One of the biggest tips that I can share is the practise of staying dry in Florida!
Honestly, you may still get wet, but you should be able to have a successful trip while employing tips and tricks to minimize the level of rain that you’ll encounter.
USE YOUR CALENDAR
Florida gets pretty wet, but there are months that the rain is a little more subdued. Between November and May, you’re likely to avoid the constant torrential downpours. As soon as you look in the summer months, be prepared to get the daily shower in the mid-afternoon.
DON’T BE A HERO
I’ve seen this so many times! It’s starting to rain and folks are scared to bring out their umbrella or wear a poncho because they want to brave through the rain. If you see a rain cloud, take that as an opportunity to check out a store or experience a meet and greet. Choose wisely though, as you may be stuck in that building for a while…as I experienced with my 60 minutes inside of the Star Wars Launch Bay in July 2017.
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BUY BEFORE YOU GO
Ponchos and Umbrellas are expensive at Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando….so why not pack smart and save that money for an extra dole whip?
Head over to pick up some Disney Ponchos from Amazon to get your branded rain gear and save some money. OR you can do what I do, and head to the Dollar Store and buy a poncho for every 4 days of your trip per person. This will allow you to stay dry while not feeling sticky and gross from wearing the same poncho each day.
If you’re going to bring an umbrella, then make it small and easy to stash in your bag. Sometimes the rain isn’t as crazy as they forecast, so carrying around a bulky item isn’t fun.
RANKING THEME PARKS FOR THE RAIN
- Magic Kingdom (Most attractions are indoors and plenty of options for dining and meet and greets)
- EPCOT (Pavilions are easy shelter, with multiple attractions under a single roof. Don’t be stuck in the World Showcase though)
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Until construction of Star Wars Land is complete, we don’t expect anyone to really want to spend decent time in this park…so if it’s going to rain, just go to EPCOT)
- Animal Kingdom (Everything is outdoors, so this is by far the worst park. Everest, Kali River Rapids and Kilimanjaro Safari’s all shut down in the rain)
STROLLER TIP
Remember to bring a rain cover for your stroller. The number of strollers that I’ve seen with backpacks and other items…all exposed to the elements during a rain storm while the family runs for cover…not fun!
PLASTIC BAGS AND ZIPLOCK BAGGIES
I LOVE BAGGIES! Go to the dollar store and get a box and stash them in your luggage. Easy to put things like your phone, portable charger, wallet, passport and anything else that you’d want to keep dry. I use them for Pin Trading as well (one for traders and one for pins you’ve traded for), so multi-use items are always a bonus in the parks!
Plastic bags are great as you can use them during a rain storm to protect your belongings, but also great for after the rain to store your umbrella or ponchos.
FOOTWEAR
I don’t bring this up without having experienced it first-hand. During a July trip, I wore sandals all week because it rained every single afternoon/evening…and it was a pain in the neck!
BUT I did it because the alternative was wearing sneakers or boots and with the humidity, would have been unbearable after day one! Be wise to feeling of walking thousands of steps after a rainstorm and not being able to dry out your shoes overnight with anything but a hotel hair dryer.
The number of folks who I saw wearing pool shoes was actually fairly high. Check out a few options on Amazon before you go, as it may be worth having around.
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PARK OPERATIONS
Knowing beforehand is always good, so here’s the brief explanation of the rain protocols.
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
If it’s light rain, characters may still meet guests…but they may go under an overhang. As soon as the weather gets too much, anything out in the open will pause until the rain stops (or lightens up)
ATTRACTIONS
Unless there is torrential rain OR lightning, attractions will continue to operate during a light rain storm. Outdoor attractions (Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids, etc) usually stop operations quicker than indoor attractions (Haunted Mansion, Soarin).
SHOPPING
Outdoor carts (food or merchandise) will close at the first hint of a storm, so it’s a great way to forecast if you should head indoors;)
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RAINY DAY CHARACTER CAVALCADE
Parades usually wait until the last minute to cancel a run through, but if they do cancel for weather purposes…then you’ll get to see the Magic Kingdom Character Cavalcade. This is a sight to see, as a bunch of random characters (dressed in their rain jackets, boots and umbrellas) will come out and add a little magic to the guests on Main Street USA. Pretty cool to see!
What do you do to stay dry on rain Disney World days? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll add it into future tips!
