How do you beat the heat?

[GenieOfPA]

We always bring large canteens when we go down and before we leave for the parks we stop at the hotel ice machine and fill it to the tippy-top... by the time you get to the parks its 1/4 melted and soon after will be nothing but fresh ice cold water. Just keep refilling it as much as you can! Water misters and portable fans help somewhat, but depending on the humidity it sometimes just feels like hot air blowing on you... Also, there are many places where you can walk through the air conditioned stores rather than being out in the heat... for example on Main Street in MK a lot of the stores are connected so you can take advantage and just walk store-to-store... in any case, BEAT THAT HEAT!!!

[Disney Yankee]

Since I'm a teacher, we need to go in the summer. I think that the best thing we do is to go to the park early, and then take a mid-day break. Some of us go to the pool, some of us just get into AC. Once the sun starts to go down, we go back out again.

[jillluvsdisney]

A few things come to mind

Wearing loose fitting, light colored clothing.
(I have to keep covered because I burn)

Try and get to parks early and get a head start before the hottest part of the day sets in. Try and get in line for rides where the ques don't have a lot shade early in the day.

When it starts to broil (between noon and 4)
go swim or relax in the shade at the resort pool. Go back to the park when thr sun is less intense.

Wearing a hat to keep the sun off my face.

Water, water, water

Alternating between outside and indoor attractions so I'm not outside for hours on end.

[finaldynasty]

Camelbak has been purchased and will be used for our June trip. I've also informed my DW that by unanimous decision we will take a mid-day break.

One other question, are there other "cool centers" other then the ones in Epcot?

[PlutoPlanet]

We have a freezer in our room, but maybe you could do this with an ice bucket the night before.

I wet a wash cloth and put it in a plastic sandwich bag. I freeze the bag. I take the bag with me in the morning. It's like having a block of ice I can put on my forehead or on the back of my neck for up to 3 hours. We go in August.

[Djscherr]

I personally prefer a water bottle to a camelbak for Disney. Although when I hike I love my camelbak a ton. The fill hole on the camelbaks (at least mine) is really wide and it's very easy to fill up at a water fountain. Mine is a 1.5 liter and I could almost always fill it (using at our State Fair). The one piece of advice I'll give with it though is that on the bite end there is a little yellow part (at least on mine) that when you swing it out of position will prevent any water from coming out. I didn't realize this at first so I was always ultra cautious not to accidentally squeeze the bit valve or I'd get wet. By turning it off it helps prevent accidents. Additionally the bite valve can be easily removed if say you need to fill up someone else's water bottle from your reservoir. Also if you need to rinse off hands or dirt or something, just squeezing the bite valve will allow you to spray out a small continuous mist/stream of water.

[LVT]

Another tip for kids is to wet down their hair and maybe shirt top in the restroom.

[finaldynasty]

I never thought about wetting down my kids...another cool idea!!

[disneydementia]

I can't believe you all are missing the obvious answer to the heat problem! Go to Disneyland instead!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHA! Sorry, I just couldn't resist! My daughter and I are making our first trip to WDW May 29th and the heat issue is a big one for me. We have always gone to DLR and weather is never an issue. This thread has been very helpful and encouraging for a heat weenie!

[ILoveMickey'77]

finaldynasty- You will not regret your purchase! My husband and I love our Camelbaks! We will them up with ice and a little water before we leave for the park for the day so our water stays pretty cold. We sometimes stop and get a cup of ice to add to them throughout the day.

I also recommend buying a Bite Valve cover. The first trip we went on we didn't have these and the bite valves got pretty gross. It's definitely worth the extra expense to keep them clean.

[LandFan]

I can't believe you all are missing the obvious answer to the heat problem! Go to Disneyland instead!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHA! Sorry, I just couldn't resist! My daughter and I are making our first trip to WDW May 29th and the heat issue is a big one for me. We have always gone to DLR and weather is never an issue.

Yeah - that didn't work for us. We ended up staying at Disneyland for 5 days in June of 08 - right when they were having the worst heat wave they'd had in a VERY long time! It was high 90's and HOT! It was so hot the pavement was melting! Also, Disneyland is not built for HOT like WDW is - not very many lines with misting fans or inside queues at all! We suffered for 5 days... Don't get me wrong, we had a great time but WOW. I thought it would be pleasant and boy was I shocked. We then went to my Aunt's house in Laguna and she kept saying how sorry she was that we'd hit the worst possible heat ever (in her 35 years of living there).

[disneydementia]

LandFan you got me on that one! We were there and it was very hot and we were shocked. We had never experienced that kind of heat there. But.........it wasn't humid!

[finaldynasty]

We always bring large canteens when we go down and before we leave for the parks we stop at the hotel ice machine and fill it to the tippy-top... by the time you get to the parks its 1/4 melted and soon after will be nothing but fresh ice cold water. Just keep refilling it as much as you can! Water misters and portable fans help somewhat, but depending on the humidity it sometimes just feels like hot air blowing on you... Also, there are many places where you can walk through the air conditioned stores rather than being out in the heat... for example on Main Street in MK a lot of the stores are connected so you can take advantage and just walk store-to-store... in any case, BEAT THAT HEAT!!!

Where can one buy a canteen?

[Ropachs]

I believe QVC also carries a type of neck cooler thingy.

[Fastpasssteve]

I have two and a half suggestions:

One is to leave the parks in the heat of the day to take a big, fat nap in your resort room.

The half-idea is to spend it laying by your resort pool getting a tan. Rest? Yes. Cool? No.

The last idea is for when I've scheduled a full day in a park: I make sure to make a reservation at a table service restaurant for around 2:30 pm. That way, I can have a nice leisurely lunch in the air-conditioning after the bulk of the lunch rush has passed through...and dinner isn't gonna start for at least a couple of hours. They won't mind if you dawdle. You get a take a load off your feet and stay cool.

[ANG]

I freeze washcloths overnight and put them in plastic sandwich bags. Then mid day, take them out and put them on our necks or faces.

[Scar]

Where can one buy a canteen?

Any sporting goods or camping/outdoors type store.

Personally, I buy mine from one of the sutlers in Gettysburg.

[Jll3Sonex]

If you're not boycotting WalMart, they've got an inexpensive Camelbak type online for about $20. We got their cheap backpacks last year and noted they had pockets and ports for hydration bladders and tubes, so we shelled out about $10 each for those. The backpacks worked well, the bladders had WIDE mouths so you could fill them with ice. Nice having an icepack in the middle of your back!

Also - don't forget wicking clothes. (Again, WalMart's got 'em for cheap.) Cotton's okay, but wicking stuff dries faster and is more comfortable.

As far as footwear goes? Make sure, above ALL else, that you're USED to what you'll be tromping around in. Don't buy a pair of shoes two days before - foot pain can spoil the BEST time!

[lightyearfan]

me and dw use this device called Misty Mate, it's real good in keeping us cool. it's a tube that holds water that you pump up for pressure, then when you need it open the nozzle and a fine mist sprays out, let me tell ya when you waiting in line or just simply walking this does wonders.

victor

[crltkcagle]

-Sit in the shade and take your socks and shoes off and dump water on your feet.
-If your in Epcot go ride Ellens Energy ride and take a nap in the ac.
-If your in MK go visit the Presidents Hall and take a nap in the ac there too. LOL
-THe fans are a great way to cool off, we always bring ours with us.
-Ice cream is another great way to cool off.
-YOu can always go get wet at Donalds Boat too.