Best Rain poncho?

[andymattmom]

We leave in 3 1/2 weeks. I want to upgrade from the $ store ponchos but would like to have them before we go and not get the ones at Disney. What are some other ones I could buy before hand that are good and would help keep us dry if it should rain while we are there.

Thanks

 

[wilde_oscar]

Target has some decent ponchos for a couple bucks, I usually pack those.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We leave in 3 1/2 weeks. I want to upgrade from the $ store ponchos but would like to have them before we go and not get the ones at Disney. What are some other ones I could buy before hand that are good and would help keep us dry if it should rain while we are there.

Thanks

Just wondering, why don't you want to get the ones at Disney? I got mine in the mid-90s and still use it-at Disney, hiking, football games, etc. Best souvenier I ever bought there!

 

[mmcguire]

Ponchos are hot and cheaply made -- invest in a good lightweight, breathable rain jacket if you want to be comfortable in the rain. We went through 2 ponchos apiece during TS Fay last week because we had to remove them at many attractions. They just aren't built for that kind abuse for days on end. Ponchos also fly up & hoods fly off your head in the wind, and they seem to get caught on everything -- door handles, handrails, bathroom stall hinges, etc. The snaps on my got ripped off the first day!

 

[BigMickeyFan]

Someone just posted a cute rain jacket in another thread. If you go to disneyoutlet.com, and search on "rain", it pops up. Available for men and women, $12.99. I'm pondering one for myslef, actually.

 

[brenda1966]

If you're going to encounter a lot of rain, hours of rain, days of rain, it might be a good idea to have a real rain coat.

But if you run into the kind of rain we did last year, where it rained almost every day for an hour or two and then stopped, having several of the cheap dollar store style ponchos worked great for us. We like the Walmart ones and the Dollar Tree ones.

Why I like them? the are very light weight and disposable. We used one for a few days and then just threw it away and used another. They are small enough to fit in a fanny back when folded up.

Why I don't like the Disney ponchos (I have two of them and I never use them). They are very heavy and very large when folded up. They would consume 1/2 a backpack and are not fun to lug around.

 

[francie57]

We were there during TS Fay and we used jackets purchased from Land's End that actually folded up into one of the pockets so they were convenient for carrying and were not hot to wear around. They were really nice in that they had drawstrings on the bottom and hood and velcro on the sleeves. Probably the best part was that the hood had a visor on the front that kept any water away from your face. They were a little more expensive but well worth the money and will be used on many future trips to come, if needed.

 

[ChloroFiend]

Ponchos are hot and cheaply made -- invest in a good lightweight, breathable rain jacket if you want to be comfortable in the rain.

++ to this one. Dozens of different brands, but any good outdoor name (The North Face, Mountainsmith, Patagonia, Columbia, etc). has tons of water-resistant jackets designed for outdoor use. With the humidity of Cent. FL and perspiration from moving around in the heat, you'll want something that vents and breathes. Many of them are also designed to be compact/packable for use by people such as rock climbers.

If you forget, I'm sure the Helly Hansen store at the Norway pavilion has some really nice rain gear (we used to use some of their boating squall suits on our camping trips) but it'll cost you.

 

[ajleone]

I usually get a decent poncho at either Target or Wal-mart. My biggest criteria(and the reason for not using WDW ponchos) is the ability to sit down in them, I find most poncho's are too short and I end up getting wet.

 

[andymattmom]

Thanks for the info on the ponchos. I am going to look into the rain jackets only because I know we can use them at soccer/sports. I appreciate the replies

 

[2dogmom]

I bought my 8 and 5 yo's ponchos at disney last week for Fay. My 5yo's held up well, my 8yo's tore up and didn't last the whole trip. I didn't want to buy her a new one so I gave her a cheap dollar store poncho and it held up well over the remaining 2 days, not a tear or anything. Sure, the hood didn't stay on like the disney poncho, but overall, she liked it much better.

 

[WillCAD]

Since my reliable 4-year old Mickey poncho finally got a little ripped on my last trip, I'm also in the market for a new poncho.

The first thing I did was to get a quickie replacement from WalMart; they are about $5 or so and can be found in the camping section, and are identical to the Disney ponchos except they are available in about 3 or 4 colors and have no characters or graphics on them of any kind. I got a blue one.

But I'm also shopping around for something more robust. I found a high-quality backpacker's poncho at Dick's Sporting Goods for about $20 that is tougher, larger, and more breathable than those sold at WDW or WalMart. It's also made from a different material, and is lighter weight.

I'm also considering making one, if I can find the right material and a pattern.

My problem is that I am 6'-4" tall and 275lbs, making the standard Mickey poncho fall somewhere between my belt and my knees. Add in the big camera I usually carry, which pushes the ponch out farther in front, and the old standard Mickey slicker becomes more of a Mickey shirt for me - too much of me gets wet when I wear it. I've also never been happy with the hoods on those things - they are far too small for this giant empty melon on top of my shoulders, are made of even thinner material than the poncho itself, and are prone to ripping at the neck seam.

I'll be keeping my eye on this thread for more ideas.

 

[JanB]

I do not like ponchos at all because, with any breeze, they don't keep the lower part of your body dry. This is what we took with us to WDW last week while Fay was also there.

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0054313923128a.shtml
We use these at college football games. The entire suit folds up pretty compactly. Not small enough for a fanny pack (which I don't wear, anyway). My husband carries a small sling-style backpack. Both rainsuits fit in there, with room to spare.

My husband wore the entire yellow rain suit. I wore the pants, but I also wore a nicer rain jacket, which I purchased before the trip. I got it at BassPro
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_72927_600010002_600000000_600010000_600-10-2

The temp was in the 70's, so they weren't too hot. In the 80's or higher, and they will be like a sauna. We wore the pants only when it was really raining. Lighter rain, and sprinkles, we just wore jackets. I also took a Speedo swimmers/divers towel --- very small, very absorbent -- to dry off benches, ride seats, etc.
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_104885____SearchResults

We were dry from head to ankle. The feet still got wet. But I do wish I had a dollar for every person who expressed envy towards our rain pants! They were also great on Kali River Rapids.

 

[bentleygirl22]

We leave in 3 1/2 weeks. I want to upgrade from the $ store ponchos but would like to have them before we go and not get the ones at Disney. What are some other ones I could buy before hand that are good and would help keep us dry if it should rain while we are there.

Thanks

freds has rain coats for $5.00

 

[catne]

Thanks for the info on the ponchos. I am going to look into the rain jackets only because I know we can use them at soccer/sports. I appreciate the replies

we just found good rain jackets in the camping department at Walmart for around $17. They have hoods with a bill (to help keep rain off your face,) zip closed with velcro over-flap. They are longer than most jackets. They fold up inside their own mesh pockets, too, so will fit in a backpack when not in use. We live on a river and know we will use these for wind/rain protection walking the dogs this Fall...they will be great wind-breakers.

We also have the cheapie $1 version, which are o.k. for typical downpour, but agree with PP that they are not good in high wind/heavy rain combo.

 

[bobbyshawatl]

I bought a raincoat at Disney back in 2005. This was after several of the pullover ponchos ripped. I don't remember what I paid for it.... It wasn't cheap, but not bad. I like it. It folds up into its own pocket to make it easier to carry. Here's what it looks like folded up:

And once it's on (little wrinkly, but I didn't shake it out or anything first):

It really only keeps your upper half dry. Nothing to protect your pants or shoes from getting soaked, but it was better than nothing (or the ripped ponchos) at the time! Plus, it has held up well for the last 3 years.

 

[MsDisney23]

Someone just posted a cute rain jacket in another thread. If you go to disneyoutlet.com, and search on "rain", it pops up. Available for men and women, $12.99. I'm pondering one for myslef, actually.

Here ya go, It was me. I was there lastyear and we got some good rain in the evenings. Like others Disney Ponchos do not hold up well for day after day use.

I did buy this from DisneyOutlet.com

 

[Tara8595]

What has always worked for me is using a binder clip (like from work) to hook the front of your poncho hood to a baseball cap. Keeps the Rain off your face and you don't have to continuously reach up to keep your hood on. Works great for me.

I love those $1 store ponchos, if you fold them half and half and half over again, you can squish all the air out of them and they fit in your pocket. Just hang them on a hanger back at your room and they'll be dry and ready to go the next day. Though they are disposable, I have some that I've used for a few trips and they're still going strong.

------------5 days till my family's first trip to Disney with my baby boy!!!