Posted by Shannon MacGilvray on May 8, 2013 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

Beat Hot Weather at Disney World into a Cool Pulp

Miss V (my one year old) and I are headed to Orlando this June, and one of my biggest concerns is how to stay cool in the heat and humidity. Here are some tactics we plan to employ:

Start as early in the day as possible. We’re coming from the West Coast, so this could become a small problem with sleep schedules, so we may decide to become night-owls and stay as late as possible instead.
Eat at a table-service restaurant. This is the best way to stay cool for an extended period of time. I can’t wait to check out Be Our Guest Restaurant at New Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom.
Take a break midday and swim in the resort’s pool. Going to one of Disney’s water parks like Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon for the day could be a great option.
Bring a swimsuit into the theme parks for little ones. I fully plan on taking a swimsuit for Miss V, there are fountains and other small play areas where she might be able to get wet and run around for a little while. There’s an area at Futureworld in Epcot, at New Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom, within the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground at Hollywood Studios and at the Downtown Disney Marketplace. An extra swim diaper might be a good idea too!
Take advantage of water fountain bubblers. There are water fountains everywhere you go, and usually near restrooms. Make sure you or the little ones don’t get dehydrated. Most counter-service restaurants will also give you a cup of ice water for free as well. I plan on bringing water bottles from home.
Bring a stroller fan or misting fan with you. Disney sells misting fans, but these do cost a pretty penny. Here are a couple of options on Amazon- O2Cool Deluxe Misting Fanor Dreambaby Stroller Fan. I may also go to the dollar store and pick up a small misting bottle instead.
It’s going to rain. The thing about tropical heat and humidity, is that it will rain, nearly each and every afternoon. Rain ponchos come out in force when it starts to pour and are sold nearly everywhere at Disney. The cost is roughly $9 for adults or $8 for kids. You can save some good money by picking up an “emergency rain poncho” at Walmart or Target for about $1. The Disney rain ponchos are good quality, but because they’re usually wet and hard to fold compactly, they don’t always make the trip home with us. Even though it’s expensive, I might also opt for a rain cover on the stroller like Britax B-Agile Rain Cover.
Protect the car seat. Two days ago it was nearly 87 here in Seattle. We have the Britax Advocate car seat, and while top-rated, I’m not over the moon about it. One more strike on the list, there is metal on the HUGS shoulder straps that is in direct contact with Miss V’s belly. Not cool. It nearly burned her, and I had to abort our shopping trip because the metal on the straps was far too hot. So, I went to Amazon for a solution. I found Mommy’s Helper Car Seat Sun Shade and I’m really interested in it, and this might be something to bring on vacation.