How To Stay Hydrated at Disney World

Yah, yah, you’re visiting Disney World and you’ve got lots of planning to do. But dehydration is a common medical issue that could derail your time in the parks. Here are three big reasons to build hydration into those plans you’re making.

• Feeling bad sucks. Headache, nausea, dizziness, charley horse, and more can all be signs of dehydration. Ever had a hangover? That’s mostly dehydration you were feeling.
• You’ll have more energy to tour the parks. Even mild levels of dehydration can contribute to exhaustion and fatigue.
• You’re less likely to get sick on your vacation. Over a few days, mild dehydration can impact your immune system.

OK, you’re convinced, what do you need to know? Whether you’re tackling roller coasters or just chilling on the PeopleMover, here are the essentials to stay hydrated at Disney World.

Best Things to Eat and Drink for Hydration

Hydration equals fluids and fluids equals drinking, right? Wrong. About 20% of the water we need usually comes from food, and fiber and other nutrients in solid foods make it easier for your body to use the water that’s in them. Don’t forget that you can bring food and drinks into the theme parks at Disney World. Hydration packs are allowed, along with backpacks and coolers that are within size limits and don’t contain loose or dry ice.

What to Eat for Hydration

Watermelon is pretty much a cliche when it comes to the best foods for hydration. But other melons are top-tier picks, plus cucumbers, celery, carrots, tomatoes, and one that was a surprise to me – strawberries. Coming in a close second are juicy fruits: citrus, grapes, and stone fruits like peaches and pears. (Obviously we’re talking fresh fruits and veggies here; a dried cherry is, well … dehydrated.) And you don’t have to stick to produce! Soup and semi-solids such as applesauce and yogurt can have 80% or more water content.

What to Drink – Water, Sports Drinks, and More

Dole whip and watermelon are great, but you’ll also need to drink. The recommendation from health professionals of all kinds is to drink water. If you don’t like plain water, you can make it taste better with flavorings that don’t add a lot of sugar. But you’re on vacation, so let’s do a quick rundown of other options you’ll find in the parks.

➡ Sports drinks such as Powerade or Gatorade are good at replacing electrolytes that you’ve lost through sweating. In the summer, sports drinks or other electrolyte replacements might be a good choice from time to time. But if you’re visiting in the winter and you’re not sweating a ton, you might want to stick to water.

➡ Sugary drinks such as sodas or juice get a mixed review on the hydration front. The main disadvantage is a lot of sugary calories.

➡ Caffeine is a mild diuretic (it makes you pee more). For a long time, the word was that coffee, tea, and caffeinated soda would make you more dehydrated. But science says caffeine’s diuretic effect is mild enough that you’ll still get some hydration. An exception is energy drinks, which contain both caffeine and more dehydrating additives.

➡ That brings us to alcohol. Your preschooler won’t need to worry about it, but we adults sometimes like to indulge. Even beverages with a lower alcohol content, like beer or cider, will be dehydrating: your net intake of water will be negative. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least an extra glass of water for each alcoholic drink. And that’s just to keep even – if it’s hot and you’re sweating a lot, you’ll need to do more.

Finding Water at Disney World

Bottles for sale are easy to find in the parks, and there are two places to get free water: water fountains and Quick Service restaurants.

Bottled Water

Bottled water is ubiquitous throughout Disney World. Every snack cart or snack stand sells it, as well as many stores and Quick Service locations.  It typically costs about $4 per bottle. Due to Disney’s agreement with Coca-Cola, water for sale will almost always be Dasani. SmartWater may also be available, usually at a higher price.

Free Water at Disney World

As a general rule, where there is a restroom, you will find a water fountain nearby. If you’re looking to refill a HydroFlask, a Yeti bottle, or the like, a few locations in each park have water bottle refill stations. You can also refill bottles at the fountain drink stations in some Quick Service restaurants. For a thorough rundown on refillables, see Water Bottle Refill Stations at Disney World.

You can also get a free cup of ice water at any Quick Service restaurant. You don’t need to buy food, but there’s a common source of confusion: this is only guaranteed at Quick Service restaurants, not snack carts or snack stands. A good (but not perfect) way to tell; if there’s dedicated seating for diners, there’s usually free ice water.

You’ll often see advice to “never pay for water at Disney World” and get free Quick Service water instead. But one thing I’ve found is that time is money. You have to wait in the queue to get to the counter and ask for free water; it might be faster to grab a bottle from a nearby snack cart with no line.

Both fountains and Quick Service will be Florida tap water, and many people aren’t fond of the taste. If that’s you, try carrying an added flavoring such as small packets of Crystal Light or Mio. If you’re looking for electrolytes, powdered electrolyte packets can solve your flavor problem, too. Or, you can use a filter bottle: Brita and LifeStraw are popular brands.

Touring Tips for Hydration

The best thing you can do to stay hydrated at Disney World is to plan for it. If you simply assume it’s going to happen, there’s a good chance that it might not.

It’s better to drink small amounts often than to go without for a few hours and then chug a whole bottle. The young and old need to take extra care: kids are more susceptible to dehydration, and it may not trigger thirst as rapidly in seniors. For these groups, offer water on a schedule – don’t wait to hear “I’m thirsty”.

Here’s a list of strategies that my family and others have used. Everyone has different touring styles; choose a few that strike your fancy as something your group could take in stride.

• What goes out, goes in: drink every time you stop to use the bathroom.
• Drink every time you pass a water fountain (even if it’s not from the water fountain).
• Drink whenever you get off an attraction where you waited more than 20 minutes in line.
• If you’re in an outdoor queue for more than 10 minutes, pass around water or small snacks. (Snacking and drinking may or may not be allowed in indoor queues. I’ve never found that passing around a water bottle or a yogurt tube is an issue, but YMMV.)
• Have a small snack or a meal at least every two hours. You don’t have to stop touring; eating carrots in line counts.
• Have at least one glass of water with every meal.
• Table Service meals: Have a single serving of soda and then switch to water. Or, drink only water until your food arrives.
• Quick Service meals: Send someone for free cups of ice water as you’re clearing up. Use these to top up any bottles that you have.

If you’re using Lines to make a custom touring plan, I love to set the walking speed to the slowest setting. This automatically builds in slack time for snacks, bathroom, and water stops.

Signs of Dehydration

When it comes to dehydration, prevention is the best approach. But nobody’s perfect, so know the warning signs that say it’s time to top up.

➡ Thirst, dry mouth, or chapped lips. No duh, right? But don’t wait until it’s extreme to do something about it.

➡ Muscle cramps. Weekend warrior syndrome is real, but it could be dehydration. Even if unaccustomed exercise is a contributor, staying hydrated will reduce the impact.

➡ Fatigue, irritability, or confusion. Theme parks are pretty stimulating, and you might write off crankiness or fatigue to a busy day. But these symptoms can mean you need water – or even food.

➡ Lack of sweat, dry eyes, or blurry vision. If you’re not used to Florida’s humid climate, you’ll find yourself perspiring a lot for a few days as your body adjusts. If you were sweating earlier and now you’re not, that’s a sign. Dry, itchy eyes or blurry vision tell the same story: your body doesn’t have enough water to go everywhere it needs to be.

➡ Your pee – less of it, less frequently, or color changes. Your pee can take on a wide range of colors. Still, you know what’s normal for you: if your urine is darker than usual, it’s likely a sign that you’re dehydrated. If you can’t remember when you last stopped for a bathroom break, that’s not a good sign either.

Dehydration in Kids

Everything above applies to kids, but they may not be old enough to tell you about it. For young children, these are signs of dehydration:

• The soft spots (fontanelles) or eyes of infants appear sunken
• Diapers don’t need to be changed as often, or are less full
• Arms or legs that feel overly cool, with dry-feeling or mottled skin
• If you press your child’s fingernail and the white doesn’t fill back to a healthy pink within 2 seconds
• Unusual constipation can happen when routines are upset by travel. But it can also signal low-level dehydration

Where to Get Help

For mild symptoms, you should be able to rehydrate on your own. Get out of the sun, sit down, and take in some fluids. But if your symptoms are more serious, or you have other signs of heat-related illness, head on over to the First Aid center. They see a lot of it, and they’ll know how to get you back to your vacation as quickly as possible.

When you visit the parks, how do you plan to stay hydrated? What are your best tips? Let us know in the comments!

(Originally published May 9, 2023. Last updated May 23, 2025.)