Umbrella in bad weather question

[cdurham1]

1. Disney allows umbrellas, right? Any size restrictions.

2. Having never been through any seriously bad weather there, any tips about umbrellas this next week? Will the potential high winds make them useless?

 

[AllieBoo]

1. Yes. I'm not aware of any size restrictions.
2. If the winds are high, they will probably be useless. I would bring a rain jacket with a hood

 

[BadPinkTink]

I'm from Ireland and it can rain any time of the day or night, almost 365 days of the year. I carry an umbrella with me every day when I'm out and about.

Umbrellas are really only useful when there is rain with no wind or very light wind. As I have lived all my life in countries with rain, I am used to using an umbrella with wind and know how to angle it so that it does not blow inside out. However once the wind gets too much I don't use my umbrella and will either get wet or have a coat / jacket with a hood.

I have also used an umbrella in Disneyland California to shade from the sun. I would advise a small umbrella, which is handbag size. I would not bring a large golf umbrella into the parks.

I would also advise not spending alot of money on an umbrella. I would not spend any more than $10. A small cheap umbrella will fold easily and be able to manage on rides and when you go indoors.

I also always carry a plastic bag. When I go inside shops and restaurants when it is raining, I can fold down the umbrella and put it into the plastic bag and put it in my backpack or handbag. This way I'm not dripping a wet umbrella all over the floor.

For rain in the parks I would bring the umbrella but also wear a waterproof jacket with a hood.

 

[ktlm]

An umbrella will be absolutely useless when the winds are strong. Go with a poncho or raincoat with a hood for windy conditions.

 

[Christine]

Yeah, not good in wind, but I prefer an umbrella for plain, old rain. I used to do ponchos, but took and umbrella last year and much preferred it. But it wasn't windy.

 

[Pooh2]

We went in August and my umbrella was out non-stop due to the hot sun!
I did use it for rain a few times too!
I got a light color umbrella that folded up nicely to put in the park bag when it was not needed.

 

[OKW Lover]

1. Disney allows umbrellas, right? Any size restrictions.

2. Having never been through any seriously bad weather there, any tips about umbrellas this next week? Will the potential high winds make them useless?

1 yes they do. No size restrictions the I'm aware of.
2 plenty of reasons not to use an umbrella. They are dangerous in crowds as the ends wind up at eye level of other guests. They don't withstand the winds that usually accompany the rain at WDW. They will only protect your head and some of your upper body because of the sideway's rain.

 

[Victoria3]

Umbrellas are allowed.

I use mine for sun and rain protection.

If it's super windy they don't work so well but neither would a poncho in those situations.

 

[Wild4Walt]

In rain with higher winds, a rain coat is the way to go. We purchased some packable one's from Amazon. Mine's rain resistance and is OK during light to medium rains. My husbands is water-proof and good for the heavier rain.

 

[beccasmom]

We visited in early August. Our arrival day was pretty rainy. The rest of the week was mildly rainy, some days more than others. I ended up buying an umbrella at Vera Bradley; we got caught in a rainstorm while there and I neglected to bring my poncho (although it was so humid I probably would have melted anyway). DH stopped at the Columbia store and bought hooded rain jackets for us; he wore his for as long as he could stand it and the rain did eventually stop. I’m not usually a big fan of umbrellas at a crowded theme park and the parks were quite busy on our trip; I’m short and I worry about poking people. But I carried the umbrella and used it when necessary; the poncho would have been impossibly heavy in that weather, so any port in a storm. No wind....an umbrella would not have been an option then. We didn’t have any all-day monsoons, so that was a blessing.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I have to walk 4 blocks to work on a street that is a wind tunnel. When it rains I use a clear bubble umbrella and have no issues with it. I have been using it for 10 years. You can get them at Target. it does not poke people and the clear plastic allows you to see where you are going. It is big to carry around but it does the trick
https://www.target.com/p/shedrain-bubble-umbrella-clear/-/A-49152482

 

[hmsTigger]

I'm from Ireland and it can rain any time of the day or night, almost 365 days of the year. I carry an umbrella with me every day when I'm out and about.

Umbrellas are really only useful when there is rain with no wind or very light wind. As I have lived all my life in countries with rain, I am used to using an umbrella with wind and know how to angle it so that it does not blow inside out. However once the wind gets too much I don't use my umbrella and will either get wet or have a coat / jacket with a hood.

I have also used an umbrella in Disneyland California to shade from the sun. I would advise a small umbrella, which is handbag size. I would not bring a large golf umbrella into the parks.

I would also advise not spending alot of money on an umbrella. I would not spend any more than $10. A small cheap umbrella will fold easily and be able to manage on rides and when you go indoors.

I also always carry a plastic bag. When I go inside shops and restaurants when it is raining, I can fold down the umbrella and put it into the plastic bag and put it in my backpack or handbag. This way I'm not dripping a wet umbrella all over the floor.

For rain in the parks I would bring the umbrella but also wear a waterproof jacket with a hood.

Heading to Ireland as you know. Are the winds strong in the British Isles when it rains? Worthwhile to bring an umbrella along? Thanks Tink! Your reports and suggestions have been so helpful.

 

[BadPinkTink]

They can be, it depends on the day. Sometimes we get very strong winds, sometimes just a light breeze. It also depends on the location. I live in a suburb of Dublin near the mountains. It can be breezy when I leave my house but no wind in Dublin city centre. Yesterday it was raining and my umbrella was fine.