To Fan or Not to Fan, that is the question.

[Mireille]

Why not use a neck fan? We bought them for our trip last year and they were great for us. Hands free, super lightweight, and could keep them on nearly all the rides (the few you can’t, just store in the ride pouch or locker for the ride duration).

Heres the one we used, but there’s a bunch out there - Portable Bladeless Neck Fan

Otherwise agree with others who have mentioned cooling towels.

Yep, i got one of the cheaper neck fans (not as fancy as yours) for my last trip (last August) for $10 and it lays flat in bags so it doesn't really take up much room, and at the park they just lay on your neck, just need to put them in your bag for the more thrilling rides. I also put a cooling towel under it and I was pretty comfortable, but I mean... it's still hot. There's probably some placebo effect involved...

 

[Ayla]

Don't forget all the extra batteries you'll need for all those fans. Probably a new set in each one every other day.

We never used them, they were just more crap to carry. (The majority of our trips were June-Sept.)

 

[Ben_since_1971]

I have a small handheld rechargeable fan I will use when standing in queues. Helps cool me off from being outside as well as keep air moving while in the queue. My wife just bought me a neck fan that through testing while working outside tells me that it will be a good addition for my September trip.

 

[DW Aficionado]

So my family is going to WDW 8/9 and 8/10. We aren't normally scared of summer heat (we live in coastal SC, which while not Orlando, is no joke either).

We have never gone to WDW in August though, we normally go in early June. Soooo many videos recommend taking fans though, so I am debating if I should buy some. How necessary do you think they are? Honestly, we try to travel as light as possible, so the thought of having to carry a bag to carry all of the fans is the hurdle for me. Even with the rain, half the time everyone just gets soaked rather than deal with the annoying ponchos. Last time, I just used one of my loungefly bags. I saw a video of someone's melting in the heat though, which game me pause on doing that this time ROFL. The time before that, I just used baggy cargo shorts with large pockets.

So question is do you think I should deal with the inconvenience of carrying around a fan to make the day easier. Or just leave it behind and like we do in June, take breaks indoors? And if I should get them, mind giving me your thoughts on what to get? Amazon only has about 1,000,000 to choose from.

Just accept death by heat exhaustion

 

[yensid1967]

I don't know what kind of fans you're thinking about, BUT a good NECK FAN can help...just don't buy from WISH or TEMU!
It may keep you cool but little pricey, but if you find a good quality it will be a blessing in the Orlando August Heat! I want to echo the COOLING TOWELS...they will keep you cool and you can wet them at water fountains around the parks...or get ICE WATER from a restaurant for a COLD towel!

 

[DW Aficionado]

I don't know what kind of fans you're thinking about, BUT a good NECK FAN can help...just don't buy from WISH or TEMU!
It may keep you cool but little pricey, but if you find a good quality it will be a blessing in the Orlando August Heat! I want to echo the COOLING TOWELS...they will keep you cool and you can wet them at water fountains around the parks...or get ICE WATER from a restaurant for a COLD towel!

keep dreaming when it's 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity

 

[KrzyKtty]

Just accept death by heat exhaustion

Our family is somewhat accustomed to it living near the coast of south carolina, But I do concede , it's not quite orlando.

 

[DW Aficionado]

Our family is somewhat accustomed to it living near the coast of south carolina, But I do concede , it's not quite orlando.

That's another issue we encountered many years ago when our kids were small. Being from the Northeast we are not used to extreme heat, where families from the South tend to be more acclimated to it. We've seen kids running around in 100 degree weathers, while ours were crawling on Main Street gasping for air conditioning.

 

[James J]

Don't forget all the extra batteries you'll need for all those fans. Probably a new set in each one every other day.

We never used them, they were just more crap to carry. (The majority of our trips were June-Sept.)

Or just get one that charges off a USB, rather than using batteries.

 

[DW Aficionado]

Or just get one that charges off a USB, rather than using batteries.

Just get one of those huge backpacks to wear, so you can turn and knock someone in the shoulder with it

 

[KrzyKtty]

That's another issue we encountered many years ago when our kids were small. Being from the Northeast we are not used to extreme heat, where families from the South tend to be more acclimated to it. We've seen kids running around in 100 degree weathers, while ours were crawling on Main Street gasping for air conditioning.

Yeah, stepping outside right now is basically oven soup. It is hot, and feels like you are drinking water while breathing. But, considering it stays that way from June through September, we get used to it, to a point.

 

[DisneyFanatic12]

When I work I’m out in the sun all day, and some days I have a fan while on other days there aren’t any left. For me, they don’t really make a difference. They give you a little breeze which is nice on the days where there is no breeze, but a better strategy to me would be to bring a small towel and wet the towel with the complimentary ice water throughout the parks to act as a cooling towel (yes, “fancy” cooling towels are nice, but the endothermic reaction can slow down significantly with many uses). Additionally, people often underestimate the importance of drinking water. Not only do you need to stay hydrated, but drinking some ice water will cool you down a lot!


The most effective strategy might make you look a little crazy, but pouring some ice water on your arms and head is extremely effective.

 

[Laura]

I have a small USB rechargeable fan that doubles as a phone power bank. I bring it just about anytime I visit a theme park (at least once a week). It’s small enough to fit in my pocket, so it’s a no-brainer.

But the main way I stay cool is by not visiting the parks in daytime. You can knock out half a park in 2 hours at night. No crowds. No heat.