What is your rain strategy for the parks?

[glamdring269]

We do a lot of hiking so have some very effective and extremely light weight rain jackets to wear. We also tend to wear waterproof shoes that are about as comfortable as tennis shoes. Pack an extra pair of socks in the backpack just in case. Can't go wrong.

 

[djmeredith]

We were there July 4th week this year and we had LOTS of rain the first several days. We just put on ponchos and kept going. If the storm hit after noonish, the crowd thinned out quite a bit. That made for some shorter lines which was great.

As to what type of rain gear to use, I would recommend a rain jacket not a poncho. We purchased the Mickey ponchos at Wal-Mart the first night because storms were predicted for the next several days. Those were $4 each and were moderately sturdy (much sturdier than the dollar store version but not as durable as the Disney version). Those would have been perfectly adequate and comfortable for the typical afternoon Florida summer rain showers. However, we experienced much more rain than that and after 4 days of on and off use, they were ripping. If heavy or frequent rain storms are predicted during my trip next time, I would personally invest in the Coleman type rain jackets that I have seen at Wal-Mart for $8 in the camping section. They are basically the same material as the sturdier ponchos but in jacket version. We had to wear the ponchos quite a bit, and I think the jacket version would have been more comfortable for longer periods of time.

I was glad I didn't have to fool with an umbrella becuase it was very crowded and I was often alone in the parks with two kids so I needed my hands free.

 

[Victoria3]

Like I said above, it's also about people using them during parades or fireworks. They get in the way. But yeah, people are just very careless.

You can say the same about poncho wearers. I've had people brush up on me, take their poncho off and proceed to shake it around everyone.

I use an umbrella and I've never poked someone in the eye.

 

[cobright]

The Sahara line of clothes from REI.

It's not waterproof, but they stay warm even when wet and they dry in 10-15 minutes.

Being wet in a plastic bag is just as bad as being wet in clothes IMO.

 

[sonofanarchy]

You can say the same about poncho wearers. I've had people brush up on me, take their poncho off and proceed to shake it around everyone.

I use an umbrella and I've never poked someone in the eye.

Between getting wet from someone taking their poncho off and getting poked in the eye with an umbrella, I'll take getting wet.

Yes, I have been poked in the eye before. It sucks.

 

[luvmy3]

Ooo...sorry...I have to shoot this one down. It just seems so horrendously wasteful to use something like that once and throw it out. Might not seem like a big deal but they end up in a landfill. Now think of how many "disposable" ponchos you use on one trip and multiply it by the # of people in your group and the # of days you do that. And picture your part in adding to all the trash and all the energy and resources that are being used and wasted. And there are other people who do that too...just using and wasting.

I get that it's inconvenient but how about just getting one for each person and when you're done using it, fold/roll/squish it up and stick it in a plastic bag in your backpack so it doesn't get everything else wet? That's what I do. One would take up less space than several (come on, just squash it down!), cost less and be much easier on the environment.

Well you could look at it that way or you could look at it this way.
When I am home I probably take out the garbage at least once every 2 days, some times once a day. I'll be gone for 8 days, so at minimum that is 4 less garbage bags from my home that will end up in a landfill. I have a family of 5, we use 1 disposable poncho each for the week, at the end of the week we throw them out. Kind of evens out in the end

 

[surferdave]

On a separate note, using an umbrella is not rude. You've got to be kidding me. Just watch that you're not poking someone. I don't know what to tell you about watching fireworks in the rain, but people want to stay dry. Get over it.

Using an umbrella in general is not rude, but standing in someone's way at an event like a parade or fireworks certainly is; they are generally not allowed in stadiums at all for this reason. If I made an umbrella my main plan for staying dry with no poncho or raincoat for backup I would plan to get completely out of the way during these activities to allow other people to have a view, even if that meant my view was poor.

 

[d1gitman]

so it looks like ponchos as a whole are the overwhelming method of rain mitigation with disposable vs. non-disposable going at it neck & neck.

we have ordered disposable ponchos and will be bringing our mini umbrellas as back up in case said ponchos turn out to fall apart or not work for any other reason.

 

[d1gitman]

Well you could look at it that way or you could look at it this way.
When I am home I probably take out the garbage at least once every 2 days, some times once a day. I'll be gone for 8 days, so at minimum that is 4 less garbage bags from my home that will end up in a landfill. I have a family of 5, we use 1 disposable poncho each for the week, at the end of the week we throw them out. Kind of evens out in the end

then there is all the plastic and paper for the food & snacks we buy at Disney....oh the dilemma.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Using an umbrella in general is not rude, but standing in someone's way at an event like a parade or fireworks certainly is; they are generally not allowed in stadiums at all for this reason. If I made an umbrella my main plan for staying dry with no poncho or raincoat for backup I would plan to get completely out of the way during these activities to allow other people to have a view, even if that meant my view was poor.

You put it a lot better than I did. And your example is perfect. When we go to football games, umbrellas are not allowed in. We go prepared, knowing we may get wet if it rains.

I didn't mean to come off as harsh as I did and say that if you walk around the park with an umbrella, you're rude. If you're careful with it and are aware of your surroundings, fine. The rude people are the ones that block the view of people at parades and shows.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I voted poncho, but it really depends on what kind of rain it is. Normal, light rain, I only need hat to keep rain off my glasses. If it is pouring, like when we were there for TS Andrea in June, then we wore ponchos. We wore our Keen sandals any time there was rain in the forercast.

 

[Nola Girl]

We were in the parks July 26-Aug.2 and many were using umbrellas to keep the sun off. In 20+ trips that was the first time I saw this. It was sweltering! I did have an umbrella in my bag for the afternoon showers but I just couldn't do it. I thought this was crossing the line. I don't know why but it bugged me.

 

[Alesia]

I voted "other."

I'd rather just get wet than mess with any of it.

 

[monorailrabbit]

I'm an umbrella person. Never liked ponchos. I second the thing about shoes that was brought up earlier! Can't tell you how happy I was that I had thrown a pair of flip flops in my bag so my sneakers didnt get soaked!

 

[JoshuaShaw]

I chose 'Other,' which in my case translates as, "Suck it up, you're the dummy that didn't pack a coat."

 

[tndisneyfan]

We used to use the cheap ponchos but switched over to WDW ponchos two or three years ago. The cheap ones are fine for a 20 minute rainstorm but not so much for all day rain. We found they basically a one use deal. One very rainy day I went thru 3 or 4 so it quit being cost effective.

I had been thinking about wearing a raincoat instead of a poncho. But at we picked up a couple of ponchos at Bass Pro that are made of that paper stuff, like Frogg Toggs but not that brand. For $5 we decided to give it a try.

 

[Satchmo128]

I voted disposable poncho.

FWIW, if anyone is going during December and wants to catch the Candlelight Processional in Epcot and it just happens to start pouring right as you sit down (.....this didn't happen to us last December...right... ) the poncho is your friend. We only had one with us, so I got to wear it and DH ended up getting soaked. And everyone sitting around us who had opening an umbrella was told that they couldn't use them during the show (since it obstructs the view of those behind them).

I use an umbrella enough at home (yay Seattle!), I would much rather toss a disposable poncho after 30 minutes of rain and them go about my day in Orlando.

 

[Squidgyness]

In the past we always bought a poncho in the parks despite the cost, we found they were worth it, I can only recall one tear with US ponchos, and none with disney, plus we didn't want to waste packing space on bringing some (if we can even get them here...).

I always thought it was funny walking around the parks and watching all the people wearing US ponchos at WDW and vice versa. Always made me chuckle.

 

[AntFarm]

Our trusty WDW Mickey ponchos that have stood the test of time or if it is one of those knock you down rainstorms in the summer then we try to seek shelter indoors somewhere for awhile if we can make it!

 

[epcotty]

Used an umbrella last year at Epcot and this year at MK, just gotta watch out for people with umbrellas who don't look where they're going