What about hats??

[elizke]

Alright Disney pros. I've ordered a Baggalini sling bag, and ugly, UGLY shoes for the whole family (you know what kind). Thanks to all the advice given here I think I'm going to be well prepared.

(You should have seen me. I'd read here about the shoes, go to Dicks and look at them and say, nah can't wear those. Come back here and read some more, go back to the store, accchhh, just can't, etc. Finally decided to do what's right for my feet and ordered some flip flops and beach Crocs from Nofear. I'm haunted by the "Croc pics" thread where one poster says it look like Minnie's wearing them too...but I'm laughing.

But now I'm wondering about a hat. Do most of you wear hats, and if so what kinds do you like?

I'd love some sun shade, but it would be nice to have something easy to fold up and put away when necessary, and with minimal hat head. And please let there not be a Croc hat.

Any favorites?
E.

 

[DISNEY4FUN]

First of all your post is very funny and I can relate to your feelings about the Crocs. I have also resisted buying them because they are so ugly. But I am now planning to look at the flip-flops.

As far as hats go my husband wears regular ball hats, my MIL wears a visor to the parks because it doesn't squash her hair. I prefer a little cloth hat that I found at JCPenneys. It reminds me of Gilligan's hat from the TV show. It has a rim all around and is very soft. I can fold it up and fit it easily into my fanny pack or even my back pocket. It is also reversable so I can choose from two colors to match my clothes.

Have fun shopping!

 

[AJKMOM]

I wear a Disney sun visor that I got on sale a few trips ago. It depends on the weather, but it is a good idea in the summer. I like the visor because I wear it around my wrist when I go on rides.

I have a pair of Crocs, and they are great. since my feet are wide and size 10 womens, I look like Minnie Mouse anyway. However, if you really think they are ugly, don't waste your money. You can be comfortable in any number of types of shoes or sandals. I have never worn my Crocs to Disney because I prefer New Balance for long distance walking.

 

[ktglads]

I alternate between the bucket hat, baseball hats, and visors. Really, it is what YOU are most comfortable in. For me, it really just depends on what kind of hair day I am having and what clothes I am wearing....Besides if you think you look silly, you can always take it off for pictures. Just like the fanny pack. Turn it to the back and noone knows you are wearing it!

 

[malibuconlee]

I buy a new baseball type cap every Disney visit. Started with my Disneyland visit where the part in my hair was getting sunburned!!!

On my trip in 2002 I bought one because we'd just done Splash Mountain and my hair wasn't long enough for a ponytail, but just wrecked enough to be concerned aobut. So instead of going back to the hotel, I bought a new hat which I'd planned on doing anyway and went about my day.

I don't worry about hat hair because we always take an afternoon break to shower and wash off the sunscreen before going out for the evening, be it back to a park or whatever.

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

I wear a good quality sun visor, dark color. This is the kind that is snug on the forehead, without going around the back of the head. I really hate to be without my sun visor. When I am in a sit down show or attraction, I take off the sun visor, and attach it to my leg, just above the knee. This way, I won't leave it behind. As soon as I stand up to leave, I can feel the sun visor on my leg.

 

[SandrainNC]

I am not a hat person (because of hat head) but I got the floppy kind (see picture below on my son) while at WDW (the edges are turned up in the picture - fyi). Not the best fashion statement, but it doesn't give hat head as bad as baseball style hats. And it is easily stuffed into a backpack when not needed.

Sandra

 

[TravelinGal]

No help on hats - I don't like them, but...

If you do a visor - remember to put sunblock on your part! (unless you have all your hair pulled back in a single pony tail - but then you don't have a part so this statement is redundant... )

I also suggest this to people who get their hair braided!! Sunblock each and every place on your scalp where skin is exposed.

BTW - I just broke down and got some of those "ugly" crocs too. Been wearing them for 3 days now and I hate taking them off! Feels like I'm wearing slippers when I go out! (wearing with socks now - pretty darn cold in CO)

 

[Pixiedust34]

I am not a hat person. Wearing my fanny pack is bad enough.

But, I did bring a denim Mickey baseball hat along, and I was glad I had it. Most of the time, I kept it clipped around my water bottle strap. One day at AK I left my sunglasses in the room, and that hat helped keep the sun out of my eyes. Another time at Epcot we were stuck in the rain and I wore the hat then.

It can't hurt to bring a hat or to buy a hat when you're there. You'll have it if you need it. You could get a baseball hat like I did and keep it strapped to the bag you are carrying when you don't want to wear it.

 

[Karnak]

Perhaps you should read the posts dealing with birds at Disney World. There's no way I would visit any of the parks without wearing a hat of some type.

 

[maddhatir]

OK- i just have to say this.....

"You've got your hat, use your hat"

.....from Moonstruck......Cher (Loretta Castorini) saying it to Danny Aiello (Mr. Johnny Cammareri) when he is in Italy visiting his "dying" mother! "She's dying. But I could still hear her big mouth"

sorry-- really.....i just had to!! i love that movie!

me and Dh say it all the time, and the stinkin movie has been out almost 20 years!! "You've got your hat, use your hat"

 

[snowglobe girl]

I never do wear a hat because I feel like they make me more hot and just seem to be in the way. I'm usually fine with just sunglasses...

 

[Kath2003]

I always wear a soft cotton hat for the following reasons:

1. You will get a sunburnt scalp if you don't. Very difficult to suncream this area It also helps to protect your face from the sun.

2. Excess sun on the head is the primary cause of heat exhaustion/sun stroke. Wearing a hat significantly reduces the chances of this. Heat exhausion can make you feel terrible - headaches , shivers, fever , vomiting etc. NOT something you want to ruin your vacation.

I take one "nice" hat for the theme parks and one "naff" hat for the water parks (ends up in the water a lot more than my theme park hat). If they get wet, I don't care, it helps to keep me cooler. They fold down to fit in my pocket, no problem. I'm never without my hat whilst the sun is still out.

Soft cotton hats do not make you more hot. They allow more heat to be lost than absorbed from your body - exactly what you want in the heat. Conversely, cold drinks and ice creams do exactly the opposite - they fool your body into believing it is cooler than it actually is, and so your heat-reduction defenses (i.e. sweating, widening blood vessels etc.) slow down. However, you don't do this all day so it has little or no effect. Wearing a hat for most of the day will keep your body temperature stable - without one, it is liable to rise.

 

[mjkaferle5]

i bought an army boonie hat. It is the military version of a floppy hat. It has the desert camoflauge so it is light in color. It is very light weight, has ventilation holes, and I also got it a size too big so it feels light on the head. I don't have to worry about crushing it and it gives shade to my neck as well!!

Here is a link to a picture.

http://www.millerhats.com/armyhats_catalog/army2.html

 

[Disneyrsh]

Ok, if you don't wear hats, why are you posting here?

I wear a straw cowboy hat, usually one that's light colored. It breathes, it smells good when it gets wet on the ride (like hay), and you can crush the living daylights out of it when it gets smushed on the roller coasters as you hold it between your knees.

It also significantly reduces the heat of the sun on my head when I'm walking around in Disney, I can literally immediately feel my head getting cooler. I bought mine on ebay for about 14 bucks.

Look up "rock star cowboy hat" and you'll find some cool ones...

 

[snowglobe girl]

Ok, if you don't wear hats, why are you posting here?

Gee - that wasn't very nice

I think Elizke said "But now I'm wondering about a hat. Do most of you wear hats, and if so what kinds do you like?"

 

[elizke]

Thanks so much for all the feedback everyone. The pictures are especially helpful.

Like some of you, I'm not normally a hat person. (I'd like to be but my hair does not recover easily.) But I do have the scalp burn experience and thought I'd better use one. Cowboy hats are so cool on other people but not sure I can carry one off. The army hat is cool too and looks soft. I think I'll try to find something floppy and scrunch-able (love that baby one!!!) Any one else with favorites please chime in...

Thanks to all!!

E.

 

[wdwfan1]

I dont wear hats all the time but I bought a cute Minnie hat with a brim in front and a bow in the back. I also have a DVC visor and a castle visor.

 

[daisylove]

Thanks so much for all the feedback everyone. The pictures are especially helpful.

Like some of you, I'm not normally a hat person. (I'd like to be but my hair does not recover easily.) But I do have the scalp burn experience and thought I'd better use one. Cowboy hats are so cool on other people but not sure I can carry one off. The army hat is cool too and looks soft. I think I'll try to find something floppy and scrunch-able (love that baby one!!!) Any one else with favorites please chime in...

Thanks to all!!

E.

The baby one actually isnt just for babys. It looks like the hat I got in the parks thatis squishable but it says magic kingdom on the front and has the main characters signatures on it all around it. It is an adult hat and I love it. i also wear WDW visors and a totes all weather hat for those rainy afternoons. (from sears)

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I have a MUD hat (my gardening hat) in a baseball style. It's wonderfully cool, because it has vents built into the sides. It also comes in a "Gilligan" style, which is vented as well and very crushable, with an adjustable strap in case of those breezes. The strap is also very useful for hanging the had around your neck on the rides.