Those silly looking neck things!

[HeatherFeather]

Has anyone ever tried one of those silly looking things you wear around your neck to keep cool? I think I have seem them in airplane catalogs and maybe the Sharper Image. I just wonder if they really work and how comfortable they are. We always seem to be at Disney when the earth is like 1 inch from the sun, so it's quite hot.

 

[paladin]

I tried one a few years ago and didn't care for it - it felt cool and clammy at first (which wasn't a bad thing in the August weather), but then it just felt damp (but without any cooking effect) and rather heavy. However, I have read of others who really liked them. I imagine you will get other opinions too. My favorite cooling tip is to go in December, but that's not the info you need

 

[Marseeya]

I ended up buying one on our way home from WDW last year and I really wish I'd had it while we were there! I wore it for a couple of days in Hilton Head and it kept me comfortable the whole time.

 

[paigevz]

We've always used them with great success on canoeing trips..........and just got some new ones for our June Disney trip. I hadn't thought about them losing their cool so to speak, until the other poster mentioned it, and then I remembered we are always dipping and redipping them in the cooler on our canoe trips, so they stay cool. My dh wants to freeze them to take into the parks.........the cool may last longer that way.

 

[Feralpeg]

I bought the Sharper Image one. I didn't think it helped at all. The little cloth things filled with gel that you can get in the sports department at Walmart work just as well.

 

[ericafny]

I'm not sure if this is what you are talking about---but I have one that is squishy (possibly has beans inside of it) and you can either put it in the freezer to keep cold or the microwave to warm it up. I keep mine in the freezer and use it when I have a headache!

Never thought of using it at WDW...hmm...

 

[richard_andmel]

We got ours at Walmart, and during the hotter months they are wonderful. The biggest issue is they need icy water to make them cold to start with. So not any water that can be had from a sink in Florida in the warm months. But if you get some ice in a cup, or chill it at at your hotel and then put in a baggy till you need it it works great. The biggest issue with ours are the tacky colors they all come in.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

We used the Wal_mart version of those thingys at WDW once and didn't get much use out of them. If I remember correctly, they sort of fell apart after just a short time

 

[nluvwithmickey]

I had such high hopes that these would keep my kids cool.....not so. A wash cloth soaked in icy water would have felt the same.

I agree with the previous posters, they felt great for 10 minutes, then they just felt clammy. I wouldn't bring them again if I would go to WDW in July.

 

[Mom Possible]

We aklso had bought the more expensive catalog versions. They were pretty large and heavy and dripped. Then at the WDW outlet at Sawgrass mills mall we found these thin versions in WDW material and they are perfect. They really do help in June and July. Every once in a while I see them still in the parks for sale.

 

[mjh8955]

Save your money! When we are at WDW in the summer months I throw a couple of old bandanas in my backpack. My daughter gets overheated faster than any of us so as soon as she gets warm I just wet a bandana in a drinking fountain, wring it out and put it on her neck or head. It dries on its own, can be re-used all day, and if you bring really old ones like I do, you can throw it away at the end of the day. Another idea (that I got from this board long ago) was to freeze a wet washcloth in a ziplock and pack it when you leave in the morning. There is nothing more refreshing than an ice cold wet washcloth to wipe off your face, neck or hands.

 

[newtowdw1]

We were there last August when the heat index was 115F. I got each of us a neck cooler at Badger Den http://badgersden.com/NeckBuddy/
They have cool colors and prints.

We thought they made a huge difference. Only problem was using them so much gave DS and DH an allergic reaction. But when they went back to bandanas, they didn't help as much. I kept them in our FW refrigerator overnight, and they were great.