Calories Burned at Disney World Parks

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I, along with about half the US, am so excited about our Disney trip planned this summer! Every year we try to plan a day trip to Disney World on our way back from Michigan, and every year we end up not doing it. That is, until this year. Business will be taking us down the mid-line of the state and it just makes sense to stop in along the way... Especially since it will give me so many possibilities for healthy Disney blog posts in the future!

In the past I have done totals on calories burned at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. Although the information has been hecka useful in the past, it has never been condescend into one simple post talking about where we burn the most Calories at Disney and why.

There have been rumors that one walks the most in EPCOT and therefore burns the most calories. I am happy to say this myth is completely untrue. In fact, the park that will burn the most calories is Magic Kingdom- the place almost all of us go on every trip to Disney World. This is partially due to all the back and forth walking and partially due to the inclines you have no idea you are hiking. Next after Magic Kingdom is EPCOT since it is just so big. This is followed by Animal Kingdom. Then, way in the back is Hollywood Studios. This really cannot be much of a surprise since Hollywood Studios is just so darn small.

Below is a handy dandy chart showing my averages for all parks over 8-hours of time. Of course, your steps and calorie burn could be way different than mine depending what you do and how you get there. In almost every situation we drive or take the bus. Then, we tend to go on 3-8 rides in 8-hours and sit down for 1-3 shows, depending on the park. There is also eating time that we are not walking and lots of back-and-forth time for things like Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom or the Pirate Quest in Adventureland.

It is also good to take into consideration that there are very few people who will spend a whole 8-hours in either Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios. Although the calories burned is for 8-hours in each park, these two parks are more likely to be 4-6 hours, tops.

Hot vs. Cold: Which Burns More Calories

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I have heard so, so many arguments for working out in the cold and working out in the hot and it has left me wondering for quite some time, which is better? Working out in hot weather is quite common here in Florida, but so is working out in an nicely air conditioned gym. All those northerners who get to run outside in the winter truly know what it is like to exercise in the cold and may very well see a difference in their calorie burn between the winter months and the summer months. For me, the question comes down to which would burn more calories, running in the cold or do a 90-minute hot yoga session. 

The Cold

Although our bodies' react to cold weather faster than warm temperatures, it rarely means we are burning more calories. When we workout in the cold, our bodies are already doing work to keep us warm since we are increasing our heart rate and wearing clothing that better insulates us. According to recent studies, unless the external temperature is cold enough to make you shiver, there will be no real caloric change in your workout. When temperatures are cold enough to make us shiver, we can burn as much as 400 calories per hour more than usual. This is because all our muscles are contracting at once, continually to trying and warm the body.

Working out in these extreme cold conditions will leave us feeling more fatigued and will increase the calorie burn faster than hot conditions. This, however, does not mean we will burn more calories overall. In order to continue burning more calories in the cold, your internal temperature must be cold, meaning must continue to shiver. According to Dr. Susan March of Washington State University, a body at rest will likely burn more calories in the cold than in the hot. This is because the internal temperature is less likely to raise to a normal level.

The Heat

Although working out in warm weather makes us sweat more, it does not mean we are burning more calories. Bodies react more slowly to warmer temperatures and can also adjust more easily over time. In order to increase the calorie burn of a warm workout at all, the heat must change the internal temperature of the body. When the internal temperature is increased, our bodies will have to work to lower it. This can burn up to 20% more calories in a workout.

Working out in warm conditions will make us sweat more, but that is usually only water weight and will be gained back when we rehydrate. Like working out in the cold, extreme hot conditions (like over 100 degrees F) are where real fat burning takes place. When we are working out in extreme conditions, our bodies will begin to burn more calories in order to keep our internal temperature cool. Even though we are burning more calories, our bodies are more likely to become fatigued faster, meaning that we workout for less time or with less effort.

The Winner

When it comes to working out in the warm vs. the cold, there is no all-around calorie burning winner. When we shiver, we will burn more calories. But, as we workout and our internal temperature increases, we are less likely to shiver. When we workout in extreme warm conditions, our bodies will burn more calories over time, but we may not be able to workout for as long. Warmer conditions will also dehydrate us faster and can leave us feeling more fatigued with less work.

Working out at a moderate rate in cold weather will burn more calories faster, as long as you are shivering. Working out in warmer conditions that raise out internal temperature will burn more calories, but it will take a longer amount of time. Exposing our bodies to both extreme warm and extreme cold with cause an increased calorie burn. Cold conditions will show an increased calorie burn faster, but hot conditions may show a larger calorie burn over time.