Calla Van Ryswood | Lifestyle Blog

Motherhood | Marriage | Sarcasm

How to Survive a Disney Trip in the Summer

If you’re planning on visiting Disney World during the summer months, I have some tips on how to survive a Disney trip in the summer!

We went to Disney at the end of August last year and it was HOT with a capital H.

Being the Type-A planner that I am, I scoured the internet for tips and tricks and wanted to share the ones that we followed, and that I can now recommend.

How to Survive a Disney Trip in the Summer

What to Bring

Refillable Water Bottles

Do you like spending $4 on a bottled water? I don’t. I brought a water bottle for each of us and this saved us a ton of money in the parks. Sure, you can get free water at any quick service location but when the temps are well over 90 with full humidity, those free cups are going to feel like a tease for your thirst. Do yourself a favor and bring a stainless steel water bottle that you can fill with ice in the morning and refill throughout the day.

Portable Fans

Amazon has a ton of options when it comes to portable fans. We went with these and they worked out perfectly. We charged them overnight and they lasted us all day.

Cooling Towels

Again, these are all over Amazon. I’m so glad we bought these ahead of time because they do sell them at the parks but they were probably double what I paid for ours. These were used daily and will come with us on our future visits for sure.

Chafe Cream

This doesn’t need much of an explanation. It’s Florida in the Summer…you’re going to be hot and you’re going to sweat. A lot. My husband and I both used this. Highly recommend.

Rain Gear

Random rainstorms are practically guaranteed at Disney if you’re there during the summer months, so you definitely want to bring something with you to keep you dry. We were going to bring dollar store ponchos with us but opted to pack our raincoats instead. If you have a stroller, bring a rain cover!

Plan Your Day

Morning

I would definitely prioritize going to the Parks in the morning, especially if you have kids. If you stay on property, you can take advantage of Early Entry and get an extra hour or so in the parks before they open to everyone else. Not only are the parks (usually) less crowded first thing in the morning, but the temperatures haven’t reached their peak so this a great time to be in the parks.

Mid-Day

Take a mid-day break back at your resort. This is a great opportunity to get some pool time, take a nap, or even a quick shower and freshen up before the evening plans. We utilized this tip every day, and not only did it help to maintain our sanity in the heat, but the break in the day made us feel like we had MORE time in our day.

Evening

After your mid-day break, head back to the Parks! You’ll feel rested and ready for more fun and I’m willing to bet you’ll enjoy yourself a hell of a lot more than the folks that braved that Florida heat and humidity since rope drop!

If you have any tips to add, let me know in the comments!

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Best Bedding on Amazon: Create the Coziest Haven for Great Sleep

While there are many aspects of life that I try not to take too seriously, sleep is not one of them. I LOVE sleeping. Climbing into my cozy bed at the end of a long day is something I look forward to every single day.

Here are my favorite bedding finds…all from Amazon.

Sharing favorite bedding items I found on Amazon

1. Duvet Insert

This one is a great budget-friendly basic. While I love a real goose down duvet, my husband hates being poked by feathers so this was our compromise. I have no regrets!

2. Cotton Sheets

These are 100% Cotton percale and they are so crisp. We have two pairs and they are fantastic.

3. Coop Pillows

They felt like such a splurge when we bought them, but we’ve since replaced all of the pillows in our house to these. They have customizable fill so you can add or remove the stuffing so your pillow is the perfect level of cushion.

4. Knit Blanket

I love the texture of this blanket. It’s a perfect medium weight that is versatile for year-round use, and it has held up very well in the washer and dryer.

5. Waffle Texture Quilt

This is also 100% cotton and it’s the perfect weight. Now that it’s summer, we’re using this as our top layer and I love how cozy it is without being heavy. Once the temps get a little cooler again, we’ll swap it with the duvet and keep this folded at the end of our bed.

6. Linen Duvet Cover

By far one of my favorite purchases to date. The linen is so soft and it washes great. This is a piece that I imagine we’ll have for years to come.

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Favorite Things I’ve Found on Amazon for my Toddler

As a mom (or, really, a consumer in general), sometimes it’s hard to find great things. That’s why I wanted to share some of our favorite things we’ve ordered for our almost 4-year-old daughter…all from Amazon!

1. Bamboo Pajamas

We tend to stick to Little Sleepies exclusively for pajamas, but when I saw these on Amazon I figured they were worth a shot because of the price: $34 for 2 pairs (Little Sleepies are around $34 for one pair). I love these and will definitely order again! They are lightweight and so soft, and do really well in the washer and dryer. My only wish is that they offered long sleeve+pant options as well.

2. Crocs

My daughter is a sucker for anything with Disney princesses on it, so it was no surprise that she had to have these. I tried to convince her to pick the silver sparkly ones (she had those last year and were much more “versatile”), but lost that battle. These are great for easily slipping on and off (especially if you have an independent toddler like mine), are super comfortable (according to her), and they light up.

3. Native Sneakers

We’re on our second pair! She had these last year and wore them all around Disney World without issue. These are definitely the most-worn shoes in her wardrobe…they hold up great, are easy to rinse clean, they match everything, and are comfortable. For a picky toddler, these were a home run.

4. PackIt Freezable Bag

Our daughter started preschool last fall and we needed something to store her snacks in that would keep them cool. We started with a standard snack bag with an ice pack, but upgraded to this freezable bag and I’ll never look back. This makes packing snacks for school or outings so easy. You simply store it in the freezer and pull it out whenever you need to use it.

5. Saucer Swing

It was finally time to say goodbye to the infant swing (sigh), so we upgraded to this fun saucer swing because it looked more fun than the traditional kids swing. This thing is so much fun, and it’s strong enough to hold one of us (grown adults) and her at the same time. No longer am I stuck simply pushing her on the swing…and that’s a big win!

6. Bentgo Freezable Lunch Box

Similar to the freezable snack bag, this was another great find for school lunches. All of the pieces are dishwasher safe (amen!), and the bottom insert is part that you store in the freezer. No need for ice packs and worrying about them never making it back home!

7. Yeti Rambler Water Bottle

This bottle goes with us everywhere. For an almost 4-year-old, it’s the perfect size and is super durable…which is what you need at that edge because this thing gets dropped a lot and it still looks new. Also, it’s super easy to clean in the dishwasher 😉

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

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