One of the biggest problems guests encounter visiting Walt Disney World is the heat! Extreme heat and humidity can really limit your day at the parks, as well as put a drain on your wallet as you are constantly buying Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bars and drinks to cool down.

Heat can also make waiting in line and walking through the parks a real chore, especially when traveling with kids. Therefore, to provide some relief from the central Florida heat, here are my Top 5 Ways to Beat the Heat at Walt Disney World.

1. Resort Hopping - This is one of my favorite things to do at Disney World and a great activity to do during the heat of the day. After visiting Epcot or the Magic Kingdom in the morning, hop aboard a monorail and visit the deluxe resorts. You can explore some of the best resorts Disney has to offer, get some great pics, enjoy their breathtaking views, and even do a little shopping all in the shade and away from the sun!

2. Swim/Water Park - Disney offers some of the best resort pools and water parks anywhere! Many Disney pros recommend visiting the theme parks early in the morning and then coming back in the evening; and during the summer, we agree! So if you head back to your resort, visit a pool to cool off or hop aboard a bus to Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach. This is a great way to pack as much Disney fun in a day without letting the heat dominate your schedule.

3. Shopping/Downtown Disney-Who doesn’t like souvenir shopping at Disney World? When it’s hot outside, head into the variety of air-conditioned Disney shops located throughout the Disney parks and resorts! If you planning on doing some serious shopping, head to Downtown Disney’s Marketplace to visit a myriad of shops selling all kinds of merchandise. It’s a definite a must-see for anyone on vacation to Disney and what a better time than during the heat?

4. Epcot’s Future World-Future World at Epcot offers air-conditioned, indoor pavilions that you can experience at your own pace. For example, inside of the Land, you can ride Soarin’ and Living with the Land, along with the Circle of Life show, and all indoors! You can also have a snack or a meal at Sunshine Seasons, one of the best quick service locations on property. The Seas with Nemo and Friends begins with a ride in a clam shell through Nemo’s world into a huge area where you can see fish, dolphins, manatees, and more in a variety of tanks and exhibits. This pavilion is dark and cool and both kids and adults enjoy it. You can also visit and talk with Crush from Pixar’s Finding Nemo here at Turtle Talk with Crush! Finally, check out Club Cool at Future World, a pavilion housing Coca-Cola merchandise and soda fountains offering different sodas from around the world! The best thing is that you can sample these soft drinks as much as you want and it’s all free! This is definitely a great place to cool off!

5. Animation Academy-Located at Hollywood Studios, Animation Academy is located in the Animation Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  At the Magic of Disney Animation you have lots of opportunities to see the animation process from start to finish.  You can view a film starring Mulan’s pal Mushu, meet and greet with characters, and there are even some activities for kids! The Animation Academy may just be the hidden gem of the pavilion.  Even though it fills up it is often passed by by people interested in meeting the characters in the pavilion or who only stopped in to beat the heat!

So what do you think? What is your favorite way to keep cool at Disney World?

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