What are your "must-haves" for hot weather & the Theme parks?

[LowesChevy]

My must haves:

light colored shirts
water
gatorade or powerade-to replace electrolytes after drinking bottles of water
sunblock
benedryl
sunglasses
hat or visor
mini personal fan-oriental trading has them by the dozen

a well planned agenda with several rides that are airconditioned or shaded

 

[Yubbie]

Some will think this is crazy but here's my #1 secret for really hot days in parks or anytime I'm going to be outside in hot weather for any length of time:

Get a wash cloth completely drenched with cold water, then wring it out just enough that it isn't a dripping mess. Pour a little rubbing alcohol on the wash cloth, then double bag it inside two ziplock sandwich bags. Keep one of these in your bag or fanny pack for each person in your party. It adds a little weight and bulk to your pack, so this works best if each person can carry their own.

Great way to cool off and cleanup a few times throughout the day, as alcohol helps to pull the heat from your skin. Just don't get it in your eyes or in open sores (Ouch). The prepackaged moist towelettes work well too, but not quite as effective at cooling you off.

I also recommend the normal stuff: sunscreen, light clothing, hat, plenty of water, a change of socks.

 

[dyna]

We drink lots of water but only carry one bottle of water with us as we head out to the parks when empty toss we just not into carrying things with us to much. The bag to put it in just makes us hotter.

I get a wet paper towel folded up that I can carry in my hand to wipe sweat with if I drop it or loose it no big deal just grab another usually do everytime I go to bathroom anyway.

Breaks in afternoon go back to room rest about an hour swim about an hour just chill out away from sun heat an crowd. Not only do we change socks before goin back to parks but clothes including underwear esp underwear. Other than underwear an socks we hang up the clothes to dry out an air out a bit an usually end up wearing them again. We change our shoes too..

Monostat smoothing gel like body glide only much cheaper. Use it on bottoms of feet (do not do this with crocs tho feet slide in crocs making it hard to walk without slipping) Also works between legs to keep from chafing on males an females alike as it's odorless an any other part of body that chafs. Apply in morning before getting dress an unless you swim or shower mid afternoon you set for the day..

Socks with the wicking in them to pull moisture away from feet an or diabetic socks with no seams even then change mid day. I get mine at Walmart but they can be found at Target an Kmart. I bought me like 10 pairs over a period of months an leave them in my disney luggage so they will last a very long time. They are a bit pricey but worth it.

Sunglasses

Good Sunscreen a sportblock is best apply once in am you pretty much set for the day.

Walk on shady side of street. Do the inside stuff during hottest part you in park.

Watch the feet hot sweaty feet an wet socks you askin for a blister.

 

[morgy827]

The Sprayer/fan saved us when we went in August

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I keep hats on everyone, it makes a big difference in how long you can handle the sun beating on you. I haven't been in May but I've been in late June/early July.

We have some of those mister fan bottles (I didn't buy mine in the parks!) water and pop into a show or a store for a few minutes of AC every so often and you will be fine.

 

[DoleWhipMom]

I like filling a sturdy zip lock back with some ice and place a couple wash clothes in them. I then place the zip lock back in another one just in case of leaks and put it in our back back. Over the course of the day, the ice melts and keeps the wash clothes nice and cold. We use them to cool our faces and the back of our necks. We've been in the summer a bunch of times and this really helps a lot and will also cause you to get a lot of envious stares while using them! It also helps keep the water bottles we bring cooler. I used Garden Grocer for the first time last year and loved it. We ordered water bottles, oj, cereal, milk etc. and will use them again this year.

 

[Tomh]

I've never really done well in the heat, and expected Disney in August to be all but unbearable. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how well I held up. Of course, I wore shorts every day. T shirts were the norm. I wore nice heavy weight athletic socks, to absorb the sweat, and move it away from my feet. The footwear of choice was sneakers. I wore my sun glasses every day as well, to protect the eyes from the UV. I had sunblock with me, but honestly, I think I only remembered to put it on the first two days.

The important things for me were to drink plenty of fluids. We carried bottles of water into the parks with us, and when they were gone, we purchased drinks as necessary. In the middle of the day, when it was the hottest, we did lots of indoor air conditioned stuff, including rides, and shopping, leaving most of the outdoor stuff to do in the morning, and evening.

 

[WriteDisney]

Yes you can bring water in no problem. We do it every year. Garden Grocer is wonderful!! We have used them twice now & will be using them again in May. I buy some breakfast items, water, Gatorade for the boys (beer for the husband) & they always deliver everything no problems whatsoever. They do seem to deliver early on the day we arrive & they leave it with guest services
& we just pick it up when we get there. We also buy milk & the resort will keep all things that need refrigerated for you in their fridges so all is good!!

Awesome! Thanks for the info!

I'd also like to second the recommendation for Under Armour apparel. It is wonderful. Extremely pricey, but wonderful in hot weather.

 

[2manypets]

We freeze water bottles and a damp washcloth together. Then we baggie them up together. As the water bottles unfreeze, the wash cloth get nice and chilly for rubbing on the back of necks and freshening faces.

Also those little Caribiner fans. They clip to backpacks or belt loops, lifesavers!

 

[lflax]

This may sound a little crazy but we spray some spray-on deodorant onto our feet before putting on our socks. I read it somewhere before one of our trips and decided to try it. It really seemed to work!!

 

[Melora]

FANS FANS FANS!!!!!!!!!!

Get the inexpensive hand held ones for each member of your group and if you can afford it get another one or two spares.

Last August my 7 year old dropped the first one I gave him and it busted and a little later in the week another fan stopped working. We did have another 6 fans (for other members of our group) and all of them lasted the entire trip. I paid about $3 each for them and were WELL worth it!

 

[december14disney]

FANS FANS FANS!!!!!!!!!!

Get the inexpensive hand held ones for each member of your group and if you can afford it get another one or two spares.

Last August my 7 year old dropped the first one I gave him and it busted and a little later in the week another fan stopped working. We did have another 6 fans (for other members of our group) and all of them lasted the entire trip. I paid about $3 each for them and were WELL worth it!

Where do you get these? Thanks!