Needs tips for dealing with Heat in Summer at WDW

[mickeyluv'r]

. I also suggest bringing a couple washcloths from the hotel and using to wipe face and neck as they get sweaty.

I agree wit most of your post, except this.

The less we carry, the happier we are- except drinking WATER.


Otherwise, I'm a big fan of staying as dry as possible, unless you are going to get water-ride wet.

in other words, I'd never bring one of those mister fans. They just make me feel clammy.

It also pays, perhaps to be a bit strategic in how you tour. Most of the year, we skip attractions like the Canada and China movies, but they are good bets in the summer. If you are offsite, I'd also suggest eating indoors lunch at one of the deluxe hotels, maybe linger in the lobby/gift shops for a bit.

Sometimes it pays to take the free shuttle boats, other times it pays to avoid the shuttle boat wait.

 

[d-train]

Moisture wicking clothing and clothing made for heat - UA and Nike has alot of great stuff.
Especially moisture/heat treated socks.

Body glide for those areas...we know who we are.... But it works!

Bring extra clothing - even following all of these suggestions, you will be a sweaty mess - accept it before you arrive. lol! seriously...

 

[KimK2006]

We always get water with our meals at the CS restaurants. None of us has ever had an issue with the taste. We have, also, gotten water at CS without purchasing anything. Never a problem. Much better than $5 for a bottle of water.

Middle of the day breaks are a must. And, you will need a change of clothes for the afternoon because your morning clothes will be sweaty and stinky.

When you get really hot at the parks, shoot for an air conditioned rode or show. That really helps.

And, arrive by rope drop so you can get a lot done during the coolest part of the day.

 

[drinkme]

I also recommend wicking clothes. And what worked best for me was a pair of good athletic bike shirts under a skirt. Good sports undergarments. And the cooling towels. I bought 2 cooling towels at Walmart. The first one was smaller and really didn't help as much. But the other one was bigger & kept me cooled off enough so I could enjoy my day. It was a brand that had a frog or something like that on the container.
Was I still a hot, uncomfortable mess? Yes. But it was bearable. I hate May-September in Orlando.

 

[Shellyb84]

Definitely moisture wicking clothes and socks. We pack enough for two outfits per day, one for the parks and another for the evening.

Take afternoon breaks at the pool - This is the top thing for us to keep my family happy. We are in the park at RD for the cooler hours, then leave after lunch when it's super hot. If we go back to a park later we go when it's close to being dark.

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

Mornings and evenings will be your friends. Avoid the hottest part of the day and use that to relax in the resort pool. Take advantage of the air conditioning and drink lots of water. Manage your expectations and have a ton of fun. Good luck!

 

[MichaelWill&Megan'sMom]

We go every summer. I have three kids - and this year, my parents are coming as well. We all wear Camelbak backpacks. We load with lots of ice and top off with water in the morning and add water as necessary. Generally, if we grab a quick service meal, we ask for bottled water as the drink and pour it into the reservoir. These backpacks are not only an easy way to carry your things, they keep you cool and hydrated. My kids have never complained about their backpacks and rarely complain in lines since they aren't thirsty. We wear them backward on most rides with no issues. Away from the parks, we use them at sports games and bike rides. They are awesome.

 

[TCRAIG]

hi.
We have the opportunity to go to the parks for our very first visit (first time to WDW, first time to Florida) this July. I know it will be very HOT and humid. From a few posts on the Disboards people have told me to drink lots and lots of water, take a mid afternoon break, use sunscreen, wear hats. But i have a few questions.

1) WATER: is the FREE ice-water you get at Counter Service locations filtered tap water? Does it taste ok? and do you have to purchase food to ask for ice water, or can we just go and ask for cups of water? are there any filtered water fountains in the parks?

2) SUNSCREEN: i know it will be hot and sweating and sunscreen may "run off". so what sunscreens do people recommend for this type of weather?

3) since its hot we are thinking of wearing shorts. but then i thought about the seats on the outdoor rides. are the seats hot from the heat? or are they covered in material?

TIA

1 I freeze a bottle of water and carry that with me
2 I never wear sunscreen but I do wear a cap
3 I'm too old for shorts so I wear cargo capris - that also allows me to go bagless
4 I use a cooling cloth and carry a teeny tiny battery fan
5 I wet a paper towel and wipe my face every time I use the restroom

 

[Klayfish]

At the end of the day, I think a dose of common sense will go a long way in dealing with the heat. There are many different ways, and much of it is subjective as to what works best. For me, I don't think rope drops or mid-day breaks are a must, even on the hottest days. We don't rope drop, and we don't do planned mid-day breaks. But we use common sense and do mostly indoor rides during the hottest parts of the day. It doesn't mean at all that rope drop or mid-day breaks are wrong, not at all. But not necessary.

Common sense things like light clothing, stay out of the sun as much as possible, sunscreen, water, don't physically overexert yourself, etc...are the keys.

 

[TXDisneyFan1]

My family and I went last July and I found that wearing athletic tights with moisture wicking shirts worked best for me.

This has also been my experience after taking 3 trips in July: Due to the almost daily rain storms, the skies are much cloudier in July than earlier in the summer. This is a huge factor in making the heat more bearable. I found late May/early June to be more uncomfortable because the sun just beat down on me.

Cooling towels and small misting fans helped me more than my kids.

Lastly, I agree with the previous poster who made the point that it's all about your expectations. If you accept the fact that you will be hot and sweaty for much of the day, it's easier to have a good time and not dwell on how hot and humid it is.

 

[thelittlemermaid2]

Shorts are a must!!!

 

[DLfan4]

The other consideration is hair. It pays to keep a pony-tail elastic handy if you'll use it!

Braids are also great at WDW.

A ponytail + rollercoaster/extreme rides +heat isn't always the best combo.

Why no ponytail on rollercoasters?

 

[amberpi]

Seriously, lots of people talk about the heat - its Florida, not the surface of the sun, unless you have a medical issue with sun exposure. So, don't worry, you'll be fine! Enjoy!

1) Flitered, and lots of places have cups ready to just hand you.

2) Note about the aerosol sunscreen - make sure you spray it outside of your hotel room, its pretty slippery if it gets on the tile for instance.

3) I'm female, and ONLY wear dress or skirts with full coverage "boy" underclothes so I don't accidentally show anything of course! A sundress is the absolute coolest thing I've worn in 30+ trips in the last 13-15 years. That, a wide brim sun hat, and sandals are a thousand times cooler than cotton shorts, socks and sneakers (shudders), etc. Make sure you hit your shoulders extra good!

Another note - start the day hydrated. Make yourself drink a full bottle of water before starting your morning coffee, trying to re-hydrate is really flipping hard and annoying and leads to feeling poorly.

I avoid the mid day in the parks and hit the pool or enjoy a nap and refresh and change clothes for the evening. Nothing like heading out for the evening around 6 to enjoy some park time, fireworks, dinner and other evening activities when its cool and the parks always "feel" different in the evening. While I rope drop, that's purely tactical, the evenings are my favorite part of the park day.

 

[amberpi]

+1 for braids at WDW. And they're awesome for at the pool too!

 

[disneydeegs]

Water- I'm used to drinking water as my regular beverage of choice, I just prefer it cold. I get ice water with almost every meal, and will often stop at a QS just to get the free ice water! I wish they had a dedicated "water only" line though, because it stinks to wait in a line just for water! I don't notice a taste with the ice water at QS. I also keep a bottle of water in my backpack and refill it throughout the day at the water fountains. Dehydration is the enemy!!

Sunscreen- I normally don't wear it in the parks, but I also don't burn easily. My makeup has sunscreen in it and it doesn't run, so my face is covered there. I'm not too concerned about the rest of me. I swear my legs are incapable of burning or tanning! I do try to keep a travel size Hawaiian Tropics sunscreen in my bag for shoulders/tops of ears if I'm planning to be in the World Showcase though.

Shorts- Shorts are great and I haven't had issues with burning myself on rides, but be careful with sitting on ledges, those get hot in the sun! I definitely scalded my rear on a ledge in Tomorrowland, haha. Lightweight (read, not jeans) fabrics are really the best, they dry faster and breathe better. Athletic shorts are especially nice.

I'm from West Virginia and I really don't mind Florida heat, I actually kind of like it. It seems like there's usualyl a breeze there. In the late summer Orlando seems to have a daily thunderstorm around 4pm, and it always feel SO much better after that. Staying hydrated, finding shade, and heading indoors if you feel hot are all good common sense ideas. Don't overdo it!

 

[DLfan4]

wow. thank you everyone for the great tips

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

My tips:

I also really appreciate Florida summertime afternoon showers.

I drink lots of water from frozen bottles I take with me as well as cups of ice water at counter service restaurants.

I memorize the splash and play areas in each park and use them. Sometimes getting wet is the best option to cool down. I have often just dunked my head in cool water or poured water down my back and that went a long way to giving me what I needed to get through. Soaking my feet in cool water is also helpful - so I wear rubber sandals.

I've also used frogg toggs chilly towels.

Leaving the park by 12 or 1 - returning to the hotel for a rest or swim - then back to the parks for the evenings is a good way to beat the heat and avoid super crowded hot afternoons.

 

[Oswin]

It's not the heat that will do you in, though it will be hot. It is the humidity that really does a number on people who aren't used to it. You will need to drink a lot of water, and sometimes I find that water alone isn't enough. We stop every hour at a QS location to get the free ice water and also make sure to get some gatorade or powerade every few hours. I usually HATE the stuff because of the sugars + taste but find that they help me stay cooled down longer and help quench thirst in July. I echo the advice of leaving the parks by 1pm to take a long afternoon break at the pool - we usually are out of the parks by 12:30-1:00 and take a break until 6:00 pm. I'm from Texas so the heat at WDW doesn't bother me, but the humidity is killer compared to here. I find that wearing my hair up (I usually do braided pigtails curled into pinned buns on top of my head) and running ice or cool water along the back of my neck helps a lot too. There's places in every park to get wet - Casey Jr. Train at MK, fountains at AK, ground fountains at Epcot, etc where you can get really wet to cool off. I also carry/wear as little as possible. I do flip flops, shorts, and tank tops and won't carry a backpack or cup with me. I also make very intense efforts to find "pockets" in queues. Any point where I can curl my body away from the crowds of others and avoid body heat is A+. Even in FP+ lines I find that people just love cramming themselves together as close as possible and not only is this ridiculously smelly it also makes me feel like I'm drowning in body heat & humidity. I tend to avoid attractions where queues are the most compact during the daytime and save these for after dark. Tomorrowland Speedway, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder are all MK attractions I save for either first thing in the morning at park opening or for after dark.

 

[jekomo]

Number one tip that has made my trips enjoyable:
Psychologically accept that the sun is going to be relentless, and that your entire being will feel hot and sticky... covered in a mess of sweat, humidity, and layers of sunscreen being reapplied all day.

People who can't come to terms with the humidity and heat will feel it weighing on them the entire trip. People who embrace it might even associate it with the joy of a WDW vacation. I might even go as far as to say that in my December trip, I felt like something was missing.

Yes! I absolutely hate the heat, but when I accepted that I was going to be a sweaty mess, I stopped doing my hair in the morning and threw on a sweat absorbing ball cap, stopped wearing makeup, even stopped showering when I got up and saved that for mid-day when I was a disgusting mess, and....I had fun. It does make you less likely to want to take photos, but it's usually my husband and me and I'd rather just have fun, anyway.

 

[BigredNole]

Here is my take on it and take some of it to heart.

1. It will be hot and humid. Nothing you can do about it. Insure you are taking in at least 8oz of water per hour as an adult, a little less for kids.
2. If people are not going #1 about every other hour, you ARE NOT drinking enough
3. Sunscreen should be a must (I had skin cancer already). SPF 30 or higher that is sweat proof. Put it on about every 60-90 minutes.
4. This one is something people that don't go there never experiences. Heat rash or chafing in the wrong place. Once it happens, the rest of the trip is miserable. Get an anti-chafing balm like Body Glide or similar. You can see the Poor Miserable Soles that don't know about it and they are walking around in agony, some like they have a load in their pants.