How to Have Fun at Disney World When It’s Really, Really Hot

For the last two years, our family has gone to Disney World the second week of July. And it’s been really, really hot. In fact, it was so hot the first year I swore I’d never go back in July. But our remembering selves are generally a lot happier than our experiencing selves. So back we went! This time, I was armed with hard-won knowledge from the previous trip. I put it to use and had a lot more fun this year! Here’s how.

Buy Water Ahead of Time

Water at the park will run you $4 to $6 a bottle (though it is included in kids meals). But many people don’t realize you can bring your own food and beverages into the park. Publix almost always has packs of bottled water on a BOGO promotion. I just grab whatever’s on sale and load up the car with about 48 bottles for what I would have paid for one Disney Dasani. You can use the money you save to go towards Disney’s must-have accessory for hauling your water around: a Loungefly backpack. (How cute is this Pooh version?!)

Use the Right Fans

Fans really do make a big difference in how cool you feel as you stand in the hot sun. But you have to get the right kind. Last year, I tried one of those trendy neck fans. I felt a little silly, but at least I was cool, right? Wrong. Maybe I got a cheap one, but the meager airflow it produced was not enough to offset how hot I felt with a piece of plastic resting on my neck.

I also had a stroller fan. This had better airflow, but there wasn’t a great place to attach it to our stroller. (By the way, we love our stroller for Disney. Change the fan, not the stroller.) The toddler didn’t like being fanned anyway, so the big kids took it—and fought over it. Plus, every time we stopped, we had to put it away. It cooled us down, but at a cost.  

This year, I wanted something more lightweight—and individual. I found the perfect option in these mini wearable fans—and they’re cute too! We all loved the mouse ears, they came with lanyards, and they actually did keep us cool. Plus, I liked that they were rechargeable—I didn’t want to worry about replacing dead batteries at Disney. The big kids could wear their own, and they were small enough to travel with us onto rides. They made a big difference when we were standing outside!

Choose Your Waits Strategically

While the fans were helpful, the best way to stay cool is to minimize standing outside. Disney has a variety of “Lightning Lane” options that allow you to skip lines—for a price. However, one benefit of visiting Disney when it’s blazing hot is that the crowds are lighter. Some wait times do creep up, but we rarely saw longer than 75 minutes even for the most popular attractions. We opted to do Lightning Lane just once—so my husband and oldest kid could ride Tron. They were the only ones who wanted to ride (see this post for why this ride is NOT FOR ME), so we only had to pay for two passes.

One reason they opted for the pass is that a lot of Tron’s queue is outside. While my big kid is used to waiting in line, this is a hot wait. So this felt like the best place to spend our pass money. In contrast, she and I willingly waited over an hour for Guardians of the Galaxy at EPCOT and Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios. The difference? Both of these rides have indoor, air-conditioned queues. (The line for Rise also went a lot faster than the posted 65 minutes.)

This is also an important strategy when you’re deciding what to do first. If you stay at a Disney property, the parks often have “Extra Magic Hours” open only to resort guests. This is a great time to knock out a big ride that often has long lines. But choose wisely. At Hollywood Studios, we knew we wanted to do Rise of the Resistance. And we could have done that first and had a much shorter line. But both of my big kids wanted to do the Slinky Dog Dash coaster at some point. That line for that ride also gets long—and it’s outside. So we opted to do that first, and they were on in 10 minutes. We appreciated the indoor queue for Rise after lunch.

Enjoy the Show

While many of the most exciting rides have air conditioned queues, you’re still standing up, moving forward slowly. You know what’s better than that? Sitting down in the air conditioning. So don’t overlook the attractions that let you sit and stay awhile.

Hollywood Studios has several options, even after they closed my beloved MuppetVision 3D. The Beauty and the Beast Singalong in EPCOT’s France pavilion is a delight (and you can return to the same theater for the Impressions de France film). The America pavilion has a lovely theater as well. Magic Kingdom offers Mickey’s Philharmagic and Hall of Presidents. At Animal Kingdom, don’t miss the Festival of the Lion King. The Finding Nemo show is also a great way to escape the heat and fill the time until you have to make the brutal walk back to the bus stop.  

Embrace Nap Time

Since we’re traveling with a toddler, we like to give him a chance to nap when we can. Going back to the hotel room for a couple hours in the afternoon can be good for everyone. Grab some water and enjoy the air conditioning. Get off your feet for a while. Let the kids watch TV. It’s their vacation too. Yes, you paid for the park tickets. But you aren’t getting your money’s worth if everyone is miserable. Taking a pause in the middle of the day can reset attitudes and energy levels.

If you really don’t want to nap or turn on the TV, the hotel pool is a great option too. Disney pools are amazing and can be a trip highlight for kids. If you have big kids and nappers, this is a good option to keep everyone close while letting the nappers get some rest. Don’t miss the snack bars either—many of them have some excellent ice cream options.

Get a Treat

Speaking of ice cream, that’s my personal favorite way to cool down at Disney. If you’re feeling ambitious (and have a reservation), you can try to polish off the kitchen sink at Beach Club’s Beaches & Cream Soda Shop. We made a valiant effort but only managed about half.  

Every park offers ice cream and other cold treats. I’m partial to Dole Whips, found at Aloha Isle in the Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland and in Animal Kingdom. In EPCOT, France offers ice cream (though this queue is often hot), and Italy offers gelato. Mickey-shaped ice cream is a classic available throughout the parks. Or, as an Atlanta native, I’m contractually obligated to note that you can get an ice-cold Coke just about anywhere.

Whatever you choose, just make sure you have wipes handy. Because if there’s anything worse than being hot, it’s being hot and sticky. No matter how quickly you can consume sugar, the Florida sun will defeat your attempts to finish before melting sets in.

Just Wait and Go in the Winter

Christmas at Disney is magical. Gingerbread houses. Ornaments. Massive trees. Gorgeous weather. You’ll still need to pack your sunscreen, but you can probably leave the fans at home. Go then! We’ll be here in July, enjoying the shorter waits.

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