Don't Let Weather Dampen Your Disney Vacation

You pack, plan, and pay for a magical vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort and are so excited you have been counting down the days with excitement and anticipation.  Then, it happens; the one thing you have no control over.  The weather takes a turn for the worse.  What do you do?  This question has many answers and all involve some flexibility, planning, and perseverance.

Let me preface that “taking a turn for the worse” is a matter of degrees—sometimes literally.  A rainstorm to Floridians may not phase someone from the Northwest and a chilly day to Cast Members may still mean shorts and flip flops for someone from the northern states.

So, what do you do when it rains while at the most magical place on earth?  Well, if it is just that, rain, no thunder or lightening, we grab our ponchos and umbrellas and carry on.  Of course those items are in our park touring bag.  EPCOT and Hollywood Studios make for some of the driest touring during the rain with Magic Kingdom a close second.  And, as I read somewhere, if you are at Animal Kingdom and it starts to rain, don’t head for the exit, head straight to Kilimanjaro Safaris as the animals enjoy the rain and become more active as they cool off while guests are still protected from the elements.  We are known to swim if it is raining—again, no thunder or lightening, at our resort or a water park.  We were going to get wet anyway!

If lightening becomes part of the equation, Disney is going to jump in and ensure guest safety.  Boat transportation throughout the resort will be suspended and some attractions may be temporarily shut down.  Pools and water parks will be closed until lightening leaves the vicinity.  Some say this is the best time to shop and that is what thousands of others will be thinking, too.  Downtown Disney is a great destination not only for shopping, but for indoor entertainment such as Splitsville for bowling, the AMC Dine-in theater with multiple movies to select from, and DisneyQuest, the five-story indoor arcade with amusement park ride simulations.  Just know that if there is lightening, there will be no boat transportation to Downtown Disney. 

Now, if we are talking hurricanes or tropical storms, again, Disney will provide directions to guests to ensure safety.  Parks may be closed and entertainment options may become available at resorts (the afternoon pool-side activities may get moved inside to lobbies or food court areas).  Depending on your resort, there may be games available to check-out from the Concierge or Guest Registration area.  Resorts with kids’ clubs will still be in operation.  Disney may also offer guests extensions on the park tickets, etc. to compensate for a hurricane and will do their best to get parks into ship shape if they experience any damage.  This is, after all, Disney.

But what if it gets cold?  Again, “getting cold” is relative and yet we have experienced some cold and chilly days while at the World.  If traveling during the late fall/winter/early spring months, it can be beneficial to think layers.  The mornings can begin chilly and a jacket is comfortable, but not needed by afternoon.  The evenings can also bring drops in temperatures.

Just as umbrellas and ponchos magically appear in stores at the parks and resorts when rain starts to fall, guests will find sweatshirts, jackets, hats, even gloves appear when temperatures begin to fall and catch guests unaware.  I would rather be prepared and pack those items, though I still have and use the Mickey gloves that I purchased during our first trip when there was unexpected cold weather.  Now, I slip of pair of gloves into the pocket of my jacket before throwing it into the suitcase.

A little rain or cold, need not dampen your Disney vacation.  With some creative thinking, packing or purchasing necessities, and fortitude to keep going although safely, you can still have a magical vacation if the weather takes a turn for the worse.  And, besides, you are going to have a great story when you get home.  Isn’t that what memories are made of?

Walt Disney World Guests Experience Park Closings and Tornado Warnings

Tornado warnings, mechanical breakdowns, and park closings, oh my!  These are just a few of the things Walt Disney World guests have been faced with the past couple of days.

Sunday afternoon brought Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, Tornado Warnings, and Wind Advisories to the Orlando area.  This would make for some difficult travel to and from Orlando as well as difficult park touring. 

Blizzard Beach experienced mechanical breakdowns and had to close on Sunday, but eventually opened on Monday.

On Monday, Magic Kingdom closed mid-day due to reaching capacity.  The park re-opened entry a few hours later.

Also on Monday, Typhoon Lagoon closed due to cold temperatures in the area.

So, how do guests either avoid or make the best of circumstances like those mentioned above and still enjoy their vacation?

• Pack appropriately.  Ponchos, umbrellas, layers for sudden cold snaps—even at the end of March, and at least two pairs of shoes so there is still a pair to wear while the others dry out.
• Get up and out early to head to your park.  Guest heading to the Magic Kingdom on Monday who had a leisurely morning, were denied entry as the park was already at capacity.  Guests arriving at or before park opening, made the most of the morning and were the most likely the ones leaving to make room for late arrivers.  Yes, I know it is vacation but if you want a lazy vacation, head to the beach.  Walt Disney World is fun, but it requires some effort.
• Have an alternative plan.  If a park closes, such as Blizzard Beach, don’t let it ruin your day by having an alternative plan in mind.  Play a round of miniature golf at nearby WinterSummerland, head to Downtown Disney, or explore your resort. 
• Keep an eye on the weather.  It can take some doing, but figure out what channel weather forecasts are broadcast and check it out before heading to the parks or better yet, the night before.  If the forecast calls for rain, know that Studios and EPCOT are some of your best choices.  If it is just rain—no lightening—a trip to the water park or pool may be just the ticket, as those will stay open as long as there is no lightening and you may experience diminished crowds.

Know that a little rain can fall in any vacation and be prepared.  As I have said before, there are inherent risks in any travel but being prepared is half the battle; your disposition is the other half.

Hotter Here Than At Disney!

I chose this photo on purpose.  It was taken during our trip to Walt Disney World last July.  We were a bit hot, but not melting.  You can see from the picture the perspiring was not out of the ordinary, but it didn’t stop our fun.

For the last several days, possibly week, I have been saying the following words to the husband:  “It is hotter here than at Disney.”  He keeps telling me that I keep saying that.  Yep.

We, like many others in the country are experiencing a heat wave with temperatures in the high 90’s or 100’s, heat advisories or warnings, and high heat indexes.

Weather.com has the capability of being personalized by the user or ability to have “favorites” set and on display each time the weather is checked.  I have three favorites—our hometown, Walt Disney World, and Nassau in the Bahamas (Castaway Cay wasn't recognized as a choice and I nicknamed it Paradise.)  Due to this settings feature, I am able to see at a glance the temperature at our home and at Walt Disney World. 

I just checked, and we are 12 degrees hotter, not factoring in the heat index.  And, it looks like the temps aren’t going anywhere but up for the next few days.

We have friends in Florida some visiting for a week and others for the entire month—they arrived just after Debby left the area.  They are experiencing more comfortable temperatures than we are—lucky ducks!

Anyway, our heat is making me less sympathetic to those who travel or who are about to travel to Disney and either worry or complain about the heat.  Maybe after experiencing the kind of temperatures we do at home makes us more ready to experience the heat of summer at Walt Disney World.

The husband says that he doesn’t mind the heat at Disney, because we are at DISNEY!  I guess he has a point.  If we are going to be hot, why not be hot in a great place, experiencing great things. 

Maybe we could just imagine being at Disney!