Ready to douse

For the most part, it’s been getting quite warm around the country the past couple of weeks and Walt Disney World is no exception. In fact, as we move into summer, any excuse to step into an air-conditioned attraction, shop, or activity will be a perfectly valid one. The ability to find ways to get wet and cool off will also be at a premium. But you don’t have to stand in a queue at Splash Mountain or Kali River Rapids for over an hour for a brief burst of water! The roundtable has gotten together to talk about some of our favorite ways to get wet in Walt Disney World!

Roundtable Topic: What is your favorite place for some Walt Disney World waterplay and why? Roundtable Contributors: Elizabeth Caran (Take the Monorail), AJ Wolfe (The Disney Food Blog), and yours truly.

Elizabeth – I always want to go to a water park when I am at WDW, but invariably the weather is bad or I get distracted by some other temptation. So I've actually only been just once! But we do find great water play places for the kids all over the parks and frequently pack a towel for those moments the kids have just GOTTA get wet. They pretty much love any water feature in any park, but their favorite is the fountain at Downtown Disney. We have a tradition when we drive down to Walt Disney World. Instead of hitting a park when we arrive in the late afternoon, we pack up and head to Downtown Disney for some Earl of Sandwich and a dance party. Plus, of course, a fountain run. It's a great way to let out some steam after ten hours in the car.

AJ – For years my answer to a question about the best place for watery fun in Walt Disney World would have been Typhoon Lagoon. Lazy River? Check. Shark Reef? Check (just remember to get there SUPER early so that you can go through more slowly before the line builds up). Crush n Gusher slides named after tropical fruits? Check. Wave pool? Check.

But these days my allegiances have switched a bit. My top spot for cooling off is the good ol' hotel pool. Yep! And not just any time, either. Morning. Early morning, to be exact. Being from the Northeast originally, the only times of the year that I could swim growing up (assuming I had any sort of water or pool at my disposal) was for about two months during the summer, and while we were on vacation somewhere warmer. Nowadays, when I'm in Florida or California at a Disney hotel, one of my favorite parts of the day is being the first one in the pool in the morning -- even if only for a few minutes. Before the hordes come to claim their pool chairs and before the theme park lines start forming in earnest, I hit the pool to watch the morning begin.

Ryan – My favorite way to get wet at Walt Disney World? It’s real simple, the benches found in Epcot’s Future World that come complete with misting stations. The misting is nice and cool, but you’re not going to get soaked sitting there. Also, it’s relaxing, you aren’t standing in a line or climbing stairs to get to the water, you’re just sitting and resting. The only real drawback to the misting stations is the fact that I can’t see out of my glasses until I get up and clean them off.

For those who want to exert some energy with their waterplay, Epcot has plenty of other ways to get wet! From the jumping fountains of Imagination to several water zones with rubber flooring and spraying fountains, Epcot has an option for everyone seeking to cool off from the sweltering Florida sun.

There you have it, just a few ideas on how to stay cool this summer when you visit Walt Disney World! But there are plenty of other ways to beat the heat, and we’d love to hear how you get wet when visiting the Vacation Kingdom!