Tips about Food & Beverage, Mousecellaneous, Planning, Rain and Souvenirs
We found ourselves at Magic Kingdom in Tomorrowland when the skies opened up. We decided to have a ride on Buzz Lightyear, only to find it raining more than before... what a great excuse to take just a few damp steps into Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies for some ice cream. From Auntie Gravity's it's just a short sprint under the superstructure of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority to the escalator that will take you up to this attraction. This is undoubtedly the best place to spend some rainy weather time while in the Magic Kingdom -- just drifting along on this pleasant ride we all love, safe from the raindrops outside. And if it's still raining after you get off (and we've often stayed on for more than one trip around Tomorrowland), it's another easy sprint to the Carousel of Progress. Still raining? Keep to the covered edge along the now-closed Timekeeper, and past the Noodle Station... and then you have the whole of Main Street to shop and eat along, dodging the raindrops by going from shop to shop. We love the sunshine, but it's great to be at the Magic Kingdom when it's raining!! - Diane
If you have a rainy day during your Disney stay make sure you have everyone wear shoes that will dry easily. If you are caught in a bad rain you can find clogs and some sneakers at various shops in the parks. Just be aware your size might not be available. (Kay)
My Rainy Day Tip involves my favorite ride in all the World -- the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom! During those mid-afternoon showers in Orlando, we always duck into the Columbia Harbour House for lunch or a snack, and then to the Mansion! The rain adds to the eeriness, and the waiting area walkway is covered. It is oh-so-much-cooler to enter the Mansion if there is lightning and thunder outside, and the quick downpours in Orlando are usually over by the time you emerge from the ride. Welcome, rain-soaked mortals! - Jennifer Turner
It was right before the start of the Animal Kingdom's Mickey's Jammin' in the Jungle Parade. The Cast Members had finally made the decision to go ahead with the parade despite threatening gray clouds. About five minutes into the parade it just started to pour. Not light rain, buckets of rain! The dutiful parade Cast Members continued on singing and dancing all the way through the rain and they were soaked. We immediately pulled out our yellow rain ponchos and kept jammin'. We were the only people standing on the sidelines in Harambe watching the parade. We cheered on the Cast Members as they paraded by, thanking them for continuing the parade in such a downpour. My tip is: make sure you have your rain ponchos at all times (buy the heavier-duty ones at Target) and wear waterproof sandals. Then you won't miss any of the action and perhaps make a few wonderful "singin' in the rain" memories! - Christina Kravatas
Although it was virtually pouring out, we decided to venture into Animal Kingdom anyway. We were prepared with Mickey ponchos of course, and my husband in a wheelchair to boot! Even with rain gear we were wet but we've never seen so many animals ... they all LOVE the rain! We had the Kilimanjaro Safari ride to ourselves -- who knew there were so many elephants! Even the lion was sitting up and not sleeping as usual. And we did Kali River Rapids about four times in a row -- why not, we were wet anyway! Best rainy day we've ever had in Disney. - Spin & Jan Spalding
My husband and two daughters (ages 6 and almost 3) were at Animal Kingdom when it began to rain. We put on our inexpensive ponchos from home and headed for Kilimanjaro Safari. Boy, were we in for a treat! The animals act differently during thunderstorms, and it was quite a sight to see herds of animals standing together, all facing the same direction, not moving. When our safari vehicle was by the area with the lions, we had to stop for another animal that was in the roadway. At that moment, there was a simultaneous thunderclap/lightning-strike that sounded like it hit right by us! It woke up the male lion, who was not too happy. He started pacing and roaring -- it was quite a sight! I would not hesitate to ride this ride in the rain and in sunny weather, just to see how different the animals behave in different weather conditions. - EschBecky
At Animal Kingdom, some of the animals become more active when it showers. This is a great time to put on those ponchos and just observe the animals in The Oasis. There is so much overhead foliage that you don't get the drenching rains like you would out in the open. Rafiki's Planet Watch is a nice place to visit during the rainy season. Stop and talk with the Cast Members. They have lots of great stories about the animals and the operation of the Animal Kingdom. There's also a huge mural painted on the walls of the building and there are lots of hidden Mickeys. See who can find the most. - JMcBride
Catch the various safaris and trails in Animal Kingdom... the rain will drive many people away, but the animals don't seem to mind and you can get some great views (watch those cameras in the rain, though!). And of course, whilst in Animal Kingdom, Kali River Rapids in the rain is a must... However, my favorite thing to do in inclement weather would be to curl up in one of the many cozy fireplace nooks in the Wilderness Lodge with my wife and a good book... - Gareth from Scotland
EDITOR'S NOTE: When lightning is in the area Disney will close down ALL outside attractions and shows as well as food carts until the threat of lightening passes.
EDITOR'S NOTE: When lightning is in the area Disney will close down ALL outside attractions and shows as well as food carts until the threat of lightening passes.
"Boredom is Energizing!" After years of going to Disney, I have found that the best way to get everyone up in the morning for an early start is to flip on all the lights at 6 a.m. for Early Morning Entry or 7 a.m. for a regular entry time, and keep the television off. This is also important for adults. Checking the news on CNN and the weather on The Weather Channel can easily extend into sitting around for a long time. We just eat a roll, drink some juice and look out the window for the weather forecast. With nothing to do, it does not take long for everyone to get motivated to do something/anything. - John P.
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I am adding to a tip in the October 17 newsletter regarding shipping of merchandise from your resort. We just returned from a weeklong stay at the Wilderness Lodge and had a large box (weighing 29 pounds) shipped home on the morning of our departure from the WL. When we first inquired about shipping rates, we also were rather stunned to find out the outrageous cost. The gift shop (going strictly by dollar amount of items shipped) would have cost us $76. We were instructed (for comparison) to see what the cost would be to ship through the front desk instead. Going through the front desk was much cheaper -- $23 UPS -- and our merchandise arrived at our home about three days after we did. We chose UPS, but they also ship FedEx and DHL. - Debbie
My family uses an updated version of "I Spy" to pass the time when having to wait! We use our camera phone to take a close-up picture of something that is near us (like the napkins at the table, or a corner of a menu) and then we pass the phone around taking turns guessing what the photo shows. Super close-up pictures of things can be challenging to figure out -- even for adults! And, I have found that even my 6-year-old has no problem "pushing the button" to take a picture. We've made several long waits in restaurants as well as car trips pass by a little faster playing this game -- and the best part is I always have my phone with me, so whenever an unanticipated delay hits, we're prepared! - Heather Thomas
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Be forewarned that shipping charges at the resorts have skyrocketed. The manager and cashier could not figure out why my items, which were $15.95 to ship previously, rang up at $112.95! It took about 30 minutes before they found out about the new rate charts. The shipping is based on retail price, not weight. Mailing home souvenirs is no longer cost-effective. We bought a new suitcase instead. - Sandy Schneider
For everyone taking souvenirs home, be careful what you choose when flying. We decided to purchase a princess cup that had the floating glitter and water inside the glass and packed it in our carry-on with the rest of the things we purchased. Well, the airlines considered that a liquid and it couldn't be in our carry-on. It was too late to put it in with our luggage because it had already been checked in, so we had to consider it as a loss. So, when buying this kind of souvenir remember to pack it in with your luggage or go with one of the many other cute cups they have! - Lisa P., and several other readers
We were just in the World a few weeks ago and wanted to buy a snowglobe. With the new FAA regulations, we knew that we would not be able to bring it on board in our carry-on and did not want to have it in our luggage in case of it breaking. We spoke to a Cast Member who told us that they are encouraging people to have the snowglobes shipped home. It is a great way to do it... you don't pay tax if it is being shipped out of state, you have the Disney guarantee, so if it breaks they replace it, and it is a fun little thing to get in the mail the week after you come back from vacation -- the Disney magic keeps on going! - Laurie Fay
