100 degree days at Disney World.. avoid parks mid day?

[ssidiouss@mac.c]

I usually go to disney world in the winter so heat isn't a problem but on an upcoming trip i'm seeing projected temps to be higher than normal for early may.. some days reaching 95 degrees (100 real feel temp)

On days like that do you usually avoid the parks mid day or just stick to your original plans? I had a few sleep late days planned (after being out late the night before) where I would get to the park around noon.. hit some fast passes.. and keep going through the night..

But after seeing how hot its going to be i'm starting to think maybe i should start switching my plans to do park openings on all my days.. get out of there by like 1pm.. cool off at the hotel during the day.. then head back out later to park later that night when its cooler out.

What do you think? Although going to disney world to relax in a resort room mid day seems like a waste a bit too. hmm..

 

[MorganKelly]

I would echo the advice to listen to your instincts. I've been traveling to Disney in the summer months for many years. Yet last year I was very uncomfortable at one point and went into an air-conditioned area to cool off. You can do everything right, but still get caught off-guard. When you need a break, take it. Touring the parks in the summer is delightful (you're at Disney, after all! ), but it takes energy and common sense. Watch out for the others in your group, too.

 

[SeanWM48]

When you need a break, take it.

that's the truth. it's so easy to get caught up and extend yourself way beyond your limits because everything is such a rush at disney. time absolutely flies and suddenly it's been 3 hours since you ate, had water, or even sat down. that's risky business in the heat/humidity. definitely need to force yourself to relax here and there

 

[ToTBellHop]

For me, the most oppressive part of the day in summer is about 1-4, so we typically head back to the resort after lunch, the boys nap, maybe we stop by the pool and then have dinner at the resort or go to a park for dinner. By the time we are done with dinner, it is much more comfortable out. Still warm of course, but the sun is just so powerful during mid-day and the parks so crowded that we prefer to go to the resort for some quiet. During our winter trips, we often stay in the park all day.

 

[Lvant]

We have been down at all times of the year, but have been down in the summer the most.

On exceptionally warm days we always make sure to pack half frozen water bottles and plenty of washcloths, you would be surprised how amazing it feels to wipe yourself down with a cool cloth! We fill bottles halfway, then lay them on their sides in the freezer, keeps the water cold but not completely frozen so you have some to drink. We then wrap the washcloth around the bottle - helps keep it cold and gives you a cool cloth to wipe down with.

We typically get to the park at or close to rope drop, stay until mid afternoon when it starts getting oppressive, then head back to the room for a nap, or sometimes head to the pool. Even just an hour is awesome! Its crazy how much the heat can wear you out. After our awesome naps we head right back to the park until we are ready to crash for the night.

We notice that towards mid-day when its crazy hot people get a lot grumpier, which is definitely not conducive to the Disney mood! Some people just run themselves into the ground, which makes no sense to me. Take your time, relax and enjoy the vacation!

Lots and lots of Gatorade/powerade type drinks. There have been times when we have had water all day and still suffer from heat exhaustion because we weren't replacing our electrolytes. Listen to your body so you don't end up in the first aid building.

 

[MickeyMomV]

Like a lot of others have said, the mid-day break is priceless!!! Regardless of the time of year, powering through 12 to 18 hour day at WDW without a break is insanity! Long lines, Florida heat, Florida sun, other peoples annoying kids, and other annoying people! You need a break from it all to recharge and refresh. There are numerous other threads dedicated to the mid-day breaks, take their advice and plan at least 2-3 hours of daily relax time.

We are planning trip 9 for this fall and with exception to trip 1, every trip has had breaks factored in!

 

[Disnee4Me]

When we did summer trips, we would always take advantages of EMH and hit as many rides as possible before 11 a.m. Then we'd always made reservations for lunch time at sit down restaurants ... usually around 1 or 2. After we finished eating, we'd do some browsing in the shops, because who wants to go on rides on such a full stomach? Then after 4 we'd start hitting the rides again.