Dealing with kids and rain

[trekkie2]

We will be at the world May 1-8 this year, we have never gone in May and I have heard rain is a strong possibility. the kids are 5 and 9 this year and I was wondering if anyone had any good tips for keeping kids dry and comfy in the rain so we can continue to play in the parks. I have some poncho i will take, but I am worried about them being too large for the kids and what do you do about their feet, the idea of walking around all day in wet tennis shoes is terrible.
Thanks for the help

 

[NotUrsula]

Skip the tennis shoes entirely, and invest in some good sport sandals for them (you can often find deals on kids sport sandals at places like Marshalls).

Bring the ponchos, and bring a swimmer's chamois to use to dry off when going into air conditioned buildings. Thin woven clothing dries faster than knits if it gets wet. You'll probably have to cut down the poncho for the 4yo; do it before you leave home.

 

[dizneechic]

In May your rain should at least be warm rain... we were there for a cold rainy day in Feb and 45 and wet SUCKS!

Mine are 8, 6, & 5 and the ponchos were just fine length wise. My youngests (43" tall) was about 6" off the ground so she had to lift it on steps and walking up some ramps so she wouldn't trip but otherwise it wasn't an issue. We actually preferred umbrellas with the ponchos because the hoods would flop off or hang too far in front of our faces, so maybe having 1 or 2 of those if it's something that may bother you or the kids. We saw some kids in rain boots and thought it was a brilliant idea, yes wet tennis shoes were awful. In May maybe you can get away with flip flops or crocs so they dry quickly if yours is a passing shower (ours was an all day event and we had no other shoes). Don't let rain spoil your fun, just prepare a little extra for the days you know it's coming.

 

[dzneelvr]

In addition to what's already been given: try out the fit of the kids' ponchos before you go so you can see where the bulk is and how to minimize it. Wear ball caps with bills so the hood of the poncho fits better around the face and the bill will keep the rain from dripping into eyes. Pack 2 ponchos per person. Lastly--Take your ponchos EVERYDAY! There's nothing worse than thinking it's not going to rain and leaving them in the resort room Rainy periods provide great opportunities at the parks--when DD and DS were little they used to cheer when the rain came because it meant so many people left the parks

 

[ktlm]

You never know what you are going to get. We were there that same week last year and there was not a drop of rain. It was hot- we would have welcomed the chance to get wet and cool off a little. We were also there last December and it poured all day one day, and a good part of the day the next. It wasn't exactly warm, but my DD still loved it. She had a blast running around in the rain and stomping in puddles. The ponchos are great. They will keep most of the kid dry. In May your kids should be in shorts so you don't have to worry about the bottom of their pants legs getting soaked(our biggest December problem). Be sure the kids (and you) have at least 2 pairs of park shoes so if one pair gets soaked they can wear something else the next day. My DD had some mesh tennis shoes for summer that she doesn't wear socks with that dry out pretty quickly. That would be a good option. If the kids are prone to blisters and aren't going to be wearing socks, you may want to put body glide on their feet to prevent blisters. Your kids aren't going to care much whether they are running around in wet tennis shoes anyway. They are just going to be happy they are at WDW. My DD's shoes and socks were soaked in December and she didn't care. Eventually, I made her go back to the resort and change them out because it was pretty cold. (All our shoes and socks were soaked, it was like a monsoon out there!) Had it been warm weather, I would have just let her keep going.

 

[ccgirl]

I love going that time of year. WHen it does rain, it doesn't rain for long. We would just go on a ride like POTC and when we came out; it was usually done. I always brought my stroller rain cover as well as the ponchos. I covered my stroller before each ride. Some people looked at me like I was nuts but when I got out and saw all the other wet strollers I was happy!! My kids wear flip flops so we didn't need to worry about soggy shoes. Although they had ponchos and wore them, they loved being out in the rain! We actually purchased the Disney child poncho three years ago and still have it. Like I said, if it does rain it doesn't last for long (usually). Oh...we also have a waterproof backpack we keep a towel and change of clothes in as well.

 

[trekkie2]

Thanks for all the ideas, the kids (and adults) will probably love the rain and jumping in puddles, I just want to make sure that they are comfortable for the whole day. I am actually getting worried about the temps, we still have snow in May at home and I am worried we may end up too hot

 

[SuzySparkle]

Don't know if there's one in your area, but Dollar General has ponchos for little kids right now. Bought one for each DD (36" and 47" tall) and they fit great! Also, we got some sandals at Stride Rite that are made to be ok in water but have the super cushy sole of a sneaker. The girls absolutely LOVE and they can wear them in rain or out!!!

 

[tessieg]

I agree about it not being as big a deal in May because you will dry quickly. We were there in January this year and had a day of constant downpour and it was just miserable. Too cold for sandals or flipflops that week so all we had were sneakers and so we had wet cold feet all day!
Walmart does sell kid's size ponchos too. We had a stroller cover as well and that is great. If you have an umbrella stroller you could just bring a big garbage bag as well. Not cute but it will work!
Have a great and hopefully dry trip!

 

[GoofyFairie]

We always take a second pair of shoes for everyone. Stuff newspapers in the wet shoes to dry them faster. Change it as needed. You'd be surprised how quickly the paper will suck the water out of your shoes.

 

[RNmomnFL]

We always take a waterproof backpack (I know those people LOL) with rain gear, sunscreen, water, blanket, jackets, fans and/or flashlights depending on the time of day. Usually the oldest child is stuck carrying the backpack.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

We used to go back for a nap after lunch, and mostly avoided the rain problem that way.