How to Stay Cool at Disney World

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Orlando, Florida the home to Disney World Resorts, can get very hot! When we were at the parks in June the temperature was 97 F degrees. The “real feel” temperature was 105 F – it was boiling! Below are my best tips and must-haves to help you stay cool at Disney World.

Orlando, Florida is HOT and not just in the middle of summer. The temperatures at Disney World can hit the 90s by the end of April and can stay in the 90s through September. Don’t forget about the humidity! You want to be prepared so you can enjoy your trip, stay healthy, and avoid sunburn.

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The 4 keys to surviving HOT days at Disney are:

1. Prepare before you go
2. Pack for hot days at the Disney World Parks
3. Pace yourself
4. Plan for breaks

Prepare Before You Go

When you are getting ready to go to the parks you want to go prepared. This means bringing what you need in your Park bag (get your complete Disney Park Bag packing list here). You want to be prepared to protect your skin from sunburn and have methods and options to help you cool down during the day.

Protecting your Skin From the Sun

All of the Disney World Parks have some shady areas and inside attractions and shows that allow you to cool down, but for most of the day, you will likely be in the sun. Protecting your skin from sunburn is very important. When there is a high UV rating for the day you can sunburn in just 20-25 minutes!

Before you leave your hotel, apply sunscreen. Take the time to apply a good quality sunscreen to your (I recommend this Korean sunscreen for daily use- it does not burn your eyes and workes really well! ). We like to use cream sunscreen in the morning before we get hot and sweaty. Then throughout the day, we reapply using a spray sunscreen.

• This sunscreen has a high SPF and is water-resistant
• These sunscreen wipes are great if you have squirmy little ones who don’t like creams or spray.
• Sunscreen powder is great for brushing on faces and hair parts.
• My favorite Korean sunscreen for my face.

Don’t Forget to Sunscreen

• Scalp – If you part your hair apply some sunscreen to your scalp along the part in your hair. Or better yet, wear a hat!
• Ears – If your ears are exposed to the sun, remember to apply sunscreen! I noticed this was especially important for our son, especially when he’s wearing a hat.
• Lips – Your lips also need sun protection. You can find a lip balm that has sunscreen. I recommend a SPF 30+.
• Neck – Your neck is pretty exposed and can burn super fast! If you are wearing a tank top, you should be very diligent in applying sunscreen to your shoulders often. This is especially important if you are wearing a backpack that has straps on your shoulders. Those straps will rub the sunscreen off your shoulders, making you much more likely to burn. Apply, Apply, Apply that sunscreen!
• Feet and legs – I’ll be the first to admit that I usually skip my legs when I’m putting sunblock on. I’ve noticed at Disney that I really do need to put sunscreen on my legs, the sun tends to reflect off the ground and I end up with sunburn pretty quickly. Don’t forget your knees!

What to Pack for hot days at the Disney parks

When you are planning for your trip you want to make sure you have packed what you need to stay cool at Disney World Parks. Over the years we have come up with several tools that we use to help keep us cool. Below are a few of the most important things to pack.

Portable Fans

There are several different rechargeable fans available for you to choose from. Below are a few of our favorites to stay cool in Disney World.

• Hand-held rechargeable fan – We like this fan because we can easily recharge it each night and it’s ready to go and lasts all day long! This fan can also be folded to sit on a tabletop, which comes in handy too!
• Portable “Air Conditioners” – Shark just released this fancy portable personal cooling system. It is pricy but if you are super heat sensitive it might be worth the splurge!
• Neck Fans – These neck fans are super popular! They are a great hands-free option. You simply put the fan around. your neck and turn it on. It blows up onto your neck and can really keep you cool.

Dress for hot weather

Aim to bring lighter-colored shirts that are made with lightweight material. Dark colors attract the sun making you much hotter! There are many options out there.

My go-to on super hot days is always biker shorts (with pockets!) My favorites are these inexpensive shorts and these capri leggings when I want to cover my legs a bit more. I usually wear a lightweight tee shirt or tank top. Skirts with built-in shorts (Skorts) are super comfortable and cooler.

For guys, cooling athletic shorts are the best. While typical cargo shorts may seem practical with all the handy pockets, they aren’t very cool – these cargo shorts are made for active guys and will be much more comfortable. Guys typically benefit from some anti-chafing cream or powder too… I highly recommend buying it and having it on hand!

✱ Florida has regular rain showers and thunderstorms, especially during the summer. Make sure you’re prepared for the rain in Disney as well as the heat! Find out what you should bring to be ready for the rain in Disney World. Read the post here.

Pack These Must-Haves to Keep Your Cool at Disney

• Sunblock (see our favorite picks above)
• Chapstick with sunblock
• Water bottles
• Liquid IV – Flavored electrolyte packets will help keep you hydrated. This is a great option for the kids.
• Handheld fans
• Neck Fans
• Mini Deodorants or deoderant wipes
• Cooling Cloths to put around your neck – these are really nice to have!
• Anti-Chafe Powder or Cream – Buy my favorite powder (funny name but great product!)
• Aloe
• Wipes for freshning up – These individually wrapped ones are great for ladies – these larger wipes guys tend to like more.

Pace Yourself

Early mornings and evenings are the coolest times to go to the parks. When you are planning your park days take this into consideration and plan accordingly. You don’t want to push your family all day and have someone end up with sunstroke or dehydration. That’s a quick way to ruin your vacation.

Take some time to set expectations as a family. Pace yourself each day and try to be reasonable about what you try to get done. Plan to have easier, slower afternoons so you’re not rushing around in the middle of the afternoon heat.

Consider getting park-hopper passes. Having park hopper passes allows you to enter a different park after 2 pm. I find this extremely helpful when it is hot. Some days, you may find that because of the heat (and because you weren’t rushing) you may have missed essential rides. The park-hopper passes allow you to return to a park later in your trip and catch the rides you missed.

Plan for Breaks

Planning to take breaks through your time at the parks is key! Taking a break back at your resort is also a fantastic way to cool down, get some rest, and refresh before you head back to the parks in the evening.

Go to the Pool

It’s easy to only think about the fun you will have at the parks, don’t forget to take advantage of your resort’s pool! Many families (mine included!) take a mid-day break at their resort. We usually grab lunch then cool off in the pool or take a rest in our room. This way you are avoiding the hottest time of day when the sun is the strongest!

Check out a water park

Did you know Disney has some amazing water parks? Disney often offers a free entry to Walt Disney World waterparks during the summer months on your check-in day or you can adding on passes to either Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach. Having a waterpark day might not be very restful, but it will allow you to cool off in the water throughout the day.

Cooling down in the parks

Don’t forget to plan for breaks while you are IN the parks. We typically use meal times, shows, and shopping as ways to cool down in the middle of the day. I like to plan table service lunches so we can rest in the air conditioning.

• Meals – Plan to have your meals around the hottest times at the park – mid-afternoon. Making a 1 pm or 2 pm lunch reservation (Maybe try a Character Dining location in Disney World) is a great way to plan ahead and have somewhere cool to rest. We often leave the parks and have lunch at our resort then take a dip in the pool.

• Shows – We also like to go to indoor shows like Frozen Sing-Along Celebration in Hollywood Studios. Shows are usually between 15-30 minutes, just the right amount of time to cool down and refresh! Each park has stage shows, movies, or other experiences that are inside with some nice air conditioner.
  • In Magic Kingdom head to Liberty Square to visit the Hall of Presidents in Magic Kingdom. Or, head to Tomorrowland for the Carousel of Progress – this is a nice long 20+ minute break.
  • In Hollywood Studios you can watch several shows: the new Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After and updated The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure are both new or newly updated. One of my favorites is For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration.
  • For the ultimate break head to EPCOT World Showcase to the The American Adventure show in the American Pavillion. This show givces you 45 minutes of AC (and some patriotic entertainment). For a super silly experience head over to the Seas and visit Turtle Talk with Crush. This 10-15 minute interactive show always cracks us up!
  • Animal Kingdom has 2 shows that will give you the opportunity to cool down. In Africa The Festival of the Lion King show is exceptional! Or head over to Finding Nemo… The Big Blue and Beyond for a nice air conditioned break. Each of these will give your family 30-minutes to enjoy the show and cool down.

• Air-Conditioned Character Meet and Greets – If you’re going to wait in line why no do it in air-conditioning? While waiting for these characters’ meet and greets, you can stay cool in a nice air-conditioned queue.
  • Ariel at Ariel’s Grotto (Magic Kingdom)
    • Cinderella (and several other princesses like Tiana, Rapunzel, and Elena of Avalor and more) at Fairytale Hall (Magic Kingdom)
    • Mickey at Town Square Theater (Magic Kingdom)
    • Frozen: Elsa and Anna at Sommerhus (EPCOT – World Showcase – Norway)
    • Disney Pals – Mickey and Minnie at (Animal Kingdom – Adventure Outpost )
    • Olaf at (Hollywood Studios – in Celebrity Spotlight)
    • BB8 (occasionally at Hollywood Studios at Starwars launch Bay)
• Baby Care Centers – If you have little ones don’t forget to take advantage of the baby care centers in each park. These are indoor areas that include areas to nurse babies (with rocking chairs) a changing room changing tables, bathrooms, and high chair areas where you can feed little ones. There is also a food prep area with a sink and microwave. There is plenty of seating with tables and a tv area. You can also purchase food and first aid items you may need.

• Splash Areas in the Parks – Magic Kingdom and EPCOT both have a small splash pad where you and your kids can cool down. You can visit Casey Jr. Splash and Soak Station in Fantasyland (pictured above), or the small splash pad outside of Mission Space in World Celebration EPCOT.
• Resort Hopping – Resort hopping is another way to cool down. I love getting on the Skyliner or Monorail and stopping into a Resort for a meal, snack, or some shopping. Some of our favorite Resort stops to make are The Polynesian for a Dole Whip at Pineapple Lanai or shopping at the Contemporary Resort.

Don’t let the heat ruin your magical vacation. If you plan ahead you can be prepared and safe when you visit Disney World during the hot summer.

✱ Are you headed to Disney World soon? Grab my printable Height Requirements Printable so you know what rides your child(ren) is tall enough to ride at Disney World Parks. Get your free printable in this post.