Let’s face it, rain is inevitable here in Florida (we refer to it as liquid sunshine). If you would like to try to avoid the rain altogether then you should visit Florida in the winter months (November – May). Even in the winter, however, you can still get rained on. Just yesterday, in January we had several rain showers here in central Florida. We are here to help you never let the rain ruin your Disney World vacation! If you are prepared for rain, it won’t slow you down one second on your next vacation. Here is a list of how to tackle Disney World in the Rain.
How Often Does it Rain at Disney World?
Disney World is located in the sunshine state surely that can’t mean it’s filled with rainstorms throughout the year! Sadly, with all that sun heating up all the humidity here in Florida there are lots of rainstorms.
Our wettest month of the year here at Disney World is July with an average of 7 inches of rain! I wouldn’t pass over giving a shoutout to August and September as well though since those two months are when we are most commonly hit with hurricanes here at Disney World.
Be Prepared for Rain
Ponchos
Plan ahead, if you know you are going to be visiting Orlando in our rainy season, stop by your local dollar store and grab some ponchos. We also spot cheap ponchos at Walmart and Target too! If you want to be wild and crazy you can even order some custom Disney Ponchos off Amazon they will cost you a bit more, though.
Pro tip: Bring along an extra plastic bag to store your ponchos after you have worn them. No worries if you do happen to forget, any Disney store is happy to provide you with a clear shopping bag. Don’t forget to make sure the rest of your things are protected as well. Another item to look at is stroller rain protectors. As well you want to make sure you have a dry place to store your cameras, phones, and other electronics.
Rain Cover for Stroller
If you are bringing a stroller with you or plan on renting one a rain cover is a must to pack. If you need to seek shelter when it’s raining at Disney this gives your kiddos an instant spot to seek shelter. Plus if you are using your stroller to carry your stuff it can keep your belongings and those expensive cameras dry! In fact, if you know there is a chance of showers you will want to make sure to have a rain cover over even when you leave it for an attraction. If you don’t already have a rain cover for your stroller there are plenty of options on Amazon.
Umbrella
I almost didn’t want to include this but I figure this will be someone’s preference and it will also leave some of you wondering what not an umbrella for Disney in the rain? Umbrellas are very cumbersome, they don’t fold down to the squishable size of a poncho, plus I find they break at the worst moment. Any anyone else had that happen when using an umbrella?
If you do opt to take an umbrella make sure you pull it out for security. It will set the detectors off. You simply need to have an umbrella out of your bag and hold it straight in front of you when you go through the metal detector.
What to Wear To Disney World in the Rain
Leave the long pants at the hotel. If the forecast is calling for rain on your day in the park you will not want long pants that are just going to soak up the puddle water. Your pants will be super heavy, you will be damp and probably quite frankly, miserable.
In the same vein as above, we also recommend skipping the sneakers and socks too! It’s for sure the most comfortable supportive footwear to wear on a long park day. In the rain, your shoes will get wet and are unlikely to dry out at any speed. While this may sound uncomfortable it is also a recipe for blisters which is the last thing you want on a Disney vacation. We like to opt for our Tevas or Chacos on days it’s going to rain. This is because they don’t absorb what and dry really quickly.
Continued Reading: The Best Shoes to Wear at Walt Disney World and also The Best Sandals for Disney World
Be on the Lookout for Rain!
Make sure you have a weather app on your phone! I am sure you have already been stalking the weather report for your vacation but each morning before you head out to the parks I recommend checking it again. Our Florida weathermen are notorious for getting that weather report wrong so often. I love to use the app called Dark Sky. It tells you how many minutes until the rain will start and then estimates how long it will last. It will even send you push notifications throughout the day to warn you if a storm is on the way.
Embrace the Rain and go to the Pool!
As long as the rain doesn’t come along with some thunder and lightning you are good to hit the Disney pools! Disney heats their resort pools so no need to worry about the temperature outside you will still enjoy your swim, rain or shine! Here are our favorite Disney World pools.
If the pool really isn’t your thing there are still plenty of things to do at any of the Disney resorts. You have shopping for starters. This is a perfect time to pick up the souvenirs you want to bring back home for your trip. Resorts also have some sort of craft or activity each day. The Contemporary even has ceramic painting, note, there is a small fee associated with most craft activities.
If you happen to be staying at one of the Skyliner resorts you could always soar about the skies in the Disney Skyliner! It’s a great trip for kids and it gives you the chance to explore some other resorts. This is especially fun during the winter holidays and the hotels are decked out!
Pick the Perfect Park
Not every Disney park is the best for those rainy Florida days. Hands down we recommend the Magic Kingdom on a rainy day. The Magic Kingdom comes in first place for the most indoor attractions. Rainstorms typically pass over within an hour so you could always take your time in a longer attraction. Hop into the Hall of Presidents or the Enchanted Tiki Room to hide out from the rain for 20 minutes and finish your day strong!
Magic Kingdom Rain Friendly Rides
- “it’s a small world”
- Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
- Country Bear Jamboree
- Liberty Square Riverboat
- Mad Tea Party
- Mickey’s PhilarMagic
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pirates of the Carribean
- Space Mountain
- The Hall of Presidents
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Under the Sea the Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Walt Disney’s Carsouel of Progress
- Walt Disney’s Enhanted Tiki Room
- Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
Epcot Rides for Rain
- Awesome Planet
- Canada Far and Wide
- Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
- Frozen Ever After
- Gran Fiesta Tour
- Impressions de France
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Living with the Land
- Mission: Space
- Reflections of China
- Spaceship Earth
- The American Adventure
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Hollywood Studio Rainy Day Rides
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Lightening McQueen Racing Academy
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Muppet Vision 3D
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
- Star Tours
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Toy Story Mania
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Animal Kingdom Rain Friendly Rides
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- Dinosaur
- It’s Tough to be a Bug
- Festival of the Lion Kingdom
- Finding Nemo Show
- Kilimanjaro Safaris (Outside but Covered)
- Na’vi River Journey
- Animation Experience
Disney World Attractions that Close in the Rain
It’s also important that we let you know some attractions will close due to rain or lightning in the area. This is for safety reasons. You will know they are closed by opening the My Disney Experience app and looking at the list of wait times. If a ride is marked as Currently Unavailable it is temporarily closed due to the weater.
Catch the Elusive Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Not everyone may realize this but the Magic Kingdom has a special parade on days their normal parade would be rained out. This cavalcade will happen on days when it is too wet and rainy for the parade floats and dancers to safely travel through the Magic Kingdom. Instead of the regular daytime parade, the characters will hop into their rain jackets and boots and come out to say hi to everyone.
How do you know if the Rainy Day Cavalcade will make an appearance? Be on the listen for this announcement over the intercoms at Magic Kingdom, “Due to inclement weather, the parade has been canceled…” The parade route is the same as the other parades. For us, it started in Frontienerland and made its way down Main Street U.S.A.
Note: If it’s raining too hard that the rainy day cavalcade will not be able to come out.
Shopping
What better to do on your rainy day than to pick up all your vacation loot? I highly recommend heading over to Disney Springs. Their town center actually has a giant covered section, perfect for those rainy days. Disney Springs also features megastores like the M&M store and Lego store. Both spot have some fun activities for kids to do as well.
If you are on an adult-only trip, Disney Springs is a great location to go bar hopping as well!
Conclusion on Rainy Disney World Days
Don’t let the rain scare you off when you are at Walt Disney World. Oftentimes you are going to enjoy a slightly less crowded park. Some people, especially locals won’t bother to come on rainy days. Others won’t be prepared, get too wet, and need to go home. What do you do to stay dry when you tackle Disney World in the rain? Let us know in the comment section below!
I have been visiting the parks annually since my parents first brought me at just a year old. Recently I was able to fulfill my life long dream of being a Florida local and moved from the wintery Northeast to the sunshine and fun of central Florida. Now I am hoping to share my Disney knowledge with you so you can have the best vacation possible!
