Tip Tuesday: Looking to get wet?

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

Well the temperatures in Florida again are topping 90+ degrees each day, so I thought I'd take a moment to help you find ways to get wet order to cool off a bit (of course, being summer, mother nature might just help out with a few showers, but I'm going to focus on Disney-made splash-action.

Of course, the most obvious "get wet" places are the two water parks, Blizzard Beach and typhoon Lagoon. Being water parks, getting wet is the whole point, so I'm going to skip over these.

So let's start at the parks... I'll rank each opportunity into one of three categories: soaked, a bit wet and sprinkles.

Magic Kingdom:
At the Magic Kingdom, the #1 get-wet spot has to be Splash Mountain (wet to soaked). Depending on how your log takes the 40-foot drop and where you're sitting, you could get a good dousing of water. Actually, there are several mini-drops along the way which can get you fairly wet as well. Splash Mountain is a very popular attraction, especially in the warmer months, so you'll want to think about using FastPass.

In Adventureland, there are two opportunities to get wet. The first is the Magic Carpets of Aladdin (wet to sprinkles). As you fly around Agrabah, there is a gold camel facing into the attraction. At certain times, the camel will spit water at passing carpets. If you happen to be at the right height at the right time, you could get a good splash. There's another camel that spits at passers by near the sign to the attraction.

The other location is the tiki statues (wet to sprinkles) in between the Magic Carpets of Aladdin and the Jungle Cruise. Like the spitting camels, the tiki statues occasionally spit water onto those standing nearby. This is a popular attraction with young children.

Speaking of the Jungle Cruise (sprinkles), there is a small opportunity to get a bit wet as you pass by the backside of water. If you don't know what I'm talking about, take a cruise and you'll find out quickly.

Staying in Adventureland, Pirates of the Caribbean (sprinkles) features a short drop in pitch blackness where some guests sitting on the sides might get a bit splashed.

(Note: with the demise of Mickey's Toontown Fair, the Magic Kingdom lost a kids water play zone at Donald's Boat (wet to soaked), where kids could play in water fountains.)

Epcot
There aren't many get-wet opportunities in Epcot, and only one is associated with an attraction. The attraction with the greatest possibility is Malestrom (wet to sprinkles) in the Norway pavilion. This attraction features a decent flume-style drop with a splash at the end. Some guests, mostly on the sides, might get somewhat splashed.

The other get-wet spot is across from the Kim Possible sign up location along the walkway between Future World and World Showcase (wet to soaked). This is a typical water spot where kids can jump and run through spraying water, similar to what was at Donald's Boat at the Magic Kingdom. Depending on how much you play in the water, you can get a good soaking here.

A third get-wet spot is at the upper level outside of the Imagination pavilion (wet to sprinkles). The location features a series of dancing waters. Depending on where you stand, you can get fairly wet, if you want to.

Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios probably is the park that's hardest to get wet in as there are very few opportunities to do so. About the only option is the Backlot Tour (wet to sprinkles), and it really depends on where you end up standing or sitting.

In the opening portion of the Backlot Tour, Disney recreates a scene from the movie Pearl Harbor, in which a few selected guests don waterproof outfits and are subsequently drenched in a torrent of water. While the selected guests stay dry, you might not. During the scene, there are a few water explosions. Depending on where you're standing, you might just get a pretty decent splash.

Later on, you'll enter Catastrophe Canyon to witness a disaster scene. As part of the action, another torrent of water comes raging in front of your tram. While you won't really get all that wet, those sitting on the left side might get a few good splashes.

That's about it for Hollywood Studios when it comes to getting wet. But I've saved the biggest for last...

Animal Kingdom
When it comes to getting wet at the theme parks, there's one attraction that soaks them all: Kali River Rapids (soaked to flat-out drenched). If there's one place where you're pretty much guaranteed to get wet, it's here. It's also the only get-wet location in Animal Kingdom.

At Kali River Rapids, guests are launched on 12-person rafts into the turbulent Chakarandi River for a wild, wet ride through a jungle habitat jeopardized by illegal logging. Along the way, the waters get wilder and wilder, culminating in a brief, but drenching drop. Depending on where you are when you go down that drop, you could literally get soaked through to your underwear. If you're facing backwards when you go down, get ready because you're in trouble. Don't worry, everyone else will still get pretty wet.

But wait, there's more... the parks aren't the only place to get wet.

Each Disney resort has an outstanding pool (some have more than one) which offer lots of opportunities to take a dip and cool off. My personal favorite is Stormalong Bay at the Beach/Yacht Club (see photo at the top of this post). Another great pool is at the Polynesian Resort.

There's even an opportunity to get a little wet at Downtown Disney. Keep an eye on the huge Stitch statue at the East end of the World of Disney Store. At times, he will spit water on passers by.

So there you go. If you're in the mood to get a little wet, here are some great options to do so!

Stay cool out there and don't forget the sunscreen and water!!

Tip Tuesday: Water, Water, Water

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

It's June and that means the HEAT IS ON! For the next few months, Florida is going to be HOT, HOT, HOT!!!

Now the fact that it's hot shouldn't stop you from heading to the park. What it does mean is you need to take a few extra precautions. Aside from sunscreen (as was discussed in a previous Tip Tuesday), you should make sure you have lots and lots and lots of water. Notice I said water, not fluids. Soft drinks are OK to go with a meal, but when it's hot and you're sweating a lot, you need water (in my opinion, alcohol and heat are a very bad combination, but I will stay off the soap box).

So, if you need a lot of water, that means you have to carry it or get it while in the parks.

First off, where can you get water in the parks? There are several kiosks, carts, etc. all over the place where you can purchase water bottles. The good news is that these water bottles are pretty cold. The bad news is that they are pretty expensive - about $2.50 a piece.

There is a second option for getting water in the parks - and it's free - that's right free! If you go to a stand that offers fountain drinks, you can ask for a cup of ice water. The cast member will give you a small cup of ice water. The one down side is that the cups are small, so you would have to go get water over and over.

A better (and cheaper) option is to bring water with you. This could be large refillable water bottles, it could be standard bottled water you've purchased at the store or wherever. The hitch is carrying all this water.

One tip I've found to be very helpful when carrying a lot of water around is to wear cargo shorts. I know, this might not be so helpful for women who have fashion considerations, but you guys out there can be pack mules. Every pair of shorts I wear to the parks in the summer have large cargo pockets. I can fit two standard water bottles in each pocket. That's a lot of water to haul around, but you'll be surprised how quickly you (and your family) will go through water.

If you have access to a refrigerator or freezer, try to get your water as cold as possible before you head out and be sure to refill those bottles when you find a water fountain (or get a cup of ice water as mentioned above and pour it in your bottle).

No matter how you manage to do so, it's important to stay hydrated while running around Walt Disney World in 90+ degree temperatures. So stay safe out there and drink plenty of water!