It rains a LOT in Disney World.
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Thunderstorms, rain, and winds in the parks can cause discarded snacks in a flee for shelter; some transportation issues, like the Skyliner stopping with guests inside; and guests to hide out in dry places, away from the storm. However, we’re not ones to be easily deterred by bad weather. That’s why we opted to wear a Disney-brand poncho to see how it would stand up in a storm. We’re breaking down the good, the bad, and the surprising parts of our experience!
You can find Disney ponchos at most gift shops around the parks for $12, including tax (and there are also smaller ones for kids for $10). That price may seem steep, considering you can find similar ponchos at your local dollar store.
If you do want to avoid paying so much for a poncho, you may want to buy some ahead of time. You can get packs of ponchos beforehand to bring with you to the parks. They may be a bit thinner than the ponchos sold in the parks but most should do the trick!
Of course, we did a quick photoshoot with our new purchase
Now back to the Disney ponchos! As you can see, the back of the poncho features none other than Mickey Mouse, along with the Disney Parks logo and fireworks. We wore the poncho for a few hours in Magic Kingdom during heavy rain and high winds — here’s what we found!
Pros
Ponchos are usually a fairly flimsy, plastic material that can somewhat help prevent you from getting wet. But, we found that Disney’s poncho was made of a nice, thick material. The sturdier poncho helped prevent the hood from flying off when gusts of wind hit us smack dab in the face during our walk through the park.
Rainy Day in Hollywood Studios
We also noticed that the Disney poncho was great to wear with a backpack underneath. The poncho helped keep our backpack fully dry (without ripping, might we add) as opposed to wearing a raincoat or carrying an umbrella.
If you want to avoid rainy weather, you might want to take a look at the calendar!
Besides, you don’t have to worry about your poncho flying away or bending in every which way and direction, like umbrellas might do in the wind! Umbrellas don’t do much to help in those instances, but our Disney poncho helped us avoid those issues.
Ponchos in Disney World
While there were some benefits to the Disney poncho, there are also some cons that you should know about before dropping $12 on one.
Cons
When you first unpack your Disney poncho from its case, that plastic smell is PRETTY intense for the first half-hour or so. Yeah, you know that new plastic smell we’re talking about. So, if you’re not into smelling plastic for whatever reason, that could be a downside for you.
Mickey really is on everything
Another downside we encountered was that our arms, hands, and lower half didn’t stay totally dry during the storm. Partly, that was due to the fact that we weren’t wearing the best rainy day outfit and we were frequently stopping to take photos and videos to share with you.
We Definitely Got a Little Wet
Most people would quickly make their way over to their next destination or take cover from the rain, instead of standing in it. So, you may not end up as wet as we did if you take cover appropriately. 😂
Things You’re Not Thinking About
You might be worrying more about the fact that you’d like to stay dry on a stormy day in Disney World. But there’s one BIG thing you’re not thinking about — packing and transporting your ponchos! When you first open a poncho before you use it, they’re folded up super tightly. The poncho will be very flat and easy to keep in your bag until you need it.
Nice and flat!
After you wear the poncho, it’s pretty difficult to get it as flat as it was when you bought it. The ponchos that you can get for around $1 outside of Disney World are usually more of a one-use item. The Disney ponchos, on the other hand, can be reused again.
Disney Poncho
You’ll just probably need to do a bit more thinking about how you want to pack them! It can help to fold them as tightly as possible and stick them in a bag brought from home to store them for the rest of your trip. Or, you may want to roll it very tight and put a ribbon or rubber band around it so it stays that way.
Rolling Skills
Would we wear a Disney poncho during a storm again? Our answer is yes, since some of the cons could probably be prevented with better rain-ready clothing than we wore today. We recommend wearing anything that is lightweight and can dry quickly, so you don’t have to sit in soggy clothes on rides or Disney transportation.
Our Best Attempt at Compressing a Poncho!
As we continue to make our way around the parks, we’ll be sure to bring you all the Disney World tips and tricks you need to know before your next vacation. Keep following DFB for the latest information!
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Do they only sell the Disney ponchos in adult sizes?
We have had our Disney ponchos for three week long trips now. Luckily last time we didn’t need them at all. We keep them rolled up in the bottom of our park bag so we have them if needed. I have heard Disney will replace them free of charge if they rip or get a hole. Not sure if that is true?! Need to investigate that one since one of our ponchos have ripped at the seam on the bottom and at the hood.
They’re also sturdy enough to pack and reuse for several trips before the snaps break. Pro tip: make SURE it’s dry before you pack it up though-mildew is a thing here!
Meg, they also sell children’s sizes.
Once the ponchos come out, you become invisible. 99% of the crowd are dressed exactly aline in Disney ponchos. Forget trying to identify your party based on the clothing they were wearing pre rainstorm. This is where a poncho bought anywhere else but Disney sets you apart and easy to identify by your party.
I have my Disney Ponchos for 4 visits long now and they are completely fine… I carry them in a Ziploc to be easier to carry it dry or wet
Some tips:
The best way to dry is using a hanger
The easiest way to folder the poncho is over the bed
I bought Disney ponchos when they were yellow about 15 years ago. They are shockingly still quite usable. They may very well be the best purchase I have ever made in the parks. Folding them vertically and then rolling them tightly, like packing a tent, makes them quite compact.
I took a Disney poncho to Austin City Limits Music Festival a few years ago. I can add to the pros that if you sit cross legged in a camp chair the poncho is big enough to keep you and the chair dry!
I thought for sure the answer to the question “here’s what happened when we wore a Disney poncho” would be 500 soaking wet people coming up to you and frantically asking “WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!!” Happens every time. 😂
We bring a zip lock baggie and use a straw to get the air out. Poncho will be sealed and compressed.
Another important pro is that Disney will swap them out for free if they tear or the snaps stop working.
One important step not mentioned is to bring dry socks or shoes to change into once the rain stops. The top of you may be dry but it sucks to slosh around the parks with soaking wet shoes that will never dry before you leave for the day.
I agree, Stephen! Sloshy shoes can put a damper on the rest of your day.
We have the yellow ones from 2002 and still use them 20years later. The kids outgrew the child sizes.
We just gave away a couple of yellow Disney/Mickey ponchos we got probably 10 years ago. Used them for 3 or 4 week long trips. Carried them rolled up in large zip lock bags. Might be one of those things that use to be better made.