed when I see kids, especially, standing in the blazing August sun without a hat.

 

[mcco5543]

We take white bandanas and soak them in cold water and wear them on our heads. It truly keeps you cooler.
Also medicated cooling powder helps,
a personal battery opearted handheld fan for everyone is a must.
Lots of fluids to drink.

alternate outdoor and indoor activities

go back to the hotel in the afternoon

DO NOT BRING/WEAR ANY DARK CLOTHING WHAT SO EVER!

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

Wear breathable clothing that is light and airy - even a thick cotton t-shirt can be too hot. I felt much cooler on the days I had tank tops on and wished I had more! Khaki shorts are also cooler than denim. All the same applied to my kids.

 

[pbharris4]

We take frozen water bottles (to drink later), we take one of those flat freezer things for lunch boxes and put it behind the padded cushion is DD's stroller. We also use a mister and try to stay in the A/C as much as possible. We tried those neck cooler things once and they didn't work that well. We only refrigerated them..we probably should have frozen them instead.

I like the wash cloth idea! What I may do with that is freeze the washcloth and also take a ziploc freezer bag and put some ice in it along with the washcloth. Then when needed we can take it out for DD's to use. Thanks for that tip!

 

[larkles]

I just bought the kids Crocs at Omega Sports and found these COOL towels I got one for my FIL and the kids.

Frogg Toggs - Chilly Pads are made of a special material that stays cool when wet. Warm or cool water works- it was wet and COLD in the store!
We will be there next week and will let you know how it works

 

[carrie s]

I just bought the kids Crocs at Omega Sports and found these COOL towels I got one for my FIL and the kids.

Frogg Toggs - Chilly Pads are made of a special material that stays cool when wet. Warm or cool water works- it was wet and COLD in the store!
We will be there next week and will let you know how it works

Frogg toggs also has cooling hats. I ordered some off of ebay for our trip this summer. It says they stay cool for up to 8 hours.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

We had the neck coolers and the misting fans. We also took a cold water bottle and wrapped it in a small towel and kept it in the backpack. We used it midway through the day when we had finished our other waterbottles and then the towel had gotten damp with condensation and was nice and cool too.

 

[dameodie]

We take frozen water bottles (to drink later),

I like the wash cloth idea! What I may do with that is freeze the washcloth and also take a ziploc freezer bag and put some ice in it along with the washcloth. Then when needed we can take it out for DD's to use. Thanks for that tip!

A better idea (from what I've heard, haven't tried it but I plan to) - wrap the washclothes around the frozen water bottles and carry them together in a ziplock bag. The condensation that builds up as the water bottles melt then gets soaked up by the washclothes.

 

[nuzmom]

Agree with the misty fans and other suggestions. Here's one more - completely take advantage of air conditioned rides, shows, and restaurants. Make ADRs for the heat of the day - that gives you a good hour in air conditioning. Visit the least popular air conditioned shows/rides during the heat of the day. We LOVE the hall of presidents!!!! That's something like a 1/2 hour inside (my DM78 sometimes uses her HOP time to take a nap in the airconditioning) Many attractions have you wait inside - just keep a look out. Worse comes to worse - duck into a gift shop and look around until you're cooled off.

 

[Schmeck]

If you plan on using misting fans, wet towels, or very thin clothing to stay cool, don't forget to cover and recover your kids with sunscreen! Even the so-called 'waterproof' sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours. Very thin clothing will not block out the sun's rays as well as a more dense fabric, so cover the kids' shoulders under the shirts with sunscreen as well.

 

[ClaraBug]

A Cup of Ice Water is FREE!!!! Your just have to ask at the counter-service!!


Your other ideas are great and I plan to use some during our trip this August as well!!! Have fun and maybe I'll see you there!!

 

[DisneyD]

I buy those small packs of wet ones in the travel section at Walmart or Target. I keep several packs in my fanny pack and when we're really hot, we cool off with one of those and then can just throw it away. No wet washcloths to keep carrying around.

I would put a couple of packs in the refrigerator at night to get them nice and cold! They're also great for cleaning messy faces and hands after ice cream!

 

[jenrose66]

This is a great thread. Thanks for all the tips.