![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_ms_news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Article-photo-for-april.jpg\" "\\"Feelin")
<\/a><\/p>\nIt\u2019s that time of year.\u00a0 Walt Disney World has already been feeling temperatures in the 90s, and summer is still a few months away!\u00a0\u00a0 If you\u2019re anything like us, weather at \u201cthe world\u201d is on your mind when you\u2019re doing your trip planning.\u00a0 If you\u2019re going to most magical place on earth during the summer months, there are some things that you can do to keep your cool, and enjoy your trip a little bit more.<\/p>\n
Packing the Essentials <\/strong><\/p>\n When you travel down to sunny Lake Buena Vista, packing the essentials is a must!\u00a0 Sure, almost every gift shop on Disney property has suntan lotion, headache medicine, bandages, etc., but these items can cost a pretty penny. We don\u2019t like to check luggage when we fly, so we bring lots of items in small sizes.\u00a0 Take a look at our summer essentials packing list.\u00a0 Hopefully this will give you an idea of what you might want to bring on your next trip, and the list can be adapted for any time of year:<\/p>\n Insider tip:\u00a0 if you forget something at home, there are a number of grocery and convenience stores off property that carry everything from flip flops to after sun lotion.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t want to venture too far off the beaten path, the Hess Gas Stations on Walt Disney World property carry the essentials as well, for a very competitive price.\u00a0 We have purchased toothpaste, water (big gallons and individual sizes) and snacks at these small shops and have never once felt like their prices were higher than what we would pay at home.\u00a0 If you are renting a car, before returning to the airport to drop it off, fill up your gas tank at one of the on-property Hess stations.\u00a0 They offer very competitive gas prices, and are generally a better deal than the gas stations close to the airport.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Keeping Cool in the Parks<\/strong><\/p>\n The general advice you get from Walt Disney World veterans is to get to the parks early, leave after lunch and go back to your hotel for a swim, then come back to the parks around dinner time and enjoy until park closing.\u00a0 I\u2019m not going to say that this advice is incorrect, as we normally follow this advice ourselves.\u00a0 But for those that are going to the parks without the intent of going back to the room, there are a few spots in the parks that are great \u201ccool off and rest\u201d areas.\u00a0 Here are a few of our favorites:<\/p>\n Magic<\/strong> Kingdom<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover<\/p>\n Carousel of Progress<\/p>\n Hall of Presidents<\/p>\n Haunted Mansion<\/p>\n Pirates of the Caribbean<\/p>\n Mickey\u2019s Philharmagic<\/p>\n EPCOT<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Spaceship Earth<\/p>\n Ellen\u2019s Energy Adventure<\/p>\n The Seas with Nemo and Friends<\/p>\n Living with the Land<\/p>\n O Canada Movie<\/p>\n Impressions de France Movie<\/p>\n Reflections of China Movie<\/p>\n Mexico Pavilion\/Three Caballeros Ride<\/p>\n Disney’s Animal Kingdom<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Finding Nemo: the Musical<\/p>\n Festival of the Lion King<\/p>\n Conservation Station<\/p>\n Queue of Dinosaur! (although the ride itself isn\u2019t really relaxing\u2026)<\/p>\n Disney’s Hollywood<\/strong> Studios<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n One Man\u2019s Dream<\/p>\n Art of Disney Animation<\/p>\n Great Movie Ride<\/p>\n AFI Post Show (after the Backlot Tour)<\/p>\n Voyage of the Little Mermaid<\/p>\n If the sun\/heat have you feeling ill, the first aid and baby care areas of the parks are great places to go.\u00a0 The Cast Members in these areas are always so helpful and there is a Registered Nurse onsite if you feel that you need medical attention.\u00a0\u00a0 We have also sought refuge from the sun in the resort lobbies of the hotels that are near the parks.\u00a0 It\u2019s amazing what a little air conditioning and relaxation can do for your day.<\/p>\n Here are a few more tips:<\/p>\n HYDRATE!\u00a0 Drink water, not soft drinks.\u00a0 You can get a cup of ice water for free at any counter service restaurant.\u00a0 Coconut water is a good, natural source of electrolytes, and fruit is a water-packed food that is easy to carry around.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget, eating is just as important as drinking water when you\u2019re out in the heat.\u00a0\u00a0 Most of the time, heat-induced illness can be prevented with a glass of water, some shade, and a healthy meal.\u00a0 Sucking on ice chips is a good way to hydrate and cool off, too.\u00a0 We like to do this while waiting in ride queues.<\/p>\n Wear sunscreen every day.\u00a0 There is nothing worse than being sunburned on your trip, then having that on your mind while you\u2019re trying to have fun in the parks (or sleep at night).\u00a0 Light, long sleeved shirts are great to wear in the middle part of the day when the sun is at its peak.<\/p>\n Speaking of the sun being at its peak; think about touring the parks with the following in mind:\u00a0 the middle part of the day is the hottest.\u00a0 Save this time to visit the indoor attractions like Carousel of Progress, Hall of Presidents, Ellen\u2019s Energy Adventure, or Innoventions. This is when you\u2019ll be happy that you have that long sleeved shirt with you!<\/p>\n Walk through the shops along Main Street in the Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Blvd. at Hollywood Studios.\u00a0 The shops are air conditioned and connected, so doing this can keep you out of the heat for a little while.<\/p>\n Bring a wet washcloth and ice in a zip top storage bag with you to the park.\u00a0 It will feel amazing to wipe down your head and the back of your neck, trust me.\u00a0 Then, rinse it out in the bathroom and put it back in your zip top bag.\u00a0 Repeat as needed.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget to re-apply your sunscreen after using it!\u00a0 While I think mister fans are great, they\u2019re clumsy to carry around, so we prefer this method for that reason alone.<\/p>\n If you have younger children, bring a change of clothes and let them splash in the splash pads that are scattered around the parks.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A Typical Day<\/strong><\/p>\n A typical day for us when we\u2019re at Walt Disney World during the summer months is as follows:<\/p>\n 7 am – Up and at \u2018em!\u00a0 Get ready for the day.\u00a0 HYDRATE!<\/p>\n 8 am – Quick breakfast in the room, pack up snacks, water, and lunch for the cooler.\u00a0 HYDRATE!<\/p>\n 8:30 am – Hop in the car, head to a park.\u00a0 HYDRATE!<\/p>\n 9 am – Park opening!\u00a0 Bee-line to the headliner attraction and grab a Fastpass.\u00a0 Tour the park as usual.\u00a0 HYDRATE!<\/p>\n 11:30 am – Find a cool spot to have an early lunch (packed).\u00a0 HYDRATE!\u00a0 Continue touring park.<\/p>\n 2 pm – Go back to the hotel for a swim, shower, or nap and do laundry if necessary.\u00a0 HYDRATE!<\/p>\n 4:15 pm – Time to head back out!\u00a0 Table Service reservation at 4:45pm (somewhere).\u00a0 HYDRATE!<\/p>\n 6 pm – Back to park touring for the rest of the evening.\u00a0 HYDRATE!<\/p>\n Notice how important it is for us to drink water all day long while at the parks?\u00a0 We also DO take advantage of Extra Magic Hours if offered.\u00a0 It\u2019s so much cooler (relatively speaking) touring at a time that the sun is not at its peak.<\/p>\n If you had a long day and don\u2019t wish to return to the parks for the evening but you don\u2019t want to turn in for the night either, we have enjoyed catching some jazz music in the lobby of the Grand Floridian, watching \u201cWishes\u201d from the Polynesian Resort Beach and eating some ice cream from Seashore Sweets at the Boardwalk.\u00a0 These are all very relaxing activities that we like to do to wind down the day, and in all honesty, they\u2019re some of our most cherished Walt Disney World memories.<\/p>\n So, my best advice is to know your limits, be prepared, and listen to your body.\u00a0 If you feel like you need a break, take one.\u00a0 Don\u2019t try to push yourself too far just because you\u2019re at Walt Disney World.\u00a0 It IS a vacation, after all!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Ann Dunnington It\u2019s that time of year.\u00a0 Walt Disney World has already been feeling temperatures in the 90s, and summer is still a few months away!\u00a0\u00a0 If you\u2019re anything like us, weather at \u201cthe world\u201d is on your mind when you\u2019re doing your trip planning.\u00a0 If you\u2019re going to most magical place […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[350,227,297,30,323],"yoast_head":"\n\n