Have you ever been at a Disney Park when it's raining?

[Pixel]

Recently I was reading an interesting article on the Disney Parks blog about what do when it rains in DLR or WDW, and I was curious. Have you ever been at a park when it rained? Was it still fun? Was it still very crowded? Personally I think that I'd love it. I love the rain, and there would be smaller lines.

[Joy_C]

definitely smaller crowds....at least from my experiences at WDW.
It usually doesn't rain for a long time in FL anyway.

p.s. you love the rain? Don't tell me you live in Wellington!

[Pixel]

definitely smaller crowds....at least from my experiences at WDW.
It usually doesn't rain for a long time in FL anyway.

p.s. you love the rain? Don't tell me you live in Wellington!

Hehe, no, it's Christchurch for me. However I only moved here about 5 years ago, prior to that I was indeed a North Islander.

By the way, judging by that video on the blog it would seem that the cast members give out free ponchos with Mickey Mouse on them! Now that's customer service.

[Joy_C]

Disney gives out FREE ponchos?! .....I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT! They cost $7 each if my memory serves me right.

[HauntedCollector]

I was at Disneyland (California) once when it was raining. My wife stayed most the day in the hotel and I rocked the park. It was so much fun, though I did pack an umbrella. I also had a small hotel towel on hand to wipe down the seats before I got on rides which helped alot. I must say one of the funnest times Ive ever had at DL. The Matterhorn in the rain is crazy. There were not too many people either, but a surprising amount. Im sure they were mostly tourist that only had that day to go, so they bared it. Also DL gives out (or for sale, im not sure) plastic ponchos.

[HitchHikingGhostFangirl]

definitely smaller crowds....at least from my experiences at WDW.
It usually doesn't rain for a long time in FL anyway.

p.s. you love the rain? Don't tell me you live in Wellington!

HA! The last time I was at the park in the rain, it rained for hours. Oh it was awful. But at the same time, fun (after getting ponchos of course)

[Pixel]

Disney gives out FREE ponchos?! .....I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT! They cost $7 each if my memory serves me right.

Aw, phooey. Nothing is free anymore!

I was at Disneyland (California) once when it was raining. My wife stayed most the day in the hotel and I rocked the park. It was so much fun, though I did pack an umbrella. I also had a small hotel towel on hand to wipe down the seats before I got on rides which helped alot. I must say one of the funnest times Ive ever had at DL. The Matterhorn in the rain is crazy. There were not too many people either, but a surprising amount. Im sure they were mostly tourist that only had that day to go, so they bared it. Also DL gives out (or for sale, im not sure) plastic ponchos.

Bringing a hotel towel for wiping down seats... that is just brilliant! Good story by the way. ^_^

[disneyobsessed808]

I love Disneyland in the rain! The one time I went, there was hardly anyone there, so the waits were non-existent. Unfortunately, they do not give out free ponchos.

[peppermint]

I've been to Disneyland in the rain, but not a heavy downpour. I definitely would not go during an El Nino year, we get a lot of rain during those years. It's usually not too crowded if it's raining.

[HitchHikingGhostFangirl]

Am I the only one who misses the bright yellow ponchos?

[Pixel]

I've never seen anyone wearing any color of poncho. xD They're just not really something we really wear here in NZ. :O

[jiggy]

We have been caught at MK once in the rain, but it was only one of those 10 minute Florida rain showers. Once though we were at Universal Studios in Orlando and it was raining hard all afternoon....but we loved it. The park emptied and you were able to basically stay on all the rides. We rode the Mummy 6 times in a row with no wait at all...the last 3 times we had the entire car to ourselves (side note, the Mummy seems freaky when there is only 2 people on the ride but so much better! Also the queue is creepy when you are walking through with no one else and you dont see anybody until the loading gates). It was like we had the park to ourselves!

[Pixel]

We have been caught at MK once in the rain, but it was only one of those 10 minute Florida rain showers. Once though we were at Universal Studios in Orlando and it was raining hard all afternoon....but we loved it. The park emptied and you were able to basically stay on all the rides. We rode the Mummy 6 times in a row with no wait at all...the last 3 times we had the entire car to ourselves (side note, the Mummy seems freaky when there is only 2 people on the ride but so much better! Also the queue is creepy when you are walking through with no one else and you dont see anybody until the loading gates). It was like we had the park to ourselves!

Awesome story! I can imagine that the Haunted Mansion with no one else would also have an added level of creepiness. ^_^

[disneyobsessed808]

Am I the only one who misses the bright yellow ponchos?

I miss those a lot. I remember when I went to Disney World in the 6th grade, with some of my class (and our families); we were all touring MK that day and everyone had their yellow ponchos because it started pouring.

[HitchHikingGhostFangirl]

I miss those a lot. I remember when I went to Disney World in the 6th grade, with some of my class (and our families); we were all touring MK that day and everyone had their yellow ponchos because it started pouring.

It was a sea of yellow. it's funny when you see those at places other than the parks. I was at a rain delayed Yankees game and saw a few. It amused me to no end.

[Qsk50]

I don't ever recall being at the park where it rained for a long period of time.
Maybe because we dont go in the summer. We usually go Jan-Feb and again Oct - Dec when
the summer rains are long gone.
A light shower I do remember and it was while we were on the Skyway, remember that?
Oh how I miss that and 20K leagues under the sea

[Denham11]

In 1977 and 1978, I worked at WDW doing parade crowd control. Every cast member who worked outside was issued rain gear in a pouch you wore on your belt. Standard issue. Because it rains every afternoon in the summer in Florida. Almost like clockwork, every afternoon it would rain as if Disney ordered it to clean the streets. The 3 o'clock parade was often canceled.

The inspiration for Randy Noble's Poncho Vinylmation was quite the sight to behold. Yellow ponchos for sale .... very profitable for Disney in Florida.

My personal experience as a guest in WDW: I would say it has rained over half the time the dozens of times I've gone. And when I was a teen-ager, it was fun (because the park emptied out) .... I just sloshed my way from one ride to another with no lines to wait in -- it was a blast! If I were young again, I would go to WDW with a bathing suit under my tee shirt and board shorts and have a towel and dry clothes in my locker ready to change at the end of the day.

[Demeter]

I always seem to get stuck at Animal Kingdom when it decides to rain all day. My husband and I don't mind though. We just run from place to place getting soaked because ponchos usually seem pointless. The one time at Animal Kingdom we would get them out and by the time we put them on it stopped raining, so we would take them off. Then it would happen all over again. Rain usually clears the parks. I'm not going to let a little rain ruin my vacation.

I think the yellow ponchos were changed to clear because it was hard for families to keep track of each other. With the clear ones, they can still see what their group is wearing. Makes sense to me.

[marmaladesky]

We did Epcot on my birthday in 09, and it rained on and off the two days we were there. My mom picked up a poncho, my great-aunt an umbrella, and I roughed it in a hoodie. I was fine until around 4PM - I got wicked blisters from running around in wet flipflops. No big deal, I walked into the med facility and they let me tape my feet up and go back to riding the Maelstrom over and over again. Sun showers tend to clear the tourists out of the lines fast

My mom chose the Pop resort, and I would not stay there again in the rainy season. The sidewalks were like two inch deep puddles.

[Rabbit]

I was in DLR in Feb 2010 and it was pouring for 2 days, I was really amazing! Amount of people was cut by at least half, no wait times, and everyone has cool Disneyland umbrellas that they sell for 5 bucks It's definitely a magical experience! Oh and since it was raining none of the characters were outside they were all inside shops! I will never forget going into "Animation Studios" in DCA while it was raining and inside was Sorcerer Mickey, Woody, Jessie, and Cinderella! So much fun!

[disneylover1955]

I loved being in WDW when its pouring rain especially when your at Epcot or the Magic Kingdom! Love riding the TTA around Tomorrowland until the rain stops or Spaceship Earth or hanging out in any of the World Showcase pavilions!

[EvilJimmy]

we went a lot this year when it rained at the DLR and the crowds are way smaller and you can get on rides really easy. Kinda sucks when you go on some coasters and get some rain in your eye though lol hurts a lot

[CherryBlossum86]

I've been going to WDW for years and most of the time when I go it rains at some point. If you have a poncho its still fun but if you dont have one its not very fun. Bring ponchos to disney every time! lol

[disneylover1955]

I've been going to WDW for years and most of the time when I go it rains at some point. If you have a poncho its still fun but if you dont have one its not very fun. Bring ponchos to disney every time! lol

Very true or else your going to have to buy one or walk around the parks soaking wet!

[Anders Limpar]

Only a couple of times. When I was 9ish one time in February, it poured down rain and got really cold our last day. The park cleared out, we stayed.
Another time while we were at dinner at the castle, it stormed really bad. Before we were finished eating the sun came out and it stopped storming. On my most recent trip in March it sprinkled a couple of times. Luckily it didn't full on rain because it was pretty cold.