Beating the Orlando Summer Heat

Orlando is the number one vacation destination for families, and for good reason. The sunny, warm weather is mild year-round – perfect for spending vacation days exploring parks, splashing in the resort pool, dining outside and shopping in the area specialty boutiques.

Most Orlando visitors plan their vacations in the summer months, when school is out and sports schedules are less demanding. The plus to traveling during summer months is theme parks will have longer hours in the evening, sometimes staying open until midnight or later. This allows you more time to play!

It is always a good idea to keep an eye on the weather before you leave for your Orlando vacation. I love the AccuWeather site, with its extended forecasts. The most common question I receive from summer travelers is “How do we handle the Florida summer heat?!” Here are some tips.

1) Keep up with your water intake, and stay hydrated. Health experts recommend that we all drink half the number of ounces in water as our current weight daily. Example: if you weigh 130 pounds, you should drink at least 65 ounces of water every day. When you are in the Florida heat, it is wise to drink even more than this amount. Headaches and dehydration will really interfere with creating magical memories. Drinking a couple glasses of water first thing in the morning really helps you meet your hydration goal. Caffeinated drinks will not count toward your water ounce-age, so unfortunately, you’ll need to drink water in addition to your morning coffee or soft drinks at lunch. Taking some time for self-care – drinking lots of water, and eating some nutritious food – will help keep you healthy and energized throughout your busy days.

Note: The parks will allow you to bring in your own bottles of water. In the summer, we like to freeze the water bottles before we go to the parks, and then we can refill at water fountains. You can also request free ice water from the counter service dining locations.

1) Insider tip: Amazon Prime Now will deliver pantry items to your Orlando resort, so you can order sports drinks, flats of water and snacks to have in your room. A $5 resort delivery hold fee might apply.

2) Sunscreen is a must for everyone. The Florida sun is strong, y’all. You don’t want to get a nasty burn on your first day in the parks and be miserable through the rest of your vacation. Remember tops of your ears, back of your neck, tops of your feet and scalp.

3) Wear light, loose, moisture-wicking clothing that helps you stay cool. You’ll want sunglasses for everyone, and many guests add hats to keep the heat and sun off their head.

4) Start your day early. Take advantage of morning Extra Magic Hours, or simply show up about 30 -45 minutes prior to rope drop to be among the first in the parks. This will allow you to experience some of the most popular attractions with shorter lines, and accomplish more in the cooler hours than if you were to sleep-in.

5) Plan a mid-day break. The hottest hours of the day will be 2-6pm, so you might want to plan a break to go back to your resort for rest, a swim, or simply to watch a movie. The heat and humidity can really take it out of you, so a little time to recharge can make a tremendous difference in your family’s demeanor. Once you had some time in the air conditioning, you’ll be ready to head back to the parks for some nighttime fun.

6) Plan the inside attractions and shows for the warmer hours of the day. Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Princess meets at Fairytale Hall, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom; Soarin’, Living with the Land, The Seas with Nemo, American Adventure* and Canada’s “O Canada”at Epcot; Star Tours and Toy Story Mania at Hollywood Studios; Finding Nemo: the Musical and Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom. These attractions allow you to spend time indoors, and some will provide the luxury of getting off you feet for awhile as well.

7) Plan time at the pool or at Disney’s water parks. Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon Water Parks offer fantastic water fun. The Park Hopper Plus ticket option will add admission to these parks along with your theme park admission.

8) Have the right cooling equipment. Cooling towels, misting fans, stainless water bottles, and anti-chafing balm can really help keep you comfortable. And lightweight rain ponchos are a staple for Orlando vacationing – afternoon rain showers can be expected on most days.