Best strategies for dealing with the heat?

I went this year in August and it was Africa HOT! Early mornings and afternoons in the pool.
Other than JFox, assuming they already know, do you know/remember in what movie that "Africa hot" phrase was used?

These are all great tips. The only thing I can add is go on an Alaskan cruise instead. It might even cost less.
 
Other than JFox, assuming they already know, do you know/remember in what movie that "Africa hot" phrase was used?

These are all great tips. The only thing I can add is go on an Alaskan cruise instead. It might even cost less.

Bwahaha. 99% of my daily vocab is made up of movie quotes and references. Thing is less and less people understand them and having to explain them kind of defeats the purpose. It's like an inside joke and I'm the only one who gets them.
 
I used a FrogToggs Chilly Pad towel on my last trip, and it was heaven. It was 93-95 each day and 1,000% humidity, and it still made a noticeable difference. I wore tanks to the park each day and wore that towel like a cape around my neck and shoulders. It kept the sun off and maximized cool towel-to-skin surface area.
I also do this and found it works great. I bought a cooling towel at Disney a few years ago that's great quality and also have a frogtogg. I was there in September and the humidity was the worst I've ever felt (they said it was due to the impending hurricane). One day I tied it around my head under my hat and the other around my shoulders, it was a lifesaver.
 


Bwahaha. 99% of my daily vocab is made up of movie quotes and references. Thing is less and less people understand them and having to explain them kind of defeats the purpose. It's like an inside joke and I'm the only one who gets them.
I'm your huckleberry. :)
 
I find Ecco sandals are the best. My feet never blister in these. And I have huge wide feet. I tried to alternate with socks/sneakers but the socks rubbed with the sweat and was sooo uncomfortable. Seriously, check out Ecco! I also use gold bond and get a travel size to bring with me if I think I’ll need.
 
Bwahaha. 99% of my daily vocab is made up of movie quotes and references. Thing is less and less people understand them and having to explain them kind of defeats the purpose. It's like an inside joke and I'm the only one who gets them.

I work with a lot of millennials, they are the worst at getting movie quotes. What's the matter with kids today?

To the OP, there is free ice water available in the parks. Hydration is should be your first priority.
 


O2 cool necklace fans were a lifesaver on my last trip. You where them around your neck and they blow up from the top toward your face. It’s great because they are hands free and you can just leave them on all day. They were especially refreshing when you’d walk into an air conditioned space for a minute because they amplified the cool. And one set of batteries would last all day when running it constantly. You can find them on Amazon.
 
These are all great tips. The only thing I can add is go on an Alaskan cruise instead. It might even cost less.

This made me laugh. It would probably be a quite a bit less than WDW for us, since we're on the west coast and our flights to Orlando aren't cheap. But we're not cruise people, though I would try it some day. Alaska is where I'd want to go if I did do a cruise. :)

Is it true that there are daily rainshowers? If so, do rides close?

From my experience going in June, yes, there are, and yes, they do. Pools, the water parks, and some rides close if there is lightning in the area, which can actually happen before there's rain. When we went in June, the rain showers (which were sometimes intense - we don't have much sideways rain in CA!!) sometimes lasted 30 min or an hour, but one day it was more like 4 or 5 hours. They were always in the afternoon. I think it's not necessarily a question of if it will rain, but when and for how long, and will there be lighting, causing things to close? At least, in my limited experience. We bring ponchos from home, where they're cheaper, and carry them all the time.

To the OP, there is free ice water available in the parks. Hydration is should be your first priority.

That I did know. I am never without a Hydroflask, and hydrate constantly as a habit. I know I'll need to up the water intake even more for July in WDW.

O2 cool necklace fans were a lifesaver on my last trip. You where them around your neck and they blow up from the top toward your face. It’s great because they are hands free and you can just leave them on all day. They were especially refreshing when you’d walk into an air conditioned space for a minute because they amplified the cool. And one set of batteries would last all day when running it constantly. You can find them on Amazon.

I found these on Amazon! I'm glad to hear they're helpful. It says the batteries last 12 hours. Did you bring 2 AA batteries for each day for each fan, and that was enough?
 
From my experience going in June, yes, there are, and yes, they do. Pools, the water parks, and some rides close if there is lightning in the area, which can actually happen before there's rain. When we went in June, the rain showers (which were sometimes intense - we don't have much sideways rain in CA!!) sometimes lasted 30 min or an hour, but one day it was more like 4 or 5 hours. They were always in the afternoon. I think it's not necessarily a question of if it will rain, but when and for how long, and will there be lighting, causing things to close? At least, in my limited experience. We bring ponchos from home, where they're cheaper, and carry them all the time.

Thanks. We're looking at adding a couple days after a cruise so hoping showers are not full day events (or 4-5 hrs as you mention). Or at least if there is other stuff to do at the parks.
 
Park in the early morning, park at night, pool in the afternoon.

This so much - have been doing that the past few trips and it's the best advice you can take - that afternoon break at the hottest part of the day is invaluable!
 
This made me laugh. It would probably be a quite a bit less than WDW for us, since we're on the west coast and our flights to Orlando aren't cheap. But we're not cruise people, though I would try it some day. Alaska is where I'd want to go if I did do a cruise. :)



From my experience going in June, yes, there are, and yes, they do. Pools, the water parks, and some rides close if there is lightning in the area, which can actually happen before there's rain. When we went in June, the rain showers (which were sometimes intense - we don't have much sideways rain in CA!!) sometimes lasted 30 min or an hour, but one day it was more like 4 or 5 hours. They were always in the afternoon. I think it's not necessarily a question of if it will rain, but when and for how long, and will there be lighting, causing things to close? At least, in my limited experience. We bring ponchos from home, where they're cheaper, and carry them all the time.



That I did know. I am never without a Hydroflask, and hydrate constantly as a habit. I know I'll need to up the water intake even more for July in WDW.



I found these on Amazon! I'm glad to hear they're helpful. It says the batteries last 12 hours. Did you bring 2 AA batteries for each day for each fan, and that was enough?

Yes, I just brought a package of AA batteries from home and changed them about once a day if we had left them on all day.
 
Rains practically every afternoon, so keep that in mind choosing footwear. You'll get wet. We used neck coolers like the FroggTogs, saved my life. It's not hot, it's oppressively hot. Early mornings, out by noon at the latest, back to resort AC and showers. We'd usually have lunch somewhere cool in the parks, then leave, and return for evening meal and more touring. Drinking lots of water is super important. Just take it easy, don't overdo.
 
We just brought a hand towel to wipe off the sweat and that helped a lot. Lots of great ideas here!
 
I have a family of heat hating night owls (even though the kids are young). Sometimes we didn't hit the parks until 5 when we realized how much the kids hated the heat. My whole family wears straw sun hats and those help a ton while the sun is out. The good thing about summer is the parks are open late, so you can easily get 7 park hours even if you don't hit a park until 5. Sometimes the parks stay open really late and that's even better. The concrete is no longer radiating heat and the crowds thin.
 
We use a Camelback and fill it with ice and powdered Gatorade before we leave the resort. Lasts all day and keeps cold. Also having a place to put in raincoats helps.
 
I think I saw a couple people already mention a metal water bottle and free ice water and QS restaurants but I'll say it too, because they're what we do every trip. I would also say make sure you're super hydrated BEFORE y'all even leave for Disney! We make sure that we're all used to drinking LOTS of water by the time we get there, that way we're not trying to get our normal hydration on top of our combating heat stroke hydration... If that makes sense haha. Also, Powerade! I'm not really a fan of it but most food courts have it in the fountains. It seems to help us when water just doesn't feel like its cutting it.
 
I think I saw a couple people already mention a metal water bottle and free ice water and QS restaurants but I'll say it too, because they're what we do every trip. I would also say make sure you're super hydrated BEFORE y'all even leave for Disney! We make sure that we're all used to drinking LOTS of water by the time we get there, that way we're not trying to get our normal hydration on top of our combating heat stroke hydration... If that makes sense haha. Also, Powerade! I'm not really a fan of it but most food courts have it in the fountains. It seems to help us when water just doesn't feel like its cutting it.

Hydrating before the trip is a really good idea! Thanks!

I thought of Powerade or Gatorade even though it's not my favorite either - planning to get some delivered to the room from Garden Grocer. Glad to hear it's in the food courts, too!
 
Love all of this, thank you! I'm glad to hear some of the strategies I'd thought of might really help. Definitely planning on mornings and evenings in the parks with a PM break. We're also going all out this trip since we haven't been in 6 years, so we're doing a lot of TS meals (in AC!), and making sure our CS choices have indoor seating with AC!

I'm glad to hear the little portable fans/cooling towels are helpful. I just added a couple options to my Amazon wishlist.

I'm worried about my feet, for sure. My feet blister extremely easily. Last time we went, I ended up having to wear sneakers, because my feet just couldn't handle sandals with the moisture and heat. And I was wearing Tevas, not cheapie sandals.

have you ever tried Glide for your feet? Anti perspirant -ish product
 

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