Summer Sun Survival Archives - Living a Disney LifeLiving a Disney Life

If you’re planning a summer vacation at Disney World…or one in the spring…or fall, it’s gonna be HOT! Sure, you should have strategies for beating the heat and avoid roasting and burning in the sun, but you can also make sure you carry just a few supplies in your park bag that can make coping with the whole sweaty, sticky, hot mess you (and your loved ones) will become much easier.

Surviving the Heat at Walt Disney World

Besides staying hydrated – which is the #1 thing you must focus on either by carrying your own beverages or taking advantage of Disney’s free ice water (available at restaurant counters upon request), here’s a list of what I make sure I keep with me on super hot days:

1. Baby wipes – I cannot tell you how much these mean to me! I’ll wipe off sweaty arms and legs – oh, how heavenly a fresh neck feels! Little ones perk up with a cool wipe-down and the overall advantage of toting around some wipes is that we feel instantly more…well, presentable. If there’s no time to freshen up at our resort, these babies will do in a pinch and make us feel more suitable for a table service dinner.

2. Zip Lock Bags – For so many reasons! You can carry a few of those baby wipes if you’ve invested in a large package of those. You can pack your basic first aid supplies (see #3) in a zip lock. You can even keep Disney pins for trading or Sharpies for autographs easy to find by toting them in a zip lock bag. When traveling with little ones, sometimes a baby wipe just won’t do the trick. Carry a clean washcloth in a zip lock bag – moisten when necessary and do a great big wash-down. Then pop the dirty washcloth back in the zip lock so it doesn’t ruin anything else in your park bag.

3. Mini First Aid Kit – This has come in handy more times than I can say! When the sun, heat, humidity and walking begin to take a toll, you’ll be ready. Ibuprophen or Tylenol, band-aids, anti-chafing balm (oh, stop it with the “T.M.I” thing – you may appreciate this someday), sun screen, lip balm, blister relief, antacid, and even blotting papers (Thanks, Heather!). You can find everything in travel or sample-size, bundle it up and be prepared to save the day!

4. Hair-aphernalia – I’m not talking about a huge inventory of hair products. All you may need is a comb. I like a brush and a travel-sized hairspray or, at the least, a ponytail holder or hair clip. Call me old fashioned, but my mother raised me to be presentable at the dinner table. Everyone can take a sec to tidy up – especially if we’ve been soaked on Splash Mountain or Kali River Rapids or we’ve been tossed about on Rock’n’ Roller Coaster or Test Track.

5. “Plan B” – This may come in many forms. The first Plan B is that we might want to abandon the park during the hottest time of the day to enjoy a leisurely meal, go swimming, or just explore other resorts via monorail or boat. Many rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train are just as, if not more, exciting at night when it’s at least a little cooler. Other Plan B’s may be carrying a change of shoes and socks, a rain poncho, fresh shirt, or perhaps opting to watch things from afar rather than up close.

Once again, I’d be right there with you if you’re an obsessive planner! In the warmest months, I’d advise you to plan to be ever ready to escape from, recover from, hide from, guard against, or otherwise cope with the heat.

Experienced Disney vacation fans! What are your best tips for coping with the heat at Walt Disney World?

Cool Clothing and Sunglasses at Walt Disney World

Summer Wardrobe for a Disney Vacation – This post is part 2 of my Summer Sun Survival Tips. Link to Part 1.

Here’s an important lesson my wise (and much older) sister taught me as I was growing up. (Thanks, Sandy!) Always start the day looking the way you will at the end of the day – take into account any factors that may adversely affect your appearance and plan accordingly.

This advice is extremely applicable when visiting Walt Disney World in the summer months. We (maybe I’m kinda mostly talking about women here) want to look super-cute on vacation (I’m sure some of you guys do too, right?). We shop for cute vacation wardrobes and plan out adorable outfits for every possible vacation contingency. I’m here to tell you…some forms of cute vacation outfits, in the summer at Walt Disney World, are potentially fraught with peril.

The best clothing tip I can give you for a summer Disney vacation is to take my sister’s advice: Start the day looking pretty much the same as you’ll end up. Confused? Let me explain. It’s HOT at the World during the summer. And incredibly HUMID! The combo of the two can be brutal! Everything is damp, your favorite tried-and-true hair products will totally fail you, makeup melts off completely – you may start the day looking super cute and fresh only to end up a sticky, wilted mess! Start the day looking perhaps a little less fabulous than originally planned with the idea that you will never look “less” than you do right then.

One of us (me) is NOT following this article’s tips!

Here’s my head-to-toe plan:

First things first: Don’t try to style your hair – caps, hats, ponytail, braid – you pick what works for you, ’cause if you think your perfectly coiffed ‘do will hold up against the Florida sun and humidity (or worse, those two in the morning and a torrential downpour in the afternoon) – you’ll be so sorry you didn’t listen to me. Start the day with well-subdued hair, liberally applied sunscreen, very little makeup, and a good lip balm. Don a hat and sunglasses and voila! You’ll end the day looking just the way you started – which is a LOT better than starting out like a movie star and ending up a caked-up, raccoon-eyed sweat-ball.

Walt Disney World Mother/Daughter Picture

Headed in at the end of the day – not looking TOO bad!

Wear cool comfortable clothing that breathes well and allows you to move freely (for getting on and off attractions). If you’re planning to ride attractions where you may get wet or the weather person has predicted rain, be sure to choose clothing that will dry quickly. I prefer cotton (or performance/athletic-wear fabric) tees and tanks paired with cotton shorts or running shorts. Shoes should be well broken in – vary shoes day-to-day to reduce the potential for blisters and raw spots. You could try comfy sandals one day, sneakers/trainers/running shoes the next and so on. Switch up the shoes!

Finally, I hate to bring this up, but if this post is going to be of value, I’m going to have to mention something a bit delicate. Shhhhh, come closer so I can whisper it…chafing. There. Now it’s out. For many summer Walt Disney World guests, chafing is a very real risk. You might not be prepared for so much walking – in the heat and humidity – which results potentially in unprecedented sweating – which, in turn, results in “hot spots” where wet clothing rubs against tender skin. Distance runners and cyclists (of which I’m both) are unfortunately well-acquainted with the horrors of chafing and I’m happy to report there’s an easy preventive measure that can be taken. Cover areas which may chafe with a smoothing substance made specifically for this purpose. One brand I’m familiar with and have used before is Body Glide – but I’m sure there are others on the market that will work just as well. The product comes in a convenient solid (like antiperspirant) – you just apply it wherever you think you may need it.

There you go! Take my advice and you’ll be golden. While you’re touring comfortably – look around at some of the other WDW guests – the limping ones are the easiest to spot – they didn’t do their homework. Adopt the Boy Scout motto and Be Prepared!

For more on protecting yourself from and treating chafing and blisters, there’s a good article here.

What did I leave out? Do you have any tips for comfortably dealing with the summer conditions at Walt Disney World? Tell me! I’m headed there in 9 days!!!