When the weather gets dark and stormy outside, it may seem like the worst time possible to visit a Walt Disney World theme park, but contrary to what you may think, a rainy day visit, even during a tropical storm, can still be a lot of fun.
However, you’ll have to set your expectations, as, depending on the severity of the weather, several rides and attractions will be closed or modified to make sure that guests as well as Cast Members are kept safe. Here’s a list of everything you can expect to be closed at Walt Disney World’s theme parks if the forecast calls for less than magical conditions:
1. The Magic Kingdom
Closed for Rain: Tomorrowland Speedway, Tom Sawyer Island, Festival of Fantasy Parade, Pirates of the Caribbean (if there is flooding in Adventureland)
Closed for Lightning: Thunder Mountain Railroad, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Splash Mountain, Jungle Cruise, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Liberty Belle Riverboat, Astro Orbiter, Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire, and Swiss Family Treehouse
Special entertainment: Magic Kingdom Rainy Day Cavalcade, Rainy Day Version of Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire
When an afternoon shower pops up at the Magic Kingdom, only a few attractions will close temporarily, including the Tomorrowland Speedway and Tom Sawyer Island, mainly because of slip and fall concerns. However, if lightning is spotted within the vicinity, nearly a dozen additional attractions will be closed immediately due to safety concerns, including the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Thunder Mountain Railroad, and even the Jungle Cruise.
However, even though lightning will shut down outdoor entertainment at this park as well, if there’s no lighting in the area, the Magic Kingdom actually has two “rainy day” only activities including the Rainy Day Cavalcade, which features a bunch of characters riding around in the Main Street USA vehicles as well as a few dancers wearing raincoats. You can check out a recent Rainy Day Cavalcade below:
In addition, there is also a “Rainy Day Version” of the Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire, which has all the characters come out from Cinderella Castle, sing the “On this Day” song and wave to the crowd before making a quick exit.
While the Magic Kingdom still has plenty of fun things to do on rainy days (and it’s the only park with specific entertainment you can only see when it is raining), there’s one park that is absolutely perfect if you’re trying to get the most out of your Disney day when rain is in the forecast:
2. Epcot
Closed for rain: Test Track
Epcot is most certainly the the best park to visit when it comes to rainy day parks. Though its expansive walkways can be a challenge if you’re trying to stay dry (and the World Showcase can be miserable to trudge through if the rain is especially heavy), the vast majority of Epcot’s attractions, Including The Seas With Nemo and Friends, Frozen Ever After, Soarin’ Around the World, and Journey Into Imagination With Figment are all indoors, and do not close due to inclement weather. The only attraction at this park that is unavailable for guests when it rains is Test Track, because of the high-speed outdoor component of the attraction. However, aside from this one exception, everything else at Epcot can run in rainy conditions, so if the forecast looks gloomy, this should be your go-to park.
3. Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Closed for Rain: Beauty and the Beast, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, Jedi Training Academy: Trials of the Temple, Fantasmic!, Slinky Dog Dash
Closed for Lightning: Alien Swirling Saucers
This park has a number of indoor rides that will operate just fine in the rain, including Star Tours, The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Toy Story Midway Mania, and even the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (somewhat ironically, considering the lightning component of this attraction’s storyline). Though anything involving a live performer outside will be cancelled due to inclement weather, most of this park’s attractions will still operate during the rain, and if you’re really itching to see a show, both the Frozen Sing-a-Long as well as Voyage of the Little Mermaid shows will continue to be performed even if the weather gets nasty outside.
4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Closed for rain: Kali River Rapids, Maharajah Jungle Trek, Expedition Everest, The Boneyard, Discovery Island Trails, Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
Closed for Lightning: Kilimanjaro Safaris, Primeval Whirl, TriceraTop Spin, Flights of Wonder, Wildlife Express (depending on severity)
Though the Magic Kingdom closes over a dozen attractions when there’s rain and lightning, if we look at the park which shuts down the biggest percentage of attractions overall when the weather turns sour, Disney’s Animal Kingdom wins hands down. The only attractions that are guaranteed to stay open when a thunderstorm rolls in are Na’Vi River Journey, Avatar – Flight of Passage, Festival of the Lion King, It’s Tough to be a Bug, Finding Nemo: The Musical and Dinosaur. If the rain isn’t too severe, the interior areas of Rafiki’s Planet Watch will stay open, but if wind gusts are really strong or lighting strikes are too close, the Wildlife Express won’t run, which means guests won’t be able to access this area.
Have you ever been to Walt Disney World during a severe storm? What was your experience like? Share your favorite bad weather stories (as well as any rainy day tips you’d care to share) in the comments below!