Rain Solutions

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I am looking for some solutions to afternoon rainshowers that are likely during our trip in a few weeks.

1. Panchos.... hate them in the summer humidity.

2. Hide until it's over. Hmm... possible

3. Umbrella's ... where to put them after the storm.

So how do you deal with the unpredictable rain showers that are a part of WDW in August?

 

[stargazertechie]

I put a poncho on and just keep trekking through the rain. The lines are shorter, and honeslty, you'll dry out eventually

 

[DAZY3BYZ]

I understand your hatred for ponchos but at Disney in the summer I think they're a necessity. We use the Disney ones not the real cheap ones and pack them in our backpack every day because it will at some point downpour. You can just hide in a shop until it's over but sometimes the showers last a while and sometimes it's just not convenient to wait so we just put on the ponchos and keep going. My kids wouldn't be caught dead wearing ponchos at home but at Disney they don't give it a second thought. I just don't think umbrellas are practical at Disney.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I put a poncho on and just keep trekking through the rain. The lines are shorter, and honeslty, you'll dry out eventually

I think I will bring one for dd. But I seriously hate it in the summer heat. I am from CA where it is hot but dry. The temp won't bother us but.... the humidty will.

 

[jesswindsor]

I hate wearing Poncho's also, but I find that they are lighter, easy to use, and easy to put away somewhere. Usually if it does rain, it doesn't last very long, so you could very easily pop in a shop, look around for a bit and the rain will have stopped by the time your done.

 

[ParrotBill]

I prefer umbrellas.. we'll carry a small bag with compact umbrellas.

You also need rain-compatible footwear as your feet will get soaked! That's true for ponchos or umbrellas.

 

[nytimez]

4. Get wet. You'll dry off eventually.

 

[tigger1972]

I bought those small rain coats that pack into their own pocket for each family member. I can't remember if they were from LLBean or Lands End - whichever had the better deal. I also bought the rain pants too and found with some effort I could also stuff them into the pockets of the rain coats. Then I just threw them in the stroller basket every day.

We had one evening it downpoured for 2 hours and they were great! I also wore mine on splash mountain!

MUCH more comfortable than ponchos!! And we can also use them at home year-round!!

 

[jkluttrell]

Only wicked witches melt when they get wet!

I would just wear light clothing and get wet. If it is hot you will dry quickly!

 

[Alesia]

We don't do anything. We dry off eventually.

 

[daisyduck123]

I put a poncho on and just keep trekking through the rain. The lines are shorter, and honeslty, you'll dry out eventually

This.

I would never consider carrying an umbrella thru the parks. All that opening & closing as I walked in & out of shops & lines would make me . What a bother. With a poncho on, you just keep going.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

4. Get wet. You'll dry off eventually.

Only wicked witches melt when they get wet!

I would just wear light clothing and get wet. If it is hot you will dry quickly!

I guess it would all depend on the day; some days my dd would swear I am related to the wicked witch of the west.

 

[cruisingkat]

This.

I would never consider carrying an umbrella thru the parks. All that opening & closing as I walked in & out of shops & lines would make me . What a bother. With a poncho on, you just keep going.

I have to agree with you - also, it seems like some people don't think about their proximity to others - standing in a crowd next to someone with an umbrella can be downright dangerous. And those that walk in the rain with an umbrella and their head down - well I have been hit with the spokes many times. And of course there are those that hold their umbrella up really high so you can get around them - only to have the water pour off their umbrella onto you. The worst thing that I saw was someone walking in AK carrying a beach umbrella - sure it covered the stroller and them, but nobody could pass them.

 

[miralys]

I just get wet. You dry faster than you think. Just pay attention to footwear (no soggy wool socks!) and you'll be okay.

 

[RMulieri]

I put a poncho on and just keep trekking through the rain. The lines are shorter, and honeslty, you'll dry out eventually

2nd this...PLUS it is so blind,stinking HOT that the rain actually feels nice

 

[ChattaAlley]

Good time to go take an afternoon nap to rest up for the rest of the day or wear the poncho or just get wet. No umbrella. I would hate to carry this around all day even if they are compact.

 

[I<3Disney<3]

When my husband and I went on our Honeymoon it rained EVERYDAY... so much so that our clothes were never dry. During that trip I bought the Mickey Mouse Ears Big Umbrella and we used it non stop, it also made for a cute souvenir. However, my current plan for rainstorms, and Splash Mountain (I love water rides, but I REALLY dislike my undergarments ((I sound like my grandma)) getting wet. So I found at the Dollar Tree store "emergency ponchos" they are NOT the reusable type but they really do work and then we toss them out (or recycle if available). It is the easiest way to handle unpredictable weather. Now that we are going to head down there in less than a week and I see updates of Hurricane/Trop Storm Emily in the news.. I am going to def. pick up a few more. My husband doesn't mind the wetness...he sees it as a way to cool off. Footwear is another issue... I try to bring a pair of flip flops with me to change into from my sneakers when it rains.. they are really light to carry, the downside is obviously carrying heavy sneakers until the weather changes..but it is really the only way to avoid the wet sock/sneaker issue that I dislike.. be careful the flipflop too.. if they have a soft bottom they will act like a sponge.. which could cause mold to grow quickly back in that cool hotel room you are spending your night in. My husband had to throw out a pair of sneakers from one trip as the smell was bad enough to merit it. Sorry for the extra long response.. and good luck on your trip.

 

[goofy4tink]

I always have a throw away poncho (get them for under a buck each at home) whenever I'm at WDW between April and Sept. If it's a light rain, no problem. But if it's a downpour, the poncho comes out. I never wear sneakers in the hot summer months in WDW...way too hard to dry them out if they get soaked. Always have some kind of water shoe on...Crocs, Tevas, that sort of thing.

I have used an umbrella before. But, you have to be very vigilant when using one. We used it only when in a more open area..not when walking with a large crowd. I have seen people get poked, jabbed, and smashed by umbrellas. The person with the umbrella isn't a nasty, rude person by nature...they are just caught up in the fun of WDW and tend to forget there are thousands of other people around them.

Ponchos are the best way to go. I usually get a small bag from a store and the shake out the poncho to get as much wet off it as possible and then mush it up and stick it in the bag....then loop the bag over my belt or such.

 

[saturn5]

I hate wearing Poncho's also, but I find that they are lighter, easy to use, and easy to put away somewhere. Usually if it does rain, it doesn't last very long, so you could very easily pop in a shop, look around for a bit and the rain will have stopped by the time your done.

Yes that is true with a typical Florida summer shower. But with a TS off the coast, the showers could last for hours....I have seen it happen!

 

[ducky_love]

It depends on what kind of rain. If there is a tropical storm then you will need an all day plan. In this case I like a baseball cap, heavy poncho, shorts, and waterproof shoes like crocs. Also carrying a backpack doesn't work in this weather. You need something you can access without taking it off.

If it is a typical day in Florida we ride out the showers indoors. You can see them coming from a mile away and you'll have plenty of time to decide where you hang out. They normally blow over in about 30 minutes. HOWEVER (and this is important) you always need a throw away emergency poncho for this strategy because everyone once in a while it will rain for hours! The weather man is completely useless in predicting this. It doesn't happen often, though. I've had the same emergency ponchos for over 6 months. But it is better than being caught without them.