Photo by Ted and Dina Hathaway
Welcome back to another addition to the Disney World Nation blog. Here is the question for Monday April 4th, 2011.
So I have always said that they pump in hot air at Animal Kingdom, it always seems so much warmer at that park than the others. So my question is "How do you keep cool at Animal Kingdom??" Is it a ride, something to eat/drink, or a shady spot along the road? Please give your reasons why it’s your favorite way.
Bill W: Maybe it’s just my imagination, but the weather in the Animal Kingdom seems imported directly from Sub Saharan Africa. It is always HOT !! We are constantly looking for ways to cool off. One of the best places I have found to keep my cool is watching Finding Nemo – The Musical. You sit in a dark air conditioned theater watching fish swim underwater. What a refreshing break from the heat waiting for you outside.
Lauren R: The Animal Kingdom has two major drawbacks for me, its sheer size and the constant sauna like atmosphere. Neither one of these can be avoided but they can be managed with a little pre-planning. To start, you can’t stroll into Animal Kingdom at 10 or 11 am. The sun and temperature are already rising as are wait times at the major attractions. Whenever we decide it’s an Animal Kingdom day, we are up and waiting at the gates for park opening. Since I am a mother of 2 small boys, this is actually an easy start to the day for us, we’re up anyway. For my husband and me, the major draw of Animal Kingdom is Expedition Everest hands down. For the boys it is Kilimanjaro Safaris. Either ride in prime season can have well over an hour wait. We make a decision before we get into the park: who is braving the run to Expedition Everest for Fast Passes and who is dragging the kids to get in line at Kilimanjaro Safaris? I know running in what I’ve already called a sauna seems counterintuitive, but in reality the sun and temps at 8am are far more bearable than they are at noon. I also feel the Safari in the early morning is amazing. All the animals are out and moving, something they won’t be doing in 90 degree weather. Heck, I don’t want to, why would they? With those attractions off our list of must- dos, we take the time to leisurely stroll through the remainder of the park. By time we reach Dinoland, the boys usually need a break and time to cool down. While we use the parent swap option at Dinosaur, the one not on the ride grabs some ice cream from the stand near the entrance (a Strawberry Bar for me, Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana for the hubby and of course, Mickey Bars for the kids) and has a seat near the exit doors of the ride. There’s a little water fountain and a seating area with fans and shade, plus there is also the cold breeze that comes whooshing out whenever someone exits the building. A little break does everyone some good and keeps adults and children from becoming cranky! You can’t avoid the heat at Animal Kingdom but you can plan smart.
Ted H: “This is hot! This is Africa hot!” is one of my favorite lines from a movie. So when in Africa at Animal Kingdom or the other areas of the park, How do I stay cool? Well Animal Kingdom tends not to have the largest walkways, to give you the feel of a crowded African outpost, or Asian mountain village. So you really seem to be arm and arm with other guest to make it through the park. Which I know to me, really makes it seem hotter than other parks. My way to get out of the heat at Animal Kingdom, is enjoy the animal trails. Most of the animal paths are well shaded and not to crowded. It’ll take a little effort to find each path, most are not marked, so it adds a little discovery to your visit. Plus the animals are really cool. Also make sure to grab a fastpass for Kali River Rapids and hit it in the afternoon. It will definitely cool you off, but please don’t wear a poncho on the ride. Its made to get you wet plus you are in Florida
Michelle W: Well first off, my family is all about “Keeping Cool” no matter where we are! To prepare for a day at the Parks, my Husband always has his Umbrella Hats at the ready. Everyone always comments on how ‘cool’ they are. Even the cast members love them! We also bring portable water sprayers with us. These are great for the little one too, since it not only keeps her cool, but also keeps her occupied! When we’re at Animal Kingdom, a ride on “Kali River Rapids” is bound to cool us off, maybe a little more than some would want to be cooled off! So if we not in a mood to be soaked, then we’re either off for a thrilling ride on “Dinosaur” or off to a showing of “It’s Tough to be a Bug”!
Bill S: Well for me a safe bet is to head to an indoor ride or show. Air conditioning is your friend, especially at Animal Kingdom. One thing that I really love to get on an extremely hot day is a frozen Coke. There is a shop near the middle of the park that serves a couple of flavors of frozen drinks. I am not a big fan of the recycled paper straw, so I grab a spoon, find a nice shaded spot, and relax for a few minutes.
Hope this helps you all the next time you are in Animal Kingdom. Remember it will be hot there so please take a break during your visit, the last thing you need is a visit from the emt’s due to heat exhaustion. Thank you once again for visiting the Disney World Nation. Please come back for Friday’s blog, where 5 of our bloggers talk about their favorite hotels. Till then see you real soon
Bill Sauerbier
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