Boohoo-rain, rain, and more rain!

[trampslady]

I'm leaving on Wednesday for a five night stay and wouldn't you know it, thunderstorms are forecast for every single day!

Oh well, I guess I'll have to don my hat and just get wet. I'm gonna find a way to have fun in spite of the wet stuff!

 

[hucifer]

I know, I've been keeping an eye on the weather for over a month now, and I've yet to see these thunderstorms let up. I was hoping that EVENTUALLY the skies would clear!

I hope it clears up for you. I've been bummed out too.

 

[ww52]

Understand that this time of year they get a PM storm nearly every day. It usually only lasts 60-90 minutes at most. But it's enough for the weather forecasts (especially the national ones on the internet) to put a storm symbol up.

We had a storm symbol for each of our 6 days earlier this month. Only two days would I say the rain lasted more than 90 minutes - and NEVER before 1:00pm. Plan on going to the parks early.

 

[wdwguide]

You need to know that the meteorolgists in central Florida tend to take the summer off and just put the same forecast up every day, with maybe 15% variance for temperature. Why? Because they can. The weather here is completely locally generated, which means it's impossible to predict where and when a thunderstorm may form on any given day. There's always a good chance, and it's not rare to get several days in a row with storms. Usually these only last a few minutes, although there is the occasional day where it just keeps on raining.

My suggestion: no matter how the sky looks in the morning, no matter what the forecast says, never do Disney in the summer without bringing your rain gear with you!

 

[buckeye]

We managed to have a fantastic time last summer and got rained on almost constantly. We had brought a cheap plastic rain poncho for each person for every day of the trip and we used them all. Also, we went through all our shoes because we just couldn't get them dry. We ended up in pool flip flops by the end, which was OK because you could dry them. So, just plan ahead for ponchos and footwear and then plan to have a great time with lots of funny pictures to look at when you get home! With all that planning, chances are it won't rain at all

 

[Kteacher]

I'm with WDWguide. we were there in july. the forcasts were for rain everyday. We ended up getting a thunderstorm every afternoon between 4 and 5. No big deal. Pack dollar store ponchos- they are easy to fit into a fanny pack. The parks are just as fun in the rain!

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by ww52
Understand that this time of year they get a PM storm nearly every day. It usually only lasts 60-90 minutes at most.

Except for this year. There are systems stalled both in the Gulf and the Atlantic, and it's contributed greatly to rain amounts and duration. It's 4pm at Disney right now, and it's raining. Has been for about an hour. Predicted to last most of the evening. Every day last week, it started raining about 2:30-3pm and rained (occasionally deluged) for the rest of the day and into the evening. There are flood warnings in many areas of central FL right now, with actual Federal Disaster Areas declared north of Orlando. So ... this is not the same as other years.

That said ... the parks are not flooded, the laser show and fireworks continue, and the parades are usually done before the rain starts. It's a bit soggy at PI in the evenings. Just think of it as being at Disney while being continually sprayed by a super-soaker!

 

[joepoe]

We were there last week for nine days and I am sick of rain. It rained more than I can ever remember in all the summers we have gone down there, converging fronts, t storms, tornado watches. It was quite soggy.

 

[skfulkers]

I know exactly what you mean, Joepoe. We were there the first week of August and it rained every day from around 3:00pm until at least 10:00pm. Constant deluges of rain, lightning, flash flooding--you know, the kind of rain everyone says they get in Florida around this time of year, but that usually "only lasts for a half hour or so and then the sun come back out."
I remember one day at AK standing in the corner of the Harambe Traders store in Africa for over two hours waiting for the slightest let-up of a massive thunderstorm in the area. And these thunderstorms aren't like typical thunderstorms in the midwest that move from west to east at a constant rate. They tend to form on a particular area and then stay there without moving at all. One night at the MK, I watched the storm clouds move in, then move north, then back south, and finally just stand still.
Crazy Florida weather.

That being said, we still had a good time. The only part that really started to get to me was the fact that it rained through every evening that we were there, cancelling parades and fireworks (which stinks because evening are our favorite time of day at WDW).

I'm sure all of you going down in the next few weeks will have a great time in spite of the rain. Just make sure to pack the ponchos (and possibly bring a canoe).

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by trampslady
I'm leaving on Wednesday for a five night stay and wouldn't you know it, thunderstorms are forecast for every single day!

Oh well, I guess I'll have to don my hat and just get wet. I'm gonna find a way to have fun in spite of the wet stuff!

Not a big deal, you are in the subtropics, they are relatively short lived and it is, indeed, a source of amusement (at least for me).

 

[FOTM_Ring_Bearer]

We were there from the 16th to the 23rd. Our last night, Friday, we watched Illuminations in the rain.

We lucked out on the 19th, the rain stopped just as e-ride night was starting.

Just about everytime my DH headed into the pool, the thunder started and they cleared the pool.

Unless it was pouring with thunder and lightning, we put on our mickey ponchos and headed out.

 

[RoqueC]

I was just there last week, and it rained every day. I didn't mind it that much. Two hours away from the parks gave me some time to relax in the resort.

 

[FloridaCat]

Well it is not funny anymore as we have a lot of areas flooded and people headed to shelters and no let up in sight.

The Seabreeze from the Gulf and Atlantic dicate where the storms will hit. Bad news for us this year is right in the middle of the state.
We had Tropical Depresions last wek and that means more rain and longer. They do not have to be over Florida as their effect covers hundereds of miles. Latest report shows a string of them coming off the Africa coast so that could be fun. Hopefully none become a Hurricane.

I hate Panchos and wet suits are better. You Golfers and fisherman know what I am taling about. More expensive, but lighter, more comfortable and dryer.

 

[treesinger]

The whole east coast has been extremely rainy this summer. I fact, we broke a record here of 16 straight days of measurable rainfall. And last summe our drought was so bad that the local BACKUP reservoir was nearly dry. Go figure.

 

[goofy4tink]

When we were in WDW in Nov of 2001 it was incredibley dry. If you'll remember, it was the spring/summer of all the fires. WDW had turned off a lot of the fountains and such. Well. They sure made up for it last week. I, too, was prepared for the daily thunderstorm/showers. But, the rain would start around 2-3 and last into the night. We found that if we did the parks really early in the day it wasn't so bad. We went back to our resort after lunch and returned to the parks with our trusty ponchos early evening. Did we get wet??? Oh yeah. I've not been so wet, outside of the bathroom or pool, in my memory. But, we did get used to being wet and didn't let it stop us. Now, the monorail being stopped during a horrendous thunderstorm/rainstorm and having two monorail cars worth of people just hanging out at the stop for MK for over an hour was interesting. But they saw a tornado above the clouds, so it is understandable. Will we go in August again? Probably not. We tried it and will most likely go back to late fall touring. So all in all....get your ponchos out. A hint....wear your hat/cap with the poncho. It really helps keep the rain off your face and glasses. My dh was drowned, even with the poncho on. Dd and I both kept wearing our caps and our faces were dry. Go and have fun. After all...you are in WDW.

 

[Goofyish]

Just got back from 2 weeks in WDW. Our first week we must have been lucky and only got rain on a couple of days, but last week was very wet. We found that getting to the parks early was the best plan as the rain didn't start until early/late afternoon (although though then tended to stick around for the rest of the day!).
We still managed to get things done, even in the parks in heavy rain - just put your ponchos on and have fun

 

[codge90]

Does anybody know if will be dryer next week?

 

[tnkrbell]

There is some weather stirring in the tropics!! We go this weekend and it is not looking good weateh wise!!

 

[JBurke]

We too just got back last week.
A few days it was the quick 30 minute downpour and then all was fine, but a few days it started raining in the early afternoon and didnt stop! Not what I was expecting.
Dont let it get you down, just keep on going. We forgot about the ponchos-too sticky hot and they make you take them off for the rides. We just got wet, we didnt care...we were in WDW!

If you have a little one, make sure you get a plastic rain cover for your stroller so at least the littliest member of the family can stay dry. Worked for us.

 

[Michelina]

We were there the first week in August and it rained every day. Started around 4 or 5 and lasted until about 9ish. Luckily we got to see Illuminations and fireworks and Fantasmic! Sitting on the bleachers from 7:15 until Fantasmic in the POURING down rain is something I'll never forget for the rest of my life. But it was totally worth it!! A rainy day at Disney is way better than a rainy day at home! I did give up on wearing a poncho while we were there. It was so warm it was like having a soggy garbage bag over my soggy sweaty self.
For everyone who's going soon, here's hoping for sunnier skies! But if not, oh well, it's still Disney!
Oh- don't forget to dry out your shoes as soon as you get home, I forgot mine for a day sealed in a ziplock in my suitcase and they were BLUE from mold!