10 Ways To Beat The Florida Heat At Walt Disney World

Summers in Florida can be brutal, and it if weren’t for the occasional afternoon thundershowers, it would be downright unbearable. If you have chosen June, July, or August for your Disney vacation, you may want to prepare for ways to beat the heat. I have some suggestions for ways to escape the heat for a while and still have a most magical Walt Disney World vacation.

10. Go For a Swim

If you’re staying at a Disney Resort, it’s a quick bus, monorail, or boat ride back to your Resort, where you can take a refreshing dip in the pool. After cooling off a bit, you can head back to one of the four Disney theme parks, revitalized and ready to continue your adventure.

9. Club Cool

Located at Epcot, in Futureworld near the magnificent Fountain of Nations, this small indoor venue is a great way to get cooled off. Step into a room filled with numerous soda fountain machines, where you can try free samples of soda flavors from around the world. Small cups are available so you can try as many different flavors as you want. Not only are you out of the sun and heat for a while, you are also quenching your thirst. It’s a fun and interesting way to cool off.

8. Splashy Attractions

One fun way to cool off is to ride one of the attractions at Walt Disney World where you are warned ahead of time that you might get a little or a lot wet. One is Splash Mountain located in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park. It’s a ride in which you ride a hollowed out log in a log flume with several downhill splashy slides, including a 5-story splashdown toward the end of the ride. Depending on where you are seated, you may get drenched. That’ll cool you off quickly. Another splashy attraction is the Kali River Rapids attraction located at Animal Kingdom Park. As the name implies, this thrilling whitewater adventure in a large round raft takes you on a wild bobbing up and down, spinning, trip down river rapids, and there is no place in the raft that does not get soaked with water coming in from every direction. If you don’t mind getting waterlogged, and the sweltering heat has been getting the best of you, these two rides are really thrilling ways to fight a heat stroke. And, believe me, the sun will feel good until you’re dry again.

7. Indoor Attractions

At Disney World there are many indoor attractions where you can get away from the heat and enjoy a ride or stage show while cooling down. Find an indoor attraction that usually does not require a Fast Pass. A few examples are: Magic Kingdom—Fantasyland—It’s a Small World, Tomorrowland—Carousel of Progress, Hollywood Studios—The Great Movie Ride, Under the Sea, Journey of the Little Mermaid stage show, Epcot—Futureworld—Journey into Imagination with Figment, Living with the Land, Animal Kingdom—It’s Tough to be a Bug show, Festival of the Lion King show. With some pre-planning you can schedule your Fast Pass+ options for those indoor attractions or rides for mid-day when the sun is at its hottest.

6. Monorail Ride

During the heat of a summer day, it’s fun to take a ride on a sleek, smooth running monorail. There are three different monorail loops: Express Monorail—runs from the TTC (Transportation & Ticket Center) to the Magic Kingdom, Resort Monorail—runs from the Magic Kingdom, with stops at the Contemporary Resort, TTC, Polynesian Resort, and the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Epcot Monorail—runs from the TTC directly to Epcot. This is a fantastic way to get out of the torrid temperatures, while getting an awesome elevated view of the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and several lovely Disney Resort Hotels. As an added bonus, you can disembark at any of the stops and do some shopping or sightseeing, or snacking. Of course, to enter Epcot you must have an Epcot Park ticket.

5. Misting Stations

There are several of these cool misting stations located in several areas of the theme parks. They are covered areas where you can walk through while a gentle mist flows from above to cool you down, not soaking you. In the Magic Kingdom, there is Cool Scanner, located in Tomorrowland, near Space Mountain, Tiki totem Poles in Adventureland near the Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride that occasionally blow out clouds of mist, the Cool Wash located in Epcot/Futureworld, near Test Track, and in Animal Kingdom there are misting fans located along the pathways and near popular attractions.

4. Cool Shopping

Two of my favorite places to shop at Walt Disney World are the shops on Main Street at the Magic Kingdom Park, and Disney Springs. The Emporium on Main Street is a collection of specialty shops that are connected so that you can walk from one end of Main Street to the other and never have to step outside. So, not only do you get to shop for everything Disney, but you stay cool in those hot summer months. At Disney Springs, there are plenty of specialty and popular shops, but my favorite store is the World of Disney, the largest character store where you can shop for Disney apparel and accessories, gifts and housewares, toys and plush, camera and media, jewelry, Mickey ears, kitchenware, and so much more. There are 12 rooms to explore and in the comfort of coolness.

3. Aloha Isle — Magic Kingdom

Adventureland—Another cool way to chill out for a short period is to go to the Aloha Isle Refreshment Stand located right next door to The Enchanted Tiki Room attraction. The most popular item on the menu is a refreshing frozen treat called the Dole Whip, a non-dairy pineapple flavored soft-serve frozen delight. It is served in a cup or as a float in a plastic glass with pineapple juice, oh so blissful. You can also choose the Pineapple/Vanilla twist version, which is also very pleasing. There are no tables or chairs here, but nearby, just outside of the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, there is plenty of seating on stone benches, many of which are in the shade. Have a seat and enjoy this cool and flavorful taste of Hawaii.

2. Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover — Tomorrowland

I really like this ride, especially when it is hot and crowded. Ride a conveyor belt up to the loading platform, where you board moving tram cars for a smooth, relaxing ride around Tomorrowland. The tram cars never stop and you are also moving via conveyor belt so there is little or no wait time. This is an outdoor ride, but the track and loading zones are covered, so you are shaded from the hot sun. Sit back and enjoy the 10-minute narrated tour of Tomorrowland, passing in and out of attractions and shops. This is one of the best rides to take a breather from the heat, and since the PeopleMover is on an elevated track, you get a great view of Tomorrowland, while enjoying a nice breeze as the tram cars move along quite briskly after entering or exiting the attractions.

1. Walt Disney World Railroad — Main Street

This is my favorite way to cool off. On a really hot afternoon at Disney World, one of the best ways to cool off and take a break is to board the Walt Disney World Railroad for a trip around the Magic Kingdom with stops at Frontierland and Fantasyland. The steam powered locomotive clickety clacks along the track, with piped in narration, open air passenger cars allowing soothing breezes while you get a fantastic view of the Magic Kingdom. If you’re not ready to disembark, stay on for another circle around the Park. You can ride as long as you want. Don’t be in a rush to get back in the hustle and bustle of the crowds. Sit back, relax, enjoy the view, and enjoy the nostalgia of riding on Walt Disney’s favorite mode of transportation.

Don’t let the Florida heat get you down during your magnificent visit to Walt Disney World. There are so many ways to cool off. In addition to the ones listed here, you can bring your own handheld spritzer fan or purchase one at any of the Disney Parks. There are so numerous products on the market that offer relief from the heat, such as polar neck wraps or ties, and wrist wraps. Also, cups of water are free and available from many of the counter service restaurants. Florida’s nickname is The Sunshine State, so keep this in mind when you are planning your summer trip and make allowances for the heat and humidity, and you will enjoy the fantasy, adventure and magic that is Walt Disney World.

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