Nothing like a crispy hot #Florida day to make you think twice of wanting to leave the comfort of you’re a/c home BUT that’s exactly what we did a couple weekends ago when we decided to venture out to #Disney #MagicKingdom for the day. Believe me when I tell you I felt every bit of the “feels like 104” day!
We left the house and made it to Magic Kingdom by 9’ish. Not really in a rush as I had my plan for the day. I had two goals for this trip. First, to ride what I affectionally call “the forgotten rides”; these are the rides that we no longer rush to mainly because we do not have little kids in tow. Second, and as crazy as it sounds, I wanted to gather some tips on how to manage the day during the summer heat.
Even before 10 the sun was hot, and we knew it would only get hotter as the day progressed. We started by visiting my boss Mickey at Towns Square. The que said 30 minutes and it was about right. This is a great attraction to get a break from the heat and sun. After visiting Mickey, we were lucky enough to grab two rocking chairs and enjoy people watching while we refueled with H2O. From there we stayed on the right-hand side of main street and headed into the Main Street Bakery. A little a/c goes a long way. We headed towards Tomorrowland and got in the que for #BuzzLightYear. Part of that line is outdoors so I wanted to make sure we did that before the sun was too hot. Our next stop was pictures with #Stitch, Monsters Inc and then the #PeopleMover. Yup the easy ride keeps you out of the sun! On our way to Fantasyland (rode the Mad Tea Party), we saw guest needing medical attention due to the heat. After a riding the teacups off we went to Liberty Square!
At this point of the day the sun was hot, and headache was starting. Fortunately, Liberty Square has great options to sit, relax and cool off. Haunted Mansion moved quickly and got us into an inside a/c ride. Fueled up with water and some tangerines and off to the Hall of President for more a/c and wait for the afternoon parade. After the parade we hit the shops to stay cool and then off to the Jungle!
After finishing up the #JungleCruise we made our way back to Main Street. This time we hit the shops on the opposite side and basically were in a/c all the way to the front of the park at which time the skies opened and mother nature graciously decided to cool everyone off with RAIN! We put our ponchos and off to the parking lot we went. Once again, we encountered guest sick most likely from the sun.
So, what did we learn? Stay away from the parks on hot days…. NOOO! The parks are manageable if you go with realistic expectations. Here are some tips:
Don’t expect to do it all! The sun and humidity will win every time.
Do HYDRATE, HYDRATE and HYDRATE! Can’t emphasize this enough. Ask for a cup of ice or water (it’s free) if you do not have your own. Bring in a water bottle filled with just ice and as it melts you will have cool water.
Do take breaks! The shops are a great way to cool off and do some shopping. Consider reserving a sit-down lunch where you can sit in the restaurant for an hour or two and stay away from the heat.
Do consider a mid-day break and head back to the hotel if you are staying on property. It’s one of the perks of being on Disney property and the complimentary transportation is a bonus.
Do plan on indoor rides or watching the indoor shows during the hottest part of the day if possible.
Do bring sunscreen.
Do bring rain gear! It will rain in the summer but will also pass quickly.
Do drink water… I know I mentioned it but its worth repeating!
If you keep these basic tips in mind, you can enjoy a day at the park even when it’s HOT out there! Even with temperatures feeling like 104, and pretty good rainfall we got six rides in, sat down for snacks and did shopping!
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