6 Things You Need To Know When It Rains At Walt Disney World

Alexandra B

Let’s face it, Orlando, Florida is in a bubble of sub-tropical weather. Most days are hot, humid, and include at least a little bit of rain. I don’t want to put a damper on your Walt Disney World vacation, so here are some tips to make the best of rainy weather!

6. Summer days are rainy days:

It will rain every day of summer. As someone who lived in Orlando for multiple summers, (with a long walk from my car to workplace), believe me, I know. Summertime is convenient for visiting Walt Disney World because kids are out of school, but be sure to expect rain! In the spring, “fall,” and “winter,” the weather is a little more predictable and mostly clear. For best vacation results, I recommend checking the weather before your vacation so you can pack accordingly.

5. Every storm runs out of rain:

On most occasions, the rainstorm will stop just as fast as it stops, which leads me to my next piece of valuable information: stay in the park! Many guests tend to leave the park during a “monsoon,” clearing it out. When the rain stops, (usually after about 30-60 minutes), the park is noticeably less crowded, making it a great time to hit up your favorite rides and attractions!

4. Ponchos, ponchos, ponchos:

Whenever it rains in Walt Disney World, each park turns into a yellow and white blur of park guests who spent some pretty pennies on Walt Disney World brand ponchos. My money-saving advice would be to purchase ponchos prior to your vacation. Instead of paying upwards of ten dollars per poncho in the parks, you can find them at the dollar store back at home. Cheap ponchos are easy to dispose if you don’t want to have to reuse them, but keeping an extra grocery bag on hand will do just the trick for holding them before the next rainstorm.

3. Ride shutdown policy:

The Florida “monsoons,” which are usually just a quick torrential downpour, usually do not have any effect on rides and attractions in the parks. If Cast Members feel like lightning strikes are a risk for rides, they will shut them down for the time being, until they feel it is safe again. Walt Disney World also has a hurricane policy which is in place during the summer and fall months in Orlando. If there is a hurricane warning, parks can be shutdown, but this rarely happens, and is done for the safety of both guests and Cast Members.

2. Pack quick-dry clothing and flip-flops:

Because it will most likely rain during your vacation, (especially in the summertime), I recommend packing quick-drying clothing. Spandex shirts and shorts will be your saving grace. I know I am not alone here when I say I don’t like walking around in dripping wet clothes for hours and hours. Also, packing comfortable, broken-in, and waterproof flip-flops is definitely a good idea. Sloshing around in wet socks and sneakers is not my idea of fun either.

1. Plan meals during rainy times:

My family discovered this wonderful tip a few years ago when visiting Walt Disney World in the summer. Each day it tends to rain sometime between 12 pm-3 pm, so we usually make reservations for a sit-down meal during that time. On most occasions, we have planned well and avoided the downpour. It’s a simple and efficient fix for those rainy summer days!