The 3PM Thunderstorm Plan: How I Save a Rainy Disney Day

If you're visiting Disney World in September, you are going to get rained on. Not maybe. The afternoon storm is basically scheduled, usually somewhere between 2 and 5, and it tends to roll through hard for 30 to 60 minutes and then move on like nothing happened.

The good news: the parks empty out during those storms, and if you have a plan, that hour can be one of the best hours of your whole trip. Here's mine. ⛈️

First, know what actually closes

Rain alone usually doesn't stop much. Lightning is what closes rides. When it's in the area, expect these to go down:

• Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Big Thunder Mountain, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, Barnstormer, Dumbo, Magic Carpets, Astro Orbiter, Tomorrowland Speedway
• EPCOT: Test Track, Guardians is fine but the outdoor queue overflow isn't fun
• Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers
• Animal Kingdom: Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris (often), Kali River Rapids, DINOSAUR sometimes

The Skyliner also stops for lightning and wind, which is the one that really messes people up. If you're staying at Pop, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, Riviera, or the Boardwalk area resorts, know that buses get called in as backup but the lines get long. Build in extra time.

Where I go in each park

Magic Kingdom I head straight to Liberty Square and Fantasyland. The Haunted Mansion queue is mostly covered, the Hall of Presidents is 25 air conditioned minutes in a comfy chair, and Mickey's PhilharMagic and Under the Sea are usually walk-ons. If it's really pouring, the Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland is my favorite place on property to wait out a storm.

EPCOT World Showcase pavilions are the whole answer. Impressions de France, the American Adventure, and the Mexico pavilion (indoor, dark, has a boat ride and a margarita bar) will get you through anything. On the front side, Living with the Land and The Seas are calm and rarely busy in the rain.

Hollywood Studios This is the best rainy day park, honestly. Almost everything is indoors. Rise of the Resistance, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, Star Tours, and the Muppets are all covered. Just note the walk between Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story Land is exposed.

Animal Kingdom This is the hardest one. Flight of Passage and Na'vi River Journey are indoors, and the Festival of the Lion King theater is covered. Beyond that, Animal Kingdom gets soggy fast. If a storm hits here and I have a Park Hopper, this is the day I hop.

What I wear when rain is in the forecast

• Ponchos, not umbrellas. Umbrellas are miserable in a crowd and useless in wind. I bring cheap ponchos from home. Disney sells them for around $13 if you forget.
• Two pairs of socks in the bag. This is the single best thing I do. Dry socks change your entire evening.
• Sandals or quick dry shoes if rain is likely. Wet canvas sneakers stay wet for eight hours.
• Skip the good ears. Rain will wreck sequins and bows. I bring a plain pair or a baseball hat on storm days and save the pretty ears for morning photos.
• Anything cotton stays wet. A quick dry romper or athletic material dress is the move.

One planning tip

Use the storm as your sit down meal window. If I know rain is coming, I book a 3:00 or 3:30 lunch somewhere indoors: Sci-Fi Dine-In, Skipper Canteen, Coral Reef, Yak and Yeti. You get out of the weather, you're eating anyway, and you walk out into a park with half the crowd and shorter lines. Check out more picks over on dining, and if you want a full day framework to slot this into, my itinerary page walks through it.

Rain is not a ruined day. It's usually just a two hour detour, and the sunset after a Florida storm is genuinely one of my favorite things about a September trip. 🌈