What to do on a Rainy Day at Disney World
Tips for a Rainy Day at Disney World
You can’t always predict the weather when your own vacation – and with Disney World being located in Florida – you can count on some rainy days. We’ve been to Disney World with sunshine and blue skies one day and a rainstorm the next day. But, even if the weather isn’t perfect, you and your family can have a great Disney vacation!
One of the nice things about a rainy day at Disney World is that the crowds are smaller and the lines are shorter. We were able to ride several rides and see several shows before lunch because there was little to no wait.
Some attractions close if it is raining, but most stay open as long as there isn’t any lightning.
Bring a Lightweight Poncho & Dress Appropriately
Many people recommended that we get those cheap $1 ponchos at the dollar store for a rainy day at Disney World – so we did. And, I think those would be great for a light summer shower. However, we had pretty steady rain for most of the day. And, factor in getting in and out of rides…Those dollar store ponchos didn’t last long at all!
I ended up paying $10 for the Disney World ponchos on Main Street, which just about broke my cheap little heart. I thought we would at least get a souvenir out of the deal. NO. It lasted longer than the dollar store ponchos, but it still was destroyed by the end of the day. I do have to say that the Disney Poncho kept us nice and dry all day, despite the rips and tears it endured.
For my daughter, I bought her a Mickey Mouse Rain Coat on Main Street that cost $60. It was perfect and she stayed comfy and dry all day. My son and I felt like steamed asparagus in our ponchos, but my daughter stayed cool and dry in this jacket. SO, next time, we are bringing lightweight rain jackets!
What to Pack for a Rainy Disney World Day
- Lightweight Rain Ponchos
- Umbrella – regular-sized umbrellas are allowed.
- Clothes that are lightweight and don’t hold moisture
- Non-slip and water-resistant shoes
- Rain cover for Stroller
- Ziploc bags for food, phones, etc.
Put on Your Poncho and Ride Attractions in the Rain!
We rode Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Dumbo in the rain. We had Fastpass+ for these rides and we didn’t want to lose them. The rides were open so we went for it. We had a few sprinkles in our face on the rides, but hey a rainy day at Disney is still a great day!
Ride the Indoor Rides & See the Indoor Shows
Many of the rides and most of the shows at the Disney Parks are inside. And, several are under pavilions – these keep running as long as it isn’t raining sideways!
We decided to stand in line for the rides that we didn’t have a Fastpass+ for while it was raining. We were going to have to stand in line anyway, so we were able to get out of the rain for a while.
Magic Kingdom
Indoor Rides at Magic Kingdom
- Space Mountain
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- It’s A Small World
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Tea Cups (under a pavilion)
- Carousel (under a pavilion)
- Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid
- The Hall of Presidents
- Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover (under a pavilion)
- Haunted Mansion
Indoor Shows/Experiences at Magic Kingdom
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Monster’s, Inc. Laugh Floor
- Country Bear Jamboree
- Enchanted Tiki Room
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
Hollywood Studios
Indoor Rides at Hollywood Studios
P.S. If you have a rainy day on your vacation schedule, Hollywood Studios might be the park you want to visit. Most of the rides are indoors (or under a pavilion). Slinky Dog Dash is the only ride that is completely outdoors.
- Tower of Terror (the line does extend outside)
- Toy Story Mania
- Alien Swirling Saucers (under a pavilion)
- Star Tours
- Rock N Roller Coaster
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Opening Dec. 5, 2019
Indoor Shows/Attractions at Hollywood Studios
- Walt Disney Presents
- Star Wars Launch Bay
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Voyage of The Little Mermaid
- Muppets Vision 3D
- Star Wars: Path of the Jedi
- Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
- Disney Junior Dance Party
- Beauty and the Beast (under a large pavilion)
- Oga’s Cantina
Epcot
Indoor Rides at EPCOT
P.S. EPCOT is another park to visit when it rains since Test Track is the only ride that is closed during a rainstorm.
- Spaceship Earth
- Frozen Ever After
- Sourin’ Around the World
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
- Journey Into Imagination With Figment
- Mission: Space
- Living With the Land
- The Seas With Nemo and Friends
Indoor Shows at EPCOT
- Turtle Talk with Crush
- The American Adventure
If you know a shower is headed your way, you could head over to The Land. There you can ride Soarin’ and Living with the Land. You can also get a bite to eat at Seasons or Garden Grill. All of these are in the same building and they are all indoors.
Animal Kingdom
Indoor Rides at Animal Kingdom
P.S. Animal Kingdom is probably the WORST park to visit during a rainy day since most of the animal attractions are outdoors.
- Pandora – The World of Avatar
- Dinosaur
- Na’vi River Journey
Indoor Shows at Animal Kingdom
- Festival of The Lion King
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug
If You Have a “Day Off” from the Parks (and it’s raining)…
- Movies at Disney Springs – Just be aware that Disney Springs gets really crowded on rainy days (everyone avoiding the parks). If you do go, bring an umbrella since it’s an outdoor shopping mall.
- NBA Experience at Disney Springs
- Free Art Class at Art of Animation – You could also tour the indoor facilities at this resort and grab some lunch
- The Contemporary Resort has the largest arcade (of all the resorts) if your kiddos are gamers.
- Take the Monorail to tour different resorts. Each resort has its own special penny pressing machine and you can collect these souvenirs along the way.
- Spa Day!!!
- Ask your resort about their activities for the day. We had a rainy afternoon at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort and the staff offered free arcade gift cards and set up a coloring station for the kids.
- Sleep late, watch a movie, order a pizza, take a nap, go to bed early…Have a lazy day and be refreshed for your next park day!
For a more detailed list of things to do on your day off from the parks, read 15+ Things to do on Your Day Off From the Disney Parks.
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About The Author
KristyB
Wife. Mom. Graphic Designer. Photographer. Professional Nap Taker. Part-time Traveler (with kids in tow, of course!)
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What a great post! Loved all the ideas of how not to let the rain get in the way of a great day at Disney. I’ll definitely save your post for my next Disney trip!
Yes, exactly…Just throw on that poncho and go have fun!
Those are some great tips and this would help a lot since rainy days at Disney would be a bummer. What an informative and detail guide, thanks for sharing.
I was disappointed that it rained on one of our Disney Park days, but we ended up having so much fun that day!
That was a pretty thorough review. Thanks! I’ve always wondered what we would do if it rained and we were going to Disney because it costs so darn much and it wouldn’t be likely that we could just go another day. Plus, in Florida, another day could look the same!
I know right?!?! You plan so far ahead and pay so much money for a Disney Trip! We ended up having a great time – we didn’t care that it was raining!
We recently had some great fun on rainy days in Vienna. It is great fun for you too in Disney it seems. Would love to be there and have fun.
I was worried that the day was ruined, but we had a blast!