Breaks from the heat

[BostonEd]

Hello. Currently considering a late-August visit. I'm not a huge fan of muggy heat, but if you're just wearing t-shirts and shorts, what's the big deal, right? Well, Sweetie (the wife) does think it is a big deal.

I have almost no experience with Universal. But I know at WDW, it's pretty easy to get out of the heat. Many of the lines are covered, and even air conditioned. There's lots of places to take a "heat break", at least in the Magic Kingdom. Worst case, you could take the train to the monorail and ride that, if you don't want a full mid-day break. Epcot can be tough I guess. Animal Kingdom used to have a lot of shows, and will again one day.

But back to Universal: any "heat break" tips? Note: I'm not looking for tools, like neck towels or anything. I'm just looking for ideas of places to go to get out of the heat. Thanks.

 

[RamblingMad]

If you're hot and near Harry Potter, go to Knockturn Alley after grabbing ice cream near by.

Also, the water rides will get your drenched.

Another option is ET.

 

[Skippyboo]

Second knock turn alley. Mummy is all inside. You have shows like Bourne and Make up shows. The water rides really get you wet.
It is also way more compact than WDW you can walk out to Citywalk and order a drink or food at one of the restaurants and browse the stores easily.

 

[TommyJK]

Many (Most?) of the rides have indoor queues and there are quite a few rides that are pretty much entirely indoors

From my recollection:

Rides with indoor queues or are indoors themselves:
IOA:

• Hulk (queue)
• Spiderman (queue and ride)
• Dr. Dooms (queue)
• Kong (queue and ride)
• Velocicoaster (queue)
• Forbidden Journey (most of regular queue, all of Express queue and ride)
• Hagrid's - queue indoors, but when I went in 2020, it was not AC'd, just lots of fans. Not sure if it's AC now
• Posiedon's Fury (indoor walkthrough attraction, current not open though)
• Also as noted, the water rides (Jurassic River Adventure, Popeye's, Dudley Doo Right's) are not indoors (well some of Jurassic River Adventure is) but you get wet so that's a good thing for the heat

USF:

• Minions (some of queue, all of ride)
• Transformers (queue and ride)
• The Mummy (queue and ride)
• Fast and Furious (queue and ride)
• Escape from Gringotts (most of regular queue, all of Express queue and Ride)
• Men in Black (most of queue, all of ride)
• Simpsons (most of queue is outdoors but shaded, all of ride)
• ET (some of queue, all of ride)
• Bourne Stunt show (all indoors)
• Hollywood Horror Makeup Show (all indoors)

Left out Suess Landing as we never do those attractions so I'm not sure. I know Cat in the Hat is indoors.

 

[sandam1]

I'm not a huge fan of muggy heat, but if you're just wearing t-shirts and shorts, what's the big deal, right? Well, Sweetie (the wife) does think it is a big deal.

I'm with your wife. We've done many September trips and yeah, it is that bad. But the good news is that there are ways to deal with it.

First (and you didn't mention this in your post) is taking a mid-afternoon break. We've gotten quite good at timing our breaks to miss the daily mid-afternoon thunderstorms (and these aren't sprinkles, they are a deluge of rain). Usually we get started very early in the morning (when it is only stupid hot and humid), go until around 12-1 when it starts to get surface of the sun hot, do a sit-down restaurant for lunch, and head back to the hotel. Return to the parks around 4-5 p.m. and finish out the day.

I'm just looking for ideas of places to go to get out of the heat. Thanks.

The good news is that Universal understands the Florida climate and most of the lines are indoors and air-conditioned. The main lines that stick out to me as not being air-conditioned are:
- In Islands, the Hogwarts Express/Hogsmeade Station, Seuss High in the Sky Trolley, Seuss One Fish, Two Fish, Seuss Carousel, Flight of the Hippogriff, part of the Hagrid's line
- In Studios, part of the Minions line

The best air-conditioning in the parks are at Cat in the Hats (Islands) and Men in Black (Studios). They are take-your-breath away cold. Diagon Alley is significantly cooler during the day even through you are technically still outside.

For us, it is always a balance because we know going in that we are going to need to adjust our park strategies to cope with the heat, but have found that the low crowd levels make up for it. There are always the "I cannot stand this heat and must get cool NOW" moments. For those, we usually duck into the nearest shop (and there are a ton of them) and spend 5-10 minutes cooling off.

 

[BostonEd]

Probably should have mentioned that we are totally for mid-day breaks. We will probably be staying on property, so that will make it easy.

 

[schumigirl]

Mythos can be the coldest place on the planet, so much so I go outside frequently to heat up.......

Generally we find Universal to be very generous with their air con.....I think you`ll be absolutely fine.

 

[sandam1]

Probably should have mentioned that we are totally for mid-day breaks. We will probably be staying on property, so that will make it easy.

Staying on property does make things so much easy. And unlike Disney, it is quick and easy to get back to your hotel - even the ones that only have bus service.

While mid-day breaks can be seen as a nice thing to do some times of the year, in the late spring, summer, and early fall, they are virtual necessities IMHO.

On our check-out day (when we don't have the option of a mid-day break), we focus almost exclusively on doing the various indoor shows throughout the parks to give us a series of sustained breaks in the middle of the day.

 

[AuroraluvsPhillip]

Knockturn Alley is my favorite cool down spot as there are places to sit. Also any of the gift shops in the parks are good for an AC break. I especially like Madame Malkins way in the back on the left side.

 

[keishashadow]

Currently considering a late-August visit.

JMHO, late August trip we took wasn’t as bad as early August or 4th of July, for that matter.

My thot - the crowds make it all the worse. U is relatively ‘dead’ the last week in August until you approach the first weekend of HHN.

definitely a good idea to rope drop, if only for a few days, then retreat to the hotel pool early in afternoon before the late afternoon storms hit.

PS try bribing the wife with lots of new wicking shirts & shorts

 

[Pooh's World]

Bourne Stuntacular
AP Lounge

 

[mamapenguin]

Horror Makeup show.

 

[BostonEd]

If we end up going for 3 days instead of 2, I could definitely see: early morning visit, lunch inside somewhere, back to pool, watch the afternoon rain from the room, maybe head back after dark for a bit. But I'm not sure we'll do 3 days.

JMHO, late August trip we took wasn’t as bad as early August or 4th of July, for that matter.

I think that is because late August sun is simply not as strong. It is the same as mid-April sun.

 

[sandam1]

I think that is because late August sun is simply not as strong. It is the same as mid-April sun.

Ah, but the sun isn't the problem - it is the "drink the air instead of breath it" humidity. I know that everyone says it, but I've found it to be very true - you just can't imagine the humidity in Florida in the summer until you have experienced it. And while in certain parts of the country (I'm assuming from your user name that you are in the Northeast, as I am), the end of August might bring hints of fall and a slight lowering of the temperatures, that just doesn't happen in Florida until at least mid-October. Sometimes the mid-afternoon storm can cut the humidity, making the evenings a lot more comfortable, but they can also just make it more humid.

Who knows, you might get lucky and get some slightly cooler days, but IMHO prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

 

[BostonEd]

I spent a couple weeks in Florida, including time in Orlando, every August back in the '70s. I was a kid then, and maybe it's gotten worse, though.

 

[georgina]

If we end up going for 3 days instead of 2, I could definitely see: early morning visit, lunch inside somewhere, back to pool, watch the afternoon rain from the room, maybe head back after dark for a bit. But I'm not sure we'll do 3 days.

I think that is because late August sun is simply not as strong. It is the same as mid-April sun.

Weather can be unpredictable. We were there mid-Sept one year and it was so hot and humid we spent every afternoon at the pool/room and I used 2 complete sets of clothing every day, as the first was drenched with sweat!

 

[kbelle8995]

There are also a lot of fans as you walk around and benches. There are some great shady spots. I also agree with the Knockturn Alley. Also Drink lots of water.

Thing is a lot of issue is not the heat but the humidity. I like going to the front of Islands Port of Entry and just go slowly through the stores and just soak up the air conditioning.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Central Park area is a really nice place to relax in the Universal Studios park. Recommend getting the refillable mug and popcorn buckets.
Ride the water rides!
Do rope drop them back to the hotel pool and then back at night.

 

[sandam1]

Weather can be unpredictable. We were there mid-Sept one year and it was so hit and humid we spent every afternoon at the pool/room and I used 2 complete sets of clothing every day, as the first was drenched with sweat!

Same here! I've often come home with wearing the only clean clothes that I have left - and I'm a huge over-packer.

 

[BostonEd]

Sweetie (the wife) does think it is a big deal.

Update: I really want to go in August, just to experience it once!* But maybe I'm weird like that. Anyway, we just got back from New York, and it was pretty warm, but not even THAT hot. And the wife says, "Nope, not gonna do FL in August." So, I'm 99% sure we're not going this year.

*Edit: yes, as a kid, I did go to Orlando multiple times in August. But that was a long time ago (35+ years), and I would imagine it is different as an adult.