While Orlando experiences more rain and colder temperatures than Anaheim, visitors to both the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort have occasion to plan for unfavorable weather. With that in mind, we asked the Parenting Panel: What do you do to prepare for wet and cold elements when you vacation at the Disney Parks and Resorts?
Mary Kraemer is an avid Disney fan and travel consultant with CruisingCo/MouseEarVacations who loves to travel with her husband and children to Disney destinations as often as possible! Mary starts us off:
I have a mantra when it comes to packing rain gear for a Disney vacation: If I bring it, I won’t need it, but if I don’t bring it, I sure as heck will need it!
I honestly wish I could say that I haven’t needed the rain gear I’ve packed, but, over the years, into each life, a little (or sometimes a lot) of rain must fall. I have a duffel bag of ponchos in my hall closet, ready to go to the parks at a moment’s notice. Depending on the season, we either bring rain boots or water sandals for our feet. And, because drying ponchos in the hotel room can take a lot of space, I always pack suction-cup hooks, which let me hang the wet ponchos.
I have fond memories of “duck days” at Disneyland, when the weather was rainy, the crowds were light, and we spent the day tromping around in rain boots, pants, and jackets—as impervious to water as a bunch of ducks. With the right gear, it’s extremely enjoyable, particularly with fewer people in the parks.
The biggest hitch I’ve had with my rain gear is not remembering to pack it; my problem is not remembering to bring it with me to the park! A well-packed rain poncho does absolutely no good when it’s sitting in the back of the car or in the suitcase in a hotel room when you’re standing in the middle of the Magic Kingdom and the clouds decide to let loose.
As a consequence, I bring home new ponchos. Thank goodness they’re cute, because I have quite a collection and can identify them by event: There’s the New Year’s Eve 1999 set, when we were afraid if we left the park we’d never get back in; the California Adventure poncho, purchased to outwit the water at Grizzly River Rapids (but was later outwitted by the water at Kali River Rapids that went inside the poncho so I sat in a puddle for most of the ride); the clear Disney Parks poncho that was my best friend during a week of torrential downpours during an agent trip to WDW; this poncho received new siblings this summer, thanks to a great up-front spot for World of Color.
Cold weather is also manageable—as long as you’re prepared. Somehow it seems perfectly themed for the holidays when it’s cold outside; the icicle lights on the castle seem just right when you can see your breath in the air! When my kids were younger, they wore one-piece snowsuits on cold days at Disneyland. That way, they were covered—head to toe—and, with a pair of mittens, they were perfectly comfortable. At one point, they had matching plaid snowsuits, which were cute as could be. They stayed warm, even when they were sitting in their strollers … and warm kids are happy kids!
We were surprised on a late November trip to WDW by how very cold it was, even during the day. My 88-year-old dad, still undergoing chemo treatment, was with us, and had a lowered body temperature and minimal body fat. We made a quick trip to Wal-mart and bought long underwear, a hat, gloves, and a blanket to put on his lap as he drove his motorized scooter around the parks. When he got too cold, we took him to First Aid, where the kind cast members let him rest and warm up on a cot.
Fortunately, we’ve never had to deal with much wet and cold weather at Disney parks, although I heard stories about the WDW marathon last year in the sleet. How would I deal with that? I believe my answer would be to smack the alarm clock off, bundle back into my blankets, and sleep through the race!
Chris, also known as GusMan, is always planning his next family trip to WDW and loves to help others plan their trips as well through sharing his experiences. Chris shares his advice:
From our very first trip to WDW, we learned one thing right away. That one thing is that the weather can change faster than the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster takeoff. Regardless of how well you plan, or how accurate the weather forecast, you still need to plan for the worst weather.
Some might think that when it is raining, it ruins a Florida vacation. On the contrary, it can be an opportunity to take advantage of smaller crowds because there are people who do not want to deal with the rain. We found that it is not what you can or can’t do during inclement weather, but how to prepare and deal with it when it does happen.
Here are some tips that my family has found very useful over the years:
- Cheap ponchos can be found at many sporting goods stores before your trip. While it is nice to have a poncho with Mickey on the back purchased from one of park merchants during a downpour, they are not inexpensive. Ponchos are very portable, can go over a person carrying a backpack or camera bag, or can even be draped over a stroller in a pinch. We carry them every day even if rain is not forecasted. Chances are, you will experience a small downpour mid-afternoon.
- Do carry a few sandwich-sized zip-top bags with you. They will keep your cell phone, tickets, and money dry. Maybe consider one for your camera, as well.
- If rain is in the forecast, please don’t wear anything white. Nothing is more embarrassing than letting everyone see the color of your undergarments. (No, this did not happen to me, but I have witnessed this from afar.)
- Do understand that while many attractions remain open during bad weather, there are some open-air attractions that will shut down if there is lightning in the area. The same goes for nighttime spectaculars – the threat of rain and lightning will shut them down quickly for safety sake.
- If you have plans to see a parade and you pick a spot early, don’t leave the spot just because it is raining. While the parade may be delayed, if the bad weather is brief, Disney will kick off the parade once it clears.
- If you are caught off-guard by the weather, many people head for an enclosed ride with an indoor ride queue, do some shopping, or even grab a bite to eat. Sure, it may take some time to go through that crowded line, or the wait for a table may be a few extra minutes, but at least you are inside, not getting drenched.
Some of the best poor-weather activities are found at the resort hotels. Ask the front desk to see if they have a Hidden Mickey hunt and give it a shot. At the same time, other arts and crafts activities or even a resort tour may be available as well. The best part is that you don’t even need to be a guest at that particular Disney resort. You would be amazed at the number of activities available—and most of them are free or have a very nominal fee for supplies.
While we dream about a nice, sunny vacation with no weather worries, it pays to be prepared for the worst. At the same time, knowing that you can experience Disney like never before just because of the cold or rain can be a nice surprise and a chance to make a lot of memories.
Jenny is a former theme park employee, avid Disney fan(atic), and an at-home mom to two Disney vets (5 and 4 years old.) Jenny adds:
I happen to love the rain (except I don’t like walking around in wet squishy shoes), so Disneyland in the rain isn’t usually an issue I can’t get around.
We have been to both Disneyland and WDW in the rain, and really enjoyed each time. We were caught unprepared at WDW, but it was warm, and just my husband and I. Easy fix, bought ponchos and away we went.
Now that we have kids, it is very rare for me to be unprepared for anything (I have been known to throw the rain covers in the stroller basket on a sunny day, just in case.) If there is ever even the slightest chance of rain, I am usually prepared with ponchos, extra clothing, and my favorite rainy day accessory: the stroller rain cover. I have been the subject of plenty of envious glances walking around Disneyland in a downpour while the kids are warm, toasty and dry in their stroller.
Recently, on the morning of my daughter’s cheer competition, we were able to sneak over to Disneyland for a few hours. It was overcast, and expected to rain later in the day. We got in line for Dumbo, and (luckily) I threw the rain covers over the stroller before joining the family in line. Just as we were waiting to hand over our lucky feather to the Dumbo cast member, the skies opened up. I scrambled to find the shower cap I brought to protect my daughter’s hair, and the two of us just laughed as the rain pelted us as we flew through the air. I was soaked, but nothing can top a ride on Dumbo in the pouring rain! That morning we ended up taking in a few more rides before we had to get ready for the competition, and walked back to the hotel in the rain. My husband and I were a bit wet, but the kids were relatively dry.
If the weather is showing for a heavy downpour, we just reschedule.
It’s your turn—keep the discussion flowing!
Visit the Parenting on the Parks section of our MousePad discussion board, and share your opinions about this topic (link), or send your suggestions via e-mail (link). Reader-submitted tips might be used in a future article, and you might be selected to participate in an upcoming panel discussion!
