OMG it’s Raining…at Disney
Guest Blogger – Nina Fabinski (www.facebook.com/wordofmouse)
So…you spent your magical savings on the vacation of a life time and OOPS…it’s raining. This is one of the BIGGEST fears for many of my clients, but it shouldn’t be. What does one do if their vacation happens in the middle of a Florida sprinkle? NOTE: Many, many vacations happen without any rain or without rain affecting a vacation…so please don’t let rain be the stopping force to experiencing magic.
There are really only 2 kinds of RAIN at Disney: A Mid-day Florida sprinkle or a rain storm.
The Florida Sprinkle: For most…rain in the afternoon is what is experienced. It is common for a fast and heavy rain to happen mid-day. If fact each time this happened to us…we were either currently eating lunch or napping in our room and taking a park break, thus no effect on us at all. But this is something that happens and should NOT affect your vacation too much. Often this causes many people to flee the park, thus leaving all the rides open to experience with little to no lines. So…this leaves the opportunity for you to ride the rides in full on rain glory with your ponchos and rain shoes. Yep…I pack ponchos and rain/water shoes everyday and if the sprinkle comes out to play…so do all the neon ponchos. 
Rain protection: For rain protection I pack brightly colored ponchos for the whole family…I even pack a few extras. You can get ponchos at any multi-purpose store for about .99 cents. I tend to get the same color for us all so we are easy to spot. But sometimes one kid wants pink and one wants green…so perhaps a black marker design on the back to easily identify your party is a good idea. We also pack water shoes. This helps our park shoes stay dry plus this makes you feel like you’re playing verses walking in soggy wet sneakers. Another thing to consider is a rain cover for your stroller. They have some that work while your kid is actually still in the stroller. And some people use one to protect their belongings in the stroller while they are riding. Either way…there is no reason to leave the magic. If you’re renting a stroller from a stroller company…they often offer rain covers to protect their investments. NOTE: pack Ziploc bags to carry your dry stuff around and then carry your wet stuff when the sun returns. See the link for more packing ideas – http://thedinglehopper.com/2015/02/03/10-things/
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| Planning ahead can save you time and money when the weather is less than ideal. |
All Day Long Storm: So this is the dreaded weather…rain that lasts most of the day. For many people…your day is already pre-scheduled. You have dining reservations, princess make-overs and fastpasses already scheduled and missing out on all of your planned fun is bumming you out…no worries. With me as your travel agent…I can help you behind the scenes; calling all your reservations, changing what is needed and guiding you on any needed “new” plans. This way…you can stay in the magical wet moment and press on, while I fix and adjust things for you. Plus the perk of keeping your plans is enjoying the super special Rainy Day Parade. Yep…Disney has a special parade that only a select few wet people get to experience. All the rides are indoors, most of the lines are covered and this is the time to enjoy LOW crowds. Make the best of it; shop, eat and play…in the rain.
Rainy Day Activities: For those that decide to cancel park time (again I can help adjust your plans)…here are some non-park options. So the obvious is staying at your resort and hanging out; splashing in your resort pool (heck wet is wet), shopping, seeing what activities are happening at your resort. You would be surprised what happens when you’re not at the parks. You might even be able to get last minute dining reservations at your resort. You can also go Monorail hopping. I personally love this. You take a bus to Magic Kingdom, then hop on the monorail for 3 resorts full of dining, shopping, coffee/tea breaks and just plain exploring. You might not be able to make a full day of this with kids…but it can be fun. And probably the most popular activity is going to Downtown Disney…soon to be Disney Springs.
Downtown Disney: Downtown Disney (Disney Springs) is an outdoor shopping, dining, playing extravaganza. It’s on Disney property and all resorts have buses that go to DTD. So why would you want to go there? Ummm…movie theaters, bowling alleys, super cool shopping and dining. So much happening (and more is coming) that really you could spend a whole day there without the rain. But should rain be the reason…you could head over to Splitsville Lanes and go bowling. Then catch an afternoon movie. Then if Disney Quest is still open (closing next year for a NBA experience) you can play awesome video games in a modern-age arcade. So much to do and it’s all under the Disney umbrella for great service, excellent theming and amazing memories to be had.
So…don’t let the rain get you down, Disney has your back. You might not get to do everything you had planned and hoped for…but it’s all about the memories. I have had several myself at DisneyLAND, everyone running around trying to find cover; hiding in shops and under patio umbrellas…then there was us…purchasing Disney $$$ ponchos and taking the rain head-on. Heck we even road the water rides over and over again…wet is wet right? It’s all about how you handle it and prepare for it. If it helps have a Plan B itinerary for rain; plan on a “rest” day mid-week that can be swapped out for a rainy day. OR take the rain head on with force, laughter and wet shoes.
Just remember a Rainy day at Disney is better than a sunny day at work ☺
Guest Blogger Nina is a Disney Travel Agent (Authorized and Earmarked). She books and plans ALL Disney Vacations (Walt Disney World, DisneyLAND and Disney Cruises) for FREE. Her full “concierge” services are complimentary and come with every booking. She vacations Disney every chance she gets and LOVES all things Disney. Nina is a LOCAL mom of two kids (currently 3&6). Both her kids have food allergies so she is also the expert at visiting Disney with Food Allergies. Contact her today for a FREE Vacation QUOTE – Nina@goTMCtravel.com or 734-890-2350 www.thedinglehopper.com For tips and Disney updates – www.facebook.com/wordofmouse
Author: Amber Louchart
Amber is the proud mother to four beautiful children, Damian (27), Rosaleigh (14), Carlyn (11), and Naomi (8). Her family also includes four cats. She loves being a stay-at-home mom and feels blessed to be able to care for her children full-time and provide them with so many opportunities through Metro Detroit Mommy. In addition to Metro Detroit Mommy, Amber has a passion for hosting karaoke with Malibu Entertainment. She enjoys the metro Detroit nightlife especially, singing, dancing and meeting new people.
Amber is the proud mother to four beautiful children, Damian (27), Rosaleigh (14), Carlyn (11), and Naomi (8). Her family also includes four cats.
She loves being a stay-at-home mom and feels blessed to be able to care for her children full-time and provide them with so many opportunities through Metro Detroit Mommy. In addition to Metro Detroit Mommy, Amber has a passion for hosting karaoke with Malibu Entertainment. She enjoys the metro Detroit nightlife especially, singing, dancing and meeting new people.
