Ultimate Guide to Surviving a Disneyland Rainy Day (2023)

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Is there rain in the weather forecast during your Disneyland vacation? Yes, cold and wet weather can be a downer, especially when you were expecting warmer temperatures in California. Here’s what to do when there’s a Disneyland rainy day during your trip, including how to plan ahead and what attractions might not be open.

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This article was originally published March 18th, 2015 and has been updated and republished with a new date.

Maximizing a Disneyland Rainy Day

It’s not all sunshine all the time – sometimes it rains in Southern California. But rain doesn’t happen all that often so it can catch us off-guard. You might find yourself totally unprepared for even the slightest shower at Disneyland. Don’t let the rain put a damper on your day! I’m sharing what to do.

I’ve been to Disneyland during many heavy downpours. And while it’s not fun to be wet and cold, there are things to do in the parks during a rainstorm. These are my insider tips for surviving a Disneyland rainy day.

Disneyland Rain FAQs

If you’ve never been to Disneyland when it’s raining, you might have a few questions. Here are the answers to the top questions about Disneyland rainy days:

Is there a Disneyland rain refund?

No, there is no Disneyland rain policy and no refunds for rainy days. This can be particularly challenging in the time of Disneyland reservations, one of the key changes when going to Disneyland this year.

Does Disneyland ever close during heavy rain?

Yes, it has happened. When there’s a chance of flood, heavy hail or other danger, Disney will shut the gates and send guests home.

What gets cancelled at Disneyland if it rains?

Parades, fireworks, and some outdoor shows are cancelled when it’s raining. Don’t expect to see outdoor character meet ‘n greets. Occasionally there is an abbreviated version of the parade when it’s rainy. This “Character Cavalcade” features some characters riding inside the Main Street U.S.A. vehicles.

Do the rides at Disneyland close when it rains?

Yes, some of the outdoor rides and roller coasters close when it’s rainy. Keep reading for a list of rides that usually remain open during bad weather.

How Does Weather at Disneyland and Disney World Compare?

When comparing the weather in Anaheim versus Orlando, basically it rains a LOT more at Walt Disney World! Being prepared for wet weather is definitely more of a necessity when traveling to Florida.

• Rainstorms at Disneyland often last all day or for several days in a row. Whereas at Disney World, the rain may pour down heavily for an hour in the afternoon, then stop just as suddenly as it started.
• The rain in California is generally accompanied by chilly weather. Expect it to be much warmer (and humid!) when it rains in Orlando.

• Wearing a rain poncho at Disney World is pretty common. Most guests will opt for umbrellas at the Disneyland Resort.
• The biggest surprise for my kids when visiting Disney World (all California-natives) is that it poured rain during the summer time. This is typically a dry season for us in So Cal. Experiencing daily afternoon rain in Florida was a shock.

• Another difference between the two coasts is the crowd levels during a storm. The park might thin a little at Disney World but it’s more extreme at Disneyland. Guests in California are more likely to leave the park in droves when the rain showers begin.

What Time of Year is Best to Avoid Rain at Disneyland?

This is a very common question, frequently asked in the Disneyland With Kids group. And my answer is always the same – “Southern California weather is often unpredictable”. It might rain in January, or it might be 85 degrees. It may pour in November, or be in the midst of a heatwave.

The challenge of weather changes year after year in SoCal simply means it can be difficult to plan too far in advance. Yes, with advance reservations required, Disney vacations are planned ahead. So that might mean you’ll be visiting when rain is in the forecast.

The answer to the “Best time of year to avoid rain at Disneyland?” question

June, July, August, September and October tend to be the driest (and hottest) months of the year. However even during those months, there may be random rain showers. Always check the forecast ahead of your vacation!

Keep reading for more tips on how to do Disneyland when it’s raining:

Check the Forecast

“Drip drip drop, little April showers”. Should you bring extra sunscreen or a poncho? Always best to know ahead of time by checking the precipitation forecast for Anaheim before your trip.

Keep in mind that when it rains in Southern California, it’s usually accompanied by cooler weather which might be the opposite of what you’re used to if you frequent Walt Disney World (where it might be warm and humid).

Purchase Refundable Disneyland Tickets

There’s a big difference between mist and a monsoon. If you’ve invested big money into your first Disneyland vacation and heavy showers are predicted during your entire vacation, you may consider rescheduling.

I highly recommend using Get Away Today’s Peace of Mind Plan when booking a Disney trip. Get Away Today is the only place that offers a full refund on Disneyland tickets (even Disney themselves don’t offer this!). With the Peace of Mind package, you’ll be able to change the dates of your trip easily, without additional charges.

My travel partners at Get Away Today offer both discounted Disneyland tickets and Anaheim-area hotels to fit any budget! Many hotels include exclusive discounts like free parking, complimentary breakfast or even free nights, just for booking through Get Away Today.

Disneyland tickets purchased now are good through December 31st, 2024. Purchase your multi-day tickets through Get Away Today now.

When you’re ready to book your Disneyland vacation, my friends at Get Away Today are ready to help! Mention code REWRITTEN to receive an extra discount off your SoCal vacation package (when booking 2+ nights with two or more tickets).

Be Prepared with Proper Rain Gear

Having the appropriate protective clothing can make or break a day in the rain at Disneyland. It’s always best to bring these items in your luggage if rainy weather is in the forecast. As noted before, pay attention to if the weather calls for light sprinkles or constant rainfall and plan accordingly.

That said, it’s always best to be prepared for any change in the weather. Bring what you need for a rainy day in the Park and don’t rely on purchasing there. These are the head-to-toe items you should consider bringing with you.

Best Footwear for Puddles

Don’t get wet feet! Wear sensible shoes like rain boots or sneakers that have been treated with Scotchguard. Rain boots would be an awesome idea, particularly if it’s expected to storm for days.

Wear appropriate shoes for the season. The temptation might be to wear flip-flops or sandals when the weather is wet. But be sure to gauge the temperature as well, lest your feet be freezing at the first drop of rain!

Beyond packing an extra pair of socks, consider the type of sock your wear as well. My friend Becca at This Crazy Adventure Called Life tested these RANDY SUN Waterproof Socks. She said they really did work great to keep her feet dry.

Thanks to Becca for her suggestion to add these socks to the list of things you need for a rainy day at Disneyland! Check out the Instagram video of her splashing around in puddles down Main Street!

What to Wear on a Disneyland Rainy Day

I highly recommend dressing in layers. While it might drizzle in the morning hours, by afternoon the sun may be out. However if it’s expected to rain cats and dogs all day, these are the coverings you should bring.

Rain Jacket

A rain jacket is the most practical for keeping dry when it’s raining at Disneyland. Pick something that folds up neatly. Choose a rain slicker like the Mickey version shown below with a longer length to keep pants dry when sitting on wet benches.

Rain Poncho

A poncho is a great idea when it’s a rainy day at Disneyland. They have attached hoods, are inexpensive and lightweight. Regular rain jackets will also work, but might not be as long as a poncho, resulting in wet pants.

Buy ponchos ahead of time for quite a bit cheaper and more variety than what you’ll find in the parks. Or choose a pricier version with a zipper if you want a more durable poncho that will last longer.

Plan to purchase size-appropriate rain ponchos for each member of the family. An adult rain poncho will not fit a child in the same way! In a pinch, binder clips can work to tighten a larger sized poncho to fit a kid.

Rain parkas are available at Disneyland but the price will be at a premium. BONUS TIP: Keep the receipt in a dry location – if the poncho tears, Disney will exchange for a new parka.

Should You Bring an Umbrella on a Rainy Day at Disneyland?

Umbrellas are iffy. They are hard to wield in a crowd and might poke someone when standing in outdoor queues. I brought an umbrella to Disneyland once and it turned inside out during a gust of wind! Plus, it’s always nicer to be hands free.

That being said, Southern Californians tend to be more of the umbrella-carrying type than the poncho-wearing type. If the rain is really heavy, consider using both the poncho and the umbrella to keep your face dry.

If you prefer an umbrella versus a raincoat or poncho, pack a compact version that can fold down quickly when not in use.

Keeping Babies and Toddlers Dry on a Wet Day at Disneyland

Don’t forget about little ones! Make sure that babies and toddlers are well protected from the rain. These are a few baby-friendly tips for taking small children to Disneyland in the rain.

• Consider purchasing a toddler-sized hooded rain jacket, versus a poncho for the best fit.
• Order a plastic stroller rain cover in advance of your vacation.

• Dress kids in layers, considering the weather. Once the rain stops and the sun comes out, children may want to ditch the jackets. Pack several extra pairs of clothing in case they are wet and uncomfortable.
• Toddlers are going to intentionally jump in every puddle they see! Bring sturdy and comfortable rain boots.

Use a Locker to Protect Valuables from Getting Damp

If you don’t want it wet, lock up your valuables. Place everything important in a locker for the day when there is inclement weather.

There are various sized lockers in both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park. You’ll also find two locker locations in the esplanade, both on the left hand side of each park entrance.

Things to store in a locker during a rainy day at Disneyland Park

Bring a change of clothes and extra socks. Dry clothes will be a blessing if you’re soaked and cold!

Pack a small towel. A fast drying microfiber hand towel is a great way to wipe off anything that’s overly damp or to squeeze excess water from hair.

Bring Ziploc bags in a variety of sizes for storing items you don’t want to get wet. Plastic bags are handy to store wet items until you return to the hotel.

Waterproof Everything for a Wet Disneyland Day

When packing your gear inside of a Disney day bag, consider only bringing items that can withstand moisture. Chances are your stuff is going to get wet, one way or another.

You could always request a souvenir plastic bag at one of the Disneyland gift shops, but it’s better to have water resistant items ahead of your trip.

PURSE – Clean out your purse and wallet ahead of your trip, removing important papers and cards you wouldn’t want getting damp. Ensure that you’re using a waterproof purse to keep contents dry. Baggallini are my favorite and this water resistant version offers plenty of space.

CELL PHONE – Keep precious cargo like your cell phone safe, using a reusable clear waterproof phone pouch.

DIAPER BAG – Pack only a few essentials at a time into this waterproof diaper bag. Keep the rest of the diapers dry inside a locker and refill as needed.

TOTE BAG and BACKPACK – Choose water-resistant bags that close to keep wetness from entering. Plus you’ll need a space to store jackets and rain parkas until you need them.

ZIPLOCS – For items you’ll need to access frequently in your Disney day bag, use gallon-sized plastic zip bags to contain everything.

Bring an Extra Set of Clothes

At the end of a rainy Disneyland day, you’ll be glad you brought extra clothes! Pack an extra set of clothing for each person in your family. I always seem to get the hem of my pants soaking wet on a rainy day and a dry pair is so nice put on!

A pair of leggings are small and lightweight to pack in with you. Bring a few extra pairs of socks too. Pack extra clothes in large zip-close plastic bags. After changing outfits, stuff the wet clothing back inside the bag for storage.

Now that you’re prepped and ready for a Disneyland rainy day, these are the things you can do once you’re in the park. If it’s just too wet to be outdoors, try one of these tricks!

Eat Indoors on a Disneyland Rainy Day

Many of the restaurants around Disneyland offer both outdoor or indoor dining. On a rainy day, skip the patio and go inside for your meals.

I recall a particularly soggy day when my son and I sought respite inside Café Orleans and it was great to sit inside where it was warm. By the time we got to the dessert beignets, my coat that had been sopping wet was dry!

Secure Advance Dining Reservations for Indoor Restaurants

With rain in your forecast, this is a perfect time to get an Advanced Dining Reservation for character dining or special full-service meal. Take your time eating and get all the photos!

Book that ADR before your trip. Walk up reservations will fill quickly as other guests will also want to seek shelter indoors. Best to book Disney dining reservations as soon as you can. Here’s how to do it with the free MouseDining program:

• Open the MouseDining website. Search for the restaurant you want to dine at.
• Add in dates to see if a reservation is available.
• If everything is booked, simply set up an alert with more details including meal, preferred time, and party size.
• MouseDining will email you when a reservation comes available!

Couldn’t secure a dining reservation ahead of time? There are several ways you might still be able to lock in a restaurant meal.

During your visit, use the Disneyland app to see what full service restaurants are offering availability. You may be able to score a last-minute reservation.

The second option is to try joining a walk up wait list. Many restaurants have a QR code posted outside the entrance. Scan the code on your device to join the queue, when available.

Go Souvenir Shopping

Slowly walking through the shops while you wait for the clouds to clear is a fun pastime. The Emporium, Elias & Co. and World of Disney inside Downtown Disney are loaded with goodies. No need to make a purchase!

Head Indoors for Entertainment

Rain or shine, taking in the entertainment at Disneyland is always a great choice. Keep in mind that many other guests will have the same idea – some indoor options may be crowded and indoor seating can be limited. Arrive early and expect a longer-than-usual wait.

Inside Attractions at Disney California Adventure Park

• Take the indoor Boudin Bakery Tour and find out how sourdough bread is made.
• Little ones will love the Disney Jr – Live on Stage! show. This Disney Junior dance party is great entertainment on a Disneyland rainy day, and an excellent place for kids to get the wiggles out!

• Mickey’s PhilharMagic is a whimsical 4-D show that’s perfect for all ages.
• Spend hours inside the Disney Animation Building. Take an art class at the Animation Academy, chat in Turtle Talk with Crush, see the Beast’s library or create animation in the Sorcerer’s Workshop.

Indoor Attractions and Things to Do at Disneyland

• Stroll through the Disney Gallery to view theme park artifacts, models and artwork. Perfect for older kids and teens (or sleeping babies in a stroller!).
• Another great attraction for older children and adults, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln features the Animatronic that started it all. Walk through the Disneyland Story area in the lobby to see rare behind-the-scenes moments about how the amusement park came to be.

• Looking for indoor shows? Golden Horseshoe offers not only yummy ice cream sundaes, but also occasionally features live music on the legendary stage.
• Watch classic Disney cartoons inside the Main Street Cinema.
• Take a peek inside the castle via magical dioramas in Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough.

Downtown Disney Indoor Entertainment

Pick up a game of bowling at Splitsville Luxury Lanes, the restaurant/bowling alley that’s fun for everyone. Lots of great food, cocktails and desserts.

Disneyland Rides Inside

Some of the outside rides close down during a downpour but there is still plenty that remains open. Many rides have outdoor queues but the attraction is indoors. If the Park isn’t particularly busy, ask the Cast Member if you can ride multiple times without getting out of your seat.

These are the indoor rides and attractions that are fully enclosed and away from the elements:

• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
• Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
• Haunted Mansion
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• Jessie’s Critter Carousel
• King Arthur Carrousel

• Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Monsters Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
• Snow White’s Enchanted Wish

• Soarin’ Around the World
• Space Mountain
• Star Tours
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

• Toy Story Midway Mania!
• Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
• WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure

Disneyland Rides that are both indoor and outdoors (and may close in bad weather):

• Alice in Wonderland
• Disneyland Railroad
• “it’s a small world”
• Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

• Mark Twain Riverboat
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Pixar Pal-A-Round
• Radiator Springs Racers
• Splash Mountain

Outdoor Attractions at Disneyland

When there’s a light sprinkle or weather is expect to clear, these outside rides may remain open. However during heavy rain storms or lightning, you may experience ride closures. A Cast Member is usually posted at the entrance to rides that are closed due to the weather.

Water attractions, like Grizzly River Run or Splash Mountain often remain open during the rain. However they may close due to unpopularity on particularly cold days.

• Astro Orbitor
• Autopia
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• Davey Crockett’s Explorer Canoes
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant

• Golden Zephyr
• Goofy’s Sky School
• Grizzly River Run
• Incredicoaster

• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
• Jumpin’ Jellyfish
• Jungle Cruise
• Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
• Mad Tea Party

• Main Street Vehicles
• Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
• Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
• Sailing Ship Columbia
• Silly Symphony Swings
• Storybook Land Canal Boats

Should You Use Disney Genie+?

The bad news? There’s rain in the forecast during your vacation. The good news? That might mean less crowds and shorter lines…but not always!

Just because it’s a Disneyland rainy day doesn’t mean the crowds have disappeared. In fact, with reservations in high demand, other guests may choose to stick it out through the storm (just like you!)

If you find that the park is busy and you’d rather not wait in long lines, by all means purchase a Disneyland ticket with Disney Genie+. But if lines aren’t long, there’s no point in buying Disney Genie+, so hold off purchasing until you can see crowd levels.

Need to escape the rain? There are still ways to have a good time at Disneyland and stay dry. These are a few more things to do when the rain is just too much.

Seek Shelter and People-Watch

When all else fails and the rain is relentless, find a covered area. There are some outside areas with overhanging porches. Grab a snack and take a break until the rain eases. And of course it’s fun to watch the unprepared guests in flip-flops scurrying through the rain!

Fireside at the Grand Californian

Even non-hotel guests can enjoy the lobby at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa. Cut through via the side entrance in California Adventure. Get a drink inside the lobby at Hearthstone Lounge. Warm up by the fireplace in one of the craftsman rocking chairs. Live piano music is often played with the pianist taking requests.

If All Else Fails….Retreat Back to Your Hotel

So despite the good efforts, you’re soaked through? Time to retreat and head back to the hotel and wait out the storm. Choose a nearby hotel that makes transportation easier, like the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. This Marriott location is right across the street, within a few minutes walking distance!

Take a hot bath, change out of your wet clothes and relax. After the rain subsides, you can consider returning to the Parks later in the day.

Prepare for Indoor Fun with Kids

If you know your children won’t be up for spending time in the rain at Disneyland, make sure you have enough to do at the hotel. These entertaining items are great to use when you plan ahead for a wet weather.

• Expecting Spring showers during your Disneyland trip? Try this Disney Easter Scavenger Hunt inside the hotel room.
• Add fun Disney-themed apps to kid’s electronics or tablets to play while hunkered down in the hotel room.
• Stock up on a few small Disney souvenirs beforehand to play with until the rain passes.

The Downside of a Disney Downpour

So even with all the preparation, it’s okay to feel a little disappointment with rain in the forecast during your vacation. These are the things to consider if planning a trip during rainy weather:

• Outdoor shows may be cancelled.
• Some outdoor rides are closed during rain.
• Harder to take photographs.
• Parade is abbreviated or cancelled outright.
• No fireworks spectacular.

The biggest benefit to a rainy day at Disneyland is that crowds are generally thinned out. With certain attractions rained-out you’ll also have the ability to think outside the box and experience things you might not have otherwise!