A rainy day in Disneyland

IamgoingtoDisney

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 9, 2015
Messages
44
I am a bit freaking out about all this El nino talk & how much rain will come in January. Tell me about rainy days at Disneyland. If it rains while we are there how do I make the most of it? We are coming a very long way & have had tickets booked for ages. We will be there Jan 4-10 including 5 park days. While I hope it does rain to help the draught, I will have my fingers crossed for sunny days while we are there.
Thanks
 
Our first day of our first trip was rainy and we wore ponchos and walked on to every single ride almost all day. It was dreary/ misty most of the day after 9 am, and the crowds were low.
My kids were 3 and 6 and didn't mind it at all!
 
I wouldn't worry. Actually, I might be glad if I were you. Lots of people leave if it rains, so you get a lot of walk-ons, and there's plenty of indoor rides if they shut down some of the outdoor ones due to rain.

You won't miss out out on anything if it does rain. If you want to be really prepared, I would call Guest Information and ask them if they have a complete list of rides that will shut down during any rain, and make sure to do those asap when it isn't raining.
 
Ponchos, rain boots if you have them and maybe a change of socks and shirt in a plastic bag just in case you get too damp. The most challenging part is finding a dry seat!
 

In my one rainy weekday experience it wasn't any less crowded. It was a slow time of year in general, though, so most rides had short wait times.

Definitely ponchos or rain hoodies and rain boots or some sort of water shoe. On the rainy day we were there it was coming down so hard there were huge puddles everywhere. Our shoes and socks were soaked.

Also something to sit on if the ponchos don't cover your bum. We all had wet butts from boarding semi-outdoor rides.
 
rainy day vs El Nino. I live in oregon, and with the exception of this year, starting Oct 2014- to who knows how long into the weather forecast- rain is part of the culture. We don't dress for the rain. It is a slow rain, for several days, maybe even a week long and folks make do without umbrellas, rubber boots, hats, little protection if any, and lots of brisk walking, few of us wear gear to repeal rain. If this was the rain forecast for 2016 to Disneyland, then no problem. You can make due with your unpreparedness But El Nino is storm, a series of storms, sideways rain, wind, buckets, that when you return from the park and turn on the TV, you will seeing many areas flooded on roads, dips and intersections. Damage in the mountain. possible interstate closures.

In order to pack for El Nino, rain gear as opposed to those thin dollar store ponchos. Thick coats, thick athletic pant gear rain gear. sturdy rubber boots that have already been worn to avoid blisters. I get blisters in my rubber boots all the time when mucking mud in the harvest fields, it seldom storms here in Oregon, so no need to wear the thick boots, just jump the puddles to the store parking lot. good wool hats, wool keeps heat in, drys faster on your head. Towels to wipe off seats, all seats, every seat. Backpack or locker full of towels, socks, hats, mittens, gloves. If you can handle wet feet, then go with shoes with holes to drain water and not soak socks.

and don't be shocked if Disneyland has an employee El Nino safety plan and park closes. It is not a rain, but a coming storm
 
We had rain on our second day of the October trip. No problem, we wore ponchos when the showers were steady.
 
Bummer. I don't like the sounds of your post Chickapin. We have been saving up for years for this dream holiday. Where I live in Australia we don't really have anything like those storms. It does storm & rain but where I am there isn't any flooding although houses can get damaged by wind & falling trees. If that is the kind of storm, I wont be stepping foot outside. Well nothing I can do but hope for the best. If it is just raining though, without the feral storms do most things remain open? I am guessing the characters will go back home to stay dry & most rides close? Do shows still run? If the park is closed what are some other places I can take the kids that will be fun but dry?
 
.....but again, it could be your lucky week and you will miss it all, just be watching the US west coast news and come prepared if El Nino are the words you are reading. If it is just rain, then you will have a grand time, just bring along quality rain gear. I spent one day in a major storm at Disneyland, will never forget it, because I love my Disneyland so much, but after four hours, well, nothing was dry, and I am not talking about indoor seating. Returned back to the hotel and watched all the flooding on the TV. But it was just one day, and just so happened to be my one day in the park. Arrived on a sunny day, left on a sunny day. Just poured in between!!!!
 
Originally the scientists were saying that El Nino would reach a peak at the late Fall/early Winter point. While El Nino has not fizzled, it is now expected to slam SoCal in Jan-Feb-Mar (which is what I kind of figured would happen, as it seems a lot of heavy, non-stop rain has fallen in those months). Jet Propulsion Laboratory is weighing in:


http://abc7.com/weather/monstrous-el-nino-expected-to-hit-southern-california/1032185/

The JPL guy says, ""As we move into winter looking ahead to January, February and March, this El Nino is a monster and I guarantee you it's going to deliver." And "...Southern California should expect very heavy rainfall and storms that could trigger flooding and mudslides."

...Which is exactly what I would expect from El Nino, as that is exactly what has happened in the past, not to mention countless other problems statewide.

So... for those headed to Disneyland during those months, be prepared for some sort of rain and possible interruptions in entertainment or ride closures. And, probably, much lower crowds.

For those of us living in California (especially in SoCal), time to batten down the hatches!!!!!
 


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