We just got back from a week-long trip to Disney World. We went the last week of June. Yes, summer. I had at least 5 people ask me “you’re going to disney in this HEAT?” or “Wow, good luck doing Disney in the summer”. Summer in Florida is known for being very hot, very humid, very rainy, and super sticky. All of this can make doing Disney World unbearable and uncomfortable. However, with a few tips + tricks you can actually have an amazing + semi-cool trip in the summer!
So here are my 10 tips for doing Disney World in the SUMMER with a BABY!
1// Go at night – When we went to Disney, we didn’t start our day in the parks until AFTER 4:30pm. This may seem crazy to some people, but honestly it’s my best trick for staying comfortable during the summer. After 4:30, the sun is significantly cooler and the majority of the big crowds leaves at this time. Most lines were 30 minutes or less at this time. We would start our day at the park at 4:30 and stay until it closed. Most nights this meant 11pm – but we had extra magic hours (park is open for disney hotel guests only) until 1AM! How’d Gracie do?? Actually awesome! She’s super flexible with her schedule. She ended up staying up late with us, and then sleeping in until 11 AM. During the day you can always check out the different Disney hotels! One day we ate lunch at the Polynesian hotel- it was great!
2// Bring a fan – I recommend bringing a clip on stroller fan from home- you’ll probably save a bit of money this way. We ended up forgetting ours, so we picked one up at the park for $15.99. But now it’s mickey mouse themed! So cute. This really helped keep Gracie cool in her black stroller.
3// Eat inside – One way to stay cool is by eating inside. Lots of restaurants in Disney World and Disney Springs have outside seating. Cool yourself off a bit by eating inside. Gracie was always happier this way!
4// Pack light clothes – Everyday in the park I wore shorts and a tank top. I tried to pack my “coolest” clothes. I packed all my lightweight shirts so I wasn’t extra hot. This helps for baby clothes too. There were some super cute Disney outfits I wanted to get for Gracie but they were just too hot. We kept her in a onsie or a tank and shorts most days.
5// Use the baby care center – Every park in Disney World has an air conditioned baby care center! This is a great place to change, feed, or just cool baby off. They are usually pretty empty, so take advantage of this great space!
6// Take advantage of FASTNESS – If you’re staying in a Disney World hotel, you can set up all of your Fast Passes on the My Disney Experience app. This is so helpful because it really minimizes the time you wait in lines. And, most lines are outside. We never waited more than 20 minutes for a ride- with our fast passes, the rides/character meet-ups were 5-10 minute waits. It’s just not fun waiting in line with a hot & sweaty baby! If your not at a disney property hotel, you can still use the Fast Pass system. You just have to set it up the morning of! Which means you have to be at the park in the Florida heat 🙁 which is my first no, no (see number #1). My advice: stay in a Disney hotel!
7// Seek the shows – If you or baby ever gets hot while your there, just slip into one of the shows! Every park has many different show options. Here’s our favorites at each park: Magic Kingdom: Mickey’s PhilharMagic , Animal Kingdom: Finding Nemo, Epcot: Living with the Land (more of a ride), Hollywood Studios: Frozen!
8// Go after the rain – Almost everyday we were there it rained around 4pm. This just happens in Florida. We took advantage of the rain and started heading to the park when it started raining. When we got to the park the rain stopped and most of the people had left (because they got rained on). It was perfect!
9// Or bring ponchos – Bring ponchos from home. You’re gonna need them. We forgot ours and spent $10 for each one at the park. You can pick these up at the dollar store and save a lot of money. While everyone else is huddled under stuff and waiting in shops, we strolled through the park in our ponchos to our next ride. We had no wait because everyone else was inside waiting of the rain to stop. Consider packing an extra poncho to put over the stroller when your eating or on a ride. That way your stroller doesn’t get soaked outside!
10// Frozen drinks! – To cool off in the park you can always get a yummy frozen drink! Or you can bring water bottles that are filled and frozen about 3/4 full. By the time you need your water, it will be nice and cold! We also did this trick for Gracie’s apple juice. We brought a frozen bottle of juice in and it stayed cold until she wanted it!
Disney World is such a magical place! Don’t let the Florida heat keep you from having an awesome trip! I hope these tips help you out!
