Tricks to stay COOL in the summer

[Cindylieu]

I've been researching simple and cheap ways to stay cool at the WDW parks in June. I'll be traveling with my parents, husband, and teen daughter. I don't want to spend tons of $$ on equipment to stay cool. No one wants to play in a fountain, although we are ok with water rides. We also don't want to leave the parks in the afternoons. I think I've found a great plan!

A. ADR at a table service restaurant for 2 or 3pm. Linger in the restaurant in the A/C.
B. Plan for indoor, A/C rides and shows in the afternoons
C. Bandanas for everyone to wipe sweat, get wet, etc
D. Fipflops for the wet rides (bag when not in use)
E. Athletic shirts/shorts (water-wicking and quick-drying) for the park days
F. Mister fans from Walmart
G. Ziplock bags for that FREE ICE at the QS counters...wrap up in your bandana and loosely tie around the neck for a personal A/C (this is my personal favorite!! Nothing fancy and hardly any cost!)

I made lists of all the A/C shows in each park and where they are located. When we need a rest and a cool down, we will just pick a show and go relax. Yay!

Do you have any simple and cheap tips for a family like ours?

 

[LSUfan4444]

Do you have any simple and cheap tips for a family like ours?

-Hydrate. Drink AT LEAST as many ounces of water per day per person than body weight in lbs. 150 lbs = AT LEAST 150 oz per day
-Non-cotton moisture wicking clothing and socks
-Light colored clothing
-Hats
-Rope drop, then mid day breaks and plan to re-arrive and stay later in the afternoons/evenings

 

[loves to dive]

I know you said you didn't want to leave the parks in the afternoons but it really is the easiest way to stay cool. Leave and go back to your resort for either a swim or a rest in the room. Otherwise, as previous poster mentioned, drink lots of water, you can get it for free at any of the quick service locations. Wear light clothes, try not to carry a bunch of stuff with you, you'd be surprised at how little you really need in the parks - a phone, an ID, a little cash and maybe a cc and that's it. There are shady areas in all the parks, grab a glass of water and sit and rest for a while. Try not to over schedule your days, going from rope drop to park close is exhausting at the best of times, in the heat it's horrible.

 

[mshanson3121]

- Frogg towels
- Rope drop with afternoon pool break
- Hydrate
- Hat with brim
- Sandals not sneakers
- Sundress instead of shorts
- Moisture wicking clothes
- Cool snacks: ice cream, freezies etc...

 

[lovethattink]

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

The Star Wars thread has some great advice on the first page. http://www.disboards.com/threads/of...rt-party-launch-bay-jt.3439569/#post-54255250

For years my son hasn't been able to fully regulate his body temperature. We've found an umbrella to be helpful. He wears a cooling vest, but it's not very practical and it's costly.

I schedule any outdoor FPs early morning or after dark.

Our new challenge is going to be me. I'm not allowed sun exposure for a year. Should be interesting living in Florida.

 

[BebopBaloo]

Just wanted to say that I think you're all set. It seems like you've thought this through and are well prepared. I completely understand not wanting to leave and come back. Sometimes it works out, but other times it is just too time consuming. I do like frogg togg towels/bandannas. We find that just going from one indoor attraction to the next, works out best. Fantasyland esp. can be a beast in the afternoon heat, though it has gotten considerably better. (Dumbo's tent is fantastic. And it's across the way from the best smelling gift shop on property. Yum. Cotton Candy.)

 

[disnut8]

My simple trick to staying cool is to put a washcloth into a zipper type bag and use that in the bathrooms. Just put the cloth under cold water to wet it and then wash down any exposed part of your body. Replace in the bag and reuse as needed all day long.

 

[chartle]

- Hat with brim

Second this, you need to keep the sun off your body. Baseball caps just don't cut it.

 

[BigredNole]

I went in a September in 2011. I just graduated with my MBA. I took my 5yo daughter with me. She was on my shoulders watching some show (we were at the back and not blocking views). All of a sudden, I started getting dizzy. I got her off my shoulders and realized I was getting either dehydrated, heat exhaustion, or both. I lived in FL for 29 years and use to it. We head straight back to Fantasyland wind back near the Village Haus since there is a fountain there. I dunked my head in it to soak myself. Ever since then, I paid much more attention to it. It can creep up on you even if you know it can happen.

Things to watch for, especially with kids.
1. Not going to the bathroom enough. The body is protecting what liquids it does have for cooling. If you or the kids are not going enough, you ARE NOT drinking enough. Try to get 8oz every hour. Water is free.
2. Skin going pale and/or not sweating in the heat. If you are not sweating, dehydration has set in.


What to do to keep cool?
1. Take one of those cool towels. They are excellent for cooling. You can get cups of ice water from any QS restaurant and there are plenty of fountains around to dunk it in.
2. Drink 8oz of fluids (preferably water) every hour
3. Make sure people are doing #1 enough
4. Use AC stations to keep cool. After that 1 day, we made it a point to pin trade inside buildings from noon until about 1:30-2PM.
5. Head back to the resort to swim. However, swimming IS NOT a replacement for drinking water. A medical emergency at SSR right in front of Summer 2015. I still feel sorry for getting an entire daquiri from the bartender to dump on her until we got them to start dumping us bags of ice. Thankfully the little girl was OK after a trip to the hospital.

 

[chartle]

Also hydrating means water, sports drinks and maybe slushy type drinks. Not alcohol, coffee, pop (aka soda) especially anything with caffeine.

I've read many posts about Brita, Bobble and other carbon filter bottles and they all remove the funk from the water coming out of the tap.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

When we went last July, we carried a small water cooler (Coleman 1 gallon jug) and filled it with ice water. We drank from it, and when we got really hot, we just poured it on ourselves. The kids loved that.

We also bought a water spray fan, which was fun to use. You can get them cheap at Wal Mart before your trip, or spring for the more expensive Disney version.

 

[Parker Clan]

Mid day breaks, along with every other tip the other posters mentioned.
We have survived six summers in Disney. It's totally manageable if you do it right

 

[elrod1]

Even though you stated it's not your preference, the answer to your question is found with the pro-breakers, I believe:

1) Rope drop (The most crucial two hours of the day)
2) Back to your hotel by noon to rest in the pool/AC
3) Back out to the parks in a fresh set of clothes around 4:30 or so.

In the summer, nights are late and mornings are early. There is still more than enough park time even with the midday break. If rest/pool just isn't your cup of tea, you can substitute visits to the WDW resorts for a meal and rest time in the AC. But 12-4 in the parks, with the crowds and solar surface heat, are the arsenic hours IMO (You either feel like giving it or taking it). Many of our trips have been in July and have been outstanding. Your body just needs some midday relief, again IMO. Have fun!

 

[Tomh]

We don't do afternoon breaks either, and generally visit in August. We nearly always stay in the park from rope drop to closing, or close to it.

In the morning, we hit as many rides as we can while it is still (relatively) cool, and crowds are low.
Lunch for us is usually counter service, but we almost always eat somewhere with indoor seating, and take our time at it.
Free ice water is a god send. Bring along Mio, or something similar to cover up the odd Florida water flavor (odd at least if you are from the North East)
Something over your head to keep some of the heat off helps. I usually bring a small wash cloth from the dollar store, and wet it down every time I am in a bathroom. It keeps the heat off, and cools too.
Afternoons are often when we go on long indoor attractions / shows, shop, etc.
Supper is usually a table service meal for us, and again we take our time, generally giving us an hour and a half out of the heat.
Did I mention water, and hydration. Not only water, but having a sports drink (gatorade, or Powerade) to help keep electrolytes up.
Finally, listen to your body. When it says you need a rest, listen to it, get a drink, find someplace cool, and get a little rest. Just sitting in the shade and having a cold drink for 15 minutes can make all the difference in the world.

 

[oneIIIone]

I know you said you didn't want to leave the parks in the afternoons but it really is the easiest way to stay cool. Leave and go back to your resort for either a swim or a rest in the room. Otherwise, as previous poster mentioned, drink lots of water, you can get it for free at any of the quick service locations. Wear light clothes, try not to carry a bunch of stuff with you, you'd be surprised at how little you really need in the parks - a phone, an ID, a little cash and maybe a cc and that's it. There are shady areas in all the parks, grab a glass of water and sit and rest for a while. Try not to over schedule your days, going from rope drop to park close is exhausting at the best of times, in the heat it's horrible.

Very well said!

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I would avoid Frogg Toggs when it's really humid, which is essentially most of the summer. They only work when they can evaporate, and when it's very humid they just stay wet and get warm.

Why carry your flip flops? The more you carry the more you'll sweat. Just wear them or some type of waterproof sandal or open/mesh sneaker. (I live in Crocs flips/sandals at WDW.)

Also, no matter what you think you all want to do now, you'll take breaks anyway because once you're there and you try to go all day in 95° weather and 90% humidity, you'll realize your choice at some point becomes either drop dead where you stand or take a break. Break your days up and don't be in the parks in the hottest part of the day. Those pools at the resorts are there for a reason.

I'm not sure if you and your family have been in Orlando in the middle of the summer, so you may have an idea of what you're getting into. But if you haven't, it's going to be like spending every single second that you are outside of air conditioning in a sauna on the surface of the sun. It isn't just that you'll be hot and sweaty. It's that you will also be much more quickly physically exhausted and stressed. You have to be very careful about not overdoing it.

 

[TeresaG]

Everyone has given great tips. Something I do for my 2 kids to keep them cool and hydrated is ask for cups of ice wherever they serve fountain sodas. My kids love to chomp on the ice and it helps serve 2 purposes- cooling them off and hydrating them without them realizing it. Plus it melts into water for them to drink. I mostly worry about my kids staying hydrated since I know my husband and I make sure we are.

 

[Klayfish]

You've got some good ideas already. 95% of all the WDW days we have ever done have been in June or July. We don't take any special measures, such as mid-day breaks, etc... we just use common sense. So many rides in WDW are air conditioned, so it's pretty rare that we're outside in the heat for very long stretches. Frequent water breaks, cup of ice, walk relatively slowly, etc...

 

[d-train]

All great tips from everyone!
For me the sun radiating off all the pavement mid afternoon is a killer!
Makes my feet so hot - no way to avoid it either, except get out of the sun.
We did afternoon breaks this past summer - first time doing that - but needed with my wife and LO in tow.
I certainly missed being at the parks in the afternoon (I have done a few solo commando trips...).
but certainly still had a great time with the fam at the resort - swimming, napping, etc...
And we certainly had better nights as a result!

 

[BrianL]

My favorite cooling off spot is in the Single Rider line for Test Track. There is "The Vent" which is blowing full blast AC. It is close to the loading platform (after the curve in the wall) but you will know it when you are under it. You only get a moment to linger there though as that SR line moves quickly. I know it's not an all-around the parks solution, but it's my spot!