Disney World Summer Heat Survival Guide

I’ve got the best possible news for those of you traveling to Walt Disney World this summer!

You’re about to experience the warm embrace of the Disney Bubble at the Most Magical Place on Earth!

Everything about your vacation will fill your heart with joy…except the heat.

Last year tied for the warmest on record in Florida, and that data goes back to 1895.

According to meteorologists, Central Florida’s average annual temperature was 75.6 degrees.

In June 2023, the average temperature was 82.1 degrees. That number increased to 84.9 degrees in July.

In the Sunshine State, warm weather is simply the nature of the beast.

So, here’s your Walt Disney World summer survival guide. It should allow you to beat the heat.

Weather Trends to Know

Let’s start with the golden rule during a summer vacation at Disney World. You should always read the weather forecast.

Not everyone pays attention to the weather daily, but it’s essential when at the parks.

You will walk a lot at Disney World, and you will also face significant crowds.

Park officials have done an excellent job of managing crowd distribution, yet some bottlenecks still occur.

Those crowds will feel more oppressive if you don’t know the weather and run into a large group of people at a hot time.

Information is power here. So, I’d like to give you a bit more knowledge about how to take advantage of the weather.

My go-to site for historical weather information is WeatherSpark. You’ll find a helpful chart on this page.

That second graph is a heat map showing when to expect hotter temperatures in Central Florida.

Long story short, everything should be fine until noon. At that point, you could face hotter temperatures until 6 PM.

Theme Park Tactics

Many park guests know this, yet they don’t change their behavior much.

You should utilize Early Theme Park Entry and Rope Drop to take advantage of their conformity.

As the afternoon begins, you should shift your approach to prioritize indoor attractions.

Also, those six hours conveniently cover lunch and dinner.

So, you can pick some indoor restaurants to protect you from the heat as well.

Your goal during your visit should be to avoid direct sunlight as much as possible during the hottest times of the day.

Don’t get me wrong. I know that you’ll want to explore the parks, which require a significant amount of sunlight.

My point is more that you shouldn’t overdo it. Keep an internal clock about how long you’ve been in the sun.

Once that alarm goes off, choose indoor attractions to provide a respite.

Next, remember that Central Florida will receive an average of 0.2 inches of rain daily in June.

These rain showers will cool down the temperatures, stretching the amount of time you can spend outside.

Also, I think that wearing ample sunscreen goes without saying, but did you know there’s a clothing debate, too?

Conventional wisdom suggests wearing white in the summer to reflect heat.

However, some scientists maintain that it’s the opposite, suggesting you should wear black instead.

I’ve always heard white is better at Disney, but I wanted to bring this debate to your attention.

That’s how much thought some guests put into their Disney visits…and you should, too! Now, let’s talk specifics.

Beating the Heat at Animal Kingdom

I previously wrote a summer rain guide. It includes a list of the attractions that close during stormy weather.

That list doubles as a strategy for avoiding the heat at the parks from noon to 6 p.m.

Those same rides that close when it rains are also the ones you should prioritize early in the day or the evening.

That’s because they’re almost all outdoor rides, many of which will require you to stand in line outside while waiting.

That’s the one situation you want to avoid the most at Disney World during the summer.

Your itinerary should take you out of the blaring sun as much as possible, especially from noon to 6 p.m.

The sole exceptions to this rule are Kali River Rapids and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and there’s still an asterisk involved.

Most of the wait for Kali River Rapids occurs outdoors at Animal Kingdom.

Also, the crowds swell during those six hours when you need the ride the most, and everyone else is hot as well.

So, they stand in line from noon to 6 p.m. in hopes of a splash of water providing some temporary comfort.

For this reason, I suggest a different approach: Choose an attraction like the Festival of the Lion King or It’s Tough to Be a Bug! instead.

DINOSAUR proves exceptional as its wait is indoors, as is the attraction itself.

Conversely, some parts of the line queues at Na’vi River Journey and Avatar Flight of Passage are outdoors.

Since these attractions typically require 60-90 minute waits, I’d strongly encourage you to ride them early or late, not after lunch.

Beating the Heat at EPCOT

EPCOT’s the easiest park to beat the heat, in my opinion.

Most of the experiences take place indoors, and while there’s ample walking involved, you can duck into a pavilion as needed.

Disney designed most of the pavilions to provide shade and air conditioning, save for Morocco, which was requested by the royal family.

Now that Disney owns this pavilion in its entirety, even that might change at some point, with the fans being switched into air conditioning.

Beating the Heat at Hollywood Studios

Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios are the two trickiest parks for beating the heat.

The sheer size of Animal Kingdom leads to long walks through open areas. You’ll definitely get a tan there.

Hollywood Studios works the other way in that it’s Disney World’s smallest park.

However, many of its best attractions require long waits. Thankfully, most of them are indoors.

For this reason, your approach here should be simple. Visit Toy Story Land early or late in the day.

This themed land is notoriously lacking in covered areas, and that’s after Disney has made multiple attempts to fix the problem.

Similarly, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge requires a lot of walking in open areas.

Also, due to this land’s popularity, it sometimes feels congested, which may agitate you in the afternoon.

Again, the best plan is to prioritize this place earlier or later in the day, never in the middle.

Should you have no choice, take full advantage of the shopping bazaars, which include cover, as do the restaurants.

Another viable option is Oga’s Cantina, presuming you can get a table. It’s an air-conditioned oasis.

Still, the main thing to remember at Hollywood Studios is that the shows provide solace.

I highly recommend For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration.

All the reminders of cold weather will frost you on a hot day. It’s a mind trick, but it works!

Finally, remember Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway as a decent option.

Part of the line queue occurs outdoors, but most of it is indoors…and the theming is soooo charming!

Conversely, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! includes cover, but it’s still outdoors.

You may find it’s less than ideal in the afternoon.

Beating the Heat at Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is another park where it’s easier to beat the heat. Park planners anticipated the climate.

Many Magic Kingdom attractions occur indoors, as do their lines.

Even something like Peter Pan’s Flight, whose line is technically outdoors, is set in a covered area that eventually leads inside.

The caveat at this park is Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which won’t officially open until June 28^th.

Since nobody outside of Disney has ridden the revamped attraction yet, we don’t how much of the splash remains.

I presume this ride will continue to drench guests, but that’s to be determined.

The other unknown involves the line queue, which was previously covered and relatively cool thanks to well-placed fans.

I expect those to remain, but I’m just speculating.

Overall, you’ll want to remember the attractions that provide an escape from the heat.

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, Mickey’s PhilharMagic, and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover are hidden gems with low wait times here.

 

When you need a longer break, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress provides an entertaining show and/or a relatively comfortable nap spot.

Country Bear Musical Jamboree and Hall of Presidents are other options, although we don’t know when the Country Bears will return this summer.

The other positive at Magic Kingdom is that when you need a break, you can hop on the monorail and head to a resort.

At these locations, you’ll find shopping, dining, fewer crowds, and ample seating. Plus, most of the fun stuff is indoors!

Overall, you’ll find many delightful attractions that allow you to beat the heat.

You just need to be smart, understand the weather trends, know the best attractions for hot weather, and pay attention to the forecast.

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