Ranking the Disney World parks you should visit when it rains
By Brian Miller
Disney is getting a deluge of rain again from Eta but that shouldn’t stop you from hitting the parks.
Whether your are going to Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom, there is no need to stop your Disney vacay over rain!
Rain is a common theme in Florida and if you are heading to one of the Disney parks, you can sure bet that even when no rain is forecast, you will still likely get a little. Sometimes however, and most of the time, the showers are quick 30 minute power hits and then they give way to a much more humid day. Those showers tend to only ruin a handful of your vacation itinerary.
What should you do though when the rain simply won’t stop? Sometimes, the rain will continue into the following day and if a tropical storm is bringing it, Disney still won’t close. You paid your money so what should you do? Here is a look at each park and which ones should top your rainy day visits.
Magic Kingdom
For starters, you can forget about most of the rides that the magic kingdom offers. When it rains, the best ride immediately becomes Space Mountain because it is indoors. So is the Pirates of the Caribbean. You may lose out on the carousel and most definitely the Snow White and Seven Dwarfs mine ride.
The good news is that many of Magic Kingdom’s offerings are inside. It’s a Small World, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, and the above mentioned as well. The lines are typically under a canopy as well but you won’t be taking your tikes to the Alladin and Dumbo rides and honestly there isn’t much to do in Mickey’s Toon Town with those attractions being closed for weather.
Still, depending on what shows have managed to escape the COVID lay-off wrath of Disney managment, there remains plenty to do at Magic Kingdom, it just might not be as magical.
Overall rank: 3 on our list
Animal Kingdom
I have probably spent more time in Animal Kingdom and Epcot when it rains than at any other park that is wet. Blind chance? Not sure but Animal Kingdom isn’t really a great spot to be in for an all day rain fest.
Sure the Avatar Flight of Passage will remain open but most of that line is outside and as one Twitter member noted, they don’t adjust the interior AC when it rains, so naturally you freeze in your wet clothes, unless you have a pancho and then just your feet are drenched.
At AK there isn’t a lot to see when it rains. The safari ride tends not to shut down unless it gets really bad and there is lightning in the area. Everest however will close with the slightest of rain. Many of the indoor attractions, or shows, have been cancelled due to COVID but there is still plenty to do at AK but your day may end a little prematurely. The good news is, you will feel like the park is all yours because a lot of people vacate when it starts to pour. Maybe that’s why I always end up there!
Overall rank: 2 on our list
Hollywood Studios
The good news is that most of the attractions at HS are indoors. The Slinky Dog Dash rollercoaster won’t run but Rockin’ Rollercoaster will and so will Tower of Terror which is pretty unique when it is raining outside. In really bad weather though, it will shut down.
At Galaxy’s Edge, Star Wars fans don’t have to worry about rain shutting down their rides but they do have to get a queue time for Rise of the Resistance. The good news is when rains, the line for Smugglers Run drops considerably.
HS isn’t a horrible park to visit in the rain but you can grow tired of it quickly because, well, the park itself is kind of boring after a few hours. Is it really a park you want to wander around soaking wet or with rain pelting the top of your umbrella and then running over your shoulders? Probably not.
Overall rank: 4 on our list
Epcot
Well, it’s not a secret that Epcot tops our list as the number one option for wet weather and that may seem like a bit of a surprise. When all the rides are open (not under refurbishment or construction) all but Test Track is open and to be honest with you, Test Track closes down for a simple drizzle.
The rides at Epcot outside of TT are all indoors and so are the lines to get on the ride. At World Showcase you have no choice but to walk in the rain but each pavilion has plenty of shops and dry areas to get out of the open. In fact, some have indoor movies about that country or like Morroco have a museum you can glance through.
Despite the unbelieveable amount of construction, Epcot clears our pretty quick when it rains and that leaves you to a half empty park that you can fly through. With a plethora of dining options and plenty of shops to peruse, you will probably get at least close to your $120 park ticket price.