Managing the heat

[goofyernmost]

We are seasoned WDW folks who will be heading down in a couple of weeks. We normally avoid June-September due to the heat. My 78 yo brother is a cancer survivor and on blood pressure medication. Other than that, he is in really good shape and will ride anything except the tea cups. He sometimes has a hard time managing the heat. We have thought about booking a table service meal but a big meal on a hot day may not be wise. . Besides returning to the resort mid day, what are your best tips to handle the heat?

As a 78 (almost) year old myself even in good health the only real solution that I can think of that would give the body more time to recover would be don't go there during that time of year. Just kidding! I know you understand because you said what times of the year you usually go, so to me the real way to make it work is to go to the parks in the morning, leave for the resort about 2:00pm until around 5:00pm then after taking a little more time out for a sit-down dinner before returning to the parks as it gets cooler, comparatively!

As a person that has had experience with the "hangover" from Cancer, that is the biggest thorn in the plan. I can't speak for others but I do know that how fast that situation coupled with age can cause some serious problems. To me, I find that it may seem like time lost, but it has made for a much more enjoyable time and helps to stave off the possible exhaustion.

I've had controlled High Blood Pressure since I was in my 40's and that never stopped me from doing anything hot or cold. Never even gave it a thought, but the key word there is controlled.

 

[tvguy]

We are seasoned WDW folks who will be heading down in a couple of weeks. We normally avoid June-September due to the heat. My 78 yo brother is a cancer survivor and on blood pressure medication. Other than that, he is in really good shape and will ride anything except the tea cups. He sometimes has a hard time managing the heat. We have thought about booking a table service meal but a big meal on a hot day may not be wise. . Besides returning to the resort mid day, what are your best tips to handle the heat?

Everyone's body is different. I found blood pressure medication made me feel cold all the time. So as I have aged and added more and more blood pressure medicines my ability to tolerate heat has increased. Only thing I have to watch is one makes my skin more sensitive to the sun and sunburn so I HAVE to make sure to have sunscreen with SPF of at least 50 on.
No humidity here, but summer days are normally in the 100 degree range.

 

[Akck]

Can you share a screenshot or a name, the link came back empty for me

The one I have isn’t available, but here’s the description of another one:


https://a.co/d/06rWzCrl

Neck Air Conditioner Portable, Neck Fan with Large Cooling Plate & NTC Control, 360° Upward & Downward Back Airflow, 6000mAh Bladeless Wearable Fan for Outdoor, Travel, Office, Golf​

I recently purchased this one too:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6NSSTWB?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

Hopefully these links work for you.

 

[beccasmom]

My DH and I are in our mid-60’s. We’ve done a lot of WDW visits in the hot, humid summer in the past due to schools - had both teachers and students in the family and also school sports - so I’ve slowly found what works best for me.

I rarely do opening to closing at the parks anymore unless our grandchildren are traveling with us (and certainly not every day even then ). We don’t visit a park every day now either. I enjoy Coke, but try to limit it in favor of water (with a Crystal Light or similar) packet tossed in for flavor. I also use Liquid IV and find it extremely helpful. I felt quite faint on one of our trips while in DS - I determined I wasn’t drinking enough water and hadn’t used an IV packet that day. I haven’t made that mistake again.

Eating lightly is also key IMO. It’s tough - so many different foods to try! We’ll be visiting in September this year during the Food and Wine Festival too! I try to stick to salads, yogurt (smoothies!) and light sandwiches with an occasional burger and frozen adult beverage. And an ice cream treat as needed. We were once on the dining plan in the summer and found it to be way too much food for us. We are DVC members so we normally eat a simple breakfast (cereal, egg sandwich, etc.) in the room and some other light meals as well. And luckily we have access to a washer/dryer to make packing a lot easier too.

I am very fair (a freckled redhead), so sun protection is non-negotiable, as it certainly is for everyone. I do use a fan, SPF and occasionally a cooling towel. I’m not much for the sun parasols - I’m short and would probably be endlessly poking everyone in sight.

Heading back to your room mid-day is a wonderful hack, but if your trip is a short one you may not want to lose precious park time. Scope out the cooler spots - obviously those with a/c - but also under umbrellas and shady trees. If you do head back to your hotel, I have found a quick swim to be very refreshing (if the water is cool enough). Or head to a nearby hotel for a leisurely lunch or just to linger in a cool space.

Use the Buddy system too. Keep an eye on others in your party and ask them to do the same for you. If you need to take a break - to sit, eat, hydrate, cool off, whatever - do it without apologies. And remember there are first aid centers in every park if you find that to be necessary. Use common sense and you’ll have a great time.

 

[Boopuff]

We always go in September. DH and I usually travel with our family. This time it will be just the two of us. We carry water and have hand-held fans. We take breaks, and always plan a waterpark/pool day to just relax. Just try to stop in airconditioned places.

 

[disneyseniors]

I forgot to mention earlier that we usually go in early November or the end of October for the cooler weather. I am not a fan of hot and humid weather, but this time our trip was for my daughter, mainly, and she Loves the pool and heat. So we compromised, with more pool time than I would ever do on my usual trips (like non, lol) I would only go in the heat of summer for my daughter However, my next trip is with my son and we will definitely go in early November He could care less about the pool time, and loves the wild rides (which is another whole story,lol)

 

[VandVsmama]

We are seasoned WDW folks who will be heading down in a couple of weeks. We normally avoid June-September due to the heat. My 78 yo brother is a cancer survivor and on blood pressure medication. Other than that, he is in really good shape and will ride anything except the tea cups. He sometimes has a hard time managing the heat. We have thought about booking a table service meal but a big meal on a hot day may not be wise. . Besides returning to the resort mid day, what are your best tips to handle the heat?

My late May/June WDW survival tips (we've never gone in July, Aug or Sept) are as follows:

• bring a solar UV umbrella. Available on Amazon. I like the G4Free brand. Costs ~$25. Can comfortably fit 2 adults under one.
• bring a rechargeable portable fan. By rechargeable, I mean one with a USB port on it.
• Wear a wide brimmed hat.
• Wear loose fitting clothing. Like comfy gym clothes. Don't dress for a fashion show because by lunch time, everybody's going to smell like a locker room.
• Drink before you're thirsty.
• If you're prone to heat-induced muscle cramps, alternate water with an electrolyte replacement drink. To save $$, bring packets of this from home and add to your water bottle.
• Either go back to the hotel midday for a few hours or do the 'boring' (aka not E ticket rides) during hottest part of the day.
• Schedule a table service meal at lunch time. Even if you only get a salad. OR have a longer quick service lunch somewhere indoors with A/C.
• Expect to have the energy to do less on a summer WDW trip than you would at a different time of year.
• Get up early to take advantage of early entry if you're staying on site.
• For shoes, I wear Teva hiking sandals instead of sneakers. Helps me to feel cooler. At the same time, I check my feet midday and in evening when we get back to the hotel room. Use blister band-aids and moleskin on spots that tend to rub.
• Use Body Glide on your feet before you put shoes & socks on. Use Body Glide even if wearing hiking sandals in the parks. Use separate container of Body Glide if you are prone to chafing in...other areas as well. ;-)

 

[OKW Lover]

Besides returning to the resort mid day, what are your best tips to handle the heat?

Take "shortcuts" through the air-conditioned gift shops.
Take in some of the longer shows/attractions, especially those with inside queues.
Wear a hat and drink plenty of water.