When your seven-year-old says it’s so hot he feels like a boiled egg, you know it’s hot. The heat and humidity in the summer in Orlando is no joke. Especially if you aren’t from the south (like us!), you might not be used to just how oppressive the heat can get. Summer in Orlando can average about 95 degrees and what feels like 1000% humidity. But we’ve still had amazing Disney trips in the summer, and nobody’s ever gotten heat stroke (win!). There are ways to beat the heat at Disney World so you can actually enjoy your vacation! 

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Hand-held or neck fans

These hand-held fans save our lives when we are in Orlando in the summer. We use them constantly, but especially when standing in any outdoor lines or waiting for transportation. I think it’s absolutely worth opting for ones that are rechargable by USB. We charge them at night, and they last all day the next day. The ones we have also mist water, which is so nice. It really helps cool you down without getting your face all wet like other spray-bottle type fans. The handle on these folds back, which allows them to fit nicely in a small backpack or fanny pack. I can’t rave enough about how much use we’ve gotten out of these! We’ve had them for more than 5 years, and they’re still going strong!

We just recently picked up a few of these bladeless neck fans to use on our next trip (which is in July!). They are so much more powerful than I was expecting them to be, so I’m excited to see how we like them when we’re there. It’s so nice that these keep your hands free!

Cooling towels

These magical things are popping up everywhere nowadays, but where have they been all my life? We started with Frog Toggs Chilly Pad (pictured above), but I didn’t love that they dried really stiffly. So before our 2021 Disney trip, I upgraded us to this 4-pack of cooling towels from Amazon, and we love them! I love that these can be washed and dried easily (because let’s be honest, they get sweaty!) and fold up small enough to fit in my fanny pack! Each towel also comes with its own clear plastic zipper pouch and carabiner. The pouches are essential because when you’re done using them you can stow them away in your bag and they won’t get everything else wet!

Overpack

I know this sounds like backwards advice, but I really stand by this. Take twice as many clothes as days you’re staying. Changing into fresh clothes in the middle of the day makes such a huge difference in how you feel. We like to take a short break in the middle of the day (when it’s hottest) and head back to our resort hotel for a little air conditioning and a change of clothes. Then we are refreshed and ready for an evening of fun in the parks.

If you want more info on how I pack for a Disney trip, check out what I wore in Disney, packing for Disney in a carry-on, or my full Disney World packing list.

Avoid outdoor queues

Waiting in line for a ride with an outdoor queue, like Slinky Dog Dash, at 2:00 in the afternoon will feel like death. We always try to hit those rides early or late (if we don’t have a Lightning Lane reservation) so we’re not stuck standing in the Florida sun for hours at a time. When it starts to get unbearably hot in the afternoon, we try to go for more shows or anything that has an indoor queue so we can get a respite from the heat. Availability will vary depending on which park you’re in (for example, Epcot has loads of attractions with indoor queues, but you’ll find only a handful at Animal Kingdom). Save the graphic below to keep a cheat-sheet handy!

Afternoon breaks

I get that park tickets are expensive and it seems like such a waste to leave the park in the middle of the day when there’s just so much to do. But it is so worth it to take that afternoon break. A quick dip in your resort hotel pool can really turn around everyone’s moods!

Even if you don’t go all the way back to your hotel room, a jump on the monorail or the Skyliner to the lobby of a nearby resort for an air-conditioned sit can make a world of difference. We love to head to the Contemporary if we’re at Magic Kingdom, the Riviera if we’re at Epcot or Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom Lodge if we’re at Animal Kingdom (you do have to take a bus for that one though). When we take a break in the afternoon, we are actually able to get more hours in at the parks in the long run because we don’t burn out so quickly!

Stay Hydrated

This might be THE most important one! It’s so easy to skip drinking water when you’re in the Disney parks. You’re so busy running from ride to ride you don’t want to stop for a drink. Not to mention bottled water is expensive, and the little cups of water they give you for free at quick service restaurants are quite small. But it is so important to make sure you get enough water. Dehydration will not only make you grumpy and tired, but it can also make you really sick. Don’t skip the water!

We always take a refillable water bottle and a few sticks of electrolyte powder (we’re partial to Liquid IV) with us into the park. While there are water bottle refill stations in the parks, they can be hard to find. I like to fill up our water bottle at the resort in the morning (at the pop machine usually). Then later when we stop for Starbucks, I always ask for a venti ice water. (Did you know every Disney park has a Starbucks?) Starbucks has the best water! We’ll drink some of it, and then I’ll pour the rest into our water bottle. We add Liquid IV whenever needed, and it keeps us going.

Eat as much ice cream as you want

Seriously! I think we’re all in agreement that calories at Disney do not count. Plus you’ll walk 15k+ steps every day. Eat the dang ice cream! My faves are dole whip (available at Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom and over at the Polynesian Resort) or a macaron ice cream sandwich (available at L’Artisan des Glaces in the France Pavilion in Epcot). (And you just cannot go wrong with a frozen margarita from Choza de Margarita in the Mexico Pavilion!) Whatever your frozen treat of choice, just go for it! 

How do you beat the heat at Disney? Share your tips and tricks below! And check out our other tips & tricks to get ready for your trip to the most magical place on earth!

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