AK and rain

[Pdollar88]

The one day rain is in the forecast is our AK day - slightly freaking out that we won’t be able to hit outdoor attractions.

Any tips on surviving the rain or managing expectations? I’m trying to not entertain the thought of rearranging our days.

 

[pitpat]

most of their attractions are indoor and the safari can be good in the rain.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

Rain can mean anything in Orlando. It could last 10 minutes or an hour...I wouldn't rearrange your whole day for that. Most of the time they'll even still run rides if it's just sprinkling. Grab a poncho and keep going! You'll be good.

 

[Pdollar88]

most of their attractions are indoor and the safari can be good in the rain.

I couldn’t remember if the safari ran in the rain. Thank you!

 

[CogsworthTN]

We always take disposable rain ponchos, bought from the dollar stores, with us when we go to Disney. Rain seems to always be apart of our vacations. The trick is just go with the flow lol. We actually like when it rains at animal kingdom because that is the best time to ride Kali River Rapids and not get soaked. It’s also a good time to take in shows, or the safari. Disney will usually only shut down the outdoor rides if lightning is in the area. Our first trip to AK it rained for the first three hours, but we actually had a blast.

 

[Pdollar88]

I remember the brief Florida rains, and ponchos are packed. I just have to make sure I take them that day

 

[pd1138]

One of our favorite days was an AK day during a minor tropical storm. We wore rain coats and had a blast. All the animals were out and we did kali rapids three times (we were wet anyway)! We also wore Tevas (water sandals) so we didn’t have to worry about wet socks! However most days in FL when it says rain it’s only for a little bit!

 

[fitgirlFL]

We went to AK in the rain and it ended up being great. We had ponchos and we just kept going. It rained pretty much non-stop from early afternoon till we left, so we were out in it for a few hours (maybe about four). And we did end up being pretty wet by the end of it all - but we were okay with that because we quickly realized the rain ended up making it one of the best we've had at AK. So yeah, you'll get wet. The ponchos only helped so much as it rained pretty heavy at times. We felt the benefits outweighed the wetness.

We took shelter as often as we could. We hoped it would stop, it never did. But we actually thought the animals were more out-and-about than we'd ever experienced. And the rain resulted in a lot of people leaving the park early (shorter lines!). I am by no means an animal expert, but the rain seemed to have them all out and active. I was so excited! We've never seen so many of them. We saw a lineup of gorillas who were right in front of the glass - it seemed they were trying to shelter from the rain and it was fun to get so up close to them. We did the safari - no lines and it was our best one ever. I'd probably pick a rainy day as the my day to go after all the animal activity we saw lol. And lines all over were short - you could see the wait times dropping for everything. We did ride Everest before it started raining - don't think I'd do that in the rain as having water hitting me in the face could be unpleasant. We did have a FP for FOP - we saw waits dropping overall, and with our pass we walked in and waited very shortly before we were on. We didn't really stand in any outdoor lines. We did walk around to see the animals and get from place to place - I wouldn't have been willing to wait in an outdoor line. We were constantly moving and getting inside as quick as we could. I wouldn't let the rain stop me. I'd prepare for it by bringing ponchos. And if it gets too bad, I'd think about bailing. Usually when it rains, it doesn't last too long.

 

[Tylerxxo]

The rain here in FL, especially in summer, will be a quick downpour for an hour or so...then be a perfect sunny day lol. As long as it's not too heavy or lightning they will keep everything open as far as I know. Do not purchase ponchos in the parks because the prices go up during the rain. Buy them else where and bring them with you. Rain can be great in the park because tons of people leave! Bring a change of shoes or sandals to wear during or to change into.

 

[TeresaWen]

I couldn’t remember if the safari ran in the rain. Thank you!

The safari is awesome in the rain. The animals are more active. Our very best AK day was in the rain.

 

[Ladyfish77]

We also wore Tevas (water sandals)

Wear Tevas or other sandals that are good in the water. Take a poncho. We were in a downpour at MK and just wandered around between attractions in our ponchos. So happy to have tevas on in Tomorrowland because the area near the peoplemover floods. We just splashed through but saw many people with sneakers who were going to be miserable the rest of the night with soaked shoes and socks.

 

[FCDub]

WHEN is your trip?

If it's more than 48 hours out, that forecast is likely worthless. Even within 48 hours, it's just a guess.

 

[Pdollar88]

WHEN is your trip?

If it's more than 48 hours out, that forecast is likely worthless. Even within 48 hours, it's just a guess.

Fair enough. We leave tomorrow - AK day is Wednesday.

 

[Princess_Lisa]

We always take disposable rain ponchos, bought from the dollar stores, with us when we go to Disney. Rain seems to always be apart of our vacations. The trick is just go with the flow lol. We actually like when it rains at animal kingdom because that is the best time to ride Kali River Rapids and not get soaked. It’s also a good time to take in shows, or the safari. Disney will usually only shut down the outdoor rides if lightning is in the area. Our first trip to AK it rained for the first three hours, but we actually had a blast.

I had a FP for Kali River one time and it was raining (not even that hard). They closed all the outdoor rides (Kali River, Everest, etc...) for a while. I got a ME FP, but waited and it reopened after a short while. Not sure if they detected lightning or what.

 

[FastPasser.]

If it's more than 48 hours out, that forecast is likely worthless. Even within 48 hours, it's just a guess.

Absolutely, I'm at WDW 4 or 5 times a week, year round and usually outdoors, I ignore forecasts. Like me, just be prepared.

 

[BebopBaloo]

I almost prefer rain at Animal Kingdom. Not a torrential downpour, but an off and on light rain really can add to the ambiance of the park and the animals seem to like it.