Tips about Sun & Heat Tips

So some people might be shaking their heads but I'm from Colorado been to Disney world four previous times and never got heat rash. I'm a natural redhead and have really pale skin and despite going through a bottle of sunscreen a day for the first time I managed to get a really bad heat rash. It was all over my collarbone, the top of my shoulders, upper back, and neck. It finally went away after a week and a half of being home. After dealing with the itching and pain for four days I finally vented to my mom about it. She, being the wonderful and all-knowing mom, knew what it was and ee went to the first aid center in MK. We walked in, and told the front desk person what was up, he looked at me over the counter and confirmed that was what I had. About 5 minuets later I was leaving with three ice packs and laughing. They totally got what was going on, joked with us to help the pain, and sent us on our way.

To keep cool and hydrated on those very hot days in Disney, my daughter had the idea that each of us should bring to the parks a pint-sized bottle (with a wide opening) filled with ice and wrapped in a washcloth to insulate it. This serves two purposes. You have very cold water to drink as the ice melts, and when you get really hot, you can put the bottle and damp washcloth on your forehead or on the back of your neck to cool you off. When the ice is gone, just refill the bottles at any quick serve restaurant or water fountain. - Julia Liucci

Your feature Here Comes the Sun! Tips for Beating the Heat (AllEars® Issue #765) was a great article but I would like to add one thing. I always tell families to bring travel umbrellas with them. They serve a dual purpose: 1) Naturally they keep the rain off you; and 2) You always have instant shade while walking from ride to ride or standing in line waiting for an attraction. - Rocky

We have gone to Walt Disney World every year for the last five years with our two kids (now ages 5 and 10) and I have one "must purchase" item prior to a summertime Disney trip: a personal size water fan -- and extra batteries. The water fans in the parks are around $20, but you can buy your own at home for $5 to $7. If you have a stroller, a clip-on stroller fan is great, too. - Ingrid

It goes without saying -- love the newsletter! I found a piece of advice on your site for a trip we were taking in June: Purchase a sun shield for your car to help keep the inside temperature down while it is parked all day in the lot. This was such a good tip, I thought it was worth suggesting again since it is summer. - Becky

One year when we were doing the Magic Kingdom it was very hot, so we were looking for a nice cool place to relax and get out of the heat while we were waiting until it was time to use our FastPass. We tried some air-conditioned stores and restaurants, but with so many people in them they just weren't really cooling us off. I had a brilliant idea and it worked -- we left the park, jumped on the monorail, and just rode it around for an hour. No one was on it, so it was nice and cool, and quiet, too! I had a headache, but after cooling off and relaxing in the quiet we all felt great and went back to the park. My son and husband even had a nap -- they can sleep anywhere! - LT

The last time we drove down to Walt Disney world from Michigan, I brought a couple of cases of bottled water. I had frozen one case and used freezer coolers to transport. Once at the hotel I filled the refrigerator and made it as cold as possible. I had bottle insulators and a neoprene lunch bag I carried with the bottles in my backpack. This gave us very cold water almost the entire day, even in the heat of August. - Ken Winkles

If you are planning a summer trip to Walt Disney World, it is pretty safe to assume that you will experience both very hot temperatures and rain. My tip is to buy inexpensive water shoes for the whole family at your local discount or dollar store prior to your trip. The pavement around the pools and in the water parks gets very hot. Areas with sand can become so hot that you can barely walk on them. I would recommend water shoes instead of flip-flops, because you will not be allowed to wear flip-flops on water slides. Water shoes can be purchased at WDW, but you will easily pay double for them. My second tip is to also purchase rain ponchos at the discount/dollar store. Ponchos take up much less space in luggage than rain coats. Buy one for each member of your party, and if you will be taking a stroller on your trip, buy an additional large poncho. Why? To cover your stroller while you are in an attraction. Nothing is worse than exiting an attraction only to find that a sudden rain shower has soaked your stroller, and everything in it. At WDW, strollers are almost never allowed inside of buildings or attractions. Instead, you will have to put your stroller in the "stroller parking" area. This area will be outdoors, and will rarely be under cover. Because the summer weather in Orlando can be unpredictable, I put our ponchos in a large zip top plastic bag, and keep them in the pocket of our stroller at all times. - Shannon Barrett

If you are planning a summer trip to Walt Disney World, it is pretty safe to assume that you will experience both very hot temperatures and rain. My tip is to buy inexpensive water shoes for the whole family at your local discount or dollar store prior to your trip. The pavement around the pools and in the water parks gets very hot. Areas with sand can become so hot that you can barely walk on them. I would recommend water shoes instead of flip-flops, because you will not be allowed to wear flip-flops on water slides. Water shoes can be purchased at WDW, but you will easily pay double for them. My second tip is to also purchase rain ponchos at the discount/dollar store. Ponchos take up much less space in luggage than rain coats. Buy one for each member of your party, and if you will be taking a stroller on your trip, buy an additional large poncho. Why? To cover your stroller while you are in an attraction. Nothing is worse than exiting an attraction only to find that a sudden rain shower has soaked your stroller, and everything in it. At WDW, strollers are almost never allowed inside of buildings or attractions. Instead, you will have to put your stroller in the "stroller parking" area. This area will be outdoors, and will rarely be under cover. Because the summer weather in Orlando can be unpredictable, I put our ponchos in a large zip top plastic bag, and keep them in the pocket of our stroller at all times. - Shannon Barrett

Remember, it is very important to balance water intake with the amount that you normally perspire! If you sweat profusely, and then drink very large quantities of water to compensate and 'feel' hydrated', what comes in quickly most often exits quickly -- through your pores, or through bathroom breaks. An imbalance can result if you are drinking large quantities of water in a very short amount of time. If you do this, you are just flushing your system, and your body will become electrolyte 'starved'. If you develop a headache, or don't feel 'right', or if you notice that you are making frequent bathroom breaks, don't instantly take pain reliever in hopes that your headache will go away. It is very possible that your body is telling you something is out of balance! Instead, take a break, grab a sports drink, sit in the shade and drink it a little at a time over 30 to 45 minutes or up to an hour. It is not good for your body if you drink 20+ ounces of fluid in just a few minutes trying to 'catch up' on your hydration. However, if you drink 20 ounces over an extended amount of time, it gives your body time to catch up and restore the balance. My suggestion is to pack the powdered REGULAR (not light or diet) version/flavor of your favorite sports drink and add a little to your water bottle at a time throughout the day. Or if you do not drink sports drinks regularly or have experienced digestive problems in the past from drinking them, buy a bottled sports drink and dilute it in a free cup of ice-water from any of the quick service dining locations. - Chris

Another important thing to think about in relation to heat exhaustion is sodium intake. Sodium in your body helps it maintain healthy fluid levels. If your sodium is depleted, rehydrating will be more difficult. So, for example, if you've had a WDW morning where you skipped breakfast, had just a piece of fruit mid-morning, and then are getting heat-exhaustion symptoms mid-day, along with rehydrating, you need some fries or chips or something with some salt. Of course, if you suffer from high blood pressure or other cardiovascular issues and are on a limited salt intake, be sure to ask your doctor if it is OK to increase your sodium intake in the case of heat exhaustion BEFORE going to WDW. - Rhoda Smith

Save yourself time and money on hydration while roaming the parks. My husband and I each have a CamelBak hydration pack (they have packs with only a beverage bladder or models with decent-sized backpacks for the rest of your Disney necessities). A trip to the resort ice machine, a little powdered drink mix and you're good for the whole day. Plus, the ice in the pack keeps you cool on a hot day, even through the insulated padding. You'll save the cost of the CamelBak in the first couple of days plus no time waiting in line for an expensive bottle of water! - Karen Henny

We always pack a couple of first aid ice packs with us. We buy the kind that DO NOT need to be frozen, you just squeeze them to activate them. They are soooooo wonderful when you are stuck in a hot line or watching a parade/show in the hot sun. You just give it a quick squeeze and you have an icey cold pack that you can rub on your face & back and get instant relief! - Marie

My best hot-weather tip is the frozen washcloth. I fold wet washcloths in quarters and put them in our villa's freezer the night before going to the parks. In the morning, each washcloth goes in a sandwich sized zipper-top bag and then all go into an insulated lunch bag in my backpack. We pull them out midday when the Florida heat and humidity are killers! It feels SUPERB to run a freezing cold cloth along your arms and across the back of your neck! It's reallly refreshing when you are hot and tired! - Lee Bickerstaff

Deb Wills shares: A recent item in the Orlando Sentinel reminded me of the threat of lightning strikes in Florida. According to the National Weather Service, Florida averaged more than 1.2 million lightning strikes a year during the last decade. It also has the most lightning-strike deaths and injuries each year. Lightning Safety Awareness Week began on the first official day of summer, so I thought it would be good to share the following safety tips:

• Lightning can strike even when it isn't raining.
• When you hear thunder, take shelter, since that means lightning is close. The safest place is inside a sturdy, enclosed building.
• A metal-topped vehicle with the windows up is also safe shelter.
• Stay inside for 30 minutes after you hear the last sound of thunder.
• When inside, stay away from corded phones and electronics.
• Avoid sinks, showers and faucets.