Beat the Summer Heat at Orlando Theme Parks

If you’re heading to Orlando in the summer, it’s critical to know that summer means “feels like” temperatures over 100 degrees. And that heat comes with swampy, steamy humidity—it’s nothing like the dry heat of a desert. From late May to early November, you’ll want to plan your days around it. You’ll want to dress for it. And you might even want to lay in a few heat-fighting accessories.

Before You Leave

I routinely visit Disney World in August, so a lot of what I’m going to write here comes from personal experience. One thing I can say: beating the heat in Orlando starts well before you leave for the airport. A few weeks before you leave, set your home thermostat a bit higher and make sure to spend time outdoors in the heat of the day. Your local climate may not have the same humidity, but letting your biological thermostat get used to higher temperatures will make a difference.

Wardrobe

The right clothes can have a huge impact on your comfort (and stamina) as you tour the parks. You’re looking for words like light-weight, moisture-wicking, and breathable. Not all natural fibers are created equal; almost any weave of linen will work, but cotton can get clammy and sticky unless it’s been woven with the heat in mind. Wool can be surprisingly heat-friendly! You’ll read that activewear is a good choice, but I would not want to tour the parks in yoga pants. Hi-tech fabrics suitable for hiking are better; they’re specifically designed to handle moisture over an extended period of activity.

A few outfits tailored for the weather are all that you need to get through if you don’t routinely wear this type of clothing. All resorts owned and operated by Disney World and Universal Orlando, and many others in the area, have self-serve laundry rooms. The machines aren’t free, but they’re cheaper than padding your wardrobe for your trip. The exceptions are most likely to be hotels like the Legoland Hotel, where guests typically stay only for a day or two while they are visiting Legoland.

I’m not sure whether hats count as wardrobe or gear. Not everyone loves a hat, but if you routinely use one to stay cool in the heat, make sure to bring it with you. And at least consider a second pair of shoes—sweaty feet can raise blisters even with a pair of shoes you’ve broken in.

Gear

There is no shortage of heat-defeating gear available in the parks. Of course, it will cost you more with Disney or Universal branding on it. Here’s my personal opinion on personal fans and other options; you’ll save if you buy in advance.

Several years ago, we conducted a fan face-off at my daughter’s college graduation, pitting Chinese-style folding fans against personal-size battery-powered handhelds. The folding fans came out way ahead. Other battery-powered options include misting fans and two designs meant to be worn around the neck. Misting fans are a solid no for us;  they’re heavy and annoying to carry when you’re not using them. We have not used either type of neck fan, but the word on the street is that the wraparound style that cools your entire neck is vastly superior, and kinda worth it.

I reserve the right to change my mind if I ever try one of those wraparound neck fans, but for now, our favorite assistant to the hand-held folding fan is the cooling towel. Or, as my mother used to call it, the neck shmatte. At the height of summer humidity, evaporation may be a challenge; our favorite trick is to put several in a Ziploc with a small amount of water and a couple of reusable ice packs before heading to the parks.

Personal Care Products

I’m sure you are already aware that you should bring sunscreen, and sunglasses, and lip balm. But you will probably also want an anti-chafing product. We love Body Glide for the inner thighs (or anywhere else that skin-to-skin rub is a problem), and anti-chafing powder for the crotch area of shorts and pants. Look for a talc-free version; if a product comes in both men’s and women’s versions, you’ll usually find that the men’s contains talc and the women’s is talc-free.

Schedule Around the Heat

Even in the height of summer, the parks are cooler in the mornings and evenings. The worst heat of the day is between noon and 6 p.m., and in the mid-afternoon, it can feel too hot to even go to the pool at your resort. If you’ve visited a swampy, steamy location in your travels before, then you know the drill. Get an early start, “siesta” in the early afternoon, and get on the go again in the evening. Here’s what that looks like in the parks.

In the morning

In Disney lingo, rope drop means to arrive at the parks when they open in order to beat the lines. Early bird gets the worm and all that. In my family, we say that rope drop in August isn’t a strategy for beating the lines. It’s a strategy for beating the heat. The parks will see their coolest temperatures of the day right as they open; it’s only hotter from there.

Focus on outdoor attractions when you first arrive, especially headliners with outdoor queues that will be unpleasant later in the day. If you’re going to do a sit-down breakfast, schedule it in the late morning (brunch-ish time) so you’re not spending your precious cooler hours on it. But in your mad morning dash around the park, take pauses for hydration and, if necessary, cooling. You’ve got a whole day ahead; a little self-care now will keep up your stamina for later.

Hydration and Cooling Tips

Bottled water and Powerade are sold throughout the parks, but you may not want to pay the bill for as much as you’ll drink in a full day of touring. Free water is available: “Tourist Dies of Heat Prostration at _______________” is not a headline that any park wants to see. At Disney World, Quick Service restaurants (not outdoor carts and kiosks) will give you small, lidless cups of ice water for free; at outdoor carts and kiosks, you may find Dixie cups of cold water on a corner of the pickup counter to grab as you pass by. Similar applies at Universal Orlando and other area parks.

Your best plan for free water is to carry a bottle. Water fountains are plentiful, and it’s more and more common to find bottle-fillers. Be prepared that the water may be warm, and Florida water has a distinct flavor that many find off-putting. If that’s you, then bring products such as Liquid IV or Mio drops to add to your free water.

Don’t forget that water-heavy snacks can be great for hydration. And while I am mentioning it, eat lightly in general. Heat is a natural appetite suppressant, but if you choose air-conditioned venues for lunch and order “normally,” you may still find that you’ve eaten more than is comfortable when you’re back out in the parks.

For cooling breaks, many parks will have one or more misting stations or a splash pad. You can also just splash water on your head and shoulders in a bathroom. And if an air-conditioned queue or ride isn’t next on your agenda when you’re starting to overheat, try ducking into a store for a few minutes to let evaporation do its thing with your perspiration.

In the afternoon

As you move into the afternoon hours, you can keep touring or head out of the parks for a literal midday siesta. If you’re planning to stay until you’re done for the day, that could mean until you’re done with everything you want to do, or until you run out of gas. Either way, you’ll need to slow down and start giving the heat its due.

• Focus on longer indoor rides and shows, and look for air-conditioned queues.
• Air-conditioning at lunch is a must, unless you plan to leave the parks for an afternoon break.
• Minimize walking. A slightly longer line nearby is better than one across the park.
• If you go the siesta route, don’t plan to spend it at the pool. Stay indoors, in the AC.

Know When to Call It Quits

If you’re planning to leave and return, don’t wait until you’re wiped out to head out. Once you’re feeling really beat from the heat, you may find that it’s hard to recover. Your rear will still be dragging when it’s time to head back, and might still be dragging the next morning—or even a few days later.

If you find you’re feeling the heat a bit much in the parks, don’t hesitate to head to First Aid—every park has one, and they have a lot of experience with heat exhaustion. The best thing they’ll do for you isn’t just help you get cool immediately. It’s to help you understand whether you only need some hydration and a sit-down, or if you’ve really overdone it and will need to prioritize air-conditioning over the next couple of days so that your body can recover its ability to handle the heat.

Sometimes, the weather just won’t cooperate with your plans. In 2023, we visited during the height of a heat wave. I had made plans to tour the outdoor booths of the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival in the cool[er] weather of the evening. At 7 p.m., looking at temps of 93 and a heat index still over 105, I postponed to the next evening. Every night. For a week. In the end, we never made it.

I definitely felt like a wuss. But the reality is that I wouldn’t have hesitated to reschedule for a downpour, and the heat would have made that experience every bit as unpleasant. If the weather is abnormally hot, even for an Orlando summer, days that are too hot to be spent in the theme parks can be spent at water parks. And evenings that are still too hot for touring are a great time to relax at the resort pool.