With Memorial Day behind us, summer must be here, right? Last year the Parenting Panelists shared their strategies for dealing with the heat. This year, we narrowed down the question further. Whether the weather, hot, wet, (or both!), whether the coast, Disneyland or Walt Disney World: Where do you go to beat the heat/weather at the parks? What attractions or lands are the most indoor bang for your “buck” while keeping the family happy?
Sivje Parish and her husband live in Northern California with their daughters India, 18 and Ahnalin, 5. They visit Disneyland frequently. Sivje writes:
On hot summer days, when the Anaheim sun beats down on the Happiest Place on Earth, our family enjoys the indoor fun in Tomorrowland in Disneyland. While we all love the Finding Nemo Submarines Voyage and Autopia, on hot days, we welcome the mostly indoor queues for Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters and Space Mountain. With Star Tours reopening, with its cool, indoor waiting areas, there is another exciting place to have fun and be out of the sun at the same time. We think the updated adventure is really and truly “out of this world!”
The 3-D experience of Captain EO offers an entertaining blast back to the 1980s in comfy seats and an air conditioned theater. Having enjoyed watching Michael Jackson, the dancers and music back when I was a teenager, I love to share them with my family now. Next door to Captain EO, the Starcade offers many arcade and video games for all ages.
Innoventions is a really special place! Not only does it offer lots of cool video games, but there are many educational and health-oriented games. My daughters love playing in there and have been known to spend hours in Innoventions alone. There is the X-Box experience and Asimo the robot. And my very favorite part of Innoventions is the Dream Home! The Disclavier piano in the living room is gorgeous and the Art Nouveau decorating is so warm and inviting. But the technology is truly amazing.
So, for my family, Tomorrowland offers many chances to get out of the sun and have a lot of fun.
In Disney California Adventure Park, we really enjoy the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area. We all look forward to the Aladdin musical at the Hyperion Theater. The music is wonderful and the Genie is so hilarious! And my girls usually want to sit in the balcony so they can get a great view of the flying carpet.
We are big Muppets fans and we really enjoy Muppet Vision 3-D. The lines are usually not too long and the show always makes me laugh. The waiting room is very entertaining, too, and decorated with really witty sight gags and jokes.
One of my favorite places is the Animation Academy, which is inside the Disney Animation building. A real Disney artist actually shows you how to draw Disney characters! My very active 5 year old actually wanted to get back in line and do this again. In the same building is the Sorcerer’s Workshop, where you can see Beast’s Library; and in Ursula’s Grotto, you can actually record your voice being stolen, just like Ariel.On the other side of this building is Turtle Talk With Crush where Crush actually talks to you and answers questions. My little one was in awe that Crush actually responded to her.
We will be at the Disneyland Resort again at the end of June and we will be visiting these favorite places again.
MousePlanet columnist Chris Barry his wife Diane, 11-year-old Samantha, and twin 8-year-olds, Casey and Alex, live on Long Island and are all major Disney and Walt Disney World fans. Chris writes:
I love when I tell friends of mine that I’m going to Walt Disney World in the summer because inevitably the first words out of their mouths are, “Isn’t it hot?” “Well…yes.” I reply, “It’s summer in Central Florida.” After all the trips under our belts, I don’t even think that we notice the heat anymore. Sometimes it does start to get the best of you and the great thing about Disney is there’s air-conditioning cranking everywhere you go. If you get hot, duck into a shop or a counter service restaurant and you can cool off. The same can be said for a majority of the attractions and queues down there. Personally, nothings better than a midday break at your resort pool, preferably the volcano pool at the Polynesian but aside from that the parks are chock full of coolness. Here are my picks for each park.
Magic Kingdom – For us, nothing gives us a better break than the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. First of all, there’s never a wait. You sit down the whole time. It’s either in the air-conditioning or in the shade. When you’re zipping around outdoors, there’s a nice breeze. The ride through Space Mountain and the views are added bonuses.
Epcot – The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion is our pick here. There’s a ride that the kids love. There’s Turtle Talk with Crush, the Caribbean Coral Reef Aquarium and Sea Base. It’s all indoors. It’s nice and cold and there’s plenty to see and do for everyone.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios – We’re not such big fans of the Studios really, but that’s another discussion. When we are here and we need a break we find that The Magic of Disney Animation in the Animation Courtyard suits our needs. My wife and daughter have done the whole Drawn to Animation thing with Mushu, while I have explored the rest of the building with my twin boys. Here they can meet characters and do a bunch of hands-on activities like The Sound Stage, Digital Ink and Paint, and You’re a Character. Plus, I get to look at all the drawings, animation cels, collectibles and such in the Animation Gallery. We’ve spent at least a good hour or so cooling off in this building.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom – There’s a place to cool down in Animal Kingdom?
Seriously, I love this park and so does my family. It’s a remarkable place, overflowing with detail and beauty, but it is lacking on places to cool off. We’re not always in the mood to get drenched on Kali River Rapids. There’s plenty of shopping on Discovery Island, but as far as air-conditioned buildings and attractions, it’s a little on the shy side. I guess the best place to take an extended indoor cooling off break is in Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Hop on the Wildlife Express train and, once you’re there, you can hopefully catch some demonstrations, listen to the Song of the Rainforest in the sound booths, or meet Stanley, Rafiki, Pocahontas and sometimes even Jiminy Cricket. Don’t forget to spend some time searching for Hidden Mickeys in the animal murals as you enter the building. There are some very cool ones on these walls.
There’s plenty of air conditioning at the Walt Disney World Resort. Yes, it’s hot. Sometimes remarkably hot. But, be smart, take breaks, find the places to cool off, and you can beat the heat quite easily.
Parenting in the Parks columnist Adrienne Krock’s three boys are now 12, 9, and 6. They’ve been visiting Disneyland since they were each just weeks old and Annual Passholders since their third birthdays. Adrienne writes:
Having visited both coasts, I have two opinions, short and sweet, to share:
In Anaheim, one of my favorite spots to beat the summer heat is the Animation Building in Disney California Adventure Park. One recent Saturday afternoon, I watched one guest circle out of the exit of the Animation Academy and back into the entrance again at least three times. One friend shared that she often rests in the lobby while her adult children visit the Animation Academy repeatedly. All four sections of the building provide interactive activities to enjoy.
In Orlando, my family found plenty to keep us busy during a rain storm, in Future World at Epcot. I took a nap in a chair while my children and husband explored Innoventions. Nearby, The Seas with Nemo and Friends is another great, indoor interactive opportunity to enjoy at your own pace. And, of course, while you’re up in Future World, Club Cool is only a hop skip and a jump away. That would probably be on my children’s list of favorite places to beat some heat, too.
Chris, also known as GusMan, is always planning his next family trip to WDW and loves to help others plan their trips as well through sharing his experiences. Chris writes:
Central Florida and hot weather pretty much go hand in hand. Even with that bit of common knowledge, many visitors don’t realize just how hot it can get once you add in the humidity and extended, direct exposure to the sun. Even visitors from regions that are commonly “hot and humid” have a hard time adapting to the climate change. I know for one, after several fall or early spring trips to WDW, our first August trip a few years ago ended up being a real challenge for the family. The great part about WDW is that the majority of the attractions either have queues that are shaded or air-conditioned. Even then, there are some parks that are more attractive when it comes to beating the heat.
Our families favorite park is Epcot and I personally think that if you want a park that is made for beating the heat, this is a good bet. In Future World, pretty much every attraction and building is enclosed and air conditioned. You can spend nice chunks of time in the Land pavilion enjoying Soarin’ and Living with the Land, and then grab some lunch at Sunshine Seasons. Afterward, you can explore the Seas with Nemo & Friends or pay a visit to Figment, all within a short walk. Not to mention, exploring either of the pavilions for Innoventions not only gives you a break from the heat, but there are also some nice sitting areas to take a break. At the same time, exploring the different countries represented at World Showcase is a good idea with each country having their own special way of showcasing their land. Some may think that some of the attractions may not catch the attention of some younger guests, but sometimes the biggest draw is getting out of the heat for 20 minutes at a time while enjoying something that you might not have enjoyed before.
For the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, our favorite plan of attack is to get to the park early when it may be a little cooler, using morning Extra Magic Hours when possible. I say this because either the queues are either not indoors or are only partially indoors in some cases. What our family does on days where we want to visit these parks is to split our time with either a Disney water park or even a pool day at the resort hotel. Not only does this give us a break in the middle of the day, but it gives us a chance to cool off. Later in the evening, we will go back to a park to enjoy the fireworks or to catch another ride or two.
When it comes to beating the heat, though, the most common suggestions are still the best:
- Keep hydrated. It’s been said that if you are not using the restroom on a regular basis, you are not taking in too much water. Keep a water bottle with you and refill it often. Sip colder water to help avoid cramping. And remember—even warmer water will hydrate.
- Apply sunscreen and reapply it often. Nothing ruins a vacation faster than turning red like Sebastian from The Little Mermaid. Once you get burnt, any additional exposure to the sun feels much more intense. Wearing a hat also helps.
- Try to stay away from heavy meals. Even those who love to indulge during vacation need to be aware that the heat can change your appetite. Eating smaller meals more often helps keep energy levels up.
- If you feel tired, find a cool place to rest. If you start to show signs of heat-related fatigue, seriously consider stopping by First Aid. Listen to your body.
I think it is safe to say that many people would rather vacation off-season when the weather is cooler and the crowds are lighter. However, that isn’t always an option. From our own personal experience, we found that some simple pre-planning and mental preparation helps us enjoy the parks while minimizing the heat’s impact.
It’s your turn—keep the discussion flowing!
Visit the Parenting in the Parks forum on our MousePad discussion board, and share your opinions about this topic or many others, or send your suggestions via e-mail. Reader-submitted tips might be used in a future article, and you might be selected to participate in an upcoming panel discussion!
