Thunderstorms at Magic Kingdom

[irene6118]

I have the worst luck when it comes to WDW. I won't bore you with all the past fails, but I have a 1 day ticket for Magic Kingdom this Thursday and I just checked the weather forecast for Orlando. Looks like Thunderstorms all day long. My question is should I even bother going? I'm not big on rides but I was hoping to see the entertainment (shows, parades, etc.) What are the odds of these still happening when there is a 90% chance of T-storms? And if I don't go, will I still get credit for my ticket that can be applied to another time? Thanks for your input.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Indoor attractions and entertainment will happen in the rain. Outdoor shows and parades may be cancelled, especially if there is lightning.

We’ve gone in the rain. Would prefer sun but rain was fine too. A lot if what the MK has is indoors so still functions and many attractions stay open in the rain as long as there is not lightning.

If you choose not to go you can call Disney and they will keep a credit on your account. Your ticket will retain its value. If you use it by its expiry date you can use it then. If it goes past expiry the value you paid will be retained but you would need to pay the difference as ticket prices will have increased.

 

[irene6118]

Out of curiosity, what indoor entertainment is there? I thought pretty much everything was outside.

 

[Disneychick75]

Don't know if these are considered attractions or entertainment. Personally, I think they're entertaining attractions, lol.
Country Bear Jamboree
Mickey's Philharmagic
Carousel of Progress

 

[dreamer17555]

Personally, I think magic kingdom handle the rain the worst out of all the four parks. If you enjoy rides, I much prefer a Epcot where the only ride that goes down in inclement weather is test track. If you want shows keep in mind that festival of the lion, king and the Nemo show at animal kingdom are indoors.

 

[fla4fun]

I just watched our local news. The worst of the weather is expected to be tomorrow evening and overnight into Thursday. They said it should clear out around lunchtime Thursday. Perhaps it won’t be so bad for you.

 

[disneyworld19]

We are scheduled to arrive this afternoon. We upgraded to Swan for magic hours and not sure we’ll make it with the threat of severe storms good luck to you!

 

[SL6827]

So, in order from best to worst, which park for a rainy day?

 

[DisneyFive]

MK is a mess during storms. All the outdoor rides close which makes all the other attractions slammed.

Having said that Orlando storms are a fickle beast. Our very first visit to WDW Sept of 2010 had rain in the forecast every day of our 8 day visit. We never had a drop on us the entire trip

 

[dreamer17555]

So, in order from best to worst, which park for a rainy day?

In my personal opinion, Epcot is first- only one outdoor ride and plenty of indoor pavilions to explore.

Second- DHS, again limited outdoor attractions, but I also rank it as tied with Animal Kingdom which has a few more outdoor attractions but great indoor shows.

Last- Magic Kingdom. Too many outdoor rides and not enough shows or indoor pavilions imo

 

[WLWildlife]

There was lightening and drizzle on our MK evening this past August. People pouring out as we were walking in. Outdoor rides closed, so we hopped from one indoor ride to the next all around the park, getting a little damp as we dashed from one entrance to the next. It cleared off for the fireworks so we hopped from one outdoor ride to the next back across the park. Little to no wait the whole night. 30 minutes for 7DMT! That was our longest wait. And no Genie+ it ILL either. If it's not a washout, a little rain can be a blessing!

 

[SL6827]

Always heard rain can be a benefit at MK to run the crowds out. Storms, I would head out too.

 

[DisneyFive]

There was lightening and drizzle on our MK evening this past August. People pouring out as we were walking in. Outdoor rides closed, so we hopped from one indoor ride to the next all around the park, getting a little damp as we dashed from one entrance to the next. It cleared off for the fireworks so we hopped from one outdoor ride to the next back across the park. Little to no wait the whole night. 30 minutes for 7DMT! That was our longest wait. And no Genie+ it ILL either. If it's not a washout, a little rain can be a blessing!

You have to time this just right in order to benefit like you did. What typically happens is that storms or rain roll in, guests then flock to the indoor attractions skyrocketing their wait times for quite a period of time (hours). It's only when the rain is persistent and guests have finally given up, say 2-3 hours, that they start to leave in droves. If you happen to show up to MK when they are leaving, you are in luck. (especially if it clears up later like it did for you).

If you were IN the park when it all started, it sucks big time.

 

[lovethattink]

It’s Thursday, I’m not sure if you decided to go or not. There are two advisories in effect at the moment. A tornado watch in effect until 3pm and a wind advisory in effect until 4pm.

 

[hertamaniac]

MK has some other indoor attractions, right? HM, PotC, Small World, Peter, Buzz, Laugh Floor, Mermaid, Tiki, Winnie.

I enjoy going to the parks in the rain. Crowds usually "call it a day" by 4 PM due to wet feet and weariness.

 

[WLWildlife]

You have to time this just right in order to benefit like you did. What typically happens is that storms or rain roll in, guests then flock to the indoor attractions skyrocketing their wait times for quite a period of time (hours). It's only when the rain is persistent and guests have finally given up, say 2-3 hours, that they start to leave in droves. If you happen to show up to MK when they are leaving, you are in luck. (especially if it clears up later like it did for you).

If you were IN the park when it all started, it sucks big time.

We were in the park when it started. We were lucky. It wasn't a down pour that flooded MK, but it rained steady for about 3 hours. I think the time of day helped, it was about 6 p.m. when we walked through the gates, and I think many people had been there most of the day and were ready for a break. It was also dinner time and people were also shopping and waiting out the rain any place they could find shelter. Some were taking advantage of the short lines like we were.