Vacation Kingdom Know How: Rainy Days at WDW

It’s rained a lot this week in Central Florida. Of course, the worst thing in this part of the world is washing out a day of your vacation plans. This doesn’t always have to be the case at Disney world though. We’ve already covered dealing with the heat in the theme parks, but what about rainy days?

Be Prepared

During the summer especially, storms tend to pop up and disappear pretty quickly. Like the handling the heat article said, bring a poncho. This is one of my must dos for a Disney World trip. Who wants to wait in line & shell out $9 each for a poncho? Not me! Do a little planning ahead and save some money for other fun souvenirs.

Umbrellas are also allowed in the parks, so that might be a more helpful solution if you’d rather it, especially when touring with littler kiddos.

Keep on Going

Much of the rain at WDW comes and goes quickly, so there’s no need to leave the parks at the first sign of rain.

If one of these showed pop up, throw on your ponchos and make your way to a place to hang out. A rain break might be a good time to take a lunch break or grab a snack. If you’ve already eaten, check out some of the many ships for browsing. Some shops are connected to other things, such as the Emporium in the Magic Kingdom. This store goes half way down Main Street and you can spend quite a bit of time in the different sections, never stepping foot into the rain.

Many of the attractions in the parks are inside so they run even when it is raining. The best part of this is the lines could be much shorter than they normally are (plus the temperature will quite possibly drop). If you’re trying to knock out certain attractions, continuing to tour through the rain could help complete your must see list.

An extra magical moment I’ve experienced a time or two before is going into a longer show or attraction (the American Adventure or Carousel of Progress) and gotten out to find the rain had stopped. It’s almost like a little bit of Disney magic!

Resort Hop

If the rain is too much to walk around the park, go resort hopping! Take a bus or monorail to a resort besides the one you’re staying at. Resorts on the monorail loop (Polynesian, Contemporary and Grand Floridian), have quite a few shops, restaurants, bars, arcades and areas to just chill out in the main building. Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Wilderness Lodge also have main lobby areas that are a feast for the eyes and have a cozy feel to them. While Art of Animation doesn’t have the hugest main building area, with different buildings having different themes and statues outside, the art work in the check in area is worth a visit for a Disney film nerd. The artwork decorating the area is phenomenal, along with the great gifts shop and food court (I know people who are staying elsewhere but go to AOA just to eat).

Take a Rest

If the rain isn’t letting up, you’re tired of running around in the wet and you’re staying on property, go take a nap. You can always go back to the parks later in the day and you’ll be rested, dry and ready to tackle the rest of your to do list. Remember, this is a vacation, so try to relax a little and enjoy it!

As always, keep an eye on your My Disney Experience app for any clsoures to attractions. You can also ask any Cast Member and they should be able to check on performance schedule changes due to the weather.

Do you have any tips for dealing with the rain that I’ve missed?