Using a CamelBak type backpack

[AprilsZoo]

Did the Gatorade packets ruin the tube at all? I was worried I wouldn't be able to clean it very good and would have to replace it after the trip.

FYI: You can (& should) regularly replace the tubing on the bladder. Even if you only ever just put water in the bladder, it will grow some nasty biofilms in there. It is just impossible to effectively clean the tubing— they sell long skinny brushes for that purpose at places like REI (sporting goods store) but it’s still really tough to get them clean. The replacement tubing and mouthpieces are pretty reasonably priced. I was actually able to replace mine with the tubing sold at Walmart for their own store-branded hydration bladders. It fit perfectly.

Also, I’d recommend looking into getting a cooling vest. I prefer a “Phase-change” type. The phase-change material in the cooling packs works by pulling excess heat from your core and dissipating it.

The packs start “frozen” but that is easier than it sounds. I bring a small cooler with me into the parks filled with mostly ice and little water, and a set of extra cooling packs. They “freeze” at ~55F and just 15 mins in ice water recharges the packs. I just prefer to have the spares soaking and ready to go in my mini cooler in a locker. I swap them out and get on with the fun. The packs last ~4-5 hours before they need recharged. I’ve never needed more than 2 swap-outs to get me thru a whole summer day at DL. The swapped out set will recharge in the ice water, and be ready to use when if I need another swap.

I have M.S. and am extremely heat-intolerant… when I get even a little hot, I’m about as good as microwaved lettuce. (And I live in AZ, go figure. )

My cooling vest is a lifesaver! I even carry a “prescription” from my dr, stating that it’s medically necessary (including the extra cooling packs and cooler), just in case it’s ever questioned.

 

[MrsPete]

We usually don't vacation at wdw during the summer because I get heat exhaustion pretty easy ... But this June trip I purchased a on sale CamelBak backpack.

Asking the obvious: don't you have the option to visit at a cooler time of year?
I suggest you practice using your hydration pack on a hike or while mowing the lawn at home before you leave. They're not rocket science, but practice will help you.

My plan is to fill it with ice from the hotel every morning and get free water cups and fill it up throughout the day.

I don't think you need to plan to add water throughout the day. I think 52 oz is enough. Remember that you'll still stop for meals and will drink other drinks at those points.

If I don't close it right and I get wet I guess a free water ride . If it breaks than it turns into a backpack for the rest of the day and toss the water pouch.

Clarification: the pack itself won't leak. If anything goes badly, it'll be the bladder that'll leak -- and if a bladder leaks, it's typically at the point where the tube meets the bladder -- and typically they can't be fixed. So if you lose your bladder, you're probably losing your system for the rest of your trip. Packs don't typically "break" during hikes, but I'd think you'd be more likely to have leak-trouble taking the pack on and off rides.
If you are overly concerned about this, you can buy an extra bladder from Amazon.

Get a cooling handkerchief for your neck and just rewet it and snap it again when it stops cooling ... but sandals are a lot cooler as far as I am concerned.

Yes to a cooling neckerchief for your neck.
I love sandals for the parks -- Chacos or Tevas are great -- but don't wait to try them at the parks. Buy them well in advance and wear them around home.

My one tip is this: after you take a drink, let the water from the hose flow back into the backpack. That way, the next time you take a drink, you will get cold water, and not hot water that has been hanging out in the hose in the heat.

Yes, this is one of those things you pick up on really quickly while using a hydration pack.

No we haven't had any problems with the tubing. I run water and a little dish soap through it. We have the same bladder for about 7 years now and no problems. We use a hanger and dry it upside down.

My bladders came with a cleaning set, which includes a small brush and a hanger that keeps the bladder "open" while driving.

thinking 70% ice 30% water and by the time we get to the park it will be mostly water with the heat lol but hopefully decently cold

That's a good ratio for summer. I like to put in just a touch of powdered lemonade -- not enough to make lemonade, but enough to knock off the plastic taste.

 

[Meglen]

Asking the obvious: don't you have the option to visit at a cooler time of year?
I suggest you practice using your hydration pack on a hike or while mowing the lawn at home before you leave. They're not rocket science, but practice will help you.
I don't think you need to plan to add water throughout the day. I think 52 oz is enough. Remember that you'll still stop for meals and will drink other drinks at those points.
Clarification: the pack itself won't leak. If anything goes badly, it'll be the bladder that'll leak -- and if a bladder leaks, it's typically at the point where the tube meets the bladder -- and typically they can't be fixed. So if you lose your bladder, you're probably losing your system for the rest of your trip. Packs don't typically "break" during hikes, but I'd think you'd be more likely to have leak-trouble taking the pack on and off rides.
If you are overly concerned about this, you can buy an extra bladder from Amazon.
Yes to a cooling neckerchief for your neck.
I love sandals for the parks -- Chacos or Tevas are great -- but don't wait to try them at the parks. Buy them well in advance and wear them around home.
Yes, this is one of those things you pick up on really quickly while using a hydration pack.
My bladders came with a cleaning set, which includes a small brush and a hanger that keeps the bladder "open" while driving.
That's a good ratio for summer. I like to put in just a touch of powdered lemonade -- not enough to make lemonade, but enough to knock off the plastic taste.

Thank you for all the info. We have been in July before so it's not totally new I just prefer oct-jan. We usually just carried 2 water bottles in my bigger bag and we wanted to downsize(just me and dh this trip) and thought this would be a good alternative. We used Gatorade powered this past oct and it was great so we will def be using it again.

My go to is have the cooling neckbands on my wrists and using the bathroom sinks to get them cold again. Worst case I use a cup of water and than eat the ice.With it just being us 2 we can take it much slower than normal and go look in shops and cool off when needed.

 

[Barbanellie]

We've used a Camelback on every trip to Disney (World, Land, Japan) and other trips/physical activities. We love it, so convenient. At Disney we would fill it up with ice from our resort's ice machine and add water from the tap to completely fill out up. It is 2 liters if I remember correctly (which is more than 52 oz according to Google) and we usually refilled it once when we'd stop for lunch at a QS place. My husband and I shared it, and we always went late May. I would not be able to imagine going in July without it!

 

[cgattis]

WOW there is fine great info in this thread! I’m gonna check out the replacement tubing at Walmart because I KNOW mine are overdue… Also, I know it can always happen, but I’ve never had any of my Camelbaks leak.

Although my feet get hot in my Chacos at the park (like literally from the heat coming back up off the asphalt—that baking heat), they e hot as sweaty as with sneakers and I love being able to just dump a cup of ice water right on my feet! Really helps cool me off and I get HOT too. This mass of black hair doesn’t help either.

I d recommend the mission cooling towels too. Even if you have wrist and neck wraps, they are great for wiping your face and arms off in between restroom visits. I keep mine in a ziploc bag. They are really easy to wash out well in your hotel sink and they dry quickly. Super lightweight also.

From one sweaty girl to another, you have a great trip!!

 

[AprilsZoo]

Id recommend the mission cooling towels too. Even if you have wrist and neck wraps, they are great for wiping your face and arms off in between restroom visits. I keep mine in a ziploc bag. They are really easy to wash out well in your hotel sink and they dry quickly. Super lightweight also.

From one sweaty girl to another, you have a great trip!!

I my Mission cooling towels, and I also have a ‘neck-gaiter’-style cooling item from Mission that is basically a tube-shaped cooling towel that has some Lycra or Spandex in it too. It can supposedly be worn something like a dozen different ways, but I like to wear it like a headband that extends back & hangs down off of my head, holding my ponytailed or braided hair inside. Working in the garden, it functions as a bit of a sweatband along my hairline—keeping sweat from running into my eyes— and also works great for evaporative cooling of my head & neck. I just take the hose & spray a little water over my head every once in a while (or if I’m not @ home, I pour ~ 3 or 4 oz of water across the crown of my head). If it’s really hot, I take it off to get it wet again and “snap it” the way the instructions recommend (idk why that technique works… but it does).

A quick tip (I hope this will make sense) —> when looking at cooling towels, stay clear of the ones that are made of a sheet of spongy sort of material. It is literally a 1/8” thick, large rectangular sponge (I cut mine up to use for cleaning… but I think it was about 12” x 30” or so).
You’d think that being a sponge, it would hold moisture for longer, but it really doesn’t. The most annoying thing is that when it dries out, it gets very stiff and uncomfortable. And like most synthetic sponges, when it’s dried out it tends to repel water when you first try to re-wet it… that can be a real trick if you are trying to re-wet it on the go. It’s truly mind-boggling just how quickly it can get completely dried out, too … honestly, just 5-10 minutes after noticing it’s barely damp, depending on how much of a breeze there is. And once it’s stiff, it’s not as simple as pouring some water over it. It will just run right off. It has to be submerged until it begins to absorb water again, and that’s not something you want to do in a public restroom sink. At least I wouldn’t.

Stick to the Mission style (there are other good brands) and you’ll be .

 

[Meglen]

I my Mission cooling towels, and I also have a ‘neck-gaiter’-style cooling item from Mission that is basically a tube-shaped cooling towel that has some Lycra or Spandex in it too. It can supposedly be worn something like a dozen different ways, but I like to wear it like a headband that extends back & hangs down off of my head, holding my ponytailed or braided hair inside. Working in the garden, it functions as a bit of a sweatband along my hairline—keeping sweat from running into my eyes— and also works great for evaporative cooling of my head & neck. I just take the hose & spray a little water over my head every once in a while (or if I’m not @ home, I pour ~ 3 or 4 oz of water across the crown of my head). If it’s really hot, I take it off to get it wet again and “snap it” the way the instructions recommend (idk why that technique works… but it does).

A quick tip (I hope this will make sense) —> when looking at cooling towels, stay clear of the ones that are made of a sheet of spongy sort of material. It is literally a 1/8” thick, large rectangular sponge (I cut mine up to use for cleaning… but I think it was about 12” x 30” or so).
You’d think that being a sponge, it would hold moisture for longer, but it really doesn’t. The most annoying thing is that when it dries out, it gets very stiff and uncomfortable. And like most synthetic sponges, when it’s dried out it tends to repel water when you first try to re-wet it… that can be a real trick if you are trying to re-wet it on the go. It’s truly mind-boggling just how quickly it can get completely dried out, too … honestly, just 5-10 minutes after noticing it’s barely damp, depending on how much of a breeze there is. And once it’s stiff, it’s not as simple as pouring some water over it. It will just run right off. It has to be submerged until it begins to absorb water again, and that’s not something you want to do in a public restroom sink. At least I wouldn’t.

Stick to the Mission style (there are other good brands) and you’ll be .

Yea I use mission kids neck gators but use them for my wrists. We tried the towels one year and it was not good. Just not easy way to walk and keep them on.