If you are traveling to Walt Disney World in the summer months you most definitely are going to face some extreme heat! We have had record heat the past two weeks here and it really made me think about everyone here on vacation trying to squeeze every second of magic out that they can while dealing with this heat. So I thought I would lay out some of the things we do to beat the heat, everything from what we wear to timing to helpful gadgets and gizmos we take into the parks with us. Don’t let the Florida heat stop you, just know how to deal with it and come prepared!
Water, Water & More Water
This may seem like a weird place to start but honestly being hydrated while being out in this heat al day is so important! Not only is it hot but the humidity is unreal some days, you literally feel like your walking around in a hot bowl of soup. Eww! You WILL sweat, A LOT! So make sure you have a good water bottle that keeps your water cold for you, like a Corkcicle! I know I may seem biased since I work for them but they really are the best bottles and keep your water cold all day in the Florida sun. Plus they have really cute Disney designs if you want one to go along with your vacation.
My biggest tip here is DO NOT BUY WATER IN THE PARKS! It’s so expensive and if you’re like me you would like to spend your money on more fun things than water. If you prefer bottled water you can do an Amazon Grocery or Instacart delivery to your resort so you have it in your room. There are also refill stations all over the parks and you can ask for free ice water at all quick service locations. Sometimes they even have a water cooler set up for you get it yourself! Either way, keep your bottle filled and drink water all day, even if you are having other drinks throughout the day.
Timing
If you are anything like we were when we came here on vacation, you have limited time and want to do it all! Timing out your day in this heat is so important. It’s typically the hottest between 1pm-6pm right now. The last thing you want is for someone to feel awful or get sick because of the heat. When you are looking at the attractions and things you want to do in each park try to plan like this:
- Outdoor attractions and attractions with long outdoor queue lines early in the morning and after the sun goes down (Toy Story Land is brutal in the heat of the day)
- Indoor attractions and attractions with mostly indoor queue lines during the heat of the day when the sun is blazing down on you
- Plan to do some indoor shows that are a little longer and have great AC in the middle of the day
- Plan your mid day meals in places with AC and plenty of indoor seating
- Don’t be afraid to take a resort break! Go to the parks as early as possible and stay as late as possible but in the middle of the day don’t be afraid to go to the hotel and relax some when it’s super hot and maybe enjoy the pool!
What To Wear
We all want to wear all the cute park things but you really have to think about what is going to help you with the heat! This is going to be different for everyone and is even drastically different within my little family of 4. I can’t stand to have anything up around my neck when I’m hot and I want my arms to be out, but I also hate shorts so I love light flowy pants or dresses that breath and I can wear tight athletic shorts under. You can check out some of the things I like to wear in the parks here! My youngest likes to wear moisture wicking shirts and light athletic shorts and my husband is the same. My oldest is a whole other breed and will wear a sweatshirt until he’s about to have a heat stroke so don’t listen to him! Hahaha! Just remember that as much as you want to look cute, your comfort is more important!
Like I said, this one is going to be different for everyone but you need to think about what is going to help you be more comfortable in the heat and what makes you uncomfortable in the heat so you don’t pack a bunch of clothes you end up wishing you hadn’t. You for sure don’t want anything heavy or super dark colors and always think about chaffing when packing your clothes because that is real struggle when you’re out in the heat walking around all day! Also think about clothes you don’t mind getting wet in, there are water rides and misters and for splash pads in most of the parks and they can help with cooling off but you don’t want to be uncomfortable afterwords.
Gadgets & Gizmos
There are so many cool things to help you in the heat! I already told you about my favorite water bottles but there are more things I love to use in the parks. You can see all of the things we use on hot days here, some are cute some are just functional! Here are the must haves:
- Fans! There are lots of different ones but we really like having the neck fans and a hand fan. They do sell really cute fans in the parks that make for a great souvenir but when your arm gets tired you’ll be thankful for a battery operated one! There are even ones you can clip to your stroller if you are still in that phase. Be sure to pack extra batteries and a portable charger fir the fans that can be charged!
- Cooling Towels! These are great! Get them wet, snap them to activate and it gives you something cool to put on your neck or head to get some relief.
- Sunscreen! This is obviously a no brainer but you don’t want to forget it and have to pay double for it in the parks or not be able to get the one you like. I suggest having a stick of sunscreen you can keep in your bag to reapply. This Florida sun is no joke and will cook you like a rotisserie chicken!
- Bags! Be careful with the type of bag you bring with you. You don’t want a huge book bag on your sweaty back all day long. Instead think smaller and let everyone have their small bag with essentials instead of mom having to carry it all in a big bag! My favorite is the Mickey Sling that can hold my water bottle, wallet, keys, sunscreen stick, poncho and a couple extra batteries for fans in the zipper pouch with a little room to spare. And it’s super cute!
- Sunglasses! If you know you don’t like the bright sun then make sure you have a good pair of sunnies with you because this sun is BRIGHT!
Attitude
At the end of the day you knew you were going on vacation in Florida in the heat of the summer and are probably mentally prepared for that, this is just to help you be physically prepared too! But your attitude really will make a difference. If you get up in the morning already dreading and complaining about the heat it’s probably not going to be a great day. The heat isn’t going anywhere. Instead just go into the day know ing you may have to alter plans and pivot to the AC instead of standing in line for Slinky Dog Dash at 1pm. Maybe you weren’t planning on getting Genie+ or any Individual Lightning Lanes but there is one ride everyone really wants to get on that has an outside queue and a long wait so you pay the money for the one Individual Lightning Lane and save yourself the stress and heat stroke. At the end of the day, just be flexible and willing to concede to the heat sometimes for the sake of everyone having a good time.
Conclusion
This Florida heat and humidity is no joke. Especially if you are traveling in July and August. With feels like days of 110+ and 90%+ humidity it can feel like you have entered the 3rd ring of hell! Hahaha! But just like everything else with a Disney vacation, planning is key! The more prepared you are the better things will go. And at the end of the day you are there to have a good time and everyone is probably really excited to be there so just ride that wave, be as prepared as possible and be willing to pivot plans and find the AC and ice water!!
I hope this was helpful and as always I thank you all for reading along! Let me know your best tip for keeping cool at the Disney Parks and have a magical day!