Rain concerns...

[GovieMom]

And sorry, @mousehockey37, disagree completely, you can enjoy your wet days at Disney, I'll take my wet days at home any day.

Agree! We just returned from a very rainy week, which I'd rather have skipped if possible. NOT fun! At least at home I'd be dry, poncho-less and comfortable. Couldn't even enjoy our balcony boardwalk view due to so much rain. Ugh!

And one more thing, the parks do NOT empty out in the rain. They were very crowded; people with ponchos and umbrellas everywhere.

 

[ElsasFan]

A group of four (DH and I, and two friends, all early-mid 20s) are going to be at WDW for a week starting next Saturday. DH and I have been a few times but the other two are treating this as their “once in a lifetime” trip. We’re from Southern California and are not at all accustomed to rain. Of all the times DH and I have been, we’ve been lucky enough to only have it rain one day. As the date approaches, I’m getting really nervous about the forecasts showing thunderstorms every day. What does this actually mean for us and how do we still make this trip as enjoyable as possible??

We are in the airport, heading home after a fun-filled but very soggy week at WDW. Really, attitude is everything. The forecast showed a high probability of thunderstorms almost every day, and we decided to make the best of it because a wet day at Disney beats a day at work any day. Pack a poncho and encourage everyone to take Keens or Crocs—something that will allow their feet to dry out if it does stop raining. The days that our feet stayed wet in socks and athletic shoes were definitely the most uncomfortable. I also recommend taking moleskin or blister block. It may be a coincidence, but this is the first year we have had trouble with blisters, and the moleskin was a lifesaver.

 

[PaintsWithAllTheColors]

We are in the airport, heading home after a fun-filled but very soggy week at WDW. Really, attitude is everything. The forecast showed a high probability of thunderstorms almost every day, and we decided to make the best of it because a wet day at Disney beats a day at work any day. Pack a poncho and encourage everyone to take Keens or Crocs—something that will allow their feet to dry out if it does stop raining. The days that our feet stayed wet in socks and athletic shoes were definitely the most uncomfortable. I also recommend taking moleskin or blister block. It may be a coincidence, but this is the first year we have had trouble with blisters, and the moleskin was a lifesaver.

Thanks for this input, the footwear is my biggest concern. I thought about buying rain boots but also have seen a lot of support for Keens/Crocs. I’m aware of crocs but haven’t heard of keens. Are certain styles better than others for all-day park touring?

We do have water shoes, would those be similar in concept?

 

[Firepath]

Just back today from the wettest week we've ever spent there in 25 years. Not what I expected for mid-may. Not just the usual pop up stuff, it rained for hours or the better part of a day every day. That being said, we of course still had a great time. Touring was difficult though as it wears on you for days on end. When the sun did come out it was bananas busy. Hope this system moves out for you, Orlando weather thinking it would be unstable this week. Eventually you'd think it would normalize.

We just got back too and this is all very true! It seemed like "most" of the early mornings started out sunny and dry but ended up anywhere from sprinkles to torrents. We had a bunch of 97 cent emergency ponchos from Walmart that we used and threw away so we didn't have to carry them around. Most of the rides had CMs telling people to take their rain gear off before entering which was good because (at least the indoor rides) remained dry. At The Land they were handing out plastic bags to put the wet ponchos in which was helpful.We also ended up buying a Disney umbrella which really helped. The few times we wore shoes they ended up soaked thru so we eventually stuck with sandals that dried a lot quicker. Hoping you have drier weather, but like WB1971 said, you'll still have fun. And yes, the AC in some locations felt frigid after being rained on all day. We wished we had brought some warmer layers.

 

[cherylnj]

This past and coming week is not normal for this time of year. It's not been the daily 4pm storm. It's been raining most of the day, every day. Definately not the norm.

 

[Shanti]

Thanks, and good tip about Disney ponchos! You said the AC can be chilly after being in the rain, which makes sense. Is it actually chilly during the rain itself? Or is it tropical enough that it’s a warm rain? I’ve mainly planned to pack shorts/lightweight clothes but if it’s a cold, dreary rain, maybe we’ll throw in warmer clothes too

You will not need warm clothes in the summer. Yes, the rain will be warm, and the only thing that will chill you is air conditioning while you're wet.

I recommend wearing sturdy, waterproof sandals. I also recommend that you avoid wearing denim, which shrinks when wet and takes forever to dry. A ponch and/or mini-umbrella would be helpful, as well.

 

[Xcited4Disney]

This past and coming week is not normal for this time of year. It's not been the daily 4pm storm. It's been raining most of the day, every day. Definately not the norm.

Thank you. The snarky replies from some are unnecessary. This past week has not been “normal” Florida weather and the OP’s concerns are warranted.

 

[HeyGirlHey]

The super good news is that you still have a week for this crazy weather (which is definitley NOT normal!) to change! But I get your worry, especially since none of you are used to the rain...and you want your friends to have a great time. The normal quick Florida showers are one thing - manageable and maybe chilly in the AC if you get caught and get wet enough. But this crazy weather on the East Coast has not been that! We just got back as this weather was starting and really only had to deal with it 2 days....one was not so great, but the other was much better since we made adjustments based on that first junky day! (We have 2 you get kids so take that into consideration for our plans).

The first day it rained, a lot. Soaked us completely but we kept on truckin....then it happened again about an hour or so later and just didn’t stop. We were soaked and chilly (despite the ponchos), our shoes and socks had our little wrinkled toes in them and we were less than happy. We eventually gave in (after about 8 hours!) and called it a day. It was really the only thing I regretted the whole trip. The second time was an even bigger washout....so we set up shop at the pool and got wet on purpose. We got there first thing so we had a table to keep our stuff dry, filled up our cups and had a great day! We were happy, the kids were happy and it was perfect. If you try to push through, I do agree on the sandals as I really think the soaked shoes is what did us in - there is just no escaping them! If you want to just roll with it, and you’re staying at a hotel with a decent pool - grab some drinks and have a relaxing day!!

Hope you have a great time!!!!!

 

[ElsasFan]

Thanks for this input, the footwear is my biggest concern. I thought about buying rain boots but also have seen a lot of support for Keens/Crocs. I’m aware of crocs but haven’t heard of keens. Are certain styles better than others for all-day park touring?

We do have water shoes, would those be similar in concept?

By water shoes, do you mean like the kind you would wear in the water at the pool or the lake? Like water socks? I don't think those would have enough support. If you google keens footwear, you'll find the website. I had the women's newport 2 shoes. They're made for trail hiking, etc., and were generally comfortable. We walked about 10 miles per day, and I did have some soreness and a couple of minor blisters, but I think that was due as much to the amount of walking and water as to the shoes. I intended to take Body Glide to apply to blister-prone areas on my feet, but I forgot to pack it. My husband wore crocs (swift water fisherman style) and he said his feet were very comfortable in them.