Bring your ponchos this weekend!

[irlandaise]

It's gonna get soggy in Southern California...

• The effects of this system will begin to be felt in California on Saturday evening, and will last through Tuesday.
• The heaviest rainfall is likely south of the Bay Area, and excessive rainfall is most likely from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.
• This atmospheric river will be stronger than the last two.

 

[amyg1975]

We were supposed to arrive today (from Northern California) but we canceled on Thursday. We have Magic Keys, so we can just go another time. We have done Disneyland in the pouring rain, and it is not all that fun for us. Although one time it was so bad we rode Heimlich's Chew Chew Train and since no one was on it, we rode it 3 times in a row. By the time we got off, our ponchos were full of water in our lap. Haha!

 

[jo-jo]

We were supposed to arrive today (from Northern California) but we canceled on Thursday. We have Magic Keys, so we can just go another time. We have done Disneyland in the pouring rain, and it is not all that fun for us. Although one time it was so bad we rode Heimlich's Chew Chew Train and since no one was on it, we rode it 3 times in a row. By the time we got off, our ponchos were full of water in our lap. Haha!

This is at disneyworld. Years ago on a no kids trip, I wanted to see Epcot fireworks. It was tropical storm raining. We sat on a bench, tucked under an umbrella and ponchos . Stayed dry. After fireworks, stood up and dumped a gallon of water into our shoes. Good thing we were going back to room. Funny then, but we were young . Now we would say, are you nuts, I'm not going in that rain.

 

[DontSpamMe]

We were supposed to arrive today (from Northern California) but we canceled on Thursday. We have Magic Keys, so we can just go another time. We have done Disneyland in the pouring rain, and it is not all that fun for us. Although one time it was so bad we rode Heimlich's Chew Chew Train and since no one was on it, we rode it 3 times in a row. By the time we got off, our ponchos were full of water in our lap. Haha!

December 31, 2022, will be a date that lives in infamy for our family. We planned for rain with waterproof shoes/boots, goretex rain suits, ponchos, and umbrellas. That's when we learned nothing is waterproof. We were soaked through and through for the new year countdown.

We no longer pack ponchos. Any drop of rain and we are out.

 

[Aspencreek]

December 31, 2022, will be a date that lives in infamy for our family. We planned for rain with waterproof shoes/boots, goretex rain suits, ponchos, and umbrellas. That's when we learned nothing is waterproof. We were soaked through and through for the new year countdown.

We no longer pack ponchos. Any drop of rain and we are out.

I'm with you guys, AmyG, JoJo, and DontSpamMe! I can handle a heat wave or a cold snap, but I will not willingly do the parks in the rain. We were supposed to go down for a week-long trip a couple weeks ago, but ended up cancelling/delaying in large part because the of the last round of storms that were incoming. I watched a few live-streams and it looks like we would have had major rain on 3 of our 4 reserved park days. For me half of the enjoyment is the beautiful sunny weather, so slogging around soaking wet and cold just ruins it. Visited enough times I can wait for sunshine!

 

[DizMe]

December 31, 2022, will be a date that lives in infamy for our family.

We no longer pack ponchos. Any drop of rain and we are out.

I was there a little earlier in Dec (2021?) and it was wild. There were very few people (besides us) crazy enough to be in the park. It was our first park day and we had a breakfast reservation on Main St but it was raining so hard water was coming in through the ceiling. It was also shortly post-C so they were seating people in weird places, like shop areas. We saw water dripping out of the light fixtures in the shops. Even with full rain gear, we got soaked just getting from the hotel (GCH) to Main St, and it was also windy and cold. We had a later lunch reservation at Blue Bayou and we just bailed on it. No way were we going to slog all the way over there because we were already soaked and cold. They didn't charge us for being no-shows. Fortunately, we still had a blast at the hotel and the rain let up for the rest of our trip.

Had something similar several years earlier when some giant atmospheric river decided to dump on DLR. We went from GCH to DLH for our Afternoon Tea reservation at Steakhouse 55 (RIP). There was nothing you could do, and I mean that, to prevent yourself from getting wet. We had full-on rainsuits and boots but we were still miserably damp and cold by the time we got to the Tea.

Those events are rare, but when they happen, it's wild. Rides have to shut down, certain areas may flood (there have been ducks swimming at the Main St hub), and DLR is just not set up for it.

 

[LKing]

Looks like the parks are closing early tonight.

 

[Pluto468]

Looks like the parks are closing early tonight.

Wow, I didn't think they ever did that! At least only once in a blue moon. The weather must be dreadful.

 

[ThreeMountains]

Looks like the parks are closing early tonight.

Woah! I left just in time. I was there this past Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday and all three days were basically sunny and 60s to 70s. When I left for the airport Thursday morning, it was POURING rain and I couldn't believe how many people were in ponchos with little kids and babies in strollers walking to the parks. I feel bad for those whose trips were ruined or had a serious damper put on them by the weather. I expect it at WDW but always hope for better luck in DL. In Florida, there's also always hope that they're just passing showers, but full rainy days, especially several in a row, are a tough pill to swallow if you've been planning a big trip for a long time and spent all of that money. It's like getting soaked on DL Splash Mountain in the front row at the beginning of a cold and cloudy day (not that I speak from experience...).

 

[LKing]

The weather must be dreadful.

There are flood warnings in LA and Orange County. At a certain point, you need to close and let your employees get home safely.

 

[Pluto468]

There are flood warnings in LA and Orange County. At a certain point, you need to close and let your employees get home safely.

I remember warnings happening sometimes when I lived in LA. Flash floods are so dangerous.

After looking at the weather I'm actually surprised they aren't closing even earlier.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Today was actually really nice, we got to the parks at 8pm and no rain until 2pm and just then it wasn’t *too* bad. Got decently wet between 3 and 4pm as we were making our way out. Soggy shoes and all. But I was suprised we made it that long. We are local and planned to arrive at park open and leave when it was no longer any fun … I thought that could have been moon but we were in the parks for eight hours, the majority of which were totally dry and it was low crowds.

Now tomorrow ... That is going to be a doozy. No way would I be going tomorrow.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Woah! I left just in time. I was there this past Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday and all three days were basically sunny and 60s to 70s. When I left for the airport Thursday morning, it was POURING rain and I couldn't believe how many people were in ponchos with little kids and babies in strollers walking to the parks. I feel bad for those whose trips were ruined or had a serious damper put on them by the weather. I expect it at WDW but always hope for better luck in DL. In Florida, there's also always hope that they're just passing showers, but full rainy days, especially several in a row, are a tough pill to swallow if you've been planning a big trip for a long time and spent all of that money. It's like getting soaked on DL Splash Mountain in the front row at the beginning of a cold and cloudy day (not that I speak from experience...).

We spent Thursday morning in the pouring rain at DCA. I felt sad for the little ones wearing regular shoes, saying their socks were soaked, before we even made it to security. DCA was definitely quieter that morning, but I was shocked to still see a couple of 45 minute waits. Waiting in the Web Slingers standby line for 45 minutes in the pouring rain that never let up? No thank you. It was nice to have Genie+ just to get out of the rain - only waited in line a couple of minutes.

 

[BrianL]

This is at disneyworld. Years ago on a no kids trip, I wanted to see Epcot fireworks. It was tropical storm raining. We sat on a bench, tucked under an umbrella and ponchos . Stayed dry. After fireworks, stood up and dumped a gallon of water into our shoes. Good thing we were going back to room. Funny then, but we were young . Now we would say, are you nuts, I'm not going in that rain.

That happened to me at DL on Spalsh Mountain. This is when the boats were just taking on water. I was riding with a buddy of mine who is a bigger guy, and they put him in the front! Yeah, very funny, CM. Anyway, My poncho had so much water in it, and I didn't know what to do with it. I didn't want to dump it to the floor to add to what was already down there. I held it until we disembarked. It was raining that day too, but that wasn't what was getting us wet! Our shoes were so soggy after that.

One thing that I also noticed on that rainy DL day was the difficulties they have with drainage and roof leaks, etc at DL. I guess when it barely ever rains, it's not usually a problem. In the Florida Parks, they get a storm every day almost, and you don't see those kinds of things unless it's like Hurricane type weather.

 

[MsChristy12]

Heading down there in a couple days and it's supposed to be overcast in Anaheim, it stays that way! 2 years in a row now that LA experience crazy rainstorms. It was around this same time last year our friends were at DLR and they were rained on everyday and had to buy extra sweatshirts to keep warm. They eventually got sick on their way home...

 

[OlliePop27]

Heading down there in a couple days and it's supposed to be overcast in Anaheim, it stays that way! 2 years in a row now that LA experience crazy rainstorms. It was around this same time last year our friends were at DLR and they were rained on everyday and had to buy extra sweatshirts to keep warm. They eventually got sick on their way home...

I went January last year and it rained on all 3 of our park days. We still had a great time and prepared for it.

We usually come in summer and decided that's our preference. No worries about rain in SoCal that time of year!

 

[SpaceMan5]

December 31, 2022, will be a date that lives in infamy for our family. We planned for rain with waterproof shoes/boots, goretex rain suits, ponchos, and umbrellas. That's when we learned nothing is waterproof. We were soaked through and through for the new year countdown.

We no longer pack ponchos. Any drop of rain and we are out.

We were caught in the atmospheric river last Jan and got hit with a ton of rain on 1/22/24 and we were just fine with our rain gear. Just a little surprised to hear that you got soaked even with the gear. Not to say that you didn't but since we live WA we have invested some $$ in our gear since we will use it multiple times a year.

 

[Glynis4]

We spent Thursday morning in the pouring rain at DCA. I felt sad for the little ones wearing regular shoes, saying their socks were soaked, before we even made it to security. DCA was definitely quieter that morning, but I was shocked to still see a couple of 45 minute waits. Waiting in the Web Slingers standby line for 45 minutes in the pouring rain that never let up? No thank you. It was nice to have Genie+ just to get out of the rain - only waited in line a couple of minutes.

The lines at DCA were much longer than I was expecting on Thursday morning. We only waited about 15 min for webslingers, but I think it was more like 20 for Monsters Inc.

 

[Diana ZP]

We were caught in the atmospheric river last Jan and got hit with a ton of rain on 1/22/24 and we were just fine with our rain gear. Just a little surprised to hear that you got soaked even with the gear. Not to say that you didn't but since we live WA we have invested some $$ in our gear since we will use it multiple times a year.

It is a little weird for me to look at the web cams at Disneyland and see the rain so hard, when here in WA it is not as bad (at least now)...hope everyone stays warm and dry!