Summer is—by definition—hot, but summer in Florida is even more so. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t visit Central Florida during the heat of summer. With dropping prices and dropping crowd levels, you can have a great vacation and make lots of memories before it’s time for the kids to go back to school! You just have to be prepared for the heat and humidity and have a plan for your days. To avoid having the heat take the fun out of your vacation, here are some great ideas to keep you healthy and refreshed during your trip.
Clothing tips
Snug clothing doesn’t give your skin room to breathe and get rid of the heat building up in your body. Wear loose clothing so that your sweat can evaporate and take the heat with it. Moisture-wicking shirts, shorts and socks (available in many brands) also help to pull the sweat and heat away from your body. If you feel sweat sticking to you, that’s a sign that the moisture isn’t evaporating and you need to go somewhere to dry off and cool off.
Hats keep the sun out of your eyes and help to protect part of your face from the sun. Sunglasses with UV protection are also helpful. (If you wear prescription glasses and they do not have UV protection, consider getting either clip-on sunglasses or those large sunglasses that will fit over your glasses.
Stay hydrated
Drink water or beverages with electrolytes, and keep drinking all day. Colas and alcohol may make you feel cooler, but they actually dehydrate you more. Water, sports drinks and the like are what you need to keep hydrated.
If you feel any of the following symptoms, get into the shade and drink a lot of water:
- Feeling grumpy
- Feeling tired
- Feeling dizzy and light-headed
- Feeling nauseous or having a headache
- Having muscle cramps
One rule of thumb that some MousePlanet staffers and MousePad members use is: if you’re not going to the bathroom regularly, you’re not drinking enough.
Avoid the heat
A great way to beat the heat is to get out of it occasionally. It’s a great idea for any vacation at Walt Disney World, but especially in the summer heat, you should consider taking a mid-day break. If you’re staying on property or at a Downtown Disney Resort Area Hotel, you’ve got frequent bus service that makes it even easier to get back and forth between the parks and your hotel without too much delay. Get to the park early and get a lot done before the crowds build. When it starts getting hot and busy around mid-day or so, hop on a bus back to the hotel and either take a nap or spend some time cooling off in the pool. Toward late afternoon, grab another bus back to the parks and enjoy them as the hot and tired people who spend the afternoon there start trudging back to their hotels.
If you want to stay at the park during the hot afternoons, set up your plan so that you do outside activities during the morning while it’s cool, and during the heat of the day head for indoor attractions, especially those that will let you stay inside for a while such as Ellen’s Energy Adventure at Epcot, the Carousel of Progress at the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream and the Magic of Disney Animation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Finding Nemo: The Musical and the Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Try to plan your visits to Disney’s Animal Kingdom for the mornings and leave before it gets too hot. While there are many great attractions in the park, it’s also the hottest of the Walt Disney World parks by a few degrees. Besides, the animals on the Kilimanjaro Safaris and the two walking trails are most active when it’s cooler early in the morning.
Take it easy
Many people still try to use the “theme park commando” school of touring despite the heat, starting the day early, moving from attraction to attraction as quickly as possible, and going until park closing. In addition to having you on the move during the heat of the day, the increased exertion of hustling from place to place—even during the cooler parts of the day—will leave you worn out and dehydrated. You can still move purposefully without racing. Take your time and you’ll last much longer than you would otherwise.
While you’re at it, stop to enjoy the tasty, cool treats available at Walt Disney World. From a visit to Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club (the best ice cream place on property) to the Mickey Premium bars available virtually everywhere, there are plenty of delicious ways to catch your breath and cool down. Help yourself last longer and let your taste buds enjoy Walt Disney World at the same time!
Be ready for the storms
Another “feature” of Central Florida summers is the mid-afternoon rainstorms. If you are in the parks during the afternoon and it starts raining, expect it to continue for a half-hour or so, maybe a little longer. While everyone else is making a beeline for the exits, find someplace dry to wait it out. One of the cool attractions listed above would work, or even just a shop or counter-service dining location will keep you dry. The afternoon storms generally don’t last all that long, and when they’re done the park will be much emptier. Enjoy the extra room and see more attractions while everyone else is busy heading back to their resorts.
And it goes without saying
Wear sunscreen. It’s not just a legendary (sort-of) graduation speech (link). Whether you burn easily or rarely, the Florida sun is strong. If you’re going to be out in it, you need protection. One thing to remember is that sunscreen will usually need to be reapplied during the day. Many people (including this author) have made the mistake of forgetting that fact and got burned—literally.
If you pay attention to these tips, you should be able to have yourself a great trip at the lower late-summer prices and with the smaller late-summer crowds. It’s a great way to have a memorable end to your summer!
For even more information (and the source of the dehydration symptom list above), check out the great article by Lani Teshima, still available in our old-site archives (link).
