Oh NO, El Nino! What is Disneyland like in the POURING rain?

[cakegirl007]

I just read that El Nino is expected to bring a "Godzilla like" storm to Southern California that could last months and cause major flooding and land slides this fall and winter. We are planning a once in a lifetime trip in mid-November. What is Disneyland like when it rains like that? Will they close a lot of rides? What about parades and fireworks? Will the park close completely? Will characters be out walking around? My kids are most looking forward to meeting characters and watching parades. Are we going to be miserable?

I'm so sad right now

 

[GatorChris]

First, since when did anyone trust a weather man. Especially with a prediction 3 months out! Yes, El Nino is coming, but we don't know what that means. Even if SoCal were to double their rain this winter, that would only be a few more inches and a few more storms. While you may see rain, like you could any late fall or winter day, it shouldn't take away from the trip. Have you ever been to WDW in the summer? It rains all the time!!! But things operate as usual.

The only reason rides would go down is if they're outdoors and there's a lightening storm passing over. That would only last for a few hours. As for characters, they would move to less rainy areas and go inside. As for parades and fireworks, I'll let someone else speak to that. I know that if someone sneezed the wrong way, fireworks can be cancelled. But Fantasmic! and World of Color should remain unaffected.

 

[Geemo]

http://www.disboards.com/threads/no...-and-winter-2016-plans.3407567/#post-53605791
This is a link to a thread I started back in May. NOAA has some nice forecast diagrams of what they predict month by month.

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2015/04...West-Coast-Extreme-Marine-Die-Off-Developing#
This is a link to a full article of the forecast.

If the predictions are correct, pack those ponchos and rain gear!

Geemo

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I just read that El Nino is expected to bring a "Godzilla like" storm to Southern California that could last months and cause major flooding and land slides this fall and winter. We are planning a once in a lifetime trip in mid-November. What is Disneyland like when it rains like that? Will they close a lot of rides? What about parades and fireworks? Will the park close completely? Will characters be out walking around? My kids are most looking forward to meeting characters and watching parades. Are we going to be miserable?

I'm so sad right now

Well, a couple of things...El Nino is definitely being predicted for this winter. We keep hearing that it may or may not bring huge storms, but it should at least bring us a wetter winter than we're used to having. It may result in more snow in the mountains that will fill our reservoirs in the spring. Whether the low-lying areas get tons of rain is yet to be seen. Rather than a "Godzilla like" storm that lasts months, we're more likely to get a series of storms, some bigger and wetter than others.

In terms of the parks, I love going in the rain! We just throw on our ponchos and keep moving. A lot of people will leave the park or stay in restaurants or shops, leaving the lines very short. The Tea Cups almost always close in the rain because the surface area becomes slippery. Other outdoor rides may or may close. It depends on whether running the ride is still safe. Indoor rides will generally not close. Although several years ago, they closed Indiana Jones during a storm because water was seeping into the indoor queue area and getting a little too close to electrical systems. It was closed until the rain slowed down and the water could be swept out. The park itself will not close. Sometimes the parades are scaled back to a "character parade" where a few characters ride down the street in a covered streetcar. Characters might still be out for meet and greets, but they will stand under covered walkways to stay dry. Fireworks are frequently cancelled due to high winds. Sometimes you can't feel any wind at the ground level, but it's too windy up high for them to be launched. Fantasmic and World of Color rarely get cancelled.

I doubt it will rain all the time, everyday during your trip. Just stay flexible. If you get a clear day, see the parades and fireworks in case they do get cancelled the next day.

 

[ktlm]

Yeah- I wouldn't place much credibility in that report. They have no idea at this point. We were listening to a news story yesterday and were laughing because they basically started out like that and then qualified it by basically saying "or it might not do that at all". We have done WDW in the pouring rain. Basically, you throw a poncho on and keep going- if there is lightning you get inside to a ride, show, or shop until it passes. A few rides will close for rain (like RSR) and outdoor parades and shows could get cancelled, BUT even at WDW with a much bigger non-local crowd, the parks empty out quite a bit and the lines get short. We had a great time at the WDW parks in the rain. I would bet the parks are even emptier and the lines even shorter at DLR where there is a large local population visiting that can just wait for a day with better weather.

 

[minniecarousel]

We love Disneyland in the rain. Several decades ago, we went with friends in Feb. I'd never walked right onto rides like Space Mtn before that day! It was great. One year, we took our kids on Jan 2-6 and the rain was coming down side-ways one of the days. Main St flooded that day. Last Dec, we had a very rainy morning & DS & DDIL took the baby back to the room while DH & I had a blast in the rain.

So, you might get a day with a ton of torrential rain (or not!) It'll all work out. The first time we took our kids to WDW, Hurricane Andrew had just passed through. It's nerve-wracking when it's a big deal trip - that's understandable. Just try not to stress about it.

 

[iKristin]

All I think of when people talk about the possible wet Fall/Winter is NO CROWDS!!! I'm just ready for this month to be over so I can enjoy my park again without a billion people there

 

[luulu1999]

NO CROWDS!! Get several throw away ponchos from the dollar tree for each in your group and you are good to go and you can just throw them away when you are done our first trip was at Christmas it rained 2 out of 3 of our mornings it was really peaceful and no lines!! We walked right on Peter Pan one morning!! I think Tea Cups close during the rain and Alice I am pretty sure was closed too

 

[bcwife76]

Plus I bet Disneyland sells some really cute poncho's

 

[Angrose]

We were there the weekend after Thanksgiving last year and we had one day when it rained lightly on and off during the day. They ended up cancelling the evening holiday parade and had the characters in the covered vehicles instead.
I'm actually very intrigued by all this talk of rain at DLR and wouldn't mind seeing what happens there when a storm comes through. Of course, I've been going often this year with my AP so it wouldn't be the end of the world for me, but if it was a once in a lifetime trip I would be nervous about too! All you can do is prepare for the worst and then you'll be happy if things turn out OK.
Oh, and just an aside, pack swimsuits just in case. I was convinced that we wouldn't want to swim, but we had two days of high-70s and it definitely felt warm enough to take a dip!

 

[maltdizzy]

Plus I bet Disneyland sells some really cute poncho's

Same ones they sell at WDW..."Disney Parks"...pretty bland compared to what I got from Disneyland Paris 10 years ago.

 

[courtneybeth]

Disneyland is the best in the rain. Wear your best rainboots and Mickey Poncho and prepare to have a blast! Some of the rides like Radiator Springs Racers, Teacups, and Alice close down due to the mechanics, but the others stay open. The rainy day parade is great as well. They shove all the face characters into the Main Street Cars and they drive down the street.

 

[RainyDayPixie]

I was in DL for a VERY rainy one day trip a few years ago in January. It was so rainy that they closed the parks early on at least one or two of the days. Ducks were swimming in the road! Honestly, it was AWFUL. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but it was our worst trip. True, there were no crowds and we could walk on to everything, but there is also really nowhere to get out of the rain. Almost all the restaurants are outdoors/open air and it was quite cold. We sat shivering in BB to grab a bite out of the rain, but even then we were so cold. One thing that could help is having a hotel near where one might change clothes. We were staying too far away to do that.

We're from Seattle and are used to the rain (in fact it is downright pouring up here right now!) and we had good gear, but it was really not fun.

That said, for their sake and ours up here, I hope they are right about the El Nino year and rain/snowfall. We could all use it!

And I wouldn't let it stop me from planning a trip in November. I'd just keep a good eye on the forecast and make the most of it.

 

[sheetz]

Just to be clear, "El Nino" isn't a storm, but rather a weather condition that tends bring more powerful and frequent storms into California. A single large storm isn't usually a big deal, but the problem is if there are a series of big storms one right after another. When that happens there's the possibility of flooding because the area has poor drainage and the rainfall can't soak into the saturated ground.

 

[Sherry E]

I just read that El Nino is expected to bring a "Godzilla like" storm to Southern California that could last months and cause major flooding and land slides this fall and winter. We are planning a once in a lifetime trip in mid-November. What is Disneyland like when it rains like that? Will they close a lot of rides? What about parades and fireworks? Will the park close completely? Will characters be out walking around? My kids are most looking forward to meeting characters and watching parades. Are we going to be miserable?

I'm so sad right now

Did you read it when I posted the link in the Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread (yesterday)? I was actually trying to keep it contained in that thread so as not to cause mass panic and worry on the rest of the forum!

I don't think mid-November will be an issue.

I am old -- I have lived in SoCal since 1967. I've experienced a lot of the El Nino rain. It can be bad. It can be relentless. It can rain for weeks on end (one time I was watching the calendar to see if it was going to reach biblical levels of "40 days and 40 nights," and it stopped not long before the 40-day point!). It can cause flooding, roof collapses, massive leaks, cars hydroplaning to and fro, backed up storm drains, mudslides, small tornadoes, water spouts, etc. The Sepulveda Basin turns into a river. Dams and levees can break if there is too much stress on them. It's not the sort of rain where an umbrella will do much good, and even a poncho and rain coat can be almost pointless. It's a mess, basically.

People who have not experienced El Nino's wrath in California don't realize how ill-equipped we are to handle that kind of weather, which is why it causes so many problems. We are not talking about just a strong storm that moseys along on its way. We're talking about days and weeks on end of heavy, steady rain. The ground gets saturated and can't handle anymore, and it reaches its saturation point early on.


That said, right now the ocean's temperature is warm -- and maybe even getting warmer -- so it is not looking like this will be a false alarm. Unless the ocean cools down by a couple of degrees in the next 2 or 3 months, El Nino rain is coming. But... it can vary in intensity. The "peak" of the rain can be delayed, so that it doesn't really hit until early next year. The storms may not be as intense or last as long. Anything could happen to weaken the systems a little bit. The article that I linked in the Superthread clearly said that it looks like the rain will peak in late fall/early winter. If anything, it will be delayed. I don't think mid-November is in too much danger!

A lot of heavy rain -- if and when it should occur -- will, indeed, affect Disneyland's outdoor entertainment and rides. There is no getting around that. Anyone who happens to be there when and IF it happens will just have to deal with it as best they can an try to make the most of the time there.

And, by the way, in more than one article I read, the rain that is expected to come this winter is not going to fall in exactly the right places, in a large enough volume, to help the drought. SoCal is supposed to get more rain that NorCal, but NorCal is where all of the intense rain would need to fall in order to make a dent in the drought statewide. It doesn't just fall from the sky and help the drought. It has to land in the right places, and if the most intense rainfall impacts SoCal, it won't make much of a difference in the drought situation, sadly. So it will be a whole lot of mess and upheaval for very little payoff!

 

[RainyDayPixie]

And, by the way, in more than one article I read, the rain that is expected to come this winter is not going to fall in exactly the right places, in a large enough volume, to help the drought. SoCal is supposed to get more rain that NorCal, but NorCal is where all of the intense rain would need to fall in order to make a dent in the drought statewide. It doesn't just fall from the sky and help the drought. It has to land in the right places, and if the most intense rainfall impacts SoCal, it won't make much of a difference in the drought situation, sadly. So it will be a whole lot of mess and upheaval for very little payoff!

Well that's a shame! Up here more rain means more snow and it goes right into our rivers and reservoirs. I forget how big California is!

 

[darcie2000]

I just read that El Nino is expected to bring a "Godzilla like" storm to Southern California that could last months and cause major flooding and land slides this fall and winter. We are planning a once in a lifetime trip in mid-November. What is Disneyland like when it rains like that? Will they close a lot of rides? What about parades and fireworks? Will the park close completely? Will characters be out walking around? My kids are most looking forward to meeting characters and watching parades. Are we going to be miserable?

I'm so sad right now

You aren't by any chance an Aussie and referring to this news article from News.com.au are you?

http://www.news.com.au/technology/e...revious-el-ninos/story-fnjwvztl-1227484302255

Disneyland in the rain could be fun

 

[OneThree]

Having lived in SoCal for a few years I seem to remember even in the "rainy" years it was more December-February. Of course, maybe that is selective memory since we are planning a November trip to DL.

 

[pittypat]

We'll be there in December and while I don't want it to rain, California needs rain so badly that I actually will not care if it rains every single day.

 

[Sherry E]

Having lived in SoCal for a few years I seem to remember even in the "rainy" years it was more December-February. Of course, maybe that is selective memory since we are planning a November trip to DL.

That's accurate. Of course it has rained heavily at times in early December, for sure -- and sometimes even heavily in November -- but it does seem like a lot of the really relentless, torrential rain happens in at least late December and then carries on in intermittent waves through March.