You’ve done all the planning. Read all the blog posts. You have your packing lists and foods to try. But now you look at the weather report and oh no! There is rain in the forecast.
I know it’s easy to spiral and think that this runs everything, but with a little bit of planning, rainy days can be a great day at a Disney Park.
What to Wear
Shoes
This is going to really depend on if it’s hot and rainy or cold and rainy, firstly. If it’s hot and rainy, then a waterproof shoe (like an Birkenstock EVA, Natives, or Crocs) is our go to. It’s still supportive and comfortable, but you don’t have to worry about changing your shoes in the rain. This is especially helpful in Florida where it happens suddenly and often in rainy seasons.
If you are a running shoe family, then slipping in a flip flop into the Park bag or locker for the rainy parts is great as well. DEFINITELY recommend sandals for when it rains. The “river” of water can be ankle deep so it is best to not have something enclosed and especially no socks. Also keep in mind that water or wet shoes can create more friction so don’t forget to pack blister band aids!
There are also these amazing shoe covers you can get, if you want to be extra haha!
Poncho or Rain jacket
Consider wearing a poncho or rain jacket. Ponchos are great because they take up little to no room – but when it’s muggy and hot it’s very difficult and a little miserable. In the hot months, ponchos are best. I’m just not going to pack a rain jacket in the summer. I’m just not. Rain jackets are ideal, but they are bulky. In November to March, I’d make sure to have a jacket.
I also like to have a poncho because I then flip my backpack to my front, and the poncho keeps everything dry – which honestly is a game changer.
When we went to LA last March for Spring Break, we ended up with a wet Universal Studios day. We forgot to grab our ponchos from home, so we stopped in at a dollar store. They unfortunately only had one in stock, so we joked that we would give it to our “favourite child”. We ended up putting it on our youngest since his jacket was the least waterproof. Try and pre buy your ponchos so that this isn’t a concern. They are fairly small and take up little to no room. We have never regretted having them on hand! Generally we buy 1 poncho per person for a whole trip and then toss them at the end. If it’s going to be particularly rainy I would buy a few extras. We like to keep a large Ziplock in our backpacks to store wet ponchos in.
Pro tip… make sure the poncho you brought on the trip actually makes it into your park bag, or else you will end up like me as the only one without your poncho and get soaking wet 😅.
Clothing
Clothing wise, anything but jean will be most comfortable – for the chafing and general enjoyment! Extra clothes in a backpack, stroller or a locker rental isn’t the worst idea either.
However, when we had our wet day in Universals Studios LA, I was in jeans. I didn’t find it was bad at all. I had a rain jacket that was fairly long, which prevented the tops of my jeans from getting wet.
What to Pack
Besides our main packing list (which you can print here) we recommend thinking about the following for rainy days.
Small umbrellas – we just put one per personal bag for flying.
Stroller cover – a must if you have a stroller.
Extra ponchos – for shoes, sitting on the ground, wearing one each, and in case one rips.
What to Expect
The lines are typically much smaller on a rainy park day, which is great. People will often leave, which is the ideal time to try for something like Rise of the Resistance. We have literally walked RIGHT ON Rise of the Resistance at both Hollywood Studios AND in Disneyland when there has been a downpour!
The biggest hurdle is that certain things will close. Watch for rides that will close in the rain – and as things clear, hover around to get in the line asap! What we mean by that is, if the ride is outdoors, it will likely close when there is heavy rain. If you notice that the rain is starting to ease, that’s the time to be close to an outdoor ride that was closed. In Florida especially rain usually comes with lightening which will not only affect outdoor rides but may also cancel shows like fireworks, Fantasmic, parades, and nighttime shows . The parks are generally very good at communicating this.
On a rainy park day, head for a line up and ride that is indoors. Think Soarin’, Pirates, “It’s a Small World,” Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad, etc.
We live in “Rain-couver”, so we are used to rain for days. I’ve found that both in LA and Orlando that the heavy rain doesn’t typically last for long. In Universal Hollywood, when it started to downpour, we headed for the Mario Kart ride that was technically an 80 minute line. But at least we knew we’d be dry! Bonus was that the line moved faster than expected, and the weather had cleared up by the time we were off the ride!
In Orlando especially, I also find that the rain is quite warm, so it isn’t anything like BC rain. It was honestly rather refreshing after the heavy heat we had been having! Most people also avoid the rain so getting on rides like Tower of Terror meant that they were a walk on, which we ended up then doing 3 times in a row!
If you are prepared, it will be ok! Put on a good attitude and patience, and plan well and it will be a very memorable day! If you are really not wanting to deal with the rain, there are a few things that you can do.
In Florida – Park Reservations are no longer required, so you can absolutely just switch the Park or the days you go.
In Disneyland – if you built in a rest day (recommended) you can switch the Park reservation as well. The good news is that you don’t lose your current reservation when you go to switch it. The bad news is, if it’s “sold out” for what you want, you have to refresh like crazy to get it to pop up. But it’s totally doable!
That’s all we’ve got for now. Have you ever braved the rain in a theme Park? What are your go-tos? We’d love to hear from you!
Have a magical day,
Erica, Heidi, Elisia, and Danielle
Let us know what you think!