How Wet Does One Get On Kali River Rapids?

[MOpGrad2013]

We got wet in June, but the family riding with us was SoAKED to the gills! I have to blame it on weight distribution--DH is pooh sized and I am 6"...the family across from us were super petite. Both DDs got a decent amount of water, but dried rather quickly.

The center compartment popped up due to a gust of wind so we were closing it up before we went down the big drop. A little water there, but we had items in baggies.

 

[MAD on Disney]

We often get soaked. For us our primary concern is footwear - wet socks inside wet tennis shoes can take forever to dry. While some people get soaked and some don't (which is more desirable is a matter of opinion), even the not-soaked people usually get their feet wet from all the water sloshing around in the bottom of the raft. Though most days we go to the parks bagless, on AK days where we expect to go on Kali we take a bag with flip flops or sandals to change into for the ride, and the bag and socks and shoes go into a giant ziplock bag that DW got years ago at who-knows-where and that she keeps for just this purpose. The ziplock bag is because that supposedly "waterproof" storage area in the middle of the raft often fails to live up to its purpose (that is not a "blame Disney for neglectful design" or "it's because of FP+", it's just that the big splash can be a very big splash!).

Another strategy is to just do the ride without any aquatic protection shortly before you are planning to leave the park, so that you can minimize your time that you are wet and change into dry clothes back at the hotel.

 

[bweagle]

If you go down the final hill backwards, you will get soaked.....completely. We went down facing the hill and still got a nice drenching, although we would have gladly gotten more. Don't wear jean shorts.....they take forever to dry. Cotton shorts are much more comfortable and dry so much more quickly after a ride on Kali.

 

[tsme]

I came off the ride looking like I had peed my pants.

 

[disney meema]

I've gotten wet and I've gotten soaked ... Nice on a blazing hot day

 

[larryz]

I just can't remember if you're guaranteed to get soaked!

Oh, yes. Yes, indeed.

 

[DizDaD7]

Haven't ridden this the last 3 trips because we've skipped AK. We are going in December. Obviously if it's cold, we will skip. I just can't remember if you're guaranteed to get soaked!

Hmmm, How wet are you going to get? Let me see....

Well Sit next to me LoL & you'll come off the ride wetter than if you just showered.....It's a running joke now, for people that want & don't want to sit near me on this ride.....I'm always the person going down that last drop ( BACKwards ) therefore...SOAKED!!!

 

[mom2rtk]

Have you been to Disney in December? I was so excited to be going when it was "cool". Yeah, no! All the pics from the year before had people in 10 thousand layers because it was so cold. Our christmas trip was 90* every day. Really killed the christmasy feel of our photos! Moral of the story, it may be 20* or 90* in Decemeber, so don't write off water rides until you get there. You may really need them!

Yep, been to WDW in December of 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012. We have hit some 80 degree days but never 90. I call it "kitchen sink" weather. As in you need to pack everything but the kitchen sink. We have hit some very cold weather, and we have hit some heavenly weather. But never hot enough I'd like to be drenched. That's partly because that time of year, even if it does get warm during the day, it's likely to be cool as the sun goes down, which happens fairly early.

 

[HotMama]

I like the sign before you get on the ride... "You WILL get wet! YOU MAY GET SOAKED."

I got wet, not too bad. My hubby & son got soaked!!!

 

[castleri]

The last two times I have gotten soaked - Last time we did the "ride Kali just before leaving the park thing and fortunately the bus temperature that day was not set very low. Many years ago during Christmas week it was cold and they had big blowers ( I think they call them salamanders) set up on the exit path so you could get a little dryer and warmer but of course some people tried to get completely dry so not everyone was able to get a little dryer. One time I bought an AK beach towel just to have something to wrap around me for the trip back to the hotel. Lots of good suggestions have been mentioned here so I guess it is just a matter of how badly someone wants to ride what plans you should make.

 

[momof2cutegirls]

We rode this right before leaving the park & good thing...joked that I'd be the one to get soaked, & I did! Everywhere! It was awful & hilarious all at the same time!

 

[sretav]

We've only been twice but have always planned Kali for the end of the day usually starting around 7 pm. Still nice and hot but low crowds since a lot of people are gone from AK by then. Each time we were able to ride over and over again with only a few minutes wait in between or even getting to stay on the raft. Then we let the kids get soaked even more in the fountains next to Kali. It's the end of the day so don't care so much that we're wet.

 

[momofboyz3]

This ride was GREAT! Myself and twins for a little wet.... But my ds9 hahahahahaha he got SOAKED! We didn't even realize until we are walking out of the attraction and I see people in line laughing and someone says "OMG you do get soaked!!!! Look at HIM" sure enough there is my little guy soaked to the bone ringing out his shirt.

 

[mom2rtk]

The absolute best setup for this type of ride is at California Adventure. Their Grizzly River Run is right outside the entrance to the park directly from the Grand Californian. Guests staying there can be back in their room to change in just a few minutes. It's a thing of beauty!

 

[tanyaandallie]

If you ride with me you'll come out bone dry! Every single time I've been on it I've ended up soaked to the bone while the rest of my family seems only mildly misted And when I say soaked to the bone I mean that, when you change your clothes later, everything, even undies, are dripping wet. If you're female, definitely don't wear a white top before getting on this ride.

I've learned, as others have said, to do this ride at the end of my AK day. We always have a rental car so I've also learned to leave a towel and extra clothes in the trunk so, if needed, I can make a quick change, especially if we're not planning on heading directly back to the hotel.

But, despite the hassle, this is still a must-ride for me. My kids laugh so hard seeing me get soaked and, since we tour in August, coming off this ride is actually the most refreshed I've ever felt in Animal Kingdom!

Ditto. We love this ride but I ALWAYS am the one to get soaked to the undies wet. It's crazy. We have done it early and ridden 3 or 4 times in a row. We bring change of clothes for everyone and change after we are done. Maybe we will do it at the end of day next time.

 

[Eoywin]

I rode it twice last October - first time I didn't get wet at all. 2nd time, I got soaked.

But I always leave it for last because of the possibility of being soaked.

 

[Tomh]

From what I have seen, plan on somewhere between relatively wet, and absolutely drenched.

 

[jasmine91]

My husband didn't get a drop, and I was drenched from head to toe. It all depends on where you sit

 

[ChristophersMom2]

We had the fortunate or maybe unfortunate pleasure of riding this 2 times due to a fellow rider knowing the CM's. We were beyond drenched from head to toe, and my 12 year old says he will NEVER ride this again!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . I just can't remember if you're guaranteed to get soaked!

Swimming fish are drier than guests on Kali.