Grandma and I will be traveling to Walt Disney World again soon. This trip will be a first for us. We have never visited in the summer. Ok, it is Late Spring/Early Summer. For this heat avoiding old couple, it will be a first. Why go? Simple, we had DVC Points that would be expiring in June. We decided to take advantage of it and make a pilgrimage to Disney’s Boardwalk Villas, where our DVC adventure began.

Past Glory Days

In the old days, back when our kids were young, winter was a slow time at the parks. In the mid to late 1990s, our preferred time to go was the first 2 weeks in December. Crowds were sparse, weather was mild, just a perfect time. We would take the kids out of school and head either to Disneyland or Disney World. Very often it would seem that it was just us and various South American tour groups. As a bonus, the Resort lobbies were all done up in their Christmas finery. Made for some very memorable times.

Those visits were certainly magical. You did not have to plan as you do now. There was no Lightning Lane passes or Advanced Dining Reservations. You would get free fast passes for rides in the park. Likewise you would walk up to guest services and make reservations for that day. Everything was free form and pretty laid back. I have certainly tried to recapture those days with varying degrees of success.

Fast Forward

Yearning for yesteryear can be a trap. The world has changed, the parks have changed, so our approach must also change. We will never get those “glory” days back. Adapt is the keyword for today. Adapt to warmer weather. Adapt to larger crowds. Adapt to rising expenses. Adapt Adapt Adapt. Grandma and I do not like change very much. In my Crushing It strategy, I have detailed ways to capture some of the flavor from the old days. In this post, I will outline our plan to survive a summer visit. We will see if late spring/early summer could become our next favorite time to go.

Summer is the New Winter?

I think it started right before COVID, but certainly just after COVID, crowd dynamics shifted. The conventional wisdom is that winter was slow, since kids were in school. To beat the crowds, your best option was to visit Disney when school was in session. Makes sense! That is why we took the kids out of school and headed out in December. Well it seems that we were just ahead of the times. Parents no longer are resistant to taking the kids out of school for a week or two. Partly because of the remote learning that was the norm during the COVID years. Partly because a new generation are now parents. These young parents would have loved to skip school for a Disney vacation. No matter what the cause, conventional wisdom is now just flat wrong. Winter is crowded, sometimes very crowded and summer is less so.

Surviving The Heat

Summers in Florida are very hot and very humid. This can make for miserable times if you are not prepared. Summer visits, therefore take a different approach than milder times of the year. You must slow down and take it easy. The heat and humidity can turn deadly if you are not prepared. There is a reason that things can grind to halt in the afternoons. Survival!

Heat Beating Tips

I was a youngster in Texas where temperatures were over 100 degrees F. in the summer. We did not have the humidity, fortunately. Here are a few tips that helped us survive. We plan on doing these on our visit.

• Go Early
• Retreat in the Heat
• Go Late
• Hydrate
• Slow Down

Go Early

The best way to beat the heat is to start before it gets hot. Things have a tendency to cool down when the sun goes away. Start your park visit during early opening. For guests that are staying on Disney property, the parks have early admission starting 30 min early. Taking advantage of early admission is always a great idea. However, in the summer it is a great way to beat the heat as well as crowds. The outside temperature can be much much cooler during this time. Take advantage of it!

Retreat in the Heat

This may seem trivial, but the best way to beat the heat is to avoid it. When feeling the heat, go for a dark ride such as the Haunted Mansion or take in a show. These are great ways to cool off, especially in the heat of the day. Alternate outdoor rides and queue’s with ones that are covered and air conditioned. Gives you a great respite from the heat and allows you to recharge.

Retreating to the resort hotel around lunch is also a great option. Nothing like a quick nap in the cool of the room to recharge the old batteries! This is also a great time to head to the pool. Let the grandkids blow off a little steam while you relax in the shade. Or if you are so inclined, hit the pool yourself and cool down. Watch out for the sun, however. It can be killer. Nothing spoils a vacation like a bad case of sunburn.

Go Late

Just like going early, head to the parks after sundown. The parks will still be crowded, but the day will start cooling off. Unfortunately, it takes a bit for the temps to drop. At least the sun is not beating down on you. Take in a night time parade or fireworks. Disney Parks take on a whole new vibe after dark. We have enjoyed the fireworks from the Grand Floridian Resort. The wind off Bay Lake kept the temperature moderate and the fireworks are spectacular.

Hydrate

Should go without saying but drink lots of liquids. Do not imbibe on alcoholic beverages. Alcohol can make things much worse, really fast. Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. These conditions can turn deadly. Take a water bottle and keep it full. You can be in line for an hour or more. Do not get caught without some sort of hydration. You have to replace the water that your body is losing through perspiration. Hydration is the best preventive of heat-related illnesses.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion can occur when you exert yourself in a hot environment. Your body struggles to cool itself down. When you have heat exhaustion, your internal (core) body temperature may be abnormally high. However, it’s typically below 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). You sweat profusely, feeling completely exhausted and weak. You may also be dizzy, nauseated and have a headache. Your body is telling you to stop what you are doing, get lots of liquids and cool down. Otherwise you may develop heat Stroke.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat-related illness. It occurs when your body overheats and can’t cool down. Untreated heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke. Heat stroke causes your body temperature to soar to dangerous levels, typically above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). With heat stroke, you may stop sweating all together.  It causes brain dysfunction and you experience changes to your thinking and behavior — like confusion, agitation and aggression. You may also pass out.

Heat stroke is life-threatening and requires immediate medical treatment. The longer your body temperature remains high, the greater your risk of complications (like organ damage) or death. If anyone in your party complains of any of these symptoms, get to a cool place and get help.

Slow Down

Ok scary part is over. It is important to know the signs and symptoms, but more important to avoid heat-related illness all together. One way is to just slow down. Don’t run or walk briskly. Take breaks often. Find a shady bench and do a little people watching. Take in the vibe. Remember it is not a race or endurance contest. If you have a portable fan or cooling towel, use it. Remember the goal is to have fun and relax.

One way we plan on slowing down is not to do park days every day of our stay. We will be resort hopping. Simply grab the first bus that comes along and then transfer to a different resort bus at the destination. All Disney Resorts have something to offer. The resort theme and grounds all give a different vibe. All resorts also have different gift shops and quick serve restaurants. As much as we have gone to Disney World, we have not seen every resort hotel. We will be changing that this trip.

Wear Appropriate Clothing

Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes. This will allow air to circulate and help your bodies natural cooling system to work better. Wear natural fibers such as cotton. These will absorb and wick away perspiration and cool you down a bit. Light colors are also a good way to reflect some of the suns heat back. Dark colors absorb the heat and make it feel much hotter than it really is. Wear a hat. A good floppy hat keeps the sun off your head and face. You can also soak it in water for an instant cool down. Remember light and airy are the criteria for your clothing choices.

Summing Up

We will be experiencing Florida heat and humidity first hand on our next trip. Granted, it is not the highest summer heat, but it will be much more than we are used to. In today’s post I outlined several methods to survive the heat and humidity. I will be reporting back how the trip turns out.

Do you have any tips and tricks for a summer Disney Vacation? Please let me know in the comments.

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Until Next Time