Planning a summer vacation to Disney World? You aren’t alone! Summer is a great time to visit the theme parks. The kids are out of school, and taking time off from work might be a little easier. That said, summer in Disney World has one unfortunate reality: it’s hot, hot, HOT. Like, it’s next-level hot.
Not only is it hot, but it’s very humid as well. The weather plays a huge factor in how you experience Disney World during the summer months, so it’s important to plan accordingly! Take note of the following tips if you’re preparing for a summer trip to the parks. These range from packing essentials to strategies you can use when you’re in the parks to stay comfortable.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Perhaps the most important step you can take in staying comfortable at Disney World during the summer months is to hydrate. Drink plenty of water – I’m talking about needing to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes. Staying hydrated is important any time of the year, but giving your body enough water is crucial when the temperatures soar. You’ll want to be extra careful with other beverages throughout the day as well. Limit alcohol or other drinks that could dehydrate you.
Staying hydrated is fairly simple if you know where to find water. Free cups of ice water are available at Quick Service locations around the parks. To save money on bottled water, pack a refillable water bottle in your park bag instead. There are fountains and bottle refill stations around the parks.
Consider spending time at the water parks
Disney World has two water parks that it operates seasonally: Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. If you decide to head to the water parks to stay cool, remember that attractions will close if lightning is in the area. This can happen on a daily occurrence in the summer months, so plan accordingly. This tends to happen more in the afternoon, so get your water rides in early!
Returning for the summer 2026 season, admission to one of the water parks (whichever is in operation at the time) is included in your Disney World resort hotel stay on the day of your arrival. This deal is good for all guests whose names appear on the resort reservation. Theme park tickets are not necessary in order to redeem this offer.
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Prioritize attractions with water or air conditioning
Traveling to Disney World in the middle of summer might mean re-organizing your priorities. If you aren’t familiar with just how hot it can get, you may be surprised at how much it slows you down. To stay comfortable throughout the day, seek out attractions and other areas of the park that offer a splash of water or ample amounts of air conditioning.
Water-based attractions at Walt Disney World for a quick cool down:
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Magic Kingdom)
- Journey of Water Inspired By Moana (EPCOT)
- Kali River Rapids (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
If you want to feel refreshed from one of these water rides but don’t want your clothes to get soaking wet, you will want to pack a few ponchos in your park bag. You can save a ton of money by ordering packs on Amazon rather than buying them at Disney World.
Longer-length indoor attractions (around 10 minutes or longer) for that glorious A/C:
- Hall of Presidents (Magic Kingdom)
- Haunted Mansion (Magic Kingdom)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (Magic Kingdom)
- It’s A Small World (Magic Kingdom)
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic (Magic Kingdom)
- Country Bear Musical Jamboree (Magic Kingdom)
- Enchanted Tiki Room (Magic Kingdom)
- Carousel of Progress (Magic Kingdom)
- Spaceship Earth (EPCOT)
- Living With the Land (EPCOT)
- American Adventure (EPCOT)
- Journey into Imagination with Figment (EPCOT)
- Turtle Talk with Crush (EPCOT)
- Impressions de France/Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along (EPCOT)
- Awesome Planet (EPCOT)
- Reflections of China (EPCOT)
- Canada Far and Wide (EPCOT)
- Walt Disney Presents Gallery and Exhibits (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
- Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
- The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
- Festival of the Lion King (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
- Zootopia: Better Zoogether! (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Also, you may want to prioritize areas of the theme parks where you can spend more time indoors. This is easy at a park like EPCOT, which has many indoor Pavilions around World Showcase and The Land and Seas in World Nature. You may have a harder time doing so at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
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Take frequent breaks
As helpful as a water ride might feel in the moment, it won’t keep you cool all day. What I find to be helpful when I visit theme parks in the summer months is to take frequent breaks. I mean frequent. Duck into every single gift shop and use them as part of your path from Point A to Point B. The air conditioning will be blasting (added tip: use your handheld fan when in the gift shops. It’ll help blow the air-conditioned air your way as opposed to the hot air when you use a fan outdoors).
Another tip: consider booking a Table Service reservation for lunch instead of dinner. Choose to eat at an indoor location in the early afternoon hours when the sun is at its most relentless. Disney World has several indoor Quick Service locations as well, but at least a Table Service reservation will guarantee you a table that is ready for you when you arrive.
Aside from the quick five to 10-minute breathers at the parks, I find that taking longer breaks in the afternoon at your hotel is most valuable during the summer. Dip in the pool. Take a shower. Take a nap. Changing into a new set of clothes can make you feel like a whole new person.
Then, you can enjoy the theme parks when the temperatures are somewhat cooler, like the morning and evening. Speaking of evening, once you are refreshed from your mid-afternoon break, you can head back as the sun sets and have a much better time.
READ MORE: DISNEY WORLD RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE THE HARDEST-TO-FIND RESERVATIONS.
Pack the essentials
When you’re in between rides, meals, etc., you will need to rely on the things you packed in your park bag to keep you cool and comfortable in the summer. This can be tricky because you don’t want to be weighed down by a massive backpack when the temperatures are at their highest. So you want to pack the bare minimum, but you also don’t want to forget anything important.
If you were to look in my park bag in the summer, you will find the following items:
- A small handheld fan (one of the most important things I bring, especially if I can hide out in a gift shop and combine my fan with some air conditioning)
- Cooling towels
- A refillable water bottle (you can buy collapsible ones that take up less space when you aren’t using them)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen (reapply frequently, please!)
- A portable battery and wire
That’s really all I carry with me – along with my phone and cardholder.
I hope you are able to use these tips if you’re heading to the theme parks this summer! Hot temperatures can strike any time of year, but summer is a different kind of beast that you need to plan ahead for.
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How To Stay Cool at Disney World This Summer was originally published on The World of Spark.
