What's the best way to battle the summer heat?

[splash114]

My family is going to WDW the first week of July. We go to DLR many times each year, but rarely in the summer. We live on the Central California Coast where the summer temps are in the low-mid 70s and there is no humidity. We know it will be hot and humid. Are there many places with air conditioning through the parks? Do the attraction queues have air conditioning? Any tips to beat the heat? Thanks.

[PSUMark]

WDW is built with the weather in mind. That means that (outside of DAK) most attractions and a lot of the queues are primarily indoors.

I'm not gonna lie though, even with that, the heat and humidity at WDW in the summer can be pretty brutal - especially if you're not used to the climate. My favorite strategy for beating the heat (and also, to a point, the crowds) during the summer is to go the parks early in the morning (or sleep in, if that's more your speed), spend the afternoon when it's hottest back at your hotel pool or a water park, and go into the parks again when it's cooled off a bit. The parks tend to be open later in the summer, so you can actually see/do quite a lot in the evenings when it's cooler. (And if you need to sleep in to spend more hours at the parks later in the evening, IMHO that's a good tradeoff - heck, since the parks will often be open til midnight or later, you might as well stay on Pacific Time.) Take it slow and don't be afraid to make a pit stop somewhere with air conditioning from time to time. Make sure you drink a lot.

Honestly, I think the fact that you're asking this question means you're already in good shape as you're not underestimating the summer weather in FL as so many do - that often leads to a lot of super worn out and cranky children (and sometimes parents!) - you'll probably observe this during your trip. As long as you allow yourselves to take it slow, you should have a great time and hopefully avoid any heat-induced meltdowns.

[New Orleans lady]

We bring those little hand battery operated fans. aim them at your neck and it helps. You can also purchase neck wraps that have s substance in them that is activated with water. Each time they stop cooling, you can re wet it in a bathroom at the parks. They will feel cold. You can purchase them at sporting good stores before your trip. Summer in Orlando is brutal, so take these precautions and save your trip. I live in New Orleans and we struggle through summer heat.

[Disneylandfan85]

WDW is built with the weather in mind. That means that (outside of DAK) most attractions and a lot of the queues are primarily indoors.

I'm not gonna lie though, even with that, the heat and humidity at WDW in the summer can be pretty brutal - especially if you're not used to the climate. My favorite strategy for beating the heat (and also, to a point, the crowds) during the summer is to go the parks early in the morning (or sleep in, if that's more your speed), spend the afternoon when it's hottest back at your hotel pool or a water park, and go into the parks again when it's cooled off a bit. The parks tend to be open later in the summer, so you can actually see/do quite a lot in the evenings when it's cooler. (And if you need to sleep in to spend more hours at the parks later in the evening, IMHO that's a good tradeoff - heck, since the parks will often be open til midnight or later, you might as well stay on Pacific Time.) Take it slow and don't be afraid to make a pit stop somewhere with air conditioning from time to time. Make sure you drink a lot.

Honestly, I think the fact that you're asking this question means you're already in good shape as you're not underestimating the summer weather in FL as so many do - that often leads to a lot of super worn out and cranky children (and sometimes parents!) - you'll probably observe this during your trip. As long as you allow yourselves to take it slow, you should have a great time and hopefully avoid any heat-induced meltdowns.

And be sure to lather on the sunscreen, too.

[splash114]

Thanks to all for your responses. We don't have any small children on this trip, but we do have two teenagers and one in a wheelchair. We'll take a look at supplementing in the water parks and the personal fans sound like a great idea. And we have sunscreen, will travel as our motto. It's great to know this community always helps out.

[Imagineer Meg]

If you're on the dining plan, all the quick service restaurants allow you to substitute a bottle of water for the dessert. These are good just to have and carry around.

[DancinBelle]

PLEASE make sure you drink enough water, especially ice water. Every single quick service location will give you a cup of ice water free of charge, and multiples if you ask. They don't want people passing out!

[englanddg]

Many of the queues have air conditioning and fans / water fixtures in the queue.

From a heat perspective (and this should influence your Fast Pass Choices) I'd say the worst are:

MK - Thunder Mountain Railroad, Speedway, Peter Pan
EP - Pretty much ok here, unless the queue is outside the building...which is not common. Most of the queues are indoors though, so no worries.
HS - Here, most of the outdoor queues are shady, but, same as EPCOT, if they go outside of the building, be ready for heat, but the difference is many of the outdoor queues at HS don't have much wind. Tower of Terror has a mostly outdoor queue, if the line is long prepare for heat. Star Tours, Muppets and Rockin' Roller Coaster also come to mind as "hot lines"
AK - The Safari, Kali River and Everest all have a "hot line"...so just drink a lot of water, and be prepared to wait. Everest is by far the worst, and I wouldn't ever do it if the wait is longer then 30 minutes, or unless you have a fast pass.

Anyhow, as mentioned before, icewater is free of charge, 10 8 oz cups a day or so, as you'll be sweating it out. I've had severe dehydration once in my life, and I would never want to go through that again. You feel feint, you get cramps, you get dry retches...it's terrible. You lose a lot of control over your body and it comes on quick. So, definitely make sure everyone is always sipping on something.

And since you have a wheelchair in your party, your Assistance pass might help.

I live in ATL, so I'm pretty used to the temp (70s for us is later fall weather)...

Depending on what time of year you are visiting, if it's late summer, expect afternoon rains. It's almost like clockwork, between 3 and 6pm. That really helps cool off the park, and I find it a great time to book restaurant reservations.

[danyoung]

Any tips to beat the heat?

Yeah - don't go till October!

Seriously, if you have to visit during the hot months, get to the parks as early as you can - right at park open, or even earlier if there are morning Extra Magic Hours. Tour till around noon, then head back to your hotel for a swim and a nice air conditioned nap. Then head back into the parks around 5pm or so, just when it's starting to ever so slightly cool down, and park storm till park closing. Don't even think about staying in the parks in the afternoon during the peak of the heat and the peak of the crowds!

[Dapper Dan]

Definitely a rap battle is the best way. I was going to say dance battle, but all that hippity hopping around will just make you hotter.

Drink plenty of water. Most of the queues are indoors because the Florida weather was kept in mind when designing the parks and most have plenty of areas to cool off. Don't be afraid to do some shopping or hit up the shows like Hall of Presidents, and the World Showcase films.

The big exception is the Animal Kingdom. Almost everything here is outside, and there aren't a lot of good places to cool off besides Rafiki's Planet Watch. The trees holding all the heat in doesn't help much either.

Also, expect that water to fall out of the sky every day in the mid afternoon for about an hour. Central Florida thunderstorms can be pretty intense, but they are also short and remarkably predictable.

[Bronco21]

Best advice - Go to Disneyland instead! Lol jk WDW is brutal when it's hot! WDW's huge distances between rides, large wide open spaces with little shade (DHS and EPCOT are the worst when it hot!), ect are all working against you as you try to stay hydrated. However, the rides, shops, queues, ect in WDW are for the most part indoors with AC so it helps. I know when I went a few years ago in May it was 95 and 85 and that was as bad! July will probably be even worse! Good luck and stay thirsty my friend... (you will be thirsty the whole time you are in Florida! Haha).

[tofubeast]

I suggest the following (in addition and probably a repeat of much above! haha)

1. Bring water bottles into the park. Also suggest freezing water bottles night before so they are cold. That way you can refill all day long. Staying hydrated is key. The battery operated misting fans are great too.

2. If you aren't used to the humidity (which I know you aren't coming from CA as I used to be an LA girl), you might want to take swim/shower breaks during the hottest part of the day. Plan on rope drop and leave at midday. Go back to the parks at evening.

3. If you are a Disney resort guest and a park is having extra magic hours ( Example: MK closes at 11pm on July 3rd and 8th, but is open to 2am for extra magic hrs), GO THEN!! Get a good rest, head to the park around 9/10pm and aim to stay till 2. It will be much cooler. Crowds will slim (esp as you approach midnight and on) and while it will still be warm, you obviously won't have the blazing sun on you.

4. Make a touring plan. I recommend a July crowd calendar such as what Josh posts on EasyWDW. If you can opt for the recommended parks of the day, it will mean less crowds. His recommendations are pretty spot on, and will be important since you are going the week of the 4th. *BTW special fireworks at MK for the "4th" are both on the 3rd and 4th. 3rd tends to have less crowds*

5. AK can be the hottest of the park (or at least it sure seems that way.) One idea is to actually go closer to closing. Many ditch this park by midday or after the parade so lines for the big attractions slim down big time. AK will close at 7pm or 8pm when you are there. Hence, you can be there during the cooler parts of the day. I would aim a visit after the parade is over (around 4:15 or so). The animals may also be more active as it won't be the hottest time of the day.

6. Pack a poncho. Don't go back to your resort just because it is raining! Brave through if you can. Crowds will lighten up, and there's no sun to bake you!

7. Wear hats. If wearing sneakers, bring an extra pair of socks. You will walk way, way more than at DLR. Consider bringing some of that Body Glide stuff they sell that helps prevent blisters and chafing.

oh and again, DRINK WATER!!

Have a blast. It will be hot, but you will have fun. It's a great excuse to eat more Mickey bars!

[Disneytwins]

PLEASE make sure you drink enough water, especially ice water. Every single quick service location will give you a cup of ice water free of charge, and multiples if you ask. They don't want people passing out!

Absolutely correct. Never hesitate when asking for a cup of iced water. You ask and you shall receive!

[dfan07]

Every park has a few indoor attractions that are excellent for cooling off in the AC. I will highlight one from each park:

MK: Carousel of Progress. The queue for this attraction is outdoors, but there's rarely a wait. The show lasts about of 20 minutes, but there are six "theatres" that are always loading.

Epcot: Universe of Energy lasts upwards of 40 minutes, not including the indoor pre-show. You will be sitting in slow-moving theatre cars.

DHS: Another attraction that uses the theatre cars is The Great Movie Ride. The queue begins outside, but most of it is indoors. The ride itself is over 20 minutes long, so you will spend close to 40 minutes in the AC.

DAK: It's Tough To Be a Bug is an indoor show. I've never been on the DAK version, but if it's like the one in DCA, both the waiting area and the theatre are well air conditioned. The water effects are a nice touch.

If you still need to cool off, look for more show-type attractions, like PhilharMagic and the Tiki Room. Also, unlike DL, the majority of quick-service dining locations have indoor seating. I recommend Sunshine Seasons at Epcot, located inside The Land.

[jcruise86]

Many of the queues have air conditioning and fans / water fixtures in the queue.

From a heat perspective (and this should influence your Fast Pass Choices) I'd say the worst are:

MK - Thunder Mountain Railroad, Speedway, Peter Pan
EP - Pretty much ok here, unless the queue is outside the building...which is not common. Most of the queues are indoors though, so no worries.
HS - Here, most of the outdoor queues are shady, but, same as EPCOT, if they go outside of the building, be ready for heat, but the difference is many of the outdoor queues at HS don't have much wind. Tower of Terror has a mostly outdoor queue, if the line is long prepare for heat. Star Tours, Muppets and Rockin' Roller Coaster also come to mind as "hot lines"
AK - The Safari, Kali River and Everest all have a "hot line"...so just drink a lot of water, and be prepared to wait. Everest is by far the worst, and I wouldn't ever do it if the wait is longer then 30 minutes, or unless you have a fast pass.

Anyhow, as mentioned before, icewater is free of charge, 10 8 oz cups a day or so, as you'll be sweating it out. I've had severe dehydration once in my life, and I would never want to go through that again. You feel feint, you get cramps, you get dry retches...it's terrible. You lose a lot of control over your body and it comes on quick. So, definitely make sure everyone is always sipping on something.

And since you have a wheelchair in your party, your Assistance pass might help.

I live in ATL, so I'm pretty used to the temp (70s for us is later fall weather)...

Depending on what time of year you are visiting, if it's late summer, expect afternoon rains. It's almost like clockwork, between 3 and 6pm. That really helps cool off the park, and I find it a great time to book restaurant reservations.

Englanddg, Thanks for these helpful tips! This was one of several posts on this thread that I marked at "Helpful," but in Englanddg's case I screwed up and accidentally hit "unhelpful" and this unfairly changed his reputation to "unhelpful." If a couple of you would PLLLEEEEEEEEAAAASSE mark Englanddg's post "helpful", you would restore the reputation he ought to have if I hadn't messed up. THANKS!