Do the ponchos really work???

[4fordisneyworld]

My 5 yr old is determined to get us on splash mtn this time around. However I know my 3yr will freak out if she gets really wet so we are considering not taking her on it unless I know that the ponchos really do help!

I don't really want to drag clothes through the park just for one ride. We thought about doing it right before we break for the afternoon. Any feedback is helpful...thanks

 

[tanyaandallie]

Hmmm, I guess I don't remember getting super soaked on Splash. A towel to try off the seat is nice and if you have ponchos, my guess is they would work great. If your worried about your 3 year old, don't take her. My 4 year old wouldn't even ride it but she didn't ride any 40 inch rides.

I'd be far more concerned about getting wet on Kali River Rapids. Now that ride REALLY soaks you.

 

[4fordisneyworld]

thank you for the info! we heard about kali rapids.....not trying that one yet!

 

[720L]

Yes they help. When you get to the part where you are right next to the big hill going down and you get splashed from the raft going down--I put my head down and hold the hood over my head as much as I can and I only get a little wet. If you luck out and don't get splashed there you really don't get that wet.

 

[hoosiergirl7]

I have never gotten soaked on Splash Mountain. I can't remember a time where I've gotten even really wet either. I guess it just depends.

I have heard that you do get soaked on Kali River Rapids at AK.

 

[buckler]

We wore our ponchos on Splash Mountain at Disneyland and afterwards people were telling us we were smart. We were dry and others were wet. We've also used them at WDW and they kept us dry.

Yeah, we look a bit uptight, but I'd rather not have wet jeans touring the park.

They are a definite on Kali (or the DCA version, Grizzly River Rapids). Plus take a trash bag for your backpack. I had to laugh at the lady with the designer leather purse that passed up my offer of putting her purse in our trash bag when we loaded on the ride at DCA. Her purse got soaked! I hope it was a knockoff.

 

[tanyaandallie]

I mean, seriously. Kali is CRAZY! The one and only time we rode it I got so soaked I had to buy new clothes. I even had a trash bag over me and my shoes. I was soaked down to my undies!!! We have opted never to ride again.

 

[ellenmiele]

On another thread I posted my solution to the KRR dilemma of getting soaked every time - and I think it would work for SM too! Here it is:

In the past we have gotten totally soaked (on KRR) every time - and once it was a cooler day so we were chilly - we ended up buying dry clothes and changing in the restroom. That was a pricey mistake that I will not make again! So before our last trip I bought some rain ponchos at our dollar store (very small 2-pks for $1) and the day we went to AK I put them in my bag. Those of us who wanted to stay dry put them on while we were in line and when we sat down we tucked them in around our legs and necks For the most part, we stayed fairly dry. DH and DS like to get wet and they don't mind walking around in wet clothes - I just don't get that! They are thin, cheaper ponchos than the ones you can buy in WDW and my plan was to just throw them away after the ride - which is exactly what I did! It worked quite well and I plan to do it again next time.

 

[myprincessgirlisa]

the kids wore them at Universal studios, but not Disney...& let me tell you...they keep you dry...EXCEPT for your shoes & socks...lol
worth it if you DONT want to get wet...get em at the $ store..2 for $1

 

[a1tinkfans]

I'd certainly bring extra socks, just in case. There is NOTHING worse than a child in wet socks walking thru Disney, OUCH!
We always bring ponchos with us for our trip.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't know if the wetness factor is different between Splash at WDW and DLR, but at DLR I put my poncho on just before I get to the CM. When I get in (and of course I believe the seating is different between the two parks) I make sure the poncho is UNDER my bottom and legs, and I try to get it so that I'm protected from water splashing up from the bottom of the boat as well as water splashing down into the boat. You want the hood up (made that mistake on Grizzly at DCA, and got an icy rivulet of water going down my neck/back).

It has worked very well for me. I have been on boats that got absolutely soaked (I've only gone single rider, so I'm always in boats with strangers) and the same people who were giggling at me and my poncho beforehand were saying "I should have done that" while squishing off in search of sunshine to dry or new clothes to buy.

Poncho = good.

And I actually hate the dollar store ones. I wore one my first time on Splash, and it did work, but it felt horrible. And I hate wasting something like that by throwing it away, the idea hurts my brain. So we buy the $7 disney ponchos. Wear them, shake them off after the ride (away from people), fold them back up (they fold back up easily if you pay attention to the way you unfolded and the creases in the plastic), stow them away for another ride/another day/another trip. I've worn my one on...4 wet rides so far, so just three more rides and it's officially the same cost as having a throw-away poncho for each of those rides.

 

[danx2plus3more]

forget sock and wet shoes...buy crocs..thats the way to go for sure.and yes disposable ponchos are great use em and get rid of them

 

[_queenie_]

Does it help to sit in the back row?

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I don't know if they change the splash factor at Splash in different seasons or what ... but I'm telling you that I got absolutely DRENCHED on Splash in July. Soaked to the bone both times we rode. I had been on Splash during three different Jan/Feb trips prior to July 07 and just got a little splash here and there. But, every other log or so was just getting drenched this summer ... it seems to me that they adjust the load speed of the logs or something to coordinate one log being in the splash zone at the exact time another log is going down the hill and producing the splash. I'm convinced that Disney can and does control the splash factor on this ride to some extent.

Anyway, I finally got smart and wrapped myself in a poncho (what helped most was holding the hood closed tight around my face and keeping my arms in next to my body while "closing" the armholes) while going past the hill. I'm all for a little water on a water ride, but this was just shocking given the number of times I had ridden and barely got wet. I just wasn't prepared to have wet shorts and shoes all day. Now, Kali, I would expect to get soaked and would have been prepared.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

Does it help to sit in the back row?

It might help coming down the hill. But, I'm telling you, the place where you really get wet is when you are sitting there and a log coming down the hill splashes you. You are a sitting duck. Being the first one into the log and sitting near the far side *might* help a bit depending on how big the dump of water is and how much you can hide behind the person sitting next to you.

 

[Nanu57v]

I think sitting on the far side when you enter the ride will keep you dryer. Like if you are facing front, sit to the left. Also, shoes can get wet on Kali. I'd bring flip flops with you to wear on it.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I don't really want to drag clothes through the park just for one ride. We thought about doing it right before we break for the afternoon. Any feedback is helpful...thanks

We did ride right before break and it worked out well ... just get a FP.

 

[all4fun]

The ponchos do work but you have to make sure they are under your bum and legs and when I wear one (it depends on how warm out it is if I bother or not) I will put my hood up at the top of the big hill and hold it at my chin. Otherwise, the water will run right down the back of my neck. If I really don't want to get wet, I also put my head down. LOL Also at WDW it does help to be the first one in the ride vehicle because after you've come down the big hill and you're waiting to get off the ride, the water coming down the side sometimes is flowing rather heavily and will soak the person sitting on the right as you're waiting there.

another tip - don't wear denim!! and you might want to take your socks off (but you're required to have shoes on all rides).

I believe the restrooms at splash mtn and Kali both have the high velocity air dryers. In a pinch it's better than nothing.