New Cooling Towers & Character Movement in Hollywood Studios

It’s currently very hot in Walt Disney World, with unsafe UV levels and intense humidity that makes 84 degrees feel like 91. That’s the exact weather we were facing yesterday during our testing. Fortunately, it looks like Disney has implemented a few changes to ease the heat.

There were several of these industrial Vector cooling towers, pictured above, around Hollywood Studios yesterday. According to their website, and based on our snooping, these appear to be weatherproof air conditioners that can direct airflow-only, vapor, or mist. The tower in the picture above was located in the courtyard for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster with The Muppets.

In addition to the cooling towers, we observed that characters and musicians who have previously been stationed in central locations around Animation Courtyard strictly in shaded areas on Saturday.

If you’re planning a visit to Walt Disney World in the next few months, we’ve got a few tips to help you stay cool. Cooler, anyway:

• Aim for Early Entry rope and head to your resort for the hottest part of the day if you can. A nap and some time at the pool should have your group ready for an evening back in the parks.
• If you’re planning to stay in the parks during midday, try to stick to indoor attractions with air conditioning.
• Packing essentials:
  • Cooling towels and plastic bags for storage and ice
  • Rechargeable fans for everyone and misting fans for anyone who will use them
  • Hats
  • Lots of sunscreen

What tips do you have for staying cool in the parks?