Things are only continuing to heat up in Orlando, so if you are planning on visiting Disney World this week, be prepared for what is to come.
When Walt Disney World was created, while the land was affordable for Walt Disney to purchase and build upon, it was swamp land. Florida is known to be one of the hottest states in the United States, and while the lack of snow is great for a 365-day open theme park, it does make it rather difficult for some guests to, at times, survive, especially in the summer.
While northern Florida experiences milder summers, the state overall sees highs reaching the upper 90s (°F) to 100+ (°F) during peak summer months (June-August). With the high humidity, the heat index, which factors in how hot it actually feels, can easily climb into the triple digits.
Unfortunately, excessive heat can pose serious health risks. While exact statistics on sunstroke (heatstroke caused by direct sunlight) are difficult to find, heatstroke in general is a concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heatstroke sends thousands to the emergency room each year, and even leads to hundreds of deaths.
At Walt Disney World, cast members have gone as far as to hop on online forums such as Reddit to remind guests to stay hydrated, as they are watching multiple guests faint and succumb to heat stroke each day due to their lack of preparation from the heat.
First-Aid cast members have also spoken out, telling guests to not only stay hydrated, but to ensure they are taking breaks with shade throughout the day to help cool themselves down.
Last summer, we saw hotter-than-normal temperatures plague Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom (which is notoriously difficult when it comes to finding shade and air conditioning).
This summer, the same thing is happening once again.
The Orlando Sentinel shared that “Heat advisories across all of Central Florida starting at 11 a.m.”.
Heat advisories across all of Central Florida starting at 11 a.m. https://t.co/PRZ5i7ElVF pic.twitter.com/eUa0mWrt4N
— Orlando Sentinel (@orlandosentinel) July 10, 2024
The publication wrote, “Nearly all of Central Florida is under a heat advisory starting at 11 a.m. It’s expected to last until 6 p.m. Wednesday will be hot and humid with a peak heat index of 110, according to NWS Melbourne. Temperatures are in the low-to-mid 90s from the interior to the coast.” This is a national heat advisory sent out by the National Weather Service.
It seems that 97 degrees is the hottest it is expected to get today, but that is without the “feels like” temperature that the humidity brings, which will certainly take it to the 100+ mark, some sites reported 110 degrees.
With temperatures reaching extreme highs in Central Florida, Orange County officials are taking steps to safeguard the most susceptible individuals from heat-related illnesses.
At a meeting on Tuesday, Public Safety Director Danny Banks announced plans to open numerous cooling centers whenever the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory for the region, per Click Orlando, due the severity and dangers that the weather has on residents.
Storms are also reported to target Orlando all week long due to the ongoing hurricane.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports that Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast early Monday morning and is expected to weaken as it moves inland. While this system will not directly impact Central Florida’s weather, its influence will be felt through a significant increase in afternoon rain chances.
Due to Beryl’s tropical air mass, a shift in weather patterns is anticipated for the remainder of the week. Residents in Orlando and surrounding areas can expect a higher likelihood of afternoon thunderstorms. The daily rain chance will increase to 70% between 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM. These afternoon downpours are a direct result of the moisture influx from the departing hurricane.
Individuals are advised to monitor weather forecasts and be prepared for potential disruptions during these periods of increased rainfall, per Fox.
At the moment, wait times at Walt Disney World Resort are not too long, which signifies that guests may have seen the national alerts and decided against spending a day outdoors.
Rise of the Resistance, for example, is a low 60-minute wait; Princess Fairytale Hall, which usually boasts a large wait, is only 25 minutes; Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion are both floating in the 30-minute range. There are still long waits for rides like Slinky Dog Dash, however, which has a wait of 95 minutes.
While the summer is notoriously hot at Disney, it is also a busy time for the park, typically due to kids being off school. This summer has definitely seen fewer crowds, however, with the rise of the price of a Disney vacation on the move upwards, making it impossible for some to visit.
If you do choose to visit, remember to drink water as often as you can, and to seek shelter in shaded or air-conditioned areas throughout the day. Luckily, quick-service restaurants will give you cold water for free, and most attraction queues are indoor, providing air conditioning and shade.
Would you visit Walt Disney World during the summer?
I went once in the last week in July into August never never again. Miserable to say the least.
Went in early May about 20yrs ago and it was bad. CMs said it felt like August. The only time in my life where it was 100% humidity and not raining. You could almost cut the moisture hanging in the with a knife.