Ponchos, how do you handle them?

[lenshanem]

UGH. We never could seem to get them folded back small enough, always wet, impossible to dry. Like where do you lay them out at? Ours ended up wet on the inside! We had to use them everyday on our last trip. Man, I hate these things. Anyone have any tips?
I'm assuming if you stuck them in the dryer for a few minutes they would melt? I tried wiping them down with a wash towel and it didn't work.

 

[kilee]

We buy the really cheap ones-- so we just keep disposing of them.

 

[tar heel]

We also get the 2/$1 ones at Dollar Tree and toss them after wearing. My dh has been known to refold one, but not me. We usually take about 10 on each trip and haven't run out yet.

 

[Liz]

Our problem always seems to be the ponchos are back in the room when we need them!

But when we do have them and they get used, we just spread them out over a chair or something back in the room later and they seem to dry okay. We never try to fold them back as small as they were in the original package.

 

[skiwee1]

I have our Disney ponchos from a trip 10 years ago! I love our yellow ponchos and they hold up like steel. I store them in a bag under the stroller. After we use them I shake them out and fold them up and put them back in the back until we get to the room. I then take them out and lay them across the daybed in the room. They dry within an hour and back in a bag again. We did add to our poncho collection again this past trip because I liek to collect the new styles too.

 

[jennymouse]

Originally posted by tar heel
We also get the 2/$1 ones at Dollar Tree and toss them after wearing. My dh has been known to refold one, but not me. We usually take about 10 on each trip and haven't run out yet.

Me too.

 

[briananddeb]

We just buy the disposable cheapies also. Somehow, in our family, they are called "Obi-wan Saran Wraps"

 

[Zoo Keeper]

We have some ponchos from past trips. Somehow my mother got them folded again and into sandwich size baggies. We have taken a few back each year and if we use them, I throw them away.
DD always seems to rip the neck anyway. (that's why she can't use the Dollar Tree ones, they rip too easily)

Anyway, I'd rather use an umbrella...then you don't have plastic sticking to you.

 

[lenshanem]

Oh, I like the Dollar Tree idea. Are they long enough to cover your shorts? Do they come in kid and adult sizes?

I would rather use an umbrella, too, but last week every night was a MONSOON. There was no way an umbrella would keep you dry. A matter of fact, when I took off my DD's poncho one night her shirt was SOAKED underneath it. We're going back next month so I might try out the Dollar Tree.

I had hung our ponchos (Also old yellow ones used several past trips.) over the shower curtain rod and they were still wet the next morning! The top one would get dry by the bottom ones not. We keep four ponchos for all of us, plus one to cover the stroller. Next month my pants and brother are coming, too. That is alot of ponchos!

Are the cheap ones any cooler than those hot WDW ones?

 

[bobcat]

The cheap ones are about the weight of saran wrap. Since they aren't as heavy they wouldn't be as hot I wouldn't think, but they can stick to you if it is really hot.

The dollar store ponchos only come in one size that I have found. I just tie the edges up into a knot and my DS can walk with it on. He always wears it with his arms inside so the lenght of the sleeves isn't a problem.

The only time we fold them up is when it looks the rain will start up again, otherwise it's into the trashcan.

 

[laurabelle]

We just shake our ponchos out, fold it up as small as we can, put a rubber band around it, into a ziploc bag then into our fanny packs. I don't think I'd like the thinner dollar store ones, I've seen people wearing them, they do look like they're saran wrapped- ick.

 

[goofy4tink]

We prefer the heavier Mickey ponchos also. I do carry some of the cheaper ones. But, when we go to the parks after 2 or 3 in the afternoon we bring the heavy ones. I feel too clammy in the cheap ones. Dh actually prefers the thin ones. But dd and I stay with Mickey. We spread them out at night and they are fine in the morning. Then I fold them up and stuff 'em in my fanny pack.

 

[patsal]

I ususally do what goofy4tink does. If the forecast is for rain it is Mickey ponchos all the way. If the rain is unexpected there is a cheapie in the bottom of everyone's fanny pack. DH and I usually carry Dollar tree umbrellas as well, best $2.00 I've ever spent. For the Mickey ones, I lay them out on the floor for a few hours and then dab them with a towel. Once dry they refold pretty compactly.

 

[Diamond_Girls]

We keep a small plastic bag (like you get at the grocery) in our backpack and fold up the Disney ponchos (as best we can) and keep them in the bag so the wet stuff doesn't get on anything else. We do this every time we go indoors, and then pull them back out when we exit. At the end of the night we just lay them out in the room to dry.

I think the cheapies sound like a great idea, but I'd really miss the Mickey ones!

 

[mmorizio]

I hate ponchos!

Once they're wet, they become hot, sweaty, and uncomfortable, and they're a pain to take on and off as you go indoors and outdoors.

I carry those tiny umbrellas that Totes makes. They come with a waterproof sleeve so you can but them away wet when you go indoors and dry them off back at the hotel. Three of them fit easily in one pocket of my camera bag.

 

[Chuck S]

Since Mom needs a wheelchair in the parks, we keep our ponchos in the pack we hang on the back of her chair. We also don't tend to stay in the parks, unless the rain looks like it will let up. WE hit some monsoons on our recent trip, too. WE just pull our ponchos off and toss them in the back seat of the car, then take them up to the room and wipe them down with towels. Then open them up fully and let them air dry across a bed. We fold them back up tightly and put them back in the backpack before bedtime.

 

[candykisses]

We use both the Walmart cheapies and the Mickey ponchos. What we use depends on how hard the rain is and how long its going to last. The Mickey ponchos better to use for all day rain.

We also bring umbrellas.

 

[airhead]

I can see us now,big ol'waistpack with a water bottle hanging off of it and a stinkin' poncho!!! My prediction for us is after 2 days of haulin' that stuff and feelin' like a pack mule,it will all end up in a pile in the hotel room!!!!

 

[AlicesAdventures]

We use the Mickey ponchos and do about the same as those that spread them out over the extra bed in our room at night to dry. Then in the morning I fold them flat on the bed (front and back together with hood tucked to the front) then I fold them in half, then half again then I take the long length and fold that in half, then half again. It's about an 8x10 rectangle at this point. Now when we go off to the parks my husband will slide our two ponchos over his belt, one on either side of the back loop, and then hang down on either side of his pants. Works great and you can go through the "No Bags" line. You never know when an afternoon shower (or monsoon) wil sneak up.

 

[gogiant]

Its our first trip. Is there a "no bags" line?