Touring in the rain!

[hllb]

Just keep your sense of humor. And I agree the park ponchos are great quality and worth the cost.

 

[VAtink]

We were there during tropical storm Andrea back in 2013, so a few days with lots and lots of rain. It ended up being one of our favorite trips, even though we were soaking wet for a good portion of it! We did the Wild Africa Trek during the worst of the storm, the rain was coming down so hard, but since there wasn't lightening it still went on as scheduled. We have never seen the animals as active and had a blast!

We started the trip using ponchos, but that didn't last, it was just too steamy in them. For us what worked was wearing workout gear that dries super fast. We also made a lot of use of pool time (if we're going to be wet, might as well be in the pool!), which was a nice break from the usual running around. Also, my mom's best tip would be to wear flip flops or other footwear that doesn't soak up the water. My dad wore sneakers and definitely regretted it! My mom, always the planner, also packed umbrellas for us, so on the nights we had ADRs we could head over to dinner in nicer clothes and not get drenched.

 

[Shanti]

We will be at EPCOT Saturday afternoon-evening. With Nate rolling through the Gulf, looks like from 2-10 will be an 80% chance of rain. I'm hoping it lightens up the normal F&W Saturday crowds. What tips do you have for touring in the rain? Has anyone done it and regretted the decision? We have 3 little ones, 9,5, and 3. We will have our stroller, ponchos, and umbrella. Planning on using our 3 FP's, and hitting up what we can. I'm just hoping we don't start going through the IG and realize that we've made a huge mistake......

1. Wear water-friendly shoes, and have the kids do the same, because miserable feet make for a miserable day. Sturdy waterproof sandals that offer good foot support (not flip flops) are typically best for this.
2. Avoid wearing denim, which shrinks and clings when wet and takes forever to dry.
3. Carry ponchos (I find that lightweight ponchos purchased from a sporting goods store work just as well as the bulky, heavy, overpriced Disney ponchos), and mom or dad might also want to carry a compact umbrella.

 

[DisneyMom93]

We will be at EPCOT Saturday afternoon-evening. With Nate rolling through the Gulf, looks like from 2-10 will be an 80% chance of rain. I'm hoping it lightens up the normal F&W Saturday crowds. What tips do you have for touring in the rain? Has anyone done it and regretted the decision? We have 3 little ones, 9,5, and 3. We will have our stroller, ponchos, and umbrella. Planning on using our 3 FP's, and hitting up what we can. I'm just hoping we don't start going through the IG and realize that we've made a huge mistake......

Just wondering how your Saturday went. Did it rain?

 

[Felicis]

We were at Magic Kingdom tonight and it was torrential for a fair portion of the evening. And then rain, and then spotty. Thankfully we were there pretty much to have our end of holidays castle dinner. I wouldn't have wanted to have to tour around and do rides (we did them earlier in the week, also in rain, sigh).

Hope the Epcot people enjoyed their night!

 

[FastPasser.]

Hope the Epcot people enjoyed their night!

No, I did not. Hate being wet for 6 hours.

 

[dlavender]

Just wondering how your Saturday went. Did it rain?

Just got back.

Saturday night we only had about two hours of rain off and on. It wasn't that bad. I'm glad it let up before illuminations. We all had ponchos as well as an umbrella. My shoes are still a little wet. Should have followed the advice here and gotten some crocs!

 

[SDSorority]

It rained off and on all week. We were good with each adult having their own umbrella, stored in a ziplock in the backpack when entering buildings. For the heavy downpours, we waited them out inside shops. But overall, it kept the temperatures moderate and no one got sunburned

 

[KiniShakenBake]

We are going to pack three sets of shoes for WDW - two sturdy pairs of sneakers and some sandals of some sort, though neither of us likes to tour in flip flops for more than about a day. We each have waterproof sneakers for that, too. We are bringing back our Disney ponchos from last time, when they went Code 101 in the middle of the day and we all got stuck inside for about two hours due to thunder and lightning. We also brought home two cookbooks because of that Code 101. I think Disney planned it that way.

Other than that, our last trip was pretty uneventful weather wise. Going in late October/early November is our favourite time. We're headed back in 23 days (nobody's counting around here! haha!) and all of these things will be toted along with.

I think this goes to "good packing means good planning" in general.
- When you have two or three pairs of shoes to swap out anyway because it's better for your feet when you don't wear the same shoes day after day for miles and miles each day, then you end up inadvertently prepared for downpours.
- If you bring quick-dry or waterproof clothing (including socks and underpinnings) because it's either going to be hot and you're going to sweat, or because it's lighter weight and cooler, or because you plan on water rides, then you're prepared for a downpour and can enjoy your time without stressing or chafing.
- Packing a few plastic bags to tuck the phone into for water rides means you're ready for that downpour as well. The things that let you be spontaneous also let you be prepared.
- And heck, a ballcap is always a great addition to the suitcase. It keeps sun, rain, wind, sleet, and hail away and can be used as evap cooling by getting it wet and putting it back on your head in a pinch! Even my non-hat-wearing husband agrees.

Not everyone is ducky happy in the rain. We're from Seattle and don't ever, ever carry umbrellas. We'll wear waterproof outer layers or a poncho if we don't have those, and just keep going, even in a torrential Floridian downpour. One of my favourite times when I was a camp counselor in another part of the country was to take the children out and play soccer in the rain, and they LOVED it. It was the only time I ever played soccer, ever. You may find that your kids REALLY love playing in the rain if you get into it, too. If you're not so inclined, it's a great time as one poster said to go hang in the pool as long as there's no lightning. Go enjoy some drinks at one of the resorts. Take a midday nap and head back. So many options!!!

 

[mousehockey37]

Gotta agree with everyone else here... poncho and go... You pay waaaay too much to go to Disney to be stuck inside your room. Sure, if it's legit storming and there's lightning and such, yeah, use some common sense, but if it's just raining? You may be told you're sweet, but you're not gonna melt.