EPCOT world showcase -- in the rain?

[Agirl1]

Hello!

I am VERY excited about our upcoming Disney trip! I am watching the weather very closely. Of course it could change... but right now they are predicting rain for my EPCOT day. Does anyone know the impact on the world showcase entertainment? Also, do any of the Future World rides close when it rains?

Thank you!

 

[ScottOKW2K]

My wife REALLY wants me to respond to this !

You're probably wondering about that as the beginning of a reply. Let's just say that Illuminations will take place in the rain - in the "downpouring, lightning-storm thunder crescendo to the fireworks rain" ! How intense was it ? There were only about three (!) of us watching from Italy. It was Kali River rapids wet, lightning all over the place and a very intense experience. My wife and daughter bailed on me and watched from a doorway, far away from me. They did give me some weird looks though. Would I do it again - maybe. Did I enjoy it - you better believe it !!

AS far as showcase entertainment - performers who do not perform under any covering will not perform. I do not know about areas where the performances are from a covered area ( Off Kilter, British Invasion, etc. ).

I do know that Test Track will close if it is raining, due to the high-speed run part of the ride being outside.

If it rains, take a poncho. There is still plenty to do , rain or shine.

 

[safetymom]

Test Track will close but everything else will still be running in Future World.

Epcot is a great place to go in the rain.

 

[swilphil]

There are lots of covered pavillions and lots of shops to duck into. My favorite entertainment, British Invasion, is covered so should not be a problem unless there's lightning. I also think the Japanese drummers are covered, but not sure about that one.

 

[jonrex]

Personally, I think I would love to browse WS in the rain. If it got too hard, I would think the little cafe/bakery in Norway would be a great place to sit and have a snack until it slacks off.

Go anyway and have fun!

 

[PratersloveDW]

The World Showcase is a great place to be in the rain - it just sort of adds to the romance of the place. All of Epcot, for that matter, is nice in the rain. That is where we tend to head if it does start raining. Most the rides are operational - excpet for Test Track as you have heard - and a good number of the shows will go on. The shows will be canceled if there is significant lightning, however. Have a magical time and remember, in Florida, most of the rainy days are short! The sun usually likes to make an apperance each day!

 

[daisylove]

Yes Test track will close in pouring rain but l;ast trip it was open in the light rain as I can attest to. Let me tell you it was a shock when you come out of the building and the rain just stings you.
As to attending in the rain? Rain, shine, snow, sleet, ... any weather and I am there!

 

[jellydisney]

Epcot is a good place to go in the rain (so is Magic Kingdom). But at Epcot there is significantly more open space from attraction to attraction. So definitely bring a poncho and/or umbrella or you will be soaked and miserable. I recommend the umbrella more than the poncho myself... I can't stand having the rain pouring over my face and head.

 

[DisneyMom5]

I guess I am in the minority. We did the WS in the rain the last trip and it was miserable. Future World was fine, b/c just about everything was inside. We came back on another afternoon that was BEAUTIFUL with warm weather and sun and LOVED it. All the outdoor performers were out and it was a lot of fun. I won't go to WS again in the rain.

 

[sugermouse]

Of all the parks, we find Epcot the easiest to endure in the rain.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

This thread made me smile. Twice when we visited WS it opened up and poured. Lucikly we were prepared: our preschool age twins stayed snug and dry in their umbrella strollers with ponchos on, umbrellas over their heads and clear 1/2 shower curtains over their bodies with their heads stuck through the middle. No problems at all!

And yes, we've watched British Invasion in the pouring rain. We were also told by several CMs at Epcot that it's very rare that Illuminations is cancelled due to weather so we stayed and watched both times and had the place nearly to ourselves. In remembering one particularly nice night, shortly before Illuminations ended it stopped raining. Since the kids were asleep in their umbrella strollers we walked out the Epcot resorts exit, mulled around there for a while and later took a cab back to our resort. Simple but for some reason one of my fondest memories...

 

[leighmidd]

Rain, snow, hail or shine EPCOT is a wonderful place to be. The only ride in Future world that will be affected is Test Track. I can't tell you the number of times I've gotten to the front of the line just in time for the lightning storm and the ride to get shut down. That's the only downer.

 

[Mike Jones]

We were watching the drummers at Japan in June, and suddenley the wind got up, and you could see the rain shower making its way across the lake from the Globe... very dramatic! The drummers carried on, even though the rain was attacking them at an angle of 45 degrees or so, which effectively defeated any shelter the temple overhang gave them! Still sounded great!

Then, on my birthday, we watched Illuminations in heavy rain... but, as it was warm, we enjoyed it as much as usual.

I'd rather be at Epcot in wet weather than any of the other parks... at least there's room to spread out.