Kali River Game Plan

[may1787]

Whats your game plan on Kali River Rapids?

I hear Kali is really wet, as in drenching wet. I don't want to get drenched for a variety of reasons.
I have to wear walking shoes, not flip flops, while in the parks because otherwise I leave with huge blisters on the bottom of my feet. Also, you wouldn't catch me dead in shorts. Can I just bring a pair of flip flops with me and a poncho and place my walking shoes and bag in the locker. I was thinking of riding at the end of the day as well, in case I do get soaked it won't be long to my hotel. Is there a problem with this plan?

 

[frozenheart]

My sister and I hardly got wet when we were on it in October. I think there were two people who basically got soaked and the rest of us were pretty much dry or damp.

Oops editing! I had flip flops in my backpack that I wore during the ride. They have things in the center of it that gets covered with like a tarp to store your stuff. None of my items in my bag got wet or anything. This was my first time on the ride though so I can't quite remember all of the details.

 

[buzzrelly]

We wear ponchos and keep our feet up on the foot rest thing.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

OP, I think your plan will work.

And I would ride assume your party will be the one to be drenched and thank your lucky stars if not. There have been all sorts of theories as to how the lucky few end up in that position. After 3 rides, each member of my family was drenched. (It did take 3 times but we go from very very small person to dad.)

Ponchos help a great deal! (My family wanted to be wet.)

 

[Planogirl]

I've solved this problem by avoiding the ride for many years. Can you actually avoid getting wet if you wear a poncho? I know that a poncho does little good on the bilge rat barges at Universal.

 

[vrajewski10513]

Somehow, I'm always the one that ends up drenched. But I've brought a poncho in the last and its worked out well. I kept my shoes on and just brought my knees up and stuck my shoes under the poncho.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I've solved this problem by avoiding the ride for many years. Can you actually avoid getting wet if you wear a poncho? I know that a poncho does little good on the bilge rat barges at Universal.

I could not ride last time and waited a bunch. Anyone with a poncho may have had some wet hair (from sticking out of the hood) and wet feet, but clothing was pretty much dry and they were extremely grateful to have worn their ponchos.

Friends of ours had the cheap dollar store ponchos and they had similar results.

I have not been on the bilge barges so cannot directly compare the opportunities to get soaked.

 

[ModernArtist]

I've solved this problem by avoiding the ride for many years. Can you actually avoid getting wet if you wear a poncho? I know that a poncho does little good on the bilge rat barges at Universal.

This. If you know you will be miserable getting that wet just skip it. The ride is fun but it's not outstanding in any way. Last time I rode I got drenched! My husband and daughter were dry. But I don't mind getting wet because walking round in that heat you dry off pretty quick.

 

[Planogirl]

We'll be there in just a few weeks so it might not be as warm as I'd like.

In the case of the bilge rat barges you might as well jump into the river itself. Ponchos and anything else makes little difference or at least that was our experience. If it's hot I might just take a chance on Kali though.

 

[sharona]

We once rode this 7x in a row on a quiet afternoon. I was soaked as were others. DD was dry. No rhyme or reason to who gets hit. Ponchos are hit or miss. Much more effective if you wear the hood as water sloshes over from behind and can go right down your back. No reliable way to keep your butt dry. IMO, not worth the hassle if you're not wanting/willing to go with it and enjoy the soaking. We used one of those XL zip lock bags to keep phones and other items dry. I love how Universal has lockers in their water rides area. We changed into swim suits and shorts then changed back when done getting soaked. Tip - bring a towel! We forgot and ended up buying one.

 

[Ozzygirl]

we use the ponchos...make sure you sit on the back if it to keep your butt dry and pull the hood up. I tucked my feet back under and held onto my hood. I stayed dry. It's kind of a disappointing ride though, very short and if I was really worried about getting wet I would say skip it...

 

[prudence64]

My plan would be to skip it.

My husband and daughter got drenched even wearing ponchos and it put them both in a bad mood for the rest of the time until we got back to the room.

The ride isn't much fun anyway. Not worth it unless you're hot and hoping to get drenched.

 

[denisekayt]

It really is luck of the draw on how wet you get. We typically save riding it as the last ride before we head back to the hotel. This way if we do get soaked it's not a big deal. For our upcoming trip I specifically booked FP+ for Kali in the early-mid afternoon as we generally head back to the hotel for a break by 2-2:30.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We ride it at the end of the day (have towels in the car to sit on). Also we do bring flip flops to wear on the actual ride.

I got drenched on my first ride and I was wearing jeans (first trip newbie error) - it was January - not pretty!

 

[bluezy]

I enjoy the ride (though my day would not be ruined if I skipped it) but I hate being soaking wet in my clothing. We go to the parks "bagless" so I don't carry anything that doesn't fit in my pocket. I use a cheapy rain poncho and take a plastic grocery bag to cover my feet since I always wear running shoes to the parks (I just literally put my feet in the bag). I've been very successful at keeping myself dry with those 2 things. It's important to keep the hood on the poncho over your head and I usually hold it tight at my neck/chin as we're going down the hill if it looks like I'm the one who's going to get drenched (the people who end up going down the hill backwards are the ones who get most wet). That prevents the water from getting inside/under the poncho. The top of my socks sometimes get a little wet and occasionally the sleeve of my shirt or the bottom edge of my shorts, but nothing that didn't dry in less than an hour (we go in June).

 

[disneybliss2]

We wore ponchos and still got wet. Somehow the water to in the side of my poncho and my the right side of my shorts and legs were soaked. My hair around the edges of the poncho got wet. The bulk of my body was dry, but the poncho will not assure you of being 100% dry.

Your plan will work, but if you know you'll be miserable, I would skip it. I was surprised that even with a poncho how wet we got. Others in our party just got sprayed. Most people in the raft were drenched head to toe.

 

[Canuck16]

It is purely luck of the draw as to who gets soaked and who does not.

When we were there last May each time we rode it our family came out mildly unscathed will other got completely drenched. Just make sure to tuck your poncho tight between your legs.....we found that helped from splash ups lol

 

[mullysisters]

Last Mothers Day I was walking past Kali RR during morning EMH and there was no one, absolutely no one else there. I wouldn't normally ride Kali first but what could I do??
I didn't even get wet on my first pass. When my raft came around, there was still no one there so they let me stay on and go again-hahahaha. I only got a little drizzled second time around but...........they have this annoying buzzing chainsaw sound throughout the entire trip. It is supposed to represent clear cut logging of the rain forest (which I deplore) but man is it annoying. During those EMH I rode every ride I wanted-no FP+. Maybe all the Moms were sleeping in! LOL

 

[nooneshome]

another vote for wearing a poncho and keeping your feet on the thing in the middle. We also will ride this a couple times then give away our ponchos when we are done...

 

[UrsulaTheSeaWitch]

If you don't care what other people think... The dollar store sells clear plastic drop cloths, I believe they are like 9 x 12. They are flat and folded in plastic bag so don't take up room in your purse. I take them and wrap it around myself like a cloak and I am bone dry on all water rides. Of course, it's not the best look, but it's better then being soaked. Cheap ponchos don't go to the ground and rarely keep you 100% dry.