CherylLynn
Disney Bride 11/11/11
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2011
There have been so many posts of people asking this question here and there, I figured I'd post this to help out those that may not have seen it yet.
I live in Florida (born and raised) and even the Florida humidity gets to me & my friends/ family.
We have had records of high temps this year. I'll admit, it's pretty bad. The best tips I can offer:
-Wear TONS of sunscreen. The sun is very harsh, and there are serious UV rays (even if it's cloudy). Reapply it often. There is no such thing as waterproof or sweatproof sunblock.
-Wear sunglasses.
The sun is damaging on eyes, too, not just skin.
-Wear a hat. Keeps the sun off your face & head plus no pesky sunburn where your hair is parted.
-Freeze a wet washcloth in a plastic bag the night before you go. Use it to cool you down in the sun. Rinse it out with cold water and reuse it throughout the day. I let ice melt into mine and place it around my neck.
-Take lots of breaks. Try to get most of your outdoor activities (parks, DTD, etc) in the early morning or evening. In the middle of the day (I believe the hottest part of the day is anywhere from 1-2 up til 5-6 pm) go see a movie, swim, take a nap, visit DisneyQuest, hang out in the pool. Head back after dinner and enjoy the park after the sun starts going down. Bonus: lots of young-in's are already getting tucked in so the crowd at times can be lighter. When you are outside walking make sure to stop and rest in the AC often. Even if it's just popping into a store from time to time.
-Drink a TON of water. Dehydration will sneak up on you like you wouldn't believe. Drink water constantly throughout the day. I can't stress enough how important it is to DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Even if you aren't thirsty. Room temp water is best to stay hydrated (icy cold water can cause stomach cramps, unless you need to get someone's temp down quickly).
-Avoid large amounts of alcohol, caffiene, soda & sugar, they promote dehydration. Replenish electrolytes from time to time with Gatorade or another sports drink (Disclaimer: do not replace water with sugary drinks. Continue to drink lots of water as well).
-At any Disney stand where soft drinks are sold, they will give out free ice water. Don't be afraid to ask. It's done for a reason.
-Wear lightweight light-colored clothing. Moisture wick fabrics are great. Look for them in any sports section or store. I've heard Under Armor is a good brand. Or bathing suits. They are generally lightweight in material & dry easily. They make board shorts for men, women & kids.
-Use something to prevent chafing- for 'you know where'
on men/ boys and between thighs for girls. A great one recommended by lots of Disney-goers is Body Glide. It's sold at most athletic stores (like Sports Authority or Dick's).
-Don't push yourselves. Take your time walking. Rest often. It's tempting to hustle so you can sqeeze everything in and don't waste time, but you'll lose a lot more time if someone gets sick from heat exhaustion.
-If at any point any member of your party starts to feel dizzy or nauseated get into the AC immediately and drink water. Even if you've been in line for an hour. Don't be afraid to tell a CM if something doesn't feel right. They're there to help.
-Oh, and did I mention drink a ton of water?
I'm not telling you all these things to scare you. All at once it sounds like a lot. But Knowledge= Prevention. Be prepared and know what to do and everyone should be fine! Have a blast!!!!!
PS- Weather in Florida is tempermental- if it starts raining, wait it out for a few. 9 times out of 10 it will stop after 20 minutes.
I live in Florida (born and raised) and even the Florida humidity gets to me & my friends/ family.
We have had records of high temps this year. I'll admit, it's pretty bad. The best tips I can offer:-Wear TONS of sunscreen. The sun is very harsh, and there are serious UV rays (even if it's cloudy). Reapply it often. There is no such thing as waterproof or sweatproof sunblock.
-Wear sunglasses.
The sun is damaging on eyes, too, not just skin.-Wear a hat. Keeps the sun off your face & head plus no pesky sunburn where your hair is parted.
-Freeze a wet washcloth in a plastic bag the night before you go. Use it to cool you down in the sun. Rinse it out with cold water and reuse it throughout the day. I let ice melt into mine and place it around my neck.
-Take lots of breaks. Try to get most of your outdoor activities (parks, DTD, etc) in the early morning or evening. In the middle of the day (I believe the hottest part of the day is anywhere from 1-2 up til 5-6 pm) go see a movie, swim, take a nap, visit DisneyQuest, hang out in the pool. Head back after dinner and enjoy the park after the sun starts going down. Bonus: lots of young-in's are already getting tucked in so the crowd at times can be lighter. When you are outside walking make sure to stop and rest in the AC often. Even if it's just popping into a store from time to time.
-Drink a TON of water. Dehydration will sneak up on you like you wouldn't believe. Drink water constantly throughout the day. I can't stress enough how important it is to DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Even if you aren't thirsty. Room temp water is best to stay hydrated (icy cold water can cause stomach cramps, unless you need to get someone's temp down quickly).
-Avoid large amounts of alcohol, caffiene, soda & sugar, they promote dehydration. Replenish electrolytes from time to time with Gatorade or another sports drink (Disclaimer: do not replace water with sugary drinks. Continue to drink lots of water as well).
-At any Disney stand where soft drinks are sold, they will give out free ice water. Don't be afraid to ask. It's done for a reason.
-Wear lightweight light-colored clothing. Moisture wick fabrics are great. Look for them in any sports section or store. I've heard Under Armor is a good brand. Or bathing suits. They are generally lightweight in material & dry easily. They make board shorts for men, women & kids.
-Use something to prevent chafing- for 'you know where'
on men/ boys and between thighs for girls. A great one recommended by lots of Disney-goers is Body Glide. It's sold at most athletic stores (like Sports Authority or Dick's).-Don't push yourselves. Take your time walking. Rest often. It's tempting to hustle so you can sqeeze everything in and don't waste time, but you'll lose a lot more time if someone gets sick from heat exhaustion.
-If at any point any member of your party starts to feel dizzy or nauseated get into the AC immediately and drink water. Even if you've been in line for an hour. Don't be afraid to tell a CM if something doesn't feel right. They're there to help.
-Oh, and did I mention drink a ton of water?
I'm not telling you all these things to scare you. All at once it sounds like a lot. But Knowledge= Prevention. Be prepared and know what to do and everyone should be fine! Have a blast!!!!!
PS- Weather in Florida is tempermental- if it starts raining, wait it out for a few. 9 times out of 10 it will stop after 20 minutes.
