Yelloweaver
Well-Known Member
Stay home 
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Dealing with the heat
- Thread starter Princess Kaylee
- Start date
fractal
Well-Known Member
A few other tips to add as someone who's been in WDW in late July or August on my last three trips.
Make sure you drink enough water and avoid caffeine BEFORE going outside. In order to "stay hydrated" one must be hydrated first (learned this the hard way). Even more important after a night of a few "adult beverages".
If you start out dehydrated then hit the heat it's tough to catch up. One advantage of Florida heat is the humidity - dry heat is when you can really get in trouble fast.
Mid-day is a good time for dark rides or a nap. Early dinners will also get you out of the sun and heat. Temps generally peak around 3pm so a 3pm-5pm meal would be ideal. It will also get you out of the crowded parks into air-conditioned restaurants that are generally not crowded.
After your early dinner you can then hit the parks as the sun and heat are on the decline and much of the crowd starts feeding. You can then plan for a late snack or dessert. I do love summer evenings in the parks.
Make sure you drink enough water and avoid caffeine BEFORE going outside. In order to "stay hydrated" one must be hydrated first (learned this the hard way). Even more important after a night of a few "adult beverages".
If you start out dehydrated then hit the heat it's tough to catch up. One advantage of Florida heat is the humidity - dry heat is when you can really get in trouble fast.
Mid-day is a good time for dark rides or a nap. Early dinners will also get you out of the sun and heat. Temps generally peak around 3pm so a 3pm-5pm meal would be ideal. It will also get you out of the crowded parks into air-conditioned restaurants that are generally not crowded.
After your early dinner you can then hit the parks as the sun and heat are on the decline and much of the crowd starts feeding. You can then plan for a late snack or dessert. I do love summer evenings in the parks.
TLtron
Well-Known Member
And I stand by my statement that it is very irresponsible to preach that getting in shape will put most heat woes to rest. Heat exhaustion can hit you regardless of your shape or what activity you're partaking in.
The message of: If I'm in good shape & have a good BMI, then heat won't bother me, is a very dangerous one to spread, especially for young people who many times think they're Hercules due to their physical condition & abilities. Yet next thing you know, they are being rushed off from football practice or band camp in an ambulance. While I totally agree with the importance of being in shape & staying healthy, that should never overshadow the other precautions that need to be taken.
Chef Mickey
Well-Known Member
How long have you lived in Dallas? Dallas can be over 50% humidity and 100 degrees a lot of the time. Mornings are 80% humidity on average.
To me, Dallas is hotter than Orlando.
Chef Mickey
Well-Known Member
It helps. Deal with it.
Being in shape and having a good BMI doesn't mean you don't need water.
danyoung56
Well-Known Member
I've lived here for over 30 years. And I guess it's just a matter of perception - in MY perception, a summer day in Orlando is MUCH hotter than in Dallas.
(But it's kind of encouraging to read YOUR perception - maybe the heat in Orlando won't be so bad after all!)
Chef Mickey
Well-Known Member
I think you'll be fine, 100%. At least Orlando gets some rain. As you know, (forget lately) DFW gets sometimes 0 rain for 60-90 days between Jun - Aug. I get rain makes it more humid, but it does cool things down for the moment.
Plus, Dallas can get 103, 104 and it's not completely "dry" heat like in Arizona. 95 degrees and 80% humidity at 10pm is a regular thing, you know...
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
Well then, thank goodness no one said that or is spreading such a message.
The comment I read says that the heat is less of a factor if you're in good shape. No one said to ignore other suggestions.
TLtron
Well-Known Member
I never argued that getting in shape wasn't good advice. It is excellent to suggest that.
My complaint was how he worded "If you are in good shape and have a BMI of 20...then heat shouldn't be as much of a problem"...which can be very misleading.
MississippiBelle
Well-Known Member
I think you'll be fine no matter where you are from... You just have to pay attention to your body and replenish the water you are losing throughout the day. Interesting side note: I am a red head and I was born and raised in the South... Pretty sure that has nothing to do with dealing with humidity. You can get sun damage anywhere in the world.
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
You equated "heat won't bother you nearly as much" with "heat won't bother me". He didn't say what you think he said.
TLtron
Well-Known Member
Well maybe I misread then. If that is the case, then I apologize.
And blame the heat
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
People are better equipped to deal with heat depending on where they are from as well. I don't care how many marathons you have ran 10-15 hours in MK during the summer will wear you out.
SyracuseDisneyFan
Well-Known Member
Paying attention to your body's very important. I agree with others who have mentioned getting into the air conditioning as much as possible.
Matt_Black
Well-Known Member
Go in December instead.
Actually, from my personal experience, December is far too inconsistent. It'll go from cold (mid to high 30s) to warm and back. The best weather I've had was when I went over Halloween.
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
We avoid the South in summer because I do not do well when you combine high heat and humidity.
That being said, our "strategies" for coping with it are:
- Hydration, hydration! Take frequent breaks to drink something cold. You can get free iced water on request at any Disney CS location -- take advantage of it.
- Cover up! Take a lesson from people who live in tropical climates year-round. Light-colored, lightweight, breathable long shorts or even pants, and a loose-fitting top with sleeves, will wick moisture from your body while providing sun protection, and will actually keep you far cooler than the denim short shorts and Spandex-laden stretchy tanks that so many [female] tourists wear.
- When all else fails, do what my mother taught me to do -- wear a shirt that won't become transparent when damp. When the heat starts to get to you, go into a restroom, remove your shirt, wet it down briefly in the sink, wring it out thoroughly so it's damp but not dripping, and put it back on. As the shirt dries, the evaporation will cool your body. If anybody looks at you funny, rest assured that they're just jealous because you are [literally] cool and they are not. Believe me, wearing a damp shirt doesn't look any more silly than wearing a plastic battery-operated fan around your neck! You do what you've gotta do.
- Move slowly, structuring your touring so that you're alternating between outdoor spaces and air-conditioned indoor spaces, and take a siesta mid-day. Be up early and stay up late to take advantage of the cooler temperatures, but spend the middle of the afternoon grabbing a nap in your air-conditioned room and/or lounging in the shade by a pool.
That being said, our "strategies" for coping with it are:
- Hydration, hydration! Take frequent breaks to drink something cold. You can get free iced water on request at any Disney CS location -- take advantage of it.
- Cover up! Take a lesson from people who live in tropical climates year-round. Light-colored, lightweight, breathable long shorts or even pants, and a loose-fitting top with sleeves, will wick moisture from your body while providing sun protection, and will actually keep you far cooler than the denim short shorts and Spandex-laden stretchy tanks that so many [female] tourists wear.
- When all else fails, do what my mother taught me to do -- wear a shirt that won't become transparent when damp. When the heat starts to get to you, go into a restroom, remove your shirt, wet it down briefly in the sink, wring it out thoroughly so it's damp but not dripping, and put it back on. As the shirt dries, the evaporation will cool your body. If anybody looks at you funny, rest assured that they're just jealous because you are [literally] cool and they are not.
Believe me, wearing a damp shirt doesn't look any more silly than wearing a plastic battery-operated fan around your neck! You do what you've gotta do.- Move slowly, structuring your touring so that you're alternating between outdoor spaces and air-conditioned indoor spaces, and take a siesta mid-day. Be up early and stay up late to take advantage of the cooler temperatures, but spend the middle of the afternoon grabbing a nap in your air-conditioned room and/or lounging in the shade by a pool.
Matt_Black
Well-Known Member
Fortunately for all, I found an educational film about how to deal with this situation.
Raineman
Well-Known Member
We went the first week of March this year, and the weather was perfect-temp in high 70s/low 80s, and sunny every day. The nights were a bit cool, but I was just too stubborn to lug a jacket or sweater around MK all day for a couple of hours at night. The previous 2 times I have been to WDW were in late March, with very similar weather as this year. In fact, I have spent 13 days total at WDW during my life, and not one cloudy and rainy day in there at all, and hardly any humidity to deal with. Of course, I've just jinxed myself, and will spend my next week at WDW in a couple of years getting soaked daily, with humidity rivaling a Brazilian rainforest
.