Summer’s here and we’re feeling the heat. Even when it’s not hot, we need to remember keep ourselves and our children well-hydrated as we spend hours touring the Disney theme parks. The pitfalls of dehydration can ruin a vacation far too quickly if we’re not careful. This week we asked our Parenting Panel: What tips and tricks do you have for keeping well-hydrated on your Disney them park trips?
MousePlanet columnist Chris Barry, his wife, Diane, Samantha (15), and twins Casey and Alex (12), live on Long Island and are all major Disney and Walt Disney World fans. Chris writes:
If you don’t know so already, here’s the thing about the Walt Disney World Resort in the summer: It’s hot. Now, I know hot. I’ve been to Caracas, Venezuela in summertime. I’ve been to the desert in Las Vegas. I spent August in Sicily, where they pretty much shut down the whole country each day at noon because it’s too hot to do anything. I spent a summer commuting to Times Square via the New York City Subway system. All this is proof, once again; that I know hot, and yet, Walt Disney World has an extra special kind of hot. I’m used to it by now. To tell you the truth, I don’t even realize it anymore, but I know it’s there. And it can be brutal! If you want to deal with it properly, swim in your resort pool at least once a day, duck into the omnipresent air-conditioning frequently and, of course, above all, stay hydrated.
My wife and I both made sure that the backpacks we take to the parks each had a little mesh pocket on the side to hold water bottles. There’s always a water bottle in that pocket. As soon as we finish one, another one takes its place. The kids know there will always be water waiting for them at Dad’s hip. I always just buy bottled water from Disney. I’m in a different camp than a lot of people. I think Disney is reasonable when it comes to bottled water. Spending $2.50 for a cold bottle of Dasani in a theme park is cheap. It’s not cheap when you consider that I just bought a whole case of Dasani on sale at the supermarket for $2.99, but that’s not the point. I was at a concert a week ago and paid $5 for a similar bottle of water. I typically pay $4-$5 for water at any given water park, Six Flags or a ski resort. My local pizzeria charges $2 for a bottle of water, so all things considered I think Disney is being reasonable.
That said, the best thing to do is buy cold water and buy it frequently. I don’t even consider it an added expense. It’s just something that has to be done. I’ve watched kids attitudes and behaviors instantly change after we take a water break in the Orlando swelter, so, to us; it’s just a necessity. If Florida water tasted better, I’d refill a water bottle from the fountain or from the sinks in the restrooms, but I’m not going there when there’s a good tasting bottle of Dasani right there waiting for me.
I have also used the Brita filtered sport bottles while at Walt Disney World. They definitely help with the odd tasting water and will certainly save you some money. The only thing is, I’ve gotten spoiled with that out of the cooler coldness that buying a fresh water bottle delivers. It’s so much more a relief than filling up the Brita bottle from a fountain. It’s cool from the fountain but it’s not ice cold and sometimes I just need the ice cold and so do the kids. My advice is to accept the fact that you’re buying water bottles at Walt Disney World, appreciate the fact that they are not gouging you for them, and drink as frequently as you can. The first thing we purchase each day when we head out in the morning on our way to the parks is a cold bottle of water for the backpack mesh pocket. It feels strange if I don’t have one there. I always have one at the ready and I’m quite sure I always will.
Parenting in the Parks columnist Adrienne Krock’s three boys are now 16, 14, and 11. They’ve been visiting the Disneyland Resort since they were each just weeks old and Annual Passholders since their 3rd birthdays. Adrienne writes:
Over the years, our hydration plans have changed as we’ve traveled the parks. When our children were much younger, we often travelled with CamelBak reservoir backpacks. We had a couple of Skeeter style backpacks for the boys. (Keep an eye on the REI Outlet, too, for even better prices.) We also brought a 100-ounce system that my husband carried. We filled the bags with ice and water in the morning and, thanks to the well-insulated pouch, we still had ice later in the day. We could refill the reservoir if we needed to along the way but we rarely needed to stop for water because we always had it on us. The hose made it easy to grab a drink of water whenever we needed. The backpacks made it easy for the kids to carry their water themselves. They felt like big boys carrying a bag just like daddy, too.
Why We Stopped: We got lazy. Cleaning the reservoirs and keeping the hoses working became too much effort over time. After awhile, when we packed for the parks, we stopped taking the time to load up the CamelBaks.
Next, we started carrying our own bottled water. We still brought backpacks to the park and as our sons outgrew strollers, they became old enough to carry their own backpacks. On our way out the door, we grabbed bottled water from the pack – or put the whole pack in the car and grabbed bottles to put in our packs once we arrived in the parking lot. We put the bottles in the recycling cans at the parks or we carried the empties home to recycle ourselves. If we needed, we could refill the bottles at the parks, too.
Why We Stopped: Economy and ecology. Between the number of bottles we pumped through the recycling system and the amount of grocery budget I filtered to water, I decided to stop bleeding resources on bottled water, plain and simple.
Now we carry our own reusable water bottles. My children prefer the Nalgene brand with the wide opening. The wider opening makes it easy to add ice and water. We add adaptor lids with a smaller spout to make it easier to drink without spilling. They attach carabiner clips or s-biner clips to the lids and then to their belt loops or belts. I prefer an insulated bottle, although insulated bottles often have a lower capacity. Currently, I carry a CamelBak bottle with a spout lid, like this one. I also use a carabiner to clip mine to my backpack or I can stick it inside. The wide mouths on the lids make them convenient to fill with ice as we go. While the Disney parks sell bottled water, cups of ice water are available for free. We often ask for a cup of ice, share it among our bottles, and we refill at water fountains. When we ask for a cup of ice or visit restaurants with self-service beverage stations and they always cheerfully help us. On hot days, we are not alone in refilling our bottles with ice water. At this time, Disney sells Dasani water. Frankly, my children do not like the flavor of this water and prefer the water from the taps. Fortunately, Disney appreciates the value of keeping guests well-hydrated.
Chris Salata, also known as GusMan, is a Disney-inspired author and photographer, and loves to help people get the most out of their Disney vacation. Chris writes:
I just got back from our family vacation at Walt Disney World, and while we know that June can be the beginning of the heat season for central Florida, the weather did not disappoint. While we welcomed the lack of humidity for the first day or two, the “real feel” temps rose in excess of 105 degrees nearly every day. That sounds like an absolute miserable temperature to walk around the parks, but to be honest, it is still very doable. The key to it all: hydration!
For my family, to make sure keep ourselves hydrated, we do what we can to maintain a proactive approach to fluid intake. We start our day drinking water and other drinks before we leave the room, usually a part of our breakfast routine. We each carry a bottle of water on a clip for easy transport, and we make sure that its consumed within a couple of hours, refilling if necessary. We make sure we ask for water at meals and end our day with some sort of beverage before going to sleep. In essence, we make sure that we are mindful of our water and fluid intake and do what we can to not be thirsty.
Here are some of the ways we beat our thirst:
- Take a bottle of water with you to the parks, Refill it as necessary. We usually each carry one using a bottle clip purchased from Club Cool at Epcot and other gift shops. That way, I can clip my bottle on a belt loop or my camera bag and have it handy.
- Consider using a bottle with a filter built in if you prefer better-tasting water. While the water dispensed at beverage machines are filtered, the fountains are not.
- Flavor packets do a great job of making some of the water more palatable. (Just don't accidentally use them with a filter bottle.)
- Free ice water is available at any quick service eatery or stand that has a fountain soda machine. Feel free to simply ask. I tend to ask for more than one cup so that I can also refill my water bottle with cold, filtered water.
- Remember to ask for water anytime you have a meal on top of your favorite beverage.
- Drink slowly. I know the first instinct when you are real thirsty is to chug a cold beverage. However, this can ultimately cause stomach cramps or other issues. Taking smaller sips of water can help prevent issues.
- Drink often. If you feel thirsty or have a dry mouth, you may already be dehydrated.
- Be mindful of your restroom breaks. This may sound odd, but if you are not using the restroom as often as you normally would, chances are you are not taking in enough fluids.
- Keep in mind that even water that is warm will hydrate you. It may be more refreshing when cold, but it still helps your body if warm.
During this past trip I also saw families using backpack style hydration packs. They seemed real useful and can carry the equivalent of several bottles of water while also carrying small snacks and a few supplies. We may consider adding such an accessory in the future if our vacations take us deeper into the summer. Regardless of what you do, keep an eye out for each other watching for signs of dehydration, drink often, and take breaks when needed. You will find that by doing so, the heat won't bother you as much as you would think.
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