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Walt Disney World weather is always changing! Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “The Rainy Day” poem is famously quoted for the line “Into each life some rain must fall.” But those of us who live in Florida know that sometimes a whole lot of rain falls!
So, what do you do when your vacation has some washout days? Here are some thoughts and tips to help you make the best of the Disney World weather.
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Types of Weather in Orlando
Our Florida weather does not have the typical seasons. We have hot, hotter, and really hot. We also have maybe one or two months of cooler weather. Don’t worry, you can often still wear shorts and swim in the heated pools.
We also get a lot of rain showers in Florida, especially over the summer months. It may be a light rain or a typical afternoon thunderstorms. Be sure you always double check the weather forecast (even during a rain storm). We are the lightning capitol of the world, so you always want to keep an eye out for lightning. If there is lightning, find cover and wait out the storm. Many times I have been stuck after the theme parks close, due to a storm. Safety is Disney’s #1 concern, so they are always fine if you have to wait out a storm.
Another big season is hurricane season. Our hurricane season runs from June-November. The peak season is August-October. We often get several big hurricanes during the peak season. We love tropical storms and hurricane season, because it is one of the slowest times of the year at the Disney Theme Parks. However, you want to be prepared for a hurricane if you book a Walt Disney World vacation around these dates.
How to Survive Rain at Disney Parks
Buy a Poncho and Carry On
The great news about rain at the Walt Disney World Resort is that a lot of people hide from the rain. This is great, because it means far less crowds and shorter lines at the parks. We know it’s not fun to get soaked, but you can avoid that by bringing or buying a nice, big poncho to cover your clothes. Throw on some water type shoes (and maybe a baseball hat) with your poncho and you are good to go!
Enjoy More Indoor Attractions
Disney World in Florida has more queues and attractions indoors or covered anyway. However, you may want to adjust your FastPass+ reservations and your plans in general to ensure you can get inside and dry off from time to time.
When it thunderstorm rolls into Disney World, this is the perfect time to enjoy some of the longer indoor shows and attractions. Here are some of our favorite indoor attractions to get out of the thunderstorms.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Festival of the Lion King
- Finding Nemo the Musical
Epcot
- The American Adventure
- Impressions de France
- Turtle Talk with Crush
- Living with the Land at Epcot
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
Magic Kingdom
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
- Mickey’s Philharmagic
- Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor
How to Survive Rain at Disney Springs
Go Bowling and to the Movies
Disney Springs conveniently offers Splitsville Luxury Lanes right next to the AMC Theaters (and if you are driving, both are just steps from the Orange Parking Garage). If you want to fill a rainy afternoon with family fun and great food indoors, these two options have you covered (literally)!
Splitsville offers retro bowling on two floors with 30 lanes available. They also have a fantastic menu that’s worth the trip even if it’s not raining or if you aren’t interested in bowling. The AMC Disney Springs 24 offers dine-in theaters where they bring delicious cocktails, snacks and meals right to your seat while you enjoy the film. If you don’t want to dine, select a different showing, but you’ll still choose and reserve your seats as all showings have reserved seating. It’s great that you can see what seats are available online and reserve in advance, so you never have to worry about whether or not you’ll find seats together for your whole party.
How to Survive Rain at Disney World Resorts
Swim!
As long as there isn’t lightning or severe weather, you are welcome to continue swimming at your resort pool. You’re going to get wet anyway, so why not make the best of it and take advantage of your Disney resort pool’s features! At most of the resort pools, there are usually some covered areas or patio umbrellas that you can sit under when you need a break (or for mom and dad while the kids swim). Why stay cooped up in your hotel room when you can be zipping down your resort’s pool slide!
Tour Your Resort
Some resorts actually offer tours where a tour guide explains the resort’s story and points out special architectural details. These are generally indoor tours and can be very interesting experiences.
Cast Members also love to point out Hidden Mickey’s and little-known details along the way. Check your resort activities guide or ask the hotel concierge for tour times.
There are other activities (paid and free) held during the day at resorts each day, too, like craft-making, games and more. These will all be listed on the resort activities guide and can help fill your time with unique experiences you might have otherwise missed out on.
What are beat the Disney World weather? Share your ideas!
