Do you change your plans when it rains?

[LuluLovesDisney]

Just wondering how the experienced parkgoers handle bad weather.

Do you keep to the original plan? Go to the same park but change your plans there? Stay at the hotel? See a movie? Something else?

Thanks!

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

At the time of year you are going, unless you get the remnants of a tropical storm, you won't have to worry about an all-day rain. You will likely get thunderstorms almost every day though.

We bring disposable ponchos with us every day and go on touring!

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Those magical ponchos. We brought them last time, but I was too vain to put mine on. Let me tell you, I regretted it when dinner time came around and I was wet and freezing and had to buy a sweatshirt!

 

[merrywether]

It rained 6 out of the 10 days of our honeymoon (early december) and we were determined not to let that put a damper (no pun intended) on our fun. In the summer, the rain lasts only for short periods, in general. In the winter, well, that was a different story. The parks were fairly empty as most people headed for indoor venues, but we stayed and it was fun - barely had to wait for any rides. The only issue was that CMs insisted on everyone taking off their ponchos before boarding the rides - which I guess makes sense since you don't want the next person to sit in a wet seat....and also they were kinda impatient with people lingering near the exits, putting ponchos back on before heading into the rain, since it was holding up traffic.

 

[cryssi]

I love doing the parks in the rain! We always go to WDW in Aug/Sept. so it always rains. At least it's warm.

Out here we've done DL in the rain several times b/c it's fun and the park is pretty empty. Rain is cold here, though...

 

[AmberLuvsWDW]

We really don't do anything differently. We usually take off our sandals and keep going. Neither DH or I can stand the ponchos so we just get wet. Since it's so hot in August, we really don't mind.

 

[Debi]

I travel to WDW mostly in the summer (I'm a teacher, so my vacation time is limited). Summertime is when FL receives the most rain. I always carry an umbrella with me, and if it rains, I just pop open the umbrella and continue going. I don't let rain affect my plans!

 

[I Love Pluto]

Ponchos!

 

[sdwjones]

We change no plans. We just put on ponchos...and we wear Nike athletic sandals. They dry quickly and it's better than trudging around in wet socks and shoes.

 

[englishteacha]

I hate wet socks and shoes when it rains. Hate, hate, hate. I haven't yet found a comfortable alternative, besides bringing dry socks with me. If it's raining all day and we have park hoppers, we'll hop to our favorite dry attractions (usually Epcot!!). We don't let an afternoon storm change our plans much. We bring disposable ponchos for "just in case," and if it's raining when we get up, we don our heavier, durable ponchos. After spending a spring in England, where it rained hard almost every day, we learned that we can't let rain stop us from having fun!

 

[JulielovesDisney]

Pack dollar store ponchos in your bag and hit the parks. Honestly, it's one of the best times to do the parks. It's empty and most of the rides are still operating, as long as there's no thunder and lightning.

 

[OKW Lover]

I guess my answer would depend on what my plans were and just how hard it was raining. If I was going to be in Epcot, I might change my plans because the distance between attractions is relatively far. But in the MK, I wouldn't have that worry.

 

[foreverprincess]

I pack an extra t-shirt in a ziplock in my daybag so I can change if I get soaked. I take a small umbrella. I hate the ponchos in the summer - they are very hot to me - kinda like sealing the heat and humidity in - build your own sauna.

 

[Tinkerbell8989]

I never change my plans when it rains. The rain tends to clear out the parks which is very nice. We always carry the rain ponchos with use and have never had a problem.

 

[TimTanyaMichael]

I am so proud of my 6 year old son. The last time we went and it rained, the park nearly emptied out, and it only stayed raining downpour for about 20 minutes. It did mist quite a bit, but we had a blast riding Thunder Mountain, 6 times in a row!!!!!!!!!

We are going in late September, and it's almost here, and he said to me the other day. "Daddy, I hope it rains so we can ride the fast train, over and over and over!" From the mouths of babes!!!

Tim

 

[Amyg]

When we went last summer it rained every afternoon. We got caught in it only once when we got out of a show at MGM. We took out our rain poncho's and made it to the shops. We did see a lighting strike inside the park and scramble to huddle with another family who were huddled under roof! I would not leave the park altogether, just try to go to an indoor attraction.

 

[deedeetoo]

Dissenting opinion here...

We hate being wet.

We do bring ponchos with us and they can serve their purpose sometimes but they can't really keep you dry competely in drenching rain and you have to time when to put them on. In you put them on when you start to feel just a few drops it may be a false alarm and you will get hot (they don't breathe well). If you wait too long, you may get very wet when the skies suddenly completely open up.

If we are too wet to be comfortable, we go back and change. People get all wrapped up in the go,go,go, you're at Disney thing, that I think they forget they are on vacation. If you were on vacation anywhere else and you get wet, wouldn't you want to go back to your hotel and change? Is it fun to be in an air conditioned restaurant or at an evening show with squishy sneakers and wet shirts? Not for us.

We don't change plans ahead of time for rain, but if we get too wet during the day we change/cancel evening plans and head back to the villa.

 

[dbmarie]

Crocs and ponchos . Personally we just keep going when it rains usually it only lasts a short time and the parks tend to empty out.

 

[myramsy]

If it's a brief pourdown in the afternoon we just keep going. But if we wake up to rain and its calling for rain all day we may change our plans and go to DTD and head to Disney Quest!!
me ; DH ; DS(8)