Considering that Disneyland is located in southern California, for the majority of the year the temperatures at the resort are often over 80 degrees, and climb even higher. Unless you’re headed to the parks between November and February, heat is certainly going to be a factor in your vacation. In the middle of the day, when the parks are busiest and the heat is at its worst, it’s good to have a couple of ideas in your pocket on ways to get a break from the heat to rest and get out of the sun. In this post, I’m going to list what we think are the five best ways to beat the heat in Disneyland and California Adventure during warm days in the park.

I’m focusing on ways to beat the heat while remaining in the parks. Taking a break during the heat of the day at your hotel pool or snoozing away a few hours is always a good option to rest and recharge, but if you want to stay in the parks there are ways to get things done without melting. Of course there are more ways than just these five, and if there are ways you and your family beat the heat that aren’t on the list, let us know about them in the comments!

“it’s a small world”

This is probably everyone’s first thought when looking to get out of the heat at Disneyland. “it’s a small world” is by far the longest indoor ride at the resort, and can give you 15 minutes of full blown air conditioning, and even more if the boats get backed up. This attraction generally has a lower wait time compared to more popular attractions like Space Mountain or Indiana Jones, but on very busy days the line may get longer than the respite is worth because the attraction queue has no shade. With a 15 minute or less wait time, I would not hesitate to ride this more than once in the heat of the day.

The Animation Building

The Animation building at Disney California Adventure is an underrated part of California Adventure and a great way to stay out of the heat for a lengthy period of time. There are multiple entertainment options in the building, as well as a seating area in a gorgeous room that rotates through Disney movies on the screened walls. Our favorite spot in here is Animation Academy, where a Cast Member teaches guests how to draw a character. The show takes place every 30 minutes throughout (most of) the day. Also in the Animation Building, guests can interact with the raddest sea turtle at Turtle Talk with Crush, and explore the Beast’s library. With the merchandise store Off The Page connected to the building, you could easily spend an hour and a half or longer out of the sun.

Counter-Service Restaurants

There are a number of counter-service restaurants in Disneyland and California Adventure that offer ample seating. Sometimes that seating is shaded, other times it’s indoors! Either way, grab a drink (or a meal) and relax for a little while. Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree at Disneyland is a beautiful setting with lots of shaded seating. Docking Bay in Galaxy’s Edge and Alien Pizza Planet in Tomorrowland are both inside, although mileage may vary on how crowded it is. Over in California Adventure, Flo’s is a great spot to cool down!

Indoor Shows

Both Disneyland and California Adventure offer several indoor shows that will give you an easy 10-20 minutes of AC while you rest your feet. In Disneyland, the Tiki Room is relaxed and cool, not to mention a great attraction. On Main Street, there’s also Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and the new Walt Disney animatronic show in the opera house. Lincoln is a classic attraction and features an exceptional animatronic, built nearly 60 years ago. Over in DCA, Turtle Talk with Crush and Mickey’s Philharmagic are both family friendly attractions that utilize screens to tell fun and engaging stories. When the weather becomes sweltering, this is the easiest place in DCA to cool off!

Disneyland Railroad

The Disneyland Railroad is one of the only attractions you don’t have to get off of. You can ride it the entire time the park is open if you want to. The easy availability of the attraction is part of what makes it such a great way to take a break from the heat and the crowds. You can sit in the shade as long as you’d like, and the gentle breeze that comes with the movement of the train feels incredible on warm days. When the day is warm and busy, this is a great spot to people watch and relax while sipping a cold beverage. We also recommend the Mark Twain River Boat but that offers less shade.

What are your favorite ways to beat the heat in Disneyland? Let us know, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below! Planning a trip to Disneyland Resort? Check out our Disneyland Trip Planning Guide to help you out. For those looking for cheaper tickets to Disneyland, you can check out this link! If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends and like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!