The shoes are the thing to look out for. If your shoes get wet, you're done for the day.
You can put them in the middle compartment after you sit down in the raft and buckle your seat belt. But you need to have them on as you enter the raft.
What I usually do is take off my shoes in the line, take off my socks, put them in my pocket balled up, and have my shoe laces loose. When I get in the raft, I buckle the seat belt, put my shoes in the middle, my socks, my shirt, and the ride ops let it go. But you need to be quick when you enter the raft. Make sure you buckle the seatbelt first, then put everything in the middle. The ride ops will let it go if you do all this first.
Then you can enjoy a fun ride with bare feet, no shirt (guys), and even if you get soaked, you still have dry shoes, and a dry shirt after the ride.