Riding water rides in January

[Orreed]

Visiting US and IOA for this first time this late January JPRA and the Toon Lagoon rides look really fun. I know Flordia weather can be unpredictable. But I also heard on some water rides are less wet as they turn off water cannons in the winter. Is riding water rides bearable that we won't be too cold and wet the rest of the day?

 

[wholesomejoe]

I'd like to know this too, we'll be there from the 24-27th.

We already know we won't be riding at least one of them as Ripsaw looks like its going to be closed those days.

 

[Metro West]

Visiting US and IOA for this first time this late January JPRA and the Toon Lagoon rides look really fun. I know Flordia weather can be unpredictable. But I also heard on some water rides are less wet as they turn off water cannons in the winter. Is riding water rides bearable that we won't be too cold and wet the rest of the day?

Ripsaw Falls will be closed for rehab 1/20-1/31 and Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges will be closed 1/6-1/18. Both of those rides will get you soaked...not two ways about it. JPRA is a little more complicated. How wet you get depends on the row you're sitting in and the weight of the passengers in the vehicle. Sometimes I don't get wet at all but other times, I get soaked. There are drying stations available for $5.00 (I think) but if the weather is going to be cloudy and/or cool, I would skip the water rides. It's one of those wait and see things and you are definitely right...our weather is very unpredictable in the winter.

 

[RMulieri]

You get absolutely SOAKED..Like took a bath with clothes on SOAKED..No way to avoid it ( except maybe on Jurassic park).We were there last Jan 22-28 and while it was chilly the beggining and 70-80 degrees by mid visit, we skipped them because it was breezy and people were coming off drenched and shivering.They also had the water cannons turned on even in the cooler weather

 

[wholesomejoe]

Is it an option to take a change of clothing and ride all those rides back to back and then change?

 

[Orreed]

Thanks for all the advice. We are visiting IOA the last day Ripsaw is closed, haha. It looks really wet anyways, and something that's not a must do. I think I'll skip Bluto's too. I suppose we will have to risk it with Jurassic Park, it is really an attraction I do not want to miss. We may be able to bring a change of clothes, or buy a poncho at home to wear. Wish us luck! Hoping to stay dry. Any tips on how to stay drier on JPRA?

 

[Lynne G]

Thanks for all the advice. We are visiting IOA the last day Ripsaw is closed, haha. It looks really wet anyways, and something that's not a must do. I think I'll skip Bluto's too. I suppose we will have to risk it with Jurassic Park, it is really an attraction I do not want to miss. We may be able to bring a change of clothes, or buy a poncho at home to wear. Wish us luck! Hoping to stay dry. Any tips on how to stay drier on JPRA?

Don't sit in the front row and try not to be a very filled boat. It is a great ride!

 

[wholesomejoe]

Yeah I think I can pass on ripsaw and be ok, but I too do not want to miss Jurassic Park. It was closed the last time I was there, can't miss it this time.

 

[bumbershoot]

Is it an option to take a change of clothing and ride all those rides back to back and then change?

Absolutely!

We did all the water rides on a drizzly grey day, wore ponchos, and had a GREAT time. I am so glad I got to ride ripsaw and bluto and jurassic...they were really good rides! Bluto's just hilarious because they might as well have you shower first, just so you know you'll be wet.

We didn't have a full change of clothes, but we didn't have much else planned that day, and were fine being damp for awhile.


The body dryers help if you are wearing water-wicking clothes to begin with. If you are a more natural-fiber type of person, and have on cotton head to tow, they don't do much good. BUT they might warm you up on a chillier day! DH experienced one on a hot HOT day, and it was very miserable while he was in it, and then it didn't dry him off. Cotton cargo shorts, cotton top, cotton unders...he was not dry after that $5, LOL.

 

[Metro West]

Is it an option to take a change of clothing and ride all those rides back to back and then change?

 

[redoschi]

We're going also at the end of January and while Popeye will be open, I believe the only water ride we'll do is Jurassic park (I love that ride and even the possibility of getting wet won't stop me from going, possibly multiple times!)

 

[wiigirl]

Yeah I think I can pass on ripsaw and be ok, but I too do not want to miss Jurassic Park. It was closed the last time I was there, can't miss it this time.

Jurassic Park is pretty awesome! Hope you make it this time

 

[LoveToTravel2001]

We went a few years ago and did not do any of the water rides. We are going again at the very end of January into February. Will a poncho actually help keep you you dry/drier on each of the rides? It sounds like it would help on JP but what about the other two?

 

[Metro West]

We went a few years ago and did not do any of the water rides. We are going again at the very end of January into February. Will a poncho actually help keep you you dry/drier on each of the rides? It sounds like it would help on JP but what about the other two?

A poncho will help on Ripsaw Falls and Bilge Rat Barges but you will still get wet. How wet? I don't know but it shouldn't be as a bad as if you went w/o one.

 

[RMulieri]

A poncho will help on Ripsaw Falls and Bilge Rat Barges but you will still get wet. How wet? I don't know but it shouldn't be as a bad as if you went w/o one.

We saw people still soaking wet despite the ponchos they were wearing.

 

[wholesomejoe]

I may be one of the few people who feels lame getting on a water ride wearing something that repels water lol. To me it sort of defeats the whole concept of the ride lol..

I'll probably just pack an extra set of clothes and rent a locker. If you really want to not get wet, when I used to work in construction and drove a fork lift, we had to work rain or shine. and we wore "rain suits" that were basically full body poncho's with hoods. My clothes stayed pretty much dry.

That might be overkill, and It might not work the same getting splashed vs. rain. I keep checking the weather every day. If its in the mid 70s I'm riding all of them.

 

[LoveToTravel2001]

OK. I don't mind a little wet but if it's chilly, end of January into February, I don't want to be soaked and freezing. I usually carry extra clothes for DD but would prefer not to for DH and I.

 

[wholesomejoe]

Accuweather is showing 75-76 for the 22-23 right now.. I know it can change, but they have always been fairly accurate. I am in film making, and knowing the weather in advance is something I do alot.. so its usually semi accurate.

 

[THREEBOYSPLUSONE]

We were there Dec 27th and it was chilly in morning( it was probably around 50) and my son wanted to ride popeye and it was a walk on so my husband took him. They didn't get overly wet so my son talked me into going with him and I got soaked. I was cold but I was glad I had gone on it. My husband and son also did ripsaw falls and then played in camp jurassic where they got soaked once again. We were cold but not bad enough that it ruined our day. We didnt do jurassic river adventure though because my son was afraid of dinosaurs. Althoug it was cold it was nice to not have lines and be able to go right on them and I would do it again.