Main Street Wishes: Rainy Days at Disney

It's a rainy day where I am, so I though a post about rainy days at Disney would be fitting. When it's dreary at home, it usually leaves me feeling kind of blah, but a rainy day at Disney is still fun. I think the saying goes "A rainy day at Disney is still better than a sunny day at the office" and it is so true. There are many things you can do to still have fun when it rains.

Go to the Parks Anyway

People do this and I can understand why. The crowd levels are so much lower than when it is not raining. We went to Animal Kingdom on a day when it was overcast and rainy, it wasn't pouring or anything, but the crowd level there was still a lot lower than it would have been if it was sunny out. We didn't mind it at all! It was nice to have so few people in the park and a short wait for Expedition Everest.

If it is really raining you can buy a poncho from multiple locations in the parks, resorts, and Downtown Disney. People have said that they actually had more fun in the rain at Disney, because of the emptiness in the park. So, if you don't mind riding the rides or walking around the parks in the rain, I say throw on your poncho and head for the parks! You will probably get some pretty fun pictures too!

Expedition Everest

Shopping

If touring the parks in the rain is not your thing, then you can always check out the many shops that are on Disney property. You will still have to walk in the rain a little, but Downtown Disney has many different shopping experiences and some of the stores have fun themes. I can spend hours in World of Disney. That store has everything you could possibly want that is related to Disney, it is huge! There is even a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in the store.

If you get stuck in the rain at the parks and want to wait it out there is plenty of shopping available in the parks as well. A good one for shopping in the rain is the Emporium at the Magic Kingdom which pretty much spans the length of Main Street USA, so you have plenty of things to look at and you can get from one end of Main Street to the other without stepping outside. The themes of the stores in the parks can be pretty fun too. Take Sir Mickey's for example. Do you remember Willy the Giant from Mickey and the Beanstalk? Well, if you go to Sir Mickey's make sure to look up, because you will be able to see Willy peeking through the ceiling. It's pretty cool and another example of the great details in all aspects of Disney.

Taking Time to Explore Your Resort

The rain can be the perfect excuse to just stay at your resort and do some exploring. Disney vacations can be very busy, so if you have a reason to spend the day at your hotel it will make for a nice relaxing resort day. Disney resorts have so many things to offer. Between the activities, shopping, restaurants, and walking around to see the details that are in the resort, there is so much to do. You could easily spend a day at your resort and not run out of things to do. Just make sure you get your activity list when you check-in and there should be a folder, with services and activities the resort offers, in your room.

Activity Sheet

Folder with Resort Information

Exploring Other Resorts

If you feel like you have seen everything you want to see at your resort then you can try wandering around other hotels. It's fun to make a day of resort exploring. If you head over to the Magic Kingdom you can hop on the monorail and do the loop of monorail hotels. Those include: Grand Floridian (and The Villas at Grand Floridian), Polynesian Village (DVC Villas being constructed there), and Contemporary (and Bay Lake Tower).

The Epcot resorts are fun to explore too. There you will find the Beach Club (and Beach Club Villas), Yacht Club, and Boardwalk Inn and Villas. The Beach Club (BC) and Yacht Club (YC) are right next to each other and both have really nice lobbies. You can check out the fun shops and the dining options here. We enjoyed breakfast at Cape May Cafe and lunch at Beaches and Cream. After you are done with BC and YC, you can walk over to the Boardwalk and check out the Boardwalk Inn. The Boardwalk Inn also has a very nice lobby and there are shopping and dining options along the Boardwalk, though you will have to walk outside to get to each shop and restaurant, so bring an umbrella if it is raining.

Those are just some examples, Disney has over 20 hotels that you can visit and explore (within reason if you are not actually staying at that resort).

Pamper Yourself

A rainy day can also be a good excuse to pamper yourself! Disney has spas on property that you can make reservations for and just relax and enjoy. Many of the Disney hotels offer some kind of spa service. One example is Senses, which is located at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa also has a Senses spa available for you to make reservations. If you are looking for a way to relax after spending some busy days in the park, don't hesitate to treat yourself to some pampering. You're on vacation and you deserve it!

These are just some ideas of what to do when it rains. Disney really does have so much to do on property, you will never be bored or have nothing to do when it rains. That's one of the reasons I love Disney. The options of things to do seem endless, so no two trips ever have to be the same. You can discover something new with every visit :-)

Thanks for reading!

Liz ⁰O⁰