Walt Disney World guests expecting a magical summer getaway got a harsh dose of Florida reality last month — record-breaking heat that didn’t just leave people sweaty and cranky but sent dozens of guests into medical emergencies.
We’re talking 86 heat illness calls across Disney’s massive property in just 11 days, according to records newly released by Disney’s governing district, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, after a Florida Politics public records request.
And this wasn’t your usual sunburn or mid-afternoon fatigue. We’re talking guests passing out, vomiting in lands themed to fictional planets, and babies with fevers on rides. It was hot — dangerously hot — and the records show just how much the extreme weather pushed Disney’s medical teams into high gear.
From Remy’s Ride to Real Medical Emergencies
Let’s break it down. Between July 18 and July 31, as heat advisories blanketed Orange County, guests across Disney parks found themselves in trouble.
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A baby boy under the age of 1 was treated for a fever while on Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT. Thankfully, he didn’t need to be hospitalized.
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An 81-year-old woman went down with heat exhaustion at Disney Springs by the food trucks. She did get transported to a hospital.
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Three separate people fainted, including one in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, one in EPCOT’s France pavilion, and another at Disney Springs.
And those were just a few of the most serious calls. The report notes guests across all age groups — from teens to middle-aged adults — were hit by nausea, weakness, headaches, vomiting, and even elevated heart rates.
In one case, a 44-year-old woman at Magic Kingdom noticed her heart rate hit 160 bpm after checking her Apple Watch. That’s extremely high, especially in the heat.
Another case involved a 14-year-old throwing up in Animal Kingdom’s Asia section, who was taken to the hospital.
The Hottest Day? July 29 — and It Was Brutal
The most dangerous day during this period was July 29, when the heat index reached 113°F. According to Will Ulrich, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne, it was only the fifth time ever that Orange County has seen a heat index that high.
“Heat is a silent killer,” Ulrich said. “You can feel it, but you can’t see it.”
Even more alarming: the overnight low on July 28 was 78 degrees, a record for warmest low temperature. In other words, the heat didn’t let up — not even at night.
What Did Disney Do to Help?
Disney’s got its own playbook for high-heat days, and to their credit, they’ve implemented several safeguards.
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Free ice water is available at all quick-service locations.
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Umbrellas, fans, shade canopies, and misting stations are scattered across the parks.
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Water refill stations and first aid centers are also in place.
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Backstage, Cast Members are given hydration and rest breaks, and costumes are designed to be breathable.
Still, even with all those preventative efforts, 86 people needed medical attention.
About one in four of the calls ended with a hospital visit. The rest were treated on site or declined further care.
Disney declined to provide a statement for the original Florida Politics report.
Not Just Disney — But Definitely a Disney-Sized Problem
To be clear, this heat wave wasn’t exclusive to Disney. SeaWorld Orlando had eight reported heat illness cases, and Universal’s Epic Universe had one. But since Universal uses a private ambulance service, it’s not possible to compare them apples to apples like you can with Disney’s on-record public emergency system.
Beyond the theme parks, SunRail slowed down because heat can warp the tracks. Emergency cooling centers opened up around Orange County to help the vulnerable.
But there’s no question that Disney bore the brunt of it — 86 emergency calls in 11 days tells the story.
Medical Experts Are Raising the Alarm
This isn’t just about having a bad day in the sun. Dr. Ariel Mejia, a UCF medical professor, told reporters that children and older adults are especially vulnerable during extreme heat.
He explained that heat exhaustion is most common — where the body becomes dehydrated and starts to shut down — but if not treated, it can escalate into heatstroke, a much more dangerous condition.
“Heatstroke causes people’s core temperature to rise to the point where their muscles break down, they get mentally confused and their organs can suffer damage,” Mejia said.
And it can have long-term consequences. That’s where Dr. Thomas Clanton, a professor at the University of Florida, comes in. He’s been studying what happens to the body after heatstroke, using mice as test subjects.
What he found? Mice who suffered heatstroke went on to develop chronic health issues like obesity, heart disease, and fatigue that lasted for months — which, in mouse years, translates to years in humans.
“I get phone calls and emails from people all over the country who have had heat stroke or heat illness and have had consequences for years and years,” Clanton said.
He’s working to create a national registry of heat illness survivors to help connect them with physicians who understand what they’re going through.
What This Means for Parkgoers
As theme park bloggers, we spend a lot of time talking about food festivals, new snacks, and the best spots to catch the fireworks — but this is something that deserves just as much attention.
July 2025 didn’t just break temperature records — it may have broken guest expectations of what a “fun day at the parks” looks like.
For those planning visits in the hotter months, it’s worth taking serious precautions:
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Drink way more water than you think you need.
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Take breaks inside air-conditioned attractions or stores.
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Don’t skip meals — you’ll burn more energy in the heat.
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And don’t ignore your body — if you feel dizzy, weak, or nauseous, get help immediately.
This summer’s record heat has shown that even The Most Magical Place on Earth isn’t immune to the dangers of a changing climate.
And for some guests — including that baby on Ratatouille and the elderly woman at Disney Springs — the magic nearly came with a serious cost.
