Ladies - Spring/Summer storms in the parks, what's easiest - poncho, umbrella, rain-jacket?

[Farro]

What do you use in the parks when it rains? First trip in a long time during that time of year.

I thought about a poncho, but since I needed a new rain-jacket for myself for now, I bought this one. It folds up to a tiny ball, has a hood, super lightweight and it comes almost to my knees. That's not me in the picture -



Do you use umbrellas? Too big right? Any reasons to use a poncho vs what I have?

Thanks!

 

[DoryGirl1963]

Small travel umbrella...ponchos are too hot & sticky to me.

 

[Mzpalmtree]

We use lightweight disposable ponchos. You can buy them in a multi pack from amazon. They are tiny to carry around (before you open them) and you can throw them away if you are sure the downpour is over for the day so you don’t have to repack a soaking wet poncho or deal with that mildewy smell if someone forgets to take it out of the backpack hang it in the room. They are also less hot since they are thin. Only con to me is that they not super environmentally friendly since you’ll probably only get a couple wears out of them max

 

[summermac]

Wear clothing that dries quickly and just get soaked. You'll be dry in less than a half hour after the storm. HAHA

 

[gwynne]

I have a columbia unlined windbreaker/rain jacket w/ hood. I really like it, works in the rain and dries quickly.

 

[Disneylover99]

We used to be a poncho only family, but in the past few years we’ve found a small travel umbrella to be more convenient.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I prefer a light rain jacket. If it's too hot for that I just use an umbrella. I am not a poncho person.

 

[Farro]

thanks all!

I'm thinking the jacket I bought for home for this summer's rainy weather will probably be good for the parks. But I'm thinking we should pack a small umbrella also for maybe if we go to Disney Springs or something like that.

@SaintsManiac I'm thinking I'm not a poncho person either!

It's nice - we're going next May so it will be hot. I'm currently buying clothes for this coming summer for work (fun, light weight dresses)/play (shorts, etc.) and it's great because they can all come with me to WDW!

 

[Mzpalmtree]

Lol. I don’t consider myself a “poncho person” either and wouldn’t be caught in one outside of WDW in favor of a normal umbrella or raincoat at home but you can’t ride on a ride holding an umbrella and I HATE carrying bulky things. I just deal with looking like a dork at Disney! That said, last time we were there in January it poured and I ran into 3 people I knew from home all poncho’d up...wasn’t expecting that as we live 7 hours away!

 

[Farro]

Lol. I don’t consider myself a “poncho person” either and wouldn’t be caught in one outside of WDW in favor of a normal umbrella or raincoat at home but you can’t ride on a ride holding an umbrella and I HATE carrying bulky things. I just deal with looking like a dork at Disney! That said, last time we were there in January it poured and I ran into 3 people I knew from home all poncho’d up...wasn’t expecting that as we live 7 hours away!

Oh I didn't mean you'd look like a dork! I meant it seems like it would be cumbersome to wear, that's all!

 

[Mzpalmtree]

I fully admit I looked like a dork

 

[Farro]

I fully admit I looked like a dork

Hey, I have a backpack with cats on it....

 

[mamamelody2]

We are umbrella people. Umbrellas can also be used for shade, which helps a lot.

We also pack the cheap lightweight ponchos for if the rain gets really ridiculous. That said, I bought a 10-pack of ponchos for our trip in 2016 (5 of us went), and we have since gone in 2017 (just DH and I) and 2018 (4 of us) and we still have most of the ponchos. LOL. DH and I are going again over Labor Day and we are taking 3 travel umbrellas (we will take 2 into the parks, the third will be back-up for if one breaks) and those silly ponchos again.

 

[Magical2017]

The poncho is suffocating in the heat, at least for me. I prefer a baseball cap unless it is really raining hard.

 

[QueenElinor]

From multiple trips to Hawaii we just learned to get wet and then air dry. People who live there seldom use an umbrella or rainwear.
If it rains really hard, we might break out a rain jacket, but we usually wear hiking sandals so if they get wet they also dry out.
This method comes in handy on KRR, too!
If you're going to do this, it's best not to wear cotton, but a microfiber synthetic or rayon (that's what good Hawaiian shirts are made from). We have a lot of hiking clothing that dries really quickly.

 

[fla4fun]

Depends on how much rain is expected. If it’s just the quick summer showers, I take a compact umbrella and use it to get to shelter to wait out the rain. If it’s one of those rarer all day rains, I have a nylon poncho I wear. It’s much more comfortable than a plastic one and allows air to circulate better than a rain jacket.

 

[Alesia]

I prefer to just get wet. Being rain soaked is a nice break from being sweat soaked

 

[Toolulu22]

I have a super thin Vineyard Vines rain jacket that folds up super small and lightweight that will come along on our trip for a day that looks like all-day showers. Otherwise, I’ll stuff a poncho in my small pouch for the occasional shower or super soaker ride (Splash/Kali). I don’t like to carry much into the parks so an umbrella isn’t happening.

 

[davkata]

When we would go in winter months, we used LLBean raincoats, lightweight like a windbreaker but very waterproof. In warmer months, I prefer not to be lugging a jacket, so I carry disposable ponchos. They came in handy for a downpour and again for the wet benches at ROL one evening. DH teased and wanted nothing to do with them, but was pleased I had them!

 

[bigbabyblues]

Columbia rain jacket and Mickey ball cap. I didn't get too hot with it last June, although it rained several days of our trip. DS17 forgot his rain jacket and bought a poncho, he said it was too hot and went without the rest of the time.