Poncho Questions

[erikthewise]

Some tip sites recommend bringing compact lightweight ponchos to take with you to the parks.
(A) Is this really worth the trouble?
(B) What brand/style/store/etc should one look for?

 

[slp87]

They are most definitely worth it!! They are cheaper than the parks ($.99 as opposed to $5.00 at WDW). We always buy about 4 - 5 per person before hand, then we can throw any away that we use and not have to try and cram that wet plastic back into the bag. Any extras we put away for future vacations. You can find them at Targets and Wal Marts in the sporting goods department. They are very compact and fit in a fanny pack or small purse. Another good tip is to buy a color other than yellow so that you can spot your other family members easier. Everyone starts to look the same in the sea of yellow Mickey ponchos.

 

[bobcat]

Yes! We take the disposable ponchos on every trip. They are little and don't take much room. We can throw them away when we are done and don't have to fold them up when they dry. I usually buy 4-5 per person for each trip, many times we don't use them.

They came in really handy this summer. We had a horrific storm on evening when we were in Epcot. We were stuck in a store in China for over an hour and when the rain finally let up we were able to walk out with our ponchos. The store had sold out and people were amazed that we brought our own.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Buy cheap ones before you leave and keep them with you. Believe me, I learned the hard way. You also might want to buy more than one per person. They're not the best made and can rip easily. Or at least that's what I've found.

 

[madison66]

.

 

[erikthewise]

Thanks for the responses!
Now if I can only find some! Looked the other day and both Target and Wal-Mart were out of stock.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Do you have a Harmon Cosmetics Outlet? I saw them there.

 

[tinofan]

I had only brought 1 per person, worked out fine for a week of rain in Sept! We hung them in the shower for a little while, them shoved them in a bag or a small back-pack we had brought.
AND, as for the sea of yellow... I had a really fat magic marker, so I drew big smiley faces on the backs of all of ours. It did help.

Have fun!

 

[Deb & Bill]

The Mickey ponchos are available in the parks anytime it looks like rain. They are an inexpensive souvenier. Your kids will have fun wearing them instead of those generic Walmart ponchos. They can easily last the entire trip and longer. We still have the ones we bought two years ago and go twice a year at a minimum. They usually have two different kinds - the bright yellow ones with Mickey on the back and the beige ones that are sold at the AK with AK Mickey on them. You won't have to carry them if you buy them when you need them. They have lots of them at every cash register when it rains.

And if you really are cheap, pull a trash bag out of a trash can, cut holes for the arms and neck and wear it. But you will look stupid.

 

[jwfla422]

My advice (as a Floridian) is to buy the regular ponchos at a Walmart, Kmart, Target if you don't want to splurge for the Mickey ones at the park. These are a "must" between the months of May and October. These ponchos are a little bulky but well worth it because the rainstorms are extremely undpredictable during these months and sometimes last hrs. (we spent A LOT of time in the rain our past visit in September). Thank goodness we also had a stroller cover.

Between the months of November and April though, I'd go for the real cheapie/disposable kind like what many are talking about. They're a really thin plastic and fold up to a size of a small wallet, very handy, but since the rain chance is so much less this time of year, you're better off with those. They are also available at Walmart, Kmart, Target and many of the Dollar Stores have them.

I must add though that the Mickey ponchos make a good souvenier and you can use them when you go back. I still use a Seaworld poncho whenever I go back and I got that in 1989!

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says............................................. Go for the cheap ponchos. If you must pay full price then go to KSC, and get what was orange ponchos, don't know if that has changed. We paid full price for KSC ponchos, because we were caught in a tropical storm. A couple days latter,at WDW, when the rains came, it was 20,000 yellow Mickey ponchos, 100 generic ponchos, and 3 orange KSC ponchos!!!! I knew where my family members were!!!

 

[cindala]

We used the yellow Disney ponchos the first few visits, but got tired of their bulkiness and smelliness after they got wet. We started to bring small compact umbrellas instead, and found them to be more convenient for us. We usually visit in the hot summer months, so those ponchos can get pretty sticky too!

 

[candaceg]

We returned from the World last week, and we were fortunate to have no rain the entire time we were there. However, the weather was cool, and we were so happy to have the cheap $1 ponchos when we went on Kali River Rapids at AK. My sister gave her's to someone just about to get on when we got off and it was fun to watch that woman come down the rapids with a smile on her face while everyone else got drenched! We put our shoes in the center holder, so they weren't even soggy.

 

[tonilea]

I like the little cheap ponchos. I have a couple stashed in my truck. And a couple in my gear bag. We packed them last year for October, it rained every day we were there.... before we got up! We never had to use them!

Toni

13 days! Yeah!!!!!

 

[erikthewise]

I finally found some at a Dick's Sporting Goods store. Target and Walmart were always sold out, and a clerk at Walmart told me why: people buy them out of th 99 cent ponchos, then go sell them at football games! (undoubtedly for $3 or more, though she didn't say) Now that HS football is winding down, that may be less of a problem.

 

[susy]

Just back and we brought disposables. We ended up buying the yellow 100 years of Magic ones and I'm glad we did. If it rains on and off during the day, you can't keep throwing the dis. ones away and forget dealing with them once they are wet!!! My idea that worked great was to just put them in a small backpack. someone will have to carry them. We hung it on our stroller and this will be our plan for our next few trips.

 

[TartanFan]

We got caught in a torrential rainstorm in MK in Aug '00. DB and family's first trip. We bought MK ponchos and didn't think it was a rip off - good souvenir for everyone!

But as a consequence, got to hear the two best lines I've ever heard in 20 years of visiting WDW!

1) DB watched everyone running in the rain with smiles on their faces (bear in mind that we come from Glasgow, Scotland) and said "This really is the happiest place on earth!"

2) We made our way to the Monorail and someone behind us shouted "Hey you there in the pocho". 200 people turned around!

I love Disney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!