We get it - Walt Disney World is HOT. And it's not just the temperature, it's the brutal humidity too. Although most people don't like to talk about it, these elements can make your Disney vacation uncomfortable, painful, and SMELLY.
However, we know from experience all of the things you can bring or buy for your Florida trip to make it magical, not gross. Here's a list of our recommended items for your next WDW vacation:
Athletic, Moisture-Wicking Shirts, Shorts, and Underwear - Always avoid wearing natural fibers like wool, silk, and cashmere, as these trap heat and moisture. Instead, opt for athleticwear and moisture-wicking clothing. T-Shirts and shorts from a brand like Real Essentials worked amazingly for us (and are available in several plus sizes)! No awkward pit stains, no chub rub, and no heat exhaustion! And similarly, find underwear and bras that are also moisture-wicking, like sports bras, to avoid stank "down there" and underboob sweat stains. Here's our recommendations for shorts (available for $39.99 for a 4-pack) and shirts (available for $37.99 for a 4-pack). We know underwear and bra needs are different for everyone, so we recommend finding a brand that works for your needs.
Sturdy Sneakers or Heavy-Duty Walking Shoes & Socks - This is a NEED. At Disney World, we tended to average between 15,000-30,000 steps a day, and that was even when we tried avoiding backtracking to the same Lands or areas. You need to have broken-in, comfortable, endurance walking shoes. I know a lot of people recommend Hokas, but I didn't personally like them. I prefer ASICS brand - they are MUCH cheaper and much more stylish. Buy the pair I love here. Available for $54.95.
MagicBand+ & Band Protectors - While we love the MagicBand+, they do not stay on very well. We're in all the Facebook groups and hear stories all the time about MagicBands flying off on rides like Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. To avoid this, we recommend these protectors to keep your MagicBands safe and sound all day, every day of your vacation. Available for $6.49 for a 8-pack.
Cooling Towels - These are a game changer. To use these, you wet it (using water from your bottle, from a water fountain, or from a bathroom), and then wring it out and snap it (like a whip). This creates a cooling effect, and when wrapped around your neck cools you down like a dream. These are sold at the parks for about $16 each, whereas you can buy these on Amazon in a 4-pack for less than that. Buy yours here for $14.44.
Neck Fan - Similar to the cooling towels, this is a gamechanger for keeping you cool. Simply charge this fan overnight using the included USB-C cord, and then you get hours of cool air on your neck at the press of a button. While we find it doesn't always help when you're on the move, when you're sitting in a theater or waiting in line, this feels amazing and helps your temperature regulate. Here's our recommendation for an amazing neck fan for only $31.99.
Water Mister Fan - You'll see these items ALL over the park - water misting fans. Basically a mix of the cooling towels and the neck fan, this is a handheld fan where you spray a mister and then use the fan to cool yourself and regulate from the heat. And this one is battery-powered, meaning it will likely last your whole vacation. Again, this is available at the park but will be much cheaper to buy in advance (and that way you can put batteries in in advance) here for $28.99 for a 2-pack.
Portable Chargers / Battery Packs - This is a REQUIREMENT - I'm not kidding. Between Genie+ (soon to be Lightning Lane Multipass), taking photos & videos, in-line games, and checking wait times, you will go through your phone battery FAST. I would run out of battery by 12pm-1pm most days. There are very few phone charging ports in the park, and that's assuming you brought your charger. You need to have a battery backup or you will not survive your trip. We recommend two chargers: 1) the FuelRod Portable Charging Kit (available for $34.99) and 2) any Anker Magnetic Battery Pack (available for $54.99). The FuelRods are great because there are several kiosks throughout the parks (and many airports) where you can exchange your empty charging bank for a full one once you've charged your phone (no having to charge your chargers every night). These are of course sold at all of these kiosks, but are once again much cheaper online (and especially during Prime Day which is just around the corner). The downside is this is a corded charger, meaning you will have to carry it around with your phone while it's charging. This is where the Anker Magnetic Battery Pack shines. It holds a LOT of charge, and it snaps on to any MagSafe phone and case for easy carrying. The downside to this one is that it does NOT work for every phone and phone case - if you do not have a MagSafe phone/case, we recommend this Anker battery pack instead (available for $17.99 when you clip a $2 off coupon).
Water Bottle with Brita Filter - Let's be real, Florida water tastes BAD. Some people don't mind it, but some call it "swamp water." It's no joke. To combat this, we recommend investing in an insulated water bottle with a Brita filter. The insulation keeps beverages cold and the filtered straw makes the water taste a little better. We love this one because it keeps drinks cold all day (I still had ice in my bottle at the end of the day!) and water tasted great. It's available for $28.40.
Anti-Chafe Stick & Antiperspirant - If you're like me, and you got big thighs that don't lie, you KNOW the horrible aching and discomfort from the dreaded "CHUB RUB." I know. I used to get it EVERY time I did a full day at a theme park. However, I'm pleased to say I've found a solution! For the first time in forever, I didn't experience any chub rub after a full week of long park days at Disney! This was with the help of two products: antiperspirant and an anti-chafing stick. I found the BEST antiperspirant at my wedding actually - Carpe has tons of sweat absorbing lotions & powders, from foot lotion, to groin powder, to face lotion. My makeup artist actually recommended and used the face lotion for my special day. But one of Carpe's best is the THIGH lotion here (available for $19.95). This, combined with an anti-chafe stick (I recommend this one from Megababe for $13.97) led to NO chub rub all week! It was truly amazing. Also, just a note - for those stinky pitts, you may need both an antiperspirant & a deodorant. Don't skip the deodorant on vacation, folks.
Face Sunscreen Stick & High SPF Sunscreen Lotion - Even when it's cloudy, the sun is still VERY strong in Florida. Sunscreen is a vital step to avoiding discomfort & pain from sunburn, as well as preventing skin cancer down the road. For face sunscreen, I recommend a sunscreen stick like this one (available for $12.89 with a $2 off coupon), as it dries clear and doesn't feel cake-y or gross on your face. For other sunscreen, lotion is almost always better than spray (especially so you're not spraying random people at Disney), and it needs to be high SPF. We recommend this one (available for $8.88), because once again it does not feel cake-y or gross on your skin (essential when it's so humid), and it is SPF 70. Note - you will likely need SEVERAL of these, as they are quite small, especially if you're sharing with your family.
Liquid IV - When you're spending any amount of time in the Florida heat/humidity, you are gonna sweat. So when you're spending full days at Disney World... you're sweating a LOT and therefore losing tons of electrolytes, the chemicals that hydrate the body and help regulate your body. This leads to fatigue, dehydration, and potentially heat stroke and other negative symptoms. This is where Liquid IV comes in - it replenishes your electrolytes! And, I don't like most flavor powders for waters, but I loved these. You can buy 16 servings for $24.99 here!
Poncho(s) - Rain in Florida is inevitable. As are water rides! If you don't want to get wet, you're gonna need a poncho. Again, you COULD buy these at the park, but they're much cheaper on Amazon, and you could get a reusable one to create less plastic waste. For disposable ones, I recommend this one (a 5-pack for $11.99), and for a reusable one, I recommend this one (available for $19.62).
Travel Umbrella - Same note here, it rains a lot in Orlando. You want a good umbrella, preferably one that is small and can fit in your park bag. If it has UV protection, even better, so you can use it for the sun! Buy one here for $16.99.
Foot Massager / Acupressure Roller - It doesn't look like much, but this baby saves your feet. Pro tip: stick it in the freezer! When you get to the hotel each night, simply roll this under your feet to give them some relief. Buy one here for $9.99.
Extra Wide Reusable Straws - I love Mother Earth, don't get me wrong. However... I miss plastic straws at Disney. For soda drinks and water, it's fine, but for milkshakes or boba drinks? Disastrous. If you don't want paper straws that dissolve into your drink, buy these here (10 pack for $9.95)
These items should make your next Walt Disney World vacation (or just your next Orlando vacation) a dream! And if you want even more suggestions to make your next vacation magical, book with Fantastical Adventures!
As of posting this, I just hit 300 followers on Instagram, and I am SO grateful for the support. Thanks for reading and for supporting my small business!
-Jill
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