How to Beat the Heat @ the Disney theme parks

The girls jumped right in!

For a large portion of the year, Florida is extremely hot.  Don't let the heat spoil your fun. Here are a few tips for beating the heat on those dog days of Summer:

1. Get to the parks for opening and play until 11-12 when the heat gets unbearable.  Then head indoors for a big lunch (reservation will be necessary if you want to eat at a table-service restaurant) and enjoy the time off your feet and out of the heat or head back to your resort for a dip in the pool or a nap.  Come back around 4 feeling refreshed and ready to stay till closing.  
2. Don't hesitate to ask for a free cup of ice water.  Any counter service restaurant will give it to you for free - no other purchase necessary.  Disney doesn't want people passing out in the heat!  And I always treat the kids(and myself!) to ice cream when they start to feel too warm.
3. Find a water attraction such as Kali River Rapids (Animal Kingdom), Splash Mountain(Magic Kingdom), Casey Jr. splash play area (Magic Kingdom), or the water play area near Mission to Mars (EPCOT).

Here are my picks for places to go during the heat of the day in each of the 4 theme parks:

Magic Kingdom:

Tomorrowland - the majority of the lines for attractions are indoors and covered.

Adventureland - the Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Country Bear Jamboree (technically on the border of Frontierland) are all close together in this area.

Animal Kingdom:

It's Tough to Be a Bug - a nice, cool show.

Kali River Rapids - plan to get soaked! I recommend that you don't plan to go in any air-conditioned areas right after riding this attraction.

EPCOT:

The Land Pavilion - Soarin', Living with the Land, and a cute Lion King show are all inside of this air-conditioned building.  Plus, there's a great place to grab some lunch right downstairs.

The Living Seas Pavilion - Turtle Talk with Crush, the Nemo ride, and views of some amazing coral reefs are all inside of this building.

Hollywood Studios:

Magic of Disney Animation: a short movie about Disney animation, lots of character meet and greet opportunities for pictures and autographs, and a cast member who will teach you how to draw a classic Disney character are all inside of this cool area.  Bonus: the picture you draw makes for a great free souvenir and you'll be surprised at how well your drawing comes out!

Remember: even if you don't have a reservation at a table service restaurant, there are plenty of indoor counter service restaurants where you can sit down and enjoy a delicious meal in a nice, air-conditioned environment.  Here are my favorite counter-service lunch spots in the 4 parks:

Magic Kingdom: Be Our Guest or Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe
Animal Kingdom: Pizzafari
EPCOT: Sunshine Seasons
Hollywood Studios: Pizza Planet