Best Portable Fans for Disney World This Summer
It can get hot at Walt Disney World Resort. There’s no way around it. Hot and humid. One way to deal with that is to get a good personal fan. There’s considerable debate about which type of fan is the best. Should you get a handheld fan, that often has great power and battery life? Or should you get a neck fan or necklace fan that you don’t have to hold? Or should you get a misting fan for even more cooling power? Finally, maybe you need a good stroller fan? Not to sway you, but I prefer the misting fans above all else.
If all else fails you can get your daughter to fan you with a manual hand-held fan.
Methodology
I combed Facebook forums, checked Amazon reviews and used a few fans myself in order to put together this list of fans to take to the theme parks. Usually, I make a graph with the details, but fans are a different animal. Many of them seem to be the same fan distributed by different companies. They even have the same weird image with flying leaves. (Click on a few links to see what I’m talking about)
Therefore, I tried to pick items and companies that have a lot of votes and good reviews across multiple styles of fans, indicating greater customer loyalty and reliability. Now that you know the method, here’s the top picks for the best fans for your next Disney vacation with Mickey Mouse during the hot days of summer (or even Spring and Fall).
Most of these links are Amazon affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission if you purchase a fan through my link and buy more fans. That being said, I’m not earning based on a particular brand, so my affiliate status does not affect the products I recommend. Now on to the best portable fans for cooling.
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Best Neck Fans for Disney World
Best Necklace Fan for Disney World
Best Handheld Fan for Disney World
Best Stroller Fan For Disney World
Best Misting Fan for Disney World
Best Neck Fans for Disney World
There’s a big debate about which fan to use. Many people prefer neck fans because they are handsfree and constant. They typically have less power though. Many that recommend neck fans also recommend using them with a cooling towel.
There are two main types of neck fans. One has two swiveling heads that can be aimed up to the face. These typically have better power and control. The other option is a bladeless fan that looks like a collar. Many of these don’t have much output unless you get a high-end one. A lot of people opt for these though because they are safer for long hair.
Best Neck Fan for Disney (Amacool)
People like the way this personal neck fan can get your neck or your face. Great reviews on Amazon. Watch out for long hair. That’s not a problem for me and my baldness, so I choose this one. Because the fan is farther from you, it can get better cool air, and having a swiveling fan head can give you better control.
Best Bladeless Neck Fan for Disney
I’m putting two fans here. Many people swear by the Nhpoi (shown below) and similar fans like Frsara, but others complain of their lack of power and warm, recycled air. That’s why a lot of people encourage you to get the high-end choice (Torras).
Many people will balk at the price of the Torras fan below, but in its defense, it has an actual compressor that makes cold air for your neck.
Best Necklace Fans for Disney World
A necklace fan or lanyard fan is a hybrid option between a neck fan and a handheld fan. It has almost as much handsfree benefit as the neck fan, but it typically has much more power and battery life like a handheld fan. These are also great for kids because they won’t get tangled in their hair like a neck fan, and they won’t set them down somewhere and forget like a handheld fan. Here’s the best. Always with the leaves.
Best Handheld Fan for Disney
For the most versatility and battery life, opt for a handheld fan. I find these to be annoying when I don’t want to use them. Luckily for me, I can usually just store a small fan like this in the stroller, but if I didn’t have the stroller or at least a book bag, I wouldn’t want to take it into the park. These are also great for getting your kids to fan you while you stand in line at Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom in one of the outdoor queues.
My daughter would rather use a fan in July than take a photo. I think the baby wants the fan, too.
The fan below is the most popular across many forums and other articles. Jisulife is a also a popular brand that pops up for most types of personal fans.
Best Stroller Fan for Disney World
Keeping the baby cool is an absolute necessity at Disney World. Babies can’t deal with heat as well as adults, so having a fan aimed at them at all times is a great way to prevent any issues. There are two good types of baby stroller fans. There’s the clip-on fan, which is easy to install. It’s also useful for places around the house when you’re not using the stroller at a Disney Park.
However, some strollers don’t have a good spot to clip one on, and they are more likely to fall off. If this is a problem for you, check the octopus stroller fans. These can be secured around any pole on a stroller and are far less likely to fall off than a clip-on, so they are a great option. Here’s the best choices.
Our baby, armed with an octopus stroller fan. It’s a misting fan as well. See the bottom option.
If you need help picking out a stroller for Disney World, here are the best strollers for Disney and best double strollers for Disney.
Best Clip-on Stroller Fan for Disney
SkyGenius’ clip-on fans were the most highly recommended brand for stroller fans. If you have somewhere on the stroller to clip it, it’s perfect.
Best Octopus Stroller Fan for Disney
Amacool is another brand that shows up as a popular option across multiple types of fans. This one is a great choice for a secure fit.
And here is the one we use. It’s an octopus fan AND A MISTING FAN!
Best Misting Fan for Disney World
The king of all personal fans for Disney vacations is the misting fan. Not only do they evaporate sweat, they also spray you and evaporate that water. This creates a cooling sensation that far outstrips any of the other options.
That being said, there are plenty of drawbacks. A spray fan is liable to leak, break, and use battery power more than other fans. Also, by virtue of needing a water reservoir, they are bulkier than other fans. They also typically run on AA batteries instead of being rechargeable, which can be more difficult to deal with in the long run. Finally, they require more maintenance if you plan to use them for multiple trips. You don’t want to spray musty water from your last trip on you.
My daughter using the O2Cool fan on her sister. She made it Disney by adding stickers.
Here’s the best option from Amazon. This O2cool fan comes in a 2-pack. I wish I knew that before I bought ours, so my kids didn’t fight over them.
Disney World also sells great misting fan spray bottles. It’s a little pricier than what you’d find on Amazon, but it’s a themed Disney fan, has a lanyard, and if it breaks or runs out of battery in the park, you can get it fixed right there. We’ve replaced batteries and an entire fan for free at the parks by just speaking to a cast member in one of the stores.
Believe it or not, you can actually purchase this one from Amazon as well. This is the exact one that we have.
Conclusion and Further Reading
Hopefully, this gives you some great ideas for a mini fan to keep you and your family cool at Disney World on your next Disney trip.
A few other notes about having a fan at Disney World. First, I recommend taking at least one portable charger with you and maybe multiple fans so that you can stay comfortable if the first one dies. Then you can make use of the rechargeable battery on the fan. Second, remember that fans work by evaporating sweat. Therefore, you can still get dehydrated even if you feel comfortable. Bring a water bottle and drink lots of water (and use sunscreen). Third, remember that there's lot of great places with air conditioning (especially at EPCOT).
Also, many people swear by their Ryobi fans. There is a lot of conflicting information as to whether Disney will allow you to bring a lithium battery into the park (possibly considered a power tool), and there’s even more conflicting information as to whether you have to check or carry-on these batteries to an airplane. Some people have had different experiences with different cast members for the same fan. Therefore, use these at your own risk. They are great though.
Fans are only one of the best ways to stay cool at Disney during the summer months. If you need more tips for staying cool, check my guide dealing with summer heat at Disney World. Have fun at the Most magical place on earth!!
If you have any insider tips for the best portable fan, let me know in the comments!
A review of Disney’s Deluxe hotel, the Wilderness Lodge. We stayed here right as they were putting up Christmas decorations.