Tips on Florida Heat & Humidity

[CherylLynn]

There have been so many posts of people asking this question here and there, I figured I'd post this to help out those that may not have seen it yet.
I live in Florida (born and raised) and even the Florida humidity gets to me & my friends/ family. We have had records of high temps this year. I'll admit, it's pretty bad. The best tips I can offer:
-Wear TONS of sunscreen. The sun is very harsh, and there are serious UV rays (even if it's cloudy). Reapply it often. There is no such thing as waterproof or sweatproof sunblock.
-Wear sunglasses. The sun is damaging on eyes, too, not just skin.
-Wear a hat. Keeps the sun off your face & head plus no pesky sunburn where your hair is parted.
-Freeze a wet washcloth in a plastic bag the night before you go. Use it to cool you down in the sun. Rinse it out with cold water and reuse it throughout the day. I let ice melt into mine and place it around my neck.
-Take lots of breaks. Try to get most of your outdoor activities (parks, DTD, etc) in the early morning or evening. In the middle of the day (I believe the hottest part of the day is anywhere from 1-2 up til 5-6 pm) go see a movie, swim, take a nap, visit DisneyQuest, hang out in the pool. Head back after dinner and enjoy the park after the sun starts going down. Bonus: lots of young-in's are already getting tucked in so the crowd at times can be lighter. When you are outside walking make sure to stop and rest in the AC often. Even if it's just popping into a store from time to time.
-Drink a TON of water. Dehydration will sneak up on you like you wouldn't believe. Drink water constantly throughout the day. I can't stress enough how important it is to DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Even if you aren't thirsty. Room temp water is best to stay hydrated (icy cold water can cause stomach cramps, unless you need to get someone's temp down quickly).
-Avoid large amounts of alcohol, caffiene, soda & sugar, they promote dehydration. Replenish electrolytes from time to time with Gatorade or another sports drink (Disclaimer: do not replace water with sugary drinks. Continue to drink lots of water as well).
-At any Disney stand where soft drinks are sold, they will give out free ice water. Don't be afraid to ask. It's done for a reason.
-Wear lightweight light-colored clothing. Moisture wick fabrics are great. Look for them in any sports section or store. I've heard Under Armor is a good brand. Or bathing suits. They are generally lightweight in material & dry easily. They make board shorts for men, women & kids.
-Use something to prevent chafing- for 'you know where' on men/ boys and between thighs for girls. A great one recommended by lots of Disney-goers is Body Glide. It's sold at most athletic stores (like Sports Authority or Dick's).
-Don't push yourselves. Take your time walking. Rest often. It's tempting to hustle so you can sqeeze everything in and don't waste time, but you'll lose a lot more time if someone gets sick from heat exhaustion.
-If at any point any member of your party starts to feel dizzy or nauseated get into the AC immediately and drink water. Even if you've been in line for an hour. Don't be afraid to tell a CM if something doesn't feel right. They're there to help.
-Oh, and did I mention drink a ton of water?

I'm not telling you all these things to scare you. All at once it sounds like a lot. But Knowledge= Prevention. Be prepared and know what to do and everyone should be fine! Have a blast!!!!!

PS- Weather in Florida is tempermental- if it starts raining, wait it out for a few. 9 times out of 10 it will stop after 20 minutes.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Great info!
I'm going to send this to my sisters!
It might seem cooler to you guys at the end of September, but it's sweltering for us!

Thanks!

 

[OrcaPotter]

All those tips are gospel.

A thing about hydration: This is usually what causes most of the heat stroke episodes at the parks. A thing to remember is that you should start hydrating before you head outside. As in, seriously, drink an entire glass or bottle of water before starting your day. Because by the time you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated.

Bring a bottle of water with you, then keep it. Use the bottle to refill at water fountains. Ask for cups of ice at the food/drink vendors. Keep soda/alcohol to a minimum.

Orlando typically does not "cool" until mid-November at the earliest. October might not see those sweltering highs as August, but October tends to be sticky hot, too.

Frequent breaks is something else I highly recommend.

 

[Disney999]

Thanks for the tips! It's just 6 days before I will be back WDW!! I will be using a bunch of the tips you recommended!

 

[GenGen22]

This might sound like a stupid question but I'm from California and have no clue how the weather is in Florida as I have never been there but anyhow... What is the weather like in the first two weeks of December? Is it humid then? Just trying to be prepared.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

This might sound like a stupid question but I'm from California and have no clue how the weather is in Florida as I have never been there but anyhow... What is the weather like in the first two weeks of December? Is it humid then? Just trying to be prepared.

Is the humidity in California like it is in Arizona?
I remember visiting Arizona as a child, and laughing at a local weather forecaster that talked about a humid day -- with 20% humidity.

As for humidity in the Southeast, it is generally less humid in Winter, but I would think 60% humidity would still be common.

Here is a website with humidity information.

http://www.sercc.com/climateinfo/historical/avgrh.html

One other thought about humidity -- it makes the temperature feel hotter than it really is.

 

[GenGen22]

Is the humidity in California like it is in Arizona?
I remember visiting Arizona as a child, and laughing at a local weather forecaster that talked about a humid day -- with 20% humidity.

As for humidity in the Southeast, it is generally less humid in Winter, but I would think 60% humidity would still be common.

Here is a website with humidity information.

http://www.sercc.com/climateinfo/historical/avgrh.html

One other thought about humidity -- it makes the temperature feel hotter than it really is.

Arizona weather can be unbearable. I went once on the 4th of July weekend and it was 115 outside and I stayed in my hotel. I didn't even want to go swimming it was so unbearable. I live in northern California (Silicon Valley) and there is no humidity here. Our weather is pretty darn perfect. We are definately spoiled. Anytime we have to experience bad weather we are big babies. We just have no clue at all. We are definately blessed.

 

[ZoZo]

Another thing that I find helpful is a mister fan or a "misty mate" (non-fan spray bottle). Very refreshing.

They even make "mini" mister fans that aren't heavy and clunky, but will clip onto a belt loop or backpack with a carabiner clip. I like them even better than the big mister fans. You can buy them at Walmart for about $4.

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

Lol... where were you in May?? Silly me got caught up with dehydration and we had to box up our Yachtsman Steakhouse meal and catch a cab to Kidani on the fly. It was bad--It's like no feeling I've ever felt. Dizzy and nauseous and a headache--then boom! You feel like you're going to fall over, lol.

The next day I switched from Coke to Water

 

[julsmom]

We have a misting fan from WDW (several years back - liked them better then) BUT I don't take it anymore because it is too much to lug around. Filled with water it can be heavy and cumbersome. So this year I purchased "kool ties" (the neck wrap things). They were sooo nice to have. That, and a fan purchased in the Japan Pavilion.

 

[moonangel]

I've lived in South Florida for most of my life. It is usually the most humid early in the morning (like this morning-at 7am we had 96% humidity) and then it goes down as the sun goes up and the temps rise.

I've heard "Chilly Pads" are good for staying cool as well, I think Dick's Sporting Goods and some Bed, Bath & Beyonds carry them as well.

The paler your skin is, the quicker you'll burn...but EVERYONE should wear sunscreen no matter how light or dark your skin is and as was already mentioned, don't forget to reapply---I know it's easy to forget, especially if you spend the whole day in the parks and don't carry a small container of sunscreen with you.

 

[seguinfamily]

We went in May the only other time we've been to Florida. It was so hot ... 95 degrees ... and I of course wasn't drinking enough. I sat and waited for the parade with my little guy and my husband and daughter went to ride some rides because she wasn't interested in the parade ... I thought I was going to pass out in the middle of the parade, I still don't know how I made it through. I was getting so dizzy and almost blacked out a few times. Of course, I didn't ask for help from someone nearby, that would have made sense. My husband got back after the parade went through and got me to help. It was crazy.

So - drink lots of water!!! I don't handle the heat well apparently, guess that's why I normally stick close to Michigan.

 

[OrcaPotter]

This might sound like a stupid question but I'm from California and have no clue how the weather is in Florida as I have never been there but anyhow... What is the weather like in the first two weeks of December? Is it humid then? Just trying to be prepared.

As previously said, the humidity in winter is generally really low. But don't forget, early December is still technically fall. And Central Florida can stay hot even through Christmastime. Not summer scorching, but hot nonetheless. It's typically more humid before rain arrives, and rain at that time of year usually heralds the coming of a cold front. So it can be hard to predict what to expect. As one can imagine, WDW makes a lot of money off of winter wear in their gift shops whenever we have a cold front because SO many tourists don't expect that Florida can get cold. The key is to check the weather report before you leave. It could be cold (lows in the 50's or even 40's ... which is cold for us native Floridians) or hot (highs in the 80's). Pack clothing to layer with and you should be fine.

 

[Poohs100AcreWood]

This has been very helpful. I'm from Southern CA, and while I'm used to the heat, I'm not used to the humidity. I'm planning for late September/early October for next year, so I need to prepare for the "I just stepped outside, but I need a shower already" feeling.

 

[disneychic2]

Thanks for the tips...all good ones. We leave for Disney tomorrow and I have my small mister fans, spf 30 lip balm, spf 45 sunscreen, sunglasses and hats ready to go. I love going to Disney in September, but could do without the extreme heat/humidity. Again, thanks for taking the time to share your great tips!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

As previously said, the humidity in winter is generally really low. But don't forget, early December is still technically fall. And Central Florida can stay hot even through Christmastime. Not summer scorching, but hot nonetheless. It's typically more humid before rain arrives, and rain at that time of year usually heralds the coming of a cold front. So it can be hard to predict what to expect. As one can imagine, WDW makes a lot of money off of winter wear in their gift shops whenever we have a cold front because SO many tourists don't expect that Florida can get cold. The key is to check the weather report before you leave. It could be cold (lows in the 50's or even 40's ... which is cold for us native Floridians) or hot (highs in the 80's). Pack clothing to layer with and you should be fine.

I wish it had been 40 degrees last December!
Geez, it was cold!!

But...your doing a lot of walking and its not as bad as it seems. I had a hooded Disney cardigan from my previous COLD Disney trip, a thin windbreaker, hat, gloves, and scarf. I was totally fine.