Best and Worst Parks when it rains

[castlefor2]

Just checked the forecast and it looks like it's raining for most of our trip next week (Monday to Friday). This is our first visit to Disney so can anyone tell me what park is the best to go to when it rains. Which park should we avoid? Our kids are 3 and 5 so we are doing more rides suited for them.

By the way, will the rides still operate? Should I bring a towel to dry off seats? Will the parades and fireworks still go on?


Thanks!

 

[JohnnyLfromCT]

Don't sweat it, central FL forecasts are notorious for showing rain and yet little rain will fall.

I'll be down all next week with the wife, and I'm not worried at all. Bring ponchos and get it done!



DHS has the best indoor rides, I suppose...Toy Story, RnRcoaster, ToT, etc.

I do know that Tomorrowland in the MK has some KILLER puddles if it rains hard...my shoes found that out last Dec!

 

[W.E.D.]

I'm not a logistical master, as some on here, so I can't answer the second part of your question.

I guess I'd say Epcot is probably best, as most of the stuff is inside, but with the ages of your kids I don't know how they'd go for that.

All the parks, for the most part, are set up with lots of places to escape the Florida rain, so I think you can have a great time either way.

Enjoy your first trip!!

 

[castlefor2]

Should we avoid Animal Kingdom?

Yes, I heard that Florida weather changes very quickly. But I am trying to work on a plan if it does rain. I'm packing another pair of shoes for the kids now in case they get soaked.

 

[JohnnyLfromCT]

Should we avoid Animal Kingdom?

Yes, I heard that Florida weather changes very quickly. But I am trying to work on a plan if it does rain. I'm packing another pair of shoes for the kids now in case they get soaked.

Nope, AK is fine during the rain, there are also plenty of places to duck into, and there are two shows that run during the day at different times (Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo, both are great).

I'm bringing flip-flops for the wife and I in case of rain. Rain starts, our shoes go in the backpack and the flips come on!

 

[W.E.D.]

^^^Should you avoid it? ehhhhh....not sure what to say there. I guess it probably has the least amount of attractions that are covered. The ones that are inside might not be appropriate for your kids.

I don't know. Anyone else?

(OK. Nevermind. JohnnyLfromCt just schooled me on that. lol)

 

[tonyolily]

Should we avoid Animal Kingdom?

Yes, I heard that Florida weather changes very quickly. But I am trying to work on a plan if it does rain. I'm packing another pair of shoes for the kids now in case they get soaked.

Yes, avoid Animal Kingdom if the forecast is calling for all day rain. Everything at AK is designed to be enjoyed outdoors.

It would be good to bring extra socks too. I've found that the little compact umbrellas are great for storing in your backpack and for working your way through a park in the rain. I like them better than the ponchos.

 

[tonyolily]

I agree with the poster that recommended going to Epcot if the forecast is calling for a washout.

Epcot has lots of things to do that are indoors: Innoventions East & West (lots of interesting exhibits, shows, games), Living Seas, The Land, Imagination!, Universe of Energy, Mision Space - all of these attractions are inside rather large buildings that are perfect for waiting out a passing rain storm.

I'm sure your family will have a blast at Disney!

 

[SmallWorld71]

Our personal favorite theme park in the rain is Epcot because you can spend a lot of time in each pavilion. That said, sometimes you just have to put on your poncho and slosh on no matter where you are! Most rides and attractions are operational during wet weather. The parades and fireworks, not so much. They do usually wait until close to the time to cancel though so just becuase it is raining at one point during the day doesn't mean things are cancelled. We had a great time at Illuminations one time becuase it rained until about 8:00 so many people left and we found a great spot with little waiting.

Hopefully, you will just have the typical Florida rain that comes on quickly, but leaves quickly as well.

Also, FWIW, I found that when my kids were little, that a long rain jacket with a zipper worked better than a poncho. They were easier to get on and off.

Have a great trip!

 

[PrincessP]

Just had our first trip with ages 6 and 4 last month. I can only speak for Epcot and MK since those are the 2 parks we visited.

Epcot has many indoor areas....queues, rides, restaurant seating, etc. being inside (of course, the walking to and from different attractions will be outdoors so have your ponchos and/or umbrellas). Our children LOVED the escalators in the land and sea pavilions. I know you don't want to pay admission to just ride escalators all day...but if it's a particularly rainy time in the day, that will keep your kids happy for quite some time. There's a Lion King movie in the land pavilion, a Crush the Turtle show in the sea pavilion, and several aquarium exhibits. This would be a great place to hang out in the rain.

There are several Magic Kingdom rides that our children liked that have shelter from the rain (both the queues and the rides themselve): Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan's Flight, Small World, the Tea Cups, and Buzz Lightyear.

Rides like Dumbo, Magic Carpets, Carrousel, and Indy Speedway are rides with queues that are not sheltered much. I don't know how Disney does about wiping down rides after a rain shower (it did not rain on our trip) , but I packed a Shamwow towel in my park bag so I'd have it if needed to wipe down these particular rides or benches for a quick rest, etc.

Another tip I found to be hand. Even kids ponchos are big for our aged children....so get those elastic head bands....not pony tail holders....HEAD BANDS to put around their waists when they're wearing the ponchos to "blouse" the ponchos up a bit so they're not tripping on them.

I bet it won't rain as much as forecasted.....just be prepared "just in case"....and then enjoy your magical vacation!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

We had lost of experience with doing parks in the rain last May. There were deluges every day. AK and MK are probably the most difficult to tour in the rain, but a good time can still be had at either. In the event of lightning outdoor rides will likely close.
DHS has shows/rides that can require as much time as you like indoors. The same with the FW section of Epcot. Innoventions and all the pavilions are great places to be during a wet day. I find that making my way around WS in the rain is not much fun though.

 

[PHXscuba]

One thing I will add:

If it looks like the heavens have opened and it may rain very hard/very long, it might be worth it to dash the extra 50 feet into a pavilion, ride line, even a gift shop.

We got hammered hard one afternoon last year in MK and the only thing that made it bearable was that we were inside a real building, not ducked under a kiosk or awning. When we finally decided to make a break for it in our ponchos, we saw many miserable people huddled in the small shelter a cart or overhang provided.

PHXscuba

 

[tonyolily]

Another tip I found to be hand. Even kids ponchos are big for our aged children....so get those elastic head bands....not pony tail holders....HEAD BANDS to put around their waists when they're wearing the ponchos to "blouse" the ponchos up a bit so they're not tripping on them.

I love this tip! This was one of the biggest problems that I had with my youngest DS. Now, the other problem that we had with the ponchos was keeping the hood part to stay covering their heads! Everytime the wind would blow, the poncho hoodie would come off. Hmmmm.... maybe another headband would work??

 

[OB1]

Agree - Epcot & DHS are best in the rain. DHS because it is relatively small, EPCOT for the Future World area. Some longer attractions and lots to do in INNOVENTIONS. I also like to catch the movies in World Showcase, and American Adventures when it is raining. You can also use the time to do some major shopping at the various countries.

MK is a mix, There are a lot of inside attractions, but you have more walking to get to them (which means you get wetter).

AK is our least favorite in the rain. There is so much to do outside, that it is difficult to enjoy. In fact, we change our plans if there is a possibility of rain because we want a pretty day at AK.

 

[2binak]

I can't recall which trip it was, but the forecast the week before our trip called for rain everyday and I think we had a shower or two the entire time. Then again, the forecast in central FL almost always calls for rain! We're also going next week and I'm hoping the skies are nice and let us enjoy the warm sun. It's been a long, cold, rainy Summer & Fall here.

ETA - if it does rain all week, I get to tell DH "I was right. We should have come here 3 weeks ago! The weather was great then."

 

[mcco5543]

In FL when they say rain, remember it may rain on and off and it may also just rain for 20 min to an hour and then be done. You can't really trust a forecast in FL.

 

[Planogirl]

I prefer DHS when it rains a lot. MK isn't too bad but to me Epcot is not a good one because everything is so sprawled and we also hate to miss Test Track. Animal Kingdom would be the worst to me.

 

[phnguyk]

Now, the other problem that we had with the ponchos was keeping the hood part to stay covering their heads! Everytime the wind would blow, the poncho hoodie would come off. Hmmmm.... maybe another headband would work??

A baseball cap under hood worked well for us

 

[kaligal]

If it is a quick rain, any park is fine. If it is going to rain for hours, no park is a blast.

Unlike what you hear, it doesn't just "rain for 20 minutes" in Florida. Like most places, sometimes the rain is short, sometimes it rains for hours, sometimes all day. Only difference I've noticed is that Florida has big rain drops.

There are some folks who think it is great to be in the parks in the rain because the lines are short. And that's great for them. I'm one of those folks who subscribe to the idea that it's good to "have the sense to come in out of the rain" and generally bail. To each his own.

Following the "better to light a candle than curse the darkness" philosophy, we find other stuff to do. One time we spent the morning in the hotel, went to the Titanic exhibit in the afternoon and saw the Sleuths dinner show. Another time we did the Wonder Works or whatever it is called. One time we found a mall.

Whatever the weather in Florida, there isn't snow. And that's good enough this time of year.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

Great question to ask-- we head down on the 12th--looks like it will be raining for a few day looking at the extended forecast and we have photopass session @ the Poly on our 1st night down--better not rain, that day or the next --we go to AK