10 Disney World Rainy Day Activities
While everyone hopes for a rain-free trip to Disney World, showers and storms are an ever-present possibility, even in the Sunshine State. (Unbelievable, right?) The good news is, a little rain can’t dampen the magic of Disney! In fact, there are so many Disney World rainy day activities, you might find yourself singing, “rain, rain, stick around, we need some moisture in the ground!”
So, grab your umbrella and follow me!
1. Rainy Day Activities at Disney Springs to Make Your Soul Feel Sunny
Duck out of the rain and into the realm of temptation – if there’s one thing you can never have enough of, it’s Disney merch. (Even if my wallet disagrees.)
“World of Disney” provides you with a good excuse to go shopping for all of your souvenirs. As the park’s largest character store, you’ll have an excellent selection of merchandise based on your favorite Disney character. Who doesn’t want another Stitch plushie for their collection?
In addition to shopping, Disney Springs is also a great place to indulge in a fun lunch or dinner at Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex, and Morimoto Asia. But you also have entertainment options like the House of Blues, the Splitsville Luxury Lanes bowling alley, and an AMC Theater where you can get a drive-in type meal to enjoy during a movie.
2. Future World and the Magic Kingdom are Fun in Any Weather!
To minimize your exposure to the rain, consider heading to Future World or Magic Kingdom. The attractions are close enough to each other that you can go from one to another without getting soaked. Also, there are enough indoor attractions to hopefully keep you busy until the rain stops.
3. Rainy Day Special: The Rainy Day Calvacade Parade!
One of the best things to do when it rains at Disney World is catching this weather-exclusive parade!
If you enjoy Disney’s signature parades featuring your favorite characters, you may actually want to be at Disney on a rainy day so you can mark this one off your bucket list, because rain is the only way you’ll get to witness the extra special Rainy Day Calvacade Parade! Taking place in the Magic Kingdom, each character is decked out in adorable rain gear and doing their best to make sure your Disney experience isn’t dampened. They’ll drive down the parade route in antique cars with a soundtrack that will have you singin’ the rain.
4. No Sun? No Problem! Water Rides for the Win
Making the most of a rainy day at Disney World means embracing the wetness. Why not try out the water rides if you’re going to get wet anyway? Believe it or not, most of these rides keep operating while it’s raining! Generally, the only time rides get shut down is when lightning is imminent. Protip: a rain shower can be the best time to get on rides since the lines will usually be shorter than normal!
5. A Monorail Tour (That’s Anything But Monotonous)
One of the best parts about taking the Monorail (other than staying out of the rain) is that it gives you the perfect opportunity to check out Disney World’s many resorts. Each one has indoor activities you can take part in, even if you aren’t staying at that particular resort.
This is often more relaxing than trudging around the parks all day. And if you’re looking to avoid being outside completely, head to the Disney Contemporary Resort. All of this resort’s entertainment is located inside.
The monorail takes you to resorts that include luxurious spas where both adults and kids are pampered, Disney-style. Senses Spa is one of the best, and with two locations (Saratoga Springs and the Grand Floridian resorts), you’ll find the spa easily accessible.
6. This is the Greatest Show!
There’s no lack of shows at Disney World, and thankfully, they’re all held inside! Some of the most popular include Hall of Presidents and American Adventure, which each run for 30-minutes.
For a shorter show, take a spin around the Carousel of Progress, which lasts for 20 minutes, or hang out with some talkative, tropical birds in the Enchanted Tiki Room for a 10 minute musical comedy extravaganza!
Other shows you can catch on a rainy day include the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular and the wildly popular Frozen show.
7. A Little Rain Will Help You Grow
A rainy day is a perfect time to head to EPCOT Center for the Behind the Seeds tour!
This is one of the few indoor tours Disney World offers, and it’s perfect if you enjoy gardening. Even if you’re infamous for killing plants…like me…it’s still really enjoyable! And you can pick up some pointers on how to be a better plant parent.
You’ll get to see the EPCOT greenhouses that provide the many plants you see around the park. At the same time, you’ll learn how Disney plants and grows the crops that restaurants in all four parks use in their delicious dishes.
If you’re into finding hidden Mickeys, you have extra motivation to take this tour. Visitors who don’t take the tour miss out on a whole bushel of special hidden Mickeys; being Behind the Seeds puts you ahead of the crowd!
8. Rainy Night? Bring On The Fireworks!
You may think that Disney’s fireworks shows are canceled if it’s raining, but this isn’t usually the case. The absence of any lightning means any scheduled fireworks show will still go on! And best of all, you can watch them while staying cozy and dry.
Head to the Contemporary Resort, and make your way to the area between the resort’s two towers, Contemporary and Bay Lake. The area consists of a covered walkway that has glass sides, so your view of the fireworks is never compromised. You’ll even get to hear the music that accompanies each fireworks show.
To enjoy an unforgettable meal with an unobstructed view of the fireworks, you can dine at California Grill. Located at the top of the Contemporary Resort building, you’ll be able to see the whole show!
9: Explore EPCOT
EPCOT may be the best park to head to when it rains. Most of its attractions are indoors, including the Disney Pixar Short Film Festival. You’ll get to watch three quick films, which may be just enough to wait out the rain.
Other popular indoor EPCOT attractions are found at the Land Pavilion. This is where you can experience Living With the Land and Soarin’ Around the World. Living With the Land is the topsoil to the Behind the Seeds Tour, taking you on a pleasant boat ride that explains the basics of agriculture in a truly engaging way. (I just love that yellow farmhouse and animatronic dog!)
Another option is to visit the Sea Base, which is an indoor coral reef with more than 4,000 species of marine life. This includes sea turtles, sharks, and dolphins! Sea Base is another place where you can take multiple indoor tours like the Seas Aqua Tour, Dolphins in Depth, and EPCOT Dive Quest.
10: Tea Parties (We’re All Mad Here!)
If you have a young child, consider waiting out the rain by attending the resort’s tea parties! At the Grand Floridian, you can take part in the Wonderland Tea Party or the Perfectly Princess Tea Party.
However, it’s worth noting that the Wonderland Tea Party is limited to children between the ages of 4 and 12 (and the “tea” is really apple juice). The Perfectly Princess Tea Party is best for kiddos between ages 4 and 9. And don’t let the name fool you – boys (princes) are just as welcome to the party as girls (princesses)!
With 10 rainy day activities to choose from, you don’t have to miss a beat during your stay at Disney. It’s rare for it to rain all day in Florida, so one or more of these activities should be enough to carry you through. How many of them have you already tried? If none, which ones would you try first?
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